ICYMI, here’s the statement Mayor Siddiqui and I put out about the violence in the Middle East.  With antisemitism and Islamophobia on the rise even locally, it’s critical that we hold space for everyone’s pain and work to build bridges in our own community.

Dear Friends,

There is so much to share!

First, this is the peak of the campaign season.  I’ve seen mail-in ballots arrive at homes I’ve canvassed.  There are events and candidate forums and and and… I was delighted to be joined by many of you, including Mayor Siddiqui and “the Dean,” retiring School Committee Member Fred Fantini, at our campaign coffee a couple weekends ago.

Second, I continue to hear from educators and families troubled about our elementary school schedules.  While there is widespread agreement that our students should have the same amount of instruction in core subjects across all our schools, teachers and caregivers remain concerned that the lack of transition time and recess is making adults and children unnecessarily anxious.  I’m pleased to share that the School Committee unanimously voted to adopt my motion clarifying that the guidelines are just that, and not rigid mandates.  I will remain engaged on this topic as the administration takes action in accordance with that motion.

Third, last week’s School Committee meeting included a review of the Cambridge Public Schools’ 2023 MCAS results.  While standardized tests are an imperfect metric, the results do point to continued systemic challenges in CPS.  Yes, as a recent Boston Globe article noted, Cambridge is one of few districts in the Commonwealth to return to 2019 achievement levels.  However, while the aggregated averages of our students are back to pre-pandemic levels, there were huge gaps correlated with demographics before the pandemic and they’ve WIDENED.  Disaggregating the data shows that we are continuing to fail our students who are Black, multilingual, disabled, and/or from families with low incomes.  This holds both for achievement and for student growth. (Here are summary slides the Superintendent's team presented last week.)  At the meeting, the administration presented plans to align curricula and implement strategic tutoring, which makes sense.  Also, though, I believe more is necessary if we are going to truly prepare all our children for success after high school.  My personal theory is that we are not approaching instruction with the needed equity lens, accounting for our own implicit and explicit biases to the degree needed.  I shared this view at our meeting, and was pleased to hear Superintendent Greer say that she has instructed our Chief Equity Officer and Chief of Academics to be attached at the hip.

Less than four weeks remain until voting closes!  If you are able, I would LOVE to have your help canvassing and/or holding a sign on Election Day.  Please reply to this email to sign up.  Thank you!

In collaboration,

Rachel

Dear Friends,

I hope your school years are off to a promising start.

I am sorry to share that the CPS community is in a period of mourning, as one of our students, Jaden McDaniels, passed away last week.  My heart goes out to Jaden’s family, friends, and educators.

On a much brighter note, I’ve enjoyed seeing excited students, families, and educators on their first days and at Mayor Siddiqui’s & CPS’s resource fairs.

(Photo credits for two of the pictures go to Elizabeth Pierre, Mayor’s Siddiqui’s Office)

Many of you have asked for updates on the new elementary school schedules.  I introduced a related motion last week that would address some of the concerns I’ve heard from our community.  Here is the text:

Whereas the administration developed elementary school schedule guidelines to ensure that students receive adequate instruction time in core academic subjects; and

Whereas the guidelines address significant differences between individual Cambridge Public Schools’ instruction time for particular subjects; and

Whereas schools have created their SY23-24 schedules accordingly; and

Whereas some have interpreted the scheduling guidelines as detailed mandates rather than guidelines, resulting in concerns over rigid learning conditions; and

Whereas caregivers from every CPS school have contacted the School Committee and Superintendent with concerns about reduced play, nutrition, rest, and transition times; and

Whereas the Superintendent’s team clarified, at the August 8 meeting, that the guidelines would neither prevent extending class meeting times when students need longer nor providing requisite transition time between classes; now therefore be it 

Resolved that the administration issue written communication to CPS staff confirming that the elementary schedule guidelines are advisory, and that principals and educators have the trust of the Committee and Superintendent to adjust as they see fit. 

Member Rojas exercised his charter right, which means that the discussion of the proposal was stopped until our next meeting, on September 19th.  In short, now is a good time to contact the Committee ([email protected]) if you have strong feelings about the new schedules.  Stay tuned!

In other news, the campaign is in high gear!  MARK YOUR CALENDARS to join us for coffee, conversation, and (for those who want) canvassing voters on Saturday, September 30 at 10 a.m. in Joan Lorentz Park (in front of the main library, by the corner of Ellery and Broadway). Please please DO bring your children!  It’s a crowded field of strong candidates, and I need your support to power through these last 8 weeks.

In collaboration,

Rachel

Dear Friends,

I hope you’re enjoying the summer warmth!

