Letter to Caregivers
Dear CSUS Parents and Caregivers,
This weekend, we are celebrating the successful return of 191 scholars to full-time, in-person learning at Cambridge Street Upper School. It was wonderful to see our scholars walk back through the doors at 840 Cambridge Street after so much time away. We are grateful to our tremendous staff for their hard work and patience to support a fourth change in schedule and learning mode this school year! CSUS teachers and support staff spent the past month dedicated to both establishing a safe, enriching learning environment for our in-person scholars, and to continuing rigorous, innovative learning for our scholars participating remotely.
Please see below for important updates for our families of in-person and remote scholars.
In-Person Learning Updates: Thank you for your support in ensuring a smooth transition to full-time, in-person learning. Overall, scholars are adapting well to new routines and protocols. We did want to share a few important reminders for our in-person learning community.
- Arrival time: Our doors open at 8:40 and classes begin at 8:55. It is imperative that scholars arrive at school on time.
- Mask-wearing and Social Distancing: We understand that masks can be uncomfortable, and also that it is very exciting for scholars to see each other and spend time together after being a part for so long. However, it is critical both for scholars’ safety and the safety of others that appropriate mask wearing and social distancing measures be followed. Please check with your scholar about how their mask fits, and if their mask feels comfortable to wear all school day. It is also crucial to remind scholars that even with mask-wearing, social distancing rules still apply; scholars must remain 3ft apart while masked and 6ft apart while eating or unmasked. There are no exceptions to this policy. Scholars that/who continue to ignore this policy may be asked to learn in a separate environment to ensure the safety of others.
- Headphones: We are awaiting the arrival for headphones that can be used by all scholars at CSUS. In the meantime, we ask scholars please bring headphones from home to use during the school day. If your scholar needs a pair of headphones to use at school, contact Ms. Sohn or Mr. Adams.
- Water bottles: For safety reasons, our in-classroom water fountains are not in use this year. Scholars should bring a water bottle from home; they will be permitted to fill/refill their water bottles from filtered water stations as needed throughout the day. If your scholar needs a water bottle to use at school, contact Ms. Sohn or Mr. Adams.
- Chromebooks: In-person learners require a CPS Chromebook to engage in classwork while at school. 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.
We are preparing infrastructure in classrooms so that Chromebooks can remain at school, eliminating the need for scholars to bring laptops to/and from the building each day. In the meantime, scholars must remember to charge their Chromebooks each night and bring them to school each morning.
- Covid testing: This week our nurses tested the 6th and 7th grades on Thursday and 8th graders on Friday. Next week and every week following 6th and 8th testing will happen on Mondays and 7th on Thursdays. If you have not already done so, we encourage families to complete the COVID-19 Consent to Test Form so that their scholar can have access to free, confidential weekly COVID surveillance testing. Testing scholars and staff each week helps keep our community safe and healthy!
Remote Learning Updates: Thank you for your patience with the schedule transition as we moved to reopen the physical building to scholars and staff. We are pleased that we are able to continue to offer fully remote classes to CSUS scholars.
- If you were unable to pick up materials for Grade 6 Art or Science this week, you can come by CSUS during school hours (8:40-3:10) for your scholar’s supplies. Scholars can pick up supplies independently with permission from a caregiver.
- We apologize for any remote classroom/learning link issues scholars experienced this week. We expect all tech issues to be resolved as we head into Monday!
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
CAMBridge letter to 8th grade families
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!
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 >>