Greetings from Julie Craven!
Dear RAUC Families,
As I do each year, I offer the following wishes as we head into the Thanksgiving break: May everyone have a safe and happy holiday. May we find joy in the company of family and friends. May membership in our diverse and beautiful RAUC community be a comfort to those for whom holidays can be difficult times.
Part of being a diverse community includes acknowledging that we do not all share the same experience. For many with Native American origin, the Thanksgiving story as traditionally told can be a painful reminder of historic and current injustices. What brings us together is the commonality of giving thanks, no matter our culture. In that spirit of universal thanksgiving, I am thankful to be in a community that aims for an inclusive, compassionate ideal and that is willing to reflect when we fall short so we can recommit to that ideal.
With gratitude,
Julie Craven
Wednesday is Movie Day
A reminder that the entire school is going to see Ralph Breaks The Internet at Apple Cinemas in Cambridge, MA. The movie is rated PG. We will depart RAUC at 9:05AM, and we will walk to Apple Cinemas. We will return to RAUC around 12PM for lunch. All students must dress according to the weather forecast. The cost of this field trip is $7.00. If you have not yet turned in the permission slip, please send your student with handwritten permission on Wednesday!
First Quarter Progress Reports
are Posted
You can access your student’s reports on Aspen. Reports have been mailed to those who do not have an email address on Aspen. Please reach out to Family Partnership Coordinator Taraneh Ahmadi ([email protected]; 617.349.4060 x2041) if you need support accessing Aspen, or to Linette Maloney ([email protected]; 617.349.4060) if you would like a hard copy mailed to you.
Learning Partners Conferences
Continue Next Week
- 7th Grade: Tuesday, November 27 | 8 AM-3:50PM
- 8th Grade: Thursday, November 29 | 8 AM-3:50PM
Use this sign-up link if you still need to schedule a meeting: https://cloud.ptcscheduler.com/rau/. Please call Taraneh Ahmadi, Family Partnership Coordinator at 617.349.4060 x2041 or Linette Maloney at 617.349.4060 if you do not have access to online sign up or need assistance.
What to Expect at Conferences
- Conferences will happen in A201. Signs will direct you. Please show up a few minutes early so that we can pull your student from class and allow them to attend the conference with you. A staff member will sign you in.
- For core teacher conferences, you will have five minutes with each teacher.
- Up to four families will rotate through the four teachers during each 20 minute slot.
- This structure ensures we can create enough conference slots for every family to sign up to see each teacher.
- Make sure your student attends with you!
- There will be a brief survey to complete so we can get feedback on how we are doing with the goals identified by you at Back to School Night.
- We look forward to seeing you there!
- NOTE: Please allow yourself some extra time after the anticipated end of the conference in case we start running behind. We do our very best to keep conferences running on schedule but we are all human!
RAUC Music Pop-up
If you are in the lobby around 8:30AM Wednesday, you might be treated to the sweet sounds of 8th grade vocalists!
CommUnity Meeting (Goals, Behavior, Performances)
On the Friday at the end of each marking period, we have a special “Unity Schedule.” Instead of our Aim High blocks, we adjust class meeting times so that we can end the day as a whole school in the auditorium. The goal: to celebrate the end of the first marking period by coming together to have fun as a community and to highlight a few students whose academical or personal achievement particularly impressed their teachers. In addition to student awards, this past Friday’s gathering featured a performance by Mr. Tobin and Mr. Fairbank’s 6th grade advisory, some fun video shorts, and a 8th graders highlighting ELA achievements. Ask your student what their favorite part of the assembly was! Shout out to the 8th grade hosts and the teachers for organizing the event!
8th Grade Learning Previews
Read more >>
Model UN
This past Saturday, our Model UN club led by Tufts Students traveled to Northeastern University for its first Middle School conference of the year. 6th grader, Arnav Garg, was awarded “Best Position Paper” out of 66 competing students from Middle Schools all over the area! Students had a great time and learned the workings of the Model UN in a college setting.
RAUC Charity Club Launches
A group of motivated 6th graders has started a charity club, with the goal of raising money through bake sales to donate to a worthy cause. They held their first bake sale last week and raised over $80! They have chosen a homeless shelter as their first recipient. Stay tuned for more bake sales!
Book Fair Next Week
Please note that Peabody/RAUC are hosting a joint Scholastic Book Fair the week after Thanksgiving. Students and families may come before school, at recess, or after school to browse or buy books.