It’s unusual to have a five-and-a-half-hour School Committee meeting in August, but there were two controversial topics on the agenda last week, namely elementary school schedules and Algebra instruction.  Here are summaries of the latest developments (and a few photos of uplifting summer student showcases).

Elementary School Schedules

For context, Superintendent Greer informed the Committee months ago that her team was engaging in an independent audit of how CPS schools use their time.  In the last couple of months, through conversations with educators and families, we became aware that the administration had issued new scheduling guidelines for elementary schools.  As I stated at last week’s meeting, I am troubled that the Committee and the broader community (teachers especially) were not engaged in conversation about these districtwide changes earlier. 

At the meeting, we learned that there was a wide variation in how much time students in our elementary schools were spending on individual subjects such as Social Studies, Science, and Math.  I agree with the Superintendent that all our students should receive roughly the same amount of time on core subject instruction, and appreciate that this is a problem her team is trying to address.  I was further reassured that the guidelines will allow for interdisciplinary curricula, as well as teachers adjusting schedules in real-time to meet the social-emotional needs of their students.  

Photo caption: North Cambridge Courageous Conversations guided ten Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program students in identifying issues and possible solutions through photography.

My sense is that these guidelines have been received as a detailed mandate rather than a guide.  At this point, I want to know that our educators understand they have flexibility – including flexibility about whether to pull students from "specials" (e.g. art, music) for interventions.  I also still have questions about ensuring that our students, particularly our youngest learners, have sufficient time to run around, as well as to rest and digest all they have experienced in the day up to that point.  I have requested further written communication from the Superintendent to educators, families, and the School Committee.

Algebra I in Eighth Grade

From many conversations with educators, alums, and families, I’ve come to recognize that requiring Algebra I in eighth-grade math classes throughout the city is a more complicated topic than it might seem.  On one hand, we want all students to have the opportunity to take Algebra in time to take the more advanced, high school math courses that would show colleges they are prepared for college-level STEM programs.  On the other hand, we’ve heard important cautions about how students who are struggling now might fall further behind.  CPS Math leaders and other educators have highlighted the fact that Math is taught differently from Math pre-2010: now, students are introduced to deeper learning concepts, including algebraic equations, in earlier years, without a specific course title related to algebra.

Makeda was one of the photographers in Not Just Screenagers.

For at least two years, I have been asking questions behind-the-scenes and at some meetings about this equity issue.  It got to the point where Members David Weinstein (no relation), Caroline Hunter, and I crafted a motion that would offer opt-in Algebra I immediately to all interested students and make eighth grade Algebra a citywide mandate in 2025.

A public School Committee roundtable meeting on this issue will take place in the fall with participation from Math education experts. 

Photo caption: Betsy Bard, Micaela Leon Perdormo, and Allison MacLaury worked with another team of Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program students to create the moving We Were Here play about Polish women working at The Foundry in 1911.

I hope that implementing the Illustrative Math curriculum across grades K-12 will mean that all Cambridge students receive the rigorous Math instruction they deserve and we no longer can tell which feeder school a sixth grader attended by their Math proficiency.  Certainly, CPS needs to provide training and support for teachers as they adopt this new curriculum and to use it in heterogeneous math classes. 

Campaign News

This election cycle promises to shake up both the City Council and School Committee, with multiple incumbents deciding not to run again.  There are eleven(!) candidates vying for six seats on the School Committee.  While I love proportional representation for its democratic nature, it is dangerous for incumbents, as voters assume we’re safe and give their number 1 votes to new candidates.  I still need your #1 vote to be reelected!  If you have time to canvass voters, write to your friends, and/or donate, I would be grateful for your help.

In collaboration,

Rachel

Dear Friends,

I hope your summers have started well.

As I mentioned in my June newsletter, this is *not* a sleepy summer for the School Committee.  Here are a few brief but important updates:

First, the School Committee gave Superintendent Greer a “needs improvement” rating on her annual evaluation.  We appreciate her leadership in significantly moving student academic growth, as reflected in iReady data.  We also are pleased to see progress in making Universal Pre-Kindergarten a reality, an undertaking that requires deep partnership with the City.  At the same time, we continue to have significant concerns about hiring processes, community relations, management, and communication.  We want Dr. Greer to be successful and are working to support her growth in these areas.  If you’re interested in the details, the full evaluation is here.  (Our individual evaluations are also public documents.  As Vice-Chair, I coordinated this process and wrote the composite – my takeaway is that the Committee was exceptionally unified in identifying strengths and growth opportunities.)

(Vassal Lane Upper School Students shared research and recommendations about changing the school’s name at a June School Committee meeting.)

