Superintendent's Weekly Updates

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🎉 Scroll to read information and news from the school district, our individual schools, and information from our community partners! 🎉

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• District Updates
• Athletic Department Updates
• Extended Learning Updates
• Hooks School Updates
• Browne Middle School Updates
• Clark Ave. Middle School Updates
• Wright Science & Technology Academy Updates
• Chelsea High School Updates
• Chelsea Opportunity Academy Updates
• Chelsea Virtual Learning Academy Updates
• Messages from Community Partners

Our CPS Navigators and families presented this week at the annual Massachusetts Association of School Committees Conference! They shared how building trusting relationships between home and school foster meaningful relationships that empower families and connect students to school.

On Tuesday, students from the Chelsea High School Cantare and Chelsea Public Schools staff participated in the City of Chelsea's Veterans Day Ceremony at the Morris H. Seigal Clark Avenue Middle School.

The students' participation and presence was part of a wonderful ceremony that honored and uplifted veterans in the community.

Thank you everyone who has served!

Students from Chelsea High School, Chelsea Opportunity Academy and Chelsea Virtual Learning Academy participated in a College and Career Fair today!

Colleges and Universities from around New England, workforce organizations, military, community groups and more gathered at CHS on Friday for the first College and Career Fair of the Year. Students were able to spend time in the Red Gymnasium today learning about the potential opportunities and career/educational pathways available to them.

Students gained insight on their futures in high school, and what college/career pathway they want to pursue!

CPS is dedicated to preparing its students for college, career and beyond. Events like this ensure students have access to any and all opportunity available to them.

Winter Sports Try Outs.

For more information email: atheletics@chelseaschools.com

Join Chelsea Athletics on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at Chelsea Memorial Stadium for a morning of fun and fitness while supporting a great cause. Choose between a 5K run ($30) or a 3K run/walk ($25), and don’t miss the free 400m kids’ run for children 10 and under (starting at 9:30 a.m.). Proceeds benefit the J. Barry Dwyer Memorial Scholarship and the Chelsea High School track, field, and cross-country programs. Register by November 6 to receive a T-shirt!

Discovery Academy students have been working on exciting STEM projects that combine creativity with problem-solving. They began by designing pencil cases that could survive a four-foot drop, testing their designs through teamwork and experimentation.

The Coding Club led by Ms. Parrella has been getting kids engaged in writing code to prep them for deeper work (maybe with robotics??)

Something to be thankful for: In the Expressive Art Club with Ms. Kenney, students were decorating 'thankful jars' to start filling up as we begin the holiday season.

In Art Studio with Ms. Gilmartin, students combined tech, strategy, and interests to draw their interpretation of a 'raccoon with attitude'!

Students work diligently on weaving and pottery in Art Club.

Students in 245 and 331 are piloting a new robotix program. This week they worked to create obstacle courses then move their robot through the course.

319 is working on converting fractions to decimals, using diagrams to represent decimals and ordering them least to greatest! We had fun working in our groups and practiced using our math vocabulary to explain our reasoning.

Students from 111 enjoyed learning about Ruby Bridges at the Story Walk!

4th grade has wrapped up their showcase on VALUE as they created optical illusions. All of their hard work and talent paid off as they learned how to create form utilizing color pencil pressure with dark, medium and light values ranges.

In second grade, students are learning about different types of habitats and non-fiction text features. By the end of the unit, they will be experts on forest, desert, rainforest and water habitats! They practiced identifying and labeling the text features. Then, they wrote about why text features are important in non-fiction texts.

The Browne Middle School community was excited to meet award-winning author and illustrator Raúl the Third during the special author event in the library.

Students had an amazing opportunity to hear him speak about his creative process, the inspiration behind his books— including Stuntboy, in the Meantime and the ¡Vamos! series— and how he brings his characters to life through his unique art style.

Our students were highly engaged, asking thoughtful questions and enjoying a behind-the-scenes look at how stories and illustrations are made. It was a truly inspiring visit that encouraged creativity, imagination, and a love of reading.

Raúl the Third gave a special shout-out to Browne Middle School and to our library bulletin board welcoming him on social media.

Get ready! The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to the Clark Avenue School Library. Choosing their own books empowers kids and inspires them on their journey to becoming lifelong readers. AND—as always—every purchase at the Fair benefits our school.

November 17-21 the fair will be open before and after school as well as during Parent Teacher Conferences for students to come buy books. In the library! Come check it out!

Anyone can shop at the CAMS Book Fair Website and the purchases will directly benefit the CAMS library. Community members can also donate to a Share the Fair fund.

Students in 7th grade are loving acting during Raisin in the Sun!

6th grade Writing teacher, Ben Hoffinger, along with 6th grade ELA teacher, Elizabeth Santana, created an immersive experience for their students’ introduction to Dystopia! By transforming his classroom into The Giver’s office, students explored different aspects of the character and made inferences before reading. What a fantastic way to spark curiosity and critical thinking!

On Friday, November 7th, the CHS Outdoor Leadership Club proudly hosted its first-ever Camp-In at the school. Fifteen students participated, learning how to set up tents and organize their own sleeping spaces—a hands-on skill that all of them tried for the very first time. Throughout the evening, students enjoyed a wide range of community-building activities, including group games, hide-and-seek, tag, board games, dance-off games, karaoke, and time to simply relax and socialize. We also held meaningful community circles around our makeshift “campfire,” giving students a chance to reflect, share, and connect with one another.

