CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

April vacation is upon us and as a reminder, schools are closed from Monday, April 17th through Friday, April 21st. Schools will reopen on Monday, April 24th. Built into April vacation is the unique Massachusetts holiday celebration of Patriots’ Day on April 17th. The Patriots’ Day holiday is celebrated annually on the 3rd Monday of April. Patriots’ Day commemorates the Battles of Lexington and Concord that occurred on April 19, 1775, which started the Revolutionary War whereby colonists fought for independence from Great Britain. There will be many events around the area if you are looking for something to do and to learn at the same time. The Patriots’ Day Reenactment Schedule is a great resource to find events to experience the reenactment and to learn more about our history. Patriots’ Day is also referred to as Marathon Monday. April 17th marks the 127th Boston Marathon that includes approximately 30,000 athletes representing more than 100 countries. You can find more information about the race and events on the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) website.

We had a very exciting week that included a visit from Governor Maura T. Healey at Chelmsford High School (CHS) on Thursday, where she along with Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll and their staff toured our Innovation Career Pathways program to observe and speak with teachers and students in action. CHS offers four Innovation Career Pathways in the fields of Business and Finance, Information Technology, Manufacturing and Life Sciences. The Innovation Pathways Program was developed to expand career field exploration through hands-on technical education within CHS. Students participating in the program experience an in-depth look at a career field of their interest, gain industry recognized credentials in that area, engage in college and career planning activities, take college-level classes in preparation for career advancement, and enhance their experience through an internship or a capstone project. Following Governor Healey’s visit to classrooms, a press conference was held in CHS’s Career Center where she announced her administration is awarding new Innovation Career Pathway designations to 27 high schools across the Commonwealth, expanding the program by more than 30 percent to reach a total of 78 high schools. It was a wonderful visit, and we were honored to host the event at our high school.

There have been inquiries as to the last day of school this year. At the April 11th School Committee meeting, we reviewed the tentative last day of school for the 2022/23 school year, so families and staff have an estimated date for the end-of-year closure. Information about the last day of school may be found in the April 11th School Committee Memo. The tentative last day of school for students and staff based on current school closures, without an additional need to close schools between now and May 31st are as follows:

All Schools: CHS, Parker, McCarthy, Byam, Center, Harrington, South Row, and CHIPS

Last Day for Students: Thursday, June 15th – Half-Day (Full-Day for Staff)

Last Day for Staff: Friday, June 16th – Half Day

I hope you enjoy this week’s newsletter highlights below. I wish you a wonderful and restful vacation week and look forward to seeing everyone upon their return to school.

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• View complete athletics schedules here.

• April Vacation Week, 4/17-4/21, All Day

• Parker PTO Scholarship Application Due, 4/21, All Day

• CCOS Scholarship Applications Due, 4/24, All Day

• Center PTO Scholarship Application Due, 4/24, All Day

• School Reopens, 4/24, All Day

• School Committee, 4/25, 6:00 p.m.

• Kindergarten Registration, 4/27, 9:00 a.m.

• CHIPS Water Safety Enrichment, 4/27, All Day

• Byam Art Night, 4/27, 5:00 p.m.

• Prk. Band Chorus Orchestra Field Trip, 4/28, 5:00 p.m.

• Instrument Test Drive, 4/29, 9:00 a.m.

Governor Maura Healey and her administration visited the Innovation Pathways classrooms at Chelmsford High School Thursday afternoon, where she announced Innovation Pathways designations to 27 schools statewide. The Governor made the announcement today at CHS, which currently offers its students pathways in the fields of Business & Finance, Information Technology, Advanced Manufacturing, and Life Sciences, and is a model of what a successful Innovation Pathways program can look like. Please visit our website to learn more about the Governor's visit to CHS.

Six seniors were recently honored as Chelmsford High School named its Lions Pride/Rotary Student of the Month recipients for the month of April, announced CHS Principal Stephen Murray. Seniors Olivia Hall and Maeve Slattery were named from Emerson House while Abigail Kamara and Liam Martin were honored from Hawthorne House, and Chance Drewicz and Analia O’Connor-Carinao from Whittier House. Sponsored by the Chelmsford Rotary Club for more than 30 years, the Student of the Month program recognizes outstanding students from each of CHS’s three academic houses – Emerson House, Hawthorne House, and Whittier House – for their achievements in and out of the classroom. Please visit our website to learn more about the CHS Students of the Month.

Chelmsford High School DECA students had 8 students who qualified to go to the Massachusetts State Career Development Conference in Boston on March 9-11. They competed with approximately 3000 students from across the state. Chelmsford had four students qualify to represent Massachusetts DECA at the International Career Development Conference to be held in Orlando at the end of April. Business teachers, Tom Sousa and Andy Shupe prepared the students for all DECA competitions. Chelmsford High School State Champions include Pranav Abburi in Accounting Applications and Rishi Ajmera in Business Growth Plan. Please use the following link to learn more about the conference.

All current grade 4 students in the Chelmsford Public Schools are invited to the instrument test drive opportunity to help students make instrument choices as they incoming enter 5th grade for the 2022/23 school year. This event will be held on Saturday, April 29 from 9:00 a.m.– 12:00 p.m. at Chelmsford High School, 200 Richardson Road. Please use the main high school entrance. Please see the following link for more information about the instrument test drive.

Chelmsford Public Schools has added a third Kindergarten registration day on Thursday, Apr. 27 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Kindergarten registration for the 2023-24 academic year must be made by appointment. RESERVE YOUR APPOINTMENT HERE. All appointments will be held at our Central Office Building at 230 North Road. Please visit our website for additional information and registration paperwork and requirements.

Center School offers a scholarship opportunity for Seniors at CHS, Nashoba Tech, or I.A. who previously attended Center Elementary School, and are planning to continue their education at either a two or four-year college in the Fall. The scholarship winner will be invited to read their essay at this year's 4th Grade Move-up Ceremony and receive their award.
Applications are due by Friday, April 21, 2023.

To apply:
1) Complete the application via the link.
2) Compose & submit an essay response to the "Scholarship Essay" question.
3) Resumes and transcripts are accepted, but not required.

The Parker Middle School PTO Scholarship is open to any Chelmsford resident high school graduating senior who attended Parker Middle School and will be attending a two- or four-year college or university. Please attach a personal letter describing your experiences at the Parker Middle School and how they influenced your high school years. Please return this application, a personal letter, a resume, and your transcript by April 21, 2023. Students are responsible for submitting all required forms. The CHS Guidance office will not send transcripts. Any applications submitted without all requested forms will not be considered in the voting process. Applications should be e-mailed to ptoparker@gmail.com. You may find the application using the following link.

The Council of Chelmsford Schools will award two scholarships, in the amount of $1,000 each, to two graduating Chelmsford High School Seniors, who plan to attend a two- or four-year college in the fall of 2023. The Council will also award $100 to each of the Chelmsford Public Schools staff members who inspire the recipient’s essays. Please use the following link to access the application. The deadline to apply is April 24, 2023.

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.

The Town of Chelmsford Health Department is offering two sessions of free Narcan training Tuesday, Apr. 11, and Wednesday, Apr. 26 at the Chelmsford Town Hall. Registration is open and required for those who wish to attend as space is limited. Attendees will learn how to recognize an overdose and to administer Narcan in such an event. For more information, view the attached flyer or contact the Chelmsford Health Department at (978) 250-5241.

Register Now

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