The Buzz December 2025
December 2025
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From the Superintendent's Desk |
Dear Carlisle Families,
As 2025 draws to a close and the days grow shorter, our school remains full of activity and excitement. We have a busy few weeks ahead and hope you will join us for some of the events taking place across our campus.
Our Drama Club will present its production of Matilda Jr. this month, with public performances on Friday, December 12th at 7:00 PM and Saturday, December 13th at 2:00 PM. More than 40 students are involved in this lively show, which promises fun for the whole family. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at the door. The Preschool’s Annual Solstice Celebration will take place on the afternoon of Tuesday, December 16th on the Plaza. This year’s celebration includes participation from the preschool’s third grade buddy class. December also marks the start of our interscholastic basketball season. Please check the district calendar on our homepage for game dates and locations. We hope to see many of you at an event over the next few weeks.
In the spirit of giving, as a community we are working to spread warmth to families in need. Our second and fifth graders have launched the 16th Annual Pajama Drive. The entire community is invited to donate warm, brand-new pajamas for children in need. Donations are welcome through Monday, December 15th. The fourth and seventh grades, along with the Student Council, DEIB Committee, and PTO, are collecting gently used winter coats of all sizes as part of the Coats for Kids and Families initiative. Coats may be dropped off in collection bins around the school through Wednesday, December 17th. Looking ahead to January, our Kindergarten classrooms will be hosting a mitten drive.
I am pleased to announce that Deb Bookis has joined the Carlisle Public Schools as Interim Assistant Principal. Dr. Bookis comes to us with a great deal of experience and expertise. She has more than 25 years experience as a classroom teacher, building administrator, and district administrator, with more than 20 years experience in the Acton-Boxboro Public Schools. Most recently she served in the capacities of Director of Curriculum and Assessment and Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in Acton-Boxboro. Earlier this year she worked in the Lunenburg Public Schools as the Director of Teaching and Learning. We hope you will join us in welcoming her to the Carlisle community.
With the arrival of winter weather, we would like to remind families that Carlisle Public Schools has a texting option for important communications such as school closures and delayed openings. The district uses School Messenger, the same system we use for calling and emailing, for texting time sensitive messages to families. Text messages from the district come from the number 67587 and start with “CPS.” If you are new to the district, or did not sign up to receive text messages previously, and would like to "opt-in" to receiving text messages from the district at this time, please text a “y” or “yes” to 67587. You will receive a confirmation message from School Messenger once your enrollment is complete.
Please mark your calendars as there is an early release day on Thursday, December 11th, and no school on Friday, December 12th due to Middle School Parent-Teacher Conferences and professional development for staff. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s school experience, please don’t hesitate to reach out to their classroom teachers to arrange a time to talk.
Finally, please note that winter break begins at the close of school on Friday, December 19th. School will be closed for two weeks, and students will return on Monday, January 5th.
I hope you enjoy the season and find time to relax with friends and family.
Warm regards,
Jim O’Shea
Superintendent
School Events and Information
SCHOOL CALENDAR
Click here to view and download the 2025-2026 calendar
DECEMBER LUNCH & BREAKFAST MENU
Click here to view the December 2025 Lunch menu
Click here to view the December 2025 Breakfast menu
PHYSICAL EDUCATION ANNOUNCEMENT -- SNEAKERS for PE!
Please remind your child/children to pack their sneakers for the days they have physical education. Middle School students have PE one day a week. Elementary students have PE two times a week. At this point in the year, many students are forgetting their sneakers routinely and without them they will not be able to participate in class.
BACK UP PLANS
Please make sure you have back up plans that your child is aware of, should after school activities suddenly be canceled. During cancelations or emergencies, the Main Office phones are usually busy and not available to call home or relay messages. Please go over with your child ahead of time what they should do in case their activity is canceled.
CARLISLE SEPAC
Carlisle has a robust SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council). The SEPAC is a resource for support, advice, and navigation for families in our district. They can be reached by email at carlislemasepac@gmail.com. You can also sign up for their email list to be kept in the loop on events and information for families with special needs.
CHILD FIND NOTICE
Carlisle Public Schools, is dedicated to meeting the needs of all students. In accordance with IDEA and Massachusetts Chapter 71B, all public schools must provide special education for children determined to be educationally disabled. The law requires a school district to identify such children from age 3 to 21 years of age and applies to all children, including those in non-public schools, pre-schools, and hospital settings. In addition, children of migrant or homeless families are also entitled to public education. The Carlisle Public Schools is responsible for students from age 3 throughout their 8th grade year.
