Greetings from Julie Craven!
Dear RAUC Families,
It is always fun to welcome students back after a break. They are eager to see friends and teachers and are delightfully friendly and polite as they greet me, each other, and hold the door for parents and other children. Thanks for sending us such lovely young people.
We are heading into our final four weeks of 2018. Aside from conferences for 7th grade on Tuesday and 8th grade on Thursday, it is a straightforward stretch of days. That kind of unbroken class time allows students to settle into their classes. We hope the learning previews help you engage in conversations with your students on topics of study. Your conversations support them in discovering what they understand and what they still might be confused by, and help them cement their learning.
In partnership,
Julie Craven, Head of School
Learning Partners Conferences
Continue This Week
- 7th Grade: Tuesday, November 27 | 8AM-3:50PM
- 8th Grade: Thursday, November 29 | 8AM-3:50PM
Use this sign-up link if you still need to schedule a meeting: https://cloud.ptcscheduler.com/rau/. Please call Taraneh Ahmadi, Family Partnership Coordinator at 617.349.4060 x2041 or Linette Maloney at 617.349.4060 if you do not have access to online sign up or need assistance.
What to Expect at Conferences
- Conferences will happen in A201. Signs will direct you. Please show up a few minutes early so that we can pull your student from class and allow them to attend the conference with you. A staff member will sign you in.
- For core teacher conferences, you will have five minutes with each teacher.
- Up to four families will rotate through the four teachers during each 20 minute slot.
- This structure ensures we can create enough conference slots for every family to sign up to see each teacher.
- Make sure your student attends with you!
- There will be a brief survey to complete so we can get feedback on how we are doing with the goals identified by you at Back to School Night.
- We look forward to seeing you there!
- NOTE: Please allow yourself some extra time after the anticipated end of the conference in case we start running behind. We do our very best to keep conferences running on schedule but we are all human!
Reminder: First Quarter Progress Reports are Posted
You can access your student’s reports on Aspen. Reports have been mailed to those who do not have an email address on Aspen. Please reach out to Family Partnership Coordinator Taraneh Ahmadi ([email protected]; 617.349.4060 x2041) if you need support accessing Aspen, or to Linette Maloney ([email protected]; 617.349.4060) if you would like a hard copy mailed to you.
RAUC Sweatshirt Update
We are finally putting the order in. We hope to have the sweatshirts before Christmas break. Thank you for your patience. You can still order one using this order form if you want--they are $35 each.
Parents needed for RAUC School Council
The RAUC School Council serves as an advisory committee to the Head of school. The council consists of 3 parent volunteers, 3 teachers, the Head of school and the Family Partnerships Coordinator. Their purpose is to meet once a month to discuss educational issues and improving the school climate. The meetings are on the first Wednesday of the month in the RAUC conference room. Parents and community members are welcome to attend. We are actively seeking at least 2 parent members to serve on this council. Please let Julie Craven or Taraneh Ahmadi know if you’re interested in joining RAUC’s School Council.
Scholastic Book Fair This Week
in the Library
Students and families may come to the library before school, at recess, or after school to browse or buy books. The library will ONLY be open for Book Fair browsing and shopping, for the entire week. The only exceptions will be returning books and emergency check-out or printing. View the flyer here.
Cambridge City Participatory
Budget Voting Starts this Saturday
The fifth Participatory Budgeting Vote is from December 1-7, 2018. Cambridge residents age 12 and older, including non-US citizens and university students, are able to vote for up to 5 PB projects on the ballot. View the 20 final proposals for the December 2018 PB ballot here. Winning projects will be included in the City's FY20 Capital Budget. Implementation will take place during FY20, which runs from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020. We'll post updates about project implementation on this page and in our blog, so please stay tuned!
O’Neill Library Kids’ Book Club
Save the date for an evening Book Club for kids 11 years and up. ‘Books and Bites’ will take place on Wednesday December 12, from 6 - 7PM at the O'Neill Branch. Join them for great conversation about books and what's going on in the world. Food provided! Pick up a copy of the book (Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce) beforehand at the O'Neill library.
Specials Learning Previews
Read more >>
Out of School Opportunities
Week of 11/27/2018
Check out these exciting out of school opportunities, from a winter softball clinic to a kids only holiday sale.
Learn more >>
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.
In Our Community
Cambridge Digs DEEP – Building Understanding on Differing Perspectives
November 28 | 5:30 - 8PM
Fletcher Maynard Academy Gymnasium
225 Windsor Street, Cambridge
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 McGovern and Councilor Sumbul Siddiqui.
See flyer >>
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 >>
Rep. Katherine Clark – Cambridge Office Hours
Hosted by Rep. Clark's Immigration Issues Liaison Katie Worley
3rd Thursday each month, 3-4PM
Cambridge City Hall, 795 Mass Ave. (Mayor's Office, 2nd fl)
Staff will be on site to answer questions about immigration benefits, USCIS cases, Passports, and more. If you have questions or need assistance outside of scheduled hours, please do not hesitate to contact our district office:
701 Concord Ave., Suite 101, Cambridge, MA 02138
617.354.0292, katherineclark.house.gov
Cambridge Bicycle Safety
Does your child bike to school? Do you bike with your child to school? Would you or your child like to get around by bike but feel it is not safe? Cambridge Bicycle Safety is an all-volunteer group of Cambridge residents who are asking for safer bike lanes and a complete network of protected lanes throughout Cambridge. Separated lanes in the last two years--Cambridge, Brattle and sections of Mass Ave--have been the result of people in the community organizing. But we need more voices. We are looking for stories of parents and their children who bike or would like to bike. If you have a story and want to learn more, email us.
Girls Only Leadership Development (GOLD)
A free weekly leadership development program for 8th grade girls run out of the YWCA. Wednesdays this year, and every week! More >>
Breakthrough Greater Boston
A year-round, tuition-free program that offers six years of academically intensive out-of-school time services to highly motivated, traditionally underserved middle and high school students in Greater Boston. Application is due in mid-December-- stay tuned! More Info >>
Let's Connect!
Stay in the loop by joining our social media communities.
RAUC Facebook >>
District Social Media >>
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