PARKER WEEKLY BULLETIN

Good afternoon Parker Families,

We had a terrific week at Parker Middle School with a great deal of excitement surrounding Halloween. I have included some of the pictures I was able to take throughout the day. This week marks the end of the first marking term as grades close today. Our 5th graders have been through a huge transition from elementary school to middle school and our 6th graders have taken on the role of leaders and mentors. I am happy to report that the students are making new connections and making new friends. We are building an inclusive and supportive community, and the results are exciting! Term 1 report cards will be made available to parents on November 7. Report cards offer the student and family feedback on the strengths and areas of growth both academically and in terms of study habits and behavior. Grades are important and helping students make the connection between hard work and success is important to be reinforced. The goal is to promote continuous improvement and developing a growth mindset where mistakes are viewed as opportunities to improve.

The week ahead will be a bit disjointed as there is a full day Professional Development Day on Tuesday November 4.

Costumes for a Cause - The Jimmy Fund

The staff and students came together in support of the Jimmy Fund. This wonderful organization works to eradicate childhood cancer through funding research and helping to care for the kids fighting the disease. This fundraiser while fun, also empowers our students to make a difference through proactive compassion.

Parent-Teacher Conferences-November 19 and December 11

We will be holding parent-teacher conferences on Wednesday November 19 and Thursday December 11. These conferences offer an opportunity for parents to learn more about their child's progress while strengthening communication between school and home. Sign-ups for the conferences will be out early next week.

Social Emotional learning - Second Step

We will continue with our curriculum this week with Grade 5 doing a culminating activity with their Problem-Solving Unit and the sixth grade beginning a new unit on Developing a Positive Sense of Self. There is a lesson overview and an activity with which to engage your child if you so desire.

Grade 5 - Problem Solving

Summary

In this week’s lesson, your child will work in groups to discuss ways to build a consensus among a number of people.

Try This at Home

Discuss with your child ways in which you have worked to build consensus and solve problems as a member of a group. What skills did you utilize to find a solution that the group agreed upon?

Grade 6 -What are Guiding Principles?

Summary: This week’s lesson will introduce your child to guiding principles—the things that are most important to people that help them make decisions. Your child will learn about 10 common guiding principles and discuss how guiding principles can help them understand behavior, including their own.

Question: Tell your child about something important to you that you consider one of your guiding principles. Ask them to name some guiding principles that they found interesting or feel strongly about.

I hope everyone has a fun and relaxing weekend. Please continue to suggest to your child to read silently for at least 15 minutes a day!

Warm regards,

Josh

A GIANT THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING PTO FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO!! WE APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH!!!

Grade 5 - Annabelle Ferolito, Lucas Glidden, Jayden McKenna, Alanna Mease

Grade 6 - Angelique Capo, Charlotte Farrell, Vincent Huynh, Billy Marcotte

Early Dismissal for Middle School Students - All middle school students should be dismissed before the end of the day only in cases of emergency. It is extremely important that students attend school for the entire school day. In cases of requests for early dismissal, it is essential that students present a note, preferably emailed to ParkerAttendance@chelmsford.k12.ma.us to include the date and time for dismissal. Students will not be allowed to go to anyone's home or with anyone else without a note from their parent or guardian. Parents/Guardians who need to have students dismissed early should come to the office. All students will be dismissed directly from the office. No student is allowed to leave the building without checking out from the office first. Parent/Student Handbook, page 6. CPS Family/Student Handbook 2025-2026

EFFECTIVE MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2025, PARKER MIDDLE SCHOOL IS SETTING A 2:15 p.m. CUT-OFF TIME FOR ALL STUDENT DISMISSALS AS IT IS A CRITICAL SAFETY MEASURE THAT ENSURES A SECURE AND ORDERLY END TO THE SCHOOL DAY.

Why the 2:15 p.m. cutoff is crucial for safety

• Minimizes disruption: A cutoff prevents a continuous stream of parents from pulling students out of class at various times, which can interrupt academic instruction and cause confusion.

• Maximizes supervision: A standardized and predictable dismissal routine allows staff to focus their attention on the safety of all students leaving school. Having staff pulled away to process late requests can leave other students under-supervised.

• Reduces traffic hazards: Managing traffic flow is a major safety concern at dismissal. A firm deadline helps control congestion in and around the school. Late requests force parents to navigate a heavy flow of buses and carpool traffic, which increases the risk of accidents.

• Prevents unauthorized pickups: A clear policy ensures that all pickup requests are processed through the main office before the afternoon rush. Staff can verify the identity of authorized individuals without pressure, preventing any unauthorized releases of students.

