Tobin Snapshots
Ms. Jordan and Ms. Megan’s students make heartfelt messages to put in care packages for the homeless. Care packages include warm socks, gloves, skull cap, scarf, masks, tissues, hand sanitizer.
 Good Morning ChatJoin your Tobin Family Liaison Zakkiyya Witherspoon for a Good Morning Chat on Tuesday, December 7 at 8:15AM!
See flyer >>
True to Life Conversations
Tobin/VLUS, G&P, Haggerty Triad:
True to Life Conversations – Social Identity and Intersectionality
Part 2: Wednesday, December 1 | 7-8:30PM
True to Life Conversations will host a two-part community conversation on Zoom about identity. It would be great if you could attend both, but we welcome you at either gathering as well. This conversation is intended for community members of Graham & Parks, Tobin, Haggerty, and Vassal Lane Upper School (the VLUS Triad). What are the most important aspects of your identity? How does it feel when those around you do not allow you to choose what is an “important” part of your identity? This will include self-reflection activities and a whole group discussion.
Pre-registration is required. Register here >>
What are “Personal and Social Identities''?
In this activity, participants will reflect on and discuss the facets of their identity that are most important to them. This activity will help participants get to know each other better and allow participants to express important parts of their identities that may otherwise not be known. Participants will also be asked to reflect on the value of their identities by considering which of those is most and least important to them and why that may be. Participants can expect to better understand how the world around them does or does not allow them to choose which pieces of their identity are most important.
What is True to Life Conversations?
We are a group of caregivers and staff from Tobin Montessori, Graham & Parks, Haggerty and Vassal Lane Upper School that wanted to come together and begin to have some really impactful conversations. If you have any questions, please ask Zakkiyya.
Tobin Snapshots
Children in Room 7 read "The Peaceful Book" by Todd Parr. After reading the book, they reflect on some of the things that they are thankful for.
Tobin Snapshots
Remi Chakrabarti, a JK student from Children's House 3, had met Ms. Leslie Jordan and said excitedly, "I know you! You sang songs to us last year. I loved your songs!"
Last school year, when we were implementing a hybrid model of learning, Ms. Jordan had recorded many songs and shared them with the Children's House students.
Ms. Jordan responded to Remi, "You have just filled my bucket with your kind words. Would you like to sing with me now?" In the photo, both Remi and Ms. Jordan are singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
Ways to Get Involved at Tobin
There are many ways for families to get involved at Tobin! Getting involved as a Room Parent or on one of the committees is a great way to meet new families and support the school.
Learn more >>
Tobin Snapshots
Ms. Sumi had special guests from the Harvard science department come in to help students try to figure out how to melt ice fast.
VLUS Triad White Caregivers Working Toward Anti-Racism
Please join a monthly affinity group for VLUS Triad White Caregivers Working Toward Anti-Racism. The affinity group will read and discuss various texts throughout the year in order to address our own unconscious biases and to take an active role in fighting white supremacy in our schools, communities, and ourselves. There will be reading to complete before each session, and families are strongly encouraged to make a commitment to attend as many sessions as possible.
Session 2: Thursday, December 2, 2021, 6:45-8PM
Topic: How can we identify and challenge implicit bias in our own lives?
Text (Read BEFORE the session): Bias Isn’t Just A Police Problem, It’s a Preschool Problem
Facilitator: Sarah Foleno, VLUS Literacy Coach
Zoom Link: Join here >>
(Meeting ID: 856 8909 2336; Passcode: eQJ4Av)
Tobin Snapshots
Upper el students working hard to transport a new rug to Cubs Corner.
Tobin Snapshots
Ms. Beth, the ESL teacher, was a guest reader in the Children's House 3. The students love welcoming others in our Montessori classroom and were very excited to have someone new read them a story. Thank you, Ms. Beth, for sharing your love of reading with us!
Check the Lost & Found
Help us reunite lost items with their owners. You can help by labeling all of your children’s items. This includes water bottles, sweatshirts, jackets, gloves, and anything that can be separated from your child. Please look at the pictures and list below – if you see any clothing items that look familiar, send the family liaison an email with your child’s name and a description of the item, and Zakkiyya will try to get the two back together again.
S 6/7 gray GAP zip sweat shirt
M 7/8 gray long sleeve tee
S 4/6y red t- rex hoodie
S 4/5 navy crewcuts zip up sweatshirt with hood
M 5/6 blk/red NBA zip up sweatshirt
XS 5/6 Free Country vest
S 6/7 Royal and navy blue London Fog winter coat
6/7 girls Nike white/ gray/pink wind breaker zip jacket
Large 9/10 gray Nantucket zip hoodie
Size 6 navy blue Jack Thomas zip sweater
Size 6 black and red zip hoodie
XL 16 navy with yellow stripe cat and jack zip hoodie
Size 12 navy and gray RBX zip hoodie
Size 8 navy snap button with Corduroy collar crew cuts
Size 6/7 gray race car pull over hoodie
Boys size s 8 Hunter green zip coat
4t pink cat and jack long sleeve tee
Avengers bath towel
Navy winter gloves
Blk thermoflask water bottle
Mincraft water bottle
Starwars water bottle
Gray and green Ello glass water bottle
Teal water bottle
Dinosaur baseball cap
Pink fleece hat
Clear gray eye glasses found on the Green Frog Bus
Tobin Snapshots
Students in Ms. Sumi’s class are watching a pumpkin decompose and working with sensory materials.
JK / Kindergarten Lottery
Sibling Search
Dear Tobin Families:
Do you have a younger child who is ready to start school in Cambridge in September 2022? Every year, Cambridge Public Schools holds the Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten Lottery in January. Junior Kindergarten age eligible children are born between September 1, 2017 – March 31, 2018 and Kindergarten age eligible children are born between September 1, 2016 – August 31, 2017.
If you currently have an older child attending this school in grades JK-4, you can receive “Sibling Bonus Points” but only if you apply during the January 2022 JK/K Lottery. JK/K families are asked to notify their school liaison by signing up their JK/K eligible child via the Google survey form below. This will help us identify who our sibling families are and to make sure we receive your application! Please notify me, your family liaison by Wednesday, January 12th if you wish to be counted in the sibling search. If you miss the sibling search deadline, you can still register through the SRC webpage.
Online registration for the JK/K Lottery will be open from January 3-31st! Registration ends promptly at 4pm on Monday, January 31st online and in person. You can access the online registration system by going directly to www.bit.ly/cpslottery or www.cpsd.us. If you need a paper application please contact me and I can send you a PDF of the application packet; however, you must email the registration forms along with the required documents directly to the SRC at [email protected] by the 4pm deadline on January 31st. (Note: Applications for Tobin Montessori 3-year-olds were accepted during the October lottery)
Sincerely,
Zakkiyya Witherspoon, Family Liaison
Fill out Google survey form here >>
Tobin Family Resources
Here's a handy flyer of resources for families.
See flyer >>
Water Bottle Classroom Initiative
for 1st and 3rd Graders
 The Cambridge Healthy Smiles program completed its annual Water Bottle Classroom Initiative this month. Students in Grades 1 and 3 received a personal water bottle to use at school to promote oral health. The program visits classrooms to teach an oral health lesson about the benefits of drinking water and how to take care of their teeth during their school day. Parents of 1st and 3rd graders are given an opportunity to ask questions they may have about their family’s dental health filling out this survey.
Take survey >>
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