Mark Your Calendar
- Tuesday, January 7 | School Committee Meeting (Beginning at 6PM)
- Monday, January 20 | Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (No School & CPS Offices Closed)
- Monday, February 17 - Friday, February 21 | February Break (No School & CPS Offices Closed on February 17)
Good evening CPS Community:
I hope your new year is off to a great start. The Kindergarten Lottery is open now through Friday, January 31. Families with children who will be 5 years old by August 31, 2025 are encouraged to apply.
Thank you to all who attended our December Community Budget meetings. If you were unable to attend, we will host additional Community Budget meetings next week. Please join us for our next in-person Community Budget meeting on Wednesday, January 15 from 6PM - 7PM at CRLS. Childcare and Transportation will be available. We will also host a virtual Community Budget meeting on Thursday, January 16 from 6:30PM – 7:30PM. You can access additional event information down below in the budget section of this newsletter.
Last but not least, please join me in welcoming Jackie Piques, who has joined the CPS team as our new Director of Communications. The entirety of her career has been focused on establishing and improving communications within the public sector. I am confident that Mrs. Piques’ expertise will serve as a tremendous asset to the Cambridge Public Schools community.
In this Issue:
- What We’re Celebrating
- Planning for the 2025 -2026 Budget
- Kindergarten Lottery Now Open
- Meet Our New Director of Communications
- Equity Collaborative Grant Recipients Awarded!
- Need Help with Heating Bills? Apply for Fuel Assistance
- Upcoming Events
- District & Community Resources
Sincerely,
David Murphy
Interim Superintendent
What We’re Celebrating This Month
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | Monday, January 20
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is an opportunity to celebrate and honor the accomplishments of activist, minister, and civil rights hero Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King was the first modern private citizen to be honored with a federal holiday, but not until 1986, nearly 20 years after the proposal was introduced to Congress. Even then, states resisted recognizing the holiday and it only gained national recognition in 2000. To this day, in Alabama and Mississippi, Martin Luther King Jr. Day coincides with Robert E. Lee Day, honoring the Confederate general.
“We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. ” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Need to Know News
Planning for the 2025-2026 Budget
Thank you to all who attended our December Community Budget meetings. We will offer in-person and virtual community budget meetings this month. Our next session will be in-person on Wednesday, January 15. Students are welcome to participate!
The 2025-2026 budget aims to align resources to objectives and initiatives outlined in the CPS District Plan.
Community Budget Meeting 3
- When: Wednesday, January 15 | 6 - 7 PM (Dinner will be served at 5:30PM)
- Cambridge Rindge & Latin School Media Cafe (459 Broadway Court)
- Transportation and childcare are provided.
Community Budget Meeting 4
At these meetings, you will learn more about projections for next school year’s budget and give feedback on plans and priorities. Please note, the presentation will be the same for each meeting.
We look forward to working with CPS staff, parents, caregivers, and Cambridge community members to develop a budget inclusive of our shared priorities and operational responsibilities.
Access more information about the budget process and community meeting schedule here.
Kindergarten Lottery Now Open!
The Kindergarten Lottery for the 2025-2026 school year will be open through 4PM on 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.
Meet Our New Director of Communications
Jackie Piques has been appointed as the new Director of Communications for the district. Mrs. Piques has 18 years of communications experience in the public sector. She has worked for the City of Somerville, City of Medford, and comes to us most recently from her position as Chief Communications and Development Officer at Somerville Public School District. She looks forward to connecting with the Cambridge community to incorporate community needs into district communications. Please join us in welcoming Mrs. Piques to the team!
Equity Collaborative Grant Recipients Awarded!
The Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (OEIB) is pleased to announce that 15 projects have been awarded funding through this year’s Equity Collaborative grant.
Equity Collaborative projects are large or district-wide events, a series of events, or an ongoing initiative led by students, educators, or caregivers focused on eliminating academic, racial, socio-economic, and/or other opportunity gaps, or to address inequities in Cambridge Public Schools. The projects will be completed throughout spring 2025. You can explore the Equity Collaborative grant recipients here.
The application for OIEB Mini-Grants is still open. Learn more and apply today!
- OEIB Mini-Grants (up to $1000) – Rolling Deadline Before Friday, April 25
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
School Year 2025-2026
Community Budget Meeting 3
Wednesday, January 15 | 6 - 7PM
Cambridge Rindge and Latin School Media Cafe (459 Broadway Court)
Learn about financial projections for next school year and share your thoughts on the budget for the school year 2025-2026!
Dinner will be served at 5:30PM. Childcare and Transportation will be provided. Access transportation details here.
Community Budget Meeting 4
Thursday, January 16 | 6:30 - 7:30PM
Zoom >>
District Calendar
In the Community
Webinar: What is Nonsuicidal Self-Injury (NSSI)? How Caregivers Can Help Youth Engaging in NSSI.
Tuesday, January 14 | 12PM
Join Cartwheel and Dr. Taylor Burke and learn more about identifying warning signs of NSSI and how to support youth towards healthier coping strategies.
Register today with Cartwheel.
Cambridge MLK Day of Service and Learning
Monday, January 20 | 2 - 5PM
Central Square Church
(5 Magazine Street)
Join Many Helping Hands, My Brother’s Keeper, and other community groups for the 15th annual MLK Day of Service and Learning! Volunteer in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy of service.
Learn more and register here.
MLK Math Festival
Monday, January 20 | 10AM - 12PM
Fletcher Maynard Academy
(225 Windsor Street)
Join the Cambridge Math Circle for the 7th annual
MLK Math Festival! This free event offers several fun math games and puzzles for families with students Kindergarten through grade 8. The first 150 participants will get prizes!
District & Community Resources