Dear Friends, 

With a month left in office, I am thinking about the critical work ahead for the Cambridge Public Schools. I expect the next School Committee will prioritize family engagement, and I encourage them to do so. I say this because of my belief that, at its core, the gap in outcomes for our students of color and students with high needs and their peers will not disappear until all adults in our schools believe that all children can achieve at high levels. I argue that the implicit bias that hinders such belief will require multiple means to address, not just increased per pupil spending and cycles of new curricula. Importantly, one thing it will require is establishing substantive partnerships between educators and families, both to deepen educators’ understanding of our students and to position caregivers to build upon progress being made at school. 

A slide CFCC shared during the meeting, all of which can be viewed at this link

With this work in mind, I decided to focus my last School Climate Subcommittee meeting as Chair on an evolving vision for family engagement. I am grateful to the Cambridge Families of Color Coalition and the district staff who collaborated to both prepare for and lead the meeting, building upon work they have done with Dr. Karen Mapp at Harvard. In each school’s family liaison, we are fortunate to have in-house expertise that should be expanded to teachers and administrators.  I urge all readers of this newsletter to at least follow - and to hopefully participate in - this effort, which broadens the focus of family engagement to include classroom learning and academic outcomes. It is evidence-based work that could transform our students’ learning in a profound manner.

The November 18th School Committee meeting can be seen here.

On a different note, I wish I were wrapping my service on the School Committee in a calmer, more productive, professional phase of the Committee’s work. At the Committee’s November 18 meeting, I shared publicly my frustration and dismay with behavior by multiple Members this term. Whether in leaking personnel agreements to the press (setting the leadership transition back months), or in approving expanded consulting contracts without the required full Committee’s consent, the actions of some of my colleagues have failed to live up to what our students and community deserve. (They also do not meet the bar of professional behavior operative in my first two terms.) I joined Member Rojas in strongly urging the next School Committee to engage in shared training in these areas early in their term.

I wish you an enjoyable start of the holiday season.

In collaboration,

Rachel

Dear Friends,

Tonight, the Cambridge School Committee voted to hire David Murphy to be our next Superintendent of Schools.

I am pleased with this outcome, which I believe will serve our students, families, staff, and community well. Having worked closely with Mr. Murphy for a couple of years, mostly during his tenure as Interim Superintendent, I can attest to both his values and efficacy. I have witnessed the now-permanent Superintendent’s consistent centering of student experiences and learning outcomes, and his commitment to making difficult decisions to advance their needs. I also have heard from many educators and staff that the culture in the organization has improved dramatically in the last 16 months. They report feeling part of a team, motivated to work hard, respected, and listened to. These talented employees were also clear that they did not feel it was in the interest of students to impose another transition on the organization, including the time it would take for a new leader to get up-to-speed. They have appreciated seeing Mr. Murphy in school buildings more than past leaders, and have noted his sincere regard for all roles in the organization and community.

Mr. Murphy’s community interview September 25th

As a School Committee Member, I have experienced this Superintendent as the most communicative, collaborative, and transparent of the three with whom I have had the privilege of working. I also trust that Mr. Murphy will intentionally compensate for his non-traditional path to this role by continuing to seek out and deeply listen to educators. Additionally, he has a deep commitment to action for our students of color, LGBT+ students/staff/families, and immigrants - all groups under threat. In short, I believe his collaborative approach, systems thinking, and communication skills make Superintendent Murphy the right leader for the next chapter in the story of the Cambridge Public Schools.

Results of the search aside, many of you have reached out about the search process. Here are my answers to related questions:

• Was this a genuine search? Yes. 
• Do I wish the Committee started the process earlier? Yes.
• Did we have a strong pool of candidates? Yes. 
• Historically, have many/most Cambridge superintendent finalists come from the area? Yes.
• Does having a strong internal candidate dissuade some candidates from applying? Yes.
• Was our conclusion predetermined? Absolutely not.
• Do I wish a different search firm had been retained for candidate screening? Yes. 
• Am I disappointed that the leadership of the Cambridge Education Association decided to opt-out of a dedicated teacher forum with the three finalists? Yes
• Did many individual CEA members email the Committee in support of Mr. Murphy? Yes.
• Am I disappointed and frustrated with how some of my School Committee colleagues behaved in this process? Yes.
• Did the Committee hire a superintendent who will center student experience and outcomes, family engagement, and healthy organizational culture? Yes.

