Center Community Chat
June 11, 2023
Hip Hip Hurray to Tanya Kivi, our amazing Field Day Chief. Ms. Kivi's tireless efforts and meticulous planning ensured that our field day was fun filled and ran smoothly from start to finish.The surprise visit from the Chelmsford mascot was a huge hit. Thank you to our volunteers for making that happen. The book swap was once again a big success due to your generous donations and the volunteers to assisted with this activity. Our sincerest appreciation to the numerous volunteers who gave their time and energy to run stations, and to our CSPTO for providing popsicles. The day was a resounding success as evidenced by the abundant smiles and laughter of students. Again, our appreciation to all, and especially Ms. Kivi for their contributions in creating a memorable experience.
We have 3 1/2 more days of memory making for the school year. Continue to read on for information about spirit days and end of the year events.
Please be reminded of our dismissal procedures. The office needs to be notified prior to 2:30, and students can not be dismissed after 2:40.
A glimpse at next week:
Monday- June 12- The 4th grade finale! The ceremony begins at 12:30 in the gymnasium. 4th grade parents have received additional correspondence with details.
Tuesday, June 13th - 4th grade families, Meet the Parker Middle School Administration
Who: Principal, Josh Blagg; Asst. Principal, Mark Souza
Where: Parker Middle School Library
Time: 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Thursday- June 15- Half-day of school for all students, students are released at 11:45. Students will meet their teacher and classmates for the next school year. No lunch will be served.
Thursday- June 15- 4th grade clap out at 11:30. 4th grade families are invited to line up outside and 4th grade students will parade in front of the school. Specific information will be sent to fourth-grade families.
Center Chirps
- Please be sure to check the lost and found for missing items of clothing. All remaining clothing will be donated at the end of the year.
- Please return any borrowed books from the Center library. There are still 45 books out on loan.
- Summer Learning Opportunities for Students:
- iReady and Raz Kids will be available for student use through Clever over the summer until Friday, July 28th.
- The Summer Reading Challenge sponsored by the Chelmsford Public Library is a great way for your students to sharpen their reading skills over the summer. https://www.chelmsfordlibrary.org/kids/summer-reading/
Have a good week.
Dianna and Donna
Thank you to Mr. McGillicuddy for compiling the pictures below
Third Grade Biographies
Thank you CSPTO for bringing Wing Masters to Center
Center Field Day Fun
Indoor fun on Field Day
Fun night learning about each other's cultures at the district picnic
District Family Survey
Dear Chelmsford Families,
Our district values your feedback! We are currently surveying The Chelmsford Public Schools families in order to gain insight into your perception of our school and district's effectiveness. We also want to better understand barriers to families accessing our schools and programs. To ensure we continue to provide high quality, rigorous learning experiences that meet the needs of our learners and prepare them for college and career, we need your feedback. We want to know what you think.
To administer these surveys, we have partnered with Panorama Education to conduct our 2023 Family Survey. Panorama safeguards your privacy, keeping your responses anonymous. The survey shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to complete and will be a valuable source of information for us as we work to make our schools and district as good as they can be.
You may complete the survey online between Thursday June 1st and Friday June 16th using a computer, tablet, or smartphone by visiting the website below:
https://surveys.panoramaed.com/chelmsfordma/familysurvey/surveys
If you have multiple CPS school-aged children, please feel free to fill out multiple surveys to represent each individual child’s experience. The first question on the survey will be a dropdown to select which school you are filling the survey out for.
We thank you in advance for your thoughtful responses. If you have any questions about the survey administration, please don’t hesitate to contact your building Principal.
Thank you in advance for your time.
Bus Registration for 2023- 2024
Dear Parents and Guardians,
School bus registration for the 2023-24 school year is underway. We need to begin to collect data on riders for the fall, so efficient routes may be developed for the start of the school year if we are in an in-person school setting.
An “early bird” payment discount is available for registrations completed by July 4, 2023. Information pertaining to school bus transportation may be found on the Chelmsford Public Schools Transportation page. Registering now allows the transportation department to begin building routes for optimum efficiency, and if you are required to pay a fee it saves you money by registering early.
A few reminders about student transportation:
ALL STUDENTS who desire to ride the school bus to or from school MUST REGISTER EVERY YEAR, even if they are not required to pay a fee.
REGISTRATION PROCESS
You will be required to provide your child's First Name, Last Name, and LASID (student ID) to register them for school bus transportation in the MCC portal. You may find your child's student ID in the X2 Family Portal. Click FAMILY in the top tab (just below your name on the left side of the screen) and a list of each child associated with your family is displayed. Please note, if you have existing and incoming students you may need to adjust the filter (looks like a funnel) and select "all records." Click on the name of your child and you will see a field for student ID displayed (on the left side of the page just under your child's name). The student ID typically begins with 5500. You will need the entire student ID number to complete the registration/payment process in MCC eSCHOOL. Please note, each child is registered separately in the MCC portal. Please be sure to register each child that will be using school bus transportation.
If you are new to the Chelmsford Public Schools and have not yet received an X2 Family Portal account, you will receive a separate e-mail communication from the Transportation Department that will include your child’s LASID (student ID) to allow you to register for the school bus. You will also receive an X2 Family Portal welcome letter in August prior to the start of school.
