information from the School Committee’s Regular Meeting held on May 5, 2020

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR Sumbul Siddiqui Mayor To: Cambridge City Council From: Sumbul Siddiqui, Mayor Date: May 7, 2020 Subject: Communicating information from the School Committee’s Regular Meeting To the Honorable, the City Council: This past Tuesday, May 5th, the School Committee and administration had a Regular Meeting and heard Public Comment about distance learning and the FY21 budget, in the context of COVID-19 recovery planning. I’m thankful to everyone that tuned in and signed up to provide their testimonies. Community engagement and feedback is so crucial to this planning process. Following Public Comment, Superintendent Salim gave a presentation on CPS’s plan and its updates. The takeaway from the questions and comments of both community members and School Committee members is that we need all hands on deck for much more structure in short-term, mid-term, and long-term planning to address the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis and to be prepared for the upcoming summer and fall. The School Committee also agreed that prior to voting on the FY21 budget, it is very important to think about what COVID-19 concerns still need to be addressed. The motion to vote on the budget has been placed on the table, pending these discussions. On Tuesday, May 7th, the School Committee is convening for a Special Meeting with Public Comment at 6:00pm to continue engaging community members in this conversation around what we need in our COVID-19 recovery and distance learning planning. On Friday, April 24th, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education sent out updated guidance on remote learning (with specific prerequisite content standards for grades K-5 and 6-12) as well as updated guidance on the length of the school year to reflect the new reality of not returning to school this spring. We will have another Special Meeting with Public Comment for the same purpose at 6:00pm next Tuesday, May 12th. I also want to add that my Office will soon place the CRLS senior class photo on the lawn signs in front of City Hall. We are working on ways to make graduation special for our seniors. Please feel free to purchase a CRLS Class of 2020 lawn/window sign as another way to support the senior class.

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, suggestions, or concerns. Respectfully, Sumbul Siddiqui