Message from Superintendent Salim: November 4, 2020

Message from Superintendent Salim: November 4, 2020
Posted on 11/04/2020

Dear CPS Community,

This has been a contentious and stressful election season for many in our community, including our students. From our high school students who voted for the first time to our youngest learners who have sought to make sense of heated political exchanges they might have overheard, all of our students have been affected in one way or another.

As we await final results from the 2020 election, we want to take a moment to share some thoughts on how we all can support students so that they feel safe sharing their feelings and questions.

Teacher Preparation

Throughout the fall, educators and curriculum leaders have developed and shared resources for guiding election-related discussions for both remote and in-person learning settings. CPS teachers have been facilitating election-related discussions like the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School voter registration session with Harvard Law School's Equal Democracy Project.

CPS teachers are prepared to:

  • Assure your children that they and other adults in their lives are focused on keeping them safe, especially if there are instances of unrest locally or elsewhere;
  • Respect ideological diversity;
  • Incorporate mindfulness strategies to help students process their emotions; 
  • Have students write down or identify questions and/or feelings and then decide which questions to discuss as a large group, and which to discuss in smaller groups or one-to-one.

Resources for Parents and Caregivers
For those of you seeking resources to help you and your family process the situation and communicate to your children, we have curated the following:

We expect the days ahead will continue to be emotional as we move through this period of uncertainty. In times like these, it is important to remember that we are a community that supports and cares for one another, and will continue to do so whatever the future holds.

Sincerely,

Kenneth N. Salim, Ed.D.
Superintendent

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