CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

Punxsutawney Phil has spoken, and it looks like we are in for six more weeks of winter! This well-known groundhog took to the stage from his tree stump home for the 137th time in Gobblers Knob on Thursday. According to records dating back to 1887, Punxsutawney Phil has predicted winter more than 100 times and he was not kidding this year as an arctic blast is bringing bitter cold and winds to New England. However, the official groundhog of Massachusetts, Ms. G, would beg to differ with her colleague Phil, since she did not see her shadow and is predicting an early spring! In any event, Massachusetts will experience dangerously cold conditions as an arctic air mass makes its way to us. Please be aware of the extreme weather conditions for the next few days and be sure to bundle up when heading outside. Also, please be on the lookout for correspondences from event coordinators on the effects of this weather and the use of our facilities for any possible cancellations. I am hopeful that all planned events will continue as scheduled as we move through the weekend.

While on the topic of events, if you have not purchased your tickets for the McCarthy Middle School Drama Club’s presentation of Roald Dahl’s classic Matilda the Musical Jr., there is still time to do so. This musical presentation is about a girl who dreams of a better life and the children she inspires. The musical showcases high-energy dance numbers and memorable songs throughout each act. If you are looking for some fun entertainment, this student showcase will not disappoint!

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has published the 2022 district and school report cards. Every year, each public school and district in Massachusetts receives a report card from DESE. Just as your child’s report card shows how they are doing in different subjects, the school and district report cards are designed to show families how our schools and district are doing in different areas. The report card includes multiple measures of a school and district performance – more than just MCAS scores. It represents a new way of looking at school performance, by providing information on student achievement, teacher qualifications, student learning opportunities, and more. Please find the district and school report cards in my correspondence or on each school’s website.

The month of February is Black History month, also known as African American History Month, is a recognition of African Americans and the crucial roles they played in the founding and shaping of the United States of America. There are many activities and lessons in our schools celebrating the achievements of African Americans. In addition, the Chelmsford Center for the Arts (CAA) has collaborated with the town’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and the Chelmsford Public Library to provide additional celebrations this month. Please see the Town Manager’s Newsletter to view these events.

Monday marks the 100th day of the school year with many planned celebrations for students at our elementary schools. I look forward to sharing highlights with you next week. In the meantime, please enjoy this week’s newsletter and stay warm.

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• View complete athletics schedules here.

• McCarthy MS Presents - Matilda Jr., 2/3, 7:00 p.m. & 2/4, 2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

• School Committee Meeting, 2/7, 6:00 p.m.

• Save the Date - CHS L.E.A.D. Club Empowerment Workshop, 3/18, 12:00 p.m.

We often associate the month of February with hearts because of Valentine's Day. However, there's another reason we should think about hearts in February; it's American Heart Month! South Row Staff participated in a CPR certification class on Thursday, Feb. 2nd. The CPR Instructors included Peggy Gump RN, Coordinator of Nursing Services, Lisa Kamenides RN, school nurse at Parker, and Carol Reilly RN, school nurse at CHS. CPR training is important! It can save your life, a family member's or a friend's life, or even a stranger's life! Knowing how to perform CPR is a huge benefit to the community! Thank you to the amazing staff at South Row for learning this life-saving skill!

This week in Mrs. Defreitas' library class, 1st grade and kindergarten students learned about the history of Groundhog Day, then made Groundhog cup puppets!

The Chelmsford Integrated Preschool program (CHIPS) will be holding a virtual information session for prospective families on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. We will begin accepting applications for the 2023-24 school year on Friday, Feb. 10th. The application form for the 2023-24 school year will be available on the CHIPS website.

Six seniors were recently honored as Chelmsford High School named its Lions Pride/Rotary Student of the Month recipients for the month of January, announced CHS Principal Stephen Murray. Seniors Dean Allen and Neel Verma were named from Emerson House while Lėa Bosch and Jack Dorsey were honored from Hawthorne House, and Madison Connors and Bennett Prees from Whittier House. Sponsored by the Chelmsford Rotary Club for more than 30 years, the Student of the Month program recognizes outstanding students from each of CHS’s three academic houses – Emerson House, Hawthorne House, and Whittier House – for their achievements in and out of the classroom. To read more about our students of the month, please visit our website.

This past weekend, CHS treble voice a cappella ensemble The Crescendos WOWED crowds at the NE Voices Festival! NE Voices is a comprehensive festival experience in the Boston area for high school vocal ensembles and their teachers. The festival features performances from scholastic and professional ensembles, an optional competition, masterclasses, and workshops from experts in the field of contemporary a cappella. Founded in 2011 by high school music teachers looking for an opportunity focused on student growth and connections, NE Voices offers a festival experience that is educationally sound, affordable, and current with contemporary a cappella trends. ​ The next stop for The Crescendos is the Varsity Vocals ICHSA Northeast Region Quarterfinal on February 12th at Galvin Middle School in Wakefield alongside The Thursdays.

