Welcome Back! School Year 26-27 Info

As always, if you need any support, please contact your school*, or you can email central office staff at cps@cpsd.us.

 

Important Dates 

• The first day of school for grades 1-12+ is Tuesday, September 1. The first day for preschool and kindergarten students is  Thursday, September 3. 

• Schools have back-to-school events to help you get to know your school and meet other members of the school community. Find the schedule of events on our website.

Fill Out the Required Back-to-School Forms

Sign-in to the CPS Family Portal to complete Annual Back-to-School forms. These forms must be completed by the first day of school for each student.

• Forms include updated health and vaccine records, permission for photo use, caregiver contact information, and more. 
• You can download paper forms to print here.
• Need help? Attend our Back-to-School Forms Help event on Wednesday, August 26, at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (459 Broadway) from 5 - 7PM. CPS staff will be available to help you with forms during this event. 

Register for ParentSquare or Update Your Settings

CPS uses ParentSquare to communicate with families. ParentSquare allows you to customize your notification settings to ensure you receive important information about your student. Access newsletters, message teachers, view testing reports, and more through ParentSquare – all in your preferred language!

• New families: If you have not already done so, please activate your account today. Information was sent to you by email on Friday, August 14th. You can download the ParentSquare app on the Apple Store or Google Play Store.
• Existing families: Update your notification settings, as they have changed. Not seeing the new notification settings for "Posts" and "Direct Messages" in the app? Simply update the ParentSquare app in the Apple Store or Google Play Store to get the latest version.

General Announcements & Messages (Posts)

Choose your delivery method:
☐ Email        ☐ Text Message    ☐ ParentSquare App

Choose when you receive messages for each method: 
Instant – get information immediately or Digest – 1 daily summary message at 6PM*

Direct Messages

Choose your delivery method:
☐ Email        ☐ Text Message    ☐ ParentSquare App

Direct messages are only delivered instantly.

*Tip: We recommend choosing instant for communication from your child’s school and digest for information from the district. If we have urgent information to share, you will receive it immediately, regardless of which setting you select.

Need Help?

• How to Get Started (አማርኛ | عربي | বাংলা | Kreyòl ayisyen | Español)
• Manage Your Notifications (for Parents)  
• Change Your Preferred Language Settings (for Parents) 

Register for or Update Information in the SNAP Health Portal

Our school nurses use a medical record system known as the SNAP Health Portal. This system provides an easy and secure way to update and review your child’s health information and medical documents.  

• New families: Please register for the SNAP Health Portal. A registration invitation was sent to unregistered users on Wednesday, August 12, from @noreply@studentehr.com
• Questions? Contact School Health Clinical Manager Debra Rais at drais@challiance.org or Immunization Coordinator Vanessa Sanz at vsanz@challiance.org.

Review Immunization Requirements and Medication Guidelines

Before students can attend school, they must meet immunization requirements each year. Please read the Back-to-School Letter from School Nurses here for information on immunizations and medications before school starts.

• View student immunization requirements here. Missing immunizations? Join us on Thursday, August 27 from 1PM to 4PM at CRLS for a Vaccine Clinic at the Teen Health Center at CRLS. CPS Students ages 5+ are eligible.

Find Your Bus Information

• Find your bus stop by using our online Bus Finder tool, here (available the week of August 24th).
  • Download iPhone or Android apps to track bus arrival information in real time. Find more information and download the apps from our website.
  • Visit our Transportation Department webpage for all information about CPS transportation services.
  • Questions? Call 617.349.6862.

NEW School Start Times

• As a reminder, the start and end times for some schools will change for the 2026-27 school year. Review the full list and make sure you make a plan to arrive on time.
• Schools open 30 minutes before classes begin. Students are welcome to come for breakfast, to socialize, or to get extra support with schoolwork.

District Calendar

Review the 2026-2027 School Year District Calendar, prepare for planned closures, schedule appointments, vacations, and more to minimize impact on student learning.

Breakfast and Lunch

• Students in CPS receive free breakfast and lunch every day (if they choose).
• Find daily menus here.

CPS Family Portal 

• You can access forms, find “how to” resources, and find much more information about CPS programs, departments, and resources by logging into our Family Portal. 

For Staff: Access the Intranet

• Find staff forms, information, and more by logging into the Intranet, here.