A Note from Principal Tony Byers
I may be tempting fate by saying this, but it seems like spring is finally here. Maybe this year’s winter was no worse than usual, but its bitter cold and snowy finale, followed by several unwelcome encores, contributed to a feeling of unending seasonal entrapment. Everybody is ready to get outdoors! And with this change, from inside to outside, comes an even more important psychological shift. Read more >>



Friends of G&P Update 
Thanks to the roughly 70 students and their families who joined in the fun at Trivia Night in March. The event raised $2100 in sponsorships from local businesses!

The funds raised by Friends of G&P go directly to teachers and to pay for special events. Friends of G&P helped pay for the first grade trip to the Moakley Courthouse and helped send the fourth graders to a Boston Symphony Orchestra concert. Friends also paid for the piano accompanist for the 1st/2nd and 3rd/4th-grade spring concerts, and sponsored Maker Night.

Want to help? Please mark your calendars for the annual G&P Rummage Sale on May 5th! Volunteers needed! And remember: Spring is a great time for spring cleaning. Please set aside any gently used clothes, toys, and other household items for the sale.

Our next monthly meeting will be right after drop-off on Friday, May 4th. All are welcome!


                                      
February's Assembly: Changemakers 
By Jodie Darnell, School Operations Manager

If you don't already know, Rosa Parks' 105th birthday was February 4th. She was an incredibly important person in American history and is the namesake of our school, along with Saundra Graham. For our annual Changemaker's assembly, we chose to celebrate Rosa Parks, along with other changemakers who fought during the Civil Rights Movement to make our country a better place for everyone. Students watched a slideshow as teachers spoke about Claudette Colvin, the Women's Political Council, Martin Luther King, Jr., Jo Ann Robinson who led the Montgomery Bus Boycott and all of the people who participated in the boycott. They all showed courage, kindness, and commitment to their community and justice for all. The assembly closed with the song "Woke Up This Morning (With My Mind Stayed on Freedom)" and a morning message reminding us all that engaging in even the smallest acts of kindness everyday is how we make our community a just and equitable place for everyone.



G&P Sisters Honored as Cambridge Trailblazing Women! 
The Office of Cambridge City Councilor E. Denise Simmons, in partnership with Community Conversations: Sister to Sister, YWCA Cambridge, the Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women, and Mass Humanities announced that G&P Kindergarten Teacher, Claudie Jean Baptiste and her sister, G&P SEI Family Liaison, Mildrid Gedeon have been selected as 2018 Trailblazing Women! Hear more >>



Library News
By Ann Niederkorn, Librarian

Read Across America (see photos above)
In March, Read Across America is always a very cozy day in the library. This year, it felt even more cozy than usual. With stormy wind and rain outside, it was the perfect day to curl up on a quilt with a favorite stuffed animal and a pile of good books. While this national event is timed to coincide with Dr. Seuss's birthday, this year we chose to celebrate a wide variety of authors and multicultural literature, rather than focusing on just Dr. Seuss. Students were enthusiastic about the choices and many have been coming back to borrow these titles. If you want suggestions for good books, feel free to stop by the library before/after school, or email Ann at [email protected]

The MA Children's Book Award (MCBA) reading program is finished for this year.
We had strong participation among 4th and 5th graders: 56 students, including students in the SEI program, read at least five books and voted. I look forward to celebrating with them at a pizza party in early April where we will learn which book is the official statewide winner.

After April vacation, all students will have the opportunity to learn from award-winning author/poet and photographer Charles R. Smith, Jr.
We will be reading some of his books before the visit, and Porter Square Books is offering a special discount to families that may want to purchase their own copies. See ordering info at http://bit.ly/2q3nXKu – or contact Ann in the library for a paper order form. Please note, the deadline to order books is April 10th, and you must enter the code (GPSMITH18) to get the discount. Books will be delivered to school in time for Mr. Smith's visit.



G&P Market 
Please join us on Thursday, April 12th from 2:30-4PM for the next free G&P Market! Everyone from the G&P community is welcome to participate, including the families, staff and neighbors. Special thanks to the amazing volunteers who help set up and run the market every month. We couldn’t do the market without you! If you’d like to volunteer, please email Lauren at [email protected] or call 617.349.6577 x115.

April is Poetry Month at G&P!! 
Did you know that National Poetry Month is the largest literary celebration in the world? It was established in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets and is celebrated by millions of people across the globe. Learn more >>



Staff Spotlight: Fatiha Slimi 
Get to know Fatiha with this handy Q&A! Read on >>



Music Notes
By Debbie Sullivan, Music Teacher

Third and fourth graders performed a series of multicultural songs at their annual concert on January 26th. The concert ended with a song called "When the Lights All Shine." All the lights in the auditorium were dimmed as each fourth grader held up a candle to symbolize the light of peace coming from countries around the globe. Congratulations to all third and fourth grade students for a great performance!

On March 9th, all fourth graders attended a concert at Symphony Hall. Students took the T and were treated to a wonderful concert featuring conductor Thomas Wilkins. First and second graders gave an excellent performance of multicultural songs on March 23rd. A group of fifth graders played flutes during a Korean song called “Doraji." First graders played finger cymbals and some second grades improvised with scat singing! It was a great concert! Kindergarten will perform in a concert on May 11th at 8:45AM in the auditorium. Parents are invited! The grade 5 instrumental concert will be held on June 5th at the CRLS Fitzgerald Theatre at 7PM.



