CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

I hope you all had a fabulous week and are looking forward to these next couple weeks of winter break.

Our winter concert series has officially come to an end. A huge thank you to our student musicians, as well as the band, choir and orchestra directors Vinny DeStefano, Eric Linsner, Amanda Roeder, Kate Comeau, Matt Sexauer, Lisa Tiano, Lucas Miller, Martha Robertson and Jodi Richardson for all their hard work in preparing for these performances. And if you missed any of the concerts, they can be found over on the Chelmsford Telemedia website.

As you turn the calendar to the January, please note upcoming half-days and no school days for the remainder of the year in the current academic calendar. Please help keep your children informed, as these dates come up quickly, and we want to make sure all students are prepared for changes in their regular schedules including daycare and bus/pickup routines. For future planning purposes, please note the Chelmsford School Committee approved the 2025-26 Academic Calendar at its meeting this past Tuesday, Dec. 17. That calendar can be found under the third tab from the left on this page.

And for those who may be wondering, kindergarten registration will be held Tuesday, Jan. 28, and Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. If you have friends or neighbors with children entering kindergarten next fall, please let them know they will need to schedule an appointment to come in and register. A link to do so will be shared in the Action Center on the district and elementary school websites in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out for that.

Our schools will close for winter break beginning today and will reopen on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. Whether or not you celebrate any significant holidays or traditions this month, I hope you take time to relax and enjoy family and friends, as well as do the things that make you happy. And as 2024 comes to a close, please take a moment to reflect on how much you have accomplished over the past year. The new year is a blank page, and the pen is in your hand to write the next chapter, as every end marks a new beginning. Here is to new beginnings. Happy New Year! I look forward to seeing everyone in 2025.

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• Athletics Schedule
• December/January Recess: Dec. 23-Jan. 3: No School
• New Year's Day: Wednesday, Jan. 1
• School Resumes: Monday, Jan. 6
• School Committee Meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 7, 6 p.m., Central Administration Offices
• Stringfest: Wednesday, Jan. 8, 4:30-7 p.m., McCarthy Middle School

If you missed the Dec. 17 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

School Resource Officers Linstad and Sullivan (along with Officer Ozzie) spent some time last week in the McCarthy Life Hacks class teaching students about the importance of being safe while driving.

The six Chelmsford High School seniors honored as Lions Pride/Rotary Student of the Month recipients for November were Sophia Miranda and Ishani Dave from Emerson House, James Owen Dowd and Alden Mondoth-Deepak of Hawthorne House and Matthew Kelliher and Valerie Ren from Whittier House. Read more about each of them by visiting our website.

Center Extended Day helped create over 150 holiday cards for Meals on Wheels participants through the Chelmsford Senior Center. Staff and students worked so hard over the last three weeks to create the most amazing cards, and the students were so committed and dedicated, with some doing multiple cards. The cards, which were dropped off on Thursday, will be given with each meal delivered on Christmas Day. Staff members at the Senior Center were so touched and appreciative for all the cards, they were actually brought to tears.

To view more photos from this year's winter concerts, please visit our website.

To watch any concerts you may have missed, visit Chelmsford Telemedia's website.

To view more photos from this year's winter concerts, please visit our website.

To watch any concerts you may have missed, visit Chelmsford Telemedia's website.

To view more photos from this year's winter concerts, please visit our website.

To watch any concerts you may have missed, visit Chelmsford Telemedia's website.

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.

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 annual Share the Warmth drive at Harrington Elementary School in Chelmsford was once again a success. The donation drive, a service project organized and presented by the second-grade class, collects new hats, mittens and gloves in all sizes to be donated to The Wish Project in Chelmsford. In this, its seventh year, the Share the Warmth campaign brought in 440 items between Dec. 2-17.

Read more about this wonderful initiative on our website.

Three members of the University of Massachusetts field hockey program were named to the 2024 National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I All-American teams. Chelmsford native and former Chelmsford High star Claire Danahy was named to the First Team. Danahy’s selection marks the first NFHCA First-Team All-American honor for a Minutewoman since Makaela Potts in 2010. Massachusetts receives three NFHCA All-American selections for the first time since 1991.

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 sent representatives to Chelmsford High School this fall to meet with students interested in continuing their education at a post-secondary institution. More dates will be added to the College Visit Schedule soon.

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

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