Dear Friends,

We have a new School Committee!  This month, I’ve enjoyed getting to know my new colleagues, Mayor Denise Simmons, Member Elizabeth Hudson, and Member Richard Harding.  I also was delighted to nominate and join my colleagues in electing Vice Chair Caroline Hunter.  I’m confident that the Committee will continue to be a team that works together well, even when we disagree on particular matters.

Inauguration Day (I go by “Member Rachel,” since two of us have the last name Weinstein!)

January also means that the budget season is ramping up.  The Committee has reviewed the budget process, enrollment, and financial projections.  At this stage, my top priorities are:

• Securing appropriate funding for implementing new curricula, which – to be successful – take extra training in the first few years.  With CPS’ adoption of Illustrative Math and Fishtank for English Language Arts, we must provide our teachers with the time and support to make these significant shifts in instruction.

• Seeing sufficient resources allocated to launching Individualized Student Success Plans, with Navigators (adults who connect students with opportunities and resources aligned with their interests and needs) perhaps working with students in a particular grade band.

This slide made my heart sing - it’s like my slogan of a Champion for Every Child.

• Completing the third year of summer camp scholarships for families with low incomes.  The district previously committed to using ESSER funds (COVID relief from the federal government) in this way through summer 2024.

Of course, I haven’t seen the Superintendent’s proposed budget nor heard from community members yet, so I reserve the right to amend the list of items for which I advocate. 🙂

The best part of the job remains seeing students and teachers engaged in learning.  I greatly appreciated visiting with sixth graders at PAUS, who shared their Stories of Self, as well as with the many CRLS students who participated in Youth Equity Summit assemblies, resource fairs, and workshops.  Thank you to the high school administration; Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging; and the many teachers who supported our students in this effort.

2024 Youth Equity Summit at CRLS

As always, I welcome your questions and suggestions.

In collaboration,

Rachel 

P.S. Do you have time to help people in Cambridge and/or fight to preserve our democracy?  Here are two volunteer opportunities:

We are so excited to be launching Cambridge for Biden/Harris and look forward to working with many of you in the coming months! Please write to both Nancy ([email protected]) and Maura ([email protected])  to let us know about your interest and availability. We will be working to ensure that Biden receives a very large turnout in the Massachusetts primary on Super Tuesday, March 5. This is a priority for the Biden campaign, given that there are two other candidates on the Democratic ballot in MA. While Biden is certain to win here, we want to see him win BIG!! 

Once the MA primary has taken place, we plan to begin partnering with a location in New Hampshire, as well as with the Biden campaign overall, to start holding regular phone banks and canvasses. There is also an open Governor’s race in NH that we will likely be coordinating with. In addition, we hope to support people who would like to go to other swing states to coordinate with each other. We will keep you posted on all of this as well.