A newsletter just for you!

It's so exciting to have longer days and warmer temperatures as we head into the final stretch of the school year. As we all know, once we finish the month of March, the weeks from April to June are a sprint to the end of the school year. We have a well-deserved school vacation week ahead in April as well, and we hope that you can use that time to decompress and enjoy the spring weather.

These months are some of our busiest of the year, with all of our celebratory spring events, our spring sports, and standardized testing in April and May. Our seniors have been preparing to present their portfolios, a milestone that really makes it feel real for them, and for us. However busy this time of year is, we hope that you'll find time to enjoy the days ahead.

There's lots of information in this month's Staff News & Notes, so sit back and enjoy, and we hope you'll find some resources that are helpful for you. Be sure to check out this month's poll, and see the results of last month's.

Sincerely,

The Cranston Public Schools Leadership Team

Let me begin by saying thank you to our staff. Each day brings new challenges and victories for you, your students, and the families you impact. Being here each day is critical to the success of our students and this entire district. While we emphasize good attendance for students, I also recognize those of you who come to work every day, ready for whatever comes your way. Without all of you, this district would not be successful. We know this time of year can be challenging. The weather is still freezing, with sporadic teases of spring, and we start to think about the summer and plans for our time away. Our high school students are making college and career decisions, and parents are feeling a mix of nostalgia and relief as they prepare for their young adults to move on to the next chapter in their lives. April and May are the months for standardized testing which can be a stressful time for everyone. Remember, we should encourage our students to take these tests seriously, so we have an accurate picture of the good work we do here each day.

We still have a quarter of this year to finish, so please keep your steadfast commitment to our students and their families as we work together to finish this year on a positive note.

In the coming months, let's continue to support one another, celebrate our successes, and approach challenges with optimism and innovation. It’s a hectic time of year, but also one of celebrations of the good work you have all done.

Thank you for your continued dedication to our students,
Jeannine

CCC #12 and #13 have been published since our last newsletter. These are filled with excellent resources to help you with your day-to-day lesson planning, teaching and organizing. Thanks to Pete Guyon for putting these resources together for our staff!

Did you know that our job postings are accessible through the district website? Click here to see them in the News & Announcements section.

We've been working hard on tackling the issue of chronic absenteeism. It's nice to see our hard work paying off. Every school is making attendance a focus, and in our family messaging we've been spotlighting some of the competitions, incentives, and rewards that are taking place.

Please remember to reach out to our district dean of students and attendance, Vin Turchetta, if you need assistance in speaking to families or students about attendance.

Don't have time to sit and read? Try an audiobook on your way to and from work! Add to our staff booklist so that we can keep it going all year long!

Do you love Canva? Did you know you can now find it inside Clever? Click to see! Need extra support getting started? Visit the Canva Teacher Resource Hub .

We have begun to see visible evidence of the construction above ground at Gladstone! Check out the recent photos from February of the construction site. Take a look at Gilbane's latest construction presentation.

Visit the My Education Discount website to find a comprehensive list of businesses and retailers who offer discounts to educators. There's even a teacher discount for Topgolf, in addition to discounts for rental cars, clothes, flowers, trips and more, and the list is updated regularly.

America Celebrates ornament display in Washington, D.C Each year, students from across the country participate in the America Celebrates ornament display in Washington, D.C., decorating ornaments that adorn trees placed around the National Christmas Tree in President’s Park, one of America’s 428 National Parks. Students from all 50 states, territories, the District of Columbia, Bureau of Indian Education, and Department of Defense Education Activity are invited to participate. Only one Rhode Island classroom from an Elementary, Middle, or High school will be selected to create at least 18 –but no more than 24 ornaments – for the 2024 America Celebrates ornament display. This is a great opportunity for students to share their creativity and participate in an annual holiday tradition in our nation’s capital. If you would like to nominate a classroom, please email Elizabeth.Cruz@ride.ri.gov by the end of the day on Wednesday March 20th with the School Name, Teacher Name, Grade Level, and a brief explanation of why you are nominating this classroom.

