*** Breaking News ***

At the end of last night's (Tue. Sept. 16th) School Committee meeting, Superintendent Fowler-Finn informed the Committee of his resignation, effective Feb. 4, 2009 to pursue another opportunity in accordance with the minimum 90-day notice he's committed to give by his contract.  More details will emerge over the coming days.

Introduction

Between graduations, conferences and key meetings, it has been a busy spring and summer for the School Committee. At the end of March, I went to the National School Board Association conference.  The Conference provided the opportunity to learn about issues facing school districts across the country and to attend workshops on how to be a more effective School Committee Member.  Although Public Schools will always face serious challenges, I was encouraged to learn that the Cambridge Public Schools actively implement strategies to accelerate achievement, recruit and retain excellent teachers, and use data to inform instruction.  One of the best workshops was “Music Instruction that Tips the Scales in Favor of Student Achievement”, presented by CPS music teacher Wendy Silverberg and the Peabody School Principal, Joellen Scannell, among others.  They did a fabulous job demonstrating how the Kodaly music program improves student achievement using accessible musical resources and music instruction 4 days per week for kindergarteners and 1^st and 2^nd graders.

One of the privileges of being on the School Committee is that I was a guest at all the June graduations in Cambridge—14 schools!  At all of these graduations, students were honored and celebrated for much more than just academic success.  It was also about becoming a fully engaged participant in society.  Each graduation was well-rehearsed and highlighted the talents of the students and each school’s sense of community and identity. The programs included music, art, poetry, dance and public speaking in which students offered thoughtful reflections on their school experience and hopes for the future.

The School Committee has established many sub-committees in order to accomplish its goals, and I am a member of many of these committees.  It is exciting to be part of the groups that are involved in creating the goals for our school system, developing a schedule for the superintendent search, accelerating achievement for all students, negotiating the next teacher’s contract, and the work that is being done around middle schools.

You will probably notice that this newsletter includes a great deal of information, but there is a lot going on and I want you to be informed.  Many important decisions are going to be made in the upcoming months; including choosing a new superintendent, improving the controlled choice policy, continue the work done on the Special Education Strategic Plan, as well as making a decision on the structure of our middle schools.  There will be several opportunities for you to share your opinions.  However, please know that you can call (617-576-7977) me or email (nancytauber@comcast.net) to discuss any of the issues facing our schools.  Also,  as part of my effort to get infomation to and from as many people as possible, please pass along this newsletter or my contact info to anyone you  think may be interested.

Thanks,

Nancy

In this issue:

• IMPORTANT DATES
• MIDDLE SCHOOLS
  
• SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH
• BUDGET 2009-10
• CPS GOALS
• CRLS RENOVATION
• CRLS WEIGHTED GRADE SYSTEM
• RSTA
• SPECIAL EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN
• MAYOR’S BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION ON YOUTH SERVICES
• READINESS PROJECT
• SCHOOL COMMITTEE OPERATING PRINCIPLES

IMPORTANT DATES

• Special Education Strategic Plan Public Forum:
•  Weds., Sept. 17^th at 7:00 p.m. at CRLS, Main Cafeteria
• Controlled Choice Public Forum:
• Tues., Sept. 23^rd at 6:00 p.m. at CRLS, Main Cafeteria
• Middle School Public Input Sessions:
• Weds., Oct. 1^st from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the Peabody School
• Thurs., Oct. 2^nd from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the Kennedy-Longfellow School
• Weds, Nov. 5^th from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at CRLS
• Kindergarten Information Night:
• Weds., Oct.15^th from 6:00-8:30 at the Peabody School
• Weds., Oct. 22^nd from 6:00-8:30 at the Kennedy-Longfellow School
• 8^th Grade CRLS Information Night
• Thurs, Dec. 4^th at 6:00 p.m. at CRLS, Fitzgerald Theatre

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MIDDLE SCHOOLS

On June 3rd, the Blue Ribbon Commission on Middle Schools presented the final report to the School Committee.  I would encourage you to read the document - www.cpsd.us/cpsdir/BlueRibbonComm.cfm . The report was also mailed home to all parents/guardians. It provides a very good overview of the current state of the middle school structure in Cambridge, as well as a detailed explanation of the strengths and challenges of the CPS middle school structure.  In order to understand the challenges facing the district, members of the Blue Ribbon Commission visited and researched middle schools within CPS and in surrounding communities to view how programs were positively or adversely affected by school structure (K-8, 7-12 and 6-8 school models). 

Based on the work of the Blue Ribbon Commission and input from administration and faculty, the Superintendent and his leadership team will be developing specific recommendations regarding middle school structure.  There will be opportunities for input at two public forums on October 1^st and 2^nd.  At these meetings, the Superintendent will present various options and the pros and cons of each of those options, and the public will have a chance to respond and comment. An additional opportunity for families to hear and react to potential proposals will be held on November 5^th at CRLS. 

