CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

It’s hard to believe we’re already less than a week away from Thanksgiving, but this is one of my favorite times of the year when activities really start picking up around the district.

Spirit Week kicked off at the high school yesterday and will continue right up until the annual Thanksgiving tilt against Billerica next week. From the dress-up days to the powderpuff game to the pep rally, this week always brings so much joy to the staff and students – not to mention a heavy dose of school spirit!

We have an incredible group of students in the CHS GIVE Club who will be going to the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter in Cambridge next Friday. They will be taking along care packages the club’s members assembled this week. For those who may not know, this shelter is run entirely by students at Harvard University, and while they are home on holiday breaks, other volunteers step up to oversee the operations. I want to thank GIVE Club advisor Stina Kaverud for coordinating this opportunity for our students to not only lend a helping hand, but to also see first-hand how they can make a positive impact in our communities.

As I have mentioned the past couple weeks, the CHS Theatre Guild’s production of “Beauty and the Beast” is this weekend. On Wednesday, the eve of opening night, the district provided a delicious meal for the cast and crew during a break from their last full dress rehearsal. It’s always nice to be able to sit down with these talented performers and hear about all the great things they’re doing and all the hard work they’ve put in over the past few months to bring the musical to life.

Speaking of talent, once we return from Thanksgiving recess, we will be gearing up for our winter concert season. I look forward to these performances, which are always incredible, each and every year, as they set the stage for the holidays. Please make sure to check out the district calendar and pencil in all the dates for these wonderful concerts. And if you can’t make it to every single one, don’t worry. Chelmsford Telemedia will be filming all of them and sharing them on their website, so you may enjoy them over the long holiday break next month!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend, and a Thanksgiving holiday that’s filled with love, laughter and family.

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• Athletics Schedule
• CHS Theatre Guild presents "Beauty and the Beast": Nov. 21-23, CHS PAC
• Early Release Day: Wednesday, Nov. 27
• Thanksgiving Break: Nov. 28-29, No School
• Chelmsford School Committee Meeting: Tuesday, Dec. 3, 6 p.m., Central Administration Offices
• 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

If you missed the Nov. 19 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.

It's time to purchase your tickets for the upcoming CHS Theatre Guild production of "Beauty and the Beast" at the Carl J. Rondina Performing Arts Center! There will be four performances during the week of Thursday, Nov. 21-Saturday, Nov. 23!

Shows are sure to sell out, so get your tickets now to enjoy this family-friendly musical!

Ticket link: https://our.show/chstheatreguild/bandb

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

Chelmsford High School's Ecology Club organized a school-wide clean-up event on Wednesday, Nov. 20, to clean up litter around the school grounds, promote environmental stewardship and encourage their peers to take pride in their surroundings.

Science National Honor Society students help out with grade 1 drop chamber investigations.

South Row fourth grade students work with stream tables as part of their Soils, Rocks and Landforms unit.

CHS Theatre Guild's production of "Beauty and the Beast" runs Nov. 21-23. To learn more about the cast and crew, as well as view more photos, visit our website.

Chelmsford High students in Mr. DiCarlo's class recently took a field trip to the Francis School of Engineering at UMass Lowell. During the visit, they were able to meet professors, tour the engineering labs and participate in mini-lesson activities.

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.

* 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.

Members of the Chelmsford High School Theatre Guild are inviting the community to “be their guest” when they take the stage this weekend for four performances of “Beauty and the Beast.” The cast and crew have been hard at work the past few months preparing for opening night. Senior Hadi Al Dayaa, who will be playing the Beast, said he has had a wonderful experience working on this production.

“I’ve really enjoyed this cast,” he said. “And Erica (Lundin) is one of the best directors I’ve ever had. … She’s very professional. I really like working with her.”

To learn more about the cast and crew of "Beauty and the Beast," as well as view more photos from dress rehearsal, visit our website.

Four students who recently participated in the Chelmsford High School Shark Tank competition went on to compete at the 2024 DifferenceMaker High School Idea Challenge hosted at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, taking second place. On Tuesday, Nov. 19, Team Mud Bud represented CHS and competed against teams from eight other high schools from all over the Commonwealth.The Chelmsford High School students who made up Team Mud Bud were senior Xavier May and freshmen Briana Taverna, Mason Phommakoth and Nolan Barth.

Read more about this wonderful achievement on our website.

Fifteen Chelmsford High School students were invited to attend a special National Merit Recognition breakfast on Thursday morning, Nov. 14, to celebrate their academic achievements. One of those students, senior Kevin Fortier, has been named a semi-finalist in the National Merit Scholarship program, meaning he represents the top 0.5 percent of the state’s senior students and remains in the running to earn a National Merit Scholarship. The other 14 students recognized earned commended status in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

To learn more about these students' achievements, visit our website.

On Saturday, Nov. 16, over 1,100 music students from public and private schools across the northeastern part of Massachusetts auditioned for the 2024 Northeast Senior District Music Ensembles. Eighteen students from Chelmsford High School were selected to participate in this prestigious Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) event, including several students who secured first chair positions.

To see the full list of students who were accepted into the Senior District Festival, please visit our website.

A few Massachusetts high school students have designed a new app to help Boston commuters find parking spaces. Students from Acton-Boxboro Regional High School and Chelmsford High School spent more than a year creating the Telepark app. A driver can enter their destination and the app will guide them to the closest available parking meter. If that spot gets taken, it will re-route drivers to another available spot.

Continue reading at WHDH.com.

The 14th-ranked Massachusetts field hockey team is headed to the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four for the first time in 32 years, using a 1-0 quarterfinal win over No. 10 Harvard to punch its ticket Sunday afternoon at the George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex. Graduate student Claire Danahy, a Chelmsford native, scored the game-winning goal late in the third quarter for the Minutewomen (17-5). The lone goal paired with three quality saves from junior goalie Myrta van Herwijnen and a tone-setting first quarter to help UMass edge a highly-competitive rematch with the Crimson (16-4) from the regular season.

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.

Wednesday, December 4, 7-8 p.m.

Kids and teens often feel immense pressure to perform well - be it socially, academically, or in extracurricular activities. Because of these pressures - many youth grow up tying their self-worth to their social status, accomplishments, or accolades, which can have negative impacts on their mental health.
Join Cartwheel and Katie Steele, LMFT for a webinar which looks at achievement culture and the impacts this has on the mental health of our kids and teens - including higher rates of perfectionism, anxiety, and depression. Learn what to do (and not to do) as a parent or caregiver to support your children and help them build a sense of confidence, resilience, and self-worth that is not tied to their achievements.

Register here

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