McCarthy Family Update

I hope you are doing well as we careen toward "Spring Break" for our students and staff. We certainly recognize that our school schedule isn't the same for everyone. However, we can all agree that this milestone means that the school year is winding down. The end of the school year is in sight, and it's the stops along the way that keep our exceptional staff on point. It is our responsibility to stay mentally and physically healthy so we can be ready to work with your children every day. These breaks make it happen for those of us who work in schools.

As mentioned in prior communications, I send quarterly "McCarthy Family Updates" in addition to the McCarthy Weekly Bulletin that is sent out from the main office staff every Friday. These messages will contain important information beyond the weekly happenings to keep us on the same page regarding all-things-McCarthy.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read these updates and I look forward to seeing you again soon.

Stay well,

Jeff

Instagram & X: @Principal_Parks

Our 7th and 8th graders completed the ELA MCAS tests over the past 2 weeks. The students and staff were focused and ready and I am confident that everyone did well. Despite the change in graduation requirement, the MCAS assessment is a critical benchmark that helps us support our students' academic growth.

Please see the MCAS CALENDAR here and reach out with any questions.

On Tuesday, April 1st, our 8th grade students attended an assembly led by Hunter Flores. Hunter is a Lexington native who shared his story about his battle with drug addiction. Hunter's message was well received and there is no doubt that our students related to him as a guest speaker. He is a young, charismatic speaker, and we will be absolutely be bringing him back annually to work with our 8th grade students. For more information on Hunter's message and speaking engagements, check out The Sober Truth website.

We will be channeling some teenage energy with a fun Spirit week ahead of April vacation. Thanks to one of our student leaders, Emma M., we gathered student input and the majority ruled. The themes will be fun and help us all stay engaged as we head into the spring vacation.

Here are the themes from the week! McCarthy Spirit Week!

We will also be running "The McCarthy Cup" Floor Hockey tournament on Thursday. I am excited to see this McCarthy tradition in action, and look forward to bringing some elements from "The Parker Classic" street hockey battle next year.

PTO Meeting: We hope you will join the McCarthy and Parker PTO's on Thursday, May 8th at 6:30PM in the McCarthy library. We have an exceptional PTO who supports our students and staff year-round. We are also exploring virtual meeting options to help increase attendance and make meetings more convenient for our parents and staff.

⚾ Middle School Night at Fenway: Join Chelmsford Middle School Families at Fenway Park on May 6th @ 6:45 P.M. to see the Boston Red Sox vs.Texas Rangers AND watch McCarthy students perform the national anthem! Less than 100 tickets currently available for purchase. Tickets are $40 each and can be purchased via the following link: https://givebutter.com/RedSox2025 Tickets will be "tossed" to your MLB Ballpark App closer to the game day. Please write down which email address you use to order these tickets as that is the email address we'll use to "toss" you your tickets.

I have received several emails asking about how we will be celebrating our 8th graders before they move on from McCarthy. I will send a separate communication to 8th grade families as soon as the events are finalized. I am grateful for the support and effort of our 8th grade staff who are working hard to make sure our "older kids" have a proper send off.

We have a growing number of students bringing in "Celsius" drinks, along with other highly caffeinated beverages from "Dunks" and "Starbies", every day. The issue is escalating, and I suspect that many folks do not realize the amount of caffeine, sugar and calories in most of these beverages.

As a parent of teenagers myself, and a middle school educator/high school coach, I fully understand the challenge. I also know that agreeing to purchase these treats can be an incentive on test day, and otherwise. Please take a few minutes to learn about the beverages our students are bringing in. This information is focused on caffeine content, but the calorie and sugar content is just as alarming.

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

Email: mccarthy_attendance@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 9:00am, at 978-251-5122, choose Option 1.

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

Thank you for your understanding.

No School: Friday, April 18th

April Vacation: April 21st - 25th

Memorial Day: Monday, May 27th - No School

Last Day for Students: STAY TUNED!

https://secure.smore.com/n/b83hp

Email: parksj@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
Website: https://mccarthy.chelmsfordschools.org/
Location: 250 North Road, Chelmsford, MA, USA
Phone: 978-251-5122
Instagram & Twitter ("X"): @Principal_Parks