CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

It is hard to believe that we are closing out the third week of October and zooming along through to the end of the month. Apart from this weekend’s forecast, the weather has been very comfortable allowing for many school events and outdoor learning opportunities. After this weekend, it looks like we head right back to dryer mild weather as we finish off the month.

Before you know it, we will be completing the first quarter of the school marking period for high school and middle school students. Term 1 marking period for high school and middle school students ends in two weeks with grade reporting on November 16th. As we continue through the first quarter of the school year and into the first trimester marking period for our grade 1 – 4 students, I would like to address the importance of school attendance. This is our second school year since COVID without restrictions. We are recently beginning to see an uptick in student absences trending three or more days. If students are to be successful in school, it is important for them to be present regularly. When students are ill, they should remain home. However, it is imperative that beyond illness, students attend school daily and minimize absences to allow our staff to properly educate and support them in their learning and foster a positive classroom community with their peers. Our schools are here to support families and students. There are many school experiences that cannot be replicated if students are not in school, and we want our students to be an active participant in their learning. If you need resources or support to help your child attend school regularly, please reach out to your school administration. They will be happy to discuss options and provide you with strategies to increase your child’s attendance in school.

Please enjoy this week’s newsletter filled with highlights of school activities. Have a wonderful weekend.

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• Athletics Schedule
• Byam Boo Bash, 10/21, 3:00 p.m.
• CHS Senior Dance, 10/28, 6:00 p.m.
• Parker MS Scholastic Book Fair, 10/23-10/27, All Day
• Parker MS Pizza, Pumpkins and Paperbacks, 10/25, 5:00 p.m.
• Center School Trunk-Or-Treat (Rescheduled), 10/28, 1:00 p.m.

Learn why this month is called October, which holidays to look out for, what to do in the garden, what to bake in the kitchen when to see the full Hunter’s Moon, and more! Use the following link to learn more.

Jennie Oemig has been named the communications and media director for Chelmsford Public Schools, stepping into her new role on Oct. 16. She replaces Chris O’Donnell, who moved on to become the director of communications for Salem Public Schools.

Ms. Oemig comes to Chelmsford with over 15 years of experience as a multimedia journalist, producing award-winning content. She will be responsible for the district’s public relations efforts and storytelling, website development, and digital marketing initiatives. Please visit our website to learn more about Jennie.

CHS's Unified basketball has had a great season so far and it's nearing the end. They just had their first win against North Andover. There is one more game at home to catch before the end of the season on Wednesday, October 25th starting at 4:00 p.m.

Parker Middle School continues to be a great spot to see wild turkeys as part of our Snapshot USA project that high school students will be working on next week. Snapshot USA project is a collaborative effort to sample animal populations with camera traps across all of the United States. The study is designed to sample sites in all 50 states stratified across habitats and development zones (suburban/rural/wild/urban) with an objective of at least 400 trap nights in site. To learn more about Snapshot USA, please visit their website.

Dr. Tanini’s CHS Biology class learned about cellular function activity by getting to know each other through understanding organelles. An organelle is a subcellular structure that has one or more specific jobs to perform in the cell, much like an organ does in the body. Among the more important cell organelles are the nuclei, which store genetic information; mitochondria, which produce chemical energy; and ribosomes, which assemble proteins.

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