CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

Today marks the 90th day of school and a significant milestone in the academic calendar. It is a moment to reflect on the journey so far, celebrate achievements, and gear up for the continued experiences and learning that lie ahead for the remainder of the school year. Reaching the halfway point of the school year brings a sense of accomplishment and excitement. Our schools, students, and families should take a step back and celebrate the progress made, take pride in achievements, and look forward to new opportunities for growth and learning in the next 90 days of school. This juncture in the school year is an opportunity for students to assess their academic accomplishments, refine study habits, and gear-up for challenges in the coming months. It is a pivotal moment to regroup and refocus on goals. It is also a time for excitement for upcoming celebrations and events that come with the second half of the year. I encourage you to take a step back and both reflect on where you started and then envision what you would like to accomplish for the second half of the school year.

This time of year tends to “speed up” with the whirlwind of term and semester change overs, planning for end of year events, and who can forget the culminating event of graduation for the Chelmsford High School Class of 2024. There will be much correspondence coming your way these next six months. Please take time to add to your calendar school events and announcements so you do not miss anything. Feel free to reach out to the schools if you need additional information on the happenings planned. You can also find helpful information through your PTOs who support the activities at our schools. Parents/Guardians are welcome to join their child's school monthly meetings. Please refer to your school calendars to find dates of upcoming meetings. Not only are these meetings informational, but it is also a great way to meet new people and make connections.

As we weather through the cold winter and stormy climate patterns, I would like to remind you that school closure (delay and cancellation) announcements will be posted through a variety of channels to include our website, news stations, e-mail, and ConnectEd phone calls. Please know delay and cancellation decisions can be very tricky to call. When possible, the decision will be made the night before to help families plan for their children. However, at times the frequent shifts of weather changes within hours, along with varied weather forecasts, make it difficult to cancel or delay school too far in advance – sometimes we must wait until the morning hours to decide. The safety of students and staff is my number one priority in making the decision while minimizing the disruption to learning.

It looks like we are in for a colder than usual weekend. With additional indoor time, I hope you have time to enjoy this week’s newsletter highlights from our schools. Please have a wonderful weekend.

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• Athletics Schedule
• MMEA All-State Auditions, 1/20, All Day
• CHIPS Virtual Information Night, 1/25, 6:00 p.m.
• NE Voices Festival, 1/25 & 1/26, All Day
• Kindergarten Registration, 1/30 & 1/31, Scheduled Appointment Times

Kindergarten registration begins this month for the 2024/25 school year on Tuesday, January 30th and Wednesday, January 31st. Registration is by appointment only using the following link. Anyone registering will be contacted to confirm the date and time to come to our Central Administration Building located at 230 North Road to meet with a secretary from your child’s designated elementary school to complete the registration process. Additional information about required paperwork for this appointment may be found here. Please spread the word to any family, friends, and neighbors that may have a kindergarten-aged child entering the school district for the first time.

Tickets are now on sale for McCarthy Middle School's production of The Lion King Jr. Come join the incredibly talented cast and crew at the McCarthy Auditorium on Friday, February 2nd and Saturday, February 3rd. Please use the following link to purchase your tickets today. General Admissions will be $10. Simba just can't WAIT to be king...or see YOU there!

Thank you for supporting the McCarthy Middle School Drama Club!

For many schoolchildren, taping their principal to a wall is something they dream of doing. On Friday, Jan. 19, Principal Rob Asselin made that dream a reality for Harrington Elementary School students. “It’s really just a fun way to spend the morning on a Friday,” he said, explaining that the best part is seeing the students’ faces. “Seeing their excitement is the most rewarding aspect of the whole thing for me.” In addition to the joy it brings the children, there is a purpose behind the event. Mr. Asselin explained that it serves as a fundraiser for Harrington families. “We have such a heavily economically disadvantaged population with this community that we’re always looking for ways to raise money to support families as best we can so students can participate in all activities,” he said. “We’re fully inclusive and we want to be able to support that and take the burden financially, if we can, off families that may struggle.”

NEW SEMESTER STARTS MONDAY!

Chelmsford High School is offering a number of dual enrollment sections this semester. If a student is beginning a dual enrollment course on Monday they must complete the following required forms.

ALL FORMS ARE ACCESSED THROUGH YOUR DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSROOM TEACHER

1. Complete the MCC DE Application form (for any student who has NOT previously taken Dual Enrollment).

2. Complete the MCC Registration form (all students must complete this form)

3. Complete the CHS dual enrollment registration google form (this needs to be complete per dual enrollment course a student is taking)

3. Provide completed forms to your Guidance Counselor and request their signatures and a copy of your high school transcript (please provide them with at least 2 days to complete)

4. Turn in completed forms and transcript to Ms. Cunningham in the Career and College Readiness Center no later than Friday, February 2, 2024, for Spring Semester DE Courses.

