Greetings CPS Community…
Happy first day of May! Spring is in the air, and we are officially in the home stretch of the school year.
One of our focus areas is to promote positive school culture and climate. We are on a path of continuous improvement and are taking thoughtful steps to better understand the culture and climate of our schools and central office.
Therefore, we are in the process of finalizing our District Climate Survey, which will be an opportunity for you to share your feedback on how we are doing. I hope you will take the time to share your thoughts with us so we can continue to improve for our students. Stay tuned for more information.
The early retirement of Principal Craven at the Rindge Avenue Upper School, the promotion of Dr. Leith at the Morse School, and the departure last year of Dr. Rounds at the Fletcher Maynard Academy have led to searches for a new Principal for each of these schools. We are excited to be in the final phase of the hiring process for Fletcher Maynard Academy and Rindge Avenue Upper School. We are in the early stages of the process for the Morse School. I look forward to sharing more with you in the coming weeks.
Have a wonderful week… Make it Great!
Dr. Victoria L. Greer
Headlines
Learn More About the New Upper School ELA/Literacy Curriculum This Week
We are pleased to share that after a thoughtful selection process, we have chosen Fishtank Learning as the new Upper School English Language Arts (ELA)/Literacy curriculum that will be implemented beginning next school year.This week, families are invited to join our ELA/Literacy team for a webinar to introduce key components of the curriculum and the texts and themes that students will engage with.
New Interim Special Education Coordinator
We are honored to announce that Siobhán Reardon has been namedInterim Special Education Coordinator under the Office of Student Services effective today. Siobhán began her career with us as a student teacher and paraprofessional before becoming a special education teacher in the Autism Sub-Separate Program and a Recovery Team Special Educator. Siobhán has also worked as a Special Education Administrative Intern, working on curriculum rollouts, MCAS-Alt coaching, hiring, and the facilitation of several professional learning courses for staff. Please join us in congratulating Siobhán on this new opportunity!
District Climate Survey Launches Soon
We are excited to launch our 2022-2023 District Climate Survey this month! This will be an opportunity for our school community to tell us how we are doing. The feedback we receive will inform and contribute to the ongoing implementation of our 2022-2025 District Plan. Stay tuned for more details!
What We’re Celebrating
During Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we honor the contributions of over 50 unique ethnic groups who speak more than 100 different languages. May was selected as AAPI Heritage Month since the first record of Japanese Americans migrating to the US was in May of 1843. The first transcontinental railroad was completed in May of 1869, and many of the laborers who built it were Chinese American. Today, more than 7% of Americans are AAPI.
Check out the Traveling Exhibition of artists that will be at the Cambridge-Somerville Asian Festival on May 19-20. The event is hosted, in part, by Cambridge Families of Asian Descent with a grant from the Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Part of the festival will include Cookies with the City Manager, Yi-An Huang.
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month encourages Americans to celebrate and promote healthy, active lifestyles. Physical activity is not only great for physical health but also for social and emotional growth. Sports teach values such as teamwork and how to handle adversity. Whether it’s a walk, run, or another activity, find joy in movement this May!
Mental Health Awareness Month was established in 1949 to increase awareness about the vital role mental health plays in our overall health and well-being. The goal is to raise awareness of mental health and reduce the stigma that surrounds it. As a district, we are committed to supporting the social, emotional, and mental health needs of our students, families, and staff by promoting positive mental health in our classrooms and connecting our school community with various resources, including:
Sunday, May 7th is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, which raises awareness about the importance of children’s mental health and shows that positive mental health is essential to a child’s healthy development.
This week, we also celebrate:
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National Teacher Appreciation Day is tomorrow, May 2. We extend our deep appreciation to all of our wonderful educators who are giving, compassionate, and have dedicated their careers to our children.
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Strap on your helmet and lace up your shoes for National Bike to School Day this Wednesday, May 3! This day celebrates the joy of active commuting while building a sense of community and school spirit.
