Greetings from Julie Craven

Dear RAUC Families,

Happy Fall! It’s hard to believe we are almost done with our first month at school. We very much hope you can make it to Back to School Night this Thursday, 6-8PM, starting with pasta and salad together in the cafeteria. The newsletter contains a reminder of the goals and structure for the evening. Teachers have been planning interactive experiences to give you a sense of your student’s classroom experience. This evening is an excellent way for us to really launch our learning partnership for the year. We also will have a brief questionnaire for you to fill out so we can be sure to hear your hopes and needs from us.

I look forward to seeing you Thursday!

Julie Craven, Head of School

(As a new feature, we will provide a tip each week as a resource for families in partnering with us to support student social-emotional well-being.)

Recognizing things that you admire about your student will encourage them to develop positive self-identity. Try giving them a genuine compliment on things like their creativity, effort in school, or ability to be a good friend!

Middle school girls interested in learning about robotics and programming now have an opportunity to join a FREE 8 week course offered at MIT on Saturdays from 11AM to 2PM starting on September 28. Other than an interest in this topic, no prior experience is required. Students will learn to program in Python. Lunch will also be provided. You can view the flyer within this pdf!

Reminder: Back to School Night is this Thursday, September 26 from 6-8PM

Goals for the evening:
–Build relationships and sense of community
–Strengthen school-family partnership by hearing from each family
–What you need from the school to be a strong partner in your student’s learning
–Your hopes for your students as well as your fears.
–Ensure families have key information about each class
–Make sure families leave the evening with a concrete way to support their student’s learning.

Schedule for the night:
–6:00 - 6:30PM: Pasta and salad in the cafeteria--Connect with grade level families and staff; community partners will be there with information as well.
–6:30 - 6:50PM: Whole community meeting in the cafeteria.
–7:00 - 8:00PM: Grade level meetings in classrooms

Child Care/Student attendance:
If you would like child care for younger siblings (ages 3-10), please let Taraneh Ahmadi know ASAP ([email protected] or 617.349.4060 x2041).

Middle school students are welcome to attend. They will be expected to stay with their family in the cafeteria for our first hour together. Starting at 7PM, we will open the gym to children age 10 and above. We will provide adult supervision. Of course they are welcome to accompany their family to the grade level meetings. They must stay with their family for safety reasons.

Weekend Backpack Program Reminder

Weekend bags start going out on Friday, October 4. Please let us know if there are children in your household that could benefit from weekend bags of nutritious food. Please email Taraneh Ahmadi ([email protected]) and let her know if you’d like us to enroll your middle schooler and siblings if any. We send home 1 bag per child in the household and these are given to the students discreetly on Friday afternoons. You will also have a chance to sign up at the Back to School Night as there will be a representative from the Cambridge Weekend Backpack Program available to answer your questions.

Photo:
French class name cards.

After School Opportunity: 
Girls Who Code

"Girls who code was founded with a single mission: to close the gender gap in technology” --Reshma Saujani

Girls who code will introduce RAUCers to the world of computer science. We will learn the concepts behind software development and learn coding in a supportive environment which is conducive to collaboration and learning. In addition, we will learn about the challenges women face and how they overcome them when studying and working in technology through readings, meetings with women who work in the industry and visits to startups that are run by or employ women in important technology roles. While we will do coding a project, this club is about empowering young women to feel confident about their abilities in STEM. Coding skills are one of the many things they will learn. The core values of Girls Who Code are: Bravery, Girls-First Leadership, Sisterhood, Quality and Candor. You can get more information about the program here. 

When: Thursdays from 3:00 to 4:00PM
Start date: October 10
Location: RAUC, room TBD
Students and parents interested in participating can contact: [email protected]

Middle School Activities Club Registration 2019-20

The Middle School Activities Club is an exciting program for middle school youth. The Club is sponsored by the Cambridge Youth Programs and is open to all Cambridge residents in grades 6-8 (both public and private school). The Club is a great place for young people to develop socially in a structured way. Unlike our other youth programs, the Middle School Activities Club is not located at any one youth center; it is a citywide club. Registration forms are attached.

*All flyers and registration forms are available at RAUC. Students or families can contact Justin McNulty: [email protected]

See flyers for upcoming opportunities >>

"WILDHOOD: Coming of Age on Planet Earth."
When: September 25
Where: Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138?
Time: 6:00PM
Cost: Free
Ages: All
Contact: https://hmnh.harvard.edu/event/wildhood-coming-age-planet-earth
www.bnatterson-horowitz.com

Middle School Activities Club: Ice Cream Social
When: Friday, September 27
Where: Russell Youth Center, 680 Huron Ave
Time: 6pm-9:30PM
Cost: Free 
Grades: 6-8
Contact: [email protected]

CPD Boxing Program @ the YMCA
When: Every Tuesday and Thursday
Where: YMCA 820 Mass Ave, Cambridge
Time: 4-5:30PM
Cost: Free
Grades: 6-8
Contact: [email protected]

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