December 13, 2024
Dear Students, Staff, and Families:
As we count down the days until we can all relax and recharge, I encourage you to stay committed and work diligently, and end 2024 on a strong note.
RICAS 2023-2024
Tony Dimanna and his team presented a very well-thought-out RICAS presentation to the School Committee last evening. To summarize, Mr. Dimanna says, “Cumberland Schools remain a top-performing district in the state. We appear to be following the state trend on both RI and Mass. where Math scores are holding steady with a bit of regression and unsettled performance trends in ELA. We have implemented a great deal of curriculum in a very short period of time and that can cause what educators call an ‘implementation dip’ as teachers need time to process and perfect the understanding and delivery of new curricula to students. In short, of districts testing greater than 1,000 students, we remain a top performer. Why this is significant, is that the larger the school system, the more difficult it is to keep curriculum, assessment, and instructional practices consistent and synergistic across several schools, etc.” The complete 2023-2024 RICAS Presentation is available here.
ASPEN Acknowledgements
We kindly remind you to log into Aspen to complete the following important forms:
- Parent Handbook Signature
- Withhold Student Information
- Sex Offender Notification
To access Aspen, please follow these steps:
- Go to the Aspen
- Log in to your Aspen account using your credentials.
- Instructions can be found here.
If you encounter any difficulties or have questions, please contact us at aspenhelp@cumberlandschools.org
School Cancellations or Delays
It’s that time of year to keep an eye on the weather radar and have the Police Chief, Highway Department, Facilities Director, and Superintendents from nearby towns on speed dial. The choice to cancel/delay school is never taken lightly; we strive to make the decision as promptly as possible based on the information at hand.
We want to be sure the messages are getting out to all families.
Rhode Island Broadcasters (RIBA) will announce all school closings and delays on local news channels. RIBA is no longer providing text alerts for school cancellations.
Delays and closings are communicated with the district through School Messenger. This will include both email and phone calls. Make sure your contact information with your student’s school secretary is always current.
Any school cancelation or delay announcements will also be posted to the district website, https://cumberlandschools.org/, and the district Facebook page, Facebook
Cumberland School Committee 2025 Schedule
The schedule for the 2025 School Committee Regular meetings has been approved. The Fiscal Management Subcommittee meets at 5:00 PM, the Executive Session typically at 6:00 PM, and the Regular biweekly meeting at 7:00 PM. 2025 Cumberland SC Mtg Schedule – PUBLIC NOTICE 12.12.2024.pdf
Sincerely,
Philip D. Thornton, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools