Greetings CPS Community…
The month of June is full of celebration and excitement as we look towards the conclusion of this year and the start of something new. This week, we will celebrate the Class of 2024 with graduation ceremonies for students in our High School Extension Program tomorrow and for our Cambridge Rindge and Latin students this Thursday. In anticipation of Thursday’s forecast for rain and thunderstorms, the high school ceremony has been moved to the Field House, located on the high school’s campus.
Also in June, we recognize Pride Month, National Caribbean Heritage Month, and Juneteenth. Our district and the Cambridge community have planned a few wonderful events to celebrate these occasions. Please read more about their significance and learn how you can get involved below.
Our Communications and Content survey data has been added to the Panorama Survey Dashboard on our website. You can access the data for the district as well as all individual schools.
Have a wonderful week… Make It Great!
Dr. Victoria L. Greer
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.
In addition to celebrating National Caribbean Heritage Month in June, other important cultural celebrations for Caribbean people include Carnaval, which is usually held the first Sunday in September.
Caribbean-American, barrier-breaking public servants in the Biden Administration include Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Learn about events happening in Cambridge in celebration of National Caribbean Heritage Month here.
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:
- Hosted by the Paragon Society, Cambridge Families of Color Coalition (CFCC), and many other community groups, the Juneteenth Parade 3rd Annual and Celebration celebrates heritage, history, essay contest winners, Inaugural Trailblazer Award, food, activities, and fun!
- When: Wednesday, June 19
- Parade will begin at 10AM in front of the Post Office located at 770 Massachusetts Avenue.
- The celebration will begin at approximately 11AM at Riverside Press Park located at the corner of River Street and Memorial Drive.
- Juneteenth Events at the Cambridge Public Library
Headlines
Get Ready for Graduation – Class of 2024
The Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School Graduation will be held on June 6 at 4:30PM at the Field House. Please note, the location was changed from Russell Field to the Field House in anticipation of Thursday’s forecast for rain and thunderstorms. Graduation is a ticketed event, however, everyone can tune in! The ceremony will be livestreamed and broadcast by Cambridge Educational Access TV (CEATV).
Rebroadcast dates are listed on the CEATV 6/26 website. The graduation ceremony will also be archived for viewing on demand on the CPS student media portal.
The High School Extension Program Graduation ceremony will be held tomorrow, June 4 at 4PM in the Lecture Hall of the Cambridge Main Public Library (449 Broadway Street).
Summer 2024 Contact List
Please note that our school buildings are closed through Monday, September 2. If you have a question over the summer, please see our list of summer contacts. (አማርኛ | عربي | বাংলা | Kreyòl ayisyen | Español). Staff at your child’s school will be available to answer any questions you may have beginning Monday, August 19.
Fall Sports Registration Opens This Week – Learn More This Wednesday
Interested in participating in an athletic team at CRLS next fall? Learn more about our Athletics department and prepare for registration at our upcoming student interest meeting this week.
- When: Wednesday, June 5 | 3:15PM
- Where: Coccoluto Gym, War Memorial Recreation Center (1640 Cambridge Street)
Registration for Fall Athletics opens this Wednesday, June 5 and will close on Tuesday, August 13.
Summer Resource Guide
This is one of the many projects funded by the Equity Collaborative Grant offered by the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Belonging.
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 2024 Summer Resource Guide (Kindergarten - 8)!
Featured Events & Opportunities
Math Pops Up Everywhere! (Preschool - 12)
Discover the use of math in subjects like science, civics and literacy through engaging activities at our Math Pops Up Everywhere event! Connect with district partnering organizations such as Algebra Project and RoboHub, participate in our raffle, grab a take-home goodie, learn about summer resources and more! Registration is encouraged.
- When: **This Wednesday, June 5 | 5:30 - 7:30PM
- Where: The Foundry (101 Rogers Street)
The event is free and open to all students and families grades Preschool - 12.
Free Webinar: School’s Out! Supporting Youth & Family Mental Health
Our mental health partner, Cartwheel, is offering another free live webinar to share practical tips and strategies to support kids, teens and families during the summer months.
Join us for our webinar focused on anxiety, mood changes, and different areas of challenge that students and families can experience during the months away from school and how to best prepare for a transition back to the classroom.
Chat with Dr. Juliana Chen, Cartwheel's Chief Medical Officer and board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist. Dr. Chen has served Cambridge and surrounding communities throughout her career working with parent skill groups with a focus on family and school based strategies to address mental health issues.
Learn more about Dr. Chen and register for the virtual session below.
Bollywood Night
Bollywood Night is back! The Office of Mayor Simmons and Councillor Siddiqui are excited to present the 4th annual Bollywood Night. Stop by to enjoy delicious food, music, henna, dance performances and lessons!
June Free Food Markets
All families are welcome to stop by our free, school-based food markets. They offer fresh fruits, vegetables, and pantry items. Please bring your own bags.
- Tuesday, June 11 | 1:30 - 3:30PM (Graham & Parks School)
- Wednesday, June 12 | 1:45 - 3:45PM (Fletcher Maynard Academy)
- Wednesday, June 12 | 2 - 4PM (Kennedy-Longfellow School/Vassal Lane Upper School)
- Tuesday, June 18 | 3 - 4:30PM (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School/Putnam Ave Upper School)
- Thursday, June 20 | 3:15 - 5:15PM (Peabody School/Rindge Avenue Upper School)
- See the full list of free food markets for the 2023-2024 school year.
Making Math Fun with Flagway
Congratulations to our Vassal Lane Upper School students who participated in the Flagway National Tournament and earned second place! This May, students from Cambridge and Boston, as well as from five other states gathered at CRLS for a weekend of mini-math challenges that are physically and mentally engaging. Students applied what they learned all year in their after school club with their coaches from the Young People’s Project. There was lots of cheering and encouragement, resulting in a spectacular, down to the last round finish! All of the students would agree that Flagway has made doing math more fun!
Piece-by-Piece CRLS Puts Together World’s Largest Jigsaw Puzzle
Over the span of 13 months, Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) students worked together to assemble the world’s largest jigsaw puzzle! CRLS library teacher Emily Houston led the project, organizing classrooms to complete 1,000-piece sections of the 60,000-piece puzzle. Students and staff were also encouraged to stop by the library during their lunch break or before or after school to work on one of the puzzles at a designated community puzzle table. Check out the spotlight on the impressive 29 feet long puzzle done by WBZ last week.
Key Resources
Mark Your Calendar
Wednesday, June 5 | Early Release (Grades JK-5)
Thursday, June 6 | CRLS Graduation
Wednesday, June 19 | Juneteenth (No School & CPS Offices Closed)
Monday, June 24 | Last Day of School Early Release (All Grades)