CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

This week wraps up the first full month of school, as we flip the calendar to October. Its name is rooted in the Latin word “octo,” meaning eight, when the old Roman calendar began in March making it the eighth month. In our current calendar, October is the second month in the fall season – a month of preparation for winter with the harvesting of crops.

There are many activities and celebrations in October, however, I want to highlight one that directly correlates to our schools. Monday, October 2nd, is National Custodians’ Day. Our building custodians and the entire Chelmsford Public Schools facilities staff are unsung heroes in our district. This group of dedicated and hardworking professionals are the glue that holds our schools together. With a never-ending list of daily tasks to perform, the facilities crew keeps our schools running each day (even after an art project involves a major glitter spill), giving students and staff a safe, clean, and organized learning environment to learn and grow. Although they should be celebrated every day, next Tuesday is the official day on the calendar dedicated to their recognition. Below, please find the names of each school’s facility staff, headed by our Director of Facility Services, Brian Curley. This staff works tirelessly over the summer to get our schools ready for the return of students and staff each year, especially this year with a lot of moving parts from the middle school grade level realignment. Please remember to thank your school custodian for their efforts when you see them.

Chelmsford High School

Charlie Buffum

Matthew Manninen

Christopher Cunha

McCarthy Middle School

Gabby Arias

Parker Middle School

Shawn Kelly

Adam Hirsch

Byam Elementary School

Tom Romac

Center Elementary School

Al Woodman

Harrington Elementary School

Nico Trujillo

South Row Elementary

Glorivee Ocasio

Community Education/CHIPS

Cheryl Spaulding

It was a great week in CPS with the completion of curriculum nights/open houses at our elementary, middle, and high school levels. I received wonderful feedback from families about how much they enjoyed their time at the schools meeting staff and talking about the exciting things we have in store for their children this year. A special thanks to our staff at all schools for creating a welcoming experience for families. Our integrated preschool (CHIPS) will hold its open house on November 16th.

Please enjoy this week’s highlights and have a great weekend.

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• Athletics Schedule
• Chelmsford Health Department Fall Festival, 9/30, 4:00 p.m.
• National Custodians’ Day, 10/2, All Day
• School Committee Meeting, 10/3, 6:00 p.m.

Six seniors were recently honored as Chelmsford High School named its Lions Pride/Rotary Student of the Month recipients for the month of September, announced CHS Principal Stephen Murray. Seniors Christina Miller and Sherry Guo were named from the Emerson House while Cynthia Lu and Keya Upadhyay were honored from the Hawthorne House, and Diya Munshi and Garima Lalwani from the Whittier House. Sponsored by the Chelmsford Rotary Club for more than 30 years, the Student of the Month program recognizes outstanding students from each of CHS’s three academic houses – Emerson House, Hawthorne House, and Whittier House – for their achievements in and out of the classroom. Please see these students’ accomplishments below.

Christina Miller Citation
Sherry Guo Citation
Cynthia Lu Citation
Keya Upadhyay Citation
Diya Munshi Citation
Garima Lalwani Citation

School-related anxiety and school avoidance have both increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Join Cartwheel's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Juliana Chen and clinical psychologist Dr. Tai Katzenstein as we explore parenting strategies to support kids with teens with anxiety and decrease conflicts at home. This workshop is part of a free webinar series with Cartwheel Care, our mental health partner organization.

We'll cover:

• the signs of school-related anxiety in children
• strategies for parenting and helping kids cope
• Q & A to address your parenting challenges and concerns

Use the following link to register for this webinar on October 4th starting at 7:00 p.m.

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.

Apply now for free and reduced lunch.

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 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 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