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Need this newsletter translated? Please contact the Bilingual/World Languages Department at 617.349.6468. Questions about the G&P newsletter? Please contact Lauren Morse.
Friends of Graham & Parks: Happy Almost Spring!
We have a couple of events coming up and we need your help!
– Trivia Night is coming up on Saturday, March 28th. Friends has already raised $2,335 from local sponsors. Now all we need is players! Please sign your kids up—sign-up sheets will be sent next week. It’s always a fun afternoon and members of the winning teams receive a Porter Square Books gift card. Please save the date and take part in Principal Tony’s favorite fundraiser of the year.
– It’s time for spring cleaning and Friends of G&P is here to help. Please set aside the gently used clothes, toys, games, puzzles for the annual G&P Rummage Sale, which will take place on Saturday, May 2nd. Donations will be accepted beginning Monday, April 27th.
– G&P’s inaugural Ragnar’s Race team is looking for a few more runners — are you in? This is a first-ever fundraiser for G&P and a wonderful team event. If interested, please see the attached flyer and contact [email protected].
Show Your Appreciation for
the G&P Staff!
The annual Staff Appreciation Luncheon is coming up on Wednesday, March 11th! This is a wonderful event in which the families at G&P provide lunch for all of the staff of G&P. Whether you choose to bring in a favorite dish that your family enjoys, or an item from the list that will be sent home, your contribution helps to show our teachers and staff how much we appreciate all their hard work and dedication to our students and community. Be on the lookout for more information in your child's backpack. And be sure to sign the thank you banner that will be hanging in the lobby in early March. If you are interested in volunteering at the luncheon, we need volunteers throughout the day to help set up, serve the meal and clean up. You can sign up for a time slot to volunteer on the sign-up sheet in the school lobby, or just send email to Sarah Smith at [email protected]. Special thanks to Iggy's Bread of the World, Trader Joe's Alewife, and Whole Foods, Fresh Pond for their generous contributions to this event.
G&P Market: Volunteers Needed!
The G&P Market is a wonderful tradition at G&P where families and staff enjoy free fresh food every month. In order to run the market, we need help! Volunteers are needed between the hours of 11AM-3PM. Please contact Lauren if you can help keep the G&P Market running smoothly for the entire community.
G&P Equity Task Force Update
The Equity Task Force is made up of staff from each G&P Grade Level Team including Special Educators, Specials and the Administration of G&P. Our mission is: No individual or group underserved, underrepresented, or invisible. To enhance our own understanding and ability to lead, and prepare for district-wide Professional Development next year, the Taskforce has decided to read and respond to Courageous Conversations about Race.
Families have also met to design a series of workshops about Race and Equity. If you are interested in getting involved in the planning process, please email Lauren at [email protected]. We hope everyone can attend the upcoming Wee the People events, detailed below.
SAVE THE DATES: Wee the People is coming to G&P!
G&P is excited to host an incredible social justice organization Wee the People for TWO events for families, thanks to the support of the Friends of G&P. Both events will focus on understanding and combating racism. G&P Families and staff are also meeting to design a short series of events to discuss Race and Equity to happen after the Wee the People events. If anyone is interested in getting involved, please let Lauren know at [email protected].
Friday, March 27th, 8:30-10:30AM - Family Coffee Talk: ABCs of Racism with Wee the People
This interactive workshop will explore the barriers that prevent adults from talking about race and racism with kids, examine the social science of race awareness in children, and identify strategies to start the conversation with kids about the complexities of race, racism, and racial differences.
Wednesday, April 1st, 5:30-7:30PM - Family Event: What is Racism?
Join Wee The People for a workshop that asks a question many parents struggle to answer: What Is Racism? Together we will explore how racism isn’t just one thing, but a system with many parts working together. Through activities, kids will learn how to notice, name, and challenge these systems. This workshop is for caregivers and children aged 5-10.
Black History Month at G&P
 By Claudie Jean-Baptiste, G&P Assistant Principal
During Black History Month, there has been a display in the Main Lobby that will include 29 different Black Americans who shook up the world. The idea is based on the book The Fierce 44: Black Americans who Shook up the World written by the Staff of the Undefeated with portraits by Robert Ball. One Black American has been added every day. We have been sharing it with the whole school during morning announcements and teachers have been sharing it during each classes Morning Meeting. This way, the whole school will be able to be on the same page during Black History Month.
Each week during February (not during February vacation), an email was sent home letting everyone know what Black Americans shook the world. Please see here to learn about the Black Americans we discussed last week.
In Room 104, 2nd graders have worked with Drew and Lindsey to follow up on the school-wide Black History Month project every day by creating their own display in honor of inspirational Black leaders. Every morning, a famous quote from that day's leader is selected, and a student writes it out alongside a photo. For the "share" at Morning Meeting, students read the biography from Claudie's slideshow and then read and discuss the meaning of the selected quote. The result has been rich conversations about self-esteem, courage, perseverance, inclusion, and equal rights. This picture was taken earlier in the month but is a snapshot of the display. Once all the leaders are discussed, the final square will contain a mirror instead of a photograph and the question, "What will you do and say to inspire others?"
