Greetings CPS Community!
As we go into the final week of school in 2022, I want to thank you for an energizing and inspiring first half of the school year. We are excited for 2023 and continuing the intentional work to improve outcomes for every one of our students.
Tomorrow, the School Committee will vote on the revised targets we set for each of our student outcomes in the District Plan. On Thursday, in a Roundtable Meeting, my team will present an update on the work that is happening in developing and improving our college and career pathways with a focus on RSTA. We encourage you to watch the meetings and review the presentations.
As a reminder, three community engagement sessions for the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget will be held next month. We look forward to engaging you in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget process. Below you will find more information and a registration link.
Given the increase in the number of COVID cases, we join the Cambridge Public Health Department in strongly recommending masking to keep one another safe. We continue to review our case data weekly. We are also watching closely for clusters. In the event that there are multiple cases in a grade, classroom, or school, please review our updated guidance in the COVID Manual.
Please note that this is the final issue of the Greer Gazette for 2022. Our next issue will be January 9, 2023!
Thank you for your continued support.
Make it Great!
Dr. Victoria L. Greer
Headlines
Chat-Based Tutoring Launching Soon
We are excited that the Office of Student Services will be launching a chat-based tutoring system next month! Paper is for 5th through 12th graders and provides 24/7 access to tutors. Paper supports students in a variety of subject areas and is available in English, Spanish, French, Mandarin, and Haitian Creole.
The Office of Student Services will collaborate with schools and district departments, families, educators, and community partners to assist students in accessing Paper. More information on implementation will come at the start of the new year!
The Equity Collaborative
Do you have a great idea for an equity-based project for Spring 2023? Apply to be part of The Equity Collaborative!
Grants from $500 to $5,000 are available to current students, educators, and caregivers. Please click here to make a copy of the application. After you fill it out, share the document with the Office of Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging (OEIB) at [email protected]. Applications are due by Monday,January 9.
Questions? Email [email protected].
Musical Opportunity for Upper School Students
The Visual and Performing Arts Department is looking for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to join our All-CPS All-City Music Program. Enrollment is now open for the Concert Band, Orchestra, and Chorus ensembles. If your child is an upper-school instrumental or choir student who is passionate about making music, we would love to welcome them!
Rehearsal Details:
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Wednesday afternoons starting January 11 from 3:30-4:45PM at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School.
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Spring concert will be on Thursday, May 4 at 7PM.
For more information and to sign up, please download and fill out the permission form
(አማርኛ | عربي | বাংলা | Kreyòl ayisyen | Español) and submit it to your child’s upper school music teacher or email the completed form to [email protected]. An enrollment confirmation will be emailed to you based on spots available in each ensemble.
To learn more, join the virtual information session on:
Questions? Contact All-City program Coordinator, Ryan Solero at [email protected].
Fiscal Year 2024 Budget
FY2024 Budget Process…Community Engagement Sessions Next Month!
As we celebrate the end of 2023, it is time to begin planning for the 2024 Fiscal Year Budget. Superintendent Greer and the School Committee are eager to hear your perspective on the development of the budget, which supports the 2023-2024 school year.
We will offer three community engagement sessions next month. The first two will be in-person events and the third will be virtual.
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Wednesday, January 18 | 6 - 7:45PM (Fresh Pond Apartments located at 366 Rindge Avenue)
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Saturday, January 21 | 10 - 11:45AM (Location being finalized)
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Thursday, January 26 | 6 - 7:45PM (Virtual)
New Online Budget Platform
We are excited to share that our budget is now available on a new digital platform, making it easier to navigate! Our Online Budget provides an easy to use, interactive, and engaging version of our annual publication. We hope it will lead to a better understanding of a complex process and a more robust and engaging conversation with our community. To begin browsing budget information for our schools and departments, click here.
COVID Update
Test Distribution
Each school will give out a COVID test kit to every student and staff member this week. We ask that:
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Every staff member takes a rapid test before returning to school on Tuesday, January 3.
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Every student takes a rapid test before returning to school on Wednesday, January 4.
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If positive or negative but have symptoms, please stay home and notify the school.
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If negative and do not have symptoms, we will see you at school.
Given the increase in COVID cases over the last several weeks and the anticipated spike following winter break, we, along with the Health Department, strongly recommend masking at school through Friday, January 13, particularly if an individual travels or attends a large indoor gathering over the holiday.
Travel Guidance When A Person Tests Positive
In the event a student or staff member tests positive for COVID while traveling, the impacted traveler is expected to:
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Follow current COVID-19 testing & isolation protocols in response to a positive test result; and
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Adhere to the COVID-19 policies of the host city, state, or country and recognize this may affect return travel plans.
Junior Kindergarten/Kindergarten Lottery
The JK/K Lottery for the 2023-2024 school year will open on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 and close on Tuesday, January 31, 2023.All registrations must be fully completed, including all language testing to determine eligibility for Program Language Bonus points. Learn More >>
Poster Design Contest
Creative Design students at CRLS recently participated in a contest to create a flowchart poster that highlights our online incident reporting system, Speakfully. The goal of the poster project was to create a visually engaging design to educate fellow students on how a report can be made and how reports are processed.
Congratulations to the winners!
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Charlotte Joly, Senior – 1st Place
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James Blanc, Junior – 2nd Place
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Evan Garvey, Senior – 3rd Place
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Charlotte Joly, Senior – 4th Place
Click here for a closer look at the winning posters that will be displayed at the high school and upper schools. You can learn more about how the contest was created on our website.
CRLS Music Teacher Hits a High Note
Guillermo Nojechowicz composed the music for a documentary film called "Jazz Saved My Life," which premiered at the Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline earlier this month. The film was directed by Justin Freed and also included Grammy Award winner Maria Schneider (pictured with Guillermo) and composer and pianist Donal Fox. Nojechowicz says, “The experience of listening to my own music and seeing how it worked against the film images was unique. My music took on a whole new dimension. I was truly honored that Justin Freed asked me to be part of his project."
Congratulations to Mr. Nojechowicz on a wonderful musical experience! We are so proud of you!
Featured Events
Free Food Markets
Don’t forget to stop by one of our free food markets through December! They offer fresh fruits, vegetables, and pantry items. All are welcome.
- Tuesday, December 20 | 1:30 - 3PM
(Graham & Parks School)
- Thursday, December 22 | 3 - 4PM
(Putnam Ave Upper School/Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School)
Winter Break Activities
Looking for something to do with your family over the holiday? Find It Cambridgehas a curated list of programs, events, and resources available in our community.
Questions?Email [email protected] or call/text 617.686.2998
ParentSquare Training
As Dr. Greer mentioned, we appreciate that so many of our families have registered for ParentSquare! It is a comprehensive tool that continues to support our commitment to accessible, accurate, and equitable communication with all of our families
Did you know that you maynotbe registered, even if you are receiving emails from ParentSquare?
Some of the benefits to registering for ParentSquare include:
If you need help registering, this parent-centered training video will take you through the process step-by-step. You can also use our one-page summary on how to get started.
ParentSquare Kudos!
Congratulations to last week’s top ParentSquare users! We thank you for using ParentSquare to keep our families informed.
- Nicole Sullivan, Peabody School Family Liaison
- Heidi Cook, Baldwin School Principal
- Emma Doyle, Cambridge Rindge and Latin School History Teacher
- Gerald Yung, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School Principal
Mark Your Calendar
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)
Monday, January 16 | Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (No School & CPS Offices Closed)
Monday, February 20 - Friday, February 24 | February Break (No School & CPS Offices Closed on Monday, February 20)
Key Resources