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March 7, 2024

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Welcome to the March issue of the Connections newsletter. There are so many exciting events happening in our schools. Enjoy!

From the Superintendent

Thank you for taking the time to read through our monthly newsletter. Our SPS students, staff, and administrators are doing incredible work across our district and I am always so proud to see just a portion of their work highlighted here. I hope that you find it as inspiring as I do.

In addition to these highlights, I want to be intentional about using our newsletter to share some of the deep work that I am committed to undertaking, and to continue to engage with each of you. Each month I plan to not only share progress on the goals we have already set together, but also to create new opportunities to meet and engage with each school community throughout the school year. This month, I am excited to share some of the initial data stemming from our Strategic Plan process, in my monthly memo. This was a very intensive process and I am eager to share some of our findings with all of you. Please follow this link to read my full memo and view the data. Thank you!

- Dr. Carmona

Student and Staff Stories

SHS: New Partnership Brings Bosch, Bruins, CTE Carpentry Together for Fundraising

Our Career and Technical Education Department's Carpentry program students had an exciting month! Representatives from the Boston Bruins Foundation and Bosch Professional Power Tools and Accessories stopped by our carpentry studio on February 6 to celebrate a new partnership. Through the partnership, Bosch - the new official Power Tool of the Bruins - will donate tools that directly enhance career readiness opportunities for our students. In an exciting project, SHS students will repurpose broken hockey sticks from the Boston Bruins, developing original builds using creativity, know-how, and the right tools for the job. Once reimagined, Boston Bruins Foundation will auction the creations online, raising funds to benefit the school and empower careers in the trades. Read the press release for more details. [Photo Credit: Zachary Concannon and the Boston Bruins]

Photo of carpentry students, representatives from the Bruins Foundation, and Bosch Tools representatives posing with donated hockey sticks and power tools in the carpentry studio

SHS: Cheer Team Places 4th

Congratulations to the SHS Cheerleading Team! They placed 4th in the Northern Massachusetts Regional Competition. They had a great season and worked very hard to accomplish this great achievement.

SHS cheerleading team pictured in three rows in a gymnasium

Districtwide: Music Teachers Shipping Up to Boston

Watch an amazing performance of “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” by the Dropkick Murphys by the Somerville Music Educators Clarinet Consortium. Performers are Kennedy School music teacher Cathy Ward, Winter Hill music teacher Kristin Stier, district-wide band teacher Rosemary Sears, and district-wide band teacher / SHS Band Director Tim Moyer. Watch the performance!

The song is written by Alexander Barr, Ken Casey, Matthew Kelly, Woody Guthrie and published by Woody Guthrie Publications & Boston Scally Punk Publishing. All Rights for Woody Guthrie Publications Administered by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC. All Rights Reserved Used by Permission. Sheet Music Plus Order 100000100104 purchased by Rosemary Sears on Dec 12, 2023.

SHS: Haitian Dance Workshop for Students and Staff

Somerville High School dance and yoga instructor Ava Untermyer recently hosted a dance workshop with Jean Appolon Expressions (JAE), a Haitian folkloric dance ensemble. The workshop was led by JAE dancer Bisi Xotyeni and accompanied by master drummers Josil Rebert and Arnaud Lauture. Approximately 50 students and staff attended and tried dance moves that Bisi led. JAE is now working with students on an excerpt of the original work, Traka. This spring, students will perform the piece for the entire SHS community. This program is supported in part by the Somerville Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Photo of a dance teacher in the SHS dance studio teaching several students and staff members. There is a mirror behind the teacher.

SHS Student Joins Environmental Event with Governor Healey

Somerville High School student Chahat Kalia attended an event with Governor Maura Healey, Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, and Massachusetts State Representatives, celebrating the Governor's efforts to prioritize support for, among other priorities, clean-tech startups in Massachusetts. Chahat is a member of the Governor’s Climate Board, and one of many Somerville High School students who are passionate about addressing climate issues. Of her work with her peers on the Climate Board, Chahat says, "The urgency to combat climate change cannot be overstated and the youth of our generation recognize that. I, along with the other youth on the Youth Climate Council, all come together from all across Massachusetts to work directly with Climate Chief Hoffer. This work is personally important to me as I've witnessed the impacts of climate change and have recognized the importance of climate justice. The consequences of inaction on climate change are dire and far-reaching, so as youth, we must take steps now to ensure this issue isn't further worsened."

