GENERAL LINKS
School Committee meetings:
- This is a shockingly good website.
- You can easily find upcoming meetings, videos of past meetings, minutes and presentation slides.
Blog posts by Eugenia:
- Afterschool updates are here (you can see old ones + subscribe).
- Article on figuring out the CPS Jk/K lottery (this will need updating, given Universal Pre-K starting this Winter).
Healthy, Green & Safe commutes to school:
Thanks to a few inspiring leaders at Cambridge Bicycle Safety for these resources showing us what could be:
-
Bike commutes — Coach Balto's massively successful Bike Bus for his Portland, OR school (1 hr YouTube) + Bike train to school with Megan Ramey of Hood River, Oregon (1 hr YouTube).
-
Walk commutes — ‘Walking School Buses’ Need To Be Part of Schools’ Reopening Plans (StreetsBlog Mass)
-
Safe streets — School Streets: Safe Space for Kids to Thrive (9-min YouTube).
Communication:
- To join the CPS parent listserv, follow this link:
https://cpsparents.groups.io/g/main
Warning: Unfortunately, this space can get toxic. Please reach out to me if you experience bullying in this forum or want advice before sharing something. I don't have all the answers, but I survived some bullying in this space, and I have some thoughts on navigating it.
- To sign up to hear directly from the Cambridge teachers union, fill out this form.
Note: I signed up a few weeks ago and haven't yet heard from them. So I'm not sure how much they'll use it.
Discipline Issues:
Quite a few parents have told me that discipline concerns are disrupting their children's learning. This is a complex issue that I don't fully understand as yet. But knowing the Massachusetts anti-bullying law is one basic precaution that parents can take if their child is facing this kind of difficult situation. (Thx to a parent for sharing this with me, based on a traumatic experience their child had at CPS.)
- MA anti-bullying laws (includes cyber bullying).
- Section 370: Bullying in schools.
Youth Mental Health Crisis + Some Causes/Solutions:
Nation-wide, youth are facing a severe mental health crisis. A recent report showed that CPS is sadly no exception:
-
Cambridge Middle and High Schoolers Faced Uptick in Discrimination and Mental Health Concerns, Per Report (Crimson, March 2023)
Community & Social Connection
-
Surgeon General recommendations on how Schools can build social connection.
-
Cambridge "play streets" program — get $200 to throw a block party as a family, group, school, or "Friends of" organization
Phones & Social Media
-
Why smartphones and social media are contributing to the mental health struggles of young people (Ezra Klein podcast).
Gifts to teachers + staff:
$50 individual limit — donations to teachers/staff.
$150 collective limit — class donations to teachers/staff.
The law is pretty easy to read here.
Science of Reading:
-
Here's the podcast that started this conversation for many —
Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong (6 episodes).
(I've heard many people critique the podcast generally, but am still looking for specifics about which of its statements are misleading + links to better info. If you have that level of critique, please email me. I'd love to talk.)
Kid's teeth
-
We love this pediatric dentist in Porter Square. (Stickers & rings make visits fun.)
-
As my 5yo's tooth started wiggling, I got weirdly stressed out by not knowing how to mark/celebrate properly. This podcast episode was helpful in giving this milestone sociological perspective: The Tooth Fairy's Resistance to Commercialization (Slate podcast)
-
Book recommended in podcast above: Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions from Around the World (Buy on Bookshop.org)