Please contact me if you have any opinions, questions or concerns regarding the CPS middle school structure.  The School Committee will be making an important decision, and it is important that your voice is heard.

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SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH

In May, Dr. Fowler-Finn and the School Committee agreed on a one year extension of the Superintendent’s contract through July 31^st, 2009.

Over the summer, the School Committee met to discuss the process by which we will search for a new Superintendent.  After much discussion, we decided to hire a search firm in order to help us find our next leader.  An ad-hoc sub-committee (Luc Schuster, Fred Fantini and me) was formed to develop a timeline for the superintendent search.  With the help of Barbara Allen (Director of Human Resources) and Marilyn Bradshaw (School Committee Executive Secretary), we created a tentative timeline for the search. In the upcoming months we will be seeking community input so that the members of the School Committee know what characteristics are important to you in a new Superintendent. 

At the September 2^nd School Committee meeting, a search committee of the whole School Committee was established, and Barbara Allen (Director of Human Resources) was designated the Search Liaison.  We also agreed to follow the tentative timeline that includes hiring a search firm, developing a job description, gathering community input, advertising and posting the vacancy, recruiting candidates internally and nationally, screening candidates, interviewing candidates, and conducting site visits.  Although the tentative timeline states that we will choose a new superintendent by mid-January, everyone on the School Committee understands that the timeline and process will be flexible because this is the most important decision that we will be making in this term.

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BUDGET 2009-10

This year I am the budget co-Chair with Luc Schuster, and in the next month we will begin working with the administration on the 2009-10 Budget.  We are also in process of completing a user-friendly budget guide, which will be mailed home to all Cambridge residents this fall.

During the last budget process, the School Committee and administration established Guiding Principles to keep the budget focused and efficient.  The Guiding Principles for 2008-09 are:

1. School program structure and small class size are maintained.
2. Special education services are supported and improved.
3. Effectiveness of programs will drive funding decisions.
4. The importance of collaboration among community partners in raising achievement for all is recognized.
5. Continuation of effective summer programs is maintained.

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CPS GOALS

Over the summer, I became the chair of an ad-hoc committee that was established to develop the goals for the CPS in 2008-2010.  Marc McGovern, Patty Nolan, Dr. Turk, Dr. Fowler-Finn and I have developed several drafts that have been shared with the other School Committee members. The School Committee agreed that we should continue working on the goals from the previous term where we’ve seen good growth that we want to extend.  These goals are:

1.  Accelerate achievement levels for all students.

2.  Establish and implement a system for longitudinal assessment of student growth over time.

3.  Utilize strategic planning process/documents to guide decision making for the next 3 to 5 year period (complete work on the Special Education Strategic Plan, develop and adopt a plan for middle school education, and evaluate programs to effectively guide funding decisions).  

Members of the Goals Committee have been working on two new goals that hopefully will be adopted by the School Committee. It is really exciting to see that we are moving beyond test scores and focusing more on skills that will prepare our students for a successful future. The proposed goals are:

1.  Students will demonstrate skills in critical thinking, collaboration, problem solving and communication.

2.  The district will ensure a safe, nurturing and healthy school environment.

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CRLS RENOVATIONS

The CRLS Leadership team, Jim Maloney and the CPS facilities staff and architects have been working diligently on the CRLS renovation project for many months trying to iron out the details.  At the presentation in May, one of the architects commented that they have worked with many school districts, and Cambridge is the first to plan so far in advance in order to address the concerns of the community and devise a plan that will be as least disruptive as possible.  The original cost for the project was approximately $96,000,000, and this summer the City Manager approved an additional $25,000,000 due to the increase in costs.  Although this project is costing a great deal, all agree it is necessary and many people are working hard to make sure it produces a state of the art high school for our children and community. 

The phasing plan for the CRLS renovation project was presented to the School Committee on May 6^th.    Although the renovations don’t officially start until the spring of 2009, there is a great deal of work being done to prepare.  Over the summer, the following programs moved to the Upton Street building (former home of Graham and Parks):

• High School Extension School
• Transition Program
• Family Resource Center (scheduled to move later this fall)
• Special Start Staff
• Home-Based Learning Staff 

 It is my understanding that the staff are happy to have early childhood programs housed in one building, perhaps the relocation due to the renovation will enhance and help coordinate early childhood programs. 

This summer there was some asbestos removal work at CRLS, and this year work is being done at the Longfellow building so that it is ready to house the freshman class of 2009 and 2010.  Fortunately, the plan will affect a limited number of students at one time.  During the first year of the renovations, the 2009 9^th grade (current 8^th grade) students will go to the Longfellow School Building, which is 5 blocks away on Broadway, and then those students will go back to CRLS for 10^th – 12^th grade.  The following year, the 2010 9^th grade (current 7^th grade) will go to the Longfellow School for their freshman year, and then return to the newly renovated CRLS.  Dr. Saheed and his team at the high school are excited about the potentials for a Freshman Academy. 

