 A Note from Principal Tony Byers
A relatively snowless winter means an earlier end to the school year than usual. As of today, we have only 5 days of school left, which means a rapid acceleration towards summer. The next week is full of field trips, family breakfasts, temporary and final farewells, and lots of planning for next year. The end of the year is a time for celebration! But it’s also a time for reflection. Hear more >>
Introducing the New Ethiopian
Parent Liaison!
 It is a pleasure to welcome Mr. Aboma Dirbaba to the ELL Department!
Aboma became the new Ethiopian Family Liaison in March. In a few short months, Aboma has already been supporting Ethiopian families across the district.
Mr. Aboma Dirbaba may be reached via CPS email at [email protected] or phone 857.331.1199.
CitySprouts Garden Update
April showers lingered into May, but the weather finally changed and we had the warmer days we needed. Our cool weather plants enjoyed the rain and recently classes have been planting warmer weather crops, adding more flowers, tomatoes, etc. to the garden! Students are busy with activities in the garden, such as signs of spring and five senses scavenger hunts, using the garden beds to learn about perimeter, area, etc., learning about pollinators, and so much more!
Garden Volunteers Needed!
Adopt the garden this summer and keep it thriving during the hot months. Visit the garden to water, weed, and harvest some of the veggies. We will show you and your family what to do, take over if you go on vacation, and support you for the summer.
If interested please email [email protected].
G&P Kids News Flash
We hope you have enjoyed the newsletter. This is our last newsletter. Hopefully this tradition will continue after we have left the school. Let's hope that the last one was interesting to you. If you have any ideas please contact our family liaison at [email protected]. We would like to hear your ideas. But we are ready to tell you about this month’s newsletter. The topic this month will be students point of view about what's going on in the school. Read it here >>
Jodie Darnell, School Operations Manager, served Special Start teacher Alice Johnson during the wonderful Waffle Bar Breakfast!
A Goodbye from Jodie Darnell, School Operations Manager
It has been my pleasure working at G&P these past five years. I’ve enjoyed getting to know students and their families and could not ask for better co-workers. I’m really going to miss this place and the people in it!
Love, Jodie
Summer Learning!
For our last Coffee Talk of the year, we had a great presentation about Summer Learning opportunities in and around Cambridge. We also talked about the “Summer Slide,” which is what can happen to students who do not practice their academic skills during the summer. Research shows that children who do not engage in summer learning can lose an average of one month of instruction when they return to school in September.
To prevent the Summer Slide, make sure that your child reads (or is read to) for 20 minutes a day. Watch for more summer learning resources that will be coming home with progress reports on the last day of school!
Here are some helpful websites that were shared with the group:
- Find It Cambridge: Use Finditcambridge.org to find local events, programs and resources. Here is a video to show you how to use it!
- Cambridge Book Bike: Bringing free books and activities for Cambridge kids of all ages to a park near you!
- Cambridge Summer Food Program: Join us this summer for free activities, book bike, and meals Monday through Friday at Cambridge parks (for children 18 and younger).
- BedTimeMath: Beat the Summer Slide and add a little MATH to your reading!
A Note from Florinda Freda, SEI Reading Interventionist
I have been writing this letter in my head for the last several weeks now. I am finally ready to write it down. Read more >>
Terry Hackford Receives Award from Cambridge School Volunteers
Kindergarten teachers Claudie Baptiste and Wilda Randolph nominated one special volunteer who had become an integral part of their classroom with over seven years of faithful service. That volunteer, Terry Hackford, shared her passion for the arts, the written word and so much more with their Kindergarten students in K101. Hear more >>
The Amazing Art Show
Many thanks to Liana for putting on an amazing Art Show at G&P. This burst of art across the school as we head down the home stretch is always a lovely event... and it's such hard work to pull off. Thank you, Liana!
And thank you to all the families who attended the Art Show and to those who donated snacks!
Here's a peek at some of the amazing artwork >>
"Feelings" Bots in Room 110
Students in Room 110 and School Social Worker Beverly Gordon engaged in a social emotional lesson about feelings alongside the integration of technology. Students were already familiar with the Bee Bots from their technology classes. In this lesson, students were asked to work together in navigating the different emotions while using the "feelings" bots on their mats. One student later wrote about his experience with this lesson and especially enjoyed the part when the facilitator gave them a challenge! Using robotics as a teaching modality can address different social domains such as communication, relationships and decision making skills.
