Dear Center Community,

The week certainly ended with a bang, literally! We hope everyone is safe and their power has been restored. Thank you for your patience Friday afternoon as NRT ensured students were returned home safely under challenging conditions. The ribbon cutting ceremony for our little lending library scheduled for Friday has been rescheduled for Tuesday (9/12), right after dismissal, approximately 3:45, rain or shine.

Staff Updates:

Please welcome Jeyarani Karthikeyan to our para educator team beginning on Monday and Lily Chen to our lunch and recess aide team. Ms. Chen will begin on September 18th. Katherine McGuire will also be joining the Center community as a paraeducator on September 18th.

We talked to all students during lunch this week and shared how they can "Show their PRIDE by Being Ready and Safe" in the cafeteria. Check out the powerpoint below as a conversation starter with your student.

Have a good week.

Warm Regards,

Dianna and Donna

Friday, September 15th, is Dot Day. Wear your dots proudly and celebrate the creativity inside us all. Sometimes it begins with just a dot...Did you know Peter Reynolds is and Chelmsford Public School alumnus? Even more reason to celebrate.

All Chelmsford Public Schools are committed to providing quality educational experiences for all students. We believe there is a direct correlation between school achievement and regular school attendance. With this in mind, the Chelmsford Public Schools encourage daily attendance of all students. The compulsory Massachusetts attendance statute, “General Laws, Chapter 76, Section 2 requires that children, ages 6-16 attend school.”

As building principals, we have seen firsthand, the correlation between attendance and achievement. We strongly encourage you to study the district calendar and plan vacations, medical appointments and personal commitments around our 180 days of school for students. Please help us to build strong learners, committed community members and successful workers.

Increasingly, more students are bringing cellphones, and smart watches which are used as cell phones, to school. Please be mindful of the district policy regarding cell phone use:

If students need to contact home they should see their teacher/administrator to receive permission to use the phone in the classroom or office. Conversely, if a parent needs to speak with a student, the parent should call the school office. All cell phones should be off while in school, unless in use for instructional purposes. Any student using a cell phone for non- instructional purposes while school is in session will have that cell phone confiscated by administration. A first offense will lead to a warning and the administrator will return the phone to the student at the end of the day. Second and subsequent offenses will result in the phone being returned only to the parent and/or further disciplinary actions. (Pg. 18 of the student handbook)

Additionally, students are not allowed to take pictures of others on the bus or during the school day due to privacy issues.

September

• Friday, September 15: National DOT day

• Friday, September 15: Chelmsford Spirit Day

• Sunday, September 17: National Constitution Day

• Wednesday, September 20: Half day/Professional day

• Wednesday, September 20: Curriculum Night, 5-6:15 PM grades K-2, 7-8:15 PM grades 3&4

• Wednesday, September 27:PTO meeting; 7:00-8:00 Library

October

• Monday, October 2: Be Kind Spirit Wear day

• Thursday, October 5: Ice cream social; 5:00-6:00 & 6:00-7:00 (cafe for inclement weather)

• Monday, October 9: No School (Columbus day/Indigenous Peoples day)

• Friday, October 13: Picture Day

• Thursday, October 19: Half day/Professional day

• Friday, October 20: Chelmsford Spirit Day

• Saturday, October 21: Trunk-or-Treat; 1:00-3:00 PM (rain date Oct. 28th)

5 – 5:25 PM: Principal/Assistant Principal Presentation in the cafeteria for K-2nd grade families

5:30 – 6:15 PM: Grades K-2 Teacher Presentations.

6:15 – 7:00 PM: Specialists/ Reading/ Special Educators and Related support providers available in classrooms/offices

7 – 7:25 PM: Principal/ Assistant Principal Presentation in the cafeteria for 3 & 4th grade families (The 5 PM presentation is repeated.)

7:30 – 8:15 PM: Grades 3 & 4 Teacher Presentations

We kindly request that children remain at home during curriculum night.

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. We strongly encourage families that feel they are eligible for transportation or extended day reduced tuition to fill out the online free and reduced meal application. The links can be found below. https://cpsnutrition.com/index.php?sid=1478035692058&page=lunchapps

If you do qualify for benefits you most likely will be eligible for SNAP benefits. https://www.mass.gov/snap-benefits-formerly-food-stamps

Some examples of SNAP benefits are discounts on gas, electric utilities and internet services.

Please visit our school nutrition website at https://cpsnutrition.com/index.php?sid=1478035692058 for more information about our program and also a link to the free and reduced lunch application.

A picture speaks a thousand words as they say, and we love to include these in our weekly updates and on the website through our Twitter feed. Please let email Ms. O’Hearn at ohearnc@chelmsford.k12.ma.us. if you do not want your child’s picture included in these forums.

Chelmsford Public Schools is utilizing on-line breakfast ordering again this year for ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ONLY.

Orders must be placed the Thursday prior to the week you are selecting.

Instructions on how to set up an account are below. If you need any help, please reach out to the school nutrition department at: (978) 251-5111

Set Up Your Account Now

Directions to set up your account and order:

1. URL Link: family.onlineordering.linq.com
2. Sign up now: Email, create password.
3. School District: Chelmsford Public Schools
4. Student ID: This can be found on x2- Child’s Student ID Number- please enter a ticket through the parent tech help desk if you can not access X2. Please call the office during business hours if you do not know your student ID number. The link to the help desk is below.
5. Last Name: (You can also search and add siblings/family members at this time). Once this is completed, the student’s name should appear on page.

How to order meals

1. School Menu-breakfast online ordering
2. Scroll to day/week you are selecting breakfast (top right of page)
3. Find date, select meal option
4. Add item to cart/Select Add to order
5. Click on shopping cart icon at top right of page
6. Click Check out
7. Select pick up location: Elementary pick-up location classroom
8. Place order

Center is not only a wonderful place to attend and learn but also a wonderful place to work, as many of our parents/grandparents can attest to. We have several para educator positions open as well as a lunch and recess aide position. Substitutes in all areas are always in high demand. Please reach out to Donna or Dianna if you have questions about these positions or click the links below to apply.