a communication on Highlights from School Committee Meeting of February 6, 2018

CITY OF CAMBRIDGE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR mayor@cambridgema.gov Marc C. McGovern Phone: [phone removed] Mayor Fax: [phone removed] MEMORANDUM To: Cambridge City Council From: Marc C. McGovern, Mayor Date: February 8, 2018 Subject: Communicating Highlights from School Committee Meeting Feb. 6, 2018 To the Honorable, the City Council: Please find highlights from the Tuesday, February 6, 2018, School Committee Roundtable and Regular Meeting. Roundtable presentation from CPSD Superintendent and Administrative Team: • One-to-one Technology Program: highlighting equity and access, essential skill building, direct student instruction and differentiation, as well as family and teacher collaboration • Phase 1 SY17-18: • Successful rollout of Chromebooks to each CRLS Freshmen 21 classrooms (10"-12" graders) in class cart/daily use integrated into curriculum • Phase 2 SY18-19: Take-home devices for all high school students • Social Emotional & Behavioral Learning Framework: programming designed to support and grow empathy and resilience capacity for students, teachers and schools as the foundation for learning across CPSD and in the community. Estimated that ~50% of CPSD students have or are currently experiencing toxic stress/trauma. Program highlights include: 2300 staff trained in trauma sensitive classroom practice 125 teachers masters-plus trauma course 250 staff have received training on neurobiology of compassion fatigue (burnout) and how to reduce secondary trauma (practice of self-care) 120 staff Yoga movement breaks curriculum 100 staff mindfulness courses 800 students currently receiving mindfulness training/support/practice • Targeted Support to Schools: systematic process for CPSD Teaching & Learning Team to determine and implement need and level of support differentiated for each school. • Collaborative solutions across departments, instructional implications and data analysis to create clear timelines and measures for success are hallmarks of this targeted support.

• CRLS Black Student Union spoke to goals of having a teaching staff reflective of student body as well as creating a curriculum to engage teaching staff around micro-aggressions. • Motions and public comment around language immersion program seats available, SES balance, student test scores, and Upper School engagement called School Committee into discussion on CPSD controlled choice policy, equity and access, targeted support, as well as the ever-changing socio- economic landscape across the City. As Mayor, I would like to affirm that I support our controlled choice policy and I support schools and classrooms being balanced by SES. I think having diverse populations in our classrooms and schools is one of the greatest strengths of our district. • Resolution: for School Committee to support Elementary School Recess: MA State Bill 308, MA House Bill 235 calling for 20 min/day of Recess in K-5 as uninterrupted time PASSED; affirming the value and need for unstructured play across the district. Respectfully, Mine MCe Marc C. McGovern The Mayor's office shares the goal of creating regular joint City Council - School Committee meetings to collaborate and support highlighting need to work together on larger issues that impact our students, families and larger Cambridge community. For an official record, members should continue to refer to minutes prepared by the Executive Secretary to the School Committee. School Committee summaries represent information that the Mayor's Office deems relevant for both bodies, and may not include all actions taken by the School Committee. If you read anything in these communications that you would like to know more about, please reach out to Educational Liaison Elizabeth Liss (eliss@cambridgema.gov).