Message from Superintendent Greer: May 9, 2022

Greetings CPS Community!

I hope you are enjoying the fragrance of Spring. There are so many wonderful things happening in our schools and community and I hope that you find the time to learn about them and participate.

This Wednesday, the City Council’s Finance Committee will hold a public hearing on our Fiscal Year 2023 budget. The meeting is in person and will be held at City Hall.

The district planning process is moving forward. This week, we will reach out for your feedback on the working draft of the student-designed Mission, Vision, and Core Values. Later this month, we will kick off discussions with the School Committee about the outcomes that will be used to set goals and measure progress towards those goals. The district plan sets the foundation of our work for the next few years and is a roadmap for improved outcomes that we desire for our schools.

We are in the final phase of hiring Principals for Graham and Parks, Fletcher Maynard Academy, Cambridge Street Upper School and Putnam Avenue Upper School. I am grateful to all of our stakeholders for their participation in the screening interviews. We anticipate making announcements about who will lead these schools over the next couple of weeks. Please stay tuned for the formal announcements.

Thank you for your engagement and continued support.

Make it Great!

Dr. Victoria L. Greer
 

We continue to be vigilant and review COVID data and trends. Due to an increase in the number of COVID cases and COVID-related hospitalizations within our community, we are encouraging our entire school community to mask, particularly when we are indoors. Please note that we are NOT reinstating a requirement but advising mask use based on current data. We will continue to monitor the trends and make determinations based on the data and in collaboration with the Cambridge Public Health Department.
 

A reminder that our updated Incident Reporting System, Speakfully, launched last week. Any member of the school community can submit a report regarding inappropriate conduct, such as discrimination, harassment, retaliation, bullying other civil rights violations or other areas of concern through Speakfully. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/cpsspeakfullynow.

**It is important to note that Speakfully does not replace the ability of any member of the school community to initiate a complaint verbally with a Principal or any CPS staff member at any time.
 

Check out these interactive resources from the Elementary School Network and Middle School Network with a compilation of summer programs and opportunities for students in grades K-5 Summer Programs 2022or 6-8 Middle School Summer Programs 2022.
 

Students and staff members who opt in can rapid test at home weekly.

HIGHLIGHTS OF AT-HOME RAPID TESTING PLAN:

• ANY student or staff member can participate in the new at-home rapid testing program regardless of vaccination status.
• The testing program is VOLUNTARY. Opt-in through the CPS Family Portal.
• Individuals will receive a kit every 2 weeks; each kit will contain 2 tests and instructions for using the self-test.

For more information, visit www.cpsd.us/covid19/covidtesting.

Following ongoing discussions with the Cambridge Public Health Department and the Health, Safety, and Facilities Working Group, we continue to review and update our COVID protocols to reflect current conditions. As updates are made, we will notify the CPS community in a timely manner.

**Please note that these updates are subject to further changes as conditions evolve.**

Vaccination Status

CPS and CPHD follow the CDC definitions of “fully vaccinated” and “up-to-date.” See the COVID manual for more details.

• Volunteers, guests and parents/caregivers participating in classroom activities must be fully vaccinated and up-to-date on their vaccinations.
• All new hires must be fully vaccinated and up-to-date on their vaccinations.
• For the start of the 2022-23 school year, all students must be fully vaccinated and up-to-date OR have received an approved exemption to participate in before or after school activities.

Exemptions: Staff and students may request exemptions from the vaccination requirements as follows:

• Religious Exemption: Explanation in writing from a parent/guardian that a vaccine conflicts with their sincerely held religious belief (in alignment with state law)
• Medical Exemption: Clear documentation from a doctor or health care provider of a medical condition that makes vaccination risky or unsafe
• Students with Special Needs Exemption: Clear documentation from a doctor or health care provider of an issue that would serve as a barrier to vaccination

Baldwin Students Raise Funds for Ukraine

A Baldwin 4th grader, whose family is from Ukraine, led a fundraiser last month raising more than $700. The donation was made on behalf of Friends of Baldwin to the non-profit organization forPEACE.

Tobin Holds Fundraising Event at Cambridge Public Library

And the kindness and generosity continued over at Tobin Montessori where 1st and 4th graders raised more than $700 for The Animals and the Environment during a fundraising event last Sunday!

The school had an amazing turnout, selling out of almost all of the baked goods!

Are you proud of something happening in your school, classroom or program? Share your

Haitian Flag Day Celebration

Head to the Cambridge Public Library for the Haitian Flag Day Celebration and story time this Saturday, May 14, followed by a virtual event on Saturday, May 21.

Caregiver Equity Summit

The Caregiver Equity Summit is an exciting opportunity for caregivers to share their experiences and knowledge of equity with each other and CPS. Caregivers will be able to build community with each other in an anti-racist and equitable environment as well as take away key action steps that they can take to create an anti-racist and equitable district.

Saturday, June 4 | Time TBD

The event will be held in-person. Location TBD

Vassal Lane Presents Stories of Persecution and Perseverance

The 7th graders at the Vassal Lane Upper School invite you to attend a curriculum as a culmination to a

semester of research. Students will be performing original monologues as the people they have researched

during the Stories of Persecution and Perseverance unit of study.

Wednesday June 15 | 6:00 - 8:30PM

The event will be held at the school, located at 158 Spring Street.

*Student performances are scheduled throughout the evening. You are welcome to attend the event at any

time, for any length of time to catch performances.

CPS 2021-22 School calendar

• Wednesday, May 11 | Early Release Day (JK-8)

All Schools and Admin Offices Closed:

• Monday, May 30 | Memorial Day
• Monday, June 20 | Juneteenth (Observed)
• Wednesday, June 29 | Last Day of School-Early Release for All Grades

2022-23 JK/K Registration: The lottery is closed for the 2022-23 school year; If you are interested in registering your child, visit our registration webpage for more information.

May Lunch Menu: Week 2 (May 9 - May 13)

COVID-19 Testing/At-Home Weekly Testing Forms: Log in to the Family Portal

COVID-19 Testing & Quarantine Protocols

CPS Quarantine Instructional Guidelines for SY2021-22

Free Internet for Qualifying Families: Comcast’s Internet Essentials Program

Haggerty 2nd Graders Publish Daily Newspaper

Check out this sweet and enthusiastic video of Ellis and Frank, two Haggerty School second graders who started a daily newspaper! Where can we sign up for a subscription?

Kudos as well to Haggerty’s Instructional Technology Specialist, Kevin McGonegal, who put this video together!