CPS Parent Update

CPS Parents & Guardians,

There are only a few weeks left until the end of Trimester 1 on Friday, December 11. With the additional days off this month, November flies by, so this is a reminder for students to check their grades, complete missing work, and finish strong.

Check the update below for some additional extra help sessions starting next week.

A reminder that the sign-up deadline for CPS Parent-Teacher Conferences is this SUNDAY, 11/15/26. The sign-up links are in a section below.

There is also monthly calendar section here in this newsletter that lists upcoming events and there are month-to-month calendars on the NPS Website and printable calendars.

Video version of this newsletter: CPS Parent Update - Video Version - 11/9/26 (coming soon)

Thank you,

CPS Admin Team

Wednesday, November 11, 2026 - Veterans Day - NO SCHOOL

Sunday, November 15, 2026 - Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-Up Deadline

Tuesday, November 17, 2026 - NPS School Committee - NHS LGI - 6:00pm

Wednesday, November 18, 2026 - ACK Special Education Parent Advisory Committee - 6:00pm

Thursday, November 19, 2026 - CPS School Council - CPS Cafe - 3:00pm

Thursday, November 19, 2026 - CPS Principal's Coffee - CPS Cafe - 5:30pm

Wednesday, November 25, 2026 - Sunday, November 29, 2026 - Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL

Wednesday, December 2, 2026 - Half-Day for Students - Dismissal at 12 Noon

Wednesday, December 2, 2026 - Parent-Teacher Conferences

Wednesday, December 2, 2026 - CPS Orchestra/Band/Chorus Concert - 7pm - NHS MPW Auditorium

Wednesday, December 9, 2026 - Half-Day for Students - Dismissal at 12 Noon

Wednesday, December 9, 2026 - Parent-Teacher Conferences

CPS Sports Page. - then, go to top tab SCHEDULES

Please sign-up BEFORE 11/16/26

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Hopefully you have seen the emails announcing our new bus service with Barrett's Tours. Today was their first day of service.

Please be aware that the buses need exlusive access to the front driveway of CPS/NHS. Student drop-off and pick-up needs to return to being in the back of the school. The exceptions are arriving early or late. If that is the case, it is fine to drop-off at the CPS Main Front Entrance, especially when it is after 7:50am as the ONLY entrance to the building is through the front main doors after 7:50am. The buses will roll through between 7:35am and 7:45am.

Congratulations to Grade 8 students Delaney Roberts and Chase Pignato for being nominated to represent NPS at the Project 351 conference in Boston! Each of the state's 351 school district nominates two grade 8 students to represent their town to perform community service this year. Delaney and Chase were chosen by CPS staff coordinated by grade 8 counselor, Melissa Lake.

Please be on the look-out for the annual clothing drive later this year.

We are in the exploatory phases of planning a day or overnight trip for grade 8 in late spring 2027. We are not sure where we are headed as the destination depends on the funds raised. It probably won't be DC, but maybe Boston or Philadelphia. The theme is our grade 8 civics class, so there is a connection to US history and government.

Please be on the lookout for fundraising catalogs for the holidays - a heads-up that there are multiple groups that are partnering together using the same fundraising platform. (Grade 8 Trip, Iceland Trip, NHS Book Club)

The Polished Dental team will visit Nantucket Public Schools, December 7 - 11, 2026.

Your child will receive a dental exam, cleaning, fluoride, sealants, health education, a health report for parents, a toothbrush, and toothpaste, and be seen during the school day.

You must complete the paperwork below for them to be seen. Or, alternatively, please complete the hard-copy forms that can be picked up at the CPS main entrance office.

https://app.formdr.com/practice/Njc5MA==/form/g_r7zXpjYIMy5yMAHuI4s5bsJpVuGHsN

ALL course grades must be passing (65% and above)

Players can always practice, but no playing in games and no off-island early dismissal/travel until all grades passing.

We check student grades on Monday mornings. That snapshot determines eligibility for the week until the following Monday.

Teachers available for extra help Monday - Thursday after school for X-Block 2:30pm - 2:50pm

Additional tutoring starting SOON (Not Yet) on Tuesday and Thursday nights 5-7pm

*students can appeal to principal and share an ‘action plan’ of how they are going to improve grades to get a ‘waiver’ to play

10th Tardy (per trimester) - 20 minute office detention after school

15th Tardy (per trimester) - 20 minute office detention after school

20th Tardy (per trimester) - 1 hour Saturday detention 9am - 10am

25th Tardy (per trimester) - 2 hour Saturday detention 9am - 11am

Resets to zero at the beginning of each trimester (12/14/26 and 3/29/27)

If late to school after 8am, no athletic play that day (games or practices), and no play for the weekend if this happens on a Friday (also applies to dances/semi-formals)

These personal devices are not allowed at CPS between 7:50am and 2:30pm

Students secure their phones/watches/Meta glasses in their YONDR pouch for the day

1st: Confiscated by teacher to front office - returned at the end of the day

2nd: Confiscated by teacher to front office - parent called to pick up phone

Please support us!!

We've also had to speak to students about selling these items to other students.

No Uber Eats or Door Dash to the school for lunch.

