CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

The hustle and bustle of December continues along with much anticipation leading up to the winter break which is only one week away! Rest assured that each day has been packed with many wonderful events both day and night. There are also many event happenings around the Merrimack Valley to celebrate this season. As mentioned in earlier correspondence, our concert season is in full swing, and our shows are highlighted below. There is still time to catch a few of the concerts next week in-person if your schedule permits. Otherwise, you may enjoy the recordings highlighted in the newsletter. Hopefully, mother nature will continue to provide mild, dry weather for us to get out and enjoy the festivities and events; however, I know there are many wishes for snow as a finishing touch to the holiday season!

I have very exciting news to share from the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s (MSBA) Board of Directors meeting earlier this week. I am pleased to report that the MSBA Board of Directors has voted to invite Chelmsford’s Statement of Interest (SOI) for Parker Middle School into the MSBA’s Eligibility Period to assess and explore a new school building project in town. This is a significant step and potential opportunity to partner with the MSBA for a building project focused on a new middle school in town. Please see the press release highlighted below to learn more about the project. I will be sharing more information about the project as timelines are established.

In preparation for upcoming events in the new year, the CPS Wellness Advisory Committee is excited to announce the CHS Wellness Fair for students and staff on Wednesday, March 6th from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the CHS Gymnasium. The committee is actively seeking local wellness related vendors to participate, utilizing interactive stations to help engage with over a thousand students and staff at CHS. Registration is free for vendors, but must be confirmed with our Wellness Fair Chairs, Katie Simes (simesk@chelmsford.k12.ma.us) and Stephanie Quinn (quinns@chelmsford.k12.ma.us), by January 26th. If you would like to learn more, please see the following flyer or reach out to the chairs directly. If you, or anyone you know, may be interested in participating as a vendor for this event, please share the flyer and the committee chairs’ information.

As a reminder, next week is a full school week with vacation starting at the end of the day on Friday, December 22nd. Friday is a full day of school with dismissal at the regular scheduled time. In the meantime, please enjoy this week’s highlights below and have a wonderful weekend.

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• Athletics Schedule
• Parker MS Band Concert, 12/18, 7:00 p.m.
• School COmmittee Meeting, 12/19, 6:00 p.m.
• All Town Wind Ensemble, 12/19, 7:00 p.m.
• McCarthy MS Band Concert, 12/20, 7:00 p.m.
• Parker and McCarthy MS Orchestra Concert, 12/21, 7:00 p.m.
• December Recess, 12/25 - 1/1

Looking for a last minute gift? Have a birthday or celebration coming up? Or, are you just looking to have fun night with families and friends? Well look no further. Chelmsfordopoly is the perfect gift to purchase! There are still plenty of game sets available. Please see the following flyer for how to purchase your game today!

The Town of Chelmsford was officially invited by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) into its 270-day eligibility period – a significant step to receive funding for a building project focused on Colonel Moses Parker Middle School. The MSBA’s board of directors voted unanimously to authorize the invitation for Chelmsford, along with 18 other municipalities and districts, on Wednesday morning, Dec. 13. Superintendent Dr. Jay Lang, noting there are several school buildings in Chelmsford that are aging, thanked State Treasurer Deb Goldberg and the MSBA for the opportunity to join the eligibility period. Please visit our website to read more about this building project.

The CPS Wellness Advisory Committee is excited to announce the CHS Wellness Fair for students and staff on Wednesday, March 6th from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Conrad Gymnasium. We are actively seeking local, wellness related vendors to participate, utilizing interactive stations to help engage with over a thousand students and staff at CHS. Registration is free for vendors but must be confirmed with our Wellness Fair Chairs: Katie Simes (simesk@chelmsford.k12.ma.us) and Stephanie Quinn (quinns@chelmsford.k12.ma.us) by January 26th. If you would like to learn more, please see our flyer or reach out to Katie or Stephanie.

For the sixth year, second grade students at Harrington Elementary School are spreading the holiday spirit to the local community through their Share the Warmth donation drive. “It’s a community service project that helps us explain to kids a little bit more about wants and needs,” second grade teacher Janet Hoffman said. ”And we’re supporting a local charity, which is really important to us.” The students are asking families, staff and faculty members to bring in new hats, mittens and gloves and place them in the large giant gift box in the school lobby. Once the collection period is over, the items will be taken to The Wish Project, a North Chelmsford charity that supports families in need in the community.Mrs. Hoffman said the second-grade students have been enthusiastically involved in the advertising of their event. Please visit our website to read more about this community service project.

Earlier this year, Wolfgang “Wolfie” Bak, the 6-year-old son of Cara Bak, a science teacher at Chelmsford High School, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, a rare type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow that affects white blood cells. Following numerous hospital visits, blood transfusions, lumbar punctures and even a couple bouts of pancreatitis, Ms. Bak said her son is finally starting to feel and act like himself again, playing with his sister, attending birthday parties and enjoying other fun activities.

However, Wolfie is expected to be in treatment for another year and a half yet, so the Interact Club and Class of 2024 have teamed up to help raise awareness for childhood cancer and to raise funds to help support the Bak family as they navigate this difficult time. Please visit our website to read more and learn how you can support the Bak family.

Chelmsford Business Development Director, Lisa Marrone, came by the Career Center to drop off certificates to Business Innovation Pathway Students who volunteered at the Chelmsford Holiday Stroll this past weekend. Thank you to the following student volunteers who gave their time to support this event!
Tayla Tran
Aarushi Chopra
Jiah Mukherjee
Yashika Dhimal
Unish Dhimal
Kathrine Lesire

CHS organic chemistry students completed an in-school field trip lab yesterday. This lab was an SN2 Synthesis of 2-Butoxynaptholene, which is an undergraduate level lab. Students worked collaboratively to setup their labs for the field trip.

Thanks to the Chelmsford Rotary for having members of the CHS band, orchestra and chorus perform at their annual Holiday Luncheon today!

Chelmsford High School’s 2023 Winter Concert was held on Wednesday, Dec. 13, at the Carl J. Rondina Performing Arts Center. The evening featured moving and powerful performances by the Percussion, Treble Choir, Concert Choir, Symphonic Band and Orchestra ensembles. We extend our thanks to Chelmsford Telemedia for another terrific production.

Registration for Chelmsford Community Education’s Winter/Spring 2024 class schedule opens on Friday, December 15th. Please use the following link to view all the programs we have to offer during our winter/spring session. Be sure to check our website often and like us on Facebook (Chelmsford Community Education) and Instagram (commedwestlands) for announcements as they happen.

Chelmsford Community Education is seeking a long-term substitute childcare supervisor. To learn more and apply, please see the job posting using the following link.

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.

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 Health Services.

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