A newsletter could begin as soon as this month to keep Cambridge up to date on what’s happening with its School Committee, but members are cautious about overwhelming residents who already see “a large volume of communications from schools and from the district,” said Arjun Jaikumar, co-chair of a Tuesday meeting of a Communications and Community Relations Subcommittee.
The idea may also be already obsolete, Jaikumar said, pointing its likely audience to an independent podcast by parent Jess Goetz called “School Committee in 30 Minutes or Less.”
“It’s great and digestible,” Jaikumar said. “For those who are not listening, you should incorporate this into your commute.”
Still, a plain-language, monthly newsletter (“first of all, we only meet every two weeks,” Jaikumar said of the full committee) will be among recommendations from the subcommittee to launch immediately and simply – likely becoming available, with a link translatable to all available languages, through the district’s ParentSquare communications platform.
The meeting included broader but brief discussion of ways the district and committee communicate. Along with proposed changes to public comment, the subcommittee talked about more ways to translate for people for whom English isn’t their first language, and it returned to the idea of hosting meetings or forums at sites throughout the city so residents didn’t always have to come to the committee’s rooms at the high school in Mid-Cambridge. “A number of alternative locations” would be proposed, Jaikumar said.
Newsletter specifics
Most of the conversation was about the newsletter, though. Subcommittee co-chair Luisa DePaula Santos said the recaps would be a useful exercise “even for ourselves” to pin down what decisions are made. “It’s been discussed at committee meetings that sometimes even our internal communications could be improved,” Santos said.
Member Elizabeth Hudson warned against overthinking the newsletter idea, which was discussed informally a few months ago but didn’t see action. “This is something we could just do. We could start doing it tomorrow,” Hudson said.
There was also interest in seeing students contribute to a newsletter, and community members suggested that different versions be crafted for students in various age ranges – and that it be weekly. That pace didn’t find much support.
Jackie Piques, director of communications for the district, cited survey data showing that “even among folks who value what ParentSquare offers more generally, the volume is just a lot.” The district was already looking at what information came out and how, “to adjust it so that we are not bombarding folks.” Refinements made with school leaders would come over the summer and into next school year, she said.
Engaging more widely
Residents also wanted community engagement to include educators and staff who are heard from less – including school custodians, who form unique bonds with students. “One of the most impactful people for my students has been our custodian. He is somebody who graduated from Rindge a long time ago, and he shares his experiences and he shares his wisdom,” educator Lily Read said, referring to the city’s Cambridge Rindge and Latin high school. “I haven’t heard anything about talking to our educators, our clerks, our custodians. We have so many vibrant educators and staff members, but I often wonder if anybody listens to them.”
Jaikumar agreed from an experience at his own kids’ school: “In a building of very talented and beloved educators, the most popular person in the building is a new custodian. The kids adore him. He become, very quickly, a person that the kids feel like they can talk to.”
The meeting was attended by the new director of family engagement for the district, Melissa Melissa Bolden, who doesn’t start work formally until May 4. “But when I got the invitation, I had to come,” Bolden said. “I am passionate about family and community engagement.”
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