CPS Connect: August 3, 2026

Good Evening CPS Community,

We hope you are all enjoying summer break. As we enter August, the time has come for back-to-school preparations to begin! As a reminder, the first day of school is Tuesday, September 1 for grades 1-12 and postgraduate. Preschool and Kindergarten will begin on Thursday, September 3rd. 

We will share information in the coming weeks regarding information that families will need before school starts. Please review all sections below. Other quick updates include:

• Annual forms will be available on the CPS Family Portal on Monday, August 17. Families must complete and return these forms for each student before the first day of school. 
• ParentSquare Accounts: Friday, August 14, families and staff who have not activated their ParentSquare accounts will receive an invitation by email. Keep a lookout for our Back-to-School message in ParentSquare, detailing the steps parents/guardians must complete to prepare their child for the first day of school. 
• Bus routes are being finalized. We will share that information with you soon.

Our Back-to-School Message will be sent on Monday, August 17. That issue will include important back-to-school updates.

Sincerely,
The CPS Team

In this Issue:

• Reminder: Updated Start Times for Select Schools Starting SY2026-2027
• Annual Forms Coming Soon
• Summer Learning Resources
• Summer 2026 Summer Contact List
• Fall Sports Registration is Open
• Tips for Helping Your Child Manage Back-to-School Transitions
• Afterschool Opportunities
• Free Food Markets this Summer
• Summer Updates from Superintendent Murphy
• Upcoming Events
• District & Community Resources
• The Bright Spot

Back-to-School Events

Mark Your Calendar: Back-to-School Events

Back-to-School Forms, ParentSquare Help
Families can get help with annual forms from CPS staff. School nurses and other staff will be available to help update health information and answer questions about ParentSquare. Annual forms will be available in August. Join us in person for assistance with completing forms:

• Wednesday, August 26 | 5-7 PM | Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (459 Broadway Court)

Community Fairs
Meet community partners, learn about community services, access free supplies, backpacks, resources, and clothing!

• Saturday, August 29 | King Open School (830 Cambridge Street)
• Saturday, September 12 | Peabody School (70 Rindge Avenue)

Both fairs will be held from 10AM- 12PM.

Stay tuned for more information!

Need to Know News

Reminder: Updated Start Times for Select Schools Starting SY 2026-2027

Annual Forms Coming Soon

• The annual forms ask for important updates about your student, such as health/medication changes, emergency contact information, how your student will be picked up from school, and more.
• CPS works to gather this information at the beginning of the year to ensure we have updated information to keep your student safe and healthy.
• Some forms and questions may change each year, so it is important to review and complete each form every year.

Summer Learning Resources

Keep the learning going all summer long to be prepared for the new school year! We know that learning happens all summer long in a variety of ways. Visit our website for some additional at-home and in-person resources to help families engage in learning opportunities while enjoying all of the fun and relaxed routines that the warm weather brings.

Summer 2026 Contact List

Please note that our school buildings are closed Monday, June 29 - Monday, August 31. If you have a question over the summer, please see our list of summer contacts (አማርኛ | العربية | বাংলা | Kreyòl Ayisyen | Español). Staff at your child’s school will be available to answer any questions you may have beginning Tuesday, August 18.

Fall Sports Registration is Open

Interested in participating in an athletic team at CRLS next fall? Registration for Fall Athletics is open through Monday, August 17. Register for the fall athletic season here.

Learn more about the sports offered and more important dates here.

Tips for Helping Your Child Manage Back-to-School Transitions

Changing daily routines from summer to school days may be a big shift for some students. Here are some tips from our Director of Social-Emotional Learning, Kim Huffer, to help support your student with the back-to-school transition:

1. Talk About the Change: Talk openly about the return to school. Discuss what to expect and listen to your student’s questions and ideas. Consider using videos or visual schedules to help explain routines.
2. Start Routines Early: Consider changing morning or bedtime routines a week or two before school starts. Create consistent morning and evening habits, such as time for breakfast.
3. Adjust Sleep Schedules: Make gradual changes in bedtime and morning wake-up times to help students prepare.
4. Support Emotions: Acknowledge your student’s emotions and needs using language like “I know how much you like to play at home, and it is hard to wait until after school to do that.” Provide support and encouragement, such as “Let’s plan what you will do after school!”

Recommended Resources:

• 10 Ways to Make the Switch from Summer to School
• How to Help Your Child Successfully Transition Back to School
• 5 Ways to Help Your Kids Have a Healthy School Year
• Tips for Parents on a Successful Transition to Middle School

Summer and After-school Opportunities

The Cambridge Agenda for Children has assembled a complete guide to after-school programming in and around the city.

The 2026 - 2027 After-school Opportunities Guide serves as a centralized resource for Elementary (K-5) and Middle School (6-8) out-of-school time (OST) programs. It will be regularly updated with new information and additional programs throughout the year.

View the After-school Guide here:  አማርኛ  |  العربية  |  বাংলা  |  Kreyòl Ayisyen | Español
 

Free Food Markets This Summer

All CPS families are welcome to stop by our free, school-based food markets. They offer fresh fruits, vegetables, and pantry items.

Free Food Markets are on select Thursdays. Please bring your own bags.

• August 13 | 2:30 - 3PM (Community Charter School of Cambridge -245 Bent Street)
• August 20 | 2:30 - 3PM (Peabody School/Rindge Avenue Upper School)
• August 27 | 2:30 - 3PM (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School/Putnam Ave Upper School)

Summer Updates from Superintendent Murphy

Leadership Updates

We’ve been hard at work preparing ourselves for a successful start of the next school year. As part of our efforts, several individuals have been appointed to key leadership roles throughout the district. Join us in congratulating our staff on their new roles. You can view Superintendent Murphy’s leadership update here. 

District & Community Resources

• Cambridge Public Schools 2026-2027 School Year Calendar
• Fiscal Year 2027 Budget
• CPS Employment Opportunities
• 2026-2027 Cambridge After School Opportunities Guide
  • Translations: Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Haitian Creole, Spanish

A Focus on Family Engagement

Last month, our third cohort from CPS attended the Family Engagement in Education professional education program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The program is led by Karen Mapp, a leading expert in family and community engagement. We can't wait to welcome our students and families back in a few weeks to share some of what we learned! The team engaged deeply with the Dual Capacity Framework: www.dualcapacity.org.

They came away with concrete action steps just for CPSD that they workshopped together over the course of the week.