YWCA Cambridge’s Girls Only Leadership Development Program (GOLD)
GOLD is a free after school program for 8th grade girls dedicated to empowering young women to become leaders through community engagement and mentorship. The program is weekly workshops dedicated to various important topics such as race and racism, healthy relationships, financial literacy and many more. A flyer for the program can be found here. Amanda Okaka, the GOLD Program Coordinator can be reached at [email protected] or 617.491.6050 x3035. She can also provide interested families with the program’s detailed schedule for the year.
CRLS Parent-to-Parent Support Group
Parenting life comes with juggling a lot and it can be overwhelming! Come connect with other parents to share experiences, and to support each other through these interesting developmental stages and yet challenging exciting times. Come join other parents of tweens and teens on the first Thursday of every month as they discuss relevant topics and support each other. Meetings take place at the CRLS Principal Conference Room at 459 Broadway St. Cambridge 02138 from 6-7:30PM. A light meal is provided & childcare will be available upon request. For more information please contact Greta Hardina 617.349.6660. A flyer for the monthly group can be found here.
Quality Learning and Professional Time
Studies conducted last year, and meetings with diverse stakeholders since, have raised concerns about the amount and quality of learning and professional time in Cambridge Public Schools. CPS is in the midst of a study and design process examining a range of options for improving learning and professional time, with an initial focus on elementary and Upper School schedules.
View the latest updates on this process on the CPS website, and save the dates for the following Public Forums:
December 5 | 6PM | Morse School
January 10 | 6PM | Kennedy-Longfellow School
January 12 | 10AM | Graham & Parks School
The Superintendent will develop a proposal that will be shared for stakeholder feedback in January. In addition to the public forums, school-based meetings are being scheduled for all schools. Any changes in school schedules will benefit from a full planning year in 2019-20 before implementation in 2020-2021.
In Our Community
Cambridge Digs DEEP – Building Understanding on Differing Perspectives
November 28 | 5:30 - 8PM
Fletcher Maynard Academy Gymnasium
225 Windsor Street, Cambridge
Join us for a City-wide Community Forum as we share feedback, build trust, and engage in dialogue across difference. All are welcome! Food and child care will be provided. Presented by Mayor McGovern and Councilor Sumbul Siddiqui.
See flyer >>
Immigration Legal Screening Clinics
3rd Wednesday each month, 5:15-7:15PM
Free consultations with an immigration attorney for Massachusetts immigrants and their families
Community Legal Services & Counseling Center (CLSACC)
90 Third St., Cambridge
617.349.4396; [email protected]
See flyer >>
Cambridge Affordable Housing Information Sessions
Learn about the eligibility requirements and application process for the following programs Cambridge Rental and Homeownership Programs: Inclusionary Housing Rental Program for studios, 1BR, 2BR, & 3BR units
throughout Cambridge, Homeowner Resale Pool, First-Time Homebuyer Workshop, Downpayment Assistance, and HomeBridge. Open to all. No RSVP Necessary.
Learn more >>
Rep. Katherine Clark – Cambridge Office Hours
Hosted by Rep. Clark's Immigration Issues Liaison Katie Worley
3rd Thursday each month, 3-4PM
Cambridge City Hall, 795 Mass Ave. (Mayor's Office, 2nd fl)
Staff will be on site to answer questions about immigration benefits, USCIS cases, Passports, and more. If you have questions or need assistance outside of scheduled hours, please do not hesitate to contact our district office:
701 Concord Ave., Suite 101, Cambridge, MA 02138
617.354.0292, katherineclark.house.gov
Cambridge Bicycle Safety
Does your child bike to school? Do you bike with your child to school? Would you or your child like to get around by bike but feel it is not safe? Cambridge Bicycle Safety is an all-volunteer group of Cambridge residents who are asking for safer bike lanes and a complete network of protected lanes throughout Cambridge. Separated lanes in the last two years--Cambridge, Brattle and sections of Mass Ave--have been the result of people in the community organizing. But we need more voices. We are looking for stories of parents and their children who bike or would like to bike. If you have a story and want to learn more, email us.
Girls Only Leadership Development (GOLD)
A free weekly leadership development program for 8th grade girls run out of the YWCA. Wednesdays this year, and every week! More >>
Breakthrough Greater Boston
A year-round, tuition-free program that offers six years of academically intensive out-of-school time services to highly motivated, traditionally underserved middle and high school students in Greater Boston. Application is due in mid-December-- stay tuned! More Info >>
Let's Connect!
Stay in the loop by joining our social media communities.
RAUC Facebook >>
District Social Media >>
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