Second, the Boston Globe recently posted an article on Math instruction in Cambridge Public Schools.  The journalist quotes me from a recent meeting where I noted that the School Committee has not backed away from a commitment to all students receiving Algebra I in eighth grade.  He also wraps the piece by quoting Benjamin Moynihan, Executive Director of the Algebra Project, who said, “Even despite the pandemic, is it possible?  The Algebra Project would say yes.”  I will have more to share on this topic in the coming weeks.

(With my daughter at the Election Commission – I am “preliminarily certified” to appear on the ballot this fall!)

Finally, if the governing excitement were not enough, the campaign season is heating up!  As you probably know, Fred Fantini, whom we affectionately refer to as the Dean of the School Committee, is retiring after 40 years of dedicated service.  On top of which, Ayesha Wilson is running for City Council!  In part because of these developments, there are many new candidates running this cycle.  I need your help reminding voters that I am a thoughtful, effective leader, one who truly collaborates with students, educators, and families.  Please donate here to help us get the word out!

As always, I look forward to your thoughts and suggestions.

In collaboration,

Rachel

Dear Friends, 

I hope this finds you and yours well.

Before school lets out for summer, I ask that you stay tuned in over the break.  While usually a quieter time, the next couple of months promise to include important developments in the School Committee’s ongoing negotiations with our teachers' union, the Superintendent’s annual evaluation, and (drum roll, please) election season.  I am running for re-election and need your support!

Reading at Peabody Porchfest

In the meantime, I am delighted to share how inspired I’ve been by our students and the educators who guide them.  The end of the school year includes many occasions to appreciate what our children have learned and accomplished, and others to come together to celebrate the distinct and diverse identities in our community.  Here are a few of my highlights: 

I’ve attended multiple educational events at The Foundry in the last month.  The top right photo is of students from the Cambridgeport School who shared games from their families’ cultures at the Asian Festival.  The adults pictured are Superintendent Greer and Danielle Allen, who is both a professor and Director of the Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University.  The Center partners with CPS to engage our young people in civics education.  I was at The Foundry to hear students describe their civics projects, which included leading consent workshops (how to ask for permission from others and express one’s own boundaries) for elementary students and families, compiling and distributing resources about addictive substances and services, and advocacy for required Black history courses.  The third photo is from a CPS Community Social.  It shows an activity CRLS students designed to begin the conversation about consent – I watched an elementary student use a special deck of cards to engage on the subject with near-peers, who make wonderful educators.

With Chief Equity Officer Manuel Fernandez at Peabody Pride

The Peabody School invited School Committee Members to both the Peabody Porchfest (reading aloud in classrooms) and the first annual Peabody Pride (June is LGBTQIA+ Pride Month).  At these events, I was moved to hear fifth graders speaking about the need for more gender-neutral bathrooms, and to see many families affirming and celebrating diversity in gender identity and sexual orientation.

Top photo is with School Committee Student Members (and graduates!) Escamilla-Salomon and Clemente, as well as Member Caroline Hunter.  Bottom photo is of RSTA students at their Health Assisting Pinning Ceremony, joined by the educators who guided them through the program. What an impressive group! 

It was a joy to hear  8th-grade capstone presentations at the Cambridge Street Upper School and Equity Fellowship grant recipients’ share-outs, as well as to see the talent on display at the Fletcher-Maynard Academy Talent Show.  In addition, of course, recognizing our students graduating from high school is always a delight!

With some of the students and caregivers that planned and staffed the wonderful Asian festival! (Photo credit: Cindy Weisbart)

This summer includes many opportunities for you to share your perspectives, as well as help elect a thoughtful School Committee.  Our July 11 special School Committee meeting will focus on the Superintendent’s annual evaluation, and you are welcome to email the Committee your thoughts about this or any other topic at [email protected].

In terms of my upcoming run for a third term, I would be honored to have your help, whether that looks like going door-to-door with me in your neighborhood, making a donation to my campaign, or hosting a house party.  Please let me know how you want to be part of the team!

As always, I welcome your questions and suggestions.

In collaboration,

Rachel

Dear Friends,

I hope you are enjoying the May flowers!  

(Cambridgeport School students plant a tree for Arbor Day.)

Since my April newsletter, the School Committee unanimously passed the FY24 budget.  Last week, the City Council approved the school district’s budget, bringing the annual undertaking to a close.  I am taking the feedback you shared into our after-action review conversations and am committed to continuing to improve upon the process.

