Greetings CPS Community…
I hope you had a relaxing Memorial Day weekend. We are officially in the home stretch of the school year.
As we shared last week, we are very excited to launch, in partnership with the city, Universal Preschool, which is coming to Cambridge beginning in the 2024-2025 school year. The Cambridge Preschool Program is a publicly-funded program that will provide free preschool to the families of all 4-year-olds and some 3-year-olds. I am incredibly proud of this historic investment in our children and look forward to sharing more information as we move forward.
As we transition from May to June later this week, I hope you will join me in reflecting on all that we have accomplished together this year, while also looking ahead to how we can improve for next school year. Throughout June, I will be hosting a series of Coffee Hours at our schools to listen and learn from you about what we are doing well and what we can do better for our students. I invite you to come share your thoughts, questions, and concerns as we work together for our students. Please see below for more information on dates, times, and locations.
I am also excited to share that my team and I will take part in a virtual Town Hall discussion on Tuesday, June 13 from 6:30 - 8PM in partnership with the Cambridge Families of Color Coalition. More details to come soon!
Also in June, we recognize Pride Month, National Caribbean Heritage Month, and Juneteenth. Our district and the Cambridge community have planned a few wonderful events to celebrate these occasions. Please read more about their significance and learn how you can get involved below.
Thank you for your continued support.
Make it Great!
Dr. Victoria L. Greer
Headlines
Join Superintendent Greer for a Cup of Coffee!
All members of the CPS community are invited to join Dr. Greer for coffee and a light breakfast and share your thoughts, questions, and concerns. She is excited to listen and learn from you!
- Wednesday, June 7 | 8:30 - 9:30AM
Rindge Avenue Upper School and Peabody School (70 Rindge Avenue)
- Friday, June 9 | 7:30 - 8:30AM
Tobin Montessori School and High School Extension Program (359 Broadway)
- Wednesday, June 14 | 8 - 9AM
Morse School (40 Granite Street)
- Friday, June 16 | 8:30 - 9:30AM
Cambridge Street Upper School and King Open (850 Cambridge Street)
- Wednesday, June 21 | 8 - 9AM
Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (459 Broadway Court)
Introducing the New Principal of Rindge Avenue Upper School
Following a comprehensive recruitment and selection process, it is with great pleasure that we announce Ms. Julie Sizer as the new principal of Rindge Avenue Upper School. Ms. Sizer brings a wealth of experience, a deep commitment to education, and a passion for creating an exceptional learning environment for students.
Under Ms. Sizer's leadership, we are confident that Rindge Avenue Upper School (RAUC) will continue to flourish and provide an engaging, inclusive, and nurturing environment for all students. She will further strengthen the school community by fostering a positive school culture and effectively communicating and collaborating with parents, educators, and community members.
Please read more about Ms. Sizer in Dr. Greer’s full letter to the RAUC community.
New Health Portal Coming This Fall
When we return to school in September, our School Health Department will ask families to join our district’s electronic medical record system known as the SNAP Health Portal. This web-based system provides an easy, secure, and green way for you to update and review your child’s health and wellness information and medical documents throughout the year.
The SNAP Health Portal will allow you to:
- Submit all health forms electronically
- Share immunization records, doctor’s orders, allergies/medical conditions, and other important health information as needed
- Receive notification when your child’s medications are in need of a refill
More details will be shared over the summer.
- Questions? Contact your child’s school nurse.
What We Are Celebrating in June
Juneteenth
Monday, June 19th marks Juneteenth, the oldest known celebration to honor the ending of enslavement in the United States. On June 19, 1865 in Galveston, Texas, General Gordon Granger issued General Order Number 3, declaring that the Emancipation Proclamation established freedom for all enslaved people— two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation took effect. Freed people in Galveston began celebrating Juneteenth, and over time, celebrations spread throughout Texas and across the country by formerly enslaved people and their descendants.
Juneteenth is now a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans.
Local events:
- The City of Cambridge Employees Committee on Diversity invites families to its Juneteenth: A Freedom Celebration event. There will be a communal reading, food, drinks, music, and raffles.
