Dear Center Community,
Congratulations to our 3rd and 4th grade students on completing MCAS!
We appreciate the flexibility and support of our community with the schedule changes and for helping to maintain a quiet testing environment.
Thank you to everyone who helped organize and attend the Skate III family event!
It was a fun way to kick off the week and a great opportunity for families to connect and build community.
Our CSPTO remains busy organizing enrichment for our students. The first grade team enjoyed an informative visit from Animal Adventures. We learned that tortoises can live up to 90 years!!
Staff Update
Durgish Nandini has resigned her position as lunch and recess aide. We wish her well and hope to see her back at Center in some capacity in the future.
Fourth Grade Finale
The fourth grade finale will be held on Friday, June 13th from 12:30 - 1:00. Families will begin seating in the cafeteria at 12:15. Students will be treated to lunch and entertainment following the ceremony. Only volunteers who signed up to assist with the activities will be allowed to stay. Due to limited capacity in the gymnasium, siblings at Center will not be allowed to attend the ceremony.
Math and Reading Interventionists
Our math and reading interventionists will be finishing their word with Center students on May 23rd. Many thanks to Ms. May, Ms. Thakur, Ms. Gilmore, Ms. Cakounes for the efforts and support provided to our students.
Enjoy the weekend,
Warm Regards,
Dianna and Donna
Chelmsford Public Schools Earns National Recognition for Music Education Excellence
Chelmsford Public Schools has once again been recognized as one of the Best Communities for Music Education by The NAMM Foundation, marking the district’s thirteenth consecutive year receiving this prestigious honor. This award celebrates Chelmsford’s ongoing dedication to providing high-quality music education and ensuring students have meaningful access to music learning experiences.
Now in its 26th year, the Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) award program acknowledges school districts and individual schools across the United States for their outstanding efforts to make music an essential part of a well-rounded education. Honorees are selected based on comprehensive criteria that include funding, staffing, participation rates, scheduling, facilities, and community support for music education.
Districts submit detailed responses through the BCME survey, which is reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas. Chelmsford’s consistent selection highlights its exceptional commitment to both excellence and equity in music learning.
This national recognition also shines a spotlight on the broader value of music in education. Studies show that students involved in music programs see improvements in brain development, speech processing, reading skills, attention, and memory. Participation in school music can also foster important social-emotional skills, including collaboration, communication, and resilience—benefits that last well into adulthood.
“Our music program reflects the heart of our community,” said Dr. Christy Whittlesey, Fine and Performing Arts Coordinator for Chelmsford Public Schools. “I am incredibly proud of our educators, students, and families who work together every day to create a vibrant and inclusive culture of music. This recognition is a celebration of their passion and commitment.”
Chelmsford’s music program includes a comprehensive offering of vocal and instrumental opportunities across grade levels, engaging students in classroom music, performance ensembles, composition, and music technology. The district remains committed to expanding access to music education and supporting the growth of every young musician.
For more information about the Chelmsford music programs, please contact Fine and Performing Arts Department Coordinator Dr. Christy Whittlesey at whittleseyc@chelmsford.k12.ma.us.
Family Survey- How are we doing?
Dear Chelmsford Families,
Our district values your feedback! We are currently surveying The Chelmsford Public Schools families in order to gain insight into your perception of our school and district's effectiveness. We also want to better understand barriers to families accessing our schools and programs. To ensure we continue to provide high quality, rigorous learning experiences that meet the needs of our learners and prepare them for college and career, we need your feedback. We want to know what you think.
To administer these surveys, we have partnered with Panorama Education to conduct our 2025 Family Survey as we did in 2023 and 2024 as well. Panorama safeguards your privacy, keeping your responses anonymous. The survey shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to complete and will be a valuable source of information for us as we work to make our schools and district as good as they can be.
You may complete the survey online between Thursday May 1st and Friday June 13th using a computer, tablet, or smartphone by visiting the website below: https://surveys.panoramaed.com/chelmsfordma/family25/surveys
If you have multiple CPS school-aged children, please feel free to fill out multiple surveys to represent each individual child’s experience. The first question on the survey will be a dropdown to select which school you are filling the survey out for.
We thank you in advance for your thoughtful responses. If you have any questions about the survey administration, please don’t hesitate to contact your building Principal.
Thank you in advance for your time.
Calendar of Events
Ma
Monday, May 19, 4th grade trip to the State House
Monday, May 19- May 28, Kindergarten Screening; 9-12
Wednesday, May 21, Kindergarten Screening 9-12
Wednesday, May 21, CSPTO mtg Center Library, 6:30-7:30
Thursday, May 22: Center Family Sing Along, 6PM
Thursday, May 22, Kindergarten Screening 9-12
Friday, May 23, Kindergarten Screening 9-12
Monday, May 26: No School - Memorial Day
Wednesday, May 28: Kindergarten Screening 9-12
Friday, May 30: co-president’s meeting, 9:15-10:15
Friday, May 30: Unified Field Day TBC
June
Monday, June 2: Be Kind Spirit Wear day
Tuesday, June 3: Term 2 Gr K, End of marking period
Tuesday, June 3: Term 3, Gr 1-4 End of marking period
Wednesday, June 4, CSPTO mtg Center Library, 6:30-7:30, if needed
Friday, June 6: CPS Senior walk through at 2 PM
Thursday, June 12: Field Day , rain date Friday, June 16th
Friday, June 13: 4th Grade Finale - 11-3
Friday, June 13: T3, Gr K-4 Teacher deadline for posting grades
Friday, June 13: Educator signs summative evaluation report and adds response, if any within 5 school days of receipt
Monday, June 16: Field Day Rain Date.
Tuesday, June 17th- Last day of school-1/2 day for students
Wednesday, June 18th- Last day of school-staff
Wednesday, June 18: Gr K-4, Grades available for parent/guardian
Thursday, June 19: No School - Juneteenth
MCAS - Save the dates
This year, students across the Commonwealth will be taking The Next- Generation MCAS for our annual standardized state testing. All students in Chelmsford will be taking the computer-based assessment using Chromebooks. Please mark your calendars for the important dates below. We strongly encourage all students to be present and on time these days. If your child is sick, we will have make-up sessions so that they are able to take the assessments when they are able to show their personal best work.
Chelmsford is fortunate to have access to iReady to support student learning. Students have access to this learning tool at home. Please reach out to your teacher if you have difficulty logging on. There is much research to support enhanced student achievement on MCAS when using this valuable tool. Please press here for more information.
Math MCAS TESTING:
Grade 4:
Monday May 12th, 4th Grade– Session 1
Tuesday May 13th, 4th Grade– Session 2
Grade 3:
Wednesday May 14th , 3rd Grade – Session 1
Thursday May 15th, 3rd Grade – Session 2
Links:
http://i-readycentral.com/familycenter/
