A Note from Principal Tony Byers
Here's the latest message from our principal. 
Read it here >>

G&P Welcomes All Families 
By Lauren Morse, Family Liaison

On Monday, January 30th, G&P teachers and staff stood outside to welcome everyone into school and to reaffirm our love for this community and how much we value the G&P families and students. With signs like, “G&P Welcomes ALL Families”, “Where ever you are from, we RESPECT you, we LOVE you, we are HAPPY you are HERE!” and the word “Welcome” in a dozen different languages, we sang “This Land is your Land” as students, parents and more staff joined in. It was a wonderful outpouring of love and support for each other and a great way to start the week. Students danced, people huddled around lyric sheets to learn the words, and even the cars driving by showed their support. It brought tears to my eyes and I know wasn’t the only one. Thank you to everyone who participated and don’t worry, we will keep finding ways to show up for each other!

Thank You G&P Families! 
From Sept-Dec 2016, Friends of G&P helped subsidize 6 field trips and 6 in-school events. These field trips and events impacted all grade levels at G&P, allowing our wonderful teachers to provide numerous engaging learning opportunities for our children. Friends of G&P's ongoing efforts to enrich the academic lives of our students, and bolster G&P’s project-based learning curriculum, depend upon the continued generosity of G&P families. Thank you G&P families. Your support of Friends of G&P has helped make these events possible.

Field trips sponsored:
Honey Pot Hill - 1st grade; Charles Riverboat - 2nd grade; Lowell Mills/Plimoth Plantation - 4th grade; Boston Symphony Orchestra Concert - 4th grade; James & Giant Peach - 4th grade; James & Giant Peach - 5th grade

In school support:
Clay Portraits - K classrooms in collaboration with the Art instructor; Windows on Wildlife - 1st grade; Plant/Animal unit - 1st grade; Clay animals/Barn Owls - 1st grade;  Quilts and Basket-Making - 2nd grade; Peace and Unity concert - 3rd/4th (&5th) grade; The Folk Dance caller for the weekend Folk Dance event

Grade 3-4 Peace and Unity Concert
By Debbie Sullivan, Music Teacher

The Grade 3-4 Peace and Unity Concert, directed by G&P Music Teacher Debbie Sullivan, was big hit! Held on Inauguration day, the concert left both students and families with feelings of hope and togetherness. The themes of peace and community were solidified when fifth graders joined in for the two songs: “Our Song of Peace” and “This Land is Your Land.” Members of the overflow audience sang along with the finale. Ohad Myrtenbaum did an amazing job accompanying on piano and Raphael Duboisset played a beautiful flute solo on one song. Bravo to all the third, fourth, and fifth graders who performed!


Staff Spotlights
Get to know Valarie Ifill and Nicole Torniero with these handy Q&As! Read more >>



Dance-A-Thon 2017! What a Jam! 
By Liza Tague, member of Friends of G&P

The 2nd annual Friends of G&P Dance-A-Thon took place on Saturday January 28th and the G&P gym was alive with great music, awesome moves, joyous laughter and the kids’ amazing energy. Hear more >>



Kuumba Singers from Harvard
Visited G&P
By Rose Levine, 5th Grade Teacher

On Thursday, January 19, our students enjoyed a visit from the Kuumba Singers of Harvard University. This choral ensemble was founded in 1970 "to proudly proclaim and celebrate the creativity and spirituality of Black people." The singers regaled us with tunes from across the African diaspora, from "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round" to "Lift Ev'ry Voice" and a musical arrangement of Maya Angelou's "Still I Rise."

One of the highlights of the performance was when each singer shared his or her name, background, and area of study at Harvard. Singers were majoring in everything from government to neuroscience, and they clearly explained their studies at a level our students could understand. This role modeling may have had an even greater impact than the singing! When my fifth graders returned to the classroom, they were talking about where they planned to go to college and what they intended to study there. Later in the day, I overheard students reminding each other to persevere through a difficult math problem..."because, Stanford."

We were so grateful to have the Kuumba Singers here at G&P, and we hope it will become a yearly tradition!



In & Around G&P Classrooms
Hear about the Discovering Justice unit in Room 106 and science sightings in Rooms 217B and 225. Read on >>  



G&P Market
Please join us on Thursday, March 9th from 2:15-4:30PM in the Main Lobby for the monthly G&P Market. Everything is free and all are welcome! We will have fresh vegetables, fruit as well as pasta, cereal, rice, peanut butter and more. We also have recipes if you need help deciding wha to cook with your new ingredients! We also NEED YOUR HELP! PLEASE bring your own bag, just like in the stores in Cambridge. Also, if you have any bags that you can donate, please bring them to Lauren or Mildrid on or before Thursday. We’d really appreciate it. As always, if you’d like to help with the event, email Lauren at [email protected]. Thank you!

Social Networking and Technology
Please join us for our first Parent Workshop for the "Triad" of G&P, Haggerty and Tobin – with Joani Geltman, MSW, Child Development and Parenting Expert! 

Date: Thursday, March 2nd, 7PM (6:30PM social hour)
Location: Tobin/Vassal Lane auditorium, 197 Vassal Lane
Presented by: Vassal Lane Upper School and its feeder elementary schools - Graham & Parks, Tobin, and Haggerty

This is a parent education seminar for the parents of middle school/pre-middle school age children. Joani will focus on in the introduction of personal technology, specifically with regard to their interactions on social media. Joani will be planning alongside our school counselors to tailor a seminar specific to our community. She will present real life strategies and tools to help parents monitor and mentor their children's decisions around technology and social media use. It will also be an opportunity for parents to share their own experiences and questions. Joani's seminar will highlight the following: Understand how the “emotional brain” of a tween gets “turned on” by social networking; Understand how the “Imaginary Audience” influences your tween’s performing on social media; Learn which apps are safe and unsafe; Learn strategies to monitor and set limits around phone and internet use; Learn how your own behavior with phones and computers can positively and negatively influence your tween.

Please contact Family Liaison Lauren Morse if you have any questions, 617.349.6577 x115 or [email protected].                                     


Library News
On February first, Graham and Parks fifth graders joined students from Baldwin, Haggerty, and Kennedy-Longfellow at the public library to meet author/illustrator George O'Connor, creator of the popular Olympians series. Mr. O'Connor was both entertaining and informative as he described his lifelong interest in mythology, as well as his research, writing, and illustration processes. Students each received a copy of O'Connor's newest book, Artemis. Thanks to the Cambridge Public Library and Porter Square Books Foundation for making this visit possible.

Family Movie Night
Friday, March 3rd
Join us from 5:30 to 7:30PM for G&P Family Movie Night in the Cafeteria. Kids are encouraged to wear pajamas, and bring their favorite stuffed animals and blankets to sit on. We will be selling pizza, popcorn and other delicious movie snacks baked by the 4th Grade families. Movie night is free with a suggested contribution of $10 per family. We are showing Kung Fu Panda I, the hilarious and heart-warming adventures of Panda Po as he trains to become a top Kung Fu master and learns faith in himself. Kung Fu Panda is rated PG and Common Sense Media recommends it for ages 6 and up (please visit their review at commonsensemedia.org). We hope you can join us and bring a friend!