The Cohasset Compass

October 9, 2026

Dear Cohasset Public School Community,

Every person in our district matters. And, every person on the Cohasset Public School staff contributes, in some way, to our ability to provide the best school experience that we can. This week was School Custodian Appreciation Day and I want to thank our custodians for the work they do all year long to ensure that the learning environment contributes to the academic and personal success of our students. The work of our custodians often goes unnoticed as many of them do their work when the majority of our community is not in the buildings - nights, summers, and weekends. They clean up our spills, ensure our buildings are clean, and help us maintain the physical resources that we have so they continue to function well. They are often our unseen, unsung, and unparalled staff members. This week we celebrate and appreciate:

Sean Bannen, John Bibby, Chris Bowie, Lew Fishman, David Kelly, Al LaFountain, Jean Lasik, GiGi Logan, Joe Denn, Decin Talbot, Phil Thayer, Tim Tilton, and Joshua Taylor.

Ever Onward,

Sarah

CPS FY28 and Beyond Budget Planning

At this week's School Committee meeting (10/7), we had the first read for the FY28 budget calendar and presented the District's draft 5-year financial forecast. The forecast will continue to be refined as we move through the FY28 budget process. It should be noted that, contrary to what was shared at Wednesday night's meeting, the salaries figure does include both cost of living (COLA) and step increases where appropriate. The community can access both the 5-Year Forecast Memo and the actual 5-year forecast by clicking on the links provided. We hope that starting this process early provides families and the wider Cohasset community the opportunity to engage in the process with us. Please reach out directly to Superintendent Shannon with any questions.

CPS 5-Year Budget Forecast Memo

CPS 5-Year Budget Forecast

New MA Student Literacy Law

In June of 2026, An Act Relative to Teacher Preparation and Student Literacy, was signed into law. The Student Literacy law requires public school districts to 1) adopt curriculum grounded in the science of reading 2) conduct universal screening for reading difficulties in grades Kindergarten through grade three 3) requires DESE to provide free curriculum, approved program lists, and professional development.

By fall of 2027, public school districts must have a literacy curriculum in place that either 1) is on the approved list, 2) is the DESE created pilot program, or 3) approved through a waiver process. The list of approved literacy programs will be available to districts by December of 2026. We will continue to update the Cohasset community as further details and timelines are shared by DESE.

Please click on the image below to access Dr. Wilcox's full school committee presentation on this new law.

👕 CPS Wears Blue 👕

We are inviting all students and staff across the district to wear blue on Thursday, 10/15, to show some love for and support one of our middle school students who is finishing their final round of medical treatments on Wednesday. It’s a small gesture, but an important one, that shows that CMS and the wider Cohasset community are always here to support each other.

CPS Free & Reduced Lunch Forms

Although school meals are free for all in Massachusetts, it remains extremely important for all families to complete the household Application for Free and Reduced Price Meals for the 2026-27 school year so that our district can continue to establish eligibility for P-EBT benefits, waive local fees (ie. athletics, field trips, etc), and serve families most effectively.

When returning the Application, we also ask that you complete and return the Sharing Information with Other Programs form as well. If your student(s) qualify for free or reduced price meals, this allows us to share your information with other programs in the school so that your student can receive additional benefits.

Please return your completed Free & Reduced Meal Application to your student's school office. There is one application per household, please. For more information follow these links: Free and Reduced Price Meals and CPS Nutrition and CPS Food Services. If you have any questions please contact our Director of Food Services, Vinicio Cordon at vcordon@cohassetk12.org.

South Shore Backpackers: Supporting Students & Families Beyond the School Day

Cohasset Public Schools is excited to partner with South Shore Backpackers to pilot a new food-access program for Cohasset families beginning in Fall 2026.

South Shore Backpackers is a partnership between Wellspring and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church designed to provide nutritious, kid-friendly food for students and their families during weekends and school breaks—times when school meals are not available. The program is built around a simple idea: when families have access to good food, students are better supported to learn, grow, and thrive.

Families who feel they could benefit from additional food support are invited to complete a confidential Family Interest Indicator Form. Completing the form simply lets the program team know that your family may be interested; it is not a commitment