This isn’t a restaurant in Chelmsford Center or downtown Lowell. It is the Parker Perk Café is open to faculty and staff from 8:30-9:15 a.m. every other Friday. It is a transformed area of the Parker Middle School Cafeteria with a host and waitstaff, tables, a coffee bar, and a pastry display for those dining in. It also runs a delivery cart for teachers and staff seeking delivery to their classrooms and offices. Each of the aforementioned roles are taken on by the School’s New England Center for Children (NECC) students and overseen by the School’s special education and paraprofessional staff: teachers Amy Sparks and Genna Raffaelo and Occupational Therapist Lisa Martin. The Café opened in January of 2019 and remained open for a year before the Covid-19 outbreak. The grand reopening took place on Dec. 2 with plans to continue every other Friday throughout the academic year. It teaches real-world skills such as communication, literacy, measurements and math, and fine motor skills among others, said Parker Speech Pathologist Kristiana Kurth. To learn more about the Parker Perk Café, please visit our website.

Get your tickets here for McCarthy Middle School's presentation of Matilda The Musical.

Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical JR.
This is a story of a girl who dreams of a better life, and the children she inspires will have audiences rooting for the "revolting children" who are out to teach the grown-ups a lesson. Packed with high-energy dance numbers and catchy songs, Matilda JR. is a joyous girl power romp.

The CHS Career Exploration Breakfast will be held on March 15, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. This breakfast offers CHS juniors the opportunity to select two careers of interest and spend time with a professional in that field. Speakers share their interests, educational background, and what skills are needed to perform their jobs to give juniors career awareness and support in planning their futures. We are looking for professionals in the following careers to volunteer their time to share their experiences with our CHS juniors. If you are interested, please contact Alexandra Cunningham at: cunninghamalex@chelmsford.k12.ma.us.

The Center School PTO is excited to announce the 24th annual Taste of Chelmsford! This year’s Taste continues the new tradition of Taste as a month-long raffle in March, with amazing prizes offered daily from area restaurants and businesses. Funds raised from the Taste directly support enrichment programs for students at Center. Tickets are $25 and each ticket can win 31 times in March! All prizes are valued at $100 or more. Only 1,000 tickets will be sold, so get yours now before they sell out! Purchase your raffle tickets today at: www.tasteofchelmsford.com

The Chelmsford High School's gender equality club, L.E.A.D. (Leadership, Equality, Acceptance and Diversity Club) is holding our annual Empowerment Workshop on March 18 from 12:00 - 1:00 pm in the Career Center at CHS, 200 Richardson Road. In the workshop, we educate elementary-age students about gender equality through drawing activities, storytime, and much more. Please use the QR Reader on the attached flyer or sign up by using the following link to attend. We look forward to seeing you on March 18th!

Chelmsford Public Schools has partnered with Paper to provide unlimited access to trained tutors so every student can ask questions, work through problems, and grow their confidence—at no cost to families.

Paper is an online, on-demand tutoring service that provides students with unlimited, 24/7 academic support. Whether they’re stuck on homework, studying for a test, or need someone to read and make suggestions for their writing, there will always be experts available online to assist students one-on-one in all subject areas and in more than four languages. See Paper FAQs to learn more.

Please use the following link to access the K-12 CPS Family and Student Handbook and CHS Handbook Addendum for the 2022/23 School Year.

The CPS Health Services Department is committed to providing evidence-based/ best practice holistic nursing care to the unique, culturally diverse students of Chelmsford Public Schools. In collaboration with all stakeholders, we advocate for their safety and healthcare needs. We are dedicated professionals who are committed to bridging health care with education and making a positive impact on the present and future wellness of Chelmsford’s school community. Please visit the Health Services page on the website for all your health services needs.

The Chelmsford Public Schools utilizes School Spring to advertise job postings and the online application process. To apply for any of our positions, please visit our website.

The mission of the Chelmsford Public Schools is to educate, engage, prepare, and empower well-rounded and knowledgeable learners who PERSEVERE through challenges, demonstrate RESPECT and INTEGRITY in their words and actions, are DEDICATED to their community, and display EMPATHY as global citizens while discovering and pursuing their full potential.

Email: information@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
Website: https://chelmsfordschools.org
Location: 230 North Road, Chelmsford, MA, USA
Phone: (978) 251-5100
Facebook: facebook.com/chelmsfordpublicschools
Twitter: @ChelmsfordPS