• Prepares for emergencies: In the event of a school emergency, a strict dismissal protocol allows for a more organized and effective response. School staff will know the exact location of all students, preventing a chaotic search.

~THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED COOPERATION WITH THIS POLICY. Please contact the office with any questions or concerns.

Dear Parker Families,

Please send in non-glass, non-breakable food/storage containers and/or water bottles with your students. We've had several instances of broken glass, creating a safety issue. Plastic or aluminum is preferred. ~Thank you for your help.

BRRR!!! Cold weather is coming. Parker students will still be going outside for recess/outside break every day, weather permitting. Please remember to wear appropriate clothing, sweatshirts, warm coats, hats and gloves are recommended.

DRAMA: The cast list is out and we have had a successful first rehearsal. Check schedule weekly for updates: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bkuEEpcdfAKv7FGLqdZp5EKnc6IKpymJmRHEf1-cKmE/edit?tab=t.0

SELECT CHORUS:The official roster is out and we have also had a successful first rehearsal. See the Fall/Winter schedule here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a9Sa7k8JvjQ53aaZi0qA30pR6OBp4P3cG2-SuDQybTI/edit?usp=sharing

Clubs & Activities run from 2:40 p.m. to 3:40 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays each week. Late buses will be provided on those days.

The Activity Fee is $50 per student. To pay PLEASE CLICK ON LINK My School Bucks preferred method of payment (SEE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW). The activity fee allows students to take full advantage of any clubs they wish to attend. The after-school activities run from 2:45-3:45 on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday throughout the year. Students also have the option of taking a late bus home. The routes are posted in the school and will not be posted publicly. We will work with students and the drivers to be sure students take the correct bus home. Since we only have 8 late buses, for both McCarthy and Parker the stops tend to be more spread out than the “regular” bus runs. After activities, students who are not taking a bus will exit the school into the Crooked Spring Road lot and can be picked up there.

Please SEE UPDATED BROCHURE for more details: Parker Middle School Clubs & Activities Brochure 2025-2026

Tuesday - November 4th

No School Today - Full Day Professional Day

Wednesday - November 5th

Best Buddies - MEETING TODAY-meet in ROOM 232

Book Club - Ms. Beaudoin - Room 125

Homework Club - Ms. Hamilton - Room 117

Fitness Club - Mr. Lee - Fitness Room-Club is Full

Intramurals - Mr. McCarthy, Ms. Hardock, Ms. Olsson & Mrs. Sullivan - GYM

Parker Cares - Ms. Rappaport - Room 109

Power Hour – Ms. Panneton - Room 213B

Seasonal Crafts/No Bake Club-Ms. Stuz - Room 107- Club is Full

Thursday - November 6th

Art Club–Ms. Annunziata–Room 4-Group 5B

Festival Band - Mr. Linsner-Band Room

Game Club - Ms. Baillargeon-Library- GRADE 5

Stand-Up Parker -Mr. Lee - Conference Room 240A

Green Club -Ms. Engel & Ms. Merrill- Room 204

Yearbooks are now on sale! Emails have been sent by our yearbook company (Walsworth) with an ordering link, but you can also order at https://yearbookforever.com/

No books will be available for sale in June...don't miss out on capturing this year's memories!

PTO UPDATE

Parker & McCarthy PTOs work collaboratively to provide community building activities, provide enrichment programs for our students and families and support our teachers. We encourage any middle school parent/guardian to join us to learn about upcoming events and activities throughout the school year.

🦁👕🧢 Pride wear

Get your Chelmsford, Parker Middle School and Ozzie 🦮 Merch! Check out the pride wear store here. You will be able to shop until Sunday, November 16th, 2025. All items will arrive at Parker prior to the holidays.

🏒🦅Riverhawks

Special River Hawk Value Pack for the game tomorrow, November 1st vs. Providence at 5:05 PM! The pack includes a discounted game ticket & special $10 food & beverage voucher eligible at any concession at Tsongas! The voucher is valid only for 11/1 and is NOT valid for alcohol sales. If you purchase, please redeem your voucher at the Box Office. Click here to buy.

📆 Virtual PTO Meeting Thursday, November 13th @ 6:30

Moving forward, PTO meetings will be held virtually until May 2026. Meeting links will be shared out via newsletters and emails prior to the meeting. We are hopeful that this will be more convenient for our families and teachers, and will help boost attendance and participation. Upcoming events, activities and additional information can also be found on our new website.

