Byam Newsletter

October 7 - School Picture Day
October 8- BSA Meeting
October 9 - Grade 3 and Grade 4 Panorama SEL Survey
October 14 - Grade 4 Math night
October 21 Bionic Project Enrichment
October 19 - Byam Boo Bash
October 23- Early Release Day

On Friday, an email was sent home with directions on how to access and interpret student iReady reports. These assessments are given three times per year and you will receive reports after each of these benchmarks. When signing in, you will need to have your student's school email and password which can be found in the X2 Family Portal.

Byam picture day is on October 7. Picture forms have been sent home. You can either return the form with payment on picture day or order online using the code in the order form.

MCAS results for our current 4th graders are being mailed out Monday. You should receive these reports next week if your child took the test as a third grader. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will also be unveiling a family portal for MCAS results and information shortly. We will share that information when the portal is active.

On October 9, our third and fourth graders will be taking our SEL survey. They will take this survey again in January and April. These surveys are taken in grade 3-12 and help us in supporting students' Social and Emotional Learning. An opt out form was emailed home if you do not want your child to take the survey.

On October 21st we will be having a school wide enrichment with Bionic Project, Inc. The Bionic Project aims to create a more inclusive world for everyone, regardless of physicall ability. We dismantle bias, build empathy, and foster connection through education, story, and sport. For more information about The Bionic Project, Inc. visit https://www.bionicproject.org/history-and-mission

At Byam Elementary School, we believe that collaboration, open communication, and access to resources help strengthen our school community. We have a variety of resources available to support families—whether during times of need, when participating in school events, or around the holidays. If you feel you or your family could benefit from these supports, please complete the form below.

https://forms.gle/W79DnjCLvuR59Y72A

The holidays are right around the corner! Resources for holiday support are now available. Any families who can benefit from additional support should reach out to Lyndsey O’Neil, School Counselor, via email at oneill@chelmsford.k12.ma.us. A few local Chelmsford community programs generously provide help for the holidays and Lyndsey O’Neil can help coordinate this with any family in need.

Forms for Beacon Santa (Due 10/31) and the Santa Fund (11/8) are attached below and paper copies are available in the main office at Byam. Mr. Fredette or Mrs. Dolan can sign any forms that require a staff member signature. Please note the individual deadlines for form submissions as they are approaching soon. The Salvation Army form will open starting October 1st. Please note the QR code will not work before October 1st and they will only be taking the first 600 families.

Please spread the word, we are currently accepting applications for our part time recess lunch aide position:

https://www.schoolspring.com/jobdetail?jobId=5380403

I enthusiastically welcome volunteers in the Library to help check books in and out, assist with shelving, and other easy-to-learn tasks. You may come during your child’s library class or during a different class - whichever works best for your schedule. Some volunteers come weekly, some monthly, and some come once or twice a year. Please email me at driscollb@chelmsford.k12.ma.us and I will share our volunteer calendar with you, so you can select dates. Please note that some classes will have more opportunities to come in than others, depending on how many volunteers sign up. I look forward to hearing from you!

Betsey Driscoll, Byam School Librarian

Library Volunteering

If you are interested in volunteering in our school (should an opportunity present itself) please be sure to contact Mrs. Murphy in our school office to make an appointment to fill out a CORI form. All volunteers must have a CORI on file to volunteer.

October Lunch Menu

SAVE THE DATES:

10/07 School Picture Day
10/08 Monthly BSA meeting 7pm
10/19 Boo Bash 1-4pm
10/23 Farmhouse Photography Fundraiser
10/24 Dining for Dollars - Panera Westford
11/07 UML Hockey Byam Night

BSA MEETINGS THIS SCHOOL YEAR

Mark your Calendars for this school year’s BSA meetings! The second meeting of the year will be a hybrid meeting on Wednesday October 8th @ 7pm. Join us in the Byam Library or stream online!

BOO BASH

Get ready for a frightfully fun day at our annual BooBash at Byam! This family-friendly event is packed with festive activities and open to friends and family outside of Byam — all are welcome!

🎟️ Tickets – On Sale Now!

Your child’s ticket includes access to all activities:

Bounce House
Cake Walk
Trunk or Treat
Crafts
Scavenger Hunt
Face Painting

🍕 Pizza, bottled water, and ice cream truck treats will be available for additional purchase.

🎫 Tickets are $15 per child ($20 at the door) – parents do not need a ticket.
Only one child’s name is needed for check-in, even if purchasing multiple tickets.

👉 Click here to purchase tickets

💵 Tickets will also be available at the door (cash preferred, QR code for electronic purchase available).

🚗 Parking is available across the street at Lockheed Martin only.

🙋‍♀️ We Need Volunteers!

Help make this event magical by signing up to volunteer! There are two great ways to get involved:

🔹 Day-of Event Volunteers – Help with check-in, games, crafts, and more!
👉 Sign up here

🎃 Trunk or Treat Volunteers – Decorate your trunk and hand out candy!
👉 Sign up here

Let’s make this year’s Boo Bash the best one yet! Thanks for supporting this fun tradition — we can’t wait to see everyone in costume!

Register for a quick 2-3 minute outdoor portrait sitting with Farmhouse Photography during our QuickClick Fundraising Event on Thursday October 23rd after the half day of school.

A limited quantity of abbreviated Portrait Sittings are available EXCLUSIVELY for Byam Families at a highly discounted rate. Your entire sitting fee will be donated directly back to The Byam School Association.

The goal of a Farmhouse QuickClick is to capture ONE amazing portrait. Your professionally edited images will be available for Proof + Purchase for $25 each via an online gallery after the event. Purchase only the images you love. Absolutely no commitment; no pressure.

BUY ONLY THE PORTRAITS YOU LOVE. NO COMMITMENT. NO PRESSURE.

Sign up here: https://farmhouse.as.me/schedule/e407f4e6/appointment/17860339/calendar/4640602?appointmentTypeIds[]=17860339

📆 Thursday October 23rd, 2025

⏰1-4pm

📍The front lawn at Byam

JOIN THE BSA "VIP" LIST

The BSA struggles with trying to keep you informed without flooding your inbox. We understand some don't have the bandwidth to know more, while others are looking to get more involved...but don't know where to start. If you are one of those people looking to know more please take a moment to fill out this form. This does not lock you into anything but helps us filter our "extra" communication more directly to people looking to be more involved with the BSA!

Follow the BSA on Instagram

No-cost Registration for Byam Events:

*Financial concerns should never stand in the way of families participating in school events. If you are interested in any Byam activities please contact Lyndsey O’Neil, our school counselor, to register at no cost: oneill@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Want to get involved?

Here are some openings the BSA is currently seeking help on, reach out the bsa.chelmsford@gmail.com if you are interested in any of these positions!

We welcome more building substitutes!

We have a number of Byam School community members we are an integral part of our Byam School workday community as Byam substitutes. We are always looking for more substitutes to add to this great group! If you would like to learn more information about the flexibility of substituting at Byam School, email or call Carolyn Quinn at quinncm@chelmsford.k12.ma.us or phone 978-251-5144.

Stay Connected to the Byam School Association, Click on the Live links below for more...

Zoom • Email • Website • Facebook • Minutes • Donate • Volunteering