Take Out Food dropped off for lunches can be a problem - If you must drop off lunch, please inform your student to check for their lunch on the table in the vestibule outside the CPS front office. Please minimize; full pizzas, catered spreads, brownies, cupcakes, and even smoothies can be a source of envy to other students in the cafe.

We have evolved a long way from bag lunches and lunch boxes. A reminder that 'hot lunch' is FREE each day and consists of many choices including different types of pizza every day.

Scoring Scale:

440-469 - Not Meeting Expectations

470-499 - Partially Meeting Expectations

500-529 - MEETING EXPECTATIONS

530-560 - Exceeding Expectations

MCAS Achievement Averages of all CPS students:

2026 Results:

ELA: 489

Math: 489

Science: 499

Civics: 492

2025 Results:

ELA: 489

Math: 489

Science: 498

Civics: 491

2024 Results:

ELA: 486

Math: 487

Science: 492

% of Students in either the Meets or Exceeds Tier for MCAS:

2024 CPS ELA: 28%

2024 State Average: 39%

2024 CPS Math: 22%

2024 CPS Science: 34%

2024 State Average: 41%

2025 CPS Science: 46%

Civics Not Tested in 2024

Just a reminder that at the start of every school year, parents have to verify and if necessary, update their student's information within our student information system (Aspen).

Here is the link to ASPEN

Once logged in, go to the Pages tab and look for the 'Click Here' for the Family Connection portal.

POP-UP Blockers have to be turned OFF for the page to load. (click on the little lines on the LEFT side of the address bar and go to Site Settings)

Click the Review/Verify tab, answer the questions, sign by typing a signature, and click the green submit tab at the end.

There is also an additional Tech Agreement document to review and sign before October 31:

NPS Tech Agreement

CPS Honor Roll: All grades 85% and above

CPS Principal's List: All grades 90% and above

65% is the PASS line at CPS, to be eligible to compete in CPS Athletics and participate in extra-curricular clubs, students need to be passing (65 and above) ALL of their classes

The fee structure is as follows and will be assessed by our tech support personnel:

• Minor damage - $50

• Major damage - $100

• Chromebook beyond repair or lost: $250

Lost charger is a $25 fee

Lost Yondr pouch is a $35 fee

My School Bucks has been set-up to collect fees for damaged chromebooks. Parents will receive bills for broken screens, keys, and other mis-handled devices.

It is a $50 fee for an out of warranty repair and $100 for a second instance. Malicious damage to a chromebook COULD lead to full value replacement ($365) - depending on the extend of damage and what can be repaired or salvaged from the broken device.

Please talk to your student about taking care of their chromebook. Please remind them that they are 'loaned' to students for their time at CPS and are not their personal devices. Students should not put stickers on their chromebooks, they should not pick keys off the keyboards, and they should not charge their iPhones through their chromebooks. The batteries are not designed to charge cell phones.

Students also need to keep track of their chargers and charge their devices each night to be prepared for school the next day. Teachers do not have loaners in their classrooms. if a student forgets their chromebook, they can borrow a 'loaner' device for the day from the front office. We have a strict system of tracking loaners throuigh the front office and it takes the burden off of classroom teachers.

If a chromebook is faulty or the battery is not working properly, we will have replacement chromebooks available while waiting for a warranty repair.

Please take care of your school-issued chromebook!

In the event of an emergency, parents will be provided instructions through our Raptor system. This will come in many different forms, but the fastest is via text message.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding campus safety, please contact Mellisa Devitt at:

508-228-7285 x1154 or devittm@npsk.org.

This approach has been present in airports and other public spaces. A good reminder to our students to 'Do The Right Thing' and report anything suspicious. It will help us make CPS a safer and better place for everyone.

Art Club - Hayleigh Johnson

Games Club - Ms. Reed

Book Club - Mrs. Hickman

CPS Pulse - Mr. Gonnella

LGBTQ+ Club - Ms. Lake

Drama Club - Ms. Gordon

Student Council - Jesse Shalett

Science Fair - TBD

CPS is under 'Secondary' with the high school menu

Per the US Department of Agriculture, School Lunch will be FREE for ALL students for the 7th year in a row through June 2027.

Free breakfasts are available, too; must pre-order through Food Service - TBD for contact info

CPS School Council meets on the THIRD Thursday of every month at 3:00pm in the CPS cafe. We develop the School Improvement Plan, review the Student/Parent Handbook, and discuss monthly events, and hot topics at CPS.

Term ends 2029 - Eric Finger fingertnevers@aol.com

Term ends 2027 - Meg Browers megbrowers@gmail.com

Term ends 2027 - Stacy Montes stacy@greyladyins.com

Term ends 2028 - Sarah Ray sarah.dawn.moe@gmail.com

In addition to the parents and community representation above, the CPS School Council also includes: one student representative from each grade, 3 CPS teachers, and the CPS Admin Team.

No change since the 10/26/26 report. We ended June 2026 at 358 students, so we are down 10 students since the end of the last school year. The enrollment at CPS at the end of June 2025 was 363 students.

Email: hortonm@npsk.org
Website: www.npsk.org
Location: 10 Surfside Road
Phone: (508)228-7283