| 2025-06-18 |
06/18/25 |
07:00 pm |
08:30 pm |
TBA |
TBD | Notice (pdf) |
| 2025-05-28 |
05/28/25 |
07:00 pm |
08:30 pm |
TBA |
TBD | Notice (pdf) |
| 2025-04-30 |
04/30/25 |
07:00 pm |
08:30 pm |
Cambridge Public Library (Rindge Room) |
School Council Elections:
School Council is approaching the end of year 1. New elections are coming up.
Get people to actually vote during the School Concert.
Voting needs to be open for 2 weeks.
Squish 2 weeks of raising awareness & 2 weeks of nominations together to 3-3 ½ weeks for a more feasible timeline. (Jess)
Everything needs to be done by June 18th because that is our last School Council meeting.
May 15, butterfly trip for SEI kids - might be a good time to recruit parents.
We want to open voting on May 29th for Orchestra Concert.
How do we get staff to participate in School Council meetings?
Switch to an alternate schedule (sometimes mornings/sometimes evenings).
Our next meeting is May 28th, day before elections open.
Reach out to 6th grade and especially to rising 6th grade families (5th grade families).
Would it be motivational to add language around new building?
Chatter feedback loop is helpful, but we currently don’t have enough of that.
We need input on policy like we had when we started our cell phone policy - COLLABORATIVE WORK
Are there issues we can work on as a council proactively?
Specificity — not necessarily having an agenda - but introducing a topic that people can discuss and work on collaboratively, for example as follows:
discipline
homework
refining language in student handbook
Council goes to the community - meet with other parents to brainstorm, listen, and see what families’ concerns are, what can we work on.
How do we draft this message to make it appealing for families to come to school council meetings? (Oksana)
Locus of control - what families and schools can work on together. Our locus of control is the things we do differently from other schools. District decisions are not within our control.
We want the factors unique to us to be informed by and supported by our community (Jess)
logistical issues -
we have no reminders for meeting
we have no shared notes
we should have a newsletter
School council is a part of family engagement.
functions as an advisory group (worst version)
for people interested in school policy - not every family is that wonky
school council is only one prong of engagement. There’s no one way to be engaged.
We do a better job of selling this if people are already interested in school governance and policy.
series of family events & community events - family-to-family
Action items:
BY JULY 1 - list of topics for the school council for the upcoming school year
consider more mechanisms for getting more feedback & engagement
video to share with families by Friday (Daniel has done this task)
Reach out to Friends of & School Council (Carroll & Jess) | Notice (pdf) |
| 2025-03-26 |
03/26/25 |
07:30 pm |
08:30 pm |
Vassal Lane Upper School |
*Currently building schedules for next year
*Launching Way Finder next school year
*Next Years grade level celebrations: All grade Celebrations of Learning
*Who We Are Breakfast
| Notice (pdf) |
| 2025-02-26 |
02/26/25 |
07:30 pm |
08:30 pm |
Vassal Lane Upper School |
Cancelled. No meeting. DCN sick.
| Notice (pdf) |
| 2025-01-29 |
01/29/25 |
07:30 pm |
08:30 pm |
Vassal Lane Upper School |
5th Grade Night happening tomorrow
starting Black History Month
Black Affinity Group will do educational leadership through announcements every day
big breakfast celebration at the end of the month
still on schedule with the new building
finalized furniture
finalized room assignments for teachers
kids with ASD will have a strand/middle school in our building.
They have a tiered system and have adults who will work with them & travel through building with them.
Teachers will be trained (GenEd). This professional development will start in the Spring.
How do we make it so that kids are being inclusive with new kids who have different challenges (may be non-verbal) but share this space with them? What can we learn from CSUS?
Teachers need to mitigate the level of disruption - how do we rethink what class looks like, managing expectations?
”Our locus of control is around the structures of the classroom.”
working with Tobin - collaborating with fire drills. There may be shared space because the KLo SEI classrooms will be hosted by Tobin for one year.
Staffing -
Drama teacher is returning after February break.
PE/Health teacher (Teresa) is retiring this Friday.
Patrick Sabato - 7th grade Social Studies - replacing Chris during his Sabbatical.
Thea - special ed teacher, science & math
The new administration wants to cut federal funding to schools that “indoctrinate kids,” i.e. teach them to have empathy.
ICE -
no longer stays out of hospitals, churches, schools
David Murphy (interim superintendent) sent out an email about this.
We do not allow anyone who is not Cambridge Police into our buildings.
Teachers are not authorized to share any info about students.
We would not open the door to ICE.
We can support students if they get home and parents are not there - backup plans.
The purpose of this policy change is intended to create fear.
The city is hosting “Know Your Rights” workshops.
Are we having formal discussions or circles with kids?
We are trying to pace ourselves with the info we share. We will need to talk with all kids about having a backup plan.
How do we support kids to get papers and apply for college and jobs?
Obi will talk with the high school about this.
| Notice (pdf) |
| 2024-12-18 |
12/18/24 |
07:00 pm |
08:30 pm |
TBA |
TBD | Notice (pdf) |
| 2024-11-19 |
11/19/24 |
07:00 pm |
08:30 pm |
TBA |
TBD | Notice (pdf) |
| 2024-10-23 |
10/23/24 |
07:00 pm |
08:30 pm |
Cambridge Public Library (Rindge Room) |
-Updates
-Sara Foleno (Guest)-Student Data Reporting
-Phone Policy
-Chromebook Distribution
-School Bus Challenges
-More Support For Students Struggling With Math | Notice (pdf) |
| 2024-09-26 |
09/26/24 |
07:00 pm |
08:30 pm |
Vassal Lane Upper School |
-Principles Updates
-Start Of The School Year
-Cell Phone Updates
-New Staff
-FLEX And Community Circles
-Listening Conferences and Student Led Conference
-New Building Update
-Chromebook Restrictions
-Upper School Handbook | Notice (pdf) |
| 2024-06-11 |
06/11/24 |
07:30 pm |
08:30 pm |
On Zoom |
-VLUS Members (Intro)
-School Council...What's Next
-Calendar (Next year-August)
-Core Teachers Availability During FLEX Blocks
-Summer Tours Of The New Building
-Graduation Update
-Staff Announcements | Notice (pdf) |
| 2024-05-22 |
05/22/24 |
07:00 pm |
08:30 pm |
Vassal Lane Upper School |
-Public Comment..Making Sure It Works
-School Council Nominations--Staff+Families
-FOVLUS Update (Recruiting)
-Student Seats Fall 24-25 School Year)
-Affinity Wednesdays
-New Days For After School Clubs
-Upper School Math Update
-Algebra 2 (Highschool) | Notice (pdf) |
| 2024-04-24 |
04/24/24 |
07:00 pm |
08:30 pm |
Cambridge Public Library |
-School Council Elections
-Next Year Planning
-Student Govt joining SC (rotating students)
-District Guidelines
-What Messaging To Parents About New Start and End Times
-Email From After School Coordinator For Next Year's Clubs | Notice (pdf) |
| 2024-03-20 |
03/20/24 |
07:00 pm |
08:30 pm |
CRLS (459 Broadway Ct. Cambridge, MA.) in the Principal's Conference Room. |
No Expected FTE Increases For SY 24-25, April Agenda, | Notice (pdf) |
| 2024-01-31 |
01/31/24 |
07:00 pm |
08:30 pm |
(CRLS--Principal Conference Room) 459 Broadway, Cambridge, MA. |
Migrant families update, Budget approval, New School Name, 5th Grade Transition Mtg, Movie Night Date, SEI Positions, Supporting Students with low Reading Skills. | Notice (pdf) |
| 2023-12-13 |
12/13/23 |
07:00 pm |
08:30 pm |
In Person--CRLS--Principal's Conference Room |
Sara Foleno-Literacy Coach Presentation, school updates, family survey, panoramic survey, math teacher update, vision for VLUS learners, ELA curriculum, and 5th-grade information night. | Notice (pdf) |
| 2023-11-16 |
11/16/23 |
07:00 pm |
08:30 pm |
In Person--CRLS--Principal's Conference Room |
Advisors connecting with their families to invite them to School Council Mtg's, AP update and interview process, MCAS reporting, case management, progress reports, and next meeting guests and next year's schedule. | Notice (pdf) |
| 2023-10-24 |
10/24/23 |
07:00 pm |
08:30 pm |
In Person at Vassal Lane |
Introductions, SIP, and School Elections | Notice (pdf) |
| 2023-01-17 |
01/17/23 |
07:30 pm |
08:30 pm |
Virtual |
Grading system, what kids are learning, interim co-chair, co-chair for next mtg (Carroll Magill), family recruiting during the next VLUS school events, budget weigh-in, SIP, need for additional staffing--paraprofessional--tutors 0r guidance counselors. | Notice (pdf) |
| 2022-12-21 |
12/21/22 |
07:30 pm |
08:30 pm |
Vassal Lane Upper School |
School Council--"What is it"?, what will be discussed at upcoming school council meetings, 6th-grade Season of Learning, what"s happening in class--emails sent home directly from teachers, what would families like to see or learn more about VLUS? not enough homework. | Notice (pdf) |
| 2022-11-30 |
11/30/22 |
03:15 pm |
04:15 pm |
In-Person, room 302 |
*School news
*Day of service (overview)
*Field trips,
*iReady roll-out
*School-wide screener | Notice (pdf) |
| 2022-10-20 |
10/20/22 |
03:30 pm |
04:30 pm |
Vassal Lane Upper School (In person) |
Principal's Updates, introduction to SY 22-23, Meet the New School Council Reps! | Notice (pdf) |
| 2022-05-17 |
05/17/22 |
03:15 pm |
04:15 pm |
Virtual |
Principal C-N Updates, EOY Planning. | Notice (pdf) |
| 2022-04-11 |
04/11/22 |
03:15 pm |
04:15 pm |
Vassal Lane Upper School |
Updates from Principal C-N, Student Council events, VLUS Calendar. | Notice (pdf) |
| 2022-02-16 |
02/16/22 |
03:30 pm |
04:30 pm |
Vassal Lane Upper School |
School Updates | Notice (pdf) |
| 2022-01-19 |
01/19/22 |
07:00 pm |
08:00 pm |
Virtual |
School Council Updates | Notice (pdf) |
| 2021-11-29 |
11/29/21 |
03:30 pm |
04:30 pm |
Virtual |
School Updates | Notice (pdf) |
| 2021-05-24 |
05/24/21 |
09:00 am |
10:00 am |
Vassal Lane Upper School |
TBD | Notice (pdf) |
| 2021-04-26 |
04/26/21 |
09:00 am |
10:00 am |
Vassal Lane Upper School |
TBD | Notice (pdf) |
| 2021-03-29 |
03/29/21 |
09:00 am |
10:00 am |
Vassal Lane Upper School |
TBD | Notice (pdf) |
| 0204-02-28 |
02/28/04 |
07:00 pm |
08:30 pm |
CRLS (459 Broadway Ct. Cambridge, MA) in the Principal's Conference Room. |
Next Years Schedule--Start and End Times, ERD , Sharing The SIP, | Notice (pdf) |
