A Note from Principal Tony Byers

I love April. It’s a transition month, so it’s delightfully unpredictable. April suggests that spring is around the corner, but it doesn’t yield to warmer weather easily. It has a habit of reminding us, with one last snowstorm, to be grateful for every temperate day between now and June. April’s tempestuous nature also makes it a fitting month for National Poetry Month, with a sly nod to T.S. Elliot. When better to read and write poetry than on the cusp of spring? Dark winter thoughts mingle with the hope of rebirth, and the tension between the two can yield rich poetic possibilities. Hear more from Tony >>

Read, Write, and Talk!
Ideas from Parent Experts!
Parents are always asking teachers how they can support their child’s learning at home. But this past month, at a Parent Talk after the 1st Grade Family Breakfast, parents shared their own wisdom with each other. Using a technique teachers call “Turn and Talk,” parents paired up to brainstorm ways to support literacy outside of school by reading, writing, and talking. Read more >> 



Spotlight on Debbie Sullivan
Dig this handy Q&A with our magnificent music and chorus teacher! Read on >>



Spotlight on Karen Haglund
Get to know our spectacular school counselor with this Q&A! Read more >>



Math Corner
Games, family, friends and food, what could be better? March Math Merriment night was a big success, thanks to the efforts of our dedicated teachers and staff: Claire Dahill, Debra Holiday, Melissa Mihos, Hope Kelley, Jared Lindh, Laura MacNeil, Jen Lavalle and Lauren Morse. I’d also like to thank our wonderful volunteer parents who pitched in at the last moment and helped the evening run smoothly: Helene Negre, Sharon Mombru, and Kelly Dolan. And a final thank you to our Grade 5 volunteers: Orit, Ruth, Elisa, Sami, Nishat, and Eva. Thank you everyone!



G&P Market
We had our biggest and fastest G&P Market of the year in March! More and more families and staff are taking part in this wonderful community event. How can you say no to getting free fresh fruits and vegetables, and important staples that everyone needs like pasta, rice, beans, even mac-n-cheese?! If you haven’t seen it yet, you have to stop by. Read more & get a tasty recipe >>



Seen Around G&P this Month!
We've spotted all sorts of wonderful happenings around our school lately and captured some on camera. Take a peek for yourself >> 



We Appreciate Your Appreciation!
Thank you to parents, volunteers, sponsors and everyone involved in the G&P Staff Appreciation Lunch! As teachers and staff at Graham & Parks, we always look forward to this day. Every year, the Main Lobby is transformed into a beautiful display, with delicious food and an overflowing feeling of appreciation and gratitude. Everything was perfect this year. Many thanks to the Cambridge companies that supported the event--Whole Foods in Alewife, Trader Joe's in Alewife, Iggy's and Fresh Pond Market. And a huge thanks to the volunteers, cooks and shoppers who fed our entire staff for two days! The teachers and staff felt your appreciation and send it right back to the families and volunteers!



Get Involved at G&P!

G&P Steering Committee Elections are Coming Soon!
Elections for the 5 parent representatives on the G&P Steering Committee will be held in May. Please consider running! This is your chance to have an impact on the educational and social experience of your child, but of all students at G&P. Our goal is to have a Steering Committee that represents the diversity of our school and includes our Sheltered English Immersion and Language-Based Learning Disability Programs.

What is the G&P Steering Committee? 
The Steering Committee is the governing body of Graham and Parks. It is composed of 5 elected parents, 5 elected teachers/staff, the administration, and a community member. It is empowered to make decisions on policy issues that affect the school directly. The Steering Committee’s goal is to promote the continuous development of G&P as a progressive, child-centered school and to provide both parents and staff a voice in the governance of the school. It is a unique governing council in that a parent and teacher are the co-chairs of the committee who facilitate the meetings and work closely with the Principal to design the agenda each month. The G&P Steering Committee meets once per month throughout the school year, usually on the 2nd Thursday of the month, from 5:30-7:30PM. Childcare, snacks and transportation support are provided, upon request.

What do I have to do to become a candidate for the Steering Committee?
–Contact Lauren Morse, G&P Family Liaison to discuss your interest in becoming a candidate (even if you are not 100% sure) by APRIL 11th. You can contact her by email ([email protected]), phone (617.349.6577 x115) or stop by her office, next to the Nurse’s office.
–If you can, attend the next Steering Committee meeting on Thursday, April 14th at 5:30pm to see what they are like.
Write a very short statement about why you are running, due April 25th. If you have any concerns about writing the statement, don’t worry, parents volunteers have offered to help!
–Come to a Candidate's Coffee Talk on May 2nd at 8:30am so other parents can meet you.
–Elections will be May 9th through 16th. Results will be announced May 23rd.
–On Thursday, June 2nd, the last Steering Committee of the year will meet for the current and newly-elected representatives.

Any questions, contact Lauren Morse at 617.349.6577 x115 or [email protected] or current G&P Steering Committee co-chair, Mary-Ann Matyas at [email protected].

FCEP Update 
Please come to the Family Cultural Exchange Program (FCEP) Friday coffees. We have been having a lot of fun gathering at Bourbon Coffee on 1815 Mass Ave on the first Friday of each month. Our next coffee will be Friday, May 6th at 8:45AM at the cafe, or you can meet us in the G&P lobby at 8:30 if you would like to walk there together. We are G&P parents from Cambridge and around the world who enjoy meeting new people and sharing our experiences. So don't hesitate, join us for the next coffee – see you at Bourbon Coffee on May 6th.

It's Spring Again!
Are you interested in helping out in the G&P Garden? We need green thumbs to help us grow our many plants and black thumbs to help us dig in the dirt and build things. Projects include: Planting seeds to fill in the garden; building a worm box; building a trellis for peas and beans; watering; weeding; composting; harvesting flowers, herbs, and veggies. Drop in after school in the garden at 2:30PM. Come see what's already sprouted, plant some seeds, or soak up some sunshine. If you would like to help but cannot meet after school, drop us a note. We have plenty of opportunities to fit your schedule. See you in the garden!

Friends of the G&P Garden
Kelly Dolan, [email protected]
Sonja Kenny, [email protected]
Liz McNerney, [email protected]

Linnaean Community School Updates 
Linnaean Community School will be enrolling for our Spring Enrichment program, which begins Monday, April 25th. Registration begins as soon as you receive the flyer. 
Camp Seafaring registration is underway: Mon. and Thur. 3-7, Tue. and Wed. 3-6 in the cafeteria 
April School Vacation: Apr. 19 Lanes & Games Bowling; Apr. 20 Rollerblading & picnic; Apr. 21 Skyzone. Flyer forthcoming.