School Committee in 30 Minutes or Less

SHOW NOTES

This episode covers the September 15th regular meeting of the school committee, which included the presentation of the three options under consideration for the 158 spring street building. A variety of contracts for health and transportation services and out of district tuition were approved, as well as a few federal grants. Committee members discussed the process for the superintendent’s evaluation and gave subcommittee updates. The meeting was a whopping four and half hours long. All members were present eventually though vice chair Dube and members Harding and Hudson missed the opening roll call. Also in attendance were several members of the district’s executive leadership team. 

LINKS

Agenda

Presentation Slides

Boston Globe article about CRLS boys’ cross country

Motion 24-260 (final order 24-280) regarding Controlled Choice

Innovation Implementation Plan 

Schools at a Glance brochure for upper school feeder pattern

Budget - see page 21 for the strategic plan line item

August meeting presentation with strategic plan updates

Bill H.543 regarding recess time in elementary and middle schools 

DESE guidance on superintendent evaluation 

Table of subcommittee planned work

The website for this podcast is CSC30.com

You can contact the podcast by emailing [email protected]

The School Committee email address is [email protected]

This episode covers the September 1st regular meeting of the school committee, which included a variety of back-to-school updates and a presentation on the developing guidance around technology, including AI, in our schools. The members discussed the policy on time outs, seclusions, and physical restraint of students as well as motions regarding the policy on surreptitious recording devices in schools and protecting students and families from the federal government’s current approach to immigration. 

LINKS

Agenda (with links to all agenda items)

Presentation

Take home device (Chromebook) protocols 

Update on Technology Use in Classrooms

Health Habits and Tech Limits

Generative AI Guidance

Toward High Quality Screen Use in Cambridge Public Schools

My School Committee Tracker

Welcoming city ordinance

Protect act

The website for this podcast is CSC30.com

You can contact the podcast by emailing [email protected]

The School Committee email address is [email protected]

This episode covers the May 19th regular meeting of the school committee, which, among other things,  included conversations about the 158 Spring Street building, including the future of Ahern field, screen time, and retirement plus legislation. Two district leadership positions were filled and next year’s school calendar was approved.

LINKS

Agenda

2026/27 Calendar

Hiring and 158 Spring Street Slides

CRLS Principal Position Profile

FMA Principal Position Profile

MA General Law 71 Seciotn 59

DESE Statement on School Committees and Hiring (scroll down to the heading, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recommendations:")( 

Presentation Slides

The website for this podcast is CSC30.com

You can contact the podcast by emailing [email protected]

The School Committee email address is [email protected]

This episode recaps the May 5th, 2026 regular meeting of the Cambridge School Committee. It includes a discussion on AI in schools, both generally, and specific to the work being done by the CPS AI working group.  

***Just a quick note that I know I said "IA" once instead of "AI" but I'm trusting the listeners to understand. :)

Links

Agenda

Slides (not currently available, but I will link when they are)

Meeting portal

Massachusetts inter-district school choice program

Draft 26/27 Calendar

Current AI Guidance Document (from Sept. 16, 2025)

The website for this podcast is CSC30.com

You can contact the podcast by emailing [email protected]

The School Committee email address is [email protected]

This is episode 2 of the coverage of the April 7, 2026 regular meeting of the School Committee. It covers discussion on the screen time motion (referred to superintendent), the school councils motion (amended and approved), and approval of a new private school. The superintendent’s agenda included a brief discussion on 158 Spring Street as well as a quick look at the range of student assessments employed by schools.

Links of Interest

-Administrative-

Agenda (with links to all motions)

Superintendent presentations for the regular meetings remaining in the school year

-Budget Discussion-

Proposed Budget for FY27

Staffing graphic for King Open and MLK

Article about the BRYT program

Shore Educational Collaborative

School Improvement Plans

-Screen Time Motion-

American Academy of Pediatrics new screen time guidance

-Motion on School Councils-

School Councils Law

School Councils Handbook

School Committee Rules

Subcommittees

-Superintendent's Agenda-

City Employee Salaries

Curriculum and Achievement Subcommittee Meeting (March 19th)

-District Employees-

Chief Operations Officer: Damon Smith

Director of Data, Assessment, and Accountability: Jen Amigone 

Executive Director of Academics: Dr Heather Francis 

Director of Family and Community Engagement: Melissa Bolden

Our favorite first grade teacher and now children’s author: Inbal Alon

The website for this podcast is CSC30.com

You can contact the podcast by emailing [email protected]

The School Committee email address is [email protected]

This is episode 1 of the coverage of the April 7, 2026 regular meeting of the School Committee. It covers public comment and the lengthy discussion prior voting on the fiscal year 2027 proposed budget (spoiler alert: the approved it).

