CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

I hope you had a terrific long weekend and enjoyed the mild fall weather bestowed upon us. The leaves are beginning to transition in the Merrimack Valley, making for some beautiful scenery to enjoy this time of year. With the cooler weather upon us and ever changing New England temperatures, please help your child dress accordingly to keep them comfortable in school (and outside at recess) and as they wait at the bus stop. A light jacket or sweatshirt they can take on and off as needed throughout the day goes a long way. Our school staff appreciates your support in this area.

As we continue the school year and acceleration of learning for students, I would like to remind you about our partnership with Paper and inform you about another feature of the program called PaperLive for students to access and engage in beyond their school day. Paper is our free, secure, on-line tutoring service for students in grades 5 – 12 that provides unlimited 24/7 academic support in over 200 subject areas. In addition to this tutoring program, students have free access to the PaperLive program which is a suite of interactive livestream videos available through our Paper license. With PaperLive, students may participate in live, weekly experiences that encourage students to participate in the storyline. Students are encouraged to answer questions, play games, and take part in fun, exciting activities. PaperLive hosts are educational experts in a variety of subjects, and through storytelling engage students in important concepts covered in K – 12 learning. Students choose how deeply they want to engage with each episode – from actively answering the host’s questions in the chat, to sitting back and just taking it all in. If they miss a week, they can rejoin anytime. Please visit the Paper website to review the program and sign-up for a parent/guardian webinar to learn more.

Although it was a four-day week, it was filled with many learning and enrichment activities for students with many more to come. As you prepare for next week, please remember that Tuesday, October 18th is an early release day for all students. Teachers will be participating in professional development in the afternoon. Please be on the lookout from your school principals for details about dismissal and other school-related announcements.

Please enjoy the highlights below from this week and have a wonderful weekend.

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• View complete athletics schedules here

• South Row Pumpkin Fair, 10/15, 11:00 a.m.

• CHS Underclassmen Picture Day, 10/17, All Day

• Early Release, 10/18, All Day

• School Committee Meeting, 10/18, 6:00 p.m.

• Parker Middle School Drama Auditions, 10/19 & 10/20, 2:40 p.m.

• McCarthy Middle School Grs. 5 & 6 Social, 10/21, 2:40 p.m.

• French Exchange Student Farewell Breakfast, 10/21, 8:30 a.m.

• Harrington and Parker - Battle of the Boos, 10/22, 3:00 p.m.

• Byam School Boo Bash, 10/22, 4:00 p.m.

• Center School Trunk-Or-Treat, 10/22, 1-3 p.m.

Dear Parents and Families --

In order to better estimate the demand for lunches on half days, CPS Nutrition is launching online lunch ordering for HALF DAYS ONLY, beginning Monday, Oct. 17.

2022-23 CPS Half Day/Early Release dates

• Tuesday, 10/18
• Thursday, 11/17 (elementary only)
• Wednesday, 11/23 (early release day)
• Wednesday, 12/7
• Tuesday, 1/10
• Wednesday, 2/8
• Thursday, 3/2
• Thursday, 4/13

For the Tuessday, Oct. 18 half day, orders must be made by Monday, October 17th by 10 a.m.

Set Up Your Account Now

Directions to set up your account and order:

1. URL Link: 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- Child’s student 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.

How to order meals

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

Fact #1: Americans typically refer to this time of year as “fall,” while the British use the word “autumn.” Both terms date back to the 16th century but before that, it was called “harvest.

Fact #2: Fall was called “harvest” because of the “harvest moon” that occurs when the full moon is closest to the autumn equinox. Before man-made lighting, this moonlight was essential to a prosperous harvest.

Fact #4: The yellow and orange colors you see actually always exist in leaves but they are overpowered by the abundance of green from chlorophyll. The amount of chlorophyll starts to decrease as the sun weakens and the days grow shorter.

Fact #5: Red and purple leaves are only that color because of the presence of sugars and sap that are trapped within the leaves. These sugars provide plants with the energy they need to survive.

Fact #6: Many birds will prepare for their winter migration during the fall. The distance they can travel is impressive; the Arctic Tern travels 11,000 miles each way for its annual migration. That’s no small feat.

Fact #7: Evergreen trees such as pines, cedars, and spruces stay green because their leaves (needles) are covered with thick wax and they contain materials that prevent freezing when it gets cold.

Fact #8: The Taurid meteor shower occurs every year in mid-autumn. Meteor showers are mostly made up of tiny dust particles, but this meteor shower also contains a large amount of pebble-sized debris. When this debris enters Earth’s atmosphere, it burns up and creates spectacular fireballs

Fact # 9: Some birds really show off their smarts in autumn. During this season certain species store seeds and other food in tree hollows for colder months. To help them remember where they stashed the grub, these birds’ brains actually grow larger!

Fact #10: Farmers plant over a billion pounds of fruit (yes, it’s a fruit!) in early July to get a crop in the fall.

Our CHIPS Little Free Library- is such a fun way to help foster a love of reading in our preschoolers! Feel free to stop by with your child and borrow a book! Please remember to return the book when you are finished:) If you have books at home that you would like to donate, please put them in the Little Library or send them to CHIPS with your child. Thank you!!

Four years ago, Joe Mitri and Nik Sperounis were promising freshmen. Since then they’ve both battled cancer and inspired Chelmsford football. These two seniors have lifted the Chelmsford football team despite battling different forms of cancer. To read more about Joe and Nik, please use the following link.

Afterschool activities have started this week along with late bus routes. If you have not done so already, please sign up for an activity card for your school. Please use the links below for information about each school's activities and how to sign up.

Parker Middle School Activities

McCarthy Middle School Activities

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL JR. AUDITIONS on Wednesday, October 19th, and Thursday, October 20th - to SIGN-UP - click on the following link for more information.

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.

You are invited! Join other VIP guests to solve the mysterious murders at the CCA's art show on October 22. On the menu? Art, murder, appetizers, desserts, cocktails, FUN. Your ticket includes one free drink. 21+ only. $35 in advance, $45 at the door. Buy 10 tickets or more, and get 2 free. Please use the following link to get your tickets today!

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