Parker Parent Update - AUGUST 2025

Hello Parker Community:

I hope that you are enjoying the summer weather with family and friends. It is truly a pleasure and honor to serve as the Principal of Parker Middle School. We have spent the last two years building a vibrant school community grounded in empathy, curiosity, hard work, inclusion, and kindness. Fifth and sixth grade students bring a vivacity and inquisitiveness that is contagious!

Our school community will be focused on the academic, social, emotional, and physical well being of our students. I am looking forward to having students and staff back in the building as we kick-off the 2025-2026 school year. Please join me in welcoming the new students and families who will be joining our Parker community! As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.

Best wishes for a terrific end to the summer and I will see you again soon.

Regards,

Joshua Blagg, Principal

Twitter & Instagram @Parkerprincipal

With school fast approaching I know that some students also experience anxiety about entering a new school. One way to ease this transition is through some guided tours prior to the start of school on August 26th. We will be hosting school tours on the following days:

Thursday, August 14, from 9-11 am

Tuesday, August 19, from 9-11 am

These tours are voluntary in nature and offer the student a chance to see their classroom and learn the layout of the building. We look forward to seeing some of you on the 14th or 19th or on the first day on Tuesday, August 26th.

The faculty and staff at Parker will continue to support and promote our PRIDE program aimed at recognizing students for their ongoing positive behavior and achievement. Our school's core values reinforce prosocial behaviors and teach students about the importance of Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Dedication & Empathy.

This important initiative started 15 years ago at Parker and continues to guide our school in a positive direction. By creating student leadership opportunities and fostering strong student/staff collaboration, we will continue to focus on our PRIDE values as we work toward common goals.

School begins for all students on Tuesday, August 26th. School hours are 8:19-2:40. Students being dropped off can enter the building beginning at 8:00AM (see below for drop-off/pick-up info).

Over the first few days, we will have a modified schedule (extended homeroom periods etc.) to allow students and staff to acclimate to the new school year.

I look forward to seeing all of our students at the grade level assemblies that will be held during the first few days of school.

I have included a link to the https://chelmsfordschools.org/calendar/ for your convenience and planning.

The school day runs from 8:19AM - 2:40PM.

• Students can be dropped off beginning at 8:00 using the lot off of Crooked Spring Road. Upon entering the lot off Crooked Spring Road, the drop off line will have two lanes. This allows for a more orderly drop off while avoiding a backup onto Crooked Spring. Please see the map below and pay careful attention to the drop off area. It is unsafe for students to be dropped off anywhere but the drop area as there are many cars and moving parts in the back lot.

• Students taking the bus to school will enter through the main lobby.

• At the 2:40 dismissal, students taking a bus will exit through the main lobby.

• All student pick-ups will take place in the rear lot off of Crooked Spring Road.

• Students who walk or ride bikes, etc., can exit through the main lobby or exit to Crooked Spring.

*The morning drop off and after-school pick up procedures tend to be very busy. Please be patient and understand that it will take some time to develop the routine with which people will become familiar and comfortable.

Please see the attached image showing the drop-off traffic pattern.

In order to provide a positive and engaging learning environment it is important that students are freed from unnecessary distractions. Cell phones and smart watches have proven to be a major distraction and source of anxiety and social drama for students.

If students need to contact home, they should see their teacher/administrator to receive permission to use the phone in the classroom or office. Conversely, if a parent needs to speak with a student, the parent should call the school office. All cell phones should be off while in school. Any student using a cell phone while school is in session will have that cell phone confiscated by administration. A first offense will lead to a warning and the administrator will return the phone to the student at the end of the day. Second and subsequent offenses will result in the phone being returned only to the parent and/or further disciplinary actions.

We would prefer that all cell phones and smart watches remain at home. If the cell phone and/or smart watch accompanies your child to school then please reinforce the expectation that they BOTH will be stored in their backpacks and powered down. Any communication with your child should be conducted through the main office or will be accessed after school has ended for the day. We appreciate your support for this policy. It is our experience that when freed from the pull of their phones and social media students are able to concentrate, be fully present, and be active participants in their education.

We will continue to include a social emotional learning curriculum on Wednesdays this year. This curriculum is provided through Second Step and will be delivered by a team of two teachers per homeroom. This will allow for small group discussions and meaningful interactions aimed at developing our students’ social and emotional health. I will be given weekly updates on the topics covered along with extending activities that families can engage with at home. There will also be a weekly WIN (What I Need) Block for all students. The WIN block is a 25-minute block on Wednesdays where students can get extra help, enrichment, catch up on missing assignments, make up missed assessments, or read silently.

Due to a few retirements and some other changes, I am excited to welcome several new professionals to our Parker team! The majority of the summer was filled with interviews and meeting potential candidates. We are still actively working to fill a few positions and I will keep you informed along the way. In the meantime, I am so excited to welcome the following professionals to our Parker team:

Grades 5 : Thursday, September 11, 2025, 6:00-7:30 pm

Grades 6 : Thursday, September 25, 2025, 6:00-7:30 pm

In lieu of a meeting in the cafe before the event, I will send along additional information with some updates for the school year. I am confident that this will ensure that all families have the same information whether they are able to attend or not.

Each Friday, the office will send a Parker family update to all Parker families through the "Parker Weekly Bulletin". This bulletin is sent out through Connect-ed and will feature a look at the week ahead so that you and your student(s) will be prepared. I also encourage you to follow me on Twitter & Instagram @ ParkerPrincipal for ongoing information updates on all-things-Parker.

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. We strongly encourage families that feel they are eligible for transportation or extended day reduced tuition to fill out the online free and reduced meal application. The links can be found below.

https://cpsnutrition.com/index.php?sid=1478035692058&page=lunchapps

If you do qualify for benefits you most likely will be eligible for SNAP benefits.

https://www.mass.gov/snap-benefits-formerly-food-stamps

Some examples of SNAP benefits are discounts on gas, electric utilities and internet services.

This year the students must use their ID numbers. Your child's PIN number can be found in the "Details" section of the student's X2 Aspen page. The school also has a list of the PIN numbers if your child forgets the number.

If your child is going to be absent from school, you can either email or call to let us know.

Email: ParkerAttendance@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Please Send Email: Prior to 9am on the day of the absence (same as current voicemail option)

Please Include:

Child’s name

Grade

Reason for absence

I encourage you to use the email option when reporting an absence, dismissal, etc. Parents are still free to use the phone system to report absences, but you are encouraged to use email for greater office efficiency.

If you prefer, you can certainly call the attendance line prior to 9:00 am, at 978-251-5133, extension #4100.

We will continue to send emails home when students are absent. You will receive the email whether you called/emailed or not. The reason is that we do not have the ability to review every email or phone call, and then manually remove each contact prior to the calls going out at 10:00AM.

In order for an absence to be marked as "Excused", families will need to provide medical documentation.

Thank you for your understanding.

Our after school clubs and activities program will get started around mid-October. These are a fantastic way for students to interact with their peers while meeting people with similar interests. We will offer a wide-range of programs again this year. I will send more information once the school year begins and I work with staff to determine what we will run and who will serve as the advisor(s).

Activities run Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 2:40-3:40. The activity fee gives students the ability to attend all 3 days and gives them access to the late bus. Stay tuned for more information coming soon!

PARKER MIDDLE SCHOOL

Email: robinsond@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Website: https://parker.chelmsfordschools.org/

Location: 75 Graniteville Road
Phone: 978-251-5133