For a more information, please go to the website

www.cpsd.us/cpsdir/CRLS_renovation.cfm

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CRLS WEIGHTED GRADING SYSTEM

Beginning in the 2008-09 School Year, a new weighted grade system will take effect in order to encourage students to take Advanced Placement (AP) courses.  Each AP course in this and future years will carry an add-on of .025 points applied directly to the student’s overall Grade Point Average (GPA) provided that the student passes the course.  Each time the student passes an AP course, the add on of .025 points would be applied directly to the overall GPA.

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RINDGE SCHOOL OF TECHNICAL ARTS - RSTA

In the spring, I had the opportunity to visit RSTA in order to learn more about the many programs available to the students at CRLS.  It is amazing how many diverse opportunities there are available to students:

• Automotive Technology 
• Carpentry 
• Culinary Arts/Hospitality           
• Engineering                                 
• Commercial Design
• Graphic Communications                                  
• Health Assisting
• Information Technology             
• Media Technology (TV Broadcasting) 

One of the issues facing some of the RSTA programs is under enrollment.  If you know someone who is at CRLS or planning on going there, please encourage him or her to explore the RSTA courses and programs.

For instance, the Biotechnology program is strong and has a lot to offer students. Dr. Joan Abrams has spent four years developing and teaching the curriculum and forging contacts to link her students with appropriate research projects within our great scientific community. There are numerous opportunities for students to conduct research at Harvard, MIT, Dana Farber, Broad Institute, etc. during the school year and through summer internships. Biotechnology students are intimately exposed to world-class research institutions and personally interacting with top-notch scientists through research collaborations and internships.

For more information, please go to the website www.rindgetech.com

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SPECIAL EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

This past spring, the Superintendent facilitated a 3-day Special Education Strategic Planning session, and the group developed a mission statement and key objectives to better serve students with special needs.

“The mission of special education in the Cambridge Public Schools is to ensure that all students with disabilities receive a high quality education that utilizes best practices and provides individually designed services and supports through a diverse, knowledgeable and skilled faculty of general and special educators in collaboration with families and the community to prepare students to be educated, responsible and contributing members of society.”  

A new committee will be established this fall in order to create a proposed action plan and prepare for limited implementation in the 08-09 school year.  If you are interested in volunteering and/or learning more about the work that will be done to improve special education services, please go to the community-wide forum on Wednesday September, 17^th, at 7:00 p.m. at CRLS.

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MAYOR’S BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION ON YOUTH SERVICES

City Councilor Sam Seidel and I are the co-Chairs of the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Youth Services.  This committee was established by Mayor Simmons after a roundtable discussion between the School Committee and City Council in May.  Everyone agreed that there are many services available to the children of Cambridge; however, there is a need for more collaboration, coordination, communication and program evaluation between the School Department and Department of Human Services, as well as the many other service providers throughout the city. It was very helpful to hear from all the elected officials, and Sam and I thought it would also be helpful to seek the advice and expertise from those people who work with our children. Throughout the summer, we have met with various people who work in the Human Services Department and School Department in order to get their feedback.  Everyone agrees that collaboration and program quality are important.

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READINESS PROJECT

Governor Deval Patrick kicked off the Readiness Project this summer.  It is a long-term, strategic plan for reforming our education system in Massachusetts and preparing students for the 21st century. For the past year a statewide initiative involving more than 200 educators, business leaders and community leaders developed a blueprint for the next phase of education in the Commonwealth.  Here is a link to more information:  http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eoehomepage&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Eeoe  
Also, there is a grassroots organization in Cambridge whose main goal is to promote the Readiness Project.  Larry Field is the organizer/leader, and there are many others involved who are committed to improving public education.  Please let me know if you are interested in getting involved with this group.

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SCHOOL COMMITTEE OPERATING PRINCIPLES

During the spring, the School Committee decided to implement Operating Principles in order for us to be a more effective team.  Luc Schuster, Fred Fantini and I (Governance committee) have been working on these principles, and they should be formally adopted by the School Committee soon.  

1.  Every effort should be made by members to provide hard copies of background information on motions by Thursday at noon.

2.  Members and district leadership should remember to have off-line collegial conversations/interactions that do not violate open meeting law.

3.  No Member should take a private action that could be interpreted as representing the whole Committee.

4.  Substantive motions should always get referred to a subcommittee for vetting. The original sponsor(s) may request the subcommittee to which their motion should be referred.

5.  Debate on the floor should focus on the merits of the issue being discussed.

6.  Members should avoid surprising or “springing things” on other members.

7.  Members should make every attempt to respond to direct questions from other members between meetings.

8.  Members should avoid “either/or thinking” whenever possible, in order to challenge ourselves to seek creative solutions.

9.  In the interest of having efficient meetings, members should not repeat the details of comments already made during a discussion at a general business meeting.  An acknowledgement of agreement with other members’ comments will suffice.

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