Only a Few Spots Left for Mind Matters: Families Make a Difference!
A 10-session workshop for parents with children ages 3–8 providing educational resources & community support. For more info, please contact Lauren Morse at 617.349.6577 x182. There are only spots left for the sessions at Rindge Towers, King Open and in Spanish at Amigos.
View flyer >>
Register >>
School Breakfast Week & World Food Taste Party - March 4th!
 Food & Nutrition Services invites you to join us in celebrating National School Breakfast Week March 2nd - 6th, with an Out of This Country theme. Our theme coincides with World Language Week, in which kitchens will be featuring cultural dishes from around the world at lunch.
As part of breakfast week, we will be hosting a World Food Tour Taste Party for select schools. The Graham & Parks School will have a sampling of Middle Eastern Shakshuka Sauce & Pita, featuring Inna's Kitchen homemade sauce, on Wednesday, March 4th, during breakfast time (please see here for more info). We're excited to celebrate with you!
In the G&P Classrooms
 Top Row: Thank you so very much to 5th grade families in Rooms 208 and 204 for a wonderful Valentine’s Day Potluck Luncheon. Students dined on appetizers, Irish soda bread, rice and beans, mac and cheese, Yorkshire Pudding, Pizza, Spanish Quiche, Tibetan Beef Patties, rice pudding, noodles and vegetables, pesto pasta, brownies, cupcakes, homemade fried dough bites, cookies strawberry torte and more! What a delicious meal for all. We invited the teachers to join us, as you were all so generous with your contributions. We had such a wonderful day, a great beginning to February Break.
Middle Row: Third graders are working hard to evaluate secondary sources about the Wampanoag for accuracy and equity by using common criteria.
Bottom Row: As part of the 4th grade Changemakers Project, the Immigrant Rights group invited the Mayor of Cambridge, Sumbul Siddiqui, to dialogue with them. Mayor Siddiqui immigrated to Cambridge at age 2 with her family from Pakistan. She was educated in Cambridge public schools, graduated from Brown University before completing law school at Northwestern University Law School.
Mayor Siddiqui talked to the students about her life as a young immigrant girl in Cambridge and how she decided at a very young age that she wanted to dedicate her life to public service. In addition, she told the students about some of the projects she is currently working on in Cambridge to improve life for all people.
Lastly, the students had an opportunity to ask Mayor Siddiqui questions about her life experience, immigrant services and ways the students could serve the immigrant community in Cambridge. The Mayor gave the students many suggestions about ways they could help. It was a warm, wonderful and informative dialogue, and the students hope Mayor Siddiqui will return to Graham and Parks soon!
Book Joy
 By Ann Niederkorn, G&P Librarian
The Oldest Student, by Rita Lorraine Hubbard
I had the pleasure of meeting author/illustrator Oge (Oh-GAY) Mora at Frugal Bookstore in Roxbury on Friday, where she shared the newest book she's illustrated. Written by Rita Lorraine Hubbard, it is based on the true story of Mary Walker, a formerly enslaved person who learned how to read when she was 114 years old!
The Fierce 44, Written by the Staff of the Undefeated
Of course, since I was in a bookstore, I couldn't stop there. I bought the library a copy of the book Claudie has been using to create her slideshow and lobby display.
Muslim Girls Rise, by Saira Mir
Finally, this lovely book caught my eye. It's a collection of beautifully illustrated one-page biographies of changemaking Muslim women. (Most from the US, but not all.) Fabulous!
From Linnaean Community School
Linnaean Community School has 4 piano openings.
Wednesdays: 4:00-4:20 and 4:40-5:00
Thursdays: 4:30-5:00 and 5:00-5:30
To register, email [email protected] or call 617-349-6267
Also, just to inform you, Linnaean Community School will be changing its name to Graham and Parks Community School as of Camp Seafaring.
Happy National Nutrition Month!
 Did you know that students who eat breakfast may see increases in their concentration and test scores? Students who regularly eat breakfast also have fewer behavioral issues in the classroom and fewer tardy days. Cambridge schools offer FREE complete breakfast (i.e., a hot meal, fruit and milk) to all students. Maybe it’s time your family gave it a try?
Find school menus here >>
CPS Announces Halal Options for Student Meals
 In keeping with our commitment to equity, access and inclusion, Cambridge Public Schools (CPS) seeks to provide access to a variety of healthy food options that equitably address the needs of all students. We are excited to announce that beginning in February 2020, CPS will offer menu items that include Halal-certified chicken to our students.
Read more >>
Last Day of School
The last day of school with one snow day in CPS will be Wednesday, June 17. As in the past, the last day of school will be an early release day for all grades. We apologize for any confusion caused by discrepancies between published version of our calendars, and hope this clarification will be helpful to you.
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