The Middlesex Community College (MCC) Dual Enrollment per credit rate is $126. Most classes are 3-4 credits. Bills are sent directly from MCC in late October. Please see the CHS website for more information - Dual Enrollment at CHS

Six seniors were recently honored as Chelmsford High School named its Lions Pride/Rotary Student of the Month recipients for January, announced CHS Principal Stephen Murray. Students receiving recognition were Jack MacPhee and Ethan Bean from Emerson House, Stella Lamson and Matthew Kaplan of Hawthorne House and Brendan Keough and Brinley Williams from Whittier House. Please visit our website to learn more about these students.

Three Chelmsford High School students are participating in the Loading Dock Gallery‘s exhibit “Evolving Perspectives” at the 7th Annual Greater Lowell Regional Art Show organized by Innovation Academy. Using different mediums, Scar Dang, Jordan Cox, and Karen Khela, submitted their pieces representing the exibit's prompts. The exhibit, which will be on display through Jan. 28, showcases young artists from greater Lowell area high schools, and comments on the world and the world-to-be. Responding to such prompts as “Future,” “Change,” “Differences,” “Unknown,” and “Self,” the artists explore the questions they and their rising generation face: “What do I see in the world right now?” and “What do I do? Please visit our website to read more about these three artist's.

On January 16, there were two speakers from the Massachusetts National Guard talking to CHS students about careers in Cybersecurity. SSG. Mark Mulry (information security manager and systems engineer) and SSG. Robert Freeman explained that courses in Computer Science are very valuable and can lead to high-paying jobs in corporate settings. They shared how knowing how to program and how networks are set up helps defend personal information and helps corporations protect their confidential product information.

The CHS School Counseling Department would like to send a friendly reminder to seniors and the families of seniors about the importance of scholarships. In a meeting with seniors earlier today, we highlighted both the CHS Alumni Scholarships and the Town of Chelmsford Scholarships and the various opportunities around local and national scholarships. For more information, including application deadlines, please refer to the handout provided; it contains all the necessary details to help you navigate the application process smoothly. Remember, scholarships can make a significant difference in your educational journey! Please take advantage of the opportunity to apply, and don't hesitate to reach out to your school counselor for support. As

Clinicians from Berklee College of Music came in to work with and perform for Chelmsford Public Schools students during Stringfest on Wednesday, Jan. 10.The lead clinician this year was Mimi Rabson from the Berklee College of Music, who specializes in teaching improvisational skills in jazz, rock, world music and other contemporary idioms, as well as technology and recording techniques for strings. “The goal of Stringfest is to allow the string students across Chelmsford to meet, interact and explore new styles of music together, while celebrating orchestra music in our town,” said Luke Miller, music educator at McCarthy Middle School. “This brings together students from multiple schools as one way to prepare for the transition between buildings and programs next year.” During the event, professional musicians and educators who specialize in a certain style or genre of string music come in to work with Chelmsford student-musicians.

Mark your calendars for an event that you won't want to miss! Join us at the CHS Class of 2025 Craft Fair on Sunday, February 4th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chelmsford High School.

This event will feature over 125 local artisans. From beautifully framed paintings to resin art, charcuterie boards to stylish totes, and stunning stained glass to intricate crochet work, there will be something for everyone's taste. You'll also find artisan jewelry, trendy clothing and tumblers, intricate beadwork, a selection of books, exquisite pottery, products for your pet, a bake sale, face painting, and so much more. The funds raised during this event will benefit the Class as they prepare for memorable occasions like Cotillion, prom, and Senior Week. So, gather your friends and family, and join us at the CHS Class of 2025 Craft Fair on Sunday, February 4th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chelmsford High School. We look forward to seeing you there!

Make plans to celebrate the end of the school year: Take the family out to the ballgame! Your kids can join fellow students from both McCarthy and Parker to enjoy watching the Boston Red Sox play the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, May 30th at 7:10pm. Tickets are $40 per person with a portion of the proceeds benefiting both PTOs. Tickets are expected to sell out like last year so act fast to get in on the action! See the directions to get your tickets for this event.

Go to: https://givebutter.com/gMsmi9 to place your order.

Or, use the QR code below on the attached flyer.

Print out our flyer as your reminder!

NOTE: Tickets will be emailed to your MLB app directly in May!

The Town of Chelmsford Health Department is hosting a series of presentations on mental health at the Chelmsford library every month. The series consists of four sessions, each featuring a different expert on a specific topic related to mental health.

The first session will take place on Tuesday, January 16th, and will feature Jon Mattleman, a renowned therapist and speaker who specializes in depression and anxiety among teens. He will share practical tips and strategies for managing anxiety and recognizing when a teen may need professional help. The presentation is open to both teens and adults and will last for one hour.

Chelmsford Community Education is seeking a long-term substitute childcare supervisor. To learn more and apply, please see the job posting using the following link.

Chelmsford High School has a cashless system for admittance to its regular season home athletic events. To get your tickets, CHS has partnered with GoFan.co, a digital, cashless ticketing app used by more than 10,000 schools, for fast and convenient payments for regular season home games. CHS fans are encouraged to download the GoFan app. For Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association postseason tournaments, the MIAA also utilizes GoFan.co as its own ticketing system. Visit the MIAA Ticket Information page.

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