Links of Interest

-Administrative-

Agenda (with links to all motions)

Superintendent presentations for the regular meetings remaining in the school year

-Budget Discussion-

Proposed Budget for FY27

Staffing graphic for King Open and MLK

Article about the BRYT program

Shore Educational Collaborative

School Improvement Plans

-Screen Time Motion-

American Academy of Pediatrics new screen time guidance

-Motion on School Councils-

School Councils Law

School Councils Handbook

School Committee Rules

Subcommittees

-Superintendent's Agenda-

City Employee Salaries

Curriculum and Achievement Subcommittee Meeting (March 19th)

-District Employees-

Chief Operations Officer: Damon Smith

Director of Data, Assessment, and Accountability: Jen Amigone 

Executive Director of Academics: Dr Heather Francis 

Director of Family and Community Engagement: Melissa Bolden

Our favorite first grade teacher and now children’s author: Inbal Alon

The website for this podcast is CSC30.com

You can contact the podcast by emailing [email protected]

The School Committee email address is [email protected]

This episode recaps the March 17, 2026 regular meeting of the Cambridge School Committee. It includes discussions about the schedule of presentations for the next five meetings and funding from the Cambridge Community Foundation for help with the district's strategic plan.

The committee also honors Fabiane Noronha, the Unified Sports program, and Dr Henrietta S. Attles.

LINKS

Agenda (which includes links to all agenda item)

Superintendent's Presentation

Yondr pouches

Motion 26-040 (screen time moratorium)

Resolution 26-042 (Fabiane Noronha)

Resolution 26-043 (Unified Sports)

Cambridge Community Foundation

Budget Workshop

March 18 Building and Grounds Subcommittee Meeting (video)

Contract 26-034 (Pathways for Paraprofessionals)

Contract 26-036 (Legal Services)

Gift 26-039 (Cambridge Community Foundation)

Motion 26-041 (Dr. Henrietta S. Attles)

North Cambridge Family Opera

The website for this podcast is CSC30.com

You can contact the podcast by emailing [email protected]

The School Committee email address is [email protected]

This episode recaps the March 3, 2026 regular meeting of the Cambridge School Committee. It includes presentations about the strategic planning process from Rachel Skerrit of Attuned Education Partners and an update on the state of social and emotion learning (SEL) in CPS by Kim Huffer, the director of SEL. The committee also discusses motions 26-030 about snow days, 26-031 about principal evaluations, and 26-032 about third grade literacy and retention.

I cut out the opening announcements for time, so here they are:

• First, and I’m going to say this one every time, I am reporting on what was said in the meetings; my reporting of what the members said does not mean what they said is true.  
• Second, you can check the show notes for references and links. If I’ve missed something please reach out to me at [email protected].
• Third: acronyms
  • CPS - Cambridge Public Schools
  • COO - Chief Operating Officer
  • DHSP - Department of Human Services Programs
  • CCF - Cambridge Community Foundation
  • SEL - Social and Emotional Learning
  • BRYT -  Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition
  • DESE - Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
• Fourth and finally, the meeting recap is followed by a few minutes of my absolutely biased analysis of this meeting. Please feel free to skip that part; my prime directive is to inform the public, not make anyone think like me.

LINKS

Agenda (which includes links to all agenda item)

Motion 26-032

Anthony Galluccio wikipedia page

Kenneth Reeves wikipedia page

Cambridge Community Foundation

Thrive Equity Audit 

Attuned Education Partners

Presentation slides from Rachel Skerritt of Attuned Education Partners

Presentation slides from Kim Huffer, Director of Social and Emotional Learning

DESE principal evaluations

Supplemental material (letter from the superintendent)

The website for this podcast is CSC30.com

You can contact the podcast by emailing [email protected]

The School Committee email address is [email protected]

This is a bonus episode discussing the processes and purposes for public comment at School Committee meetings. All public comments made at the first three regular meetings of 2026 are summarized.

LINKS

Rules of the School Committee

Sign up to receive School Committee notifications

Instructions to register for public comment

School Committee email address: [email protected]

Agenda for March 3, 2026

View public comments made on:

• January 6, 2026 (regular meeting)
• January 20, 2026 (regular meeting)
• February 3, 2026 (regular meeting)

Meeting motions mentioned in episode:

• June 3, 2024 (governance subcommittee meeting report)
• October 1, 2024 (regular meeting minutes)
• Motion 24-241
• Motion 24-245
• October 22, 2024 (governance subcommittee meeting report)
• November 19, 2024 (regular meeting minutes)
• Motion 24-285
• December 3, 2024 (regular meeting minutes)
• February 25, 2026 (governance subcommittee meeting video)

The website for this podcast is CSC30.com

You can contact the podcast by emailing [email protected]

The School Committee email address is [email protected]

This episode recaps the Feb. 3rd, 2026 regular meeting of the school committee. The meeting included a budget planning presentation, and discussion of motions regarding educator input and meeting formality.

****SORRY IT WAS A LITTLE LATE! :) ****

Notes & Links

Subcommitte leadership and members 

Anne Coburn's notes on the Friday, Feb. 6th special meeting 

Budget presentation slides

This meeting's agenda (includes links to all the motions discussed)

Information on the Thrive! presentation 

CRLS Jazz Band performance

The website for this podcast is CSC30.com

You can contact the podcast by emailing [email protected]

The School Committee email address is [email protected]