Mark Your Calendar
- Tuesday, June 3 | School Committee Meeting (Beginning at 6PM)
- Tuesday, June 17 | School Committee Meeting (Beginning at 6PM)
- Thursday, June 19 | Juneteenth (No School & CPS Offices Closed)
- Tuesday, June 24 | Last Day of School for All Grades (4-Hour School Day)
Good evening CPS Community,
As we enter the month of June, we begin the countdown to summer. We look forward to finishing off strong and making the most of the moments in the classroom. This week, we look forward to celebrating all of our high school graduates! View our end-of-year celebration calendar and get ready to celebrate your scholar’s success!
Thank you to all who completed the District and School Culture Survey. We value and appreciate your feedback as we strive to continue to provide a high quality learning experience for all of our students. Over the next several weeks we will be reviewing the data and look forward to sharing key findings.
Sincerely,
The CPS Team
In this Issue
- High School Student Spotlight
- Upcoming Superintendent Search Forums and Survey
- Summer 2025 Contact List
- Summer Resource Guide
- What We’re Celebrating
- Upcoming Events
- District & Community Resources
- The Bright Spot
High School Student Spotlight
Principals at each high school program selected one graduating grade 12 student to celebrate at this week’s School Committee meeting. Meet our High School Student Spotlights below…
Julia Barriga Cortez
Rindge School of Technical Arts - Culinary Arts
Post-graduation plans: Attend Cornell University - Hospitality Management Program
Originally from Educador, Julia moved to Cambridge at the start of her freshman year. She speaks French, Spanish, and English; she plays both the piano and the guitar and loves cooking. Julia has maintained a 4.0 GPA while enrolled in numerous AP courses and completing a culinary psychology course at Harvard Extension School. She is a member of the Derry-Wood NHS chapter and is a member of the Emerging Leaders Program at Harvard Radcliffe Institute. Her passion for culinary arts emerged from her time in Lima, Peru where she fell in love with the cuisine. Julia is a state winner and national competitor for the Massachusetts Pro Start Culinary Competition, where she has been invited to cook and prepare at the Escoffier Dinner- Boston Chapter at the Colonnade Hotel. She is the varsity girls’ volleyball captain and the varsity boys volleyball manager.
Omriqui Thomas
High School Extension Program
Post-graduation Plans: Pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science
Omriqui has been a Cambridge Public Schools student since age three, where she attended the Tobin Montessori School. She began her high school journey at HSEP, where she became a valued member of the school community, and especially enjoyed the courses on social issues. She has interned with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, where she engaged and grew her passion for transportation and public service. Now, in her senior year, she has spent much of her time at Powderhouse Studios, in partnership with HSEP. There, she spends her time on hands-on, project based learning. The flexible model at Powderhouse allows her to engage in an internship in the Governor's Office.
Nayissa Jean-Michel
Cambridge Rindge and Latin School
Post-graduation Plans: Attend Union College - full POSSE scholarship
Nayissa began as a student at the Tobin Montessori School and transferred to CCSC during middle school, ultimately returning to Cambridge Public Schools to explore the numerous opportunities offered at CRLS. She balances numerous AP classes while taking advantage of Early College courses at Lesley College, and Dual Enrollment opportunities at both Harvard Extension School and Bunker Hill Community College. She was elected President of the Derry-Wood NHS Chapter, and her senior year she also participated in the senior internship program.
Need to Know News
Upcoming Superintendent Search Forums and Survey
The Cambridge School Committee has launched a nationwide search for the next Superintendent of Schools for Cambridge Public Schools.
Know someone who may be interested in applying?
Superintendent Search Forums - Share Your Thoughts!
The Cambridge School Committee invites the CPS and the greater Cambridge community to a series of community forums to share their hopes, priorities, and perspectives about the future of our schools and the qualities we should seek in our next leader. Food and childcare will be provided.
- Monday, June 2 | 6 - 8PM
Putnam Avenue Upper School, Cafeteria (100 Putnam Avenue)
- Tuesday, June 3 | 5:30 - 7:30PM
Rindge Avenue Upper School, Cafeteria (70 Rindge Avenue)
- Wednesday, June 11 | 5:30 - 7:30PM
Vassal Lane Upper School, Cafeteria (temporary location: 158 Spring Street)
Register for a Superintendent Search Forum here (registration is recommended but not required).
Superintendent Search Survey
To ensure that this process reflects the voices of the Cambridge community, the School Committee invites all community members to take a brief online survey to inform leadership qualities and priorities for our next Superintendent.