In collaboration,

Rachel

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I have decided not to run for reelection this fall. As I complete my third term on the School Committee, it’s time for me to focus my energies elsewhere, and for new leaders to take the baton. 

I wish I were completing my service having seen opportunity and achievement gaps eliminated. While the COVID years brought additional challenges, the core question of why we see disparities between student subgroups persists, despite our caring staff, well-resourced schools, new curricula, and new school buildings. The qualitative and quantitative evidence I’ve reviewed during my five-plus years on the School Committee suggests that there are two critical areas in which we should invest our energies: student experience and adult expectations. 

Student Experience

Policymakers often invoke a false dichotomy between a laser-like focus on academics and consideration of the environments in which our children learn. Yet feeling safe, known, and supported are prerequisites for academic learning. Science backs this up: when a child is stressed or scared, their brain activates the fight-or-flight response, and the work of their prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for focusing and learning, is compromised. This is why I have prioritized work around school climate, taking the School Climate Subcommittee to social-emotional observations at schools, meeting with groups of students about their experiences of a school’s culture, analyzing Teen Health Survey data, and partnering with student-led groups that have catalyzed change around topics ranging from consent culture to school lunch menus. 

In addition to a welcoming and inspiring school climate, every child deserves a champion (our campaign slogan). When I first ran for election in 2019, I believed that the Cambridge Public Schools worked well for children who had an adult that helped them navigate their schools, and that children without such support frequently fell through the cracks. I continue to see evidence that students with champions have better academic and social outcomes, and I’m heartened that the district is piloting student success plans, which include a role for “navigators” (aka champions). 

For many students, a caregiver is their greatest champion. However, while there are individual educators and family liaisons who collaborate wonderfully with caregivers, overall our district has not figured out how to move from disseminating information and “engaging” families to building deep partnerships that bolster student outcomes. I’m appreciative that the Cambridge Families of Color Coalition has advocated for transformative change on this front, and that this is one of the districtwide priority foci of the coming school year.

Adult Expectations 

Finally – but at least as importantly – it is common to hear people openly wonder how Cambridge can spend more money per pupil than virtually any other Massachusetts district and still see the same achievement gaps. The evidence suggests that racism continues to be a key factor.  District data shows that even Black and African American students who are NOT classified as having high-needs (low-incomes, disabilities, or learning English) perform lower than expected: systemically, we do not actually expect all children to meet and exceed academic standards. 

This is further evidenced by exceptions where Black students grow more than other students, such as in 10th grade English – a statistic for which administrators have credited the impressive Level Up team.  Students are very well attuned to when educators challenge them lovingly, and when they underestimate them.  (This is a rare overlap between former President George W. Bush and me - he was on to something regarding the “soft bigotry of low expectations.”) 

We should be strengthening a district culture of high expectations for students and adults. That is because, in addition to believing all students are capable of high academic achievement, educators need to believe that they themselves can be effective instructors, even if their students face societal obstacles outside of school. A mindset of high expectations for students and staff alike might just bring the needed transformation that new curricula, nicer buildings, and higher salaries have failed to realize.

This announcement is not my goodbye.  Up through January 1, 2026, I intend to continue pursuing the goal of creating schools our children deserve. In my final months as a School Committee Member, my concerns about student experience and adult expectations – as well as my belief in the need for protections for immigrant and transgender students/staff/families – will inform my positions, as well as how I evaluate new leaders come November. 

With gratitude for the opportunity to have served you and the children of Cambridge,

Rachel

Dear Friends,

I hope you and your loved ones are as well as can be.

