6 1 7 - 3 5 4 - 0 0 4 7 | 2 4 5 B e n t S t r e e t , C a m b r i d g e , M A 0 2 1 4 1 | w w w . c c s c a m b r i d g e . o r g

Community Charter School of Cambridge Fall 2012 Newsletter

Coming Soon: 6th GradeThe Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently amended CCSC’s charter to add a 6th grade within our current enrollment cap of 360. We hope to begin enrolling 6th graders in the fall of 2014, which will be the school’s 10th year in operation.

“The state’s approval of our application for a charter amendment is a vote of confidence in our academic program. We expect that adding a 6th grade will lead to additional and significant gains in student achievement, as students will have an additional year at CCSC to acquire and master the skills and content knowledge they need to succeed in our upper grades,” says Head of School Caleb Hurst-Hiller.

Congratulations to New NHS Members

Seven students were inducted to the school’s chapter of the National Honor Society this fall. NHS membership is one of the highest honors that can be awarded to a high school student, as it reflects not only outstanding scholarship and excellent character, but a record of leadership and service in the community. Our new NHS members are pictured (L-R): Tahawney Terrell ’14, Gaurav Chatterjee ’14, Janika Beatty ’13, Chardé Hunt-Jeanty ’13, Masroque Musa ’14, Tristan Pepin ’14, and Mehret Tadesse ’14. They join the five seniors who were inducted last fall: Hugh Merisier ’13, Vivianne Nufio ’13, Elizabeth Puerta-Romero ’13, Sylvia Sanchez ’13, and Netaya Strothers ’13.

Sophomores #1 in State MCAS for 2nd Year100% score advanced or proficient in both math and ELA

Caleb Hurst-Hiller announcing MCAS results to students

We are proud to announce that our 10th graders earned a #1 ranking in both English and math on the 2012 MCAS exams. These scores make CCSC one of only five public schools, and only three charters, among 350 public high schools statewide, where 100% of 10th graders scored advanced or proficient in both English and math. Specifically, in 2012, 78% of CCSC 10th graders scored advanced in math, and 22% were proficient; in English, 44% of CCSC 10th graders scored advanced and 56% were proficient. This is the second consecutive year that 100% of CCSC 10th graders have scored advanced or proficient in math.

Even more impressive, CCSC was the only school statewide to achieve a student growth percentile rating of 80 or above for both math and English in 2012. CCSC 10th graders ranked #4 in the state for their median rate of growth in math scores from the 8th grade (+87%), and #5 in the state in English growth from 8th grade (+82%).

“Those results don’t happen by accident. The learning growth numbers confirm that our approach is highly effective—our students are far outpacing their peers statewide,” says Dean of Curriculum and Program Becky Wilusz.

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Because Success is a Choice

BoArd of TrusTEEsDenise Jillson, ChairRobert Wood, Vice ChairDavid Boit, TreasurerColm Prendergast, SecretaryH. Theodore CohenStefanie DhandaVeronica Godoy-CarterOrin GutlernerJames P. KelleyGwendolyne ThorneCaleb Hurst-Hiller, Ex OfficioPaula Evans, Ex Officio

AdminisTrATionCaleb Hurst-Hiller, Head of SchoolChris Cook, Upper School PrincipalBecki Norris, Lower School PrincipalVanessa Barrios, Director of

Guidance & CounselingDanielle Makarious, Director of

Special ProgramsBecky Wilusz, Dean of Curriculum

and Program

AppLy To CCsCFor the past two years, we have opened at capacity, with all 360 seats filled and long waiting lists. We are now accepting lottery applications for new students entering grades 7, 8 and 9 in 2013-14.

Details about our lottery application and enrollment process may be found at: www.ccscambridge.org/apply

Spotlight on Teacher Mentor Program

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Class of 2012 College Update

Last June, the school’s fourth and largest-ever class graduated (23 seniors), and for the fourth straight year 100% of them gained college admission. Our most recent alumni are attending:Clark UniversityCollege of the Holy CrossCurry CollegeDenison UniversityFisher CollegeLasell College

New England Institute of ArtNortheastern UniversityRegis CollegeUniversity of BridgeportUniversity of San FranciscoUMass Boston

UMass DartmouthUMass LowellWentworth Institute

of TechnologyWheaton College Wheelock College

As important as sending our students to college is making sure that they are well prepared and highly motivated to stay in school and earn their undergraduate degrees. We are pleased that 85% of our graduates since 2009 are still enrolled in college and working toward their degrees. We are in the process of hiring a new alumni coordinator to liaise with graduates and our college counseling staff and to help support our alumni in college.

