Mark Your Calendar
- Tuesday, April 15 | School Committee Meeting (Beginning at 6PM)
- Friday, April 18 | Good Friday (No School & CPS Offices Closed)
- Monday, April 21 - Friday, April 25 | April Break (No School & CPS Offices Closed on April 21)
Good evening CPS Community,
Applications for round 2 of the
Cambridge Preschool Program are due today. This application window is designed for families with an eligible 3- or 4-year-old eligible child, who have recently moved to Cambridge and/or families that otherwise missed the fall application window. Limited seats are available. You can learn more about the Cambridge Preschool Program through the
City of Cambridge Office of Early Childhood website.
As a reminder, school and district offices will be closed
this Friday, April 18 in observance of Good Friday. District Offices will be closed on Monday, April 21 in observance of Patriots’ Day.
The next edition of the
CPS Connect newsletter will be on
Monday, May 5.
We hope you have a wonderful April break.
Sincerely,
The CPS Team
In this Issue
- District and School Culture Survey Coming in May
- Apply for Next Year’s DHSP Afterschool Programs by May 11
- Explore April Break Programming
- 2025-2026 School Year Calendar Now Available
- Upcoming Events
- District & Community Resources
- The Bright Spot
Need to Know
District and School Culture Survey Coming in May
From May 5 through May 30, we invite all district families, staff, and students (grades 3-12) to take our District and School Culture Survey (formerly known as the District and School Climate Survey).
Your feedback will inform decisions and contribute to the ongoing implementation of our District Plan, which has been extended into the 2025-26 school year.
The survey will be open from Monday, May 5 - Friday, May 30.
This survey is part of our ongoing commitment to providing high-quality learning experiences that meet the needs of all of our scholars and build welcoming schools. More information will be shared soon!
Apply for Next Year’s DHSP Afterschool Programs by May 11
The City’s Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP) is now accepting applications to the DHSP Afterschool Programs Lottery through Sunday, May 11.
Cambridge families can apply to all four afterschool program models through a single online application process.
- Eligibility: Cambridge children entering Kindergarten – Grade 8 in September 2025 are eligible to apply
- Cost: Tuition is determined based on household size and income
- Re-enrollment: Children currently enrolled in a DHSP afterschool program can re-enroll in the same program by completing an application by the deadline. Open seats are filled through a lottery process.
Families will be notified of their child’s placement in a program or in the Waiting Pool by the end of June. To learn more and apply, visit cambridgema.gov/AfterschoolLottery.
Explore April Break Programming
Hoping to have a fun-filled April break? Stop hoping and start planning!
Looking for more programming beyond break? View the Cambridge Agenda for Children’s Summer Programs and Opportunities Resource Guide (Kindergarten - Grade 8).
2025-2026 School Year Calendar Now Available
The 2025-2026 school year is now available. Please reference this calendar when scheduling vacations and appointments to minimize disruption to school time to the best of your ability.
Access the 2025-2026 school year calendar online here
In the District
Young Artists Exhibit
Tuesday, April 1 - Friday, April 18 | 5 - 7PM
Multicultural Arts Center (41 Second Street)
Explore the artistic works of students in Preschool - Grade 8 in the upcoming
Young Artists Exhibition from April 1 - 18 at the Multicultural Arts Center. The gallery is closed Monday and open Tuesday - Friday from 10AM - 6PM.
Explore the artistic works of high school students in the upcoming
Young Artists Exhibition from March 5 - 21 at the Multicultural Arts Center. The gallery is closed Monday and open Tuesday - Friday from 10AM - 6PM.
Multicultural Night
Thursday, April 16 | 6 - 8:30PM
CRLS Main Cafe (459 Broadway Court)
CRLS’s student-led Cultural Visibility Team presents the second annual
Multicultural Night for the whole Cambridge Public Schools community! Join us for a night of cultural performances, food, and a whole lot more!
Registration for Multicultural Night is helpful but not required.
Haitian Affinity Group Meeting
Wednesday, April 16 | 6:30-8PM
Zoom (link to be provided through registration)
Families are invited to attend the
Haitian Affinity Group meeting to discuss ways to actively participate in your child’s school. Register for the meeting here:
bit.ly/cps-hag-apr2025
District Calendar
Visit our
digital calendar for upcoming events here.
In the Community
Her Story: Voices of Leadership and Inspiration
Wednesday, April 23 | 6 - 7:30PM
Cambridge City Hall, 2nd Floor (795 Massachusetts Avenue)
Join the office of Mayor E. Denise Simmons for a
Women’s History Month Celebration and Story Slam.
¡Ser Súper is Super! The Power of Bilingualism
Saturday, April 26 | 11AM - 12:30PM
Harvard Museum of Natural History (26 Oxford Street)
Families are invited to
attend a fun-filled storytime in English and Spanish that celebrates the power of being bilingual!
Admission is free with event registration.
If “Stranger Danger” is a Myth, Then What? Building a Safe and Resilient Cambridge
Monday, April 28 | 6 - 8:30PM
Cambridge Public Library - Main (449 Broadway, Lecture Hall)
High school students are invited to
join Meg Stone, the author of The Cost of Fear, and CRLS youth leaders to learn gender-inclusive strategies for learning safety skills important for resisting coercion, intimidation, and violence, while feeling empowered in stressful situations.
Reserve your spot before Friday, April 18.
Cambridge Flagway Tournament
Saturday, May 3 | 10AM - 3PM
Cambridge Street Upper School (850 Cambridge Street)
This
tournament-style team competition allows students to engage in math games and activities that are physically and mentally challenging. This event helps students develop a deeper understanding of math concepts in a fun and social way. Free lunch is offered.
Registration is recommended.
District & Community Resources
Exploring Science Concepts through LEGO Education Kits
Photo: Students at Haggerty Elementary School work together on their LEGO challenge
This year, the CPS Educational Technology department introduced students in grades 3-5 to computer science concepts through hands-on learning with LEGO Education SPIKE kits.
Working in pairs, students use LEGO bricks, sensors, and digital tools to solve problems. Students are challenged to think critically and creatively to create animal alarms and spinning ferris wheels.
Thank you to the Cambridge STEAM Initiative for their support in acquiring the LEGO kits!