There are ways in which both everything and nothing has changed for the Cambridge Public Schools since my last newsletter. Obviously, the largest change is that we have a new administration in Washington. At the same time, the School Committee and Interim Superintendent have recommitted to our values, including those of safety, diversity, and respect. We remain focused on excellent education for every student, including the development of critical thinking skills and instruction in inclusive, accurate history. While the national changes are stoking rational anxiety and fear in our community, I am proud to report that our City and school district continue to rally for our vulnerable residents. 

(Students continue learning at the Escuela Amigos and CPS provides resources to families)

A small but meaningful example of the interplay between federal and local education practices is our Teen/Middle Grades Health Survey. Every two years, the district administers this survey, which is drawn largely from the Youth Risk Behaviors Survey of the Centers for Disease Control. When we review the 2024 data, as the School Committee did this week, we see trends in the experiences of our students by demographic groups. In recent years, our transgender and gender-diverse students – particularly those in upper school grades – have struggled disproportionately with mental health, bullying, and discrimination. We know this because we disaggregate the data. However, the CDC has recently removed LGBTQIA+ data and will no longer include related questions on the Youth Risk Behaviors Survey. (They also added a misleading, harmful banner to the top of their website.) If we are to close opportunity gaps, it becomes more important than ever that CPSD continue to collect and analyze data by race, gender identity, socioeconomic status, and disability status. 

Some promising news in the 2024 Teen Health Survey is that experiences of racial, ethnic, and gender discrimination, as well as of sexual violence, have dropped significantly at CRLS. I believe many efforts deserve credit for this, especially those led by our students. In January, our boys basketball teams partnered with students in Title IX Aurelia Advocates and Train the Trainer (T3), as well as local organizations, to take a pledge against gender-based violence and educate our broader community.  Kudos to the students and the dedicated educators and athletic coaches who supported them!

In closing, the Committee will be focused on the FY26 budget for the next few weeks. My top priority for this cycle is strengthening our family engagement, as we know that students achieve at higher levels when educators and caregivers are true partners. I also want to ensure that Cambridge schools have the resources needed to continue teaching inclusive, anti-racist curricula if higher levels of government withdraw financial support. I look forward to receiving Interim Superintendent Murphy’s proposed budget, as well as hearing feedback from our students, educators, and families.  

In collaboration,

Rachel

Good Morning,

Given the significance of last night’s vote to close the Kennedy-Longfellow School (KLo) at the end of this school year, I wanted to share an approximation of my remarks from the meeting.

In this moment, I am feeling pained, regretful, and clear.  I want to share why I have this mix of emotions.

First, the pain KLo students, staff, and families are feeling is both evident and understandable. Community makes a school and we’re talking about transitioning a community into a wholly different form.  Change is almost never easy, and this change, which shakes-up people’s daily routines and years-long relationships is particularly hard.  As I mentioned at our last meeting, I have seen, first-hand, excellent teaching and inspired innovation from KLo educators, when I’ve visited and read to classes, met families for morning coffees, toured the building for facilities needs…  And we’ve heard here tonight, again, how many children and caregivers will be forever grateful to the KLo team.

Second, I take responsibility, albeit partial, for finding ourselves in this moment, this decision that feels abrupt to some and a long time coming for others. I own that the Committee - I - should have stepped in earlier, particularly pushing harder in the post-COVID years for annual controlled choice discussions, and to ensure the handoff from Dr. Greer (who had committed to doing a process at KLo) to Interim Superintendent Murphy was communicated to the community.  This is not generally how we should make big decisions.

That said, despite wishing our engagement path to this moment had been different, I do believe that transitioning the KLo is the right decision. I appreciate that, when I asked about a community process, the Interim Superintendent said a community engagement process would have been disingenuous, since the administration knew what their recommendation would be.  [Multiple superintendents have sent interventions to and/or thought the KLo should close.] It would be a waste of time and insulting to do a process when there is already a decision.  I take the Interim Superintendent at his word that the community engagement process to determine what is next is a truly open, collaborative undertaking, in which families and educators will deeply inform the plans for next school year.  I and my Committee colleagues will be looking for a clear delineation of roles, responsibilities, and timelines for the advisory committee, the administration, the School Committee, including what are the deliverables from each party.