End of the Year Spirit Days
6/12: 4th Grade Finale - 4th graders will wear their class shirts, others are welcome to show their Chelmsford/Center PRIDE!
6/13: Pajama Day
6/14: Crazy Hair/Clothes/Sock/Hat Day
6/15: Aloha 4th Grade Hawaiian Day
Good Things
Notes from the Nurse
With summer break just around the corner, Here are a few tips to help keep your child safe and healthy.
- Protect against the heat and sun: The sun UVA and UVB ray are stronger than years ago with atmosphere changes. Wear sunscreen and/or hats when outside in the sun, Between 10 am and 2pm the sun is the strongest. The sun can also damage the retina of the eye, so wear sunglasses with UV light protection
- Never leave children unattended in the car even if the window is cracked; cars heat up very quickly!
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water. Beverages containing sugar (like soda pop and juice) can cause dehydration, but a frozen water bottle can provide cold refreshment for hours.
- Stay cool: Take cool showers, wear light clothing, relax in an air-conditioned space, and drink cold beverages.
- Protect against bug bites: Remove any objects with standing water from around your home to decrease breeding ponds for mosquitos. Visually, do a body and scalp check after outdoor activities for ticks that can be the size of a typed period. Remove a tick with tweezers by gently pulling it straight out as close to the skin as possible. Wash area with soap and water then apply an antiseptic. Don’t forget to check your pets.
- Protect against injuries: Protect against concussions and head injuries by making sure your child wears a helmet when riding their bikes, scooters, using skateboards and roller skates. Make sure your child is monitored at all times when riding in places where there is traffic..
- Protect against animal bites: Remind your child to never touch or pet an animal that they do not know.
- Promote water safety: Never leave children unattended in the pool; have them wear properly fitted life vests when participating in water activities.
- Prepare for next school year: Summer doctor and dentist appointments can fill up quickly. If your child will need a physical examination or medical paperwork completed for the 2023-24school year, schedule appointments now to avoid the end-of-summer rush.
Have Fun!
Kathy Rossman BSN RN NCSN
Upcoming Events
JUNE
Monday, June 12: 4th grade Finale
Thursday, June 15: Last day of school for students, half-day
Thursday, June 15: Move Up Day, Students in K-3
Thursday, June 15: Term 3 (Gr 1-4) Grades available online
Resources
Chelmsford SEPAC
Need support in understanding your child's basic rights and the laws that support them?
Looking for parent training on navigating the special education system or supporting your child?
Join the SEPAC. See a link to the SEPAC website below.
TICKS
The sun is shining and the days are longer! And that means everyone is out enjoying the warm weather and sunshine – including ticks!
Ticks may spread serious diseases when some of their abdominal contents enter the host with a prolonged feed over 24 hrs. So make daily checks all over!
How to check for ticks: Do your check someplace private like the bathroom, and use a mirror or have a partner/parent help. Remember, ticks come in many sizes, with the smallest smaller than the period at the end of this sentence.
· Run your fingers through the scalp, feel for any bumps. Separate hair into sections using a wide-tooth comb and inspect the scalp.
· Check in and around the ears and neck. Be sure to lift long hair to check the neck, especially the nape.
· Inspect between your fingers and toes.
· The underarm area and behind the knees are tick favorites. Ticks love warm places and areas that provide some protection or cover, like skin folds or creases.
· Check in the belly button, around the waist and back. Even on flat open skin, ticks can attach.
· Check the pelvic and private areas and between the legs.
· Scan the entire body. A tick can sometimes resemble a mole.
· Check your pets
Removal
If a tick is crawling on your child, can be brushed off or pulls off the skin easily, it has not been attached and cannot have transmitted any disease. To remove an embedded tick, take the smallest tweezers you can find and slide the tips under the head, right against the skin, and grab the mouthparts (most of which will be under the skin). Pull very gently but steadily upward and outward – it may take 3 to 5 minutes to loosen the adhesive that cements the tick under the skin. Be patient! It's important to get the mouth parts out, so don't pull on the head or body (that just squeezes more "tick juice" into your child!).
Don't try to smother the tick with vaseline or burn it off as that may encouraged the tick to regurgitate more “tick juice” into the host.
If a deer tick has been attached and engorged for more than 36 hours, call your health care provider within 24 hours. Watch for rash, bruise or flue like symptoms. Save the tick in case your health care provider wants to inspect the tick.
Know where to expect ticks. Ticks live in moist and humid environments, particularly in or near wooded or grassy areas. You may come into contact with ticks during outdoor activities around your home or when walking through vegetation such as ,mulch, leaf litter or shrubs. To avoid ticks, walk in the center of trails.
Use a repellent with DEET (on skin or clothing) or permethrin (on clothing and gear). Products containing permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear which can remain protective through several washings. Repellents containing 20% or more DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) can be applied to the skin, and they can protect up to several hours. Always follow product instructions! Parents should apply repellents to their children, taking care to avoid application to hands, eyes, and mouth.
Check your clothing and pets for ticks. Ticks may be carried into the house on clothing and pets. Both should be examined carefully, and any ticks that are found should be removed. Placing clothes into a dryer on high heat effectively kills ticks.
Center Elementary School
Email: fulreaderd@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.chelmsford.k12.ma.us/Domain/9
Location: 84 Billerica Road, Chelmsford, MA, United States
Phone: 978-251-5155
Twitter: @Center_CCS