Dear Center Community,

What a fun filled week as we finish up before our winter break. It was wonderful to have so many families in to help with holiday festivities.

Staff Updates

Maureen Lehmann will be leaving Center but staying in Chelmsford, supporting students at McCarthy. We will miss you, Ms. Lehmann and wish you the best. Be sure to visit.

Martha Pulley is shifting roles and will be a building-based aide substitute in the new year. Fortunately we will continue to see her smiling face at Center.

Have a safe and healthy break and we look forward to another year of growing and learning together in 2023.

Warm Regards,

Dianna and Donna

Dear Families,

On Tuesday, January 3rd we will be implementing a new student pick-up procedure to enhance student safety. Please see details below:

• All families were home a sheet of pick-up cards on December 21st. You should fill out the pick-up cards and have them ready to use beginning on January 3rd. You will be keeping the pick-up cards; the cards will not be collected by a Center staff member.

• Please note, if your child usually attends the extended day program or rides the bus home, you should still fill out a pick up card, as there may be a time when you need to pick up your child.

• On each card, please provide your student’s name, classroom teacher, grade level, and the name of each individual who is authorized to pick up your student.

• You must have a separate card for each student you are picking up.

• You will have 4 cards per student to provide to those people authorized to pick up your student at dismissal. If a designated person regularly picks up your student, please provide them with one of the cards.

• Only people with a Center issued card will be allowed in the building.

• If you forget your pick-up card, you will need to wait until all other students are dismissed so we can check our data system to ensure you are authorized to pick up the student.

• The remainder of the process remains the same. Please enter the building single file and enter the cafeteria. Students will come up to you and you will show the card to the staff member at the exit doors to the cafeteria.

This process will ensure that only adults with a valid reason to enter the building will be allowed in at dismissal time. Thank you, in advance, for your cooperation in implementing these enhanced safety measures.

Sincerely,

Dianna and Donna

It is very important, if your child(ren) will be out due to illness, that you call the absence line, and leave a detailed message including the symptom(s) your child is experiencing. Some situations need follow up, due to an infectious nature or other times information helps determine trends so preventive measures can be considered. You can email the main office (Elyc@chelmsford.k12.ma.us) or the school nurse (Rossmank@chelmsford.k12.ma.us) with your message as well. Thank you!"

Seeing clearly and hearing carefully is vital in students' ability to learn. Thus, the State of Massachusetts requires all students to be screened for vision and hearing on an annual basis. Vision is screened for their capcity to identify letters at a 20/32 distance and eye muscle coordination for depth perception. Our audiometers screen for tones that are commonly found in parts of speech.

Vision and hearing screening will take place January 11th - 13th Wednesday- Friday. If you desire your child not be to be screened, notify Kathy Rossman Center School Nurse, in writing, prior to these dates.

Thank you!

Kathy Rossman BSN RN NCSN

Center School

DECEMBER

• Mon - Fri, December 26 - 30: December recess

JANUARY

• Monday, January 2: No School

• Friday, January 6: Term 1 Gr K - End of marking period

• Tuesday, January 10: Half day (Professional day)

• Thursday, January 12: School Council Meeting 4:00 - 5:00pm

• Friday, January 13: PTO Co-Pres Mtg 9:30 - 10:15 am

• Monday, January 16: No School (MLK day)

• Wednesday, January 18: CSPTO meeting, 7 PM in the library

• Friday, January 20: Chelmsford Pride Spirit Day

• Monday, January 23: Gr 4 - Rob Buyea Author 9-10:10 in Cafe then classrooms

• Monday, January 23: Dining to Donate- The Establishment

• Wednesday, January 25: Term 1 Gr K - Grades available online

Reminder from the Nurse

It is very important, if your child(ren) will be out due to illness, that you call the absence line, and leave a detailed message including the symptom(s) your child is experiencing. Some situations need follow up, due to an infectious nature or other times information helps determine trends so preventive measures can be considered. You can email the main office (Elyc@chelmsford.k12.ma.us) or the school nurse (Rossmank@chelmsford.k12.ma.us) with your message as well. Thank you!"

WE'RE ON AMAZON SMILE!

Your Amazon shopping can now help support Center School! Here’s how:

1) enroll in Amazon Smile: smile.amazon.com

2) add Center School PTO Inc as your charity: (or find us here!)

3) start your shopping at smile.amazon.com, or shop in the mobile app AFTER you activate AmazonSmile in your settings

Questions? Email us at pto.center@gmail.com

If school is delayed or canceled this winter, a message will be communicated consistently with past practice as follows:

• An e-mail and telephone message will be sent to the primary contact number of each student and staff member in the district. This is a great time to verify your primary contact number in X2, our student/staff database, at which you desire to be contacted is accurate. If no message is received, school is being conducted as usual that day;

• A message will be displayed on the Chelmsford Public Schools webpage notifying the public of the status of school for the day. If no message is displayed, school is being conducted as usual that day;

• A message will be displayed on local television channels 4, 5, 7, and 25. If no message is displayed, school is being conducted as usual that day.

To allow parents and staff a little extra time to plan and prepare for a school closure, whenever possible, I attempt to make an announcement the night before when it is evident from the forecast that school will be impacted. This is not always possible and many times I need to wait until the early morning hours to make a decision for the district. Under these circumstances, I will endeavor to make and announce a decision by 5:30 a.m. on the day school will be impacted.

Email: fulreaderd@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.chelmsford.k12.ma.us/Domain/9
Location: 84 Billerica Road, Chelmsford, MA, United States
Phone: 978-251-5155
Twitter: @Center_CCS