Thanks to the generosity of Cradles to Crayons and Staples, Somerville Public Schools students are kicking off the school year and the return to their school buildings ready to learn. Through their Ready for Learning initiative, long-time community partner Cradles to Crayons donated 2,400 backpacks filled with school supplies for students from across the district, and StaplesConnect Somerville donated close to 1,500 boxed school supply kits. Community partners like Cradles to Crayons and StaplesConnect are among the many organizations committed to supporting Somerville students every year, and to making a positive difference in their communities. We are grateful for their ongoing support and partnership.

Free MBTA Passes for All High School Students

Thanks to the Somerville City Council, School Committee, and Mayor Curtatone, all Somerville Public Schools high school students will receive a free MBTA pre-loaded M7 monthly pass card for this school year. Approximately 1,400 Somerville High School and Full Circle students will be receiving the M7 cards. The M7 cards are good for free unlimited travel on the subway, Local or Express buses, and Commuter Rail Zones 1A, 1, and 2 from September through June, with discounted rates available in July and August. Read all about this new initiative in this recent MBTA press release.

Free Breakfast and Lunch for All Students All Year

Breakfast and lunch will be FREE for all Somerville students for the 2021-2022 school year. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a number of nationwide child nutrition waivers that will be available through the 2021-2022 school year. This is great news for our children and schools as the nation continues to recover from the economic and health emergencies of the past year. Under the nationwide waiver that allows the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) through School Year 2021-2022, all schools can continue serving FREE breakfast and lunch to all students. For more information on the USDA Covid-19 waivers approved through June 30, 2022 please visit the link: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/child-nutrition-response-85. Visit our Food & Nutrition Services website home page for monthly breakfast and lunch menus.

Don’t Miss the COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic on Wednesday, September 15, in Front of SHS

Get your first or second dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, September 15 from 1:00 – 4:00pm at 81 Highland Ave. Everyone age 12 years and older is eligible to get this vaccine. Students under 18 will need a parent or guardian to fill out the consent form and students under 16 years old will need a parent or guardian to accompany them. All students 12 and up who wish to participate in non-academic extracurricular activities or athletics must be fully vaccinated by October 20^th. You can pre-register to save time or you can simply walk in to the clinic.

Parent/guardian consent forms, pre-registration links, and information about future clinics are available on the City of Somerville’s vaccine page:

• https://www.somervillema.gov/vaccine (English)
• https://www.somervillema.gov/vacina (Portuguese)
• https://www.somervillema.gov/vacuna (Spanish)
• https://www.somervillema.gov/vaksen (Haitian Creole)
• https://www.somervillema.gov/खोपहरु (Nepali)