CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

I hope you all had a wonderful week and were able to stay warm during the recent cold spell.

Yesterday was the 90th day of school, a significant milestone in the academic calendar. Reaching the halfway point of the school year brings a sense of accomplishment and excitement. This juncture in the 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. 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.

Digital health and safety expert Katie Greer visited with our middle school students this week to discuss a number of topics related to technology and our children, including cyberbullying, social media and online gaming. The kids were very receptive about what she had to say and asked her some great questions about screen time and being safe while online. Ms. Greer also held a presentation for parents that was incredibly insightful and informative. As many of you are aware, parenting during the digital age can be a real challenge, and she offered up some great strategies to navigate the issues we’re facing. I would like to thank the Council of Chelmsford Schools (CoCS) for making these presentations happen!

Wednesday, January 29, marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year, otherwise known as the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year. This is one of the most important holidays in China and other Asian communities, with 15 days of celebrations that culminate with the Lantern Festival on February 12. This holiday’s origin began as a time for feasting to honor household and heavenly deities and ancestors. The Chinese zodiac, or Sheng Xiao (生肖), is a repeating 12-year cycle of animal signs and their attributes, based on the lunar calendar. The Lunar New Year marks the transition from one animal to another with 2025 being the Year of the Snake. I wish all our families celebrating Lunar New Year a wonderful holiday season!

A reminder that kindergarten registration is coming up on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week and is by appointment only. If you have a child who will be entering kindergarten in the fall, please make sure to visit our website to set up an appointment.

Have a great weekend!

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• Athletics Schedule
• Kindergarten Registration: Tuesday, Jan. 28, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CPS Administration Offices
• Kindergarten Registration: Wednesday, Jan. 29, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CPS Administration Offices
• CHIPS Information Night: Thursday, Jan. 30, 6 p.m. Virtual
• Willy Wonka, Jr.: Friday, Jan. 31, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 1, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., McCarthy Auditorium
• Class of 2026 Craft Fair: Sunday, Feb. 2, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., CHS Cafeterias

If you missed the Jan. 21 School Committee meeting, watch it here:

Kindergarten registration for the 2025-26 academic year will be held on Jan. 28 and 29 at the Chelmsford Public Schools Central Administration Office, 230 North Road, Chelmsford.

Reserve a spot by visiting the CPS district website.

As our schools reopen, this is a final reminder that 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.

You can't see it all on TV! The McCarthy Drama Club's annual musical, Willy Wonka Jr., will feature three performances: Friday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, Feb. 1, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., in the McCarthy Auditorium.

Tickets are selling fast, so get yours now via our online ticket site: http://our.show/mcwonka2025. Tickets are $10 each (plus a $2.10 per ticket fee).

If you have any questions about ticket purchasing, please email mccarthydramaclub@gmail.com.

Technology Integration Specialists Art Santos and Kristi Grout work with Kaitlyn Nagle's second grade class at Harrington Elementary School, filming and recording the students as they speak about their specific culture for Harrington's multicultural night on February 12.

Parker and McCarthy Middle School students performed a jazz concert on Thursday, Jan. 16, in the Carl J. Rondina Performing Arts Center at Chelmsford High School.

Watch it here:

Parker Middle School’s 5th Grade Band performed a concert on Thursday, Jan. 16, in the Carl J. Rondina Performing Arts Center at Chelmsford High School.

Watch it here:

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.

We are excited to announce that Harrington Elementary School PTO has been selected again as a nonprofit partner in the Stop & Shop Community Bag Program. HPTO will receive $1 for each $2.50 reusable Community Bag sold at Stop & Shop Chelmsford during the month of January.

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.

Students at Parker and McCarthy Middle Schools in Chelmsford were visited on Thursday, Jan. 23, by Katie Greer, a digital health and safety expert who discussed myriad topics, including social media, online gaming and cyberbullying.

“They have been responsive and attentive and had some really good questions,” she said of the middle schoolers. “It’s been super-productive.”

Greer has spent nearly 20 years going to schools, colleges and universities across the country speaking about both the good and the bad that can come from having an online presence.

Continue reading about Ms. Greer's visit on our website.

After racking up points on the mat for Chelmsford each Saturday, Masih Sadat spends his Sundays working a 12-hour shift at Market Basket.

Each month he sends his earnings to the family he longs to reunite with.

In two years, the 165-pound senior has made himself a wrestler the Lions rely on, improving his record from 4-12 to 16-6. Putting in hours during the offseason, Sadat made strides as a grappler, and improved his English to tell his story to his peers.

It was 1 a.m. on Aug. 16, 2021, when Sadat saw a pair of guns pointing at him through the Afghan desert night. The bombing the day before scattered citizens around Kabul International Airport, leaving the 13-year-old lost without his family and famished, wandering away from the sound of gunfire.

Continue reading at BostonGlobe.com.

The Chelmsford High boys swim team captured the Merrimack Valley Conference regular season title in nail-biting fashion Friday.

The Lions (8-0, 5-0 MVC) edged rival Haverhill, 92-88, to claim the crown.

The meet came down to the last relay and the Lions held on to the win with a 2-3 finish. This was a complete team victory as Chelmsford only received two first-place finishes. Winning events were sophomore Christian Petrilli in the 200 freestyle (1:54.33) and senior captain Hadi AlDayaa, who won the 1-meter diving.

Continue reading at LowellSun.com.

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****

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