CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

The first week of April was a success with many happenings highlighted this week in the newsletter. I am looking forward to enjoying spring and eventually summer and the warmer weather ahead.

I am happy to share that the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the district continues to remain low. As I monitor trends in data, there are no present indicators that would require an adjustment to our current mitigation or learning practices for students and staff. While this is good news, the COVID-19 virus remains a presence in our community. It is still strongly recommended individuals get vaccinated and, if eligible, receive a booster to prevent severe illness and help our community reach a collective state of immunity. It is also important for students and staff to continue participation in, or sign-up for, the weekly At-Home Rapid Antigen Testing and Pooled Testing Programs. Surveillance testing provides an opportunity to identify positive cases and prevent outbreaks of the virus in our schools. Also, it is imperative that students and staff remain home if feeling ill and test for COVID-19 if symptomatic to prevent the spread of the illness. It is still our protocol that if you test positive for COVID-19, you must remain home for five (5) days and if symptom-free, return to school wearing a mask up until the tenth (10) day.

With the much-anticipated arrival of spring and warm weather, allergy season is also upon us along with other illnesses such as the common cold. Differentiating between seasonal allergies or cold symptoms and the symptoms of the COVID-19 virus may present a challenge. With the widespread availability of free testing, we ask that you test for the virus when in doubt. There have recently been a few cases where individuals attributed symptoms to allergies, but in fact, they were due to COVID-19. As a district, we will continue to implement the mitigation strategies that we know decrease the spread of the virus and help us maintain a safe and healthy learning environment. I truly appreciate the tremendous support of our students, staff, and families as we continue to navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 virus.

As a reminder, please note next week is a short week with only four (4) school days. On Friday, April 15th, there is no school, which leads into the April vacation week. This is coming up quickly, and I want to be sure families are aware for planning purposes. Please enjoy this week’s highlight of our schools and have a great weekend.

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Next week:

• View complete athletics schedules here

• School Committee Meeting, 4/12, 6:00 p.m.
• Bus Driver Recruitment Fair 4/13, 10:00 a.m.

• No School, 4/15, All Day

• April School Vacation Week, 4/18-4/22, All day

Registration appointments are required. Please make an appointment with our registration team using the link below. For more information and required documents, please visit our registration page.

RESERVE YOUR APPOINTMENT HERE

WHEN:

Wednesday, Apr. 27, 2022, from 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

WHERE:

Chelmsford Public Schools Central Administration Office, 230 North Road, Chelmsford, MA.

Welcome to Summer with Chelmsford Community Education! We are happy to be able to provide quality summer programming for your children (and a few for you grown ups) with a variety of options to support any schedule. With full day, half day and weekly care and enrichment programs for all age ranges, we have something educational, entertaining, and just plain fun for everyone!

At Chelmsford Community Education, we celebrate education as a lifelong process. We provide a balance of programs to support academic, social, and physical growth. Our goal is to offer activities that meet the needs of all our patrons.

We rely on feedback from our Community. Please reach out to us if there are courses you would like to see offered in the future.

For more information, please visit our website, or call us at 978-251-5151.

Robyn Adams

https://chelmsfordma.myrec.com/info/home_page_photos.aspx

Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) announced that 25 schools and libraries in the Third District have received a total of $4,346,353 in American Rescue Plan funding through the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Emergency Connectivity Fund Program (ECF). The program, which was created as part of the American Rescue Plan, helps schools and libraries ensure that students can connect to the internet at home, allowing them to take advantage of online learning and do their homework. Chelmsford Public Schools is marked to receive $815,130.70 of technology funding. For more information about this ARP funding please visit the following website.

View highlights of the 2022 Leadership Conference Tuesday, Apr. 5 at Chelmsford High School. https://chs.chelmsfordschools.org/view-2022-chs-leadership-conference/

There were a few quizzical looks from students as they approached the trash bins in the Chelmsford High School cafeteria on Thursday, Mar. 24 to find they could not simply empty their trays in one bin.

Instead, they were directed by members of the Ecology Club to deposit leftover food items in one bin to be composted, and other items, such as cutlery and plates, in the trash. For some students, the question was evident by their expression: Why are we doing this? To find out more about this project, please visit our website. https://chs.chelmsfordschools.org/chs-ecology-club-conducts-waste-audit-composting/

Dear Chelmsford Community,

Your input is needed. Complete the Greater Lowell Health Alliance (GLHA) survey and win one of five $50 gift cards. This is a terrific opportunity to be heard. The GLHA has launched the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment to understand the needs and priorities for Chelmsford and our surrounding communities, so that the health department, hospitals, community organizations, schools, non-profits, policymakers, and leaders can make informed decisions. Currently, the survey is in the data collection phase, conducting focus groups, key informant interviews, and a community survey. Along with Chelmsford, the GLHA is collecting data from eight communities including Dracut, Billerica, Lowell, Tewksbury, Tyngsboro, Westford, and Dunstable. Your input is crucial so that we have a good representation of Chelmsford residents. The survey is anonymous and will take about 15 minutes. At the end of the survey, enter your details for a chance to win one of five $50 gift cards. The deadline to submit the survey is April 30, 2022. The survey is available in multiple languages and in paper copy at the Town Hall, Senior Center, and Chelmsford Public Library.

Begin the Survey

Sue Rosa, RN, CHO

Public Health Director, Town of Chelmsford

The Parker Middle School PTO Scholarship is open to any Chelmsford resident high school graduating senior who attended Parker Middle School and will be attending a two- or four-year college or university. Please attach a personal letter describing your experiences at the Parker Middle School and how they influenced your high school years. Please return this application, a personal letter, resume, and your transcript by April 22, 2022. Students are responsible for submitting all required forms. The CHS Guidance office will not send transcripts. Any applications submitted without all requested forms will not be considered in the voting process. Applications should be e-mailed to ptoparker@gmail.com.

APPLICATION LINK

Welcome back CHS students! As you shift from vacation to study mode remember you have your own tutoring service in Paper Learning. Live editing, solutions to math problems, AND MORE are a mere live chat away! Log on to Paper through your student CLEVER account. To learn more about PAPER, please visit our website.

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