From the Chief Information Officer
As the 2018-19 school year winds down, I continue to be amazed by the level of commitment I see in all ICTS staff. All ICTS staff members have contributed to a very successful year throughout the district. There were too many accomplishments to list them all but click here for a few highlights from this past school year.
Lastly, the entire CPS community should be proud of our work to ensure our students’ safety online. Our work in vetting online applications has now been replicated in 25 states and 4 countries via the Student Data Privacy Consortium. Have a great summer!
Authors and Illustrators @ CPS Libraries
Author and illustrator visits promote reading, encourage writing, and benefit our CPS students in many ways. Authors and illustrators inspire students through their personal stories of how they have overcome obstacles, taken risks, and embraced the creative process on their road to success. The school libraries at Cambridge Public Schools have been fortunate to host some outstanding author and illustrator visits over the past school year. Thank you to Porter Square Books and the Porter Square Books Foundation for sponsoring five of these author visits reaching a total of 629 K-8 CPS students in a combined eleven CPS elementary or upper schools as well as two author visits for at least 200 CRLS students. At each of these PSB sponsored author visits, all students in attendance were given a signed copy of the author’s newest book, courtesy of the Porter Square Books Foundation. Here is a sampling of this year’s visits:
Change is a Beautiful Thing!
CPS is getting a new look!
Not only will CPS have a new logo but, we will also be showcasing a new color palette that truly expresses the diversity in our students, staff, community, and education. Matching the new CPS look-n-feel, the CPS websites will present a wider screen layout with streamlined content and an improved user experience.
It is an exciting time at CPS and our new branding, websites, and printed materials will now reflect the excitement presented in our new District Plan. Supporting and conveying CPS’s vision of “Rigorous, Joyful & Culturally Responsive Learning + Personalized Support Builds Postsecondary Success and Engaged Community Members” is a key goal for this refresh project.
Special thanks to all who participated in the refresh project user surveys and focus groups. Your feedback is a key component in guiding this transition.
We welcome you to stay tuned for the big launch this summer!
Computer Science (CS) in CPS
Computer Science is gaining momentum across the district, and I would like to share with you some of the recent and future happenings. DESE released the Digital Literacy & Computer Science framework in the summer of 2016 which includes student learning expectations for grades K-12 around computational thinking. This is the first time that MA DESE has recognized computational thinking and computer science as a necessary literacy, and the Educational Technology (Ed Tech) department is super excited! Since then (and before), the Ed Tech department has been working on identifying ways to bring this interdisciplinary and engaging content to CPS students. For many years, CPS students have participated in the CS Ed Week (Hour of Code) in December, which often sparks the interests of both students and educators to learn more. The Instructional Technology Specialists capitalize on this spark and collaborate with educators to design computer science rich lessons throughout the year. Read on >>
Update from the Media Arts Studio
The CPS Media Arts program offers a wide array of classes and clubs, a work-study program, and media making support for all students. Located in the Media Arts Studio on the CRLS campus, the Media Arts program provides in school and after school media arts education for the district.
Media Distribution: Brad Glanden
Completed student work is shown on Cambridge cable channel 98 and the live channel stream, available on Youth View Cambridge, archived online, and screened at our annual Media Fair. Highlights are available on the CPS Facebook and Twitter posts - see sample post below:
Media Arts Studio Spring Highlights:
Media Journalism: Angelica Brisk
Neiman Fellow and Presidential Candidate Visit
Digital Film and Music Production Collaboration: Dacia Antunes, Ross Matthei
Spring 2019 Music Video Collaboration
After School Production Program: Josh Arevalo, Emily Parent
2019 Media Fair
Best Wishes, Ginny!
Media Arts Manager Ginny Berkowitz will be retiring at the end of June. Ginny has worked in community media for over 40 years, beginning in college radio, continuing as a founding board member of Cambridge Community Television, and serving as Program Manager of the Media Arts Studio at Cambridge Rindge and Latin for the past 15 years. Ginny has been the driving force behind shaping the Media Arts Program and designing/building the current Media Arts Studio. In her role, Ginny has expanded Media Arts courses and after-school clubs, advanced media production and streaming capabilities, and created many community partnerships and funding opportunities. In collaboration with the Rindge School of Technical Arts, the Media Arts Studio now serves hundreds of students annually in a program that has grown to include in-school and after-school classes, clubs and work study opportunities, the programming and distribution of two local educational cable tv channels, and special projects throughout the district.
Ginny will be greatly missed!
On July 1, Matt Mena-Landry, a former ICTS/Media Arts Studio staff member, will be returning to CPS
as the new Media Arts Manager.
Staff, We Have Your Back!
Maintaining and ensuring you have access to your information is important to CPS. To prevent data loss, CPS backs up all CPS G-Suite information using Datto’s Backupify. With this solution, all CPS G-Suite users can retrieve their files, calendars, contacts, or emails. Learn how to restore items >>
Cyber Security Program
The Technical Services Team is working on a Cyber Security program that will launch this summer. This program will allow Technical Services to educate our users on various technology vulnerabilities and how to spot fraudulent and malicious attacks or requests.
Some of the areas that will be covered starting in August 2019 are:
- How to spot insecure websites?
- What are phishing emails?
- What is spear phishing?
- How to handle account security.
- What is two factor authentication?
Please keep your eyes open for these releases.
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