Cambridge high school’s approach to attendance and relationship-building leaves students adrift
There was much discussion about the high school’s “climate” at a Monday budget meeting held by the School Committee, including references to student fights and chaotic hallway behavior. These are not new issues, but have certainly become far worse in recent years. It’s critical for the community and taxpayers to read the attendance policy that, in my view, is at the root or at least demonstrative of a chosen lack of structure at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School.
When a student accumulates 15 or more tardies, has five or more absences – excused or unexcused – or has a combination of the two in the same class during a quarter, a student will earn an attendance violation, the policy says.
At the very end of the policy, it says there will be no reduction of a student’s grade as a result of an attendance violation being issued.
I am told homeroom was eliminated because kids were not showing up, but homeroom has always been critical to prepare students for the day and in spotting behavioral red flags. On top of this, I am told “absent” is interpreted as meaning missing 40 minutes of a 90-minute block schedule – so missing 39 minutes of a 90-minute class is not “absent.”
For those not driven to go to college, supported by private tutoring after school, college coaches and family expectations, a lack of structure and accountability is very tempting. Yet students tell me frequently they do not have to go to class – that it’s not part of their grade.
As an advocate and coach working from outside CRLS, it’s really tough to overcome kids’ perceptions of what is allowed, but there is no more important life skill than showing up and being on time.
One has to wonder if staff got tired of enforcing attendance and just threw up a white flag? Or is this the philosophy of the principal?
I get it: Arguing over kids’ use of phones and walking in late is exhausting. I go home exhausted on many days after working followed by coaching young people. I agree strongly with sentiments that staff have to be coached, supported and inspired to do this work. They also must be driven to help kids individually, and they must be culturally competent to engage. It’s very hard work, and we should give them the resources to do it. Leaders also have to set the example; superintendents, deans and principals must walk the walk.
I am sure many staff members are not happy with the climate of CRLS as well.
A more detailed conversation about student-staff relationships is long overdue, including on when and how staff are expected to build relationships with students and caregivers outside of class time. Every meaningful intervention I had in high school with an administrator or teacher that I remember was one-on-one; interactions for which staff went out of their way on their own time proved to me they knew and cared about me. These relationships and communication out of the classroom are everything in terms of motivating underperforming students, but I have yet to hear “personal relationships” or “follow-up with individual students or caregivers” as a budget priority. We instead increase funding for the supports that have proven to not reach underperforming students, and if students don’t show up for an after-school homework center appointment, what is the response? If caregivers don’t show up at curriculum night or log on to Aspen, does the principal lay out an action plan to staff to reach them?
The current culture rooted in policies such as the one on attendance translates into very low expectations for children who are traditionally coming from behind. This will not change with fancy new five-year PowerPoint presentations. Leadership must inspire and support staff and hold them accountable.
We have many great teachers and staff throughout Cambridge Public Schools, and if a student happens to encounter them, it’s amazing. I can name many of these wonderful educators who are personally inspired, culturally competent and care about kids. But I want their approach to be systemic, and for every child to experience them building personal relationships; holding children accountable; and communicating with kids and caregivers outside class. All this must be carved out, demanded and integrated into every facet of the system. Logging into Aspen and going to curriculum nights or coffees with the principal are awesome, but for the chronically absent students and disengaged caregivers, these strategies must be heavily supplemented.
We cannot say it’s okay to not show up, then expect kids to think we really care.
Anthony D. Galluccio is a Cambridge resident and partner at Galluccio & Watson LLP, and a former state senator, mayor and chair of the Cambridge School Committee.
Not great, Bob!
There is no excuse for this absenteeism in all its various forms.
“Yet students tell me frequently they do not have to go to class – that it’s not part of their grade.”
This is a cultural problem. The parents of these kids have to tell them to go to school and behave.
If the parents are unwilling to do this, the teachers are certainly not going to be able to do it.
Discipline starts within the family. To think otherwise is not rational. As citizens we are tired of excuses. There is no reason for the Cambridge School system to be spending the per pupil money that it does, and then have the students decide that they do not have to obey the rules.
