Dear CPS Community,
We hope all of you had an enjoyable April break with your families. For any of you who traveled last week, we urge you to follow the state’s travel advisory guidelines. It is up to all of us to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and ensure our students and staff remain safe and healthy.
The week ahead should be busy and exciting as we prepare for many upper school students’ return to school in-person on Wednesday. A reminder that there is NO SCHOOL tomorrow (Monday 4/26) for students at CSUS, PAUS, RAUC and VLUS because staff have a Professional Development/ Preparation Day. Many of our high school students will be back in-person full time beginning Monday, May 10, and there will be a Professional Development/Preparation Day for CRLS staff on Wednesday, May 5.
We want to remind you about several upcoming early release days. On these days, schools dismiss two hours early.
- Wednesday, April 28: Grades JK-5 & Amigos
- Wednesday, May 12: Grades JK-8
- Wednesday, May 19: Grades JK-5 & Amigos
- Wednesday, May 26: Grades JK-5 & Amigos
- Wednesday, June 9: Grades JK-5
- Wednesday, June 23: All Grades
I am pleased to report that the School Committee adopted the CPS Budget for FY 2022. The budget now heads to the City Council for a vote on May 19. Also, the school committee also approved the school calendar for the 2021-22 school year. The first day of school for students will be Thursday, September 9.
I want to pass along a belated thank you and recognize the District’s clerks and administrative assistants. Last Wednesday was Administrative Professionals Day. Thank you to all the clerks who work hard each year to support our students and staff in so many ways.
We have several other updates and events to share. Please see below for information on:
- MCAS Update
- NHS Induction Ceremony
- Donation from Consul General of Portugal
- Interim Superintendent Interviews
- May 8 Community Fairs Launch
Sincerely,
Kenneth N. Salim, Ed.D.
Superintendent
1. MCAS Update
Last week the Massachusetts Board of Secondary & Elementary Education voted unanimously that the current junior class will not have to take and pass the MCAS exam because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, juniors who earn full credit in an approved course and demonstrate competency in that subject will meet the requirement to graduate. However, members of the Class of 2022 who want to be considered for scholarships, such as the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship, must take the MCAS this spring or fall.
For more information, see CPS’s MCAS webpage and FAQs.
2. NHS Induction Ceremony
We’d like to congratulate the 134 high school students who were recently inducted into the Derry-Wood Chapter of the National Honor Society. Candidates selected by members of the CRLS National Honor Society Faculty Council exhibit excellence in scholarship, character, leadership and service.
3. Counsel General of Portugal Donation
A big CPS “Obrigado” or “Thank You” to Joao Pedro Fins de Lago, the Consul General of Portugal in Boston, for his donation of Portuguese language resources - including 122 textbooks - to the Olá program, a two-way Portuguese-English bilingual immersion program at the King Open elementary school. Teachers and students from King Open were able to virtually attend the socially-distanced ceremony city and school leaders held for the Consul General on April 16.
4. Interim Superintendent Interviews
The two remaining candidates being considered as CPS Interim Superintendent of Schools will be interviewed at a School Committee Special Meeting on Tuesday night (4/27).
5. Summer Opportunities
Both Find It Cambridge and Resource Guides from the Agenda for Children can help you plan for summer 2021: See Middle School Summer Opportunities and Elementary School Summer Opportunities.
6. CPS Community Fairs Starting May 8
Save the date for the 2021 CPS Community Fairs, hosted by CPS and the Office of Mayor Siddiqui. The kick off will be held on May 8 outside Cambridge Street Upper School.
7. Upcoming Meetings & Events
- April 27 | 5PM: School Committee: Special Meeting for Interviewing finalist candidates for the position of Interim Superintendent of Schools.
- April 28 | Upper Schools launch full-time, in-person learning
- April 28: Early Release Day: Grades JK-5 & Amigos
- May 4 | 6PM: School Committee: Regular Meeting
- May 5 | No School, CRLS (staff planning day)
- May 10 | CRLS begins full-time, in-person learning
- May 12: Early Release Day: Grades JK-8
- May 19: Early Release Day: Grades JK-5 & Amigos
- May 19 | 10AM - 2PM: Together We RISE, A Virtual Conference for Allston, Brighton, and Cambridge High School Sophomores & Juniors, sponsored by the Harvard Ed Portal and the Harvard Public School Partnerships team. CRLS alum, Mohammed
- Uddin, CRLS ‘15, UMass Boston BA ‘19, MPA ‘20, will be a featured guest speaker.
- May 26: Early Release Day: Grades JK-5 & Amigos
- June 9: Early Release Day: Grades JK-5
- June 23: Early Release Day: All Grades