Message from Superintendent Greer: May 16, 2022

Message from Superintendent Greer: May 16, 2022
Posted on 05/16/2022

Greetings CPS Community!
 

I hope everyone took the time to enjoy this beautiful weather. We are grateful that last week the City Council’s Finance Committee approved our Fiscal Year 2023 budget. It will now move forward for adoption as a part of the City budget.
 

Tomorrow, at the School Committee meeting my team will present and discuss the summer planning and programming that will take place this summer through CPS. There will also be a brief update about COVID. Valuable information will be shared and discussed.
 

Last Friday, we shared a draft of the student-designed Mission, Vision, and Core Values with our caregivers and staff members for their feedback. Please share your thoughts by Wednesday, May 25. Following a review and analysis, a final draft will be presented to the School Committee on Tuesday, June 7. Later this month, we will also kick off discussions with the School Committee about the outcomes that will be used to set goals and measure progress towards those goals. We look forward to sharing our progress over the next several weeks.
 

Thank you for your engagement and continued support.

 

Make it Great!
 

Dr. Victoria L. Greer

Superintendent
 


Four CRLS Seniors Earn Double Seal of Biliteracy!

We are delighted to share that six of our seniors and one junior achieved a Double Seal of Biliteracy this spring, which is an extraordinary achievement! Congratulations to all of them, including Ruggiero Botto (Italian and Spanish), Julian Massari (Italian and Spanish), Michael Herrick (French and Spanish) and Masato Hall (Chinese and Japanese), and all of our CRLS Students who have received the Seal of Biliteracy this year. We are incredibly proud of you!

The MA Seal of Biliteracy is a national initiative to recognize high levels of proficiency in another language. There are multiple pathways to achieve the Seal at CRLS. This year, 45 seniors out of approximately 470 received the Seal of Biliteracy in one of ten languages, two-thirds achieving the Seal with Distinction.
 

 


Two CPS Teachers Honored at DESE Educator Celebration Ceremony

Cambridge Rindge and Latin’s Ariel Serkin and Graham and Parks’ Karen Engels were honored by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) at a reception last week. Ms. Serkin, a chemistry teacher, was a 2021 Finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Karen Engels, a fourth grade teacher, was a 2022 semi-finalist for Massachusetts Teacher of the Year.

 
A highlight of the evening was when Jennifer Hedrington, who is currently the assistant principal at the Peabody School and who served as the 2021 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year, presented this year's award to Marta Garcia of Salem.
 

Congratulations to you all…we are incredibly proud of you!
 


National Accolade for King Open/Cambridge Street Upper School and Community Complex Design

We are delighted to announce that the King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools and Community Complex has won the 2022 COTE® Top Ten Award for their significant achievements in advancing climate action from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE)! To learn more about this noteworthy achievement, read more from the City.


BRYT Program to be Featured on WBZ This Week!

Our impactful Bridge for Resilient Youth (BRYT) Program will be featured this Thursday on WBZ as a part of their series on mental health awareness. WBZ’ Kate Merrill sat down with our very own Ashley Sitkin, the program’s social worker, 9th grader Naejaliehs Pierre, 10th Grader Staydjina Bazile and Paul Hyry-Dermith, the director of BRYT at the Brookline Center for Community Mental Health.

You can watch the segment this Thursday morning at 5 and 6AM! The piece will also be featured on their website later in the day.
 


DHSP 2022-2023 Afterschool Program Lottery Opens Today!

Throughout the year, the Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP) offers enriching of Out-of-School Time (OST) programs for Cambridge children, youth and teens for after school, during school vacation weeks over the summer. All of the programs encourage peer connection, skill-building and leadership development.

To participate in the lottery, visit www.cambridgema.gov/DHSPAfterschoolPrograms. The

Lottery closes on Friday, June 3.


Looking for Summer Opportunities?
Check out these interactive resources with a compilation of summer programs and opportunities for students in grades K-5 Summer Programs 2022or 6-8 Middle School Summer Programs 2022.

At Home Testing: You Can Still Opt-In!

Students and staff members who opt in can rapid test at home weekly.

HIGHLIGHTS OF AT-HOME RAPID TESTING PLAN:

  • ANY student or staff member can participate in the new at-home rapid testing program regardless of vaccination status.
  • The testing program is VOLUNTARY. Opt-in through the CPS Family Portal.
  • Individuals will receive a kit every 2 weeks; each kit will contain 2 tests and instructions for using the self-test.
For more information, visit www.cpsd.us/covid19/covidtesting.