In closing, I want to underscore my sincere gratitude for Principal Gerber, KLo staff, and the coalition of KLo families.  Your thoughtfulness and strategy have both been admirable.  I support your demands, in particular for students in Sheltered English Immersion classrooms to move as a program; for families to have a choice of staying with their children’s cohorts or having priority in selecting other schools; for a collaborative process in which the admin, educators and families all have input on what’s next for the school on Spring St; for KLo educators to have opportunities elsewhere in the district; for receiving schools to prepare to welcome KLo students with open arms and support; and for the Committee/admin to put practices and policies into place to prevent another school from the same systemic circumstances. I am committed to working with the Interim Superintendent and my colleagues to see these steps implemented.

(You can review the Superintendent's presentation here. Soon, you will be able to watch the recording of the meeting here.)

Dear Friends,

I hope your holiday season is beginning with health and joy.

The reelection of the former president concerns me greatly, including what it means for our school communities. With inspiration from Chicago and Watertown School Committee Members, I introduced a late order at our last meeting recommitting to the Cambridge Public Schools being safe and welcoming to all students, staff, and families, regardless of immigration status, race, religion, gender identity, and other currently-protected categories. Both Student School Committee Members Barua and Shimelis, Mayor Simmons, and Member Rojas co-sponsored this motion, acknowledging that now, more than ever, Cambridge needs to stand strong on our values.  (Here is Tuesday’s agenda, which includes the “late order from November 19, 2024.”)  

As the Committee and administration think through what is required at the school building, curricular, and district-wide policy levels, I hope you will weigh in by signing up for public comment or emailing the Committee ([email protected]).  For example, I will be asking my colleagues to consider creating two FY26 budgets, one that includes continued federal funding and one that does not, in case federal funding is withdrawn from any schools teaching accurate history, critical thinking, and respect.  While we would be challenged to cut roughly 8% of our budget (that comes through the state from the federal government), I believe that would be preferable to the harm done to our students if the district, hypothetically, allowed ICE into buildings, stopped using antiracist curricula, or prohibited students from using bathrooms that correspond to their gender identity. We Cantabrigians are fortunate not only to live in a city with progressive values, but also to have robust local funding for our schools.

(Super CPS staff with students at the Family Social at FMA)

While we face potential crises at the federal level, we continue to grapple with the very real, existing crisis of close to half of our students not meeting grade level expectations on MCAS, with Black students, multilingual students, students with disabilities, and high-needs students disproportionately suffering. It is hard to source some of these outcomes to anything other than institutional racism, as even NON-high needs Black and African American students are performing lower than expected. At the same time, we continue to see wide variation across our schools and classrooms.  I appreciate that Interim Superintendent Murphy’s team is analyzing the data with us over multiple meetings, including a meeting focused on schools that are excelling, district-wide trends, and schools that are struggling. I look forward to discussing more detailed plans for providing all our students with the education they deserve in the coming weeks.

In good news, the Tobin Montessori is one of the schools where 96% of students considered “high needs” are meeting or exceeding expectations in Math, and 98% of students considered “high needs” are meeting/exceeding expectations in English Language Arts (2% above their “non-high needs” peers)!  This is just one reason why the Committee was pleased to name the auditorium in the new Tobin-Darby Vassall Upper School after Dr. Carolyn L. Turk. Dr. Turk also was among the first students in the old Tobin building, taught there, and ultimately became an administrator. I look forward to seeing students graduate from the Dr. Turk Auditorium in the coming years, recognizing this remarkable local Black woman leader.

(Two of the insightful students at the School Climate Subcommittee meeting.)

This has become a wordy update, so I will close with some quick updates:

• The School Climate Subcommittee met last week and spent our time listening to upper school students.  Hear their thoughts on mental health, relationships with adults at school, and cell phone rules here. 
• The School Committee has adopted a timeline to hire a new Superintendent.  It puts us offering the job to a candidate in early fall 2025.
• The Committee is split on whether the CEA President should have six minutes (versus three, like other members of the public) to provide public comment at our meetings. Personally, I think it serves the Committee and district to hear more from our labor partners, particularly those elected to represent our workforce.  That said, it looks like I will be on the losing side of this issue.

