CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

I hope you have been enjoying the mild weather this week. It looks like there is a change coming, and we are in for a little winter weather this weekend. A little snow always adds to the festiveness this time of year, as people prepare to celebrate the holidays.

We are approaching our winter vacation beginning Friday, December 24th. Schools will close at the end of the school day on Thursday, December 23rd, and will reopen again for classes on Monday, January 3rd. There are many exciting events and learning activities planned leading up to the vacation week. Our concert season has been back in-person these past weeks with many winter ensembles showcasing the many talents of our students. The concerts have been showcased in the weekly school newsletters, including these weeks as well. To view all Chelmsford Public Schools performances (past and present), please visit the Chelmsford Telemedia Website to catch all the action. It has been amazing to have all our students and staff back for full-time in-person learning this year. We have been able to reconnect our school communities after such a long time away. I look forward to continuing to reestablish connections in the new year.

Since we have only 4 school days next week, I will not be sending a separate correspondence before the winter break. Therefore, I would like to take a moment and remind you that we need your help to keep our schools healthy for the return of students on January 3rd. I want to emphasize that we all have a collective responsibility to limit the spread of COVID-19, even when school is not in session, by wearing masks, practicing social distancing, washing hands, staying home when sick, and limiting social gatherings. This is especially true with the upcoming holidays and school vacation break. I urge all members of our school community to think about the impact of their decisions on themselves and others. We have been so fortunate to be back in person and I want our school community to remain healthy and well through the winter and spring months. This takes the awareness and diligence of all to follow mitigation strategies while on break.

I hope everyone can enjoy a much-needed holiday break to rest, rejuvenate, and replenish before we return in the new year. I wish you all a terrific holiday and a very happy new year.

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Next week:

• View complete athletics schedules here

• School Committee Meeting, 12/21, 6:00 p.m.

• Chelmsford All Town Wind Ensemble, 12/22, 7:00 p.m.

• Winter Recess, 12/24

• School Reopens, 1/3

Contest Rules:

1. Snowman must be built between Dec. 17, 2021, and Feb. 17, 2022.
2. Entries accepted for Chelmsford residents only – Picture must be appropriate for posting.
3. Entries will be available for viewing/voting on our Facebook page as soon as time permits. One winner will be determined by the most 'likes' given by midnight on Feb. 17, 2022.
4. A prize will be awarded.

Submissions:

• More than one submission is allowed.
• The submission must include an address for verification.
• Entries submitted by email only to commed@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
• The deadline for entries is midnight on Feb. 17, 2022. The winner will be announced on Facebook by noon on Feb. 18, 2022.

For more information, contact Chelmsford Community Education at commed@chelmsford.k12.ma.us or visit ChelmsfordCommunityEd.com

File attachments:
Chelmsford CommEd Snowman 2022 Contest.pdf

The Chelmsford All-Town Wind Ensemble will be performing their Winter Concert at CHS on Wednesday, December 22nd at 7:00 p.m. This talented group of students musicians will showcase their many talents. This is a great night out for all ages. There is no charge for admissions. Please come enjoy some festive music during this holiday season.

Six seniors were recently honored as Chelmsford High School named its Lions Pride/Rotary Student of the Month recipients for the month of November, announced CHS Principal Stephen Murray. Seniors Sarah Evans and Laurence ‘L.J.’ Robson were named from the Emerson House while Campbell Brown and William Walsh were honored from the Hawthorne House, and Abby Holden and Michael Stagnone from the Whittier House. To read more about our CHS November Students of the Month, please visit our website.

CHS Business students welcomed guest speaker, Ben McEvoy, who is a recent graduate from UMass Lowell, and shared his marketing of a product he created which allows kids to play backyard baseball regardless of physical disabilities. Ben presented in CHS business teacher, Tom Sousa's, Entrepreneurship class to talk about the entrepreneurial process. Students were able to discuss the process and ask questions at this session. To learn more about the Difference Makers program, please see the following presentation.

