SPS District Newsletter
April 2026
SHS student wins National Gold Medal for ceramics submission
Congratulations to Somerville High School junior Matteus U.! He won a National Gold Medal in the 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for his piece titled Table Companions in the Ceramics & Glass category. More than 110,000 students submitted over 335,000 original works of art and writing, and fewer than 1% of those submissions were recognized at the national level. Matteus’ work was selected by a panel of distinguished leaders in the visual arts and recognized for its excellence in originality, technical skill, and the strength of a personal voice and vision. Matteus, and his ceramics teacher Taylor Byrne, will be recognized at the Scholastic National Ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City this June.
Students perform in prestigious All State Treble Chorus
Eight students in Grades 4-6 from the West Somerville, Kennedy, and Winter Hill schools were selected to represent the district in the Treble Chorus at the Massachusetts Music Educators Association All-State Conference in Worcester. This event brings together student musicians from across the Commonwealth. In addition, Somerville High School was proudly represented by a student performer in the 2026 Massachusetts All-State Chorus. Congratulations to all of our dedicated SPS singers (Fiona, Annabelle, Sofia, Oliva, William, Nava, Rosie, Josie, and SHS student Maya) on this outstanding achievement!
Fun for all at the Capuano Kindergarten Literacy Fair
Capuano kindergarteners had an exciting chance to show off their reading skills at the annual Capuano Literacy Fair. Joined by parents and guardians, students walked around the gym participating in literacy activities and earned stamps on their ‘passports’. Special education, multilingual, and mainstream classes all shared their love of reading and books, showing off their kindergarten knowledge. The event was best summed up by the words of one mother who declared, "this is so much fun!"
Adorable volunteer visits Argenziano
Volunteer Joan and her golden retriever Starry have been coming to Ms. Rathjens’ 5th grade class for a couple years. In fact, older students frequently greet Starry as he walks the hallways of the Argenziano. During Starry’s visit, students asked Joan questions about Starry and took turns petting him, talking to him, and even playing with him. Ms. Rathjens appreciates Starry’s “fun and calming” visits and the effect he has on the students. If you are interested in volunteering in one of our classrooms, we have many wonderful opportunities; learn more by visiting our Volunteers page.
Kennedy Middle Grades build and host ‘Unplugged Arcade’
On a recent morning at the Kennedy School, students poured into the gym to play in the Unplugged Arcade. Science teacher Anthony Sharp guides his 7th and 8th graders through an engineering and construction project each year. Students design and illustrate a manual but fully-functional arcade game. After the design phase, they move to the Kennedy Makerspace, where Mr. Sharp instructs them in the proper use of hand tools and power tools with an emphasis on safety standards. Using donated construction materials, they bring their visions to life.
Critical personal finance education for CTE students
State Dignitary Honors Cosmetology With a Visit
The City of Somerville Veteran’s Affairs Department organized another visit to Somerville High School. This time, local veterans were invited for hair cuts, manicures, and facials from seniors in the Cosmetology Program. They welcomed special guest Andrea Gayle-Bennett, the Deputy Secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Veteran Affairs. Bennett is a retired Brigadier General in the Massachusetts Army National Guard. Photo: a warm conversation between the Deputy Secretary and a cosmetology student during a manicure.
Three years of stellar performances at SHS Somerstars Talent Show
The third annual Somerstars talent contest featured so many talented performers that organizer and Choral Director Max Evrard split the event into two time blocks. A panel of student and staff judges offered feedback, while audience members voted for fan favorites using a QR code. Student musicians performed vocals and instrumentals, along with the SHS house band, Pluto’s Return. Congratulations to Maya D., who won first place and the chance to be the first student to record in the new music studio; Igor A., who earned second place with a song in Portuguese; and Zac S., who took third place. Bryan B. and Maya D. were also selected as fan favorites.
Teach Me Something: An SPS Podcast
Listen to the third podcast episode with Healey School's Becca Faigan as she describes her decade-long career simply as "forever learning." Becca Faigan has some new innovative ideas as she leads the Healey School's project based learning initiatives - plus, hear how our young students thrive in a multilingual environment as we stop by the Healey for this edition of "Teach Me Something."
SPS Career Fair
April 7, 3:00 - 5:00pm at East Somerville Community School. Have you ever thought about working for Somerville Public Schools? Join us at the annual career fair to meet representatives from our departments and learn about career opportunities, including substitute teaching. Learn more on our webpage. We would love to see you there!
Week of the Young Child celebration
April 16, 5:30 - 7:30pm at Somerville High School. The week honors young children, their families, and teachers while highlighting the critical importance of high-quality early childhood education and developmental needs. Join other families and young children for music, pizza, and fun activities! There are also fun ways to participate the whole week. Visit the website to learn more.
