OPEN HOUSES AT MCCARTHY

• Grade 5 & 6- Tuesday, September 19 from 6-8pm
• Grade 7 & 8- Thursday, September 28 from 6-8pm

These evenings are intended for Parents/Guardians to hear about the curriculum and classroom expectations for the upcoming school year.

First Key to Success in Middle School: Being Present!

Attendance is critical for success for all students.  Students gain much information and make sense of the material presented through the activities and discussions that take place in the classroom.  When a student is absent, sure the work can be given and made up, but the richness of the discussions and activities cannot be replicated.  Often that is when students make the connections that helps them truly understand what they are learning as well as give them the ability to apply what they are learning.  Being at school on time daily is critical as well.  In all grade levels academic instruction begins immediately after homeroom in the morning.  However, being in HR on time (8:19) allows student the time they need to organize themselves and their materials for the morning’s lessons.  If we can assist in any way helping to have your child present and ready for learning, we are happy to help.  

If your child will be home from school, please call us at 251-5122 or email us at mccarthy_attendance@chelmsford.k12.ma.us to report your child absent.   If you do not call in, our office will issue a ConnectEd automatic message to the families of all absent students whose parent has not called in.  It will be a generic message indicating that your child is absent and to please call back or send in a note the next day to insure that the absence is recorded as an excused absence instead of an unexcused absence.  The last part of the message urges you to contact immediately if you believe our call to be an error. 

Please contact your child’s guidance counselor if you have any overarching concerns whether it is attendance related or not.  Specific class/assignment related questions or concerns should be directed to the particular teacher involved.  Our counselor assignments are as follows:

• Mrs. Seero: Grade 5 & Teams 6-1 & 6-2
• Ms. Vining: Grade 7 & Teams 6-3 and 6-4
• Mrs. Charig: Grade 8 & Team 6-5

DROP OFF/PICKUP/DISMISSAL REMINDERS

I wanted to reach out to the whole community to remind you of some of our standard procedures.

DROP OFF FOR STUDENTS MEETING WITH A TEACHER OR ATTENDING A MORNING CLUB: Students should not arrive to school before 8am unless they have a prearranged meeting with a teacher or are attending a club.  Those students arriving before 8am must enter through the front door any time after 7:30 and sign in at the main office unless the club has an alternate sign in procedure. 

REGULAR MORNING DROP OFF: This still occurs on the police station side of the school.  The side doors open at 8am.  Students go directly to the cafeteria where there is supervision until HR begins at 8:10. Students should exit the vehicle ASAP directly onto the sidewalk.  They should not wait until they are at the door.  Multiple cars should be able to allow students to dismount simultaneously. Once buses are clear from the front, we begin sending cars to the front door as well to alleviate congestion. Again, students should safely exit the car ASAP directly onto the sidewalk.  Multiple vehicles should be dropping off simultaneously.  Students should not be waiting to exit at the front the door.  That slows the process down.  We want to make sure students get to HR on time (8:19).

AFTER SCHOOL PICK-UP (2:40): Pick-ups at the end of the school day (2:40) are in the parking lot near the tennis courts/football field.  Please note that busses block the driveway next to the school next to the police station during dismissal.  If you are arriving close to or after 2:30, you will probably have to enter the pick-up area using the entrance on Old Westford Road.  For children's safety, please back into a parking spot before the dismissal time as it is much safer pulling forward out of a parking spot once school is dismissed.  Thanks for keeping our children safe.

PICK UP PROCEDURES FOR VOTING DAYS: Students being picked up will be sent to the auditorium at dismissal time.  All busses will be in the front of the school.  No child should be exiting on the police station side of the building.  Cars will begin to line up on the police station side of the building facing north road.  After the buses pull out of the front driveway, cars will then be allowed to pull up on the front driveway and pick your student up safely at the main entrance.   Please note, parents may choose this method to pick up at the front entrance on any day after buses pull out.  Thanks again for keeping our children safe.

PICK UP AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES (activities will begin early October):  Pick-up after activities (3:45) is different from pick-up immediately at the end of the day (2:40). If you are picking up your child after activities, the designated pick-up area is near the cafeteria on the School Administration side of the building.  During the winter months, our late buses come to the front of the school and block the driveway.  Please remember, you cannot pass a bus with flashing lights even when it is in our parking lot/driveway.

DISMISSALS: Please try to remember to send in a note with your child when you know your child will need to be dismissed.  Please try to avoid dismissals during recess.  This is to help you avoid a possibly lengthy wait as we would have to radio out to the recess aides to locate your child who then has to go to their locker/class.  Often, I know dismissals are for appointments and we would hate to see you potentially be late.  Therefore, err on the side of caution and dismiss before the following recess times:

• Grade 5 (12:15-12:35)
• Grade 6 (10:40-11:00)

Thanks for helping us keep children safe and get them to HR & important appointments on time.