An initiative called Connecting Activities is in place at Chelmsford High School. Connecting Activities is a program geared toward helping high school students to identify career interests as well as find work and internships – even paid ones – with area businesses. MassHire of Greater Lowell is partnered with nine area high schools with CHS as its latest. Every other Thursday, Jay Green, a Youth Business Services specialist from MassHire of Greater Lowell, spends up to two hours at the Career and College Readiness Center at Chelmsford High School meeting with students and helping them find work or offering resume advice, among other things. To read more about this opportunity for our CHS students, please visit our website.

Eligible CHS students can enroll in Dual Enrollment courses approved by a local partnering college while they are still attending Chelmsford High School. Credit for these courses applies both to Chelmsford High School and Middlesex Community College transcripts. Registrations are due in Emerson House by the end of the day, Friday, Jan. 28. For more information about Dual Enrollment, please visit our information page on our website.

The Career and College Center provides students with a comfortable and welcoming space where they can access staff support and resources that will help them explore options for their post-secondary future. Services offered to students in this space include; college visits, college application support, career panels, work readiness workshops such as Resume Writing, Acing the Interview, Social Media Etiquette, Choosing A College that is Right for Me, and Choosing a Career Path that is Right for Me. Students can also obtain working permits and information on volunteer opportunities and scholarships. The Career and College Center also provides information and support for the Innovation Pathways and Dual Enrollment Programming at Chelmsford High School. Students are welcome to stop in during Lunches, PRIDE blocks, PLUS Blocks or after school for support. Students can sign up for workshops, panels, and visits through Naviance and Enriching Students.

College and Career Exploration I is an online, self-paced 1 credit course offered in partnership with Middlesex Community College. The course is offered free of charge to our current Freshman and Sophomores. Students will learn essential student success skills, behaviors, and habits of mind that can be applied to increase success now and in future courses throughout high school, college, and future careers. Students will also have the opportunity to begin the exploration of career fields and hone in on their interests. Students will receive additional information and resources in their Plus Blocks throughout December. They can begin the course right away or in January after the winter break. For more information about the 1 credit course please review the family and student information sheets.

Travel Opportunities for students:

There are two open spots on the April 2022 trip to Costa Rica! Explorica now requires that all travelers need to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to attend. If you are interested, please reach out to Ms. Gauthier (gauthiersu@chelmsford.k12.ma.us) and review the information on our website.

French and Spanish exchange programs:

Our French and Spanish exchange programs will begin in the Fall of 2022. CHS will be hosting Spanish students in October of 2022, and French students in November of 2022, then traveling to Europe during the February vacation of 2023. Both exchanges will have informational meetings in January. The Spanish exchange informational meeting will be held on January 12 @ 6:30 pm in the CHS Career Center. For more information on the Spanish exchange, please contact Jess Nollet, World Language Coordinator (nolletj@chelmsford.k12.ma.us). The French exchange informational meeting will be held on January 19th at 6 pm in the CHS Career Center. For more information, please contact Mairin Chagnon (chagnonm@chelmsford.k12.ma.us). All information is currently up on the World Language website as well. Any student who will be in grades 9-12 next year at CHS and is enrolled in French or Spanish is welcome and encouraged to participate in this experience!

Ecuador & Galapagos Islands, April 2023

The World Language and Science Departments are co-sponsoring a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands during the April vacation of 2023! This trip is open to any 9-12th grader enrolled in CHS next year. There will be an informational meeting on Wednesday, January 26th at 7 PM in the CHS Learning Commons. Please email Linda Tanini (taninil@chelmsford.k12.ma.us) for more information!

Informational Presentations:

French exchange slide

Spanish exchange slide

Calling all CHS Seniors and Alumni! The 2021-22 CHS Alumni Association Scholarship applications are now available for current students and alumni who plan to further their education. This year, there are over 110 scholarships offered for Seniors and 20 scholarships available for Alumni. To find out more about how to apply for scholarships, please visit the CHSAA website.

24/7, unlimited support isn't "witchful" thinking. It's a "fang-tastic "way to get back on track after this week of tricks and treats. Use this link to access everything you need to know about Paper.

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