News

CHELMSFORD, Massachusetts (Aug. 11, 2025) – Students returning to Chelmsford High School this fall will be greeted by a new face in the Career Center with Gabriella Da Silva taking on the role of Career & College Readiness Facilitator.

Da Silva, a Dracut resident, started her new position on Aug. 4 and is eager for the 2025-26 school year to get underway.

“I’m generally very excited about this next chapter of my life,” she said. “I’m looking forward to getting to know the students and, over time, build a relationship with them.”

Prior to taking the role at Chelmsford High School, Da Silva was working with senior citizens.

“My background is in the health field,” she said, noting she’s worked at several hospitals and, most recently, an assisted living facility.

Da Silva received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell (UML) and her master’s from Merrimack College.

While at UML, Da Silva said she served as a resident advisor for three years.

“In that role, I did a lot of one-on-one with the students, helping them navigate coming from high school and adapting to college life,” she said. “I was also an orientation leader over the summers, so I would always be working closely with high school students checking out different schools and seeing what was a good fit for them.”

Though her career trajectory took her into the field of healthcare, Da Silva said she has always had a passion for working with students.

“The one thing that has remained consistent throughout the years was my involvement with college students,” she said. “Once I graduated college, I returned as a mentor to UMass-Lowell. … Part of that was helping students figure out what’s next.”

Born in the United States, Da Silva moved to Brazil with her mother when she was 2 years old. She returned to the States for her freshman year of high school.

“I had to learn how to speak English, I had to navigate coming to high school in America and I had to figure out how to get to college,” she said. “It was tough. It would have been so nice to have something like [the CHS Career Center] and a facilitator to show me the options I have or just talk to me about my career pathway.”

Da Silva’s predecessor, Alexandra Cunningham, left the role at CHS to become the Employer Relations Specialist at UMass Lowell’s Career and Co-op Center; her last day was June 4.

“The work that Alex has been able to do here has been incredible,” Da Silva said. “I don’t think there’s anything that needs to be completely revamped or anything like that. I want to just continue the good things and bring it to the next level.”

About Chelmsford Public Schools

The Chelmsford Public School District provides all students with multiple pathways to optimize their own potential for academic excellence, leadership, and social and emotional wellness. The mission of the Chelmsford Public Schools is to educate, engage, prepare, and empower well-rounded and knowledgeable learners to 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. This PRIDE-driven culture enables all members of the school community to support the growth and development of students. For more information, please visit www.chelmsfordschools.org.