CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

I hope you all had an enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday and are looking forward to the next couple weeks before we head into winter break.

First off, I would like to congratulate the Chelmsford High School football team on their victory over Billerica on Thanksgiving. Despite the rainy weather, it was a great game, and an incredibly memorable one for our seniors. With that marking the end of the fall sports season, please join me in wishing our winter athletes the best of luck as they begin their quest for success!

Parker Middle School has undertaken a new initiative called Be the Change, which runs from Dec. 2-20. Working in teams, students have been tasked with brainstorming service ideas to make a positive difference locally, nationally or globally. Each team will choose a unique service project to address a problem they seek to improve. Be the Change is a great opportunity to get students excited about making a tangible positive difference in the world, and I’m looking forward to seeing what service projects they pursue.

Over at Harrington Elementary School, second graders have once again organized their annual "Share the Warmth" community service project to help those in need in our community. Now through Dec. 17, they will be collecting new hats, mittens and gloves in child to adult sizes to donate to The Wish Project here in Chelmsford. The students have been very involved in the project, making posters and sharing the message around school by doing "commercial" announcements over the loudspeaker, as well as promoting it to family and friends. This initiative not only helps our second graders understand the importance of community, but also promotes kindness, empathy and gratitude.

Believe it or not, our winter concert season begins next week. It will kick off with the choruses from Parker Middle School and McCarthy Middle School taking the stage on Tuesday, Dec. 10, starting at 6 p.m. Then, on Wednesday, Dec. 11, students from Chelmsford High School will perform their winter concert at 7 p.m. The following week will feature the All-Town Wind Ensemble Concert on Dec. 16; the Parker and McCarthy Band Concert on Dec. 17; and the Parker and McCarthy Orchestra Concert on Dec. 19. All concerts will take place at the Carl J. Rondina Performing Arts Center at Chelmsford High School.

This Sunday, Dec. 8, the Parker Middle School PTO will be hosting their annual craft fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will take place in the cafeteria and will feature a plethora of local vendors – including student vendors from both our middle schools – as well as raffles and a gift-wrapping station. This year, the PTO is also introducing its First Annual Middle School Gingerbread House Decorating Contest. All the contest entries will be on display during the craft fair with winners being announced at noon on Sunday.

And one quick reminder about the upcoming week: Thursday, Dec. 12, is a professional development half day, which means students will be released early that day.

Stay warm and have a fantastic weekend!

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• Athletics Schedule
• Parker Craft Fair: Sunday, Dec. 8, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Parker Middle School
• Parker & McCarthy Winter Chorus Concerts: Tuesday, Dec. 10, 6 & 7:30 p.m., CHS PAC
• Chelmsford High School Winter Concert: Wednesday, Dec. 11, 7 p.m., CHS PAC
• Professional Development/Early Release Day: Thursday, Dec. 12
• All-Town Wind Ensemble: Monday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m., CHS PAC
• School Committee: Tuesday, Dec. 17, 6 p.m. Central Administration Offices
• Parker and McCarthy Middle School Band Concert: Tuesday, Dec. 17, 7 p.m., CHS PAC
• Parker and McCarthy Middle School Orchestra Concert: Thursday, Dec. 19, 7 p.m., CHS PAC
  

If you missed the Dec. 3 School Committee meeting, watch it here:

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.

Order the 2025 CHS yearbook online here or by calling 1-877-767-5217. Still need a photographer?

CHS is partnering with O’Connor Studios of Tewksbury located at 1348 Main St., Tewksbury, MA, 01876; and Creative By O’Connor of Leominster, located at 98 Adams St., Leominster, MA, 01453. Pricing starts at $30 per session, which includes six studio indoor/outdoor poses. Contact O’Connor Studios.

For more information on the collection of senior portraits and baby/early childhood photos, visit the CHS 2025 Yearbook page.

Questions or concerns? Contact the Lions Yearbook 2025 editors at lionsyearbook2025@gmail.com

The six Chelmsford High School seniors honored as Lions Pride/Rotary Student of the Month recipients for November were Hannah Gemelli and Franklin Ye from Emerson House, Sara Karroumi and Arvind Rao of Hawthorne House and Jessica Jerusal and Matthew Monnes from Whittier House. Read more about these students by visiting our website!

To view more images from the pep rally, which was held on Wednesday, Nov. 27, visit our website.

The Thursdays, one of Chelmsford High School's two a cappella groups, recently released a new music video for "First Light" by Hozier. Check it out below:

To see more images from CHS Spirit Week, please visit our website.

Chelmsford Fire Department Captain Josh Abbott visited McCarthy Middle School this week to talk to students in Mrs. Parks' health class about fire safety and prevention.

Click on the images below to view each virtual gallery!

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.

The Harrington Elementary School PTO was selected for Hannaford's Bloomin’ 4 Good program for the month of December! Now through Dec. 31, HPTO will receive $1 for every specially marked Bloomin’ 4 Good bouquet purchased at the Chelmsford Hannaford location, 66 Drum Hill Road.

* click on image above to enter; entries due Dec. 8 *

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.

In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, the Chelmsford High School GIVE Club organized a donation drive to collect essential items in order to make care packages for the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter. The shelter, which is located in Cambridge, is run entirely by students at Harvard University; when those students go home for holidays and breaks, other volunteers step in to oversee the operations. On Friday, Nov. 29, GIVE Club officers, along with their advisor Stina Kaverud, a Harvard University alum, spent time volunteering at the shelter.

Read more about this initiative on our website.

In the end, four turnovers proved too much for the Billerica High football team to overcome. In a driving rain, Chelmsford pulled off an upset with a 28-21 win over the visiting Indians in the annual Thanksgiving Day game. The Lions led 14-7 at halftime and after BMHS tied the score, Chelmsford (5-6) scored the next two touchdowns for a 28-14 lead.

“It was a great team victory,” said Chelmsford senior lineman Thomas Brown.

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.

More than 75 colleges and universities will be sending representatives to Chelmsford High School this fall to meet with students interested in continuing their education at a post-secondary institution. Please see the College Visit Schedule for more details.

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

Here are just a few 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