Photo of SHS student and Governor Healey at an event with a large crowd behind them

East Somerville: Door Decorating Challenge

Students and staff at East Somerville Community School celebrated Black History Month with a friendly classroom door-decorating challenge. The school’s hallways were full of visual biographies, designed by students, of icons in American history such as civil rights activist Ruby Bridges, astronaut Dr. Mae Jamison, baseball player Jackie Robinson, and artist Kehinde Wiley. Several classrooms also created colorful posters stating “Black history is American history” and “Black history is every day.” As ESCS Principal Berenice Mace-Diaz says, "Students and teachers have taken pride in the door decorating as we want to honor all Black people from all periods of history. It was a wonderful way for students to share with the entire school all that their classrooms learned about Black history."

Photo of three black history month door projects. Each project has images and words about important Americans.

Kennedy: Unplugged Arcade Combines Innovation and Fun

Kennedy 7th and 8th grade students in Mr. Sharp's science classes held an Unplugged Arcade recently. Students designed, prototyped, built, and tested unique games in small teams. The middle graders then held an arcade in the Kennedy gym and invited the younger grades to come and play with the games.

Photo of students in the Kennedy gym with two middle grades students showing a younger student how to use a game they designed and built. There are several people and students moving around in the background.

Argenziano: Artwork Shines through Choice Time for Prekindergarteners

Two students in Ms. Fellow’s prekindergarten class conversed at length and animatedly about their artwork during their choice time activity last week at the Argenziano.

Two prekindergarten girls talking animatedly over their art projects during choice time in the pk classroom at the Argenziano

 

Activities and Resources for Families and Students

All events listed here are cost-free unless otherwise noted.

2024 Summer Camp & Activities Fair. TODAY. March 7, from 5–7:00 p.m. in the East Somerville Community School gym. (Please enter at the back of the school on Glen Street.) Enjoy free pizza, activities, and talk to representatives from regional summer programs. The 2024 Summer Guide will be available to take home at the event.

Middle Grades Athletics. Spring sports registration is open!  Students in grades 6-8 are invited to sign up for the outdoor track and field and flag football teams. The medical clearance event is March 21 and the season starts March 25. Find information about registration on the Middle Grades Athletics webpage, along with opportunities for students to try out for several high school sports. 

Training for families around the new Individualized Education Program (IEP) forms. March 19, April 24, and May 16 at 7–9:00 p.m. at three locations. Learn about the revised IEP forms at these in-person training sessions. Please visit the Special Education website to learn more.

Enrolling Kindergarten and Prekindergarten Students. The enrollment deadline for the first batch of school assignments has closed but you can still enroll your PK and K students in Somerville Public Schools. Please visit the Enrollment Office website to learn everything you need to know about enrolling a student in any grade.

Enrollment for SPS Community Schools Afterschool Starts Soon. Families of PK and K students who received their school assignments can apply for a spot in that facility's Community Schools afterschool program. The registration period is March 19–28. Visit the SPS Community Schools Afterschool webpage to get started. This program is fee-based. Need-based financial aid is available. 

El Sistema Afterschool Music Instruction Program Registration. Students in grades 3-8 are invited to enroll in this innovative afterschool instrument instruction program for the 2024–2025 school year. Students can choose to play violin, cello, or a woodwind or brass instrument. The program runs in the East Somerville Community School. Learn more and find the application forms on the El Sistema webpage. This program is run by Somerville Public Schools and it is fee-based. Need-based financial aid is available.

Afterschool Opportunities through Partner Organizations. There are many high-quality, fee-based afterschool programs in Somerville through external organizations. Learn about these programs on the Somerville Hub Connect website, run by the City of Somerville's SomerPromise department.

SPS Summer Programs Job Openings. Join our amazing SPS team this summer! We have summer program jobs available for high school students, college students, and professionals! Visit our online career portal to apply.

Annual Tufts Read by the River Event for children. March 10, 1:00–4:00 p.m. Joyce Cummings Center at Tufts University, 77 College Ave, Medford, MA 02155. Kids are invited to enjoy a reading themed carnival and activities. Paid parking is available for families who drive. There will be a story time and surprise guest. Event information.

Somerville Schools Track & Field Championships. March 13, 3:00 p.m. Students in grades 7 and 8 are invited to the Somerville High School Fieldhouse for the third annual Somerville Schools Track & Field Championships.

Attend the third annual SPS Diversity Recruitment Fair. April 6th, 9:00–11:00 a.m. This is a virtual event for anyone interested in meeting representatives from the Somerville Public Schools to explore open job opportunities. Register here. Learn about Equity and Excellence in Somerville Public Schools.

Early Release Wednesdays start next year. Starting in fall 2024, students in grades PK–8 will be released early on every Wednesdays. The Wednesday school day will end at noon for prekindergarten and at 1:00 p.m. for grades K–8. Learn more about this schedule change on our website.