Parents or service providers with concerns that a child might have an educationally disabling condition are encouraged to contact Student Support Services. Carlisle Public Schools will provide parent support and arrange for the screening and evaluation of any student who is not able to progress effectively in general education due to a disability.
For more detailed information about the policies, procedures, and services available at Carlisle Public Schools for special education, please contact Val Gransewicz, Director of Student Support Services, at vgransewicz@carlisle.k12.ma.us or 978-369–3758.
Are you without a home or do you know a homeless family?
EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS OF HOMELESS CHILDREN
Carlisle Public Schools is committed to ensuring that any student who meets the criteria of a homeless student is protected under the rights set forth by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. This federal law is designed to ensure that homeless children and youth have the same access as other children to public education, including public preschool programs. To obtain a brochure or the Homeless Education Manual, or if you have any questions about the McKinney-Vento Act, please contact Val Gransewicz, Director of Student Support Services, at vgransewicz@carlisle.k12.ma.us or 978-369-3758.
ATHLETICS
Middle School Basketball Signups - Grades 5-8
Girls basketball and Boys basketball tryouts start December 1st. Boys tryouts are Monday 12/1 and Wednesday 12/3. Girls tryouts are Wednesday 12/3 and Thursday 12/4. Please sign up if you are interested in playing. The commitment is Monday-Thursday from 3:05-4:15 PM for practices. Games start at 3:30 PM or 4:45 PM and generally end around 5:45 PM.
The basketball season will run through February 5th. All players must have a current physical (within the calendar year) on file with the nurse’s office.
User Fee: $250.00. Checks should be made out to the town of Carlisle. Online payment is available on the Carlisle Public Schools website on the homepage under Information and Online Fee Payment.
Intramural Winter Program
Intramural Floor Hockey for Grades 4-8
Anyone interested in playing intramural floor hockey. Please sign up in the gym.
Time: 3:05-4:15 PM
Where: Corey Gym
Cost: $55.00, Checks made out to the Town of Carlisle
See Mrs. Carmel for more information
2nd & 5th GRADE 16th ANNUAL PAJAMA DRIVE
The second and fifth grade classes would like to invite you to join us in our community service project. This is the Carlisle Public School’s sixteenth year of donating warm pajamas paired with a book donated by Scholastic, to children in need. Last year, we collected more than 360 pairs of pajamas! These pajamas were brought to children in the care of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.
Please consider donating one, two, or more pairs of BRAND-NEW pajamas to the Pajama Drive Baskets located at the two main entrances of the Spalding Building and the entrance to the Robbins Building (Library Entrance), by Monday, December 15th.
For more information click here.
4th & 7th GRADE COAT DRIVE
The 4th and 7th Grades, along with the Student Council, DEIB Committee, and the PTO invite you to donate gently used winter coats (all sizes) that will be distributed to families in need throughout the region through the Coats for Kids and Families initiative. Coats can be dropped off at donation buckets around the school at any time, including by the Main Office by Wednesday, December 17th. Donated coats will be brought to Anton's Cleaners for cleaning and distribution, so you do not need to prewash donations.
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Happy Holidays from the PTO!
If you plan to purchase Holiday cards this season, consider using Minted and use our code: FUNDRAISECPTO which gives you 20% off Minted orders when applied at checkout. You can share your code with your friends, family & supporters and 10% of the net sales from each purchase will be donated back to the PTO at the end of the year.
We are looking forward to seeing everyone in 2026! Please join us at our next PTO meeting on January 8th @10am via Zoom. All are welcome!
Please visit carlislemapto.org for more information.
FRIDAY NIGH LIVE - Friday, December 5
For more information and to register click here.
WBYC Brighten the Night - December 16th at 7:00 PM
William’s Be Yourself Challenge (WBYC) will hold its annual remembrance event Brighten the Night on December 16th at 7:00 PM. Join us on the Carlisle Common as we come together to remember all our loved ones — including William Shaw, whose birthday is December 20th and whom we celebrate each year during this season. The evening will include a candlelight vigil and the reading of our loved ones’ names aloud. For a donation of your choosing, we will gladly add your loved one’s name to the list. You can register on our website’s events page — attendance is not required to have a name included.
In addition, December 16th will be “Be Yourself Day,” in honor of William’s ultimate mantra: Be Yourself. We invite everyone to wear green that day as a sign of support, love, and solidarity for grieving families.
