ESON & MSN Newsletter
November 2023
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Be sure to save the date for these upcoming 2023-24 Joint ESON/MSN Network Meetings!:
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Dec. 6th (in-person at the Foundry, 101 Rogers St.)
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Feb. 7th (virtual)
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Mar. 6th (virtual)
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Apr. 3rd (virtual)
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May 1st (virtual)
View the upcoming meeting topics here!
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As many of you know, our ESON Coordinator, Shawn Proctor has recently moved on to a new position within our landscape - on Oct 16th he officially started his new role as Manager for The Center for Families, the office within DHSP (Department of Human Service Programs), that supports families through Baby U, Cambridge Dads, playgroups and many other resources for Cambridge families.
From Shawn:
"During my time in this role, it’s been made apparent that youth and families in Cambridge have a Network of OST organizations and staff that will go to great lengths to provide high quality equitable opportunities to all with a focus on those who fall in between the gaps. Starting this role in the middle of the Covid-19 peak proved just that! Collaborative effort and innovation was modeled in ways one could only imagine. I watched and admired a City of OST professionals centering children’s needs together in non-traditional ways.
As this transition is bittersweet, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity that I’ve had to help create the beginnings of the ESON (Elementary School OST Network). I’ve been in this position for just about 3 years and am very fortunate to have worked with all of you in different ways. I will miss meeting with you every month for our Network meetings, visiting your programs, and brainstorming sessions around how to find/create seats for youth in your or neighboring programs. Luckily, in my new role, I’ll still be serving Cambridge families which will allow me to be an active member of the ESON and connect with all of you in a similar but different way."
We will miss him! We are also lucky that he has signed on to still attend ESON and MSN meetings throughout the rest of this year as he transitions to his new role. Look out for an ESON Coordinator Job Posting coming soon - it will be posted at the CPS Job Postings site. Help us find another great person to join our team!
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Submit Your Enrollment Data | |
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It's that time of year again! We are actively seeking OST programs to submit their Summer 2023 and School Year 2023-24 data to the Community Partner Portal. If you require any assistance with data input or have any questions regarding the process, please don't hesitate to reach out to Zeena Brown, Network Associate, zbrown@cpsd.us
Here are your options for submitting your program(s)' student enrollment data:
1. To access the Community Partner Portal
Please visit this link, and request a CPP account as needed. For help navigating the Portal, check out this help guide!
2. Support with uploading large batches of student enrollment lists (especially/including from past years)
Rob created a process for uploading multiple enrollment lists worth of historical data into the Community Partner Portal. Folks who already have CPP accounts will probably start at step 4a or 4b. Link to: Community Partner Portal Batch Upload Instructions
3. Submit lists of students for any program that includes sending the following details:
- Program info: Program Name - Program type - Start date - End date - Days per week
- For each program, Student info: First Name - Last Name - Grade - School
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The Cambridge Public Health Department is providing Youth Mental Health First Aid training, which is meant to teach adults who regularly interact with young people how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis.
If you're interested in training the staff at your organization, we can come to you wherever and whenever is most convenient. Contact Sarah Lincoln salincoln@cambridgepublichealth.org to learn more!
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In CPS Schools & In The News! | |
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"Students two-plus years behind can get tutoring from school district of up to 50 hours a semester"
"The Excel Afterschool Tutoring program is a “high-dosage tutoring” methodology based on academic research that has the potential to remediate learning loss from the Covid pandemic."...Read More On Cambridge Day
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What Are Middleschoolers Reading? | |
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All Upper Schools are using a new districtwide ELA curriculum called Fishtank Learning, which has them wrestling with some big questions and reading some great books. As significant adults in their lives, we can help extend these conversations, engage with them differently, or even help them stay on track with reading so their voices are heard in the classroom.
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6th Graders: finishing up The Watsons Go to Birmingham and talking about developing resilience
- Essential questions: How do family dynamics shape a person’s identity? How do family dynamics shape a person’s identity
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Up next (after Thanksgiving): reading The Giver and talking about challenging authority
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7th Graders: finishing up poems and essays about defining America
- Essential questions: What does it mean to be American? How does a person’s environment shape their identity?
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Up next (in Nov) The Outsiders
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8th Graders: finishing up All American Boys and talking about facing prejudice
- Essential question: How do race and racial bias shape a person’s experience and understanding of the world? What responsibility do people have when they witness--or are the victim of injustice?
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Up next (after Thanksgiving): reading Night and talking about encountering evil
What does homework look like?
- The new curriculum requires students to read and/or write daily at home in order to extend their learning, build stamina and independent learning habits, and be ready for class the next day.
- Sometimes students will read, or sometimes they will be asked to answer several questions about the reading, writing a few sentences for each question. At times, students might be asked to complete a "Target Task'' writing assignment, which is most likely a paragraph. Teachers will have different methods for tracking and handling HW. Responses might be in notebooks, google forms, docs, or google classroom.
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A sample question looks like this: How does Larry Dunn respond to his interaction with Byron? What does this reveal about his character? Support your answer with specific evidence from the text. (from 6th grade)
Want to talk more about how to help middle schoolers with homework? Annie and Katie Gribben (district ELA coordinator) would love to talk with you, email aleavitt@cpsd.us.
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Opportunities & Resources for You | |
Resources for Youth & Families | |
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Village Series Support Group for Caregivers
Join Cambridge Camping for monthly meetings including community-building activities, therapeutic exercises, self-care, and resource sharing for caregivers who are supporting children with social emotional or behavioral needs.
Open to any parent or caregiver who would benefit.
No cost. Meals and childcare provided.
Sept. 28th-Jun. 27th, 5:30-7:30pm
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Opportunities for Youth & Families | | |
The Middle School Network (MSN) and Elementary Out-of-School Time Network (ESON) are programs of the Agenda for Children Out-of-School Time that aim to ensure equitable access and engagement of elementary and middle school youth in out-of-school time experiences in Cambridge. Agenda for Children Out-of School Time is a citywide intermediary situated in both the City’s Human Services and School Departments. | |
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(Position Vacant)
ESON Coordinator
Cambridge Public Schools & Agenda for Children OST
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Annie Leavitt
MSN Coordinator
Cambridge Public Schools & Agenda for Children OST
617-349-6018, aleavitt@cpsd.us
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