CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

It’s the final countdown! There are only eight more school days until we close out the 2023/24 academic year. This past week was full of events, especially for our CHS seniors who started off the week with a breakfast and clap out at their elementary schools, class barbeque, prom, after prom party, banquet, and ever so important graduation practice leading up to the main event tomorrow, Saturday June 1st, when the 107th graduating Class of 2024 walk across the stage and earn their diplomas. High school graduation day is a momentous occasion eagerly anticipated by students, teachers, and families alike. There is a mix of excitement and a hint of nostalgia as seniors don their caps and gowns, their hearts filled with a mixture of triumph and bittersweet wistfulness. Graduation is truly one of my favorite events and an honor to participate in, as families and friends gather, their faces beaming with pride, waiting patiently for the ceremony to begin. The stage is set for Saturday, adorned with flowers and banners, to celebrate the achievements and hard work that has brought the class of graduates to this pivotal moment. The graduation ceremony will take place at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell at 4:00 p.m. If you are interested in watching this year’s graduation, it will be live-streamed by Chelmsford Telemedia. Please use the following link to view the ceremony.

As we flip our calendars to June tomorrow, it is important to note that this month is widely recognized as Pride Month, a month dedicated to celebrating and supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Pride Month is observed in many countries around the world and is marked by various events, parades, festivals, and activities that promote equality, diversity, and inclusivity. The origins of Pride Month may be traced to the Stonewall riots, which occurred in New York in June, 1969. The riots were a series of demonstrations by the LGBTQ+ community against police harassment and discriminatory laws. The events at Stonewall Inn sparked a movement for LGBTQ+ rights and became a catalyst for organizing Pride marches and events. Pride Month is an opportunity for people to come together, raise awareness about the issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community, and celebrate the progress that has been made towards equality. Chelmsford Public Schools is committed to ensuring equality and inclusion of all students and families.

Further recognized in June is the federal holiday Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day. This holiday is celebrated annually on June 19th in the United States. It commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and serves as a reminder of the end of slavery in the United States. The origin of Juneteenth dates to June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and proclaimed that all enslaved people in the state were free. This announcement came two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln, as it took time for the news to reach all parts of the country. Juneteenth was officially recognized as a federal holiday when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.

As we are winding down this school year, we are preparing for the next. Our 2024/25 school year bus registration is underway. We need to begin to collect data on riders for the fall so efficient routes may be developed for the start of the school year. Please note that all students who desire to ride the school bus to or from school must register every year, even if they are not required to pay a fee. Also, we have an “early bird” payment discount available for registrations received by June 30, 2024. Information pertaining to school bus transportation may be found on the Chelmsford Public Schools Transportation web page.

Congratulations to the students and families of the CHS Class of 2024! I look forward to celebrating with you tomorrow at your ceremony. Enjoy this week’s highlights and have a wonderful weekend.

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• Athletics Schedule
• SATs, Exam, 6/1, 8:00 a.m.

• CHS Class of 2024 Graduation, 6/1, 4:00 p.m.

• School Committee Meeting, 6/4, 6:00 p.m.

The Chelmsford High School Class of 2024 will be graduating on Saturday, June 1. Take a look at where they will be going once they leave the den. A huge thank you to senior Gemma Bardouleau for collecting all of the senior photos and information to create these slides for the @2024ChelmsfordGrads Instagram account — and for sharing them with us for this slideshow. Please visit our website to view the gallery of pictures.

Six seniors were recently honored as Chelmsford High School named its Lions Pride/Rotary Student of the Month recipients for June, announced CHS Principal Stephen Murray. Students receiving recognition were Alice Gu and Mary Margaret Huffman from Emerson House, Megan Arpino and Samuel Mattsen of Hawthorne House and Michael Mwaniki and Ruby Boucher from Whittier House. Please visit our website to read the student's biographies.

