CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

Happy Pi Day everyone! March 14 is the annual celebration of pi, a number used in mathematics with an infinite amount of decimals that can be rounded to 3.14. Educators have been celebrating the day since the late 1980s, and in 2009, Congress officially declared March 14 as Pi Day.

Next Thursday, March 20, marks the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and the start of spring. With the sun getting higher in the sky and spring upon us, we will be enjoying more time outdoors soon enough. Spring also brings with it the next season of sports at Chelmsford High School. The spring sports season kicks off next week with tryouts. Be sure to check out the upcoming sports schedules and come support your favorite teams! Good luck to all our athletes as they transition to the spring season.

Congratulations to Chelmsford High School’s Science Team, who participated in the Massachusetts Science Olympiad held at Wentworth Institute of Technology earlier this month. Chelmsford placed 31st overall and took First Place in the Wind Power Event. For that event, teams were required to construct a blade assembly device that is designed to capture wind power, as well as complete a written test on the Principles of Alternative Energy.

Good luck to the CHS Theatre Guild as they prepare for the semifinal round of the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild’s High School Drama Festival tomorrow in Weymouth. Their production, “Song of Souls,” is incredible! If you’d like to make the trip to The Theater at Maria Weston Chapman to cheer them on, tickets are $15 and can be purchased here.

Parker Middle School’s Drama Club has been busy preparing for opening night of “Wizard of Oz” – Youth Edition. This year, there will be two completely separate casts – one featuring fifth grade students and the other featuring sixth graders. In total, there are over 150 students involved in the production. Fifth grade performances will be held on Thursday, March 20, and Friday, March 21 at 6:00 p.m. both nights. And the sixth grade performances will both happen on Saturday, March 22, at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. All shows will be held in the auditorium at McCarthy Middle School. Be sure to grab your tickets, as these are sure to be some incredible shows.

Have a great weekend and a very happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• Athletics Schedule
• Byam Celebrating Us Multicultural Festival: Wednesday, March 19, 6:30 p.m.
  
• Parker Drama Club presents "The Wizard of Oz - Youth Edition": Thursday and Friday, March 20 and 21, 6 p.m.; Saturday, March 22, 2 and 6 p.m., McCarthy Middle School Auditorium
• Council of Chelmsford Schools Meeting: Thursday, March 20, 7 p.m., McCarthy Library

If you missed the March 11 School Committee meeting, watch it here:

All students riding the school bus must be registered regardless if a fee is required.

Register Now

Please keep in mind the following:

• All riders must be registered online.
• INCOMPLETE REGISTRATION: Anyone who has received an e-mail message regarding an incomplete bus registration and/or has not completed the registration will not receive a bus pass or be on the driver’s passenger roster.
• ALTERNATE ADDRESS: Any student using an alternate address must contact the transportation department immediately. All riders' addresses are automatically reset to the home address each year. Alternate addresses must be for all 5 days of the week.
• FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: Anyone who has chosen the 'seeking financial assistance' option during registration must apply and be approved for the free and reduced lunch program.

For more information, contact the Transportation Office at 978-251-5100 or by e-mail at brekalisp@chelmsford.k12.ma.us.

Join Parker Middle School for a magical journey down the Yellow Brick Road in "The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition!"
Show Dates & Times:
5th Grade Performances – Thursday, March 20, and Friday, March 21, at 6 p.m.
6th Grade Performances – Saturday, March 22, at 2 & 6 p.m.
Location: McCarthy Auditorium, 250 North Road, Chelmsford
For the first time, each show will feature just one grade - don’t miss this exciting new tradition!

Tickets are available now and can be purchased here.

The Harrington PTO is excited to announce our 2025 Harrington STEAM Fair on Tuesday, April 15.

Harrington Elementary School students are invited to create a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts or Mathematics (STEAM) project and display it at the Fair!

This is a fun event intended to nurture students' interest in STEAM. There is no judging, but STEAM fair mentors will visit every project and talk to each participant about their topic.

All participants presenting at the STEAM Fair will be automatically entered into a raffle for gift certificates and other prizes supported by donations from the University of Massachusetts Lowell Department of Chemical Engineering!

Please review the attached document and sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/HarringtonSTEAMFair2025
Contact harringtonsteamfair@gmail.com or HPTO with any questions. We look forward to seeing you there!

To view the entire list of available scholarships for graduating seniors, please click here.

View more photos from Wednesday's Science Fair on our website.

On Saturday, March 1, Chelmsford High School’s Science Team participated in the Massachusetts Science Olympiad held at Wentworth Institute of Technology. Chelmsford placed 31st overall out of 68 schools, winning the Gold Medal for 1st Place in the Wind Power Event. In this event, teams were required to construct a blade assembly device that is designed to capture wind power, as well as complete a written test on the Principles of Alternative Energy.

The Chelmsford High School World Language Department recently hosted the Concours Oratoire in conjunction with the Club Richelieu of Lowell. Three contestants participated in the public speaking competition.

Abiral Thapa, Westford Academy - First place

Nathan Nguyen, Chelmsford High School - Second place

Kayla Yaing, Tewksbury Memorial High School - Third place

Courtesy of the Council of Chelmsford Schools, Digital Health & Safety expert Katie Greer will return to the district on Tuesday, April 8, to present to our CHS students and rising fifth graders. She will again offer a session for parents/guardians at 7 p.m. that night in the Performing Arts Center (PAC).

