Greetings CPS Community…
I hope you had a wonderful first weekend of June. I can’t believe we are in our final few weeks of the school year.
Congratulations to our Class of 2023! We are looking forward to celebrating you this Thursday, June 8. We are so proud of your accomplishments and wish you all the best as you enter the next chapter of your life. I am confident that you will carry with you the values and lessons learned during your time in CPS. Many of our other schools are also celebrating graduation. See the full list of end-of-year ceremonies here.
Tomorrow night is our second to last School Committee meeting of the school year. Our Chief of Academics and Schools, Dr. Lendozia Edwards, will provide an update on the development of our Instructional Framework. Vassal Lane Upper School (VLUS) students will also present on their school community’s ongoing process to rename the school. Students will share details about the learning they have engaged in over the last several months as well as present a potential short list of new school names. I am proud of the time, thought, and effort the VLUS community has invested in this process. I encourage you to support them by attending in-person or watching virtually tomorrow night.
This Saturday, June 10, the city is hosting the 8th Annual Cambridge Safer Homes, Safer Community: Gift Cards for Guns event. Residents can safely turn in unwanted weapons at the Reservoir Church (170 Rindge Avenue) or the Pentacostal Tabernacle (77 Columbia Street) from 10AM - 2PM in exchange for gift cards. No questions asked and no ID required. This event is an important step toward keeping our students safe at home. Children can also get up to $200 in Amazon gift cards if they turn in four or more unused, unwanted BB guns.
Finally, a gentle reminder that this Wednesday, June 7, is an Early Release Day for Junior Kindergarten through 5th grade students.
Thank you for your continued support.
Make it Great!
Dr. Victoria L. Greer
Headlines
Save the Date for Our Virtual Town Hall Discussion
Dr. Greer and members of the Executive Leadership Team are excited to take part in a virtual Town Hall discussion in partnership with the Cambridge Families of Color Coalition.
Join Superintendent Greer This Week for a Cup of Coffee!
All members of the CPS community are invited to join Dr. Greer for coffee and a light breakfast and share your thoughts, questions, and concerns. She is excited to listen and learn from you!
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Wednesday, June 7 | 8:30 - 9:30AM
Rindge Avenue Upper School and Peabody School (70 Rindge Avenue)
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Friday, June 9 | 7:30 - 8:30AM
Tobin Montessori School and High School Extension Program (359 Broadway)
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Wednesday, June 14 | 8 - 9AM
Morse School (40 Granite Street)
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Friday, June 16 | 8:30 - 9:30AM
Cambridge Street Upper School and King Open (850 Cambridge Street)
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Wednesday, June 21 | 8 - 9AM
Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (459 Broadway Court)
Bobby Tynes Named Permanent Principal of Fletcher Maynard Academy
Congratulations to Bobby Tynes, who has been named Principal ofFletcher Maynard Academy. Mr. Tynes has spent the last year as Interim Principal of FMA. We are grateful for his commitment to our students’ learning and growth, and we look forward to our continued collaboration in this permanent role.
Please read Dr. Greer’s full letter to the FMA community here.
Juneteenth Student Essay Contest
Students in grades 6-12 are invited to enter our Juneteenth Essay Contest. The prompt is "What Does Juneteenth Mean To Me?"
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Essays should be between 250-500 words.
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Please submit your essay to [email protected] by thisWednesday, June 7th.
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Two winners will receive a $75 gift card at the end of the parade route.
We look forward to reading the insightful perspectives of our talented students as they explore the personal and societal significance of Juneteenth.
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! We look forward to recruiting and hiring excellent educators to join our school communities this fall!
Cambridge Preschool Program Coming in SY24-25
The Cambridge Preschool Program (CPP) is a publicly-funded program and a joint partnership between the City of Cambridge, the Department of Human Service Programs, and Cambridge Public Schools.
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It will provide free preschool to the families of all 4-year-olds and some 3-year-olds.
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CPP will replace our current Junior Kindergarten-Kindergarten Lottery for the 2024-2025 School Year.
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A child is eligible if they live in Cambridge and are:
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4 years old byAugust 31, 2024for 4-year-old programs; or
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3 years old byAugust 31, 2024for 3-year-old programs (please note there will be limited seats for 3-year-olds and there may be additional eligibility requirements)
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The single, centralized online application will open inwinter 2023/2024.
This list of Frequently Asked Questions (አማርኛ|عربي|বাংলা|Kreyòl ayisyen|Español) may answer key questions you have about CPP.
Summer 2023 Contact List
If you have a question over the summer, please see our list of contacts that may be helpful to you while our school buildings are closed.
Featured Events
Juneteenth Parade
Juneteenthis a day of action that inspires us to work towards a more just and equitable future for all. We are calling on the entire city to unite as a community and come together for a parade to celebrate!
Final 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 in June:
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Wednesday, June 14
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Thursday, June 15
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Tuesday, June 20
Kelp Bites Taste Test at CRLS
High school students exclaimed, “it’s Kelp Day!” when entering the Media Cafe on Thursday, May 25th. Northcoast Seafoods, one of our Food and Nutrition Services vendor partners, had a taste test table set up for students to try the new Kelp Veggie Bites. Student-run group, Project Greenplate, worked with Northcoast to bring their Kelp Veggie Bites to our school lunch menus.
The Kelp Veggie Bites, served with quinoa and greens, are vegan and sustainably made using local, Maine-grown kelp. Its addition to our menus supports our Food & Nutrition Services department's commitment to providing our students with healthy school meal choices every day.
K-Lo’s Pollinator Project
In mid-May, students at the Kennedy-Longfellow School planted beautiful flowers in a raised garden bed outside the school. In the weeks since, they have enjoyed caring for and watering the flowers as part of their Pollinator Project initiative. Learn more about the Pollinator Project and how you can support it.
CPS Family Science Pop-Up
More than 150 families attended a Science Pop-Up facilitated by the Design Lab and the CPS Science Department on May 23rd. Each student received a science passport to document their visits to stations with themes like, “Move It!”, “Build It!”, “Explore It” and “Dream It!”. Activities included an obstacle course, taking apart and rebuilding computers, making giant bubbles, exploring STEM kits, building circuits, and creating nature drawings.
Exploring Spanish Art With Harvard
CRLS students studying Spanish collaborated with the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) to engage with and analyze art in Spanish. Guided by two Spanish-speaking HGSE graduate students, our students explored the Harvard Art Museums and listened to thought-provoking lessons on topics such as (de)colonization of the Americas, Surrealism, and general Art History.
It was a wonderful opportunity for CRLS World Language students to connect with the broader Cambridge community and higher learning institutions like Harvard.
Cambridge School Volunteers Awarded $75,000 Grant
The Cambridge School Volunteers (CSV), a local nonprofit organization, has been awarded $25,000 annually for each of the next three years by the Cummings Foundation so it can continue serving CPS students.
This school year, CSV’s programs served 1,400 of our students through screening, training, matching, and coaching volunteer mentors, tutors, and other academic volunteers. We are grateful for their support!
Mark Your Calendar
Wednesday, June 7 | Early Release (JK-5 only)
Monday, June 19 | Juneteenth (No School & CPS Offices Closed)
Thursday, June 22 | Last Day of School and Early Release for All Grades
Key Resources