Greetings CPS Community…Happy November!
It is a busy time of the year and we have engaged in several key discussions with the School Committee about our district programs and services. We had a robust and productive workshop to set the student outcome targets for the goals in our district plan.
My team and I have been pleased by what we are seeing while out and about on our school visits. Our Principals and educators are working hard to ensure that our students grow and succeed.
This year we have a few days set aside for staff professional development. Next Tuesday, November 8, our entire staff will be engaging in various professional learning opportunities. I look forward to sharing more about our learning soon.
Please be reminded that i-Ready Personalized Instruction launches on Monday, November 14 for all 3rd through 8th grade students. This is an online program for students to practice and build their reading and math skills beyond the school day. If you haven’t already, please register for one of the caregiver training sessions this Wednesday. Registration details are below.
We have also included family resources about your student’s learning by grade level in the Resources section below. I hope these resources will be helpful to you as you leverage the i-Ready Personalized Instructional tool.
Thank you for your continued support.
Make it Great!
Dr. Victoria L. Greer
Headlines
Register Today…Caregiver Sessions for i-Ready Personalized Instruction this Wednesday!
What is i-Ready Personalized Instruction?
-
Online program for 3rd - 8th grade students to advance their reading and math skills beyond the school day
-
Customizes lessons to improve and accelerate reading and math skills, whether students are performing below, on, or above grade level
-
Lessons accessible at home, during after school programs, when absent, and during school closures.
-
Virtual Caregiver Onboarding Sessions: Wednesday, November 2
Junior Kindergarten/Kindergarten Lottery Information Sessions
The JK/K Lottery for the 2023-2024 school year will open on January 3, 2023 and close on January 31, 2023. All registrations must be fully completed, including all language testing to determine eligibility for Program Language Bonus points.
Please consider attending an information session to learn more about the process.
Wednesday, November 9 | 6-7PM
Wednesday, November 16 | 6-7PM
Testing and Masking Following Veterans Day Long Weekend (Nov. 11-13)
We continue to emphasize that personal responsibility is also key in minimizing COVID-19 and its impact on our communities. As we have done following “high-risk” times, we ask that every student and staff member take a rapid test before school on Monday, November 14.
-
If positive or negative but have symptoms, please stay home and notify the school.
-
If negative and do not have symptoms, we will see you at school.
In addition, we, along with the Cambridge Public Health Department, strongly recommend masking at school through Friday, November 18, particularly if an individual traveled or attended a large indoor gathering over the long weekend.
What We’re Celebrating This Month
National Native American Heritage Month
The United States is a vast land of many cultures dating back thousands of years to the original inhabitants of the land, Native Americans. For example, Cambridge is home to the Massa-adchu-es-et (Massachusett), Pawtucket, and Naumkeag Peoples.
In 1990, President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations, under a variety of names (including “Native American Heritage Month” and “National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month”) have been issued each year since 1994. During National Native American Heritage Month, we explore the heritage, culture, and experiences of Indigenous peoples both historically and in American life today.
National Career Development Month
Since 1967, the National Career Development Association (NCDA) has highlighted and promoted National Career Development Month in an effort to improve and elevate the value of career development at all stages. For the first time, CPS, led by Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, is celebrating the month with a series of events dedicated to career development…check them out here! CRLS also continues to grow its practice of using MyCAP (My College & Academic Plan) to help students identify their talents, goals, and skills that will allow them to identify their post-secondary college and/or career plans.
Veterans Day
We extend our deepest gratitude to all those who have served in the U.S. armed forces. Veterans Day, also known as Armistice Day, is annually observed on November 11 to commemorate the end of World War I in 1918.
Child Tax Credit
Your family may qualify for up to $3,600/child with the Child Tax Credit or $1,400/person in stimulus money even if you have never filed taxes before (and if you have not already filed taxes this year).
Fuel Assistance Program Accepting Applications
The Cambridge Fuel Assistance Program is accepting applications for the 2022-2023 season. The program helps residents pay their winter heating bills between November 1 and April 30. Learn more about how to qualify and fill out the application here.
COVID-19 Booster Recommended for Children ages 5 and Older
The new bivalent booster is now approved for children ages 5 and older. Children (and adults) can get this booster if it has been at least 2 months since their last COVID-19 vaccine dose (initial vaccines or booster). We continue to strongly recommend that all eligible individuals stay up-to-date with their vaccination and boosters for the best protection against COVID.
The Cambridge Public Health Department is hosting free flu and COVID-19 vaccine clinics for the Cambridge community.
**Please note that VaxAbilities will host a second disability-friendly clinic on Wednesday, November 16. Additional staff will be at these clinics to provide skilled support to individuals with disabilities and sensory support needs.**
To make an appointment and for more information, including dates and locations, visit their website.
Haggerty 4th Graders Explore at Harvard Museum of Natural History
Haggerty’s 4th graders recently took an engaging field trip to the Harvard Museum of Natural History and participated in the Changing Earth program. They learned how rocks, fossils, and landforms provide clues about the geologic history of our changing earth. They explored exhibits, such as ocean specimens and animals from around the world!
Morse Marathon!
The Morse School held its annual school-wide fun run/walk earlier this month at beautiful Magazine Beach Park! It was a perfect fall day with an amazing turnout of families stopping by to cheer on runners. The event is aimed at promoting fitness and community. It also helps to raise funds for the Friends of Morse, a parent-led organization that supports enriching learning experiences for our students, along with other important volunteer contributions to our school.
Featured Events
Race in America: Community Workshop
Courageous Conversations, a CPS caregiver-led group, invites school staff, caregivers, and community members to a workshop next week to examine how race and oppression shape American society, from jobs and healthcare to neighborhoods and school communities.
Wednesday, November 2 | 7 - 9PM
Register Here
Questions? Contact [email protected]
ACE Trade Day
Free ACE Trade Day at CRLS
Calling all ACE students , high school students from greater Boston, and ACE alumni! Come spend some time at the ACE Trade Day at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School and spend some time working through different trades, such as masonry, carpentry/painting, building information management (BIM), surveying, HVAC, and electrical.
Register Here
Saturday, November 19 | 9AM - 1PM (459 Broadway)
Caregiver Equity Summit
Come Learn, Connect, and Reflect with families as we identify what equity sounds like, looks like, and feels like to caregivers in the Cambridge Public Schools community. There will be workshops, music, food, and much more!
Saturday, December 3 | 9AM - 3PM (Cambridge Street Upper located at 840 Cambridge Street)
Register Here
Key Resources
Mark Your Calendar
Tuesday, November 8 | Election Day - Staff Professional Learning Day (No School)
Friday, November 11 | Veterans Day (No School & CPS Offices Closed)
Wednesday, November 16 | Early Release Day (JK-8)
Wednesday, November 23 |Early Release Day (All Grades)
Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25 | Thanksgiving Break
Monday, December 26 - Monday, January 2 | Winter Break (No School & CPS Offices Closed on December 26 & 30 & January 2)
Tuesday, January 3 | Staff Professional Learning Day (No School)