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Message from Christen Sohn
Good afternoon CSUS Parents and Caregivers,
Cambridge Street has much to be thankful for as we head into the holiday weekend! I am proud of our CSUS staff for their commitment to supporting scholars as they grow academically and socially. I am proud of the gains scholars have made since September, and eager to see their continued growth and development as the year progresses. I am grateful for the support of school and district leadership, and for the collegiality of school leaders across the Commonwealth facing similar challenges in the return of full-time in-person learning.
One of the many ways we measure scholar growth is by collecting and analyzing scholar data. In the coming days, you will receive information about your child’s performance in iReady, a “screener” for math and reading. A screener is a series of questions that measure where scholars are in relation to grade level expectations as compared to other scholars in the country. We are using this data to measure your child’s individual growth and also our growth as a whole this school year. Please see this letter, which will be mailed home, and which further explains the iReady report and its role in informing instruction at CSUS.
THANK YOU to the caregivers who have reached out in recent weeks. We appreciate your patience, trust, and encouraging words - and thank you for choosing CSUS! We’ve had multiple families ask how they can help support teaching, learning, and community building at Cambridge Street. Two great ways to be involved are to join our School Site Council or Equity Team.
Please see below for information on the School Site Council and Equity team, and for other important news from CSUS.
CSUS School Site Council and Equity Team
We are eager for caregivers to join us in conversations about equity, best practices, and present and future successes at CSUS. Joining our School Site Council or our Equity Team are two ways to connect with other stakeholders about issues central to our school and community
The purpose of the CSUS Equity Team is to enhance, build on, and improve the school’s past and current efforts to ensure academic success for all students by closing opportunity gaps for students, providing culturally proficient teaching and learning practices, and ensuring equitable and inclusive environments for all students, families, staff, and community partners with an intentional equity-focused anti-racist lens.
According to the CPS School Council Handbook,
A School Council is a representative, school building-based committee composed of the principal, parents, teachers, community members and, at the secondary level, students, under both state and federal law (MGL Chapter 71, Section 59C, ESSA). The School Council improves student outcomes by engaging its community in site-based decision-making to develop a shared vision of the school. This type of collaborative decision-making also allows teachers and administrators to work with parents and the community to become more responsive to the needs of a particular school's population.
CSUS’ first School Site Council and Equity Team meetings for the year will be held in the coming months. If you are interested in joining the CSUS School Site Council or Equity Team, or in learning more about these opportunities please email me.
Progress Reports are available to view in Aspen
Click here for information regarding how to view your child’s grades in Aspen.
Upcoming Holidays: Thanksgiving and Hanukkah
A reminder to all that in observance of Thanksgiving/Native American National Day of Mourning, schools will close at 12:55 on Wednesday November 24 and will remain closed through November 27. Classes will resume on Monday November 29. COVID testing for middle school scholars will not happen this week. Hanukkah begins the night of November 28; Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate!
Scholar vaccination updates and schedule
See here for the most up to date information on scholar vaccinations, including timelines/deadlines, how to upload vaccine status, and exemptions.
CSUS By CSUS Art Club
Celebrating CSUS Scholar Art
The CSUS artwork featured above was made by Sydney Beard, Thomas Beard, Garnet Coley, Zetta Coyle Rašovi?, Leah Goodrich, Iyla Gray-Pai, and Josephine Nichols.
Here is their artists’ statement: We started off the process of making the mural by researching what fonts we wanted to use for each letter. We ended up choosing four drastically different fonts to show the contrast between each letter, both so you can see it from a distance through the window but also to symbolize and celebrate the diversity at CSUS. We used a variety of different materials such as pencils for one of the S’s, acrylic paint for all the letters and tons of glitter for the C. The project was a big group effort and everyone involved got to express their opinion before we made any decisions. This project was really fun to work on and we hope you enjoy seeing it when passing by the building!
In this season of gratitude, we are grateful for the scholars, families, and staff (and artists!) that make CSUS great. Thank you for your support, and for choosing CSUS.
Have a wonderful long weekend,
Christen
CSUS November Calendar
CSUS November calendar is now available. View calendar >>
CSUS Work Force Program
The Work Force is a comprehensive after-school educational enrichment, college readiness, and work- readiness program for Cambridge public housing youth. Rolling application deadline until all spaces are full.
More details >>
Apply online >>
For more information, please contact Work Force Teacher, Erica Cannon.
The Community Art Center Teen Programs for ages 13-18
The Community Arts Center is really looking to boost their participation for teens ages 13-18. Check out our website and APPLY! Visit us on Instagram and Twitter @caccambridge.
More details >>
Apply here >>
 Healthy Snack of the Week
Kale Chips with Black Beans & Chopped Tomatoes! Tip: Want to make your own kale chips? Try ChopChop's recipe >>
In Our Community
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