School Counseling Summer Professional Development Series This series is being presented by ASCA Certified Trainers. Learn from national leaders and earn PLUs in the process! Academic Counseling: Enhancing Motivation to Achieve (Kathy Biles, August 15th) Resiliency Building (Dr. Karen Griffith, August 8th) Legal & Ethical Complications of Working with Minors in Schools (Dr. Carolyn Stone, August 14th) (8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at NEIT) School Counseling/MTSS Alignment (Dr. Peg Donohue, July 9th) (8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at JWU) Register here
This series is being funded through the School-Based Mental Health Grant (contingent on funding approval).

Professional Learning Resource Network RIDE is pleased to announce the launch of the Professional Learning Resource Network (formerly known as the Educator Course Network). The Professional Learning Resource Network (PLRN) gives educators, districts, and school systems access to various professional learning opportunities. Users can access the PLRN by visiting RIDE’s website under the Professional Learning section.

• Free Asynchronous and Synchronous Professional Learning: Updated weekly, these lists outline free professional learning webinars, recordings, in-person events, and class packages across various content areas.
• Contract-Based Vendors: These lists include local and national organizations that provide contract-based professional learning programs for districts and schools. Separate from Rivet Education’s Professional Learning Partner Guide, these PL organizations specialize in Leadership, SEL, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, MLLs, MTSS, Social Studies, World Languages, Mental Health, Physical Education, Wellness, and more!

For professional learning-related questions, please email PL@ride.ri.gov.

SAVE THE DATE - New England Educators' Forum - April 8, 2024 You're invited to join the next Educator Forum on April 8, 2024 sponsored by Kraft Sports + Entertainment. This forum will feature presentations on how to access scholarships for qualified applicants interested in developing technical and leadership skill while serving their country. Attendees will hear from representatives from West Point, the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), US Army Health Professions Scholarship Program, Natick Soldier Systems Center, and the National Guard on educational opportunities related to service. This event is tailored for school counselors, leaders, and mentors of students interested in both service and education. Date: April 8, 2024 Time: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Location: Gillette Stadium Interested parties should contact their local Army National Guard Recruiter or Lieutenant Colonel John Saporita at john.r.saporita.mil@army.mil.

Bradley Hospital & Lifespan Spring 2024 Conference Please join Bradley Hospital, the nation’s first psychiatric hospital for children, and Lifespan Community Health Institute as they present the 33rd Parenting Matters conference as a virtual event, via Zoom. This half-day event offers parents, childcare providers, social workers, and teachers a unique opportunity to learn from top child development and behavior professionals in a casual setting. When: Saturday, April 6, 2024 Where: Zoom Register here: www.lifespan.org/parentingmatters.

RISTE EdCamp - April 27, 2024 RISTE will be hosting an educator EdCamp on April 27, 2024, from 8:30 to 1:30 at the Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England (500 Greenwich Ave, Warwick). The $20 registration fee includes a t-shirt, lunch, fabulous professional learning, and 5 PLU hours! Explore ideas, meet great educators from across the state, and learn new EdTech tools to enhance your classroom experience! Topics include The Benefits, Strategies, and Ethics of AI, Immersive Experiences...a New Landscape for Learning, Scholastic and Competitive Esports Workshop, Cybersecurity 101, Artificial Intelligence in Education, and other sessions of participant interest. Register at https://ri-iste.org/event-5640813/ Space is limited.

If anyone wants any additional information, please reach out to Kathy Torregrossa (ktorregrossa@cpsed.net)

Calling all K-5 educators: Project WILD & Rhody Critter Kits Educator Training: Date: April 2, 2024 Time: 9:00 am – 3:30 pm Location: USFWS Kettle Pond Visitor Center, Charlestown Age group: Adults Cost: Free Register here. Join RIDEM Division of Fish and Wildlife’s outreach and education staff for a fun and free professional development opportunity! You’ll learn all about the national Project WILD and Growing Up WILD curricula and how you can apply them in your classroom. You’ll also learn about RIDEM’s Rhody Critter Kits, which combine activities from both curricula with information about local wildlife conservation work happening right in your own backyard. At the end of the day, you’ll head home with a Project WILD and Growing Up WILD curriculum book, connections to real science happenings here in Rhode Island, and ways to share this with your students! Lunch will be provided. This training is free, but registration is required. To learn more about Project WILD, click here. To learn more about the Rhody Critter Kits, click here.