There are 32 seniors in the Class of 2013—a record number—and we are confident that our college acceptance and degree completion numbers will continue to improve over time.

Each fall, every new CCSC classroom teacher is matched with a mentor teacher, an experienced educator who coaches, guides, and supports them throughout the year. The Teacher Mentor Program is an essential part of the school’s commitment to ensuring faculty success and professional growth. Mentors collaborate with mentees to help them improve their pedagogical practice and classroom management, go over curriculum design, navigate the school culture, and effectively manage their time.

“Teaching is such a complex job, and the support and guidance from experienced educators enables new teachers—those who are new to the profession as well as those who are new to the CCSC community—to be as effective as possible right from the start,” says Becky Wilusz, dean of curriculum and program. In this way, the Teacher Mentor Program is as critical to student success as it is to faculty success.

Kyle Fahsel (above) and Seth Hoskings (below) are new to CCSC, but not to teaching.

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Chris Cook, upper school principal

Our new Upper School Principal Chris Cook is already making his mark, launching and overseeing the new After School Learning Center and strengthening the Senior Internship Program. The Long Island native graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in sociology, and taught for four years at Boston Preparatory Charter Public School. Reared in a family of teachers—his grandmother, mother, and two aunts are all educators—Mr. Cook

has aspired to become a principal since he was a teenager, and last year he added a master’s degree in school leadership from Harvard University en route to his dream job.

“I know how influential a figure the school principal can be,” he says. “I want to truly impact kids’ lives. The best part about coming aboard at CCSC is that the team is so strong, and the kids we serve are so great! It’s rare to find a team that is as strong as the one here—and even more rare to find one so focused on improving.”

Welcome, New AdministratorsBecky Wilusz, dean of Curriculum and instruction

Becky Wilusz joined us this fall from Prospect Hill Academy Charter School, where she worked for seven years, the past five as upper school principal. “Many aspects of CCSC stood out to me, but the most significant was the sense of close community,” she says. “Teachers, students, and staff know each other well here, and that community feeling is a priority for me.”

With a BA from Amherst College and an M.A.T. from Brown University, Ms. Wilusz says another important factor in choosing to work at CCSC is the scope of responsibilities of the position.

“This position combines three things I care deeply about and enjoy: working with teachers on their planning and instruction; overseeing curriculum development and alignment; and working with teacher mentors,” she says. With planning underway to add a 6th grade, Ms. Wilusz will get a chance to immerse herself even more deeply in all three of these roles.

New at CCSC: AP Chemistry

We expanded our Advanced Placement courses this year to offer AP Chemistry. Nineteen juniors and seniors are enrolled in the class, which is taught by Heather Haines, CCSC’s science department chair. A fall highlight was a field trip to MIT, where the AP Chem students worked in the Mass Spectroscopy Lab and had dinner with some MIT students and instructors (see photo).

Senior Internship Program Gearing Up for Big YearWith 32 seniors in the Class of 2013, this spring’s Senior Internship Program will be our largest ever. Upper School Principal Chris Cook has been reaching out to prior and potential internship sponsors and assessing seniors’ career interests to ensure that we match every student with an appropriate host. Seniors will spend one full day per week at their internships from February through May. If you are interested in hosting a CCSC intern this year or in the future, please contact Mr. Cook at 617-354-0047 x510.

Our Campus Keeps Growing

The CCSC campus now includes 5,000 s.f. of newly renovated space on the top floor of 255 Bent Street, the building on the corner of 6th Street and next door to our original Lower School building at 245 Bent St. “The Upper School Annex” as we’re calling our new, light-filled space, provides four large corner classrooms, a conference room, and three offices including one for our college counselor.

Support CCSC

Donations to Options for Cambridge Students, Inc., our 501(c)(3), are helping CCSC close the achievement gap each and every school day, and during the summer with our required Summer Academy for all new students. Gifts make possible new courses like AP Chemistry and new activities like girls’ soccer, along with improvements to our classroom facilities, technology and materials. All gifts are tax deductible.

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Girls Soccer Added

No more coed soccer – our girls now have their own team, coached by teachers Heidi Thayer and Devin Morris. Our boys and girls soccer teams both practiced hard and competed successfully in the Mass. Charter School Athletic Organization’s league, with the boys qualifying for the playoffs.

Basketball Home Game Schedule

Girls play at 7:45 PM. Boys start at 9:00 PM.

Fri. 1/11Fri. 1/18Fri. 1/25Fri. 2/1Fri. 2/8

Fri. 2/15@MIT’s Rockwell Gym at 120 Vassar St.

SPOrTS NeWS

Support CCSC