Thank You All! 
On Wednesday, March 28th, the families of G&P put on the annual Staff Appreciation lunch. Thank you all so much for the incredible food you brought. The buffet was filled with so many amazing tastes and colors that everyone at G&P was delighted. Over and over again teachers exclaimed that this was their favorite day - thank you for bringing your culinary creativity and generosity to honor them.

First of all, we want to give a HUGE G&P thanks to Liza Tague, former G&P parent who came back to run Staff Appreciation Lunch even though her children have moved on to another school. We also had an incredible team of volunteers who put on and manage the lunch. Special thanks to Sarah Smith, Laura Pirani, Christian Henry, Kristen Palma, Alyssa Morein, Seth Yarden, Anita Hoydalsvik, Susanne Balthasar, Xiaoyan Zhu, Xioyong Lu, Eva Ferreras, Deb Morse, Sara St. Antoine, Nadia Azim, Ena Valenzuela, Kris Dickson, Sharon Mombru, Nick Bennett, Nancy Popper, Graciela Galup, Caryn Mohan, Jennifer Ademi, and Evelyn Brogan for all their hard work and enthusiasm. It was a pleasure to have such a fun, and helpful group!

Finally, thanks to the local stores who made such a difference to our buffet and supported our community. Whole Foods Alewife gave us over $300 worth of food in the form of a wheel of brie, a log of goat cheese, and 18 lbs of cold cuts! Iggy's gave us two enormous bags of bread filled with rolls and loaves and baguettes. And Trader Joe's Alewife gave us $50 worth of flowers that filled four vases and not only decorated our tables but were raffled off for the teachers to enjoy. These three stores have given so generously to our lunch for over five years now--just incredible!



G&P Students in the All-State Chorus! 
On Saturday, March 3rd, three Graham & Parks students participated in the MMEA (Massachusetts Music Educators Association) All-State Treble Chorus: Raphael Duboisset, Evan Gan, and Nathan Greenleaf. Congratulations to these boys for their acceptance into this high level ensemble! The mission of the All-State Treble Chorus is to provide a quality honor choir experience for selected students in Grades 4 through 6 who participate in their school’s general music and/or choral programs. MMEA engages the very best conductors who are recognized for their expertise with children’s choirs. This year's conductor was Dr. Janet Galván, Director of Choral Activities at Ithaca College. Photo, left-right: Nathan Greenleaf, Raphael Duboisset, Evan Gan

Note from the Nurse 
Attention Fourth Grade Families: Please turn in your child's updated physical exam to the School Health Office. Several students already have physicals on file for the 2017-18 school year. If you have not already turned one in, please do so at your earliest opportunity to bring your child's school health record up-to-date.

Sanitary Napkins will soon be available in all girls and gender inclusive bathrooms. Last year, the Cambridge School Committee voted to provide sanitary hygiene products for free in CPS Female and Gender Inclusive bathrooms. A group of high school students advocated for this change, arguing that free access was a human rights issue. Instead of having to go to the nurse’s office, they argued, it would be very reassuring to know they would be available in all Female and Gender Inclusive bathrooms at no cost. Installation of sanitary napkin dispensers began at the high school and upper schools, and we will now be installing them in the bathrooms of all K-5 schools. Research and experience has shown that females need access to these products at earlier ages than in the past. The dispensers will be set so that students do not need to insert coins -- the product will dispense for free. Please let your daughter know that sanitary napkins are available at no charge. As her School Nurse, I am also available if she has any questions or concerns once her period starts. Students will sometimes come to the Health Office if they experience cramps, or when they get their period for the first time. I would be happy to help, or to answer any questions.

Please don’t hesitate to call about this or any other healthcare concerns. Nurse Rollins - 617.349.6577 x114

What's Happening in Physical Education
By Shira Catlin, Physical Education Teacher

• Kindergartners are practicing using manipulatives to throw, catch, dribble, kick and volley!
• First and Second graders are working on control and accuracy as they throw, catch, dribble, kick & volley!
• Third graders are practicing teamwork and cooperation as they explore games with offense and defense.
• Fourth graders are finishing learning about fitness and are getting excited to practice biking and swimming! More information was sent home to families about both biking and swimming.
• Fifth graders just completed an incredible three months exploring ballroom dancing! Fifth graders learned five dances and performed them last Monday at CRLS with 6 other schools. The performance was a great showcase of their learning! Congratulations 5th graders!
• Fifth graders will now begin exploring strength and endurance as well as biking!

In Our District & Community 
There's so much going on across our Cambridge community in the coming weeks!
Learn more >>   



Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Unit 
Thanks to a collaboration with the city’s Safe Routes to School program, our second grade students are learning about pedestrian and bicycle safety in a four lesson PE unit. During the pedestrian lessons, the concepts of crossing streets and intersections safely are taught and then practiced in the real world. Students learn the importance of crossing the street at a crosswalk and how to cross at different types of intersections. Students also learn about sidewalk and driveway safety as well as how to safely navigate a parking lot.

For the bicycle lesson, students learn to properly fit a helmet, how to make sure a bicycle is safe to ride, why biking is good for them, basic bicycle maintenance, rules of the road, and bicycle hand signals. The Safe Routes to School program generously donated free bike helmets for each student.

Safe Routes to School creates awareness of behaviors of all transportation modes so that our roadways and school community are safe for students to walk and bike to and from school. More information can be found at www.cambridgema.gov/SafeRoutes. Thank you to Safe Routes to School and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation for coming to our school!