A team of five dedicated chaperones—including OLC advisors Anita Mercado and Claudia Lawry, along with educators Krystal Dixon, Katie Lee, and Ben Jette—helped create a warm, welcoming, and safe environment. With their guidance and enthusiasm, students enjoyed a true overnight experience with friends, spending the night talking, laughing, playing games, and genuinely getting to know one another.

We shared meals together, and the next morning students enjoyed breakfast, circle time, and worked together to pack up tents and gear. They were incredibly generous, cooperative, and helpful—demonstrating kindness, care, and a genuine spirit of community throughout the entire event.

This event was possible thanks to our ongoing partnership with the Appalachian Mountain Club, which generously provided essential outdoor gear, along with the support of CHS staff and district personnel. It was a meaningful success that highlighted the joy and impact of in-school community experiences. The CHS OLC is deeply grateful for everyone’s time, energy, and dedication in making our first Camp-In a truly unforgettable experience!

TRiO staff at CHS celebrated first-generation college students! Staff promoted information about colleges and universities to share info with students who may be the firsts in their families to attend post-secondary schools.

Chelsea High's Christian Fellowship Club met for a tour at the historic Park Street Church in Boston. Students and advisors learned about the church's founding, involvement in the abolition movement, and ways the church is active today. The club hopes to return for some upcoming events!

Students in Ms. Zandbergs' Computer Science classes are using legos to build and code robots through a series of adventures and rescue missions. CHS is the first high school in the US to use the programming platform, Robotix360, which is based in Spain. Ms. Zandbergs and Digital Literacy Coaches completed months of training before implementing this program, and now students are building legos and algorithms in hands-on learning experiences as they delve deeper into coding and computational thinking.

The Chelsea High School Drama Club will be presenting our first production of the year, the farcical comedy Rumors by Neil. The play will go up December 4, 5 and 6, in the CHS auditorium at 7pm. Ticket prices are $8 at the door, and $5 if purchased in advance.

Please contact our Drama Club advisor and director, Iliana Valentin, or producer, Bryan Pinales, with any questions and to purchase tickets in advance.

Here is a list of students involved in the production you will be supporting by coming to see the play:

Aimee Hernandez

Karla Anzora

Amy (Ronnie) Padilla

Joslany Peters

Adriann Best

Sheyly Fajardo

Jaylannie Hunter

Natali (Yuki) Sanches

Khadijatou (Girlie) Bajinka

Arwa Ait-Chaib

Jadiel Canelas Nunez

Melanie Soto

Sofia Guerrero

Kenneth Corado

Ny'Jala Cheek-Cooper

Eliel Canelas Nunez

Aleena Rivera

Andrea Pascual

This week, COA students went to GreenRoots Teaching Kitchen and made Japanese Curry with Jojo, collaborating with each other and making delicious food. The COA School Site Council also met this week on Thursday, working together to bring ideas and thoughts to school through student-parent-staff discussions. Finally, another reminder to all alumni, staff, students, friends and family that the COA Thanksgiving will be Tuesday, November 25th from 5:00PM to 7:00PM in the CHS cafeteria.

Several CVLA students attended the College and Career Fair at CHS this Friday! They explored programs in Forensic Science, Sports Management, and Anesthesiology, and were excited to discover just how many colleges offer pathways aligned with their specific career interests. Thank you, CHS, for inviting us and hosting such an informative event!

Today we say a heartfelt “see you later” to our beloved administrative assistant, Ms. Abril Bocanegra, who has been a cornerstone of our school for the past three and a half years. Abril has played an essential role in keeping our school running smoothly, supporting students, families, and staff each day with professionalism, kindness, and expertise.

We are incredibly proud to share that Ms. Abril recently earned her master’s degree and will be stepping into a new role as an operations manager for a corporation in Boston. While we will miss her deeply, we celebrate this exciting next chapter in her career journey.

Best of luck, Ms. Abril — you will always be a CVLA Panther!

Boston University Upward Bound Math Science has openings for 9th, 10th and 11th grade students who want to go to college

The Chelsea Kiwanis Club has proudly adopted the Healthy Chelsea MicroPantry at Iglesia La Luz De Cristo/SELAH (738 Broadway) — helping ensure local families have access to essential items year-round.

Community members can support this effort by donating shelf-stable food and hygiene products.

Donations may also be dropped off at the Chelsea School Department, 500 Broadway, Room #216.

The Chelsea Eats Food Drive is collecting non-perishable food items to help feed more than 10,000 residents at risk of losing SNAP benefits this November.

Donations can be dropped off at Chelsea City Hall (basement level, 500 Broadway) during regular hours. Items most needed include canned vegetables, proteins, soups, pasta, grains, boxed milk, tomato sauce, and other shelf-stable foods.

Learn more at www.chelsea.gov/food or call (617) 466-4209.

Kick off the holiday season in Chelsea on Saturday, December 6, 2025! The celebration begins with the Santa Parade from 2–4 p.m., as Santa travels across the city on a fire truck spreading cheer. Then head to Chelsea Square for a festive Holiday Marketplace & Festival from 3–6 p.m., featuring visits with Santa, pony rides, a bouncy house, face painting, caroling, hot cocoa and cookies, and a special screening of The Polar Express. The evening will culminate with the community Holiday Tree Lighting at 4:30 p.m.. This free, family-friendly event is hosted by the City of Chelsea.

For more information, visit chelseama.gov/annualevents