CHIPS Weekly Update

This is a friendly reminder that, as of Monday (1/29) school provided numbers will be required for pick up at dismissal. Please let your child's teacher know if you need a new numbers or an extra number. If you do not have your number at pick up, please park and walk up. You may be asked to wait until the end of pickup. Additionally, our staff may ask to see ID to verify that you are authorized for pick up.

Additionally, it is important to be on time for both drop off and pick up! When children arrive late, they miss fun classroom activities and instruction. It can be distressing for children to be picked up late. Additionally, staff members have lunch time and other assigned duties between sessions and after the PM session.

CHIPS will be holding Parent/Teacher conferences in February. Teachers have sent information to families about conferences, including how to sign up. If you have any questions about conferences or haven't received sign up information, please contact your child's teacher directly.

Thank you so much to our CHIPS PTO for creating a beautiful "Winter Wonderland" in our hallway! Children loved seeing the sparky lights and fun snowmen and exploring all the cool activities!

Mr. Rega recently spent a wonderful day at CHIPS providing music enrichment to our students. Thank you to the CHIPS PTO for coordinating that enrichment! Mr. Rega had students play the Conga drum and the Bongos during his musical presentation and would like to extend the following offer at his music studio:

Special Offer for our Chips Families: 50% discount off the first month's tuition of our popular Musical Voyager class ($40 value). Check out the following link for more information:

www.musicacademyofchelmsford.com/musical-voyagers-chips/

This is a reminder that children enrolled at CHIPS do not need to register for kindergarten. Elementary schools will reach out to families regarding scheduling a screening appointment. Updated 5 year old physicals are required for kindergarten entry. Physicals can be submitted to Nurse Kristen.

With colder temperatures settling in for the winter, please be sure to dress your child for the weather. We try to get the children outside as often as possible (even when it's cold), and we want them to be comfortable and having fun outside! Please note that we are unable to keep individual children in for recess at parent request. If your child is not well enough to play outside, they are not well enough to be at school.

• January 16-February 16- PTO Sock Drive
• February 8- NO SCHOOL- Parent/Teacher Conferences
• February 19-23- NO SCHOOL- February Vacation

Handwashing is still and will always be a very most important part of our day! Please review the importance and make it a daily habit in your home as we continue to do here in our school environment.

The links provided share information between the Stomach Bug- vs - Influenza, guidelines on hydration when your child is sick and age-appropriate activities with fun videos about handwashing and GERMS! There's also a fun story about Freddie the Flu Fighter! Our goal, during these early years, is to maintain a safe, healthy, and happy learning environment for all.

Please use our absence line (978-251-5188 Option 0) or email (chipsattendance@chelmsford.k12.ma.us) to report your child's absence from school and be sure to state the reason for the absence (illness, appointment, travel, etc). If your child is out due to illness, please let us know the nature of the illness (fever, vomiting, cough, etc.).

Nurse Kristen can be reached by calling the CHIPS main number (978-251-5188) and selecting option 3.

Flovent Asthma Medicines Discontinued:

If this affects your child or someone you know, please reach out to your medical provider, or Nurse Kristen, if in need of further assistance.

Below is helpful information from the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.

https://community.aafa.org/blog/flovent-hfa-and-flovent-diskus-asthma-medicines-being-discontinued

Thank you to all who attended our most recent PTO meeting! Our next meeting will be on Monday, February5th at 6:30pm at CHIPS. As always, there will be a link for those who would like to attend virtually. The meeting link is below.

The PTO is currently holding its annual sock drive. We collect new socks in all sizes and donate them to The Wish Project. Socks may be sent to school with your child or dropped off in the CHIPS office.

Email: mcguirkm@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
Website: https://chelmsfordschools.org
Location: 170 Dalton Road, Chelmsford, MA, USA
Phone: (978)251-5188