Greetings CPS Community…
I hope you are having a wonderful and relaxing summer!
September will be here before we know it! Our school leaders, educators, and staff will return to schools later this month for professional development ahead of the new school year. Please note that staff at your child’s school will be available beginning Monday, August 21. If you have a question before then, please see our list of summer contacts (አማርኛ|عربي|বাংলা|Kreyòl ayisyen|Español).
By the first day of school, we ask that families complete our annual Back-to-School and Health forms. Please log into the CPS Family Portal, where you can find important information, complete forms, and take other important actions. If you need assistance filling out the forms, you can find details about our free help session below.
Tomorrow night is our summer School Committee meeting as we prepare for the new school year. Please note that it will begin at 5. We will share several important updates, including Universal Preschool, Student Success Planning, and elementary schedules. Our Office of Academics & School will also present our plan to begin integrating Algebra 1 into the 8th grade curriculum this upcoming school year.
Finally, we are very excited that, just before the start of the new school year, we will be unveiling a new motto for our district. The motto, which stems from the work our students did on the mission, vision, and core values, reaffirms our shared commitment to providing each of our scholars with a high-quality education that prepares them for a successful future. We can’t wait to share it with you! Please stay tuned for more.
I look forward to seeing our first through 12th grade students on Tuesday, September 5 and Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten students on Thursday, September 7!
Make it Great!
Dr. Victoria L. Greer
Headlines
Connect with Us at a Cambridge Community Fair!
Get help with your child’s back-to-school forms from CPS staff, including school nurses! A reminder that students must turn in these forms on their first day of school.
We, along with Mayor Siddiqui's office, are pleased to invite you to participate in the2023 Community Fairs. The fairs are opportunities for families to meet community partners, learn about community services, and access free supplies, resources, and clothing. This year, Dr. Greer will host an “Ask Dr. Greer” table. We hope you will come out and meet her and Mayor Siddiqui.
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Saturday, August 26 | 10AM - 12PM
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Saturday, September 9 | 10AM - 12PM
We’re Still Hiring for the New School Year!
Cambridge Public Schools is seeking to hire talented education professionals for positions including Administrators, Teachers, Instructional Aides, and Substitutes for the 2023-2024 school year.
Register for the New Health Portal Today
The School Health Department invites families to join our district’s electronic medical record system known as theSNAP Health Portal.This web-based system provides an easy, secure, and green way to update and review your child’s health and wellness information and medical documents throughout the year.
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Submit all health forms electronically
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Share immunization records, doctor’s orders, allergies/medical conditions, and other important health information as needed
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Receive notification when your child’s medications are in need of a refill
Families will receive an email with an invitation to register later this month.Please note that students who are new to CPS this school year will not be able to sign up for the portal until after the first day of school.Questions?Contact Mackenzie at [email protected].
COVID Tests in the Mail
During the week of August 21, every student and staff member will receive a COVID test in the mail.We encourage every student and staff member to take a rapid test before returning to school.
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If negative and do not have symptoms, we will see you at school.
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If positive or negative but have symptoms, please stay home and notify the school as you would for any other excused absence.
Summer Learning Resources
Visit our website for some additional at-home and in-person resources to help your student engage in learning opportunities while enjoying all of the fun and relaxed routines that the warm weather brings.
Updates from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)
Share Your Feedback on the New Health & Physical Education Framework Draft
DESE is collecting public comment on Governor Healey’s draft of the updatedHealth and Physical Education Framework, which outlines standards for what a comprehensive K-12 health and physical education program should include. This is the next step in updating guidelines that have been in place since 1989.
DESE is Collecting Feedback on English Learner Documents
The Department’s Office of Language Acquisition is asking for public comment on its Guidance for the Use of Benchmarks Toward Attaining English Proficiency and the English Learning Success Template.
Featured Events
Instructional Aide Information Session
Anyone interested in becoming anInstructional Aide is invited to attend an information session to learn about how they support students in the classroom, benefits, opportunities for growth, and other perks.
Free Summer 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.
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This Wednesday, August 9
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Tuesday, August 15
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Thursday, August 17
Fall Sports Registration Deadline
Online registration for the CRLS Fall Athletic Season closes next Tuesday, August 15 and seasons begin as early as Thursday, August 17. We offer Cross Country, Cheerleading, Crew, Soccer, Fencing, Football, Golf, Girls Volleyball, Orienteering, Sailing, and Unified Basketball.
Please note that families will need to do the following before their student can participate:
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Upload a current physical
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Take a concussion and implicit bias educational courses
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Complete the impact concussion baseline test
Don't forget to review the fall signup information and important start dates.
Track Your Child's School Bus in Real Time
If your child plans to take the school bus this school year, please download our Bus Tracker App, which allows families to track the location of their child's school bus by GPS.
To register:
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Have your child’s Student ID number. (It is included in your annual forms packet and can be requested from the school.)
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Click New Account and follow the instructions.
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Locate the bus tracker at bus.cpsd.us or if you are using a mobile device, create a shortcut on your home screen to make logging in easier.
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See the User Guide for more instructions and troubleshooting.
Cambridge Preschool Program Coming in SY24-25
The Cambridge Preschool Program (CPP), also known as Universal Preschool, 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 in winter 2023/2024.
Learn more:
Students are SOARing This Summer
Learning doesn’t stop over the summer for dozens of scholars in our CPS SOARS Program! From reading and writing to math and science, students are engaged in fun, interactive lessons that foster their joy of learning.
At the Morse School (top row pictured below), fourth graders are loving Because of Winn Dixie and tie dying t-shirts. For first grade students, Frog and Toad is a favorite read, and kindergarten students are learning to sound out words, like "dot", "pot", and "spot".
At the King Open School (bottom row pictured below), Kindergarteners read Pete the Cat and then practiced counting with a corresponding musical video called Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons.
Summer Scholars Engineering Showcase
Students in grades 5-7 who are part of ourSummer Scholars Program have spent the last four weeks working diligently on a multidisciplinary engineering design project. Students created animal prosthetics using materials such as tape, tin foil, and paper towel rolls. The experience expanded students’ creativity and built confidence and skills in English Language Arts and Math.
Last Friday, they shared their creations in a science-fair style showcase at Putnam Avenue Upper School. Stellar work, scholars!
Building Inclusion in Classrooms and Communities
Chief Equity Officer Manuel Fernandez recently spoke with WBUR about how the Association of Massachusetts School Equity Leaders, of which he is the President, is working to build inclusion in our classrooms and the greater school community.
Key Resources
Mark Your Calendar
Tuesday, September 5 | First Day of School (Grades 1-12)
Thursday, September 7 | First Day of School (Junior Kindergarten & Kindergarten)
Wednesday, September 20 | Early Release (Grades JK-8)
Monday, September 25 | Yom Kippur (No School & CPS Offices Closed)