Greetings CPS Community…
I hope you had a wonderful April vacation and are feeling reenergized to finish the school year strong.
Earlier this month the School Committee unanimously voted to pass our Fiscal Year 2024 Budget proposal, which will take effect on July 1 and support the 2023-2024 school year. I appreciate each and every member of our school community who expressed their thoughts, concerns, and ideas during our public hearings, budget workshops, and community, staff, and student engagement sessions. Your testimony proves how deeply we all care for our students and their continuous growth and learning.In line with guidance from our health and safety advisory and the Cambridge Public Health Department, we strongly recommend masking at school through this Friday, April 28.
Finally, in honor of Administrative Professionals Week (April 23-27), I want to recognize and applaud the hard work and dedication of our school and district clerks. Our clerks are usually the first face to greet you when you enter our schools and buildings, and they are essential to the successful operation of our school communities. We are grateful for them every day!
Thank you for your continued support.
Make it Great!
Dr. Victoria L. Greer
Headlines
District Climate Survey Launches Next Month
We are excited to launch our 2022-2023 District Climate Survey next month! This will be an opportunity for our school community to tell us how we are doing. The feedback we receive will inform and contribute to the ongoing implementation of our 2022-2025 District Plan. Stay tuned for more details!
Youth Equity Summit
We are incredibly proud of the work our Office of Equity, Inclusion & Belonging are continuously doing to build school communities where students feel uplifted and can be their true selves. Earlier this month, high school students participated in various workshops centered around the theme, “How do equity issues intersect in Cambridge?” The workshops were planned by students and touched on topics and challenges that students face on a daily basis.
Families Invited to a Community Social
The Family Engagement team is looking forward to welcoming families at tomorrow night’s Community Social! Stop by for resources from the district and community partners. There will also be giveaways, raffles, music, and food.
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WHEN: Tuesday, April 25 | 6 - 8PM
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WHERE: Cambridge Community Center (located at 5 Callender Street)
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No registration required!
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Questions? Contact Mia Ferej at [email protected]
Summer Jobs for Teenagers
This is the last week for teenagers to apply for the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program, which connects them to paid summer jobs in Cambridge and surrounding communities.
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Teens will work 20 hours/week from July 5-August 11.
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They will be paid $15/hour.
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Apply here by this Friday, April 28.
CPS Hiring Corner
We are seeking talented educational professionals for positions, including Administrators, Teachers, Instructional Aides, and Substitutes! Cambridge offers competitive salaries and benefits, small class sizes, a dynamic and innovative environment, and professional development through Harvard, MIT, Lesley University, Simmons and Wheelock Colleges, the Museum of Science, biotechnology corporations, and other local partners.
Educators Awarded Full Scholarships to Pursue Secondary Education
Thirty talented teachers and paraprofessionals have been chosen for our Educator Pathway Program, which aims to celebrate, grow, and cultivate CPS educators. They received a full scholarship to pursue secondary education in English as a Second Language at Lesley University or Special Education at Cambridge College.
This week, we’re introducing you toBaldwin School Special Education Paraprofessional, Alanna Saunders. Click on the questions below to hear Alanna’s answers and on her name to watch the full interview!
Featured Events
Informational Meeting on the New Upper School ELA/Literacy Curriculum
We are pleased to share that after a thoughtful selection process, we have chosen Fishtank Learning as the new Upper School English Language Arts (ELA)/Literacy curriculum that will be implemented beginning next school year.Next week, families are invited to join our ELA/Literacy team for a webinar to introduce key components of the curriculum and the texts and themes that students will engage with.
Setting Boundaries for Healthy Relationships and Caregiver Self-Care
Families for Depression Awareness is presenting a free webinar to help families define boundaries in familial relationships. Participants will learn why boundaries are necessary when supporting a loved one with a mood disorder and how to apply boundaries as a form of self-care.
Free Food Markets
All families are welcome to stop by our free, school-based food markets. They offer fresh fruits, vegetables, and pantry items. Please bring your own bags.
Markets this week:
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Thursday, April 27
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3 - 4PM (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School and Putnam Ave Upper School)
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3:15 - 4PM (Peabody School and Rindge Avenue Upper School)
See the full list of free food markets here.
Math Acceleration Academies
Congratulations to the Upper School scholars who participated in the CPS Math Acceleration Academies during the February and April vacation weeks.
47 committed students devoted their vacation timeto building their math skills and engaging in the engineering design process. Students also participated in hands-on activities led by peer mentors from the Young People's Project.
Thank you to the Math Department and the wonderful educators who dedicated their vacation time to designing lessons and teaching in the program.
Students Experience Life on a Farm
Cambridgeport students attended a three-day visit toFarm School in Athol, Massachusetts. During last month’s trip, students rotated through various activities like chopping wood, milking cows, and preparing meals for the group. They also took a nighttime hike, meditated, stargazed, and created art from sticks, rocks, and snow.
The children saw first-hand the interconnectedness of farms. For example, students chopped wood, moved it, and saw how the wood heated the fires that helped create the maple syrup that ended up on the table at meal times. They also fed and cared for animals, like chickens, and then ate the eggs that the chickens produced for breakfast. At the end of the day, students enjoyed quiet reflection time and a fireside dance party!
Civics Teacher Wins Statewide Award
Congratulations toTom Trainor, who was selected as this year’s Massachusetts Council for the Social Studies’ Don Salvucci Award for Excellence in Promoting Civics! Mr. Trainor has been teaching Social Studies in CPS since 2007 and at Rindge Avenue Upper School since 2012, where he was a founding Social Studies teacher. Last year, he was profiled by U.S. News and World Report.
Mr. Trainor and the other winners will be recognized at a ceremony in Marlborough next Monday, May 1. We are incredibly proud of Mr. Trainor and thank him for his excellent contributions to civic education in CPS and beyond!
Mark Your Calendar
Wednesday, May 17 | Early Release Day (JK-8 only)
Monday, May 29 | Memorial Day (No School & CPS Offices Closed)
Wednesday, June 7 | Early Release (JK-5 only)
Thursday, June 8 | CRLS Graduation
Monday, June 19 | Juneteenth (No School & CPS Offices Closed)
Thursday, June 22 | Last Day of School and Early Release for All Grades
Key Resources