❄️☃️ Parker Craft Fair- Sunday, December 7th 10:00 am-2:00 pm

Parker PTO is proud to present our 5th Annual Craft Fair on Sunday, December 8th 10:00 AM- 2:00 PM. Stop by our school and shop local vendors. This is a GREAT opportunity to get a jump start on your holiday shopping and support local businesses. All adult and all student vendors are welcome to join the fun. Table spaces are $30 + one raffle donation for adult vendors and $10 + one raffle donation for student vendors. Click link to sign up: 2025 Parker Middle School Craft Fair Vendor registration closes on November 29th.

🏀 🏐 i9 Sports Winter Season Programs

i9 Sports is once again offering weekend indoor basketball & volleyball programs for kids ages 5-14 at Gametime Sports & Fitness in Lowell (just past Drum Hill, open to families from anywhere to register for!), with seasons beginning in November and January! Sign up using the promo code “MSLions!” at checkout and not only will you save $15 OFF the season registration price but you will also be supporting our school. For more information, see attached flyer or visit i9Sports.com.

Hi Everyone,

The November Sketchbook Spectacular calendars are attached! This month’s prompts celebrate the spirit of the season and are designed to spark warmth, gratitude, and reflection as we head into the colder weather and shorter days.

You’ll find English, Spanish, and Portuguese versions included again. As always, you can interpret the prompts however you and your students wish: sketching, collage, painting, writing, or even mixed media. The goal is simply to keep the creative habit alive, especially as the days grow shorter.

If you try any of these with your classes (or in your own sketchbook!), I’d love to see or hear how it goes.

Wishing you a month of creativity, reflection, and gratitude. Sending you all lots of light.

With gratitude,
Ashley

The Box Tops for Education app allows you to earn cash for schools by purchasing participating Box Tops products and scanning your store receipts or digital receipts. You can download the free app for iOS and Android devices, select your school, scan the receipt, and the app automatically identifies and credits your school for the products. Earnings are posted to the school's account and checks are sent to the schools twice a year.

1. Download the App: Get the Box Tops for Education app from your device's app store.
2. Select Your School: Choose a school to support, or find a school in need.
3. Shop: Purchase Box Tops products that have the Box Tops icon.
4. Scan Receipts: Open the app, tap "Scan," and take a clear, well-lit photo of your store receipt to earn cash for your school.
5. Earn: The app automatically identifies the Box Tops products and adds the earnings to your school's account.
6. Receive Funds: Eligible schools receive checks twice a year based on the earnings credited to their accounts.

WAYS TO EARN: Connected Accounts: Connect your account to participating retailers, like Walmart, to automatically earn when you buy eligible products. Bonus Box Tops: Participate in special promotions and sweepstakes to earn extra earnings for your school.

https://chelmsfordschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Family-and-Student-Handbook-2025-2026-FINAL.pdf

If your student is going to be absent, tardy or dismissed please:

Email: ParkerAttendance@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Please Send Email: Prior to 9am on the day of the absence. Please Include: Child’s name, Grade, and Reason for absence. We encourage you to use the email option when reporting an absence, dismissal, etc. for efficiency.

**PLEASE READ**

We will continue to send automated emails home when students are absent. You will receive the email whether you notified the school or not. In order for an absence to be marked as "Excused", families will need to provide medical documentation. Please call the office if you have any questions or need clarification. ~ Thank you for your understanding.

Dear Families,

The Santa Fund is available to help families during the holiday season. For more information, please see the attachment below. If you have any questions, contact information can be found on the attached form. ~Thank you.

Directions to set up your account and order:

1. URL Link: https://family.onlineordering.linq.com/
2. Sign up now: Email, create password.
3. School District: Chelmsford Public Schools
4. Student ID: This can be found on X2-Student's ID Number
5. Last Name: (You can also search and add siblings/family members at this time). Once this is completed, student's name should appear on page

1. School Menu-select online lunch ordering (all schools)
2. Scroll to week of half day/early release date (top right of page)
3. Find date, select meal option
4. Add item to cart/Select add to order
5. Click on shopping cart icon at top right of page
6. Click check-out
7. Select pick-up location: Elementary pick-up location classroom. Middle/High school pick up location cafeteria.
8. Place order

Early Release Dates:

Wednesday, November 19th

Thursday, December 11th

Tuesday, January 13th

Thursday, February 5th

Wednesday, March 11th

Tuesday, April 7th

Email: robinsond@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
Website: https://parker.chelmsfordschools.org/
Location: 75 Graniteville Road
Phone: 978-251-5133