CSUS Tuesday Take Home: March 11, 2026
Message from Christen Sohn
Good afternoon CSUS parents and caregivers,
It is wonderful to finally welcome the warmer weather and see our scholars enjoying the sunshine. While we are all happy that the recess yard is finally snow-free, please be mindful that the ground remains quite muddy; we encourage scholars to dress accordingly for outdoor time.
As we move through this midway point of the school year, our scholars are continuing their rigorous academic work across all grades. Alongside this learning, we are taking time to intentionally reset our internal expectations for how we support one another as a community of learners. To maximize time spent in the classroom and minimize distractions, we are re-reminding scholars of our hallway transition and pass protocols. These resets help prevent the damage or vandalism that can occasionally occur in shared spaces, such as bathrooms, when scholars are out of class and off-task.
Our goal is to ensure that behavior expectations in both classes and hallways are clear so that every scholar feels safe, respected, and fully engaged in their learning. If families are interested in knowing more about how we teach and reinforce classroom and community expectations, how teachers plan for engagement, and how caregivers can partner with school in this work, we hope you can join us for this month’s School Council meeting this Thursday at Cambridge Street.
Please see below for important information recognizing Ramadan and sharing our Weekly Homework Calendar, information regarding bathroom vandalism at school, updates from the CSUS PCO, and other important upcoming information and dates for Cambridge Street
Ramadan
Ramadan is a sacred month of fasting, prayer, and community, and we want to ensure every student feels seen and supported during this time. To accommodate those fasting from dawn to sunset, CSUS will provide alternate supervised locations during lunchtimes so students have a comfortable space away from the cafeteria. We are also sharing a survey with families to collect more information about needs for fasting, abstaining from music lessons, and access to a space for daily prayer.
We encourage you to reach out to your child’s teaching team if there are specific ways we can help your scholar balance their school day with their religious observance.
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!
Bathroom Vandalism
Over the past few months, we have unfortunately seen repeated vandalism in the boys’ bathrooms at Cambridge Street. This has included things like pulling fixtures off the walls, breaking property, and leaving intentional, large messes.
This behavior is disrespectful to our hard-working custodial team and makes it difficult for everyone to use the facilities. We want our school to be a place where everyone feels comfortable and respected.
Tomorrow morning, we will use our Advisory circle time to talk about this with our scholars. We want to hear their ideas on how we can stop this damage, repair the harm done to our community, and make sure our restrooms are kept in good shape.
We encourage families to continue this conversation at home with your scholars.
Artist of the Week
Galentine's: A Blooming Colors event for CPS Upper School Girls & those who identify with Girlhood
Friday, March 13 | 3:30 - 6PM | DVUS Cafeteria (158 Vassal Lane)
Join us for a night of celebrating self care & friendships at Galentine's: A Blooming Colors event for CPS Upper School Girls & those who identify with Girlhood. Learn tips on self care and navigating middle school from CRLS teens - because your wellbeing matters. Dinner will be served to-go. This event is dedicated to embracing and uplifting our girls of color. All girls are welcomed.
Cambridge Youth Health Survey (Grades 6-12) Coming Soon 
Cambridge Public Schools is once again partnering with the Cambridge Public Health Department (CPHD) to administer the Cambridge Youth Health Survey to students in grades 6-12 in late March.
Data collected is used to improve the district’s Wellness Education Program and student support services at CPS and in Cambridge to support the health and wellness of our young people.
Cambridge Youth Health Survey
- Topics Covered: Substance use, nutrition and physical activity, behaviors related to sexual activity and informed decision making, behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries, and more.
- Participation/ Opt-out: The survey is voluntary, anonymous, and has no impact on academic grading. Individual data is not shared. Families can opt-out of the survey by contacting Jennifer Amigone, CPS Director of Assessment & Accountability, at jamigone@cpsd.us by Friday, March 13. Please provide the name of your student, their grade, and the school they attend.
- Review the Survey: If you would like to review the questions beforehand, please contact Anna Kaplan, CPHD’s Director of Epidemiology and Data Services at epidept@challiance.org.
Survey results will be shared in a comprehensive report. Review the notification sent to families on February 26 to learn more, or contact Anna Kaplan at epidept@challiance.org.
Food Resources for Eligible School-Aged Cambridge Residents
The below options are also available during school hours for ALL students:
- All students have access to FREE breakfast and lunch every school day. View the daily menus here. **CSUS cafeteria doors open at 8AM for scholars who would like breakfast** Breakfast options are available through arrival and until classes begin at 8:45AM.
- CPS Food Services is making meals more substantial by adding more protein options to daily menus.
- Students may visit salad bars more than once during meals for additional fruit and vegetables.
- Students are encouraged to use the “share tables” in the cafeterias. Students who have wrapped, unused food items can place them on the share table for others to take as needed.
- If you need additional support or want to visit a local free food market, find all options here.
Important Upcoming Dates
- March is Women’s History Month!
- March 12: School Council 6-7PM in CSUS Library
- March 20: Eid al-Fitr, NO SCHOOL
- March 26: Caregiver Academy 5:30-7PM at CSUS: Session 5 topic is Executive Functioning and Supporting Learning at Home
- April 3: Good Friday, NO SCHOOL
- April 1-9: Passover (Observed - school is in session)
- April 7-8: ELA MCAS testing for all grades
- April 20-24: April Vacation, NO SCHOOL
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,
We may have lost an hour of sleep, but the sunshine is making everything feel a little brighter. March is a quieter month for the PCO, which means it’s the perfect moment to gear up for a very full and exciting April.
We’d love for you to jump in wherever you can — every bit of help truly makes these events possible.
Events & Fundraising - Mark your Calendars!
We’ll be reaching out soon for volunteers, donations, and behind‑the‑scenes magic for:
- April Break Gift Card Drive - from w/c 6th April
- Coffeehouse Cabaret - date TBD
- Book Swap - April or May
- Drama Fest - May
- End of Year Field Trips - dates TBC
CSUS PCO Monthly Meeting
Monday, April 13| 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.