Investing In Our Vision

Dear CPS Community,

It is hard to believe that April vacation is here and that we are finally seeing spring-like weather today!

I am pleased to report that on April 3, the School Committee passed a balanced budget that will be considered for adoption by the City Council next month. The budget was shaped by the strategic objectives of our District Plan, including:

Equity & Access: Expanding on the success of the Leveling Up program at CRLS; enhancing our 7th Grade math program to provide personalized support and multiple pathways in heterogeneous classrooms; and investing in teacher diversity and cultural proficiency.

Engaging Learning: Solidifying our commitment to the Educator Design Lab, piloted this past year; and increasing student access to technology and the number of opportunities for students to enroll in computer science courses at the high school.

Whole Child: Further investment in Social Emotional Learning through expanded staffing and professional learning; and strengthening the guidance program at the high school.

Partnerships: Bolstering family engagement efforts by bringing the staffing of our elementary school liaisons up to 30 hours per week (the length of a full school day); and adding halftime community and family partnership liaisons at our Upper Schools.  

Progress Monitoring: Additional staffing to support practices of self-study and improvement that can shape our growth as a learning organization.

 

Massachusetts Schools Adopt Gender Inclusive Language
We are pleased to share an update on ongoing efforts to provide a welcoming educational environment for all students. This school year, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education added a third gender category for demographic data collection purposes. In addition to Male and Female, schools and districts may report gender "Non-Binary."

By policy, CPS schools were already able to change the gender category listed in the student database if a student identified as a gender that is different than the assigned sex listed on their birth certificate. Now, students and/or families may additionally make the selection of Non-Binary.

Learn more about this change >>

School Committee Hearing
on School Safety
On April 11, the Cambridge School Committee held a special meeting on school safety in the Dr. Henrietta S. Attles Meeting Room at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. 

During a presentation by CPS Chief Operating Officer James Maloney, representatives from Cambridge Police Department and Cambridge Public Schools shared the proactive measures that CPS is taking to provide the highest standards of safety and security in our schools while maintaining a commitment to providing a welcoming and nurturing school environment.

Childcare was provided, and a number of families were in attendance, along with representatives from the school department and police. The meeting was televised on Channel 99 (cable tv or online streaming) and recorded for re-broadcast on the CPS website.

Watch the video >>

Protecting Kids From Overly Sexual Internet Content
Do you ever worry about the images that your student can accidentally stumble upon online? 

Parents of tweens and teens are invited to hear this talk by Dr. Gail Dines, Professor Emerita and founding president of Culture Reframed, an organization dedicated to working with parents/caregivers to build resilience and resistance in kids to hypersexualized online content. The talk will take place on Wednesday, April 25th at 6:30PM at Putnam Avenue Upper School. 

Read more about this learning opportunity for grown-ups who care about keeping kids safe >>

Educators as Learners
Learning is a process, not an end goal; and excellent educators are learning, too. 

Educators in CPS benefit from the coaching and expert advice of experienced peers through our District Instructional Support Educator model. Instructional Support Educators gathered on March 9th for a workshop with Gene Thompson-Grove focused on strategies for creating transformative adult learning experiences. 

Hear more about it >>

FRC Will Soon Be Named
"Student Registration Center"
After careful study and consultation with our collaborating partners, the Family Resource Center will soon be changing its name to Student Registration Center.

It is hoped that the new name will reduce confusion among families seeking to register their students for school. At the same time, the SRC will continue to offer the same services and support to families as they enter the school system.

The change will take place on July 1, 2018. Watch for changes to the department's online identity, registration information, and signage over the next few months. For more information, please contact [email protected].