Letter from Mayor Siddiqui, Communicating information from the School Committee

Cambridge City Hall | 795 Massachusetts Avenue | Cambridge, MA 02139 ssiddiqui@cambridgema.gov│[phone removed]│tty: [phone removed]│cambridgema.gov 1 OFFICE OF THE MAYOR Sumbul Siddiqui Mayor To: Cambridge City Council From: Sumbul Siddiqui, Mayor Date: November 19, 2020 Subject: Communicating information from the School Committee To the Honorable, the City Council: On Thursday, November 12th, the School Committee was joined by Dr. Danielle Allen (Harvard University), Dr. Mauricio Santillana (Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School), and Dr. Alisa Khan (Boston Children’s Hospital) for a Special Meeting to engage families and educators of color in a conversation about the updated metrics recommended by CPS’s scientific advisors, which was tabled by Member Wilson at the November 5th Special Meeting. After a long discussion with community members of color (including representatives from the Educators of Color Coalition (EOCC), Cambridge Families of Color Coalition (CFCC), Cambridge Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SE-PAC), My Brother’s Keeper Cambridge, and Cambridge NAACP) the School Committee voted to adopt the recommendations. We are continuing to plan for all scenarios and engaging with community members to improve our communication. We continued this conversation with community stakeholders at a Roundtable Meeting on Wednesday, November 18th, with a focus on ways that the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color may be factored more explicitly into the metrics. I am glad that we are having these discussions, in order to take a more holistic approach to community health, informed by the many different perspectives of our families and educators. On Tuesday, November 17th, the School Committee held a Regular Meeting, where we received a COVID-19 update from the Superintendent (please see highlighted slides below) and had a robust conversation about School Committee Member Ethics stemming from a motion filed by the Governance Subcommittee (item #20-278 on the agenda), before Member Fantini exercised his charter right to table the vote and further discussion.

Cambridge City Hall | 795 Massachusetts Avenue | Cambridge, MA 02139 ssiddiqui@cambridgema.gov│[phone removed]│tty: [phone removed]│cambridgema.gov 2

Cambridge City Hall | 795 Massachusetts Avenue | Cambridge, MA 02139 ssiddiqui@cambridgema.gov│[phone removed]│tty: [phone removed]│cambridgema.gov 3 The CPS COVID-19 Dashboard has been updated to include the number of confirmed positive cases as well as the rates of CPS staff participation in the surveillance testing program. And in addition, CPS and CPHD are collaborating to streamline the data workflow between agencies and websites—the City’s Data Center now includes metrics used by CPS. In the event that a temporary shift to fully remote learning is required, as determined by the CPS COVID-19 metrics, families can expect to see: • Notification via email, as well as by phone for in-person learners • At least 2 days’ notice before the shift takes place • Remote learning schedules and login information from their school • Phone calls from OSS case managers to discuss expectations and support for students with special needs • A remote meal plan similar to last spring • A school closure of at least 1 week, with in-person education resuming only after two or more metrics remain below the thresholds for 7 consecutive days After an amazing pilot of the Local Parks Program this fall, I’m excited to announce that this winter, my Office and the WorkForce Program are continuing our partnership with Elevate Youth to launch a virtual program for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade CPS students to stay connected and engage with interactive activities and challenges. • Our goal is to promote outdoor education, movement, and wellness in the students we serve, while maintaining social connection through weekly check-ins. • The fun, project-based curriculum will begin the week after Thanksgiving and will run until at least mid-February. • Weekly themes will include: learning about wildlife in our neighborhoods, cooking and eating new and interesting foods, participating in group yoga and exercise classes, learning tips and tricks to get outside in the winter months, and much more! • There will also be an opportunity to join free in-person outings during the weekends (e.g. hiking, skating, cross-country skiing), state and local health restrictions permitting We want our students to get active, get some fresh air, and spend time off their screens this winter. Please encourage to any interested families you know to fill out an application ASAP. Our upcoming meetings are as follows: • Thursday, November 19th, 2020 o Buildings and Grounds Subcommittee | 7:30 PM ▪ Discussing safety policies and the health metrics to ensure they reflect the disproportionate risk of COVID-19 to some communities and as part of the plan for more students to return into the classrooms • Tuesday, December 1st, 2020 o Regular Meeting | 6:00 PM

Cambridge City Hall | 795 Massachusetts Avenue | Cambridge, MA 02139 ssiddiqui@cambridgema.gov│[phone removed]│tty: [phone removed]│cambridgema.gov 4 • Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020 o School Climate Subcommittee Meeting | 5:00 PM ▪ Discussing revisions to the elementary school check-in policy • Tuesday, December 8th, 2020 o Roundtable Meeting | 6:00 PM ▪ With upper and high school principals • Tuesday, December 15th, 2020 o Regular Meeting | 6:00 PM Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, suggestions, or concerns. Respectfully, Sumbul Siddiqui