Attention CTE educators, CTE directors, and behavioral health teachers and support staff: Save the Date!: The Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with RIDE, is hosting a “Meet-Up Event” on April 3, 2024, from 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. at the Rhode Island Nursing Education Center located at 350 Eddy Street in Providence. This event, sponsored by the Hospital Association of Rhode Island, is intended to connect school-based staff with health and human services employers to strengthen internship and work-based learning opportunities. Learn about the trends in healthcare. Interested participants can register here. For more information, please contact michael.hobin@ride.ri.gov.

RIHS Spring Teacher Workshop Series:
Historical Argumentation in the Classroom

⧫ The John Brown House Museum, Providence: April 3rd 4:00-5:30 pm REGISTER HERE

Join educators from the RIHS to discuss historical argumentation in your classroom, including how to work with students on thesis development and research implementation. Participants will learn strategies for shaping a historical argument with students, using primary sources and objects from the RIHS collection, have an opportunity to explore the museum, and leave with ready-to-go classroom resources. Refreshments and a $75 stipend will be provided to participants.

Project Based Learning:

⧫ The John Brown House Museum, Providence: April 4th 4:00-5:30 pm REGISTER HERE

Project-based learning (PBL) cultivates critical thinking, collaboration, and can encourage students to invest in their own learning. Join educators from RIHS, and practicing classroom teachers to discuss effective strategies to implement or improve project-based learning in your classroom. Participants will learn about opportunities in Rhode Island to build out PBL experiences with students, best practices, and will leave with ready-to-go classroom resources. Refreshments and a $75 stipend will be provided to participants. These programs are made possible by the A More Perfect Union initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

SAVE THE DATE: SPRING 2024 Advanced Placement Professional Development for Teachers and Administrators!: RIDE is excited to partner with CollegeBoard to offer a series of FREE professional Development workshops this coming May and June! Offerings include three Summer Institute trainings and a variety of Pre-AP Readiness workshops, and a session focused on equity and access for building leadership and administrators.

AP African American Studies (Tuesday, June 26-Friday, June 29, 2024)

AP Seminar (Tuesday, June 26-Friday, June 29, 2024)

AP Spanish Language and Culture (Tuesday, June 26-Friday, June 29, 2024)

Pre-AP Virtual Sessions: (5 virtual hours, dates TBD)

Pre-AP Readiness ELA Workshop

Pre-AP Readiness Science Workshop

Pre-AP Readiness Social Studies Workshop

Pre-AP Readiness Mathematics Workshop

Pre-AP Readiness Visual & Performing Arts

Achieving Equity in AP (Administrators & Building Leaders, date is TBD)

Funding for teacher stipends and application information will be available soon and shared in the coming weeks.

RI Health Education Curriculum Professional Development Workshop Series: RI Healthy Schools Coalition is pleased to sponsor a FREE K-12 Health Education Curriculum Professional Development Workshop series in partnership with the RI Department of Education and facilitated by Cairn Guidance. This workshop series is designed for Local Education Agency (LEA) teams working together to plan, implement, and improve skills-based health education curriculum. (A recommended team of 3-5 should include a curriculum lead along with educators from multiple grade spans.) The virtual workshop series will address the development of a scope and sequence with data-informed unit plans, access and use of no-cost health education tools & resources, and skills-based assessment planning tools as well as a review of effective and appropriate practices in health education and the RI Health Education Framework. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the RI Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) results and School Health Profiles for a data driven context to assess strengths and challenges as part of planning. LEA teams will be assigned to one of two cohorts, with six two-hour sessions:

• Cohort 1: May 14th-30th, 2024; Tuesdays and Thursdays 5:30-7:30PM
• Cohort 2: June 4th-20th, 2024; Tuesdays and Thursdays 5:30-7:30PM

To apply, please complete the APPLICATION and submit by March 1, 2024.

