I hope you are able to enjoy the company of your family and friends this holiday season! This time of year is something we all look forward to, yet it often passes by too quickly. I encourage you to take a "time-out" for yourself to relax and reset. It is far too easy to get caught up in the stress and holiday-hustle, but we all deserve to take advantage of the opportunity to slow down and enjoy the time. Best wishes to you all for a healthy and happy 2025 and beyond!

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read these updates and I look forward to seeing you again soon.

Stay well,

Jeff

We will kick off the new year with a fun Spirit Week for all students and staff. We had 450 students weigh in, and our student leadership group reviewed the data and finalized the top choices. The week before winter vacation has its own built-in excitement - so we thought a Spirit week after a 2 week break would ease the transition for all of us. We will be giving prizes all week to the students and staff who are crushing the themes and I am anticipating great participation from our entire McCarthy Community! The themes are listed below along with the slides (linked) that are running on the TV's throughout the school.

Remember to follow @principal_parks on Instagram & "X" for pics and updates throughout the week.

On Tuesday, December 17th, I was able to attend the Chelmsford School Committee meeting along with a great team from McCarthy. Assistant Principal Kerry Calobrisi, Social Worker/Step Program lead Julia Gannon, and two 8th grade superstars, Emma Marino and Addy Mele. This is an annual event, and I was proud to be able to discuss all-things-McCarthy with these stellar teammates. Many thanks to this group for representing our entire school community!

Interested in seeing what we presented? Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/live/9tkujxv5ios?si=DrwmMh9w3QU_VN3N

Project 300 is a huge part of the McCarthy School history. This annual event is the largest contributor to the Merrimack Valley's food collection for our friends and neighbors in need. We have already received donations from CHS Girl's Soccer and a few other organizations who are regular contributors, and I anticipate we will receive more in the coming weeks even before our "official" start.

8th Grade math teacher, Tom Gallagher, is leading this year's campaign, along with a group of dedicated students and staff. Over the next year or two, you will notice a deliberate shift in the leadership of this initiative from staff to students. Of course we will always have staff involved, but we are working to use Project 300 as an opportunity to let our students develop and demonstrate critical leadership skills.

I was able to help deliver the goods to the Salvation Army in Lowell last year, my first year as McCarthy Principal, along with a group of exceptional students. I am quick to admit that I did not understand the gravity of Project 300. I now understand how much the entire Merrimack Valley depends on us. I am confident that we will not only continue this McCarthy tradition, but we will significantly improve the experience for the students, staff, and families who participate. Most importantly, we will continue to support the people who rely on our collective generosity.

Learn more about Project 300!

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Arrival:

The new morning procedure is working well and we do not intend to make any changes at this time. We have been opening the doors for students (buses & drop-offs) at 7:55 instead of 8:00. This is giving our students some extra time to get breakfast, go to their lockers, and get to class on time. It has also alleviated some issues they were experiencing at Parker.

Dismissal:

We have enlisted the support of our teachers in order to help ensure student safety at dismissal. The new structure of having the buses in front of the building has been working well and seems to be more efficient than last year's procedure. Many thanks to our SRO Officer Linstad, for helping to keep order in the rear lot where students (who do not ride the bus) are picked up.

We have noticed a few students being dropped off in the teachers parking lot. It is important for the safety of our students and staff that people follow the established traffic plans. I have reached out to a few families directly who are circumventing the system, but wanted to send a general reminder here as well.

If your child is going to be absent from school, you can either email or call to let us know.

Email: mccarthy_attendance@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Please Send Email: Prior to 9am on the day of the absence (same as current voicemail option)

Please Include:Child’s name, Grade, Reason for absence

I encourage you to use the email option when reporting an absence, dismissal, etc. Parents are still free to use the phone system to report absences, but you are encouraged to use email for greater office efficiency.

If you prefer, you can certainly call the attendance line prior to 9:00am, at 978-251-5122, choose Option 1.

In order for an absence to be marked as "Excused", families will need to provide medical documentation.

Thank you for your understanding.

January 6th: We're Back! Spirit Week Kick Off

January 9th: PTO Meeting-6:30PM at McCarthy

January 14th: Early Dismissal at 11:00

January 20th: No School - MLK Day

January 22nd: End of Term 2

January 23rd: Begin Term 3

February 6th: Early Dismissal at 11:00

February 17th - 21st: February Vacation

Email: parksj@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
Website: https://mccarthy.chelmsfordschools.org/
Location: 250 North Road, Chelmsford, MA, USA
Phone: 978-251-5122
Instagram & Twitter ("X"): @principal_parks