Kindergarten Update

By: Matt Thoman (K3 Teacher)
On Tuesday November 6th, our junior kindergarten students in K3 got to experience a cornerstone of our democracy; voting! The week before election day the class began talking about voting. Class discussions focused on why we vote, the importance of voting, the different things that people vote for, and how we may feel after a vote is cast and a winner is declared. The class also enjoyed reading stories about voting in library class as well as in the classroom. Read on >>



Library News
King Open Book Fair with Porter Square Books
In the Library - December 5-7. Proceeds fund author visits and library books. Books are great holiday gifts! This year, most books are under $10.

Book Fair Hours:
Wednesday | Preview Day: 9AM - 3PM
(Adults may buy books)
Thursday: 9AM - 3PM and 5 - 7PM
Friday: 9AM - 3:30PM

Special Book Fair Event: Author/Illustrator Oge Mora
Thursday, December 6
5:30 - 7PM | Gym
Pizza, salad, and potluck desserts.

Family Storytime and Art with Oge
The Book Fair will be open - you can buy a copy of her DEBUT book, Thank You, Omu.

We are still looking for helpers! Sign up online to help or bring a dessert.

Volunteers Needed
Art teacher Kelley Mowers is looking for parents and caregivers to restart the KO Arts Committee! Reach out to Kelley if you’d like to help with art by emailing her.



Read to a Child
Read to a Child is a national nonprofit organization that matches business professionals with elementary school children for one-on-one weekly reading sessions throughout the school year. At these sessions, your child will eat lunch while listening to a story read aloud by his/her volunteer reading mentor, who has been screened and trained by Read to a Child. Research proves that the simple act of reading aloud to a child can dramatically improve his or her literacy skills. Students do not miss classroom instruction time, always stay at the school with other reading pairs, and are supervised by a Read to a Child School Coordinator. Our students are generally in 1st through 4th grade and often stay with the same mentor year after year.



Superflex
During the first two school council meetings of the year King Open staff shared information about social emotional learning and social thinking. Pictured above (May Petrov - Inclusion Specialist and Solana Herron-Smith - Fourth Grade Teacher) led an activity involving Superflex. The goal of this activity is to help students recognize that when things are difficult they have the strength within themselves to overcome them.



CitySprout News
Thank you to the King Open school community for making this cider pressing season a success! A shout out to the parents/guardians who helped make it possible for the classes to come out to the garden to press fresh apple cider. It may be getting colder, but the garden is still busy getting ready for the winter. In the coming weeks, classes will be planting winter rye, spring flower bulbs, and garlic. Students will learn how winter rye will help prevent erosion over the winter and add nutrients back into the soil. Stop by to see the hearty brussel sprouts before it is too late.



3rd Grade Visit to Plimoth Plantation
All third graders made a visit to the Plimoth Plantation on Thursday, November 15. We just missed the snow storm! We saw Wampanoag making soup, carving mishoun (canoes), and explaining their longhouses. At the Pilgrim site, we visited the meeting house, spoke with Priscilla Mullens, Mary Carpenter, John Bradford, and master Billings. It was a wonderful learning experience!

City of Cambridge Participatory Budget Vote Week is Here!
Are you a resident of Cambridge and at least 12 years old? Come out and VOTE on how to spend $900,000 to improve the city! Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a democratic process through which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. The City hopes that PB will help directly involve residents in the budgeting and City-building process, foster civic engagement and community spirit, and help ensure that the City’s Capital Plan reflects the priorities of Cambridge residents. More info on when and where to vote for your favorite projects is 
available here. 

Connect With Us
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Quality Learning and Professional Time
Studies conducted last year, and meetings with diverse stakeholders since, have raised concerns about the amount and quality of learning and professional time in Cambridge Public Schools. CPS is in the midst of a study and design process examining a range of options for improving learning and professional time, with an initial focus on elementary and Upper School schedules. 

View the latest updates on this process on the CPS website, and save the dates for the following Public Forums: 

December 5 | 6PM | Morse School
January 10 | 6PM | Kennedy-Longfellow School
January 12 | 10AM | Graham & Parks School

The Superintendent will develop a proposal that will be shared for stakeholder feedback in January. In addition to the public forums, school-based meetings are being scheduled for all schools. Any changes in school schedules will benefit from a full planning year in 2019-20 before implementation in 2020-2021. 

Outside Opportunities

Cambridge Digs DEEP - Building Understanding on Differing Perspectives
Join us for a City-wide Community Forum as we share feedback, build trust, and engage in dialogue across difference. All are welcome! Food and child care will be provided. Presented by Mayor Marc McGovern and Councilor Sumbul Siddiqui.

Wednesday, November 28, 2018 | 5:30 - 8PM
Fletcher Maynard Academy Gymnasium
225 Windsor Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
Learn more >>

Immigration Legal Screening Clinics
3rd Wednesday each month, 5:15-7:15PM
Free consultations with an immigration attorney for Massachusetts immigrants and their families
Community Legal Services & Counseling Center (CLSACC)
90 Third St., Cambridge
617.349.4396; [email protected] 
See flyer >>

Cambridge Affordable Housing Information Sessions
Learn about the eligibility requirements and application process for the following programs Cambridge Rental and Homeownership Programs: Inclusionary Housing Rental Program for studios, 1BR, 2BR, & 3BR units
throughout Cambridge, Homeowner Resale Pool, First-Time Homebuyer Workshop, Downpayment Assistance, and HomeBridge. Open to all. No RSVP Necessary. Learn more >>