As for policies beyond the budget, the School Committee recently passed two policies that I introduced:

• After Register Forum reporters approached the Committee about antisemitic graffiti at CRLS, I reviewed our related policy and decided it needed elaboration.  My motion 23-047 updated our policy on “non-tolerance of hate crimes” to include text reflecting our belief in the importance of affirming and celebrating the diversity in our schools.  The revised policy calls upon our schools to use hateful acts—and acts of unconscious bias— as teachable moments, to invite those involved to opt-in to restorative practices, and to offer counseling to students.   (Here is an update from the Register Forum writers.)  

• In the absence of sufficient federal gun control, it falls to us locally to do all we can to protect our students, staff, and families from gun violence.  I am grateful to Moms Demand Action for partnering with us in this effort.  I learned from local activists that secure firearm storage practices are associated with a 78% reduction in the risk of self-inflicted firearm injuries and an 85% reduction in the risk of unintentional firearm injuries among children and teens.  Also, I learned that in incidents of gun violence on school grounds, the US Secret Service found that 76% of shooters under age 18 acquired their firearm from the home of a caregiver, relative, or friend.  My motion 23-058 directs the Superintendent to inform families yearly about how to safely store any firearms.

(I had a wonderful visit to the Peabody School, where I observed classrooms with Principal Sepulveda and Dr. Madera.)

In addition to these motions, I authored policy orders urging our state delegation to support legislation funding school meals for all students in the Commonwealth, and a bill that would address systemic barriers to credentialing more educators of color.  I also joined School Committee colleagues in bringing forward multiple local proposals, including those to expand space, staffing, and transportation for Department of Human Services Programs after schools; to strengthen CPS’ policy regarding access to free menstrual products in school bathrooms; and to assist students with scholarships for field trips.  

I anticipate having more to share about Math instruction and hiring processes in future newsletters.  In the meantime, you may be interested in viewing the roundtable meeting we had on Math last week (my questions and comments about Algebra One start at around 1 hour 39 minutes).  Mayor Siddiqui and I pushed for this conversation, which proved illuminating.

As always, I welcome your questions and suggestions.

In collaboration,

Rachel

Dear Friends, 

I hope your spring is starting sweetly.

As we enter the final stages of developing and adopting the Cambridge Public Schools’ annual budget, I thought you might appreciate an update.  The Superintendent presented her proposed FY24 budget in mid-March.  Her $245m budget draft includes many recommendations that I support, such as the expansion of the Educator Pathways Programs I wrote about last month, the Math department’s growing partnership with the Young People’s Project and use of Flagway, and a cybersecurity specialist.  While I was troubled to see the Design Lab and summer scholarships eliminated in the Superintendent’s first draft, I am pleased that Dr. Greer has since reinstated funding for both.  In addition, I was grateful that the Superintendent heeded my request to fund school meals for all students, but have since agreed that we should shift that $700,000 to the Fletcher Maynard Academy and King Schools Extended Learning Time programs for School Year 2023-24, as the state just informed districts that it will no longer provide support for select longer school days, and schools and families are already planning for next year.  I am now lobbying our state delegation to have the Commonwealth fund universal school meals, which appears to be a real possibility.

(CRLS 9th graders consult during the Social Action Summit)

The top four budget-related concerns the Committee has heard are that (1) the community wants more time to review and comment upon the Superintendent’s proposal, (2) we need to make the budget document accessible to speakers of languages other than English, (3) families want staff positions allocated equitably across school communities, particularly at the Kennedy-Longfellow School, and (4) families and educators would like to see CPS expand its partnership with the Cambridge Math Circle.  I took this feedback to heart and, with my colleagues, added another meeting specifically for public comment on the proposed budget, as well as pushed the Committee’s vote back by a week.  We also asked the administration to post the Superintendent's proposed budget on the website, which has a widget for translation.  These are process changes we will continue to improve upon in future budget cycles.  

(I had a blast sharing a favorite book with first graders at the Kennedy-Longfellow!)

As for the staffing questions, Dr. Greer and the Chief Financial Officer responded to the Committee’s inquiries in this helpful document.  

Regarding Cambridge Math Circle, please allow me to clarify my stance.  I think CMC is a wonderful program.  I have concerns about our internal process for funding partners generally, not about this particular partner.  For four budget cycles, I have asked that we have a clear timeline, as well as a set of criteria for awarding and evaluating grants to local organizations.  District leaders suggested that we update this funding process with a new District Plan, which we now have.  I will continue to advocate for a transparent grantmaking process for the roughly $1m the district invests in community non-profits.   

(CPS' amazing Family Engagement team at Rollin' & Summer Resources)

Finally, the Committee unanimously pushed for less funding to go to central administration and more to student-facing positions.  When the Superintendent brought her revisions back to us this past Tuesday, she had cut 1.5 full-time positions from the administration and added a paraprofessional to the KLo.  She also allocated $60,000 for schools who have a higher proportion than the state average of students considered “high needs” (students with disabilities, who are multilingual learners, and/or from a lower socioeconomic status).

