CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

I hope you all had a wonderful week and are gearing up for spooky season!

It’s the weekend we’ve all been waiting for, as the elementary school PTOs are putting on some fantastic fall and Halloween inspired events. Saturday will feature the South Row Pumpkin Fair and Trunk-or-Treat events at both Harrington and Center. Then, on Sunday is the Byam Boo Bash. Get into the spirit by dressing up in costumes or just come as you are. More information about these can’t-miss events can be found in this newsletter and on our website. And while you’re out and about on Saturday, you might also consider stopping by the Chelmsford Land Conservation Trust’s Scarecrow Festival at Bartlett Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

On Wednesday, all of the students at Chelmsford High School had the opportunity to participate in a mock presidential election, with over 600 casting electronic ballots. While some seniors will be voting for the very first time this election cycle, I think it’s a great idea to encourage our youth to learn about our government and prepare them to perform their civic duty once they’re old enough to vote. Thank you to civics teacher Dan Richter and Social Sciences Department Coordinator Stephanie Quinn for coordinating this event and overseeing the mock election this past week.

Fall Annual Town Meeting will take place on Monday, Oct. 21, at 7:30 p.m. at Chelmsford Senior Center. Several articles on the warrant pertain to Chelmsford Public Schools, including funding the construction of outdoor recreational playing surfaces and pedestrian access improvements at McCarthy Middle School (Article 8); funding for the schematic design of the partial roof replacement at South Row Elementary School (Article 14); and granting easements to the Chelmsford Water District to install and maintain a water transmission main across land at Parker Middle School (Article 19). You can learn more about the articles by visiting the Town Meeting page on the Town’s website: https://www.chelmsfordma.gov/445/Town-Meeting.

Next week, Oct. 21-25, is National School Bus Safety Week, a time when everyone in the community can join forces and address the importance of school bus safety. Whether you’re a motorist, a parent, a school bus driver or a student waiting to picked up or dropped off, we can all do our part to make sure the trip to and from school is the safest it can be for all involved. Please visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website for additional details and facts about school bus safety.

Have a great weekend, and I hope to see you and your families at the elementary school events!

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• Athletics Schedule
• Pumpkin Fair: Saturday, Oct. 19, 11 a.m., South Row Elementary School
• Trunk-Or-Treat: Saturday, Oct. 19, 1 p.m., Center Elementary School
• Trunk-Or-Treat: Saturday, Oct. 19, 4 p.m., Harrington Elementary School
• Boo Bash: Sunday, Oct. 20, 1 p.m., Byam Elementary School
• Fall Annual Town Meeting: Monday, Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. Chelmsford Senior Center, 75 Groton Road
• Professional Development/Early Release Day: Thursday, Oct. 24
• Children's Halloween Party & Parade: Saturday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Chelmsford Center for the Arts
• CHS Pumpkin Palooza: Sunday, Nov. 3, 2 to 4 p.m., CHS Plateau

If you missed this past Tuesday's 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

Chelmsford Integrated Preschool received a visit from members of the Chelmsford Fire Department this week. Students loved learning the importance of staying low to the ground, what is safe to touch and what is not, and they all went home with a new hat and coloring book.

Students in Introduction to Programming classes at CHS explore the software design process in a hands-on, week-long project by planning, designing and coding their own interactive 'Choose Your Own Adventure' programs in Java.

Center Elementary School third graders enjoyed learning about the town clerk's office, local government and voting rights in Chelmsford.

Shubhendra Rao (sitar) and Saskia Rao-de-Haas (cello), world-renowned musicians from New Delhi, stopped by Chelmsford High School while on their international tour to perform for and engage in discussion with students on Thursday, Oct. 17. It was an exciting opportunity for CHS students to make connections with professional musicians and be exposed to Indian classical music.

On Wednesday, Oct. 16, students in grades 9-12 had the opportunity to participate in a mock presidential election, with over 600 casting electronic ballots.

Students in Chelmsford High School's Introduction to Photography class have been busy capturing images of everything from animals and food to flowers and fall leaves. To see more photos from these talented students, please visit the virtual gallery here.

Developed by Parker Middle School artist-educator Ashley Norman, the Sketchbook Spectacular is a free art initiative open to artists of all ages in the Chelmsford community and beyond. Participants are encouraged to explore prompts in their sketchbooks, but the prompts can also inspire free-standing artwork. This month, participants are encouraged to explore and embrace Inktober. See the flyer below for more information.

*Click on the image above to visit the voting website.*

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.

Chelmsford elementary school children and their families will have lots to celebrate this weekend, as the four parent-teacher organizations (PTOs) will be hosting their premier fall events. South Row’s Pumpkin Fair and Trunk-or-Treat events at both Center and Harrington Elementary Schools take place on the same day, Saturday, Oct. 19, and Byam’s Boo Bash will happen on Sunday, Oct. 20.

To read more details about these festive fall events, please visit our website.

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.

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

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.

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