I wish you and yours connection and much light in this dark season.

In collaboration,

Rachel

Dear Friends,

Our school buildings are once again bustling with children and teenagers – the season feels full of promise!

The Committee has met twice since the start of school.  Alongside routine business, we have discussed plans for strengthening organizational culture in the 2024-25 year, recognized the Interim Superintendent’s revised cabinet, approved an ad hoc subcommittee focused on School Councils, and directed the school department to work with the Department of Public Works on better maintaining playgrounds.

Gathering at a back-to-school resource fair!

The most important topic the Committee has discussed is the timeline for hiring our next permanent Superintendent.  For me, the central question is how to ensure both authentic public engagement and the strongest pool of candidates.  We’ve been told fall is the best time for posting such positions.  In June, Member Rojas and I shared a draft timeline with the Committee in order to begin a public conversation about our process, hoping to get started over the summer.  Unfortunately, the Committee was not ready.  This month, we revised our proposal to discuss the pros and cons of multiple timelines.  Mayor Simmons also brought a detailed list of required tasks.  While the Committee has not decided on target hiring dates, my sense is that the majority lean toward taking this school year to define priorities with community members and develop the job description.  This could mean posting the job in August 2025.  Stay tuned.

In other policy news, we revisited a policy proposal about School Committee meeting registration which I introduced last spring.  Going forward, anyone can sign up as soon as there is a public agenda (for full School Committee meetings) or when a subcommittee either posts an agenda or is meeting in two weeks (whichever is later).  

Interim Superintendent Murphy opening the school year with all staff.

On a different and vitally important note, voting in the Presidential election is beginning.  We all know how high the stakes are, so I hope you will plan to spend time talking with voters in swing states.  Please consider this a personal invitation to join me and the group Cambridge for Kamala for canvassing in New Hampshire on Saturday, October 26.  

To help with Pennsylvania (and/or if canvassing isn’t your thing), you can textbank or phonebank from your own home (much more effectively than with postcards) to Pennsylvania voters.  

I am personally grateful to everyone who has worked and is working to preserve our democracy and freedom.

In collaboration,

Rachel

Dear Friends,

I hope you’re staying cool! 

‘A few brief updates before school lets out for the summer:

First, our School Climate Subcommittee visited Cambridge Street Upper School this month as part of our series of school visits focused on upper school culture and climate.  Our observation included a fabulous art class in which students began by breathing and stretching.  The displays in the hall were representations of their strategies for calming.  We also had a rich conversation with 8th and 6th graders who were paired for a mentoring program.  The students shared what made them feel dis/respected, as well as insights about social groups and trusted adults.  Thank you to Principal Sohn and her team for organizing such a meaningful visit.

Second, I am grateful to have participated in a walkthrough of the Cambridgeport School and in 8th grade portfolio presentations at the Rindge Ave Upper Campus.  At Cambridgeport, Vice Chair Hunter, Member David Weinstein, and I joined central office leaders to observe classes.  The group discussed effective strategies teachers used, as well as available resources for a student struggling to focus.  At RAUC, graduating eighth graders shared their strengths and challenges, highlighting particular pieces of work in each subject area.  I was very impressed with the candor and maturity of the students, who seemed ready for high school.  My thanks to Principals Jean-Michel and Sizer (whose grandfather, Ted Sizer, was a favorite college professor of mine!) for inviting the School Committee to these events.

(One of the impressive RAUC graduates)

Thinking back on my own CPS experience, one of the highlights was being in CityStep, a program in which Harvard undergraduates teach dance theatre and social-emotional skills to CPS students.  Given how current students’ social-emotional development was interrupted by the pandemic, CityStep is a more needed resource than ever.  In the decades since I enjoyed the program, it has refined and further strengthened its approach to building both individual confidence and classroom community.  A couple of weeks ago, I was truly honored to receive an award from CityStep, recognizing my “fierce advocacy for children.”

