PARKER WEEKLY BULLETIN

Good afternoon,

It seems hard to believe that we are already a quarter of the way through the year?! The year has been action packed and filled with great new experiences and new friends for our students. Term 1 report cards will be posted early next week and can be found on the X2 Aspen Family portal. Report card grades are important in that they provide insight into the areas where your child is thriving while highlighting areas in need of improvement. It is important to emphasize to your children the importance of building on the skills they have gained while working hard to address their academic weaknesses. We want to promote a growth mindset where mistakes are seen as an opportunity to improve oneself. We are holding the first of two parent conference days on Wednesday November 19. Please see the link below to sign up for a time slot. The second day of parent conferences will be Thursday December 11.

https://www.ptcfast.com/schools/Parker_Middle_School

Term 1 PRIDE Award Winners

We are proud to announce our term one PRIDE Award winners. These awards honor those students who have consistently demonstrated one or more of our PRIDE Values (perseverance, respect, integrity, dedication, and empathy) throughout the term. Staff members nominate deserving students and write a short passage outlining their contributions to our school community. Those students honored with this award are eligible for our highest distinction at the end of the year where their name be enshrined on our PRIDE Wall. Each team will select four students for the PRIDE Wall at the end of the year. See below.

Parker November Artists of the Month

I am proud to announce that Jameson Coffey (Grade 5) and Inshirah Shahzad (Grade 6) have been selected for their excellence in art for the month of November. Their art will be on display in the main lobby for all to enjoy. Under the direction and support of Ms. Ashley Norman, these students are thriving and expressing themselves unhindered and free. We are so proud of you!

Social Emotional Learning - Second Step

We continued our work on Wednesday on our Problem Solving Unit in Grade 5 and the Developing a Positive Sense of Self in Grade 6. This week this valuable work continues. Please see a short summary of next week's lessons and a conversation starter to discuss it.

Grade 5 - Problem Solving

Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child will participate in a restorative circle activity where they will have the opportunity to express themselves while learning from their peers as they collectively utilize problem solving strategies learned in this unit.

Question: Ask your child about the strategies they find most helpful in solving a problem. Share what works for you when tackling a problem. Let them know they can always come to you if they need someone to talk to.

Grade 6 - Problem Solving/Goal Setting

Lesson 9: Your Guiding Principles

Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child will identify some of their own guiding principles.

Question: Ask your child to share some of their guiding principles. Ask what guiding principles they think are common in your household or extended family.

Veterans Day

I hope everyone has a great long weekend. Let us all to take time to honor our veterans who have served our country. The Student Council is leading a drive to have students honor those in their family who have served our country and their names were written on starts that will adorn our front hall. We owe so much to those who have committed themselves to protect the freedoms we hold so dear.

Have a great weekend everyone. Please reach out if you need support.

Warm regards,

Josh

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.

Massachusetts Department of Public Health Regulation 105 CMR 200.400 mandates vision screening for all public-school students. This includes screening upon school entry, annually through grade 5, once in grades 6-8, and once in grades 9-12.

We will conduct these screenings November 24th and 25th. Students who wear corrective lenses (glasses/contacts) must bring them on the day of the screening.

If your child does not pass the initial screening, you will receive a letter requiring a follow-up with your primary care provider.

If you wish to excuse your child from this screening, please notify us by sending a note to the Nurses' Office or emailing kamenidesl@chelmsford.k12.ma.us with your child’s name and homeroom number/Teacher’s name.

For questions or concerns, please contact the Nurses' Office.

Lisa Kamenides, RN & Donna Foley, LPN

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.

The lost and found racks are overflowing your student's stuff! There are sweatshirts, coats, lunch boxes, water bottles galore and a lot more. Please ask your students to check for any lost or missing items. All unclaimed items will be donated or disposed of over the winter break in December. ~Thank you.

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 2:40-3:40 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 11th

No School Today - VETERANS DAY

Wednesday - November 12th

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 13th

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

Festival Band - Mr. Linsner-Band Room

Game Club - Ms. Baillargeon-Library- GRADE 5

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

Student Council - 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.

📆 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.

♻️ Recycle Day Saturday, November 8th (8am – 12pm) McCarthy & Center School PTOs are holding their very popular Recycle Day fundraiser, and they need volunteers!! Come help us greet drivers, unload donated items, and load those items into the recycle company's truck. All Middle & HS students are welcome to volunteer and earn up to 5 hours of community service. We also need parents to volunteer as well. Signup at: https://signup.com/go/jzqsgGW. ** Students 14 years and younger must have a parent/guardian volunteer with them**. Visit www.ptocenter.org/recycle-day for more information.

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.

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