CRLS should stop pandering to the students. If they do not want to be a part of the school, expel
them and focus the resources on the vast majority of the kids who realize how important it is to be able to get a good education.
Concerned I don’t know about family culture but definitely the school culture can be changed towards personal accountability and inspiring kids to show up for learning. This generally sounds unacceptable, those brains are not developed enough in adolescence to make consistently good decisions about things like showing up. To say nothing of the importance of home room and attendance to foster a sense of community which is one of the best protective factors for kids who struggle in all kinds of ways. This whole situation is just heartbreaking.
Great piece, but both sad and angering. This is yet another way that our schools and School Committee are failing our kids with an environment of low expectations and lack of structure/discipline.
I would say avoid the sinkhole debates around hard rules and scheduling ect. Leadership has to deliver a safe positive school climate and at a minimum proficiency. Cambridge is an intellectual community that loves to debate and CPS plays that to a farewell. They are expected to deliver and have the action steps. The teachers apparently just went to arbitration on hall monitoring and won. Now its just deans and safety personnel in halls. If teachers are afraid to be in the halls lets discuss why. I am not about debating hard rules but leadership has to make school climate and respect for staff and yes baseline rules a priority. I want kids to see showing up and attention as foundational and more personal interaction with staff is key. Maybe the principle needs to support some real conversations with staff and kids. I feel terrible for especially new teachers who are cast adrift and have to deal with all the politics. They need support and coaching. I also do not want the teachers to think our community is ok with expecting little attention or absence from our kids. This is the opposite of equity. Its setting lower expectations for kids more likely to fail.
Agreed Anthony, Leadership needs to to create a space kids want to be in. So why are teachers out of hallways, and not even doing homeroom any more? How do we create real community? If “safety personnel” means cops, then that makes halls not exactly welcoming. Ugh, this is all so depressing.
Safety specialists are not “ cops” however to be honest the police school safety officers have better personal relationships with kids than most staff. Unfortunately Cambridge does not focus on public education other than making sure it is well funded. Unless there is a major incident that goes public folks feel uncomfortable getting involved. If they have kids they either are focused on their own kids challenges and are usually nervous about saying something critical which affects their kid.. parents understandably have tunnel vision. For whatever reason standing up for underperforming students or raising a concern about school climate are not typical political discussions. I also think CPS is expert in making sure shat happens in CPS stays in CPS. This is one of my biggest issues with the administrations going back a ways. Why not be honest about the challenges and engage the public. We all know how challenging public education is. We all understand covid impacts. We all see te news on childhood mental health and social media impacts and marijuana use. My biggest issue is how defensive and marginalizing CPS can be. Generally they attack the person raising and issue, marginalize them and wat for the next school vacation for the issue to burn off.
https://secure1.cpsd.us/event_registration/ This is the login for the meeting on the climate survey. 530 at CRLS or virtual 6 pm start.
I’m an NP that does annual home visits for a corporation. I visited a patient locally this week. During the visit, she handed me her phone to look at information on her patient portal. While I was scrolling a text from the school flashed across the screen to notify of her son’s absence that day. The text was sent after 4pm while he was safe at home. (He is safe and in no immediate danger requiring notifying any protective service.)
A text to parent is a good start, it’s a statement we noticed you were not here and we are telling your mother. Follow up would provide an opportunity for that relationship building.
Hopefully this kid is on someone’s radar at the school and when he returns they will ask him why he was out or how he is doing. If not an opportunity to learn about the stressors this kid is dealing with will be missed. They won’t know that he lives in a single parent home where he is primary support to a parent with significant medical issues. They recently relocated in what sounds like a traumatic move involving a constable. This is not the first time they have been homeless, either briefly or long term. They are living with no furniture because their things were scattered during this past move and they are still collecting and rebuilding.
If the policy or acceptable standard is to just send a text to notify the parent of an absence, I have to agree with Anthony that an opportunity for relationship building and support for students will be missed.