Dear Members of the Morse School Community,

It is hard to believe that the first half of the school year is over and that we are only two weeks away from our winter break. February will be a busy month at the Morse School. In this week’s newsletter, I’d like to highlight a few upcoming community activities and events!

Commemorating Black History Month at the Morse School
Although both the Morse School and the Cambridge Public Schools are working to ensure that African, African American and Afro-Caribbean stories, contributions, and voices are systematically integrated into our curriculum throughout the year, we still believe that Black History Month offers an opportunity to lift up Black history and experiences. Here are some of the school-wide activities that will take place to honor Black History Month:

• Our Art Teacher Ms. Kerr will be offering each homeroom an additional class during the month of February focused on the work of African American artist Kehinde Wiley. Students will contribute to a school-wide art "photo booth" inspired by Kehinde Wiley’s work (described here in a recent interview with the Daily Show’s Trevor Noah).
  
  
• This special art display will be accompanied in the Main Lobby by a display from the book, "The Fierce 44: Black Americans Who Shook Up the World." Each day in February, our morning announcements will include an inspirational quote from one of the individuals featured in the book and students will be encouraged to learn more.
  
  
• Morse School students will be invited to lend their own voices to our school-wide Black History Month commemoration by submitting an essay, poem, poster, letter, speech, or visual arts piece. All submissions will be put on display in our Main Lobby. For more information, please see our Black History Month Creative Challenge flyer.

Several of our classroom teachers are also planning to set aside some time and space over the coming weeks to engage your children in learning and sharing about African American history and culture. If you are interested in learning more about Black History Month, here is a link to a Black History Month Resource Guide for Educators and Families from the Center for Racial Justice in Education. The guide includes suggestions for parents looking to engage their children in Black History Month at home.

Wednesday, February 5th - Early Childhood Math Fair (8:10 - 9:10AM)
Please come join our Math Coach Ms. Vincent and JK Teacher Ms. Connolly this Wednesday morning from 8:10 - 9:10AM in the Morse Library. Come explore math in our everyday lives. All Morse families and caregivers are invited!

Thursday, February 6th - Friends of Morse Meeting (6:30-8:00pm)
Looking to get involved in helping to plan upcoming community events? Please consider attending this month’s Friends of Morse meeting from 6:30 - 8PM in the Morse Library.

Friday, February 7th - Morse Family Movie Night (6 - 8PM)
Please come enjoy this month’s Family Movie Night, sponsored by the Friends of Morse! Pizza, drinks, and snacks go on sale at 6PM; our movie begins at 6:30PM in the Morse Auditorium. Admission is only $1. Please remember that children MUST be accompanied by an adult during the entire event. If you are able to volunteer to sell pizza or tickets, please let us know!

Tuesday, February 11th - Morse School Winter Concert (9 - 10AM)
This year’s winter concert will feature our school chorus, The Morse Morning Singers, as well as choral performances by students at every grade level (JK-5). We will also offer a sneak peek of our 5th grade ballroom dance performance! The concert begins at 9AM in the Morse Auditorium. All members of the Morse School community are invited!

Friday, February 28th - Morse Family Gym Night (6 - 8PM)
Over 90 children and grownups participated in our first Family Gym Night in January. Kids played basketball and soccer, enjoyed line dancing, and had fun tumbling and climbing in our special indoor playground. We hope to have even more families join us for our next Family Gym Night on Friday, February 28th from 6 - 8PM! The event is free and open to all Morse School children and families; pizza, drinks, and snacks will be available for purchase.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly if you have questions, concerns, or suggestions. We benefit greatly from your collaboration and feedback!

Sincerely,

Chad Leith
Principal

Morse Events & Announcements

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