Letter to Caregivers
Dear CSUS Parents and Caregivers,
As we prepare for April vacation, we hope that you will have the opportunity to rest and recharge. We know that navigating so many schedule and learning mode changes in recent months has been stressful and exhausting for many families, scholars, and staff. We continue to be in awe of the flexibility and resilience of our community as teaching and learning has evolved from March 13, 2020 to now.
We also hope that, while we are apart for April Break and when we come together again afterward, our CSUS community can be a place of healing and solidarity in the wake of recent violence in Minnesota, Chicago, and Indianapolis.
Finally, Ramadan Mubarak to those observing; may the coming month bring time for family, reflection, and inner peace.
Please see below for important dates, updates, and reminders for the coming week at Cambridge Street.
April - Autism Acceptance Month
April 12 to May 12 - Ramadan
April 18 - Progress Reports published in Aspen
If you are interested in using Aspen to monitor your scholar’s progress and work completion, follow these instructions or contact your scholar’s Cobra Den advisor.
April 19-23 is April Break; no school for Scholars
April 26 - Staff PD Day to prepare for the return to full day in-person learning.
No School for scholars on April 26
April 27 - Scholars should follow the current Tuesday Hybrid Learning schedule.
6th and 8th graders who returned to in-person learning as of March 1 will attend school from 8:55-12:15. All 7th graders and all 6th and 8th grade scholars attending school remotely as of March 1 should attend school remotely. *6-8 Scholars enrolled in our 4-day in-person sub-separate program will attend school from 8:55-2:55.
April 27 - Art Materials Pick Up for Quarter 4 Grade 7 Remote CSUS Scholars and Library Book Drop Off
There
will be an Art Materials Pick Up for Quarter 4 Grade 7 Remote CSUS
Scholars on Tuesday April 27th. Please register for a time on Sign Up Genius. All scholars attending In Person 4th Quarter
will receive art materials in Art Class. Please feel free to email Ms. Silbert with any questions.
Remote scholars, please bring any library books you wish to return with you when you come on the 27th! Please contact Ms. Danen if you have any questions about library books.
April 28 - Return to full day in-person learning for families who opted to return in-person.
Families of scholars returning in person should have received confirmation of in-person learning mode and in-person medical paperwork prior to April 28. If you have not received confirmation of your learning mode (an email from CSUS stating that your child will be returning in-person) please contact Ms. Robinson or Mr. Adams. You can also call the CSUS Main Office at 617.349.3050. Scholars should not return in-person unless their learning mode has been confirmed by CSUS.
Last Thursday, we hosted a safety and information presentation families of scholars returning to in-person learning as of April 28. Here is the video from the meeting and here are the slides.
Scholars are expected to bring their fully-charged, CPS-issued Chromebooks to in-person learning each day. Classwork will frequently be assigned and completed using chromebooks to limit use of shared materials in in-person classrooms. If your scholar was not issued a Cambridge Public School Chromebook in the past year please complete this form so that we are able to assign a device to your scholar. Devices from outside of CPS, including devices purchased by caregivers for home use, will not work at school and should not be brought to the building.
Coming Soon: 8th Grade Graduation
If you have not already done so, please complete this form with information regarding how you would like your scholar’s name to appear on their diploma. Thank you to the 8th grade caregivers and staff who joined last week’s School Site Council for an 8th grade Graduation discussion and planning session. We look forward to sharing additional graduation information with you soon.
Need Tech Support?
For assistance with a CPS Chromebook or wifi/connectivity issues, contact the Helpdesk.
As always, thank you for entrusting Cambridge Street with your scholar’s learning. We understand that you have choices regarding your child’s education, and we appreciate you choosing CSUS.
Peace,
Manuel and Christen
8th grade scholars in Cambridge will have an opportunity to engage in a spring/summer Comprehensive Algebra Modular Bridge (CAMBridge) Program. This program will offer all 8th grade scholars the opportunity to demonstrate, deepen, and strengthen their mathematical understanding of 8th grade and/or Algebra 1 standards.
Learn more about the program by:
Please reach out directly to Julie Ward and Katisha John with questions!
Friday Night Hype
April 30th | 6-8PM | Outside Park behind Cambridge Street Upper School
Friday Night Hype is back in person and we are welcoming all Upper Schools to join the fun! We will have many fun in person activities such as Capoeira class, Yoga, Basketball,(and more!) and will provide all attendees with free dinner as well as a chance to win Raffle prizes.
More details >>
Please fill out permission slip form here >>
Science Club for Girls April Vacation Week FREE Coding Club!
Science Club for Girls is pleased to offer a one-week VIRTUAL exploration of computer coding for middle school (6-8th grade) girls and those who identify with girlhood. Coding Club dates and times are:
- Tuesday, April 20 | 3:30-5PM
- Wednesday, April 21 | 3:30-5PM
- Thursday, April 22 | 3:30-5PM
- Friday, April 23 | 3:30-5PM
All participants must have access to a computer (Chromebook or similar) and access to the internet. We will be using Zoom for the club meetings and FREE downloadable software for the coding (which will be shown how to download on the first day of clubs).
NOTE: At this time, we are only accepting registrations from girls and those who identify with girlhood in the Greater Boston area.
Excited to join us? Space is limited!! Register here >>
Just Eats Grocery Boxes
Many of our families are missing our monthly school-based School Markets and so are we!! To help us out, our partners at Food For Free are offering food boxes for families at 4 of the school Market sites. We are offering these free boxes to our free lunch families and they will be available at lunch pick-up sites twice a month. We are trying to figure out our numbers for distribution, so we NEED FAMILIES TO SIGN UP! Sign up here >>
The boxes have fruits and veggies, as well as a grain (such as rice) and a protein (such as beans). They are heavy (approximately 30 pounds a piece) so you will need a car or a cart to bring them home. You can sign-up for the site closest to your house!
Note: These boxes are also distributed at Walden Square, Newtowne Court, Roosevelt Towers and 808-812 Memorial Drive. Please contact your Residential Service Provider if you would like to pick-up there.
NetPals STEM Exploration Club
Tuesdays | 3:15 - 4:15PM | Register here >>
Join Ms. Montminy and Cambridge based scientists to explore science happening around you! Each week different scientists will run hands-on activity presentations and challenge the group to think about real world problems and applications. More details >>
For questions, please email Ms. Montminy.
Cambridge Debate League
Tuesdays | 3-4PM | View Flyer >>
Interested in debate? Join the Cambridge Debate Team! *Available to any student in Grades 6-8th. Contact Megan Litten to request your virtual invitation. More details >>