Message from Chad Leith: October 30, 2020

Dear Morse School Parents & Caregivers,

It is hard to believe that we have already reached the end of October! I want to share my appreciation for the flexibility, creativity, and collaboration that all members of our community have shown as we have together made the most of a very complex situation. As part of our collective efforts to keep our children safe and healthy, I want to share a reminder and request to please be mindful of the importance of following safe practices on Halloween. This includes making sure that your child is wearing a proper mask and sanitizing hands and goodies if out trick-or-treating, as well as adhering to proper distancing guidelines if participating in any Halloween gatherings. We have been closely monitoring the CPS Reopening Data Dashboard, and hope that we can all work together to keep rates in Cambridge low so that our youngest and most vulnerable students can continue to access in-person schooling.

ABCs of Racism Appreciation & Next Steps
Many thanks to the many parents, caregivers, and staff members who participated in this week’s ABCs of Racism workshops, and to the Friends of Morse for generously sponsoring the evening events. As a next step in our collective work towards becoming an antiracist school, we invite all members of the Morse School community to consider participating in our next meeting of the Morse Working Group on Race & Equity, which will take place on Thursday, November 19th from 6-7:30. In the meantime, parents and caregivers of color are warmly invited to participate in the next meeting of theMorse Parents & Caregivers of Color Affinity Group, which will take place this Monday, November 2nd from 6:30-7:45. The group, organized by parents Alba Alexander, Jennifer Betancourt, and Kim Bostic-Williams, is intended as a safe space for building community, sharing information, and advocating for children of color to be heard and seen, and to thrive at the Morse School. Please see this flyer for more information.

Looking for Parent Representatives for the Morse School Council
The Morse School Council will hold its first (virtual) meeting of the 2020-2021 school year on Thursday, November 12th from 6-7:30. The Morse School Council is a legally-required representative group of parents and educators who play an important role in shaping our school’s policies and programs. COVID-19 has presented our school community with new challenges, and the members of this year’s School Council will help us chart a path forward. By law, school councils must include an equal number of teachers and parents. Parent members are to be selected by the parents of students attending the school. We are still working out how to best facilitate an election under pandemic conditions, but are focusing now on recruiting potential candidates. Our school community will benefit from a Council that represents the diversity of the children and families we serve, and I strongly encourage parents and caregivers of color to consider running for seats. If you are interested in becoming a parent representative on the School Council, please reach out to me directly. If you’d like to learn more, please join me at the November 12th meeting, where I will share more information!

November Materials Pickup for Remote Learners
In order to provide reliable and consistent support for our remote learners, we have decided to schedule materials pickup for the first week of every month. This will allow Morse students who are learning from home to have access to the materials and resources they need to actively participate in their online classes. We also anticipate that our monthly materials distribution will serve as an opportunity to exchange library books and pick up art supplies. Next week’s pick up days will be Monday (11/2) from 8:30-5:30, Thursday (11/5) from 8:30-3:30, and Friday (11/6) from 8:30-2:30. If you have any questions or are unable to pick up your child’s materials during these days and times, please contact our Clerk Elaine Delaney at 617.349.6575 or via email.

Finally, a reminder that Tuesday, November 3rd is Election Day and that all Morse School students will engage in remote learning on both Tuesday 11/3 and Wednesday 11/4. 

Please keep your eyes out for an additional message from our Family Liaison Denise Sullivan, with information about additional upcoming events and links to helpful resources. I wish you all the best for a safe and restful weekend.

Sincerely,

Principal Chad Leith
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