CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

We are less than a week away from 8:00 p.m. sunsets signaling longer days and warm weather that provides more opportunities for outdoor activities and enjoying the beauty of nature! Overall, sunsets are significant for many reasons and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Whether it is for their beauty, symbolism, or therapeutic value, sunsets can provide a sense of peace and wonder that can enrich our lives. Sunsets are often considered one of the most beautiful and visually striking natural phenomena. The colors and patterns in the sky can vary from day to day, and people often enjoy watching the changing hues of red, orange, pink, and purple as the sun disappears below the horizon. I hope we will be able to enjoy beautiful sunsets this weekend as the evening weather will be warmer these next few days.

This week was full of excitement with many events to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week in the schools. The PTOs and individual school “fun committees” had many special surprises planned throughout the week to show their appreciation for everything our staff does to support students, families, and the entire school community. Remember, it is never too late to send a note to your child’s teacher to show your appreciation. An expression of appreciation is not limited to one week each year!

I wish you a wonderful weekend and “Happy Mother’s Day” to all our wonderful caretakers in the community.

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• View complete athletics schedules here.

• Mother's Day, 5/14, All Day

• McCarthy Middle School Spring Chorus Concert, 5/15, 7:00 p.m.

• School Committee Meeting, 5/16, 6:00 p.m.

• McCarthy Middle School Band Spring Concert, 5/18, 6:30 p.m.

• Mock Car Crash at Chelmsford High School, 5/17, 9:00 a.m.

• CHIP Field Days, 5/17 & 5/18, All Day

• Parker Middle School Band Spring Concert, 5/18, 7:00 p.m.

• CHS International Lunch, 5/19, 11:20 a.m.

• Parker's Got Talent, 5/19, 7:00 p.m.

• Byam Walk-A-Thon, 5/20, 10:00 a.m.

• CHIPS PTO Playdate, 5/20, 10:00 a.m.

• Byam Walk-A-Thon, 5/20, All Day

SAVE THE DATES

• Kindergarten, "Meet the Bus" Event, 6/3, 11:00 a.m.

• CHS Graduation, 6/3, 4:00 p.m.

• CHS Junior Cotillion, 6/10, 6:00 p.m.

The South Row Elementary School students took part in Fitness For a Cure on Tuesday, May 2 resulting in $1,420 raised for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Prior to the school day, South Row students took part in soccer, basketball, skipping rope, and many other activities. See the gallery of pictures from this event on our website.

Molly Fox, a senior at Chelmsford High School, was named the 2022-23 Massachusetts School Administrators Association (MSAA) National Honor Society Student of the Year, the MSAA announced May 3 in a surprise ceremony at the CHS Career and College Readiness Center. The MSAA Student of the Year honors one student annually who has met the highest standards in the areas of scholarship, leadership, character, and service. Ms. Fox, who will attend the University of Vermont this fall, received a $1,000 scholarship. Please visit our website for more information about this award.

There’s an old cliche in sports that says, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” That certainly is the case for Chelmsford High senior pitcher Braydon Gray. When COVID-19 shut down the country, Gray knew he was a pretty good pitcher who could throw a fastball 70 miles per hour. Please use the the Lowell Sun link to read more about Braydon's next steps.

Chelmsford High School juniors Amanda Hoang and Cynthia Lu were among more than 28 regional submissions of artwork in the 2023 Congressional Art Competition, which were on display at a reception at the Chelmsford Center for the Arts on Tuesday, May 2. The Congressional Art Competition is a nationwide visual art contest that selects submissions from each U.S. congressional district, the winners from which are honored on the district and national levels. The winning artwork is displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. Ms. Hoang and Ms. Lu were honored at the Chelmsford Center for the Arts in the presence of Congresswoman Lori Trahan of the Third Congressional District of Massachusetts (Essex, Middlesex, and Worcester counties) and members of her staff. Please visit our website to read more about this recognition.

The DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) is the culmination of the DECA year. More than 20,000 high school students, advisors, business professionals, and alumni gather for several days of DECA competition, networking, and fun. Representing Chelmsford High School were sophomore Pranav Aburri and juniors Anika Mukka and Garima Lalwani. Pranav competed in the Accounting Applications Series Event. While in Florida, Pranav took a 100-question test and completed two role-play scenarios with a judge. Pranav did receive a silver ribbon medallion for earning the highest score in his section, on one of the role plays. Anika and Gariima participated in the Elevate portion of the Emerging Leaders Series. The goal of the Elevate program is to improve the leadership skills of the students both in their personal dealings and as DECA chapter leaders when returning to Chelmsford High School. In addition to the time spent in workshops and competitions, the students had the opportunity to meet peers from every state and many foreign countries. They also had time to enjoy Universal Studios Orlando.

Middle and high school Jazz Night was a very special night in CPS. With the instruction of master clinician, Tucker Antell, there were multiple ensembles performing featuring great selections. Please use the following link to view the program from the evening.

Longtime Chelmsford High School theater teacher of 23 years Lauren Cochran will be retiring at the end of the school year, but her time in the town’s performing arts is far from over. Cochran is now the new executive director of the Chelmsford Center for the Arts, previously headed by Lexy Lattimore (CHS ’10), a former student of Cochran’s who left in March. After putting in for her retirement in November, Cochran said the “timing was everything.” Over the past few months, as Cochran’s involvement with the center’s events grew, the more she recognized her passion. Please use the Lowell Sun link to read more about Lauren and her new role.

Chelmsford little leaguer Nolan Walsh got a hit in his first at bat Monday night. But his parents — and much of his town — were still buzzing about the 10-year-old’s good fortune last week. "It is an amazing example of how social media can be used for good," his father Keith Walsh said. He's talking about a saga that began at Fenway Park last Wednesday night when Nolan wound up with a ball that Rafael Devers tossed into the stands. Please use the CBS News link to learn how Nolan was reunited with his glove and ball.

PGT is back!! May 19, 2023, @ 7:00 at the CHS PAC auditorium. You won't want to miss this show! Use the following link to order tickets. All are welcome to attend. Special thank you to PGT director, Karyn Crouthamel, and PGT volunteers for keeping this tradition going!

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.

NRT, the bus company of Chelmsford Public Schools, will host ‘Meet the Bus’ on Saturday, June 3 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., at 27 Katrina Road in Chelmsford, for incoming kindergarten students to Chelmsford elementary schools.

‘Meet the Bus’ will cover:

• Meeting bus drivers
• Learning about bus safety
• Practice school bus rides
• Other games and activities

For more information, view the attached flyer or contact event coordinator Michelle Perez.

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