Mark Your Calendar
- Tuesday, February 4 | School Committee Meeting (Beginning at 6PM)
- Monday, February 17 - Friday, February 21 | February Break (No School & CPS Offices Closed on February 17)
- Wednesday, March 19 | Staff Professional Learning Day (No School)
Good evening CPS Community:
Thanks to a collaborative effort across multiple schools, last week we hosted a total of six information sessions for Kennedy-Longfellow (KLo) families to learn more about both the King Open and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. schools, which are the proposed locations for KLo students beginning next school year. KLo families also have the option to sign up for a special lottery to choose a different school, based on seat availability in each grade level. Thank you to the teams at both MLK and King Open who provided thorough and friendly presentations and tours.
Our Student Registration Center has been hard at work processing applications for the Kindergarten Lottery. The lottery will close this Friday, January 31 at 4PM. All applications must be completed in full, including all language testing.
As we look ahead, I want to reaffirm our commitment to maintaining a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment in which all students can learn. As stated in my letter to the community last week, CPS does not voluntarily release students or their records to anyone other than their parents and guardians. We will continue to protect student privacy, safety, and remain steadfast in our commitment to equity, inclusivity, and justice for all children.
In this Issue:
- Happy Lunar New Year
- Planning for the 2025 -2026 Budget
- Kindergarten Lottery Closes This Friday
- January 21 School Committee Recap
- Know Your Rights Workshops This Week
- Need Help with Heating Bills? Apply for Fuel Assistance
- Upcoming Events
- District & Community Resources
- The Bright Spot
Sincerely,
David Murphy
Interim Superintendent
Happy Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year begins this Wednesday, January 29, and is one of the most important celebrations for people of East and Southeast Asian descent. It is usually celebrated for 15 days from the first new moon of the lunar calendar until the full moon arrives. China’s Lunar New Year is known as the Spring Festival. Koreans call it Seollal, and Vietnamese refer to it as Tết Nguyên Đán. The holiday began as a time for feasting and to honor household and heavenly deities, as well as ancestors. It is a time to put the past behind and look forward to a fresh start. Happy Year of the Snake!
Need to Know News
Planning for the 2025-2026 Budget

Thank you to all who attended our Community Budget meetings last week. If you were unable to attend, you can access the budget presentation here (translations coming soon).
We look forward to continuing to work with CPS staff, parents, caregivers, and Cambridge community members to develop a budget inclusive of our shared priorities and operational responsibilities.
Tips for Understanding the Budget:
Review the Introduction to the Cambridge Public Schools Budget Presentation አማርኛ | عربي | বাংলা | Kreyòl Ayisyen | Español.
Review Interim Superintendent Murphy’s Proposed 2025-2026 Budget when it is available Wednesday, March 12.
Access more information about the budget process and community meeting schedule here.
Kindergarten Lottery Closes this Friday

The Kindergarten Lottery for the 2025-2026 school year will be open through 4PM this Friday, January 31. All registrations must be fully completed, including all language testing to determine eligibility for Program Language Bonus points. To learn more, visit our website.
January 21 School Committee Recap
A School Committee meeting was held last Tuesday. Highlights include...
Interested in receiving email notifications about meetings? Join the School Committee listserv
Know Your Rights Workshops This Week
The City of Cambridge is coordinating a series of Know Your Rights Workshops with immigration attorneys. The workshops will discuss:
- Rights if confronted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- Recent changes in immigration law
- How to get personalized legal help from an immigration lawyer.
Interpretation will be provided.
Upcoming Workshops:
You can download the flyer in the following languages: English | አማርኛ | عربي | বাংলা | Español | Kreyòl Ayisyen. Flyers are available in additional languages here.
Need Help with Heating Bills? Apply for Fuel Assistance
Colder weather means higher heating bills. The Cambridge Fuel Assistance Program is now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 season. The program helps residents pay their winter heating bills between November 1 and April 30.
Learn more about how to qualify and fill out the application here.

In the District
Save-the-Date: Community Social
Wednesday, February 26 | 5:30 - 7:30PM
Location: To Be Announced
Join CPS and our community partners for our February Community Social. Enjoy food, raffles, and take home some swag! Additional event details will be announced in the coming weeks.
District Calendar
In the Community
Virtual: Know Your Rights Workshop 1
Monday, January 27 | 7 - 8:30PM
Zoom
Hear from attorneys from the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) to learn about rights when confronted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), recent changes in immigration law, and how to seek personalized legal help from an immigration lawyer.
Register for today’s Know Your Rights workshop here.
Virtual: Know Your Rights Workshop 2
Thursday, January 30 | 10:30AM - 12PM
Zoom
See description above.
Register for Thursday’s Know Your Rights workshop here.
Virtual: Expressive Arts for Caregivers and Families
Tuesday, January 28 | 11AM
Riverside Community Care invites you to attend the latest event in their free winter educational workshop series. Discover how arts can be a tool for self-expression, stress relief, and family bonding.
Learn more and register here.
Frost Fit: Orienteering on the Esplanade
Monday, February 17 | 10AM - 1PM
Fiedler Field, Charles River Esplanade (Boston)
Join Navigation Games and the Esplanade Association for animal orienteering – a scavenger hunt to find animals while completing challenges to unlock the next checkpoint.
Learn more and register here
District & Community Resources

The Bionic Project Visits Haggerty!

The
Bionic Project visited Haggerty elementary last month. Students were introduced to two elite soccer players, both of whom only had one leg.
Through two assemblies, one for grades preschool - grade 2 and one for grades 3-5, they presented a greater understanding of disabilities by learning the athletes personal stories. Students were explored how our world is set up for people without disabilities, as well as a bit about how to counteract this through Universal Design - which aims to offer solutions that work for all people. Grades 2 - 5 homerooms even had a second chance to come back individually and experience using only one leg on crutches to play soccer. This experience sparked meaningful reflection and conversation around allyship to people with disabilities.