Superintendent’s Important Message – Early Dismissal September 7, 2023
September 6, 2023
Dear Students, Staff and Families:
I have visited several of our schools and have found that classrooms are certainly warm and buildings with classrooms on second floors are even warmer in temperature.
To accommodate for the warm weather, administrators and teachers are making adjustments to the physical education classes, recess schedule and providing alternative teaching areas for students as needed. Water is easily accessible to everyone. However, even with these adjustments, the weather forecast for Thursday calls for even warmer temperatures.
With that in mind, I have made the decision to have an early release day for students on Thursday, September 7, 2023.
The early release schedule is as follows:
Cumberland HS – 10:55am
North Cumberland MS & Joseph L. McCourt MS – 11:35am
B.F. Norton School & Garvin Memorial School – 11:55am
Ashton School, Community School & JJ McLaughlin Cumberland Hill School – 12:40pm
Cumberland Preschool – No AM/PM Session
No after school activities – including Sports on Thursday
Sincerely,
Philip D. Thornton, Ed.D.
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Superintendent’s Communication – 9.2.23
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Superintendent’s Communication – 08.25.23
August 25, 2023
Dear Students, Staff and Families,
Welcome Back to School!
We look forward to opening our school doors for you this 2023-2024 school year. With our summer weather giving us a mix of both sunny and rainy days, I hope you are still enjoying your time away from school.
There have been lots of changes in the schools during the summer months. Our central office administrators, building administrators, faculty and staff have been working very hard to prepare the school buildings for our students’ first days of school. We are very appreciative of their hard work.
Ashton School has moved to its temporary location to the CHS Transitional Building. The renovations and new additions at Garvin Memorial School and Community School are near completion. We are in the midst of the final tasks to start our school year.
After being moved out of their building for a year, Garvin School students and staff will now be enjoying their newly renovated school.
Community School students and staff will be enjoying their new cafeteria, music room and additional classroom spaces. An “Opening Ceremony” for the Phase 1 Community School addition is scheduled for Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at 5:00pm.
The work at Ashton School will continue to undergo renovations this school year. Renovations at Ashton School include the completion of the new educational wing and a school renovation similar to the work now completed at Cumberland Hill and Garvin.
We want to welcome everyone back to school and we anticipate that there will be many inspirational and exciting educational experiences throughout the school year for you.
Please take a few moments to read some important information regarding the start of school.
- First Days of School –
- Wednesday, August 30, 2023 – Professional Development Day
- Thursday, August 31, 2023 – Right to Read Day
- Friday, September 1, 2023 – Faculty/Staff Orientation Day
- Tuesday, September 5, 2023 – First Day of School for Students in Elementary (1-5), Middle School (6-8) and Grade 9
- Wednesday, September 6, 2023 – Grades Pre-K – 12 Report to School – First Day for Students in Pre-K, K, Grades 10,11,12
- Reminder – No Early Release Days
School Start/End Times 2023-24 – All Grades
- Busing
- 2023-2024 Bus Routes are posted on the district’s website – Additional transportation information can be found here.
- Durham Bus Tracker – There is an app available for monitoring your child’s school bus. Durham Bus Tracker® allows you to view your student’s current school bus location. Information about the route, in near real time, including the scheduled and estimated arrival times to your stop.
- If you do not know it, you can log in to Aspen and look at the student detail page. If you cannot find it or need further assistance in Aspen, please email aspenhelp@cumberlandschools.org
- Please see the attached documents including the Durham Bus Tracker FAQ; Durham Bus Tracker Informational Sheet-English;/ Durham Bus Tracker Informational Sheet-Spanish
- School Bus Monitors Needed (part-time position) – The school bus monitor is responsible for ensuring the safe loading and unloading of school bus riders, as well as assisting the school bus driver in maintaining acceptable behavior on school buses.
- Must be at least 16 years of age
- National Background Check (BCI) required
- Perform safety checks each time students enter or leave the bus
- Must be able to work a split shift – Must be available to work between the hours of 7:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Work hours vary depending on assigned route (average 15 to 19 hours per week)
If you are interested, please visit SchoolSpring.com to create an account and apply to Job ID 3928896 (Bus Monitor), or contact Tracy Walton at the Cumberland School Department (401) 658-1600 x274 tracy.walton@cumberlandschools.org with any questions. We also have Crossing Guard positions open Job ID 3928899
- School Lunch Program –
- 2023-2024 School Meal Prices
- Elementary $2.85
- Middle School $3.00
- High School $4.00
Free/Reduced Lunch Program – Families are encouraged to complete and submit applications to your child’s school to verify eligibility. All schools in Cumberland participate in the Federal Lunch Program. Nutritious breakfasts, lunches and milk are available at all schools. Applications for free and reduced price breakfasts and lunches are sent home at the beginning of the school year and are available at the school anytime during the year.
- Reminder – Free or Reduced lunch applications need to be submitted each year to approve eligibility status.
- To apply online *Click Here*
- Menus are available online at: https://cumberland.sodexomyway.com/. The schools have an electronic lunch ticket ID system. All students will have a pin number. This ID number stays with each student until graduation. We encourage parents to prepay for their child’s meals on an electronic account.
2023/2024 – First Days of School Schedule
Superintendent’s Communication – 8.13.23
August 13, 2023
Dear Students, Staff, and Families,
I write to inform you that there have been additional changes to the 2023-2024 School Calendar and the School Start/End Times Schedule.
One Right to Read Day has been eliminated from the school calendar. The last day of school is now scheduled for Monday, June 17, 2024
The approval from RIDE to allow for up to three (3) inclement weather days, which means we will not be required to make up these days at the end of the school year, remains the same.
The Cumberland Preschool sessions are as follows:
AM Session – 9:40 AM to 12:00 PM
PM Session – 12:45 PM to 3:15 PM
The end time for students at Joseph L. McCourt MS and North Cumberland MS is now 2:35 pm
The Cumberland School Committee adopted these changes at its meeting on Thursday, August 10, 2023.
Updated Information for the 2023-2024 School Year
2023-2024 REVISED II School Calendar
2023-2024 REVISED School Start/End Times
Back to School Celebration Event
B.F. Norton School – Saturday, August 26, 2023
Back to School Backpack Flier – English
Back to School Backpack Flier – Spanish
The District Leadership Team and support personnel have been working steadily this summer to ensure that the first day of school for students and staff is successful.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Sincerely,
Philip D. Thornton, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools… Read More...