Cambridge Rindge and Latin School Designated as Early College Program in Partnership with Lesley University
Posted on 04/08/2022
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The Cambridge Public Schools is delighted to announce that Cambridge Rindge and Latin School has been designated a Massachusetts Early College Program, an achievement that elevates the district’s commitment to college and career readiness. The partnership with Lesley University was approved by the state’s Early College Joint Committee last month.
“My office is thrilled about the state’s designation,” said Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui. “Our partnership with Lesley University has been off to a great start. This has been in large part due to the coordination between Lesley University and our team at Cambridge Public Schools. Our students have given great feedback about the early college program so far, and I look forward to the program expanding for the next cohort, allowing more students to take advantage of this opportunity.”
“We are very pleased that our Early College partnership with Cambridge Public Schools has received the state’s approval,” said Lesley President Janet L. Steinmayer. “It’s been wonderful to welcome CRLS students into Lesley classrooms this spring during the pilot, and we look forward to seeing more of them on our campus next year as the program grows. The Early College initiative is one of several ways Lesley is creating new pathways and expanding access for students of all ages and backgrounds to benefit from the unique programs our university offers.”
Early College programs are a proven practice in supporting first-generation college students to attend and succeed in postsecondary opportunities. The program, which launched in January, provides CRLS students with opportunities to fulfill high school graduation requirements while also earning college credits transferable to any Massachusetts state college or university. The Early College program offers pathways in health sciences, art & design and human services & social work. There are currently approximately 40 students participating in the program
“This is an exciting step in the right direction for our school district and for CRLS,” said Superintendent Victoria L. Greer. “Our students deserve the best opportunities to be successful in school and in life. Our partnership with Lesley University lays the foundation for students to not just get to college but to get through college and begin closing the economic gap that exists in our community.”
Greer went on to say, “While this is the inaugural year for the program, CPS will continue to make investments in this program to expand opportunities for other CPS students to attend Lesley in the future. My vision is that we will remain committed to the early college initiative and grow our partnership with other local colleges and universities. This is just the beginning. I am grateful for the support of Mayor Siddiqui and Member Fantini who played a personal role in bringing this partnership to our district. The entire School Committee has been extremely supportive in this work and I look forward to continuing to partner with them, Principal Smith, Ms. Williams, Ms. Garrett and others to expand and sustain this work.”
Thank you to Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, School Committee Member Fred Fantini, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Nicole Gittens, Principal Damon Smith, Early College Coordinator Michael O'Shea, CRLS Head of Guidance Lynn Williams, College Success Initiative’s Tawanya Garrett and the Lesley University team for their tremendous efforts throughout this process. We thank them for their leadership and collaboration. A special thank you to Member Ayesha Wilson for helping connect Workforce students with the program.
Lesley University is one of the most dynamic learning environments in the country, uniquely focusing on the human arts, with programs that live at the intersection of education, counseling, and the visual arts.
Lesley students study across four schools and colleges — a professionally-focused liberal arts college, an independent college of art and design, a graduate school of education and a graduate school of social sciences — as well as in the Threshold Program, a residential program for students with a variety of learning differences.