Congratulations to James Cook, the new CHSE football coach, Cranston East alumni and former player who is featured in this week's Cranston Herald. We welcome him back to Cranston Public Schools!

Did you know that you can get discounted museum and Roger Williams Park zoo passes from the Cranston Public Library? The zoo is one of the RI attractions that never gets old, and is fun for both adults and kid alike. If you're looking for springtime events and activities you can find some here that you may not have been to or would like to visit again, and potentially use a museum pass to get a discount. From mansions to tulip farms to zoos and museums, it can be fun to be a tourist in our own state!

Does spring make you think of fresh, cool salads? Here's a healthy one for a Mediterranean Quinoa Salad that has been shared by our foodservice partners at Aramark. Quinoa can be made ahead, refrigerated and used as needed, making this a great go-to for school day lunches.

Thanks to all who voted! Harriet Tubman came out as the most sought after guest in honor of Black History Month, with Maya Angelou as a close second. We'd love to have ANY of those important figures from history visiting us!

Many thanks to our Project AWARE team for their contributions to the March Wellness Corner! We appreciate all their time and effort in putting this resource together. Take a minute and check out the "How are you feeling on a scale of March Madness" as well as the great resources contained within.

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES OF KIDS UNDER 18

Kids’ Link RI™ is a behavioral health triage service and referral network. A program offered in collaboration with Gateway Healthcare, Lifespan, Hasbro Children's Hospital and Bradley Hospital, Kids’ Link RI is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help triage children and youth in need of mental health services and refer them to treatment providers.​The free, confidential phone line, 1-855-543-5465, connects parents and caregivers to an experienced clinician that can help them access children’s services in Rhode Island, and determine the best place to go for treatment and counseling. Contact Kids’ Link RI™ if your child is: Feeling excessive anger or sadness, lashing out at siblings, friends, and adults, having behavior problems at school, having severe worries, or hurting himself/herself or others.

Mental Health and/or Substance Abuse Resources for anyone 18+

BH LINK is A comprehensive program intended to serve those individuals 18+ who are experiencing behavioral health crises (mental health and/or substance use) by establishing a community-based, 24/7 hotline and triage center. BH LINK Provides immediate access to behavioral healthcare in a community-based, 24/7 facility, ensures stability, provides seamless transfer to ongoing care, and reduces unnecessary use of hospital-based services, and delivers better, more cost-effective behavioral healthcare in Rhode Island. BH Link Hotline, (414-LINK; 414-5465): a one-stop, statewide 24/7 call-in center that connects people to appropriate care and resources, when they or someone they care about is experiencing a behavioral healthcare crisis. BH Link Triage Center: a 24/7 community-based walk-in/drop-off facility where clinicians connect people to immediate, stabilizing emergency behavioral health services, and long-term care and recovery supports.

Social Media Policy for Site Visitors: Our Social Media Policy for Site Visitors can be found on our district website here. Please be sure to take a look. It's important that our social media platforms remain respectful and accurate for all of our visitors.

Social Media Policy for Staff: Our Social Media Policy for CPS Employees can be found here on our district website in both English and Spanish. Please make sure you are familiar with it.

Cranston Public Schools Mission Statement: The Mission of the Cranston Public Schools is, through collaboration with the entire community, to deliver a high-quality, aligned and evidence-based instructional system that is accessible and responsive to diverse learners, which is supported by finances and facilities for the 21st Century and promotes student achievement and success through active learning and personalization.

Cranston Public Schools Vision Statement: The vision of the Cranston Public Schools is to continue to build and support an educational community that:

*Reflects the diversity of all stakeholders including students, families, educators, as well as civic and community partners. *Allows students to direct their own learning, monitor progress and set goals. Implements high-quality aligned and evidence-based curricula which meets the needs of all learners through personalization. *Provides facilities that are flexible, clean, safe, and conducive to an aligned instructional system and responsive to the needs of diverse 21st Century learners. *Works together in order to instill a sense of pride and purpose in our students, in schools that instill a sense of belonging and excitement.

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