A Note from Phil Rizzuto, Paraprofessional in Room 107
Dear Graham and Parks Families,
It is with sadness that I must inform you all that I will be leaving Graham and Parks at the end of the school year. It has been an absolute joy to work with so many of your children during my six and a half years here. I am very proud to say that I have seen an entire cohort of students grow from kindergarteners to soon-to-be Graham and Parks graduates. The hardest part of my decision is that I will not get to the see the same with my recent students.
Thank you all for your generosity and for your trust. My best to you all.
With gratitude,
Phil
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G&P CALENDAR
School calendar >>
District calendar >>
Monday, June 10 – Friday, June 14
BOOK FAIR!
The book fair is a pop-up children’s bookstore in the G&P Main Lobby. Buy cool books for summer reading! The Book Fair raises money for the school library, buys books for classrooms, and provides every student with at least one new book for summer reading.
Wednesday, June 12
EARLY RELEASE DAY
Students will be dismissed at 12:25PM.
Wednesday, June 12, 5:30-7PM
MAKER NIGHT!
Join us for an evening of books and making! G&P's annual Book Fair and Maker Night have been combined into one amazing event this year. Please join us in the G&P Main Lobby & Cafeteria for pizza dinner, fun experiments and building activities, and the Book Fair.
Thursday, June 13,
2-3:30PM
G&P Market
Please stop by the LAST Free Food Market of the year! The market has delicious fruits, vegetables, cereal, pasta and more. All families and staff are welcome. As always, we need a few volunteers to help. Please email Lauren at [email protected] if you can help anytime between 11AM-3PM.
Thursday, June 13,
5:30-7:30PM
G&P Steering Committee
Please join us for our last Steering Committee meeting of the year. We will be discussing social emotional learning, family engagement, racial equity and our goals for next year. Pizza & childcare provided.
Monday, June 17
Field Day
Volunteers Needed! We need your help to make Field Day a success. We are looking for volunteers to help lead a station AND additional 2-3 chaperones per class to help support students at each of the 10 stations. Please e-mail Lauren Morse at [email protected] or Madelyn at [email protected] if you are able to help with Field Day!
Tuesday, June 18
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, EARLY RELEASE DAY
Students will be dismissed at 12:25PM.
IN OUR DISTRICT & COMMUNITY
See a list of upcoming activities, programs, and events across our district and community!
Find out more >>
A THANK YOU FROM THE BOOK ROOM!
Thank you to Parent Volunteers in the Book Room.
We give a big THANK YOU to two parents for volunteering their time this year in the teacher's Book Room where we keep sets of books to use for guided reading. HyeChung Paik, parent of a 2nd and a 5th grader, has helped all year to re-label and organize all the book boxes. Susan Soroka, parent of a Kindergartner and a 3rd grader, has helped with tidying the books, bins, and shelves.
Thanks to these two parents, the Book Room is a lot neater and easier to use!
GROCERY BAGS NEEDED!
Grocery bags are needed for the Market. If you have any, please bring them to the main office. Thank you!
GET CONNECTED
Stay in the loop by joining our social media communities!
G&P Facebook >>
District Social Media >>
CPS MOBILE APP
Keep informed via our FREE mobile app!
Details >>
FIND IT CAMBRIDGE
Looking for things to do in Cambridge? Then take a peek at Find It Cambridge!
www.finditcambridge.org
Graham & Parks School
44 Linnaean St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
School's Website
Main Office: 617.349.6577
School Cancellation Line:
617.349.6513
Tardy/Late Line:
617.349.6577 x125
Contacting G&P Staff
For time sensitive messages, call the main office at 617.349.6577. While staff cannot take phone calls during the day, you can leave a voice message by calling 617.349.6577 and using the classroom number as the extension. Staff members have email addresses as follows: First initial and last name as one word, followed by @cpsd.us. For example, Jane Smith would be [email protected]. Staff members also have mailboxes in the front office where you may leave a note.
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