As of 2019, all Cambridge Public School District students will have access to free breakfast, and those who have previously received reduced fee lunch will now receive lunch for free as well.
In early January, the Cambridge Public School District introduced a proposal to advance equity in Cambridge schools. The new proposal offers a way to promote equity by “Addressing the time-based barriers to improvement,” which requires a “three-pronged approach: improving the use of time (Quality), increasing time for students and staff (Quantity), and improving coordination with the out-of-school time community (Access).”
This past December, the School Committee passed a new policy that restricts when and how teachers are allowed to assign homework. The policy prevents teachers from assigning homework online without addressing it in class, and from assigning it over break, on snow days, or in a way that interferes with a student observing a religious holiday. While it’s uncommon for a new policy to be instituted halfway through a school year, both students and teachers agree that the policy clearly has good intentions, and could help students manage stress.
Located along a hallway near the back entrance of the Main Cafeteria lies a spacious classroom filled with neatly organized medical supplies and a few hospital beds. This is the Health Assisting class, a Rindge School of Technical Arts (RSTA) program comprised of four levels and taught by Gina Hughes, Kristian McLean, and Mechille Venus. Typically by senior year, students who have been enrolled in Health Assisting throughout high school will be able to work with patients in real hospitals around Cambridge, instead of the mannequins they practiced on in the beginning.
On December 20th and 21st, scores of CRLS educators holding signs with messages like “Tolerating racism is racism,” “I am not, Never will be, Never was N****r,” and “Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that” gathered outside the main entrance of CRLS as part of two silent stand-ins. The demonstrations were meant to be an opportunity for educators at CRLS to stand in solidarity against hate and racism at the school after a series of racist acts directed towards teachers of color.
In early January, the Cambridge Public School District introduced a proposal to advance equity in Cambridge schools. The new proposal offers a way to promote equity by “Addressing the time-based barriers to improvement,” which requires a “three-pronged approach: improving the use of time (Quality), increasing time for students and staff (Quantity), and improving coordination with the out-of-school time community (Access).”
When a current senior was taking the MCAS in her sophomore year, another student sitting behind her began whispering sexual comments to her. The student told her Community Meeting (CM) teacher that she “couldn’t be in the room with him because he was trying to touch [her], he was whispering in [her] ear, [and] it was really uncomfortable.” She took the rest of the MCAS in her Learning Community (LC) office, filed an incident report, and, eventually, the student who had harassed her was moved to a different CM.
Climate change’s effects on the biosphere are greater than ever, and we as a country have not only failed to accept its current consequences, but the consequences it will pose for the future. According to the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, 51% of U.S. citizens don’t believe in the concept of climate change, in spite of the 97% of scientists who affirm that it is undoubtedly reshaping the configuration of our world. So, what makes people feel so entitled to having this seemingly backward opinion on the topic?
On December 13th, CRLS had its third X-Block of the year. While previous X-Blocks were focused on mostly school-related topics such as bullying, the topic this month was about an issue which takes place both inside and outside of school: sexual harassment and assault. Student Body President Grace Austin and President of Sisters on the Runway Robie Scola took part in planning the X-Block. They said they wanted to facilitate a discussion about sexual harassment and sexual assault in the wake of events happening within the wider American culture, but also within CRLS itself.
For Charron Alves ’90, a station leader in the cafeteria, and Ian Lavallee, the kitchen manager, the day in the CRLS kitchen starts at 5:45 AM. Ms. Alves likes to get to the school before her shift, which starts at 6:30 AM, to eat breakfast and prepare for the day. At dawn, Mr. Lavallee turns on ovens and equipment in both kitchens, strolls through the walk-in refrigerators, and takes out ingredients to be used that day.
