Dear Center Community,

Another chilly week! Thank you for all of the supplies to restock the classroom. They were much appreciated. Please see the picture below.

Martin Luther King Day

There will be no school on Monday in honor of Martin Luther King JR.'s birthday. Please take some time to talk to your students about the reason for the day off and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. He certainly exemplified the PRIDE values we promote at Center each day.

ZITI Supper

The Ziti Supper has been a cherished tradition at Center School for many years, bringing families together for an evening of connection and fun. Unfortunately, this year we do not have any volunteers to organize the event.

To keep this tradition alive, the CSPTO is seeking four parent volunteers to take on the responsibility of planning and running the Ziti Supper. Please know that there is plenty of guidance and support available to help you throughout the process.

If we are unable to secure volunteers, we will sadly have to discontinue this beloved event.

If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information, please reach out to Ellen Ellis at pto.center@gmail.com.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a difference in our school community.

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten registration will be held on Tuesday, January 28, and Wednesday, January 29, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day. If your child will be entering kindergarten in the fall, please visit our website to reserve an appointment time one of those two days. If you have friends or neighbors who will be sending a kindergartener to CPS and don’t have other children in the district, please share this information with them. A full list of stipulations and requirements for registration are available at the link above. And Chelmsford Integrated Preschool will be holding a virtual information session for prospective families on Thursday, January 30, at 6:00 p.m. Pre-registration for the 2025-26 school year will open on Friday, January 31.

Get Ready for a "Soup"er Spirit Day!

First grade is excited to host a whole-school "Dress Up as Your Favorite Book Character" Spirit Day on Friday, February 7th, in celebration of this year’s "Soup"er Bowl!

Students and staff are encouraged to come to school dressed as their favorite characters from books they love. This is a great opportunity to showcase creativity, share beloved stories, and have fun as a school community.

We can't wait to see the incredible costumes and the stories they bring to life. Let’s make it a "Soup"er fun day filled with imagination and spirit!

Center Chirps:

• Please refrain from requesting contact information for other families from teachers for birthdays or playdates. Please subscribe to the student directory available through the CSPTO.

  
  

Enjoy the weekend.

Warm Regards,

Dianna and Donna

SHARE KINDNESS...NOT GERMS!

Dear Center families,

Nationwide, there has been an increase in stomach bugs this winter. We have seen a few cases at Center school as well, so I wanted to share some information and tips with you from trusted sources at the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC.

https://www.healthychildren.org/Surviving-the-Stomach-Bug

This helpful video from the CDC shows how to clean up after vomiting and diarrhea to prevent it from spreading:

https://youtu.be/TAkH4jakLYA

As always, please remember to keep your child home for 24 hours after their last episode of vomiting and/or diarrhea. They may return to school the day after they pass the 24 hour mark, provided that they are feeling better and are ready to learn and play at school.

Take care,

Nurse Rose

January

• Monday, January 20: No School- Martin Luther King, Jr. day

• Friday, January 24: Chelmsford Spirit Day

• Wednesday, January 22: Gr K, T1 Grades available online for parent/guardian

• Wednesday, January 22: CSPTO mtg Center Library, 6:30-7:30

February

• Taste of Chelmsford- tickets on sale for a March draw

• Monday, February 3: Be Kind Spirit Wear day

• Wednesday, February 6th :dental presentation by Dr. Gupta for all kindergarten and 1st grade classes from 2:30-3:00 in the cafeteria.

• Friday, February 7: PTO Co-Pres meeting 9:15 - 10:15 am DiDo

• Thursday, February 6: Half day/Professional day

• Saturday, February 8 Grade 4-12 Choralfest

• Tuesday, February 11: BINGLO- 5:30 - 6:30 pm and 7:00 - 8:00 pm

• Friday, February 14: Chelmsford Spirit Day

• Friday, February 14: Gr 4 Assembly to Watch Gr 5 Ensembles at PAC

• February 17 - 21: February Recess

At Center School, there are a number of free and reduced cost programs and donations, offered throughout the year, for example, free backpacks and school supplies, gift cards, holiday support, Thanksgiving meals etc. If these resources would be helpful, please fill out the attached 2 question form This information is confidential and will remain exclusively with the administration. You will not need to provide any additional documentation and we will reach out as options arise. Please contact Mrs. Fulreader if you have any questions.

https://forms.gle/zotYEnqVWCjcuuii8

This year, and moving forward, 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.