Finally, although school ends this Monday, the School Committee will continue working over the summer to appoint an Interim Superintendent for SY24-25, someone who will lead the district while we conduct a longer search for a permanent Superintendent.  The search for the permanent hire will include community input, so stay tuned for opportunities this fall.

Congratulations to the CRLS Class of 2024!

Wishing you a healthy, peaceful, and joyous summer,

Rachel

Dear Friends,

Recent months have been challenging for our school district. After much deliberation, the School Committee decided to part ways with Superintendent Greer, who will wrap up her service this summer. To be clear, I appreciate that Dr. Greer shepherded our schools out of pandemic-era schooling and oversaw gains in student achievement. Our views diverged on a number of matters, but I know Dr. Greer to be a strong, hardworking leader, and wish her all the best in her next chapter.

With my colleagues Member David Weinstein and Vice Chair Caroline Hunter at RAUC

In other news, I’m pleased to chair the School Climate Subcommittee this term. I truly believe that the vast majority of students need to feel safe and seen in order to progress academically. Since the subcommittee focuses on upper schools this term, we are reviewing data from the Teen Health Survey as well as visiting each school. Last month, we visited the Rindge Avenue Upper Campus (RAUC), where we used a social-emotional learning tool to observe classes.  We also met with a group of students to hear directly from them about their experiences of school culture and climate. I was quite impressed with educators and students at RAUC – among other things, we saw

• Young people engaging with their peers to tackle academic challenges
• Teachers explicitly asking about emotional responses to content (attending to social-emotional learning while also discussing intellectual matters)
• Students giving thoughtful, candid feedback to the school principal, who was eager to hear both kudos and constructive criticism from them.

High school students in SHADE sharing plans for a Shade is Social Justice site at Donnelly Field

A significant school climate question I continue to grapple with is the role of Youth Resource Officers in our schools.  Coming off of the accidental gun firing by a Youth Resource Officer in April, I requested a discussion at our May 7th meeting with the Cambridge Police Department and CPS leaders.  I remain impressed with the YRO program’s impact on reducing youth arrests by approximately 80%, and its stated aim to break the school-to-prison pipeline. I have personally witnessed the rapport YROs have built with our students and am grateful for their dedication to our community. At the same time, it’s notable that the first time a firearm went off at CRLS, it was that of an officer.  That raised questions about what dangers are greatest and how we mitigate risks.  CPS has an internal Safety and Security team charged with addressing daily safety matters.  The Committee approved a few new positions on that unarmed team in our FY25 budget.  In advance of the meeting, I asked CPS leaders to include the City’s new Community Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE) Team in conversations with CPD and to look at alternatives, which they did.  I appreciate Commissioner Elow and her team for their service, candor, and commitment to continuous improvement.  We are fortunate to have a police department that has made dramatic culture shifts in recent years.  

Two big takeaways from our conversation:

1. A school climate where young people trust teachers, staff, and police is the number one preventative factor in school violence.
2. Cambridge police are uniquely positioned to divert young people away from the criminal justice system.  This is what they do now and should continue to do.  

Moving forward, we need to continue to build school climates where students trust educators and administrators as much as they trust YROs.  I also think that the school district can rely more heavily on our Safety Specialists within our school buildings and lean on YROs for activity outside of literal school walls.  While I do not see these being rigid or exclusive deployments, I encourage district leadership to revise our working agreements with this orientation. 

In closing, I was delighted that Tutoring Plus recently recognized Khari Milner for his decades of service to our community.  Khari exemplifies what it means to center students and families furthest from privilege; to work explicitly on racial justice; and to collaborate deeply with young people, caregivers, educators, and community partners.  Whether backing his efforts to establish remote learning pods at out-of-school-time organizations (during pandemic schooling) or as a caregiver in a team of the Building Equity Bridges movement that he co-led, I have learned a great deal from Khari.  I welcomed the chance to recognize him publicly with a resolution at our April meeting.

In collaboration,

Rachel