While much of Katie's work is directed to a younger audience, she acknowledges that many adults are mystified by the digital world we live in. For this reason, she offers a program that helps parents navigate the new normal of technology.

She aims to help parents who want to better understand the boundaries (and opportunities!) of tech. Some of what she'll discuss includes:

• Updates on the latest tech trends including popular apps, social networking trends, gaming, sexting and more.
• Social media age limitations - and how often kids are breaking them
• Privacy settings, location services, check-ins: Are your devices set-up safely?
• Advice for having real conversations with your child to foster a positive online experience for your family, with suggested restrictions and rules
• Digital health check-in: Is your family doing a good job balancing life and technology? Most KIDS say "NO!"
• Smartphones & Age: What's the average age kids get smartphones? Are there alternatives? Is there a right age for kids to get smartphones?

Learn more about what Katie Greer discussed with the CPS middle school students on January 23rd.

Sketchbook Spectacular is a FREE art initiative open to artists of all ages in the Chelmsford community and beyond. All mediums are welcome, including drawing, watercolor and collage. Participants are encouraged to explore prompts in their sketchbooks, but the prompts can also inspire free-standing artwork. Developed by Parker Middle School artist-educator Ashley Norman, this project is perfect for starting or maintaining an art practice throughout the year. Want to share your work? Email your art to normana@chelmsford.k12.ma.us.

Chelmsford High School is seeking guest speakers to discuss their career journey with a group of Innovation Career Pathway students. CHS is looking for guest speakers in the following fields: Information Technology/Computer Science, Business & Finance, Life Science and Engineering/Manufacturing. If you have experience in any of these fields and are interested in sharing your career and career path with high school students, please reach out to Career and College Readiness Facilitator, Alex Cunningham at cunninghamalex@chelmsford.k12.ma.us.

To redeem School Dollars, all shoppers need to do is enter the unique printout code and store number on the Hannaford Helps Schools program website and select their school. Each School Dollar printout has a QR code that will bring shoppers directly to this link, ensuring that redeeming School Dollars is as easy as possible. Please note that the in-store collection tower has been eliminated. However, schools will be able to turn in School Dollar printouts.

This year, Massachusetts is offering all school lunch and breakfast at no charge to students. This does not automatically make families eligible for any other benefits. Families that feel they are eligible for transportation or extended day reduced tuition are strongly encouraged to fill out the online free and reduced meal application.

The Chelmsford Public Schools utilizes SchoolSpring to advertise job postings and the online application process. To apply for any of our positions, please visit our website.

The CPS Health Services Department is committed to providing evidence-based/ best practice holistic nursing care to the unique, culturally diverse students of Chelmsford Public Schools. In collaboration with all stakeholders, we advocate for their safety and healthcare needs. We are dedicated professionals who are committed to bridging health care with education and making a positive impact on the present and future wellness of Chelmsford’s school community. Please visit the Health Services page on the website for all your health services needs.

The cold/flu season is upon us at Chelmsford Public Schools. We want to keep your children and our teachers healthy. Here are some ways we can work together to decrease the spread of illness.

• Use good hand hygiene and wash hands frequently.
• Cover coughs with a tissue or cough into sleeve not your hand.
• Keep your child home when sick (Symptoms such as fever cough, sore throat, bad headache, body aches, or chills)

• Keep your child home with a temperature of 100 degrees or higher. Your child can return to school after their temp is < 100 for 24 hours without any fever reducing medicine AND when your child is able to participate in normal activities.

• Keep your child home from school if they have vomiting and/or diarrhea. Your child can return to school 24 hours after his/her last vomiting and/or diarrhea episode.

Any symptoms that persist or worsen should be evaluated by a primary care physician. Please notify our offices if your student is diagnosed with the flu by their doctor.

In addition to academics, we know students are very busy with sports and activities. Please do not send your student to school sick! This is for your child’s benefit and for the benefit of other students, teammates, and staff.

**** It is not too late to get the Flu Vaccine****

These virtual events are part of Cartwheel's free webinar series for parents, caregivers and school staff.

Sometimes, big feelings can take over a household. Sometimes they're our kids' feelings, and sometimes they're our own!

Join Cartwheel and Janine Halloran, LMHC for a webinar to learn practical tips on how to help kids and teens cope with big feelings.

By starting from a foundation of connection and co-regulation, Janine will provide strategies you can teach your kids (and yourself) for noticing, welcoming, and neutralizing big emotions before they take over the household. Attend this webinar if you are hopeful for more peace and patience and less arguing in your home.

Register here.

More than 75 colleges and universities sent representatives to Chelmsford High School this fall to meet with students interested in continuing their education at a post-secondary institution. To learn more, check out the College Visit Schedule.

Follow the CHS Career and College Readiness Center on Instagram: @chs.careercenter

Here are some noteworthy events and activities taking place around Chelmsford in the coming weeks:

There are a plethora of local youth sports and scouting organizations that hold fundraisers and recruiting events throughout the school year. Some may also be seeking volunteers. If you're a parent looking for social and skill-building opportunities for your child or children, we have launched a new webpage devoted to just that. In addition to event information, this resource page will also feature links to all the websites or social media accounts for youth sports leagues and scouting troops. So head on over there and check it out!

Looking for information about the ongoing Parker Middle School Building Project? Visit our website to learn more and stay updated. And if you missed the public information session that was held in the spring, during which Superintendent Dr. Jay Lang shared a plethora of information, view it here:

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

Instagram: @chelmsfordpublicschools X: @CPSchoolsMA