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Ahead of School Lunch Hero Day this Friday, May 5, we express our gratitude for our amazing Food & Nutrition Services workers who provide our students with free, high-quality meals made with love every day to fuel their learning.
CPS Hiring Corner
Cambridge Public Schools is seeking to hire talented education professionals for positions including Administrators, Teachers, Instructional Aides, and Substitutes for the 23-24 School Year! Our recruitment team has attended several educator recruitment events including ones with theMassachusetts Educational Recruiting Consortium(MERC), Howard University, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the Rochester Teacher Fair, the Greater Philadelphia Teacher Fair, Massachusetts Partnership for Diversity in Education (MPDE), UMass Amherst and more. We look forward to recruiting and hiring excellent educators to join our school communities this fall!
Educators Awarded Full Scholarships to Pursue Secondary Education
Thirty talented teachers and paraprofessionals have been chosen for our Educator Pathway Program, which aims to celebrate, grow, and cultivate CPS educators. They received a full scholarship to pursue secondary education in English as a Second Language at Lesley University or Special Education at Cambridge College.
This week, we’re introducing you to King Open School Paraprofessional Maria Pereira Velez. Click on the questions below to hear Maria’s answers and on her name or picture to watch the full interview!
State Recruits Students For Youth Climate Council
Governor Maura Healey’s Administration recently announced the creation of a Youth Climate Council that will advise the Governor and the Office of Climate Innovation and Resilience on climate policy and actions. High school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors can now apply to be part of the council, which will meet regularly with the state’s Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer.
Click here to apply by Friday, May 19.
Featured Events
Free Food Markets
All families are welcome to stop by our free, school-based food markets. They offer fresh fruits, vegetables, and pantry items. Please bring your own bags.
Markets this month:
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Wednesday, May 10
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Tuesday, May 16
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Thursday, May 18
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Thursday, May 25
See the full list of free food markets here.
Math Teacher Named 2024 Teacher of the Year Semifinalist
Please join me in congratulating CRLS Math Teacher, Nathan Whitfield, who has been named a semifinalist for 2024 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Whitfield is one of 10 teachers who were selected as semifinalists statewide.The field will be narrowed further in May/June and the 2024 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year will be announced in the fall. Whitfield reflected on the honor, writing, in part, “This moment, for all it means, will never be lost on me and I'm excited that CPS has given me the chance to even engage this possibility.” Click here to read more of Mr. Whitfield’s reaction!
Model United Nations Team Wins Excellence Award
Congratulations to the CRLS Model United Nations (MUN) Team for receiving a delegation Award of Excellence at the National High School MUN! Every year, students attend three conferences to debate against schools from around the US and the world, and this recognition highlights consistency in all the different committee rooms.
A team of 30 students, CRLS MUN advisor Nick Yeh says he’s proud of their collective achievements and is eager to continue representing Cambridge in the future.
Students Create Posters for Cambridge Youth Council Campaign
Creative Design students at CRLS recently completed a Live Work Poster Contest in partnership with theCambridge Youth Council (CYC)to help launch the CYC’s Youth Headspace website where students can find resources to support their mental health. The goal is to destigmatize conversations about mental health challenges for teenagers. Read more here.
Congratulations to the winners pictured below with their artwork!
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1st Place: Sky Waddell-Brittle, Junior
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2nd Place: Maaz Shaikh, Junior
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3rd Place: Evan Garvey, Senior, Senior
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4th Place: Talia Wainstock, Sophomore
Mark Your Calendar
Wednesday, May 17 | Early Release Day (JK-8 only)
Monday, May 29 | Memorial Day (No School & CPS Offices Closed)
Wednesday, June 7 | Early Release (JK-5 only)
Thursday, June 8 | CRLS Graduation
Monday, June 19 | Juneteenth (No School & CPS Offices Closed)
Thursday, June 22 | Last Day of School and Early Release for All Grades
Key Resources