Dear Center Community,
It’s been another busy and exciting week here at school!
Our talented 4th grade students had a special opportunity to share their musical gifts at the Massachusetts State House—what a proud moment for our school community! Back at home, students from all grade levels helped fill the gym with joy and music during our spring Sing-Along. It was wonderful to see so many families in attendance to enjoy the songs our students have been learning.
This week, our 2nd graders also took part in an engaging enrichment experience thanks to the Plant Mobile. This hands-on learning opportunity brought science to life and sparked great curiosity among our young learners.
We had an opportunity to meet and welcome many of our incoming K students at K screening.
We also held our final PTO meeting of the year. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the dedicated parents who have taken on leadership roles, and to every family who has contributed in big and small ways. Your support has made it possible for us to offer enriching experiences like these to our students throughout the year.
Our third ALICE drill will be held the week of May 27th - May 30st. Students did a great job during our first two drills and teachers will review expectations prior to the final one. We will notify families once the drill has been completed. Please do not hesitate to reach out should you have any questions or concerns.
May is Prader-Willi Awareness Month
Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder that affects approximately 1 in 15,000 people worldwide. It is characterized by a range of physical, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms, including insatiable hunger, developmental delays, and intellectual disabilities. PWS is caused by a genetic difference on chromosome 15, which leads to dysfunction in the hypothalamus, a region of the brain that regulates hunger, metabolism, and growth. There is currently no cure for PWS, and treatment primarily focuses on managing symptoms and preventing complications.
By wearing orange on the last day in May, the Center community can raise awareness about Prader-Willi syndrome in order to support those affected by the disorder and promote understanding among the general public. Together, we can work towards a greater understanding, acceptance, and support for those affected by PWS. Join us in wearing orange on Friday, May 30th.
Please check out this website for more information: https://www.fpwr.org/what-is-prader-willi-syndrome#definition
Field Day
We are thrilled about our upcoming field day scheduled for June 12th, with a rain date set for June 16th. One of the center's traditions is for each grade level to wear a specific color. Please find the assigned colors below. No need to buy new clothing, just a suggestion if you have clothing of this color available.
Kindergarten: Orange
1st Grade: Green
2nd Grade: Blue
3rd Grade: Red
4th Grade: Tie-Dye
Book Swap
We will be having our annual Book Swap Book Swap event on Field Day. It's a fantastic opportunity for students to bring in any gently used books they've outgrown and exchange them for some new ones to enjoy over the summer. During Field Day, students will have the chance to choose a new book (or even a few, depending on how many are donated) from the selection available. To participate, please have your child bring in the books and place them on the counters in the lower library. We will need volunteers to organize the books the afternoon of June 11th and two parents to assist for each grade level during the swap. Please email Dianna at fulreaderd@chelmsford.k12.ma.us if you are interested.
Staff Update
We want to share that Ms. Engdahl, has decided to retire at the end of this school year. For the past nine years, she has nurtured a love of reading at Center, thoughtfully curating a collection of books that serve as windows, mirrors, and doors for our students—helping them see the world, see themselves, and explore new possibilities. She also built a strong team of dedicated volunteers who helped keep the library running smoothly and ensured students always had access to books to enjoy at home. We are so grateful for her contributions and lasting impact, and we wish her all the best in retirement. She will be missed!
Fourth Grade Finale
The fourth grade finale will be held on Friday, June 13th from 12:30 - 1:00. Families will begin seating in the cafeteria at 12:15. Students will be treated to lunch and entertainment following the ceremony. Only volunteers who signed up to assist with the activities will be allowed to stay. Due to limited capacity in the gymnasium, siblings at Center will not be allowed to attend the ceremony.
Math and Reading Interventionists
Our math and reading interventionists will be finishing their word with Center students on May 23rd. Many thanks to Ms. May, Ms. Thakur, Ms. Gilmore, Ms. Cakounes for the efforts and support provided to our students.
Enjoy the weekend,
Warm Regards,
Dianna and Donna
Family Survey- How are we doing?
Dear Chelmsford Families,
Our district values your feedback! We are currently surveying The Chelmsford Public Schools families in order to gain insight into your perception of our school and district's effectiveness. We also want to better understand barriers to families accessing our schools and programs. To ensure we continue to provide high quality, rigorous learning experiences that meet the needs of our learners and prepare them for college and career, we need your feedback. We want to know what you think.
To administer these surveys, we have partnered with Panorama Education to conduct our 2025 Family Survey as we did in 2023 and 2024 as well. Panorama safeguards your privacy, keeping your responses anonymous. The survey shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to complete and will be a valuable source of information for us as we work to make our schools and district as good as they can be.
You may complete the survey online between Thursday May 1st and Friday June 13th using a computer, tablet, or smartphone by visiting the website below: https://surveys.panoramaed.com/chelmsfordma/family25/surveys
If you have multiple CPS school-aged children, please feel free to fill out multiple surveys to represent each individual child’s experience. The first question on the survey will be a dropdown to select which school you are filling the survey out for.
We thank you in advance for your thoughtful responses. If you have any questions about the survey administration, please don’t hesitate to contact your building Principal.
Thank you in advance for your time.
Calendar of Events
May
Monday, May 26: No School - Memorial Day
Wednesday, May 28: Kindergarten Screening 9-12
Friday, May 30: co-president’s meeting, 9:15-10:15
Friday, May 30: Unified Field Day TBC
June
Monday, June 2: Be Kind Spirit Wear day
Tuesday, June 3: Term 2 Gr K, End of marking period
Tuesday, June 3: Term 3, Gr 1-4 End of marking period
Wednesday, June 4, CSPTO mtg Center Library, 6:30-7:30, if needed
Friday, June 6: CPS Senior walk through at 2 PM
Thursday, June 12: Field Day , rain date Friday, June 16th
Friday, June 13: 4th Grade Finale - 11-3
Friday, June 13: T3, Gr K-4 Teacher deadline for posting grades
Friday, June 13: Educator signs summative evaluation report and adds response, if any within 5 school days of receipt
Monday, June 16: Field Day Rain Date.
Tuesday, June 17th- Last day of school-1/2 day for students
Wednesday, June 18th- Last day of school-staff
Wednesday, June 18: Gr K-4, Grades available for parent/guardian
Thursday, June 19: Juneteenth