Summer 2025 Contact List
Please note that our school buildings are closed through Monday, September 1. If you have a question over the summer, please see our list of summer contacts (translations coming soon). Staff at your child’s school will be available to answer any questions you may have beginning Monday, August 18.
Summer Resource Guide
The Cambridge Agenda for Children has assembled a complete guide to summer programming in and around the city. Check out our summer programming below!
Explore more in our Cambridge 2025 Summer Resource Guide (Kindergarten - 8)!
What We Are Celebrating in June
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. It was sponsored by Congresswoman Barbara Lee and focused on recognizing the contributions of Caribbean people and their descendants in the history and culture of the United States. Caribbean countries include Antigua, Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago, to name a few. Learn more about National Caribbean Heritage Month here.
National Safety Month
National Safety Month aims to highlight leading causes of preventable injury and death and raises awareness of safety strategies to help create a strong safety culture within our communities. Our Safety & Security team, educators, and administrators work hard to ensure a safe and secure learning environment for students and staff. The ongoing partnership with our families is a critical piece of these efforts.
Preventative Safety Tips:
We encourage you to review our Safety & Security Playbook, which is a comprehensive resource that outlines both the caregiver and district roles for preventative safety measures. Thank you for your continued commitment to the safety of our children both inside and outside of school buildings.
Juneteenth
Wednesday, June 19 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:
In the District
Cambridge Community Pride Day
Friday, June 6 | 3:30 - 6PM
Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, Arts Building (459 Broadway Ct.)
LGBTQ+ identifying individuals and allies are invited to attend Cambridge Community Pride Day! Enjoy family-friendly student performances, a student art show, face paint, food, and more!
Superintendent Search Forums
Monday, June 2 | 6 - 8PM
Putnam Avenue Upper School (100 Putnam Avenue)
Wednesday, June 3 | 5:30 - 7:30PM
Rindge Avenue Upper School (70 Rindge Avenue)
Wednesday, June 11 | 5:30 - 7:30PM
Vassal Lane Upper School (158 Spring Street)
Registration for a Superintendent Search Forum is recommended but not required.
Mural Unveiling at Fletcher Maynard Academy
Friday, June 13 | 3 - 3:45PM
Fletcher Maynard Academy Gymnasium (225 Windsor Street)
View the large collaborative mutual designed and painted by FMA grade 5 students during the FMA mural unveiling!
District Calendar
Visit our digital calendar for upcoming events here.
In the Community
Nory Summer STEM Programs for Children ages 3 - 12
June 23 - August 14
Greater Cambridge Area (Multiple Locations)
Explore scholarship opportunities for
Nory summer programs focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Programs serve children ages 3 - 12. Half day and full day programs are available. Learn more and explore
Nory STEM summer programs here.
Cambridge Plays
Multiple Days | 5 - 7:30PM
Location Varies
Join
Navigation Games for a series of free orienteering in June. Complete challenges to unlock the next checkpoint while exploring local parks.
Learn more about Cambridge Plays and register here.
District & Community Resources
New England Patriots Visit MLK School
Photo courtesy of Bethany Versoy (top left) and the New England Patriots (bottom left and right).
Earlier last month, New England Patriots players and coaches visited the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School as part of their annual Day of Community Service. The team served lunches, read (and donated!) books in classrooms, and hosted outdoor activities for all grades. Thank you to the Patriots and to the MLK School team for a great day for staff and students.
Grade 8 Civics Showcase
Over 400 grade 8 students participated in the third annual CPS Civics Showcase at the Massachusetts State House last month. Students presented their civic action projects to over 75 community advisors, toured the State House, and met with Representatives Marjorie Decker, Mike Connolly, and Steve Owens in the House Chamber. At the end of the event, 24 projects were announced as finalists. Students presented these projects at the finalist showcase, at Cambridge City Hall.
One student group from each upper school was selected to represent CPS at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) statewide showcase in Boston on Friday, June 6.
CRLS Chinese Language Student Work Shines!
Join us in congratulating our CRLS Chinese language students on their recent achievements!
(Left) Neva Vuletic holding her Chinese Bridge certificate for her award winning speech. (Right) Ellis Yung’s digital art titled "2025 - The Year of the Snake".
Neva Vuletic was invited to attend the 2025 “Chinese Bridge” Competition for the Eastern United States Region through the China Institute of America. Neva delivered an impromptu speech in Chinese, followed by a brief dialogue with judges, and finished with a Chinese cultural talent performance. Each component was judged and Neva earned third place! Congratulations Neva!
Congratulations to Ellis Yung, on earning 3rd place in the 2025 talent contest hosted by the Chinese Language Association of Secondary and Elementary Schools (CLASS). Her digital art titled "2025 - The Year of the Snake" earned third place!