Chelmsford Students Head Back to School Next Week

Fall? Is that you in the air?

Regardless the weather, it’s going to look a lot more like fall next week in Chelmsford when the town’s schools throw open the doors and welcome students back into the classrooms.

Classes for all students, grades kindergarten through 12th, begin on Wednesday, Sept. 2. (Kindergartners will attend for a half-day on Sept. 2 and 3). Students will be in class through Friday and then have a three-day weekend for the Labor Day holiday.

Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

• Mind the crosswalks and crossing guards. Chelmsford Police Chief James Spinney told The Lowell Sun in July that the department is pursuing grants to fund increased crosswalk enforcement and uses plan-clothes officers to catch drivers who violate the law. There’s a $200 fine for drivers who fail to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk.
• Pay attention to school zones. State law mandates that drivers travel 20 mph or under in school zones (lower speed limits can be set locally). Watch your speed!
• School bus stop signs aren’t suggestions or recommendations to slow down. They are STOP signs. Anyone caught passing a school bus with its warning lights on is subject to a fine of not less than $250 for the first offense.
• In general, kids will be walking and biking to and from school. Be extra cautious on the roads.

Here are the hours for Chelmsford schools:

School Hours:

• Elementary Schools: 8:59 a.m.-3:18 p.m.
• Middle School: 8:19 a.m.-2:40 p.m.
• High School: 7:19 a.m.-1:52 p.m.