COVID Updates

Following ongoing discussions with the Cambridge Public Health Department and the Health, Safety, and Facilities Working Group, we continue to review and update our COVID protocols to reflect current conditions. As updates are made, we will notify the CPS community in a timely manner.

**Please note that these updates are subject to further changes as conditions evolve.**


Mask Advisory

As a reminder, we continue to recommend our entire school community mask, particularly when we are indoors. Please note that we are NOT reinstating a requirement but advising mask use based on current data. We will continue to monitor the trends and make determinations based on the data and in collaboration with the Cambridge Public Health Department.


Caught Doing Good!
CRLS Senior Named National Merit Scholarship Winner!
Congratulations to 12th grader Claire Wang! Claire has been awarded a National Merit Scholarship. She was among 7,500 students selected for the prestigious recognition among 15,000 finalists.

We are incredibly proud of Claire. We extend our congratulations to her, her family and the CRLS community.
CRLS Takes 1st Place at Music Festival!
A HUGE congratulations to the high school’s Traveling Chorus, directed by Dr. Ivan Stefanov, and the Big Band Jazz Ensemble, directed by Mr. Nate Powers, for taking FIRST PLACE and receiving superior ratings from judges at the Music in the Parks Festival at Westfield University last weekend!

You can enjoy the music of the Traveling Chorus,Big Band Jazz Ensemble, and the World Jazz Ensemble with special guest Assistant Principal Tynes performing, this spring at Jazz Night 2022 on Thursday, June 2 at 7PM in the Fitzgerald Theater.

Click here to buy tickets!


Are you proud of something happening in your school, classroom or program? Share your

“Caught Doing Good” story with [email protected].

Featured Events

Cambridge-Somerville Asian Festival

Friday, May 20 | 5:30 - 7PM

CALA, 1060 Broadway, Somerville

 

Saturday, May 21 | 12 - 3PM

Starlight, Central Square, Cambridge

 

Come celebrate the diversity of Asian American cultures and heritages this weekend at the Cambridge-Somerville Asian Festival! Events are open to all and will include family-friendly activities. Leading up to the Festival, check out thetraveling art show and create your own. Art submissions welcome from any student.

Visithttps://bit.ly/2022-csaf for more event details and to:

  • Exhibit your own artwork
  • Submit a question for AAPI community leaders
  • Volunteer at the events
  • Make a donation

Caregiver Equity Summit
Saturday, June 4 | 9AM - 12Noon (doors open at 8:30AM)
The event will be held at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School, 102 Putnam Ave

WHAT EQUITY LOOKS, SOUNDS AND FEELS LIKE FOR CAMBRIDGE CAREGIVERS

Come learn, connect, and reflect with Cambridge caregivers and commit to increasing equity in our district. There will be workshops, panels, art, music, picnic, and play. Lunch and childcare provided.

Register now.


Pride Day
Friday, June 10 | 3:30 - 6:30PM
The event will be held at the high school, located at 459 Broadway

The FIRST CPS Community Pride Day will bring together Cambridge students, families, educators and community members to celebrate queerness, queer identities and the LGBTQIA+ community. Come celebrate pride with the Cambridge community!

Featuring:

  • Special Guest: Ericka Hart
  • Panel with Ericka Hart and CRLS students
  • Workshops for students grades 6-12
  • Free LGBTQ books at our book fair
  • Snacks will be provided.
  • Decorate a flag cookie

Vassal Lane Presents Stories of Persecution and Perseverance
Wednesday June 15 | 6:00 - 8:30PM
The event will be held at the school, located at 158 Spring Street.

The 7th graders at the Vassal Lane Upper School invite you to attend a curriculum as a culmination to a semester of research. Students will be performing original monologues as the people they have researched during the Stories of Persecution and Perseverance unit of study.

 

*Student performances are scheduled throughout the evening. You are welcome to attend the event at any time, for any length of time to catch performances.


Mark Your Calendar!

CPS 2021-22 School calendar

 

All Schools and Admin Offices Closed:

  • Monday, May 30 | Memorial Day
  • Monday, June 20 | Juneteenth (Observed)
  • Wednesday, June 29 | Last Day of School-Early Release for All Grades

In Case You Missed It: Key Resources

2022-23 JK/K Registration: The lottery is closed for the 2022-23 school year; If you are interested in registering your child, visit our registration webpage for more information.

May Lunch Menu: Week 3 (May 16 - May 20)

COVID-19 Testing/At-Home Weekly Testing Forms: Log in to the Family Portal

COVID-19 Testing & Quarantine Protocols

CPS Quarantine Instructional Guidelines for SY2021-22

Free Internet for Qualifying Families: Comcast’s Internet Essentials Program


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