CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

I hope you had a nice April school vacation and returned ready to work hard and finish the 2022/23 school year strong. It is hard to believe that we are turning our calendars to the month of May leaving us with just 33 days of school! Summer will be here before you know it.

There are many notable awareness events in May including Mental Health Awareness Month. Since 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in the United States to educate the public and advocate for policies to support the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. The purpose is to increase awareness and understanding of mental health issues, reduce the associated stigma, and promote overall mental wellness. During Mental Health Awareness Month, many organizations and individuals work to promote mental health education and resources. This can include events, campaigns, and social media initiatives focused on mental health. It is also a time to encourage people to seek help if they are struggling with mental health issues and support loved ones who may be experiencing mental health challenges. It is important to remember that mental health is an important part of our overall health and well-being. Taking care of your mental health may involve a range of practices, such as seeking therapy, practicing mindfulness or meditation, remaining physically active, and connecting with supportive people in your life. To learn more about mental health, please visit the National Alliance of Mental Health (NAMI) website.

The next two months will feature a whirlwind of activities and events. Our schools are looking forward to these culminating happenings to celebrate and highlight all the hard work of students and staff throughout the school year.

Please enjoy this week’s highlights below and have a wonderful weekend.

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• View complete athletics schedules here.

• Instrument Test Drive, 4/29, 9:00 a.m.

• CHIPS Spirit Week, 5/1 - 5/5, All Day

• School Committee Meeting, 5/2, 6:00 p.m.

• CPS Jazz Night, 5/3, 7:00 p.m.

• CHIPS PTO Meeting, 5/4, 6:30 p.m.

• Chelmsford All-Sports Boosters Monthly Meeting, 5/4, 7:00 p.m.

• Parker MS Music Festival Performance, 5/6, All Day

• SATs, 5/6, 8:30 a.m.

• South Row PTO Spring Dance and Raffle Baskets, 5/6, 6:00 p.m.

Thank you to the Class of 2022 for the science pond water fountain! This fountain in the science pond not only adds aesthetics but will serve in aerating the water throughout the year. We can’t wait to see how it looks lit up at night!

The Ecology Club had a very busy April vacation week. Students cleaned up trash on CHS grounds, raked leaves, and then attended the Chelmsford Hazardous Waste Day to assist in material collection. Finally, students presented information in front of the library to advocate for greener initiatives. Great work by our students!

Chelmsford High School’s Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry students placed first and second at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Chemistry Quiz Bowl Wednesday, Apr. 12 at UMass Lowell’s Alumni Hall. The ACS Chemistry Quiz Bowl was part of UML’s fourth annual ‘Spring Into Science: A Celebration of Discovery, Innovation, and Education in Science’ showcase, which hosted several local high schools. The showcase included a tour of UML’s Department of Chemistry labs and facilities, an overview of the UML’s science programs, question/answer session, and an observance of experiments conducted by UML students. Please visit our website to read more about this showcase.

Every month, the Society showcases a college and high school student member on our social media channels to share their background and why they want to pursue accounting as a career. Please see Isabella's interview on our website.

For the 11th consecutive year, Chelmsford Public Schools was named among the Best Communities for Music Education by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation, released Friday. In its 24th year, NAMM’s Best Communities for Music Education award program recognizes the outstanding effort by teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education. Designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment and access to music education. To read more about this accomplishment, please visit our website.

"Sweet. A little sour. Really good." Such was the consensus of the students of educator Jennifer Rigby’s kindergarten class at the South Row Elementary School after each was served a raw strawberry. It is part of South Row’s ‘Try it Tuesday’ wellness initiative, in which students have the choice of eating a raw fruit or vegetable every other Tuesday morning and providing their critique. On Try it Tuesday mornings, the Nutrition staff at South Row prepares bite-sized portions of that day’s fruit or vegetable. Members of the Student Council work in teams to deliver the portions to each classroom. The students eat, then deliver their verdict. Please visit our website to read more about this initiative.

The 2nd Annual Harrington Elementary School STEAM Fair was on Tuesday, April 25th, 2023. Students presented projects on topics from Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (S.T.E.A.M.). This year the Fair also included activity tables. Dr. Molly Rawding, a Harrington parent, provided a Math Fun Table and University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) Chemical Engineering Students helped student participants and visitors make paper circuits. UML Chemical Engineering Professors visited with each student participant to hear about individual Fair projects. In addition, Chelmsford Public Access TV recorded student presentations and is producing a video for the event. Thank you to all who helped make this event a success! And congratulations to all the budding scientists, engineers, and mathematicians!

Congratulations to the raffle prizes winners:

Isley D. - Kindergarten

Jordan L. - 1st grade

Elise and Mallory R. - 1st grade

Brooke F. - 2nd grade

Gregory K. - 2nd grade

Sahana B. - 3rd grade

Madeline K. - 3rd grade

Aarav P. - 3rd grade

Elizabeth R. - 4th grade

View highlights from the 2023 Byam Elementary School Art Gallery Walk, held Thursday, April 27th on our website.

Chelmsford’s Parker Middle School Grade 6 artists, under art educator Dawnmari Annunziata, completed a unit on learning about realistic abstract German-born American artist Wolf Kahn (1927-2020) and his influence in the art world by combining realism and color field. The artists titled their final paintings and completed two writing reflections expressing their thoughts creatively using words as well as images. Please visit our website to view the gallery of artwork from our participating students. Thank you to the Old Mill Coffee House for displaying our young artists’ realistic abstract landscapes.

The Parker Middle School PTO will host the 2023 Parker Pride Run on Sunday, May 21 at 9 a.m. The Run is open to all students and members of the community. Prizes will be awarded to the top runners in each grade level. Runners who register by Friday, Apr. 28 will receive a race t-shirt. Proceeds from the Run will be used to fund new gym equipment, indoor/outdoor recess activities, and enrichment programs for all 5th and 6th graders in Chelmsford. For more information use the following link.

The Town of Chelmsford hosts ‘Talk Saves Lives: A Brief Introduction to Suicide Prevention,’ Tuesday, May 9 (6:30-7:30 p.m.) at the Chelmsford Public Library’s McCarthy Meeting Room. ‘Talk Saves Lives’ will cover what is known about suicide, the most up-to-date research and what can be done to prevent suicide. The presentation is provided by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Town of Chelmsford Department of Health, and the Chelmsford Public Library. Participants must register for the event. For more information, view the attached flyer or contact Taryn Angel, Town of Chelmsford Public Health and Wellness Coordinator, at tangel@chelmsfordma.gov.

Participants will learn:

• Common risk factors
• Spotting the warning signs
• How to keep loved ones safe

Chelmsford Community Education’s Summer 2023 Programming is now Open for Registration! Chelmsford Community Education’s Summer programming begins on Wednesday, July 5th. New Classes are added weekly. Visit ChelmsfordCommunityEd.com for our full list of programming and like us on Facebook (Chelmsford Community Education) for new class announcements as they happen.

Chelmsford Public Schools has partnered with Paper to provide unlimited access to trained tutors so every student can ask questions, work through problems, and grow their confidence—at no cost to families.

Paper is an online, on-demand tutoring service that provides students with unlimited, 24/7 academic support. Whether they’re stuck on homework, studying for a test, or need someone to read and make suggestions for their writing, there will always be experts available online to assist students one-on-one in all subject areas and in more than four languages. See Paper FAQs to learn more.

Please use the following link to access the K-12 CPS Family and Student Handbook and CHS Handbook Addendum for the 2022/23 School Year.

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 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 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