Year in Review: Chelmsford Public Schools for 2014

Chelmsford -- The Chelmsford Public Schools had many successes during 2014.

This past year brought Chelmsford High School three MVC Championships; Girls Basketball, Softball and Boys Volleyball. Last spring, the Baseball Team advanced to the finals of the Division 1 North Tournament for the first time in many years. Girls Volleyball and Field Hockey advanced to the semi-finals of Division 1 North Tournaments, while the Girls Soccer Team had the most memorable run, advancing to the sectional finals by beating the #1 team in the state. The Boys Cross-Country team ran their best at the end of the season earning a runner-up finish at the Eastern MA Meet. Individually, senior captain Quinn Cooney became the first CHS runner in school history to win the MIAA Divisional and All State Championship Meets.

Chelmsford Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Frank Tiano was selected as one of 100 school leaders who attended the first-ever National ConnectED Superintendents Summit at the White House in November. Tiano was among exemplary local school chiefs who were recognized for their leadership in transitioning their districts to digital learning. Over 3,000 students participated in the Hour of Code, as a part of Computer Science Education Week. The middle school tech-engineering program received a grant from 3M for 3D printers. Technology Integration Specialist Eileen Young arranged a field a trip with CHS Teacher Katherine Doulamis and the high school robotics team to visit fourth graders with humanoid robot, Leo to discuss programming and robotics.CPS partnered with ChelmsfordTV for the launch of three new shows; Walking thru Wellness, Strictly Business, and The Wright Stuff. The technology department was chosen for a feature article in an EdTech Magazine entitled, How to Find Success By Networking with 21st-Century Learning.

Secretary of Education, Dr. Matthew Malone visited in September touring the McCarthy Middle School and Chelmsford High School. The District Data Team worked collectively to assess and provide feedback for locally created assessments that support the work of the District-Determined Measures for all content areas. Teachers have administered the first round of District Determined Measures and are working on parameter setting using the data collected. The Administrative Council is working with Teachers 21 to gain additional literacies around Massachusetts Tiered System of Support (MTSS). MTSS Teams will be formed at each school to support all students. The Professional Development Committee worked to provide a high-quality professional development series and access to other PD opportunities for teachers. The Parker Middle School and the McCarthy Middle School Technology Engineering classes are entered into year two of Project Lead the Way (PLTW) and began classes in Robotics and Automation. PLTW courses allow students the opportunity to apply what they are learning in traditional math and science classes to real-world, hands-on problems and projects. The curriculum is designed to give students a solid foundation for further STEM learning in high school and beyond.​

The Student Services and Special Education Department continued to coordinate the services that the Chelmsford Public Schools provide to students who require specialized instruction and/or support. These services include supporting students with and without disabilities in a variety of areas including specially designed instruction (special education services), therapy, guidance, nursing and psychological services. The office also oversees specialized transportation. In the past year, the office expanded it’s capacity to service students with a wider range of disabilities with programs at Parker, CHS, Byam, and CHIP’s. Moving into next school year, the office will again, with the assistance of principals, coordinators and special education chairpersons, evaluate the effectiveness of in-district programming.

Other accolades include Tanya Dimitrov, A.P. Art Student; selected for participation in the prestigious Art All-State. CHS Speech and Debate Team member Erin Phillips won 1st Place in Prose Reading at the 2014 National Individual Events Tournament of Champions (NIETOC) at Gustavus Adolphus College in, St. Peter Minnesota. CHS Science Teacher Brian Acheson and the Crooked Spring Water Quality Project were recognized with a Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education Award. Chelmsford High School’s Fine and Performing Arts Department production of Hairspray was honored with seventeen TAMY nominations. Chelmsford High School students represented Massachusetts DECA at the 2014 International Career Development Conference held in Atlanta, Georgia in early May. Thirteen CHS DECA students were a part of the 17,000 high school students across the country competing in business, marketing, finance, and leadership events. John Lambert (Grade 7 Parker Middle School) and Chase Boles (Grade 6 McCarthy Middle School) competed in the 2014 Massachusetts State Geographic Bee sponsored by the National Geographic Society. McCarthy Student Chase Boles finished 8th in the State Geography Bee. Students from Chelmsford High Schools competed on WGBH’s High School Quiz Show. Three CHS seniors, Genesis Acosta, Samruddhi Bhoyar, and Joanne Ferreira earned the bronze in the 12th annual Women Of Science scholarship competition. McCarthy Middle School 7th grade Band Student Erick Lee was selected to participate in the John Philip Sousa National Honor Bands Performances in the New England Region. Students at Chelmsford High School, Parker Middle School, and McCarthy Middle School earned 32 Gold Key awards, Silver Key awards or Honorable Mentions at the 2014 Boston Globe-Scholastic Art Awards.

What’s coming up for the Chelmsford Public Schools in 2015? The Chelmsford High School Band will be participating in the Nation’s Independence Day Parade in Washington, DC. In addition, the All Town Wind Ensemble will be playing the Star Spangled Banner at the Red Sox Game on April 14th, 2015.

Visit the Chelmsford Public Schools online at http://www.chelmsford.k12.ma.us.

Executive Director of Technology and Information Anne-Marie Fiore can be reached at fiorea@chelmsford.k12.ma.us, on Twitter at @chelmstech, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/chelmsfordpublicschools.