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,
As we strive to continue to provide high quality learning experiences that meet the needs of all of our scholars and build welcoming schools, we are excited to share that the District and School Culture Survey (formally known as the District and School Climate Survey) will be shared in early May.
The survey will be available for families, staff, and students (grades 3-12) to complete. Data collected will be used to identify areas of strength and opportunities for growth, informing our district and school improvement efforts.
Why Rename the Survey?
In response to community feedback, we have renamed the survey from District Climate Survey to District Culture Survey to accurately reflect the content and purpose of the survey, as the usage of the word “Climate” was interpreted as a survey related to weather conditions.
More information will be available in the coming weeks. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
The CPS Team
In this Issue
- 2025-2026 School Year Calendar Now Available
- 2025-2026 Proposed Budget: Approved by School Committee
- April 1st School Committee Recap
- Upcoming Events
- District & Community Resources
- The Bright Spot
Need to Know
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.
2025-2026 Proposed Budget: Approved by School Committee
Last Tuesday, the School Committee voted to adopt the Interim Superintendent’s
Proposed 2025-2026 Budget. The proposed budget awaits final approval from the Cambridge City Council in May.
The proposed budget includes an increase of $12 million (4.5%) compared to last year’s budget.
The 2025-2026 proposed budget aims to align resources to objectives and initiatives outlined in the
CPS District Plan, which has been extended into 2026. Areas of focus for next year reflect our district’s long term strategic planning, with the goal of putting as many students as possible in better position for academic success.
| District Plan: Major Focus Area |
|
Educator Effectiveness:
Continued alignment of curriculum, improved supervision, and coordinated professional learning.
|
Facilities Planning:
Clear articulation of capital planning priorities tied to the overarching objective of positioning more students for success.
|
Family Engagement:
Emphasis on sound and deepened family engagement practices across all schools, and Standard 3 professional development.
|
Early Childhood Planning:
Phase 1 of consolidating early childhood programming in an early learning center model. |
Budget Insights:
- Like most budgets for public school districts, staffing and employee benefits make up the majority of operating costs, totaling 83.5% of the total CPS budget and accounting for a $8.4 million increase for existing employee positions for next year.
- Discretionary funding is the amount of money schools have that allows for individual communities to choose how dollars are spent. Some of this funding is outlined in each School Improvement Plan.
- Federal funding accounts for 2.4% of the CPS total budget. The proposed budget assumes full availability of federal funding, however, CPS leadership continues to plan and prepare for strategic shifts if necessary.
Read more about the budget process and community meeting schedule here.
April 1st School Committee Recap
Last month, the Office of the Superintendent began publishing School Committee Meeting Summaries. In the days following regular School Committee meetings, these brief summaries of actions taken at regular meetings of the School Committee are available to view on the CPS website. These are not official records or sets of meeting minutes. Read the April 1, 2025 meeting summary here.
Interested in receiving email notifications about meetings? Join the School Committee listserv.
In the District
Young Artists Exhibit
Thursday, April 3 | 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. Join the open reception at the Multicultural Arts Center Thursday, April 3. The gallery is closed Monday and open Tuesday - Friday from 10AM - 6PM.
Cambridge Community Seder
Wednesday, April 9 | 5:30 - 7PM
Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, Media Cafe (459 Broadway Ct.)
All members of the CPS community are invited to attend the
Community Seder and learn more about this ritual feast at the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover.
Registration is required as there are limited spots left.
Register for the Community Seder here.
It’s A Math Party
Saturday, April 12 | 1-4PM
Peabody School (70 Rindge Avenue)
Join
It’s a Math Party event
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Kennedy-Longfellow, and Morse school triad.
Live music, food, science, technology, engineering, art, and math activities, plus giveaways!
Register today.
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
Webinar: Connection, Co-regulation, and Coping Skills: Helping Kids and Teens Navigate Big Feelings
Wednesday, April 9 | 12PM
Zoom (link to be provided through registration)
Join Cartwheel and Janine Halloran, LMHC for practical tips and strategies for families on how to help kids and teens cope with big feelings through connection and co-regulation.
Register today with Cartwheel.
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.
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.
District & Community Resources
CRLS Students Claim National Scholastic Art and Writing Award Medals
Art by Haven Carter and Tadhg Ledlie
Congratulations to our Cambridge Rindge and Latin students who received National Recognition from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, the nation’s longest-running, largest, and most prestigious recognition program for teenage artists in the category of visual and literary arts. Two students received National Gold Medals and four were awarded National Silver Medals.
View the works of all CRLS Scholastic Art and Writing national award medalists here.