The Committee is now scheduled to vote upon the revised budget proposal next Tuesday, April 11th.  If you would like to share additional perspectives or requests, please email the full Committee at [email protected] or sign up for public comment here.

As always, I welcome your questions and comments.

In collaboration,

Rachel

Dear Friends,

With February vacation behind us and wintry weather’s arrival, you may be hungry for updates that will warm your heart!  Here are my top three inspiring Cambridge Public Schools events from the last month:

#1 - Celebration of Cambridge Educator Pathways cohort

A few weekends ago, I was thrilled to join the first cohort of graduates from the Cambridge Educators Pathways program, a partnership between CPS and Lesley University.  Through this program, current paraprofessionals and teachers can obtain their Masters degrees for free.  From where I sit, this is one of the most effective strategies for racially diversifying our teacher workforce - with educators who are already committed to our students, schools, and city, no less.  Each graduate spoke at the ceremony, many remarking that they would not have been able to afford graduate school without this program.  Mayor Siddiqui and I joined the graduates in appreciating Member Fantini, who spent years building this initiative.  The next cohort has 18 educators enrolled!

#2 - Upper School Mock School Committee 

(Photos by PAUS student photographer R. Hawlader)

Dozens of upper school students convened a few weeks ago at CRLS to discuss their priorities for the district.  Supported by students in Tufts Action as well as by our own CRLS Student School Committee Members, these sixth, seventh, and eighth graders made important observations and recommendations about school buses, the quality of school meals, and recess.  Member Hunter and I were impressed with all the young people involved and look forward to their continued leadership and partnership.

#3 - CRLS Student Budget Meeting

Student School Committee Members Clemente and Escamilla-Salomon organized a standing-room-only lunch meeting for high school students to learn about and weigh-in on the district’s budget.  Most of the School Committee attended, registering an abundance of  thoughtful feedback and enjoying an inspired game the Student Members created for their peers.  It was a truly informative, engaging, and important conversation.

I hope you find as much joy and optimism from reading about these events as I did from attending them.  Stay tuned for more policy updates in the weeks ahead.

In collaboration,

Rachel

Dear Friends,

I’m struck by how much pain and promise there is in our community right now.  

As the world reels from the police murder of Tyre Nichols, locally we grieve further tragic losses, including the police killing of 20 year-old Sayed Arif Faisal and the death of a CRLS student.  Losing young people so tragically is heartbreaking.  Our schools continue to have counselors available for students and to share resources with families.  I hope we will all lean on one another, and that we can share perspectives on how to improve behavioral health supports with City leaders, including the School Committee. 

Within a week of the grief-stricken community meeting at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School pictured above, I was back in the building for the joyous occasion of Putnam Ave Upper School students sharing their “Stories of Self.”  I was inspired by the students’ writing about their lives, and grateful for a team of educators working to build pride in students’ identities while skill-building.  Among others, I heard from a sixth grader who almost fell in the Charles River, a seventh grader whose art is their passion, and an eighth grader who immigrated from Bangladesh to the United States.  Our young people have so much talent and potential!  

[This photo is from the CRLS Astronomy class’s final project day - students created games, incorporating their content knowledge and using 3D printers at the Hive.]

In other news, the School Committee and administration are deep into the budget process.  We’ve had multiple workshops, held three community meetings, collected 500+ surveys, connected with 120 families through the DHSP Community Engagement Team… and there’s more to come!  Superintendent Greer will present her proposed budget to the Committee on March 14th, and there’s a public hearing on March 21st.  If you haven’t already weighed in, I hope you will email the Committee your thoughts and/or sign-up to speak at the public hearing.

[Dr. Greer speaks at a Community Budget Meeting last week.]

Finally, I want to take a moment to remember former Mayor and State Representative Alice Wolf, who passed away last week.  Alice lived a full and extraordinary life, starting as a child in Austria during the Holocaust, and continuing in Boston where her family fled to escape its horrors.  She went on to build a wonderful family and have a deep impact in our community, on topics ranging from the environmental quality of the Charles River to LGBT+ rights to developing our Sister Cities program and helping advance dozens of other progressive priorities.  I had the privilege of interning for Alice in her first term as State Representative, when now-Representative Marjorie Decker was her legislative aide.  Alice later advised me on my campaigns for School Committee.  I will always be grateful for her service to Cambridge and her personal mentorship. 

As always, I welcome your reflections and questions.

In collaboration,

Rachel