CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

Things are looking bright with the sun now setting after 5:00 p.m. each day relieving many of us from going to and from school in the dark. This is a welcomed transition for New Englanders each year and signals that spring is on its way after such a bitter blast of arctic air last weekend! We are in for more milder weather this weekend allowing for some much-needed outdoor time.

Another milestone reached this week was the celebration of the 100th day of school at the elementary level leaving us with less than 80 days (75 days to be exact) of school in the 2022/23 school year. The 100th day of school is an exciting milestone for every elementary classroom. It signifies both the halfway point of the year and an important time for setting new goals and realigning with a fresh outlook as we head into spring. Most importantly for students, it’s a special opportunity for them to reflect on their hard work and celebrate all the progress they have made – and there’s a lot to celebrate for making it through these first 100 days. Wait until you see how some of our elementary students have “aged” so quickly this week in the newsletter highlights!

Also celebrated at our schools was National School Counseling Week. This celebration occurs annually during the first week of February to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week is sponsored by the American School Counselor Associate (ASCA) with the purpose to highlight the tremendous hard work and impact school counselors have in helping students achieve school success. I cannot stress enough the important role our school counseling department has played and continues to play in supporting students and families both during COVID and especially as we have fully transitioned back to in-person learning. It has been a heavy lift these past few years, and the exceptional, at times herculean efforts of our counseling staff have allowed for the important reconnection back to school for students and families. Please join me in thanking all our Chelmsford school counselors.

We are one week away from our next school vacation week. The week leading up to time off from school can be exciting for students as they anticipate time away from school with family and friends. At times, thinking about the upcoming vacation can be all-consuming for students especially if there is something special happening during the vacation week. Each school will be maintaining its current schedules along with some special activities. It is helpful when families review with their children the expectations for a full week of school and to allay any fear or anxieties to help create a smooth transition next week leading into the break.

Please enjoy this week’s highlights. I wish you all a wonderful weekend and a “Happy Valentine’s Day” next week.

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• View complete athletics schedules here.

• Choralfest 2/11, 2:00 p.m.

• Byam School Sweetheart Dance, 2/11, 5:30 p.m.

• ICHSA Northeast Region Quarterfinal, 2/12, All-Day

• Campus Bound Free College Cost Webinar, 2/15, 6:30 p.m.

• Save the Date - CHS L.E.A.D. Club Empowerment Workshop, 3/18, 12:00 p.m.

Campus Bound is hosting a free webinar called "Ways to Reduce the Cost of College" on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 6:30 p.m., exclusively for Chelmsford families. Use the following registration link to attend.

Choralfest, the singing tradition which encompasses grades 4-12 students at Chelmsford Public Schools, is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 11 (2 p.m.), at the Carl J. Rondina Performing Arts Center at Chelmsford High School. Admission is free and open to the public. Celebrating its 12th year, Choralfest will be streamed live via Chelmsford Telemedia. Fourth-grade students will work with the District’s choral educators Saturday morning at the PAC both in preparation for the 2 p.m. performance and as an introduction to middle school chorus. The event culminates at 2 p.m. with the performances of different ensembles as well as a select song performed by all students in grades 4-12.

Sophomore Sophia Roy qualified for the 2023 National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament June 11-16 in Phoenix and Mesa, Ariz., after impressing in the New England District Speech and Debate Tournament Feb. 3-4 at Catholic Memorial High School. Ms. Roy will compete in the Informative Speaking category in which, according to the NSDA, students speak with the intent of informing the audience on a topic of significance with clear examples of evidence, logic, and a strong message. Please visit our website to read more about this speech and debate tournament and Sophia.

Chelmsford High School Students had a fantastic hands-on opportunity with the True Robotics Inc. coding program and robots with the help of Anthony and Harry from WPI.

The CHS Career Exploration Breakfast will be held on March 15, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. This breakfast offers CHS juniors the opportunity to select two careers of interest and spend time with a professional in that field. Speakers share their interests, educational background, and what skills are needed to perform their jobs to give juniors career awareness and support in planning their futures. We are looking for professionals in the following careers to volunteer their time to share their experiences with our CHS juniors. If you are interested, please contact Alexandra Cunningham at: cunninghamalex@chelmsford.k12.ma.us.

The Center School PTO is excited to announce the 24th annual Taste of Chelmsford! This year’s Taste continues the new tradition of Taste as a month-long raffle in March, with amazing prizes offered daily from area restaurants and businesses. Funds raised from the Taste directly support enrichment programs for students at Center. Tickets are $25 and each ticket can win 31 times in March! All prizes are valued at $100 or more. Only 1,000 tickets will be sold, so get yours now before they sell out! Purchase your raffle tickets today at: www.tasteofchelmsford.com

The Chelmsford High School's gender equality club, L.E.A.D. (Leadership, Equality, Acceptance and Diversity Club) is holding our annual Empowerment Workshop on March 18 from 12:00 - 1:00 pm in the Career Center at CHS, 200 Richardson Road. In the workshop, we educate elementary-age students about gender equality through drawing activities, storytime, and much more. Please use the QR Reader on the attached flyer or sign up by using the following link to attend. We look forward to seeing you on March 18th!

Chelmsford Public Schools has partnered with Paper to provide unlimited access to trained tutors so every student can ask questions, work through problems, and grow their confidence—at no cost to families.

Paper is an online, on-demand tutoring service that provides students with unlimited, 24/7 academic support. Whether they’re stuck on homework, studying for a test, or need someone to read and make suggestions for their writing, there will always be experts available online to assist students one-on-one in all subject areas and in more than four languages. See Paper FAQs to learn more.

Please use the following link to access the K-12 CPS Family and Student Handbook and CHS Handbook Addendum for the 2022/23 School Year.

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.

The Chelmsford Public Schools utilizes School Spring to advertise job postings and the online application process. To apply for any of our positions, please visit our website.

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