The Cohasset Compass

Dear Cohasset Public Schools Community,

Over the last two weeks, I've been fortunate to spend quality time with our students and staff across the district. I spent a day at Osgood reading to all of our second graders and visiting classrooms. Yesterday at Deer Hill, I had the chance to talk with and listen to our staff while watching learning unfold in real time. Both visits reminded me of what I already know—our teachers are incredibly dedicated and hardworking, and our students genuinely love learning.

This past Tuesday, I had the privilege of participating in Challenge Day with our junior class and about twenty CHS staff members. Challenge Day is an interactive program that helps teens and adults break down social barriers and build authentic connections through acceptance and respect. The day's activities are designed to boost self-esteem, transform negative peer pressure into positive support, and reduce bullying and violence (https://www.challengeday.org/). As we continue bringing our strategic plan to life, experiences like Challenge Day help us create a stronger sense of belonging for our students and help them recognize their own strengths and those of their peers. Research shows us that strong peer relationships and a genuine sense of belonging directly improve academic outcomes (Shao et al, 2024). I have no doubt that Challenge Day strengthened peer relationships and gave our students more adults they know are in their corner.

My favorite moments of the day were watching students and staff grow more comfortable with each other as the hours passed—laughing together, sharing openly, discovering how much we all have in common despite our differences, and watching students genuinely support one another. I'm grateful to Principal Scott for bringing Challenge Day to CHS and to the students and staff for welcoming me into this meaningful experience.

Ever Onward,

Sarah

Please join me in celebrating our school custodians on National School Custodians' Day! We are so thankful for all they do to make sure our learning environments are the best they can be for our students and staff. Our schools would not be the same without them. Below are photos of just some of our amazing custodial staff.

We are honored to have been recognized by the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as a one of only 13 schools in the state to have met or exceed our 2019 MCAS scores on the Spring 2025 MCAS. We want to congratulate all of our staff and students on their hard work and dedication to student learning.

For parents and caregivers, individual student reports will be available in Aspen on October 17th.

Fall benchmark assessments for students in grades 1-8 will also be available in Aspen on October 15th. Watch for more information from your child’s principal. Kindergarten students are assessed in November in order to give them time to acclimate to school.

We’re shifting from posting events/registrations in each school newsletter to a districtwide page on the CPS website.

👉This shift keeps school/district newsletters focused on site-specific news.

👉 It also allows us to continue supporting community partners like CSCR, Holly Hill, youth sports, and more.

🔗]Click here to visit this new site.

Cohasset is a community comprised of experts in a wide variety of fields. In order to deliver more authentic, hands-on, project-based learning experiences to students, the Cohasset School Committee, in collaboration with district leadership, is working to develop a "Community Resource Guide." This Guide will serve as an invaluable resource to our classroom teachers and school staff, as it will provide them with a comprehensive database of all stakeholders and interested parties who are willing to share their background, experience, and expertise in furtherance of our mission to Empower Students to Improve Communities.

There are many different ways in which one might participate in this endeavor, including classroom presentations, hosting or facilitating field trips, creating shadow or internship opportunities, or assisting with project-based learning experiences.

If you are willing to share your unique talents, passions, interests, and/or expertise, please click this link to fill out a brief interest form. We thank you for your willingness to volunteer your time in order to deliver impactful learning experiences to CPS students.

Onward and Upward,

Your School Committee

MPY is pleased to offer proven resources to help students' families thrive. Explore this curated collection of quick videos and informative handouts thoughtfully grouped by relevant topics. Each segment below is filled with proven, practical, and easy-to-implement video solutions on a wide range of parenting challenges.

Some offerings include:

• Inspire School Success for Elementary, Middle & High School Students

• Parenting Principles for Progress not Perfection

• Support Your Anxious Child

• Help Your Neurodiverse Child Thrive (ADHD/ASD)

Click her to learn more and see all of the offerings.

• October 8 - School Committee Meeting @ 6:00pm

• October 10 - No School; Professional Development Day

• October 13 - No School; Indigenous People's Day