Message from Principal Chad Leith

Dear Morse School Parents and Families,

We have had another great week at the Morse School as we approach the winter break. In order to keep our positive momentum through our final days of 2018, we must remember that for some students the holiday season generates not only excitement but also anxiety. These feelings can become overwhelming if compounded by changes in daily schedules. Please help support your child by maintaining predictable after-school, bedtime and morning routines until we begin our break. Our last full day of school before vacation is Friday, December 21st.

Vacation Reading
Looking for some great books for your children to read over the holidays? If you have not done so already, I encourage you to check out the “We Were Once Kids Too!” display in our main lobby, where our teachers have shared some of their favorite children’s book titles. For older students, I recommend checking out the books nominated for this year’s Massachusetts Children’s Book Award. Please remember that our amazing librarian Ms. Pennell opens the Morse School Library each school day at 8:00. Parents and students are welcome to stop by and ask for recommendations. Your local Cambridge Public Library will also be open throughout the winter break.

First-Trimester Awards Assembly
This afternoon we celebrated the end of our first trimester with an awards ceremony for students in Grades 3-5. Since we have now implemented standards-based grading at the Morse School, the assembly looked a little bit different than it has in the past. Instead of an Honor Roll based on letter grades, this year’s awards included: the Respectful Student Award, the Responsible Citizen Award, the Kindness Award, the Active Learner Award, the Growth Mindset Award and awards for Overall Excellence in Math, Reading, Writing, Science, Social Studies and Spanish (Grades 4 & 5). Congratulations to all of this trimester’s award recipients!

Understanding & Preventing Head Lice
As some of you are aware, from mid-November through early December some of the children in our classrooms were diagnosed with cases of head lice. Although we have seen no new cases in over a week, we want to be sure that we are doing everything we can as a community to prevent future incidents at the Morse School. On Monday, you will receive a letter in your child’s backpack with helpful materials from the Cambridge Department of Public Health. When you receive these materials, please take a moment to read them. Please also do not hesitate to reach out to me or Nurse Susan if you have any questions.

Principal’s Coffee
Thursday, December 20 | 8:30 - 9:15AM
Please come join me next week for coffee (or hot cider!) in the Morse School library. There is no formal agenda. Rather, I look forward to meeting parents and hearing what is on your mind as we wrap up 2018. If you are unable to make it, please know that you can always reach me by e-mail or by setting up a face-to-face meeting through Elaine in the main office.

Thank you and best wishes for a wonderful weekend!

Chad Leith
Principal

Other CPS Events and Opportunities Outside CPS

Immigration Legal Screening Clinics
3rd Wednesday each month, 5:15-7:15PM
Free consultations with an immigration attorney for Massachusetts immigrants and their families
Community Legal Services & Counseling Center (CLSACC)
90 Third St., Cambridge
617.349.4396; [email protected] 
See flyer >>

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