- When: Thursday, June 8th | 12 -2PM
- Where: City Hall Sullivan Chamber (795 Massachusetts Ave)
- Juneteenth Community Cookout and a Juneteenth Freedom Parade hosted by the Cambridge Families of Color Coalition
- When: Saturday, June 17th | Sennott Park (305 Broadway)
- When: Monday, June 19th | 10AM (begins at 795 Massachusetts Ave)
LGBTQIA+ Pride Month
Pride Month started in 1970 at the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and is an opportunity to celebrate the identities, activism, and contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Pride Month honors the legacy of queer and trans resistance. This includes the leadership of trans and gender nonconforming people of color throughout history and their activism and commitment to making a more inclusive, affirming, and just world especially for LGBTQIA+ people and other marginalized folks. During Pride Month, we celebrate the ancestors who paved the way and the beauty, complexity, and resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community.
National Caribbean Heritage Month
National Caribbean Heritage Month was first officially observed in 2006 after being unanimously adopted by the House of Representatives in 2005. It was sponsored by Congresswoman Barbara Lee and focused on recognizing the significance of Caribbean people and their descendants in the history and culture of the United States.
Caribbean-American, barrier-breaking public servants in the Biden Administration include Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, and Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice.
CPS Hiring Corner
Cambridge Public Schools is seeking to hire talented education professionals for positions including Administrators, Teachers, Instructional Aides, and Substitutes for the 23-24 School Year! We look forward to recruiting and hiring excellent educators to join our school communities this fall!
Free Chat-Based Tutoring For Final Exams
A gentle reminder that all 5th through 12th grade students have access to Paper, a free chat-based tutoring service through the end of this school year.
Paper provides:
Featured Events
Final Community Social of the School Year
The Family and Community Engagement team invites you to the final Community Social of the school year. Come indulge in delicious food, participate in our raffle, and take home CPS swag! District partners, such as The Spot and Find It Cambridge, will also be there to provide valuable resources and information.
- When: Thursday, June 1 | 6 - 8PM
- Where: The Foundry (101 Rogers Street)
- Register here >>
Last Month of 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 in June:
- Wednesday, June 14
1:45 - 3PM (Fletcher Maynard Academy)
2 - 3:30PM (Kennedy-Longfellow School/Vassal Lane Upper School)
- Thursday, June 15
3:15 - 4PM (Peabody School/Rindge Avenue Upper School)
- Tuesday, June 20
1:30 - 3PM (Graham and Parks School)
Hands-on Learning Fun!
Last week, more than 120 students at the Tobin Montessori School walked to the park in front of the high school to attend the Department of Public Works (DPW) Road Show Touch-a Truck Event. Students got to see, touch, climb on, and explore DPW trucks and other equipment in celebration of Public Works Week 2023.
National Flagway Tournament
On Saturday, May 20, thirteen Putnam Avenue Upper School (PAUS) students won first place at the National Flagway Tournament in Miami, Florida! Flagway is a math game that creates an environment to practice and celebrate mathematics. Its game-like structure and competitive nature encourages and empowers students to think critically and utilize problem solving skills.
This year our program served 25 students during our elective block. Current Flagway players tell us that Flagway has made math fun for them and they would love to compete again!
CRLS Seniors Take Home $410,000 in Scholarships
On Thursday, May 18th, 198 scholarships totaling more than $410,000 were distributed to students in recognition of their hard work. Our generous sponsors filled the stage to present the awards to this year’s recipients, and Superintendent Greer relayed her respect for our students during her address. Following the ceremony, sponsors, honorees, and their families attended a reception. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners, which are outlined in the program!
Cross-County Agricultural Collaboration
Ms. Dorritie’s class at CRLS received a wonderful donation from the Norfolk County Agricultural School. They kindly shared a variety of plants and seedlings with our students. The donation serves as a wonderful example of the positive working relationship we have with neighboring technical and career programs.
Key Resources
Mark Your Calendar
- Wednesday, June 7 | Early Release (JK-5 only)
- Monday, June 19 | Juneteenth (No School & CPS Offices Closed)
- Thursday, June 22 | Last Day of School and Early Release for All Grades