CCYS WINTER FUTSAL & SPRING 2026 TRAVEL AND INTOWN SOCCER
Registration is open for CCYS Winter Futsal & Spring 2026 Travel and Intown Soccer. Travel soccer is open to players in grades 3 through 8. The travel registration deadline is January 9th. Intown soccer is open to players in grades Pre-K through 4. The intown registration deadline is March 20th. Futsal runs January through March and is open to players in grades 1-7.
More info can be found at: http://www.ccysoccer.org.
Gleason Public Library
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For all registrations, please visit gleasonlibrary.org/events. For more information about any of these events, email childrens@gleasonlibrary.org.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Nutcracker Reading with Commonwealth Ballet Company -- Saturday, December 6 | 10:30–11:30 AM
Join us for the Commonwealth Ballet Company's special performance of a sampling of their holiday show, "The Nutcracker." This is a wonderful opportunity for children to see and meet their favorite characters from the holiday tale. The Ballet dancers will be available to answer questions and pose for photos with the children after the reading. This program is recommended for children ages 4-10, but all ages are welcome! Afterward, we'll enjoy refreshments and a Nutcracker-inspired craft hosted by the Friends of the Gleason Public Library. Register on our website or by calling us at 978-369-4898.
ELEMENTARY AND YOUNGER
Board Game Bonanza -- Wednesday, December 10 | 6:00–8:00 PM
Join us in the Hollis Room to play games like Candyland, Gone Fishin', and Connect Four! Please feel free to bring in your own board games as well. Light refreshments will be provided. This event is geared to ages 4+, but patrons of all ages are welcome.
STORY TIMES
Baby Lapsit -- Tuesdays, October 7–December 16 (not November 11) | 10:30–11:00 AM
Baby Lapsit is a 20-minute interactive story time experience for our youngest library users and their caregiver. Join us for stories, songs, rhymes, and bounces that are developmentally appropriate for children from birth to when they start walking. Come prepared to sit on the floor one-on-one with your baby in your lap. This program is designed for newborn through pre-walking baby. Please register for each session individually.
Fall Story Time -- Fridays, October 3–December 12 | 10:30–11:15 AM
Join us Friday mornings from 10:30 - 11:15 AM for a family story time with Miss Jill. Please register for each session individually.
KIDS BOOK CLUBS
1st and 2nd Grade Book Club: Layla and the Bots: Happy Paws by Victoria Fang -- Tuesday, December 9 (snow date), 4:00 PM
Registration full at this time; email childrens@gleasonlibrary.org or visit gleasonlibrary.org/events to add your child to the waiting list.
3rd and 4th Grade Book Club: The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling -- Thursday, December 18, 4:00 PM
Registration full at this time; email childrens@gleasonlibrary.org or visit gleasonlibrary.org/events to add your child to the waiting list.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
After-School Hangout -- Fridays | 2:30–4:00 PM
Come play games, have a snack, and hang out on Fridays after school. Activities each week will vary. This is a drop-in event for grades 5–8.
Middle School Book Club -- Thursday, December 4 | 4:00 PM
Come for a book discussion and activity! Each month we will read a book and talk about it, then we will do a short activity or craft. December’s book is Greenglass House by Kate Milford. Copies are available for checkout at the Library. Registration is required; participants only need to register once for the entire school year.
Early Release Day Movie -- Thursday, December 11 | 1:15 PM
Middle schoolers can join us in the Hollis Room every Early Release Day at 1:15 PM for a movie and snacks! Early Release Day movies are sponsored by the Friends of the Gleason Public Library.
Teen Weekend Reading Kit -- Friday, December 19 | 10:00 AM -- Grab a kit that has everything you need for a book-lover's weekend. Each kit will include a random YA novel for you to keep (genres and reading/maturity levels will vary), a craft or activity, a snack, a little bookish accessory, and a hot beverage to make at home. Registration is required to reserve your kit, and pickup will be Friday, December 19 through Monday, December 22. These kits are for grades 7-12. Teen Weekend Reading Kits are sponsored by the Friends of the Gleason Public Library.
Next Buzz Issue
The next issue of The Buzz will be published in January 2026. Please email your submissions to Mary O'Regan at moregan@carlisle.k12.ma.us by 9:00 AM on Monday, January 5, 2026. Please attach information to the email in a Word file. Thank you!
