Message from G&P Family Liaison
Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year at Graham & Parks Alternative Elementary School! At Graham & Parks, our mission is to educate the whole child: to help every child in our school fully develop his or her unique intellectual, social, and emotional capabilities. We are a multicultural learning community built on respect for every student and every family. Our community is incredibly diverse. Students and staff speak over 40 different languages, and we come from every continent but Antarctica! It is vital that all relationships in our school are based on respect, trust, honesty, and caring. This applies not only to the relationships between students and teachers but to all the relationships that constitute our community: the students, teachers, administrators, families and our neighbors. Read more >>



Get Connected 
There are many ways to stay in touch with the G&P Community!

School Messenger: Everyone should be getting emails directly from the school (usually from Tony or Lauren) with school updates. If you are not, please call or stop by the Main Office to verify your contact information.

Backpack Express: Flyers sent home in your child’s backpack from school or local organizations to keep families up to date. Don’t forget to check your child’s backpack every night!

Newsletter & Email Updates: Take a moment to read the monthly newsletters and weekly email updates from Lauren Morse, G&P Family Liaison, to find out what’s happening at G&P.

GP21: Exchange messages with G&P families, alumnae and staff, particularly about Cambridge events and opportunities. To sign up: Send an email here, and explain your connection to G&P (i.e. parent of a 2nd grader).

G&P Web Site: Great resource for Family Handbook, school calendars and staff directory. Grahamandparks.cpsd.us

Social Media: Stay in the loop by joining our social media communities! G&P Facebook & District Social Media

Arrival & Dismissal 

ARRIVAL: The first bell is at 8:15AM. The second bell is at 8:25AM. Please aim to arrive at 8:15AM to allow for unexpected delays and to give your child time to settle into the classroom. Students may arrive as early at 7:45AM. If they arrive before the first bell at 8:15AM, they will need to go to the cafeteria to eat breakfast or visit with friends. At 8AM students may go onto the playground or stay in the cafeteria. G&P staff will supervise students in the cafeteria and playground before school begins.

DROP OFF: For safety reasons, children may not be dropped off by car in front of the school. If you are driving, you may drop your child off a block away from the Linnaean Street entrance (a crossing guard is stationed in front of the Linnaean Street entrance). The front of the school is reserved exclusively for school buses. If you would like to park and escort a child inside, please allow plenty of time to find legal parking. This is a serious safety issue for children, pedestrians and other drivers.

DISMISSAL: Dismissal is at 2:25PM. On Early Release Days school dismissal is two hours early, at 12:25PM. Please note these dates are in your calendars. The district calendar can be found on the CPS website.

PICK UP: School doors are unlocked at 2:15PM. Caregivers waiting to pick up their children should wait in the lobby until 2:22PM before going to the classrooms for pick up. Students will be dismissed at 2:25PM. Walkers in grades K – 3 must be picked up in the classroom by a parent or designated caretaker. Classroom teachers must have written notification if another adult is going to be picking up your child. Walkers in grades 4 and 5 may be dismissed independently.

BUS RIDERS: All JK – 2 students who ride the bus will receive a bus tag that must be attached to his or her backpack. A designated parent/guardian must be at the afternoon bus stop to meet kindergarten, first, and second graders. The driver cannot drop off a student when the appropriate person is not waiting for the student. Children who are not met at the bus stop will be taken to the Security Office at Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School, after the driver completes the bus route. Please be patient - buses may be delayed due to traffic, particularly at the beginning of the year.

Volunteering at Graham & Parks
We need you! Find out how you can get involved at G&P this school year. Learn more >>

Afterschool Options at G&P
and in Cambridge 

The Dragonfly Afterschool Program
This privately-run program provides childcare from 2:25-5:45PM, for 39 grade JK-4 students, who are at least age 5 in September. Dragonfly is now full for the 2017-2018 school year!! Contact Jodi to find out how to be added to our waitlist. Contact Director Jodi Rich at [email protected] or 617.547.1116 or check out the website. 

Linnaean Community School 
This program is part of the citywide enrichment programs run by the Department of Human Services. Many interesting classes are offered for children and adults on afternoons and evenings. There are three sessions during the school year and a summer camp. Linnaean Community School Enrichment begins on Monday, Sept. 18. Registration is Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 5:30PM in the auditorium. Schedules will be ready the first week of school. For more information, contact Director Mary Ellen Breen at [email protected] or 617.349.6267.

Citywide Afterschool Options 
There is a Community School at each of the public schools and many other Afterschool Child Care programs in the city. For more information go to the Cambridge Public Schools website or the Find It Cambridge website.