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November 8, 2023

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Congratulations to our Fall Athletes!

We have exciting news from the Athletics Department, including four Greater Boston League (GBL) Championships for our Fall Sports teams, the start of the Unified Basketball season, and opportunities for high school and middle grades students to participate in Winter Sports. Families, students, and community members are encouraged to come out and support our Somerville Public Schools athletes by attending a game or match. Visit the Athletics website to learn more about our programming.

Athletics News

2023 Greater Boston League Champions Boys Varsity Cross Country

Congratulations!

Varsity Boys Cross Country team poses on grassy field

 

2023 Greater Boston League Champions Girls Varsity Soccer

Congratulations!

Girls Varsity Soccer Team photo with coaches on a soccer pitch against a leafy, green backdrop

 

2023 Greater Boston League Champions Boys Varsity Soccer

Congratulations!

Varsity Boys Soccer team poses in red uniforms on a soccer pitch.

 

2023 Greater Boston League Champions Boys Middle Grades Cross Country

Congratulations!

Middle Grades Cross Country team poses in front of body of water and trees with the boy's team GBL trophy

 

Congratulations to the SHS Golf Team for winning the GBL Open Tournament

Photo of 4 SHS Golf Team members pointing a finger up to indicate they are number one. They are wearing red collared shirts on the edge of a lawn.

 

Cheer on Unified Basketball

Be sure to get out and support the SHS Unified Basketball Team. Their season started in October and the chance to watch them play is November 9 at the Unified Jamboree at Salemwood School Fieldhouse. The team is made up of a mix of athletes with and without intellectual disabilities, who train and compete together while representing the high school. The team allows students who might typically be excluded from participating in sports to enjoy competing on a team. Learn more about Unified Basketball at the organization website or watch a video about Unified Sports.

Unified Basketball team mates in blue uniforms and posing in the SHS gym

 

Register for Winter Sports

It's time to sign your child up for Winter Sports teams. Students in grades 6–8 may participate in the middle grades basketball program. There are also waivers available for 8th grade students interested in joining the Somerville High School boys ice hockey, girls basketball, or coed swim teams. For Somerville High School students, the basketball, ice hockey, indoor track and field, coed swimming, and competitive cheer seasons start November 28. Information, registration, and medical clearance requirements are available on the Athletics Middle Grades page and high school Teams page.

 

Philip Reavis, Sr. Field Dedicated at Somerville High School

On October 26, the City of Somerville and Somerville Public Schools formally dedicated the athletic field perched between city hall and Gilman Square. In front of his family and over a hundred guests, Mr. Reavis, a Somerville native whose athletic and civic accomplishments are legendary, was presented with an SHS varsity jacket stitched with “Reavis” on one sleeve and “Olympian” on the other. The ceremony closed when Mr. Reavis cut a ribbon fixed to a crossbar set at 6 feet 10 inches—his personal record and a half inch higher than his jump at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. The Reavis Field is the first onsite athletic field for SHS and will be used by students and also available for community use outside of school-programmed events. The field will be open for use in the spring; the ceremony was scheduled to accommodate Mr. Reavis, who lives abroad.

Phil Reavis cuts ribbon at ceremony for field. Mayor Ballantine holds ribbon. Students in background.

 

Student and Staff Stories

East Somerville Community School Teacher Honored

First grade UNIDOS teacher Aileene Martinez was honored at the 2023 MA State of Latino Education event on October 4 for her commitment to Latino students and for highlighting the policy and practice solutions needed to continue furthering educational equity. Congratulations, Ms. Martinez!

Ms. Martinez in 3 photos holding her award. Latinos for Education | Sate of Latino Education 2023. Con Ganas | We can!

 

Director of Equity and Excellence Presents at State Conference

Director of Equity and Excellence, Caeli Gallitano, spoke to over sixty fellow social workers on Friday, October 20 at the Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Social Workers School Social Work Conference 2023. Director Gallitano conducted an afternoon workshop called “Creating Spaces of Safety, Bravery, and Growth: How to Address Harmful Language and Facilitate Change.” Great job, Director Gallitano!

Headshot of Director of Equity and Excellence Gallitano in front of a blue background

 

SHS Music Students Visit Boston’s Symphony Hall

More than 70 students from the SHS Chorus, Orchestra, and AP Music Theory courses visited Symphony Hall on Thursday, October 12. There they had the unique opportunity to watch and to hear an open rehearsal of the Boston Symphony Orchestra playing four pieces with (very) special guest cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Max Evrard, Choral Director of Somerville High School and All City Middle School Chorus, said, “Seeing the greatest cellist in the world play two concertos in the same concert is an event that rarely happens and the musicians of SHS were incredibly lucky to experience this concert live.” [Photo credit: Ruby K., SPS student]

Photo of Symphony Hall stage, balconies, and the stage from the audience

 

Musician of the Month

Each month, Somerville Public School students learn about a Musician of the Month. Music teachers across the district collaborate to select the musicians for the year, choosing musicians who are musical role models for students of all cultural, ethnic, and gender identities. The goal is to inspire all students to be life-long, active music makers. You can read more about Musician of the Month here. November's Musician of the Month is Bobby McFerrin, a singer/songwriter known for his vocal techniques and improvisation. You can listen to Bobby McFerrin at home using this playlist. Revisit the playlist as it is updated throughout the year to include each new musician of the month for the 2023–2024 school year. Pictured below are Kennedy grade 2 students learning about Bobby McFerrin in Ms. Ward's music class. [Photo credit: Catherine Ward]

Second grades students at Kennedy sitting on the floor in music classroom

 

Trick-or-Treating in Central Administrative Offices

Children in the Somerville Childcare Center, located in Somerville High School, visited SPS Central Offices on Friday, October 27 for their annual Trick-or-Treat trip. Childcare Center Director Trish Kennedy and CTE Early Education and Care teacher Suzanne Antoine came through the building, helped by other staff and SHS students in the Early Education program, guiding children through the building. Children dressed as fire fighters, skeletons, cats, or chose to wear street clothes. Staff handed out candy, which was saved for the end of the day so parents and guardians could decide how much candy kids should eat. Many Central Office staffers look forward to this event all year and dress in costumes, evident in the photo below. Superintendent Carmona is halfway up the stairs in a beanie and gray sports coat.

Photo of central administrative staff standing on a tall staircase and wearing Halloween costumes.

 

ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS

Activities listed below are free unless otherwise indicated.

Supports at SPS. In recent weeks, local and global events have impacted many students and adults within our district. Students and staff alike may come from a community affected by violence or may be struggling to process current events. SPS strives to create a supportive, inclusive, and safe environment for all our learners. Students experiencing fear, anxiety, or any strong feelings, are encouraged to talk to their school's counselor, dean of students, or assistant principal. The staff in these roles are ready to provide support. If you are looking for support with speaking to your students (or loved ones and friends) at home, here are some resources from our Offices of Equity & Excellence, and Student Services: Talking to Kids about Violence (link) and this list of resource materials about Coping with Violence (link).

Brown School schoolyard ribbon cutting ceremony. November 14 from 2:30–3:30 p.m. Celebrate with the Brown School community. For more information, contact afranzen@somervillema.gov.

Subscribe to EdTV. Ongoing. Subscribe to the City of Somerville Cable Department's channel to watch SPS athletics events, awards ceremonies, student concerts, and more.

Adult Job Training Programs. Fall 2023. SCALE (our adult education department) is offering several exciting job training classes this fall. Visit their website to sign up for open spots in Basic Accounting with Quickbooks, College Readiness, and Spanish-Language High School Equivalency classes.

Get Vaccinated against the Flu. November 8 & 16. Families and community members are invited to protect themselves against influenza by stopping by two convenient FREE Flu Vaccine Clinics in our schools, run by the Health and Human Services Department of the City of Somerville. West Somerville Neighborhood School cafeteria, Wednesday (today), November 8 from 3–5:00 p.m. Register. East Somerville Community School cafeteria, Thursday, November 16 from 3–5:30 p.m. Register.

Free Food Markets. November 9. All Somerville families are welcome to bring their bags and pick up free food on November 9. There are two locations. West Somerville Neighborhood School from 2–4:00 p.m. outdoors and the East Somerville Community School from 2:45–4:45 p.m. indoors (enter on Glen Street). Staff give out free food for as long as supplies last. As a reminder, families facing food insecurity can visit the Somerville Food Security Coalition website to find other free food and meal opportunities. Families can also reach out to the liaisons at their schools or the Basic Needs and Housing Supports office for urgent needs. 

Survey about School Meals. Ongoing. Take the Food and Nutrition Services Department survey and help SPS develop menus, education curriculum, and communication plans for the next three to five years. English survey, Spanish survey, Portuguese survey, Haitian Creole survey.

School Safety Drills. November 13–17 in all schools. Your student's principal has sent out information about the timing for Lockdown and Secure & Hold safety drills at your child's school. The drills will take no more than 20 minutes and no one will be allowed to enter or exit the building during this drill. 

Join a Parent Support Group. Ongoing. The Somerville Family Learning Collaborative (our family engagement department) offers several parent support groups, including one for Spanish speakers. Learn more and register here.

Youth Hockey for kids 3–9 years. Ongoing. SYHL invites families to sign their children up for their Learn to Skate and Learn to Play Hockey programs. All sessions take place at either Veterans or Founders rinks in Somerville. Beginner classes are geared towards kids 3–9 who have never skated nor played hockey before. There’s also a new Advanced option for kids aged 9 and older who are ready for a more fast-paced introduction to the fundamentals of hockey and skating. To learn more and register, visit https://www.somervilleyouthhockey.org/lts-ltp. Financial aid (and some equipment) is available. 

Fuel Assistance for Renters. Ongoing. Income-eligible families who live in rental units in Somerville and Cambridge are invited to apply for fuel assistance for heating their homes through the City of Cambridge. Learn about applying here.

Free Clothing Market and Drive. November 11. 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the ESCS playground at 50 Cross Street. Families are invited to shop for free, gently used clothes, mostly winter clothing. All sizes and ages available. This free store is organized by MAMAS (Mutual Aid Medford and Somerville). Rain date November 11. Learn more.