Numerous seniors at Chelmsford High School recently participated in a six-week internship in a career field of interest. Their final project is to discuss their experience during those six weeks with juniors and teachers during an internship exhibition, which was held on Thursday, May 23. Parents, community members and intern advisors were welcome to attend as well. Please visit our website to view the gallery of pictures.

Senior Awards Night for Chelmsford High School‘s Class of 2024 was held on Thursday, May 23, in the Carl J. Rondina Performing Arts Center. Among those recognized were the Gold Medal Scholars, those who finished in the Top 5 overall. Valedictorian honors go to Sherry Guo, while the salutatorian for the Class of 2024 is Keya Upadhyay. Ranking third in the class is Sara DeHaan, with Diya Munshi fourth and Christina Miller fifth. Guo, Upadhyay and Munshi were also named Students of the Year for Emerson, Hawthorne and Whittier Houses, respectively. Please visit our website to view the gallery of pictures.

Chelmsford High School deans Christina Mitza, Erin MacNeil and John MacIsaac honored 14 members of the junior class with the Junior College Book Awards on Thursday, May 30. These awards are presented annually to juniors who exemplify the spirit of Chelmsford High School and who demonstrate inspirational leadership, outstanding scholarship and unwavering loyalty to the school and community. The Junior College Book Awards program at CHS is coordinated by Angela Hughes, Administrative Assistant of Whittier House, who works with the admissions and alumni associations of the many colleges and universities throughout the country who participate.

Each college ships its book of choice to be presented to the recipient. John MacIsaac, dean of Whittier House, explained that some of the books come with additional benefits, like the waiver of application fees if the student applies or scholarships if the student is accepted to and attends that institution. Please visit our website to view the gallery of pictures and names of recipients.

Three Chelmsford High School students were part of an 800-student contingent representing Massachusetts DECA at the International Career Development Conference in Anaheim, California last month. Please use the following link to read more about this event.

The Lions Middle School Showboat Talent Show was held Saturday, May 18, at Chelmsford High School‘s Carl J. Rondina Performing Arts Center. The event allowed students from Chelmsford’s two middle schools, Parker and McCarthy, to showcase their incredible talents. We offer our heartfelt thanks to our friends at Chelmsford Telemedia for their continued support in streaming CPS events.

While end-of-school and summer fun bring excitement for many, students of all ages can still struggle and sometimes significantly during the summer months. Summer can also be especially stressful for parents and guardians as they juggle work and caregiving. Join us for our webinar on June 5th at 7:00 p.m., focused on anxiety, mood changes, and different areas of challenge that students and families can experience during the months away from school. We will discuss practical tips and strategies to support kids and teens during the summer months, and how we can help them (and us!) be ready for the transition back to the classroom. Please use the following link to registrar for this event.

Chelmsford Community Education has new and exciting programs this summer like Robot Commanders, Riddle Rovers Escape Room, Plant Pioneers, Skyhawks Ultimate Sports, and AI (Artificial Intelligence) Adventures. Attached is a full catalog of all offerings.

Most of our programs are age or grade specific, so verify that your child’s age and grade information is correct before attempting to register. To update any incorrect information on your account, call us at 978-251-5151. To view Chelmsford Community Education’s summer programs, please visit Chelmsford Community Education.

Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with the latest on all the fun at Chelmsford Community Education. Our Facebook page is “Chelmsford Community Education” and our Instagram page is “CommedWestlands.”

Questions? Contact us at Commed@Chelmsford.k12.ma.us or 978-251-5151. We can’t wait to see you this summer!!

Chelmsford Public Schools held a public information session related to the Parker Middle School Building Project on Thursday, March 28. Superintendent Dr. Jay Lang shared a plethora of information about the project as the district moves into the Massachusetts School Building Authority‘s Eligibility Period on April 1. If you weren’t able to make it, please watch the video below.

Please see our list of open positions at the Chelmsford Public Schools. We would love for you to join our team.

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
Twitter: @ChelmsfordPS