CSUS Tuesday Take Home: April 28, 2026
Message from Christen Sohn
Good afternoon CSUS parents and caregivers,
Welcome back to CSUS! As we return from April Break and head into the final, exciting stretch of the school year, we are launching a community "reset" to reinforce our core community norms and ensure every scholar finishes strong. This reset centers on renewed accountability for safety, respect, and engagement in learning. Specifically, we are emphasizing
- Hands and bodies must be kept to oneself
- Zero tolerance for derogatory or dehumanizing language, including slurs and harmful stereotypes.
- Ensuring scholars are present and focused by upholding expectations around being on time for class and moving with purpose in the halls
- Chromebooks away during lunch to encourage in-person connection and movement.
Thank you for partnering with us as we uphold these expectations for a successful and celebratory conclusion to the academic year.
See below for our weekly homework calendar, important dates for next week (Math MCAS and the school play), and other updates from Cambridge Street.
CSUS Homework Expectations and Weekly Homework Calendars
In an effort to keep scholars, caregivers, and out of school time providers informed regarding weekly assignments, our teaching teams are sharing weekly homework calendars. These will be posted on our website for reference and easy access.
Grade 8 Weekly Homework
Grade 7 Weekly Homework
Grade 6 Weekly Homework
Interested in knowing more about what’s happening in classrooms? Check ParentSquare for monthly curriculum updates from your child’s teaching team!
CSUS School Council this Thursday at 6:30PM
Join the School Council meeting this Thursday, April 30 from 6:30 to 7:30PM. The meeting will be held in person at Cambridge Street Upper School; the topic this week is school/home communication; the goal of our time together will be to hear from families about their experiences with communication between school and home in middle school and to share feedback/suggestions for clarification and improvement.
All caregivers are welcome! Dinner will be provided from 6-6:30PM. We hope to see you there!
Math MCAS for all grades next week
CSUS MCAS Testing Schedule: April - May 2026
| ELA | Math | Science (8th Gr) | Civics (8th Gr) | |
| All Grades | Tues. 4/7 Weds. 4/8 |
Tues. 5/5 Weds. 5/6 |
Tues. 5/12 Weds. 5/13 |
Tues. 5/19 |
Tech reminder: Chromebooks
As we prepare for the upcoming MCAS testing next week, we will be inventorying Chromebooks and contacting home for any missing devices. Please ensure your scholar charges their chromebook the night before and brings their device to school on testing days.
Tech reminder: Phones/smart watches
Phone and tech use is not permitted during testing, and may result in invalidation of a scholars’ test results. Our school phone policy states that use of scholar cell phones and other communication devices, including smart watches, is not permitted during the school day. Staff collect phones at the start of each day; phones are kept in a locked, secure location and redistributed at the end of the day. If scholars are not comfortable turning in devices they may be left at home.
CSUS Presents Scenes from Romeo and Juliet (Sort of...Almost) by John Shanahan on May 7 and 8 at 7PM
Scholars must attend with a caregiver. We hope to see you there!
Cambridge Street’s theater program will also perform excerpts from this year’s play at the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild Middle School Theater Festival on May 3 - good luck and break a leg to our performers and stage crew!
Artist of the Week
Important Upcoming Dates
- April is Autism Acceptance Month
- April is also Arab American Heritage Month
- May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month
- May is Jewish American Heritage Month
- May is Mental Health Awareness Month
- April 30: CSUS School Council Meeting | 6-7:30PM. This month’s topic is school/home communication. We hope you can join us!
- May 5-6: Math MCAS testing for all grades
- May 7-8: School play, Scenes from Romeo and Juliet (Sort of...Almost) | 7PM
- May 12-13: Science/STE MCAS testing for Grade 8
- May 19: Civics MCAS testing for Grade 8
- May 25: No School, Memorial Day
- May 28: Spring Chorus Concert and Art Show | 5:30-7:30PM
SAVE THE DATE: CSUS 8th Grade Graduation
CSUS 8th Grade Graduation will take place June 22, 2025 at 1PM in the Cambridge Street Upper School Auditorium. We look forward to celebrating with 8th grade families!
Thank you for entrusting us with your scholars’ education. Have a wonderful week, and Go Cobras!
Christen
Head of School
Cambridge Street Upper School
Cambridge Street PCO Update
Hello families,
Hope your week off was a happy, restful one.
May 1st has long marked the Spring Festival and later became known as International Workers Day. For hundreds of years, communities have celebrated the transition from winter to spring with maypole dancing, crowning a May King or Queen, and decorating homes with flowers and greenery.
The transition for our kids as we head towards the end of school means celebrating their music, art and appreciation of our wonderful teachers. We're always grateful for your time and generosity. Please sign up or donate in any way you can to continue supporting the PCO.
Drama Bake Sale - Thursday May 7th and Friday May 8th
We would love your help — baked goods, volunteer time, or both — for our two‑day Drama Bake Sale. Please sign up here.
Teacher Appreciation Lunch - Wednesday May 13th from 2:45PM
We’ll be hosting a special lunch to celebrate our wonderful teachers. If you’d like to help with set‑up, please get in touch — your support makes these moments possible.
Chorus Concert and Art Show - Thursday May 28th from 5:30PM
We will host a bake sale during this event as well. A sign‑up sheet will be shared closer to the date.
Cobra Dash and Community Night - May 29th
Our biggest fundraiser of the year! Encourage your kids to sign up for the Cobra Dash — there will be prizes! After the run, stay for Community Night with food, games, and lots of fun.
CSUS PCO Monthly Meeting
Monday, May 11 | 7:30 – 9PM
GoogleMeet (Video call link >>)
Or dial: (US) +1 218-451-4253
PIN: 295 240 209#
Questions about the PCO?
You can find the answers here or send an email to info@cambridgestreetpco.org.
Warm regards,
Shalini Ayre
President, CSUS-PCO
The Cambridge Street PCO is a 501c(3) public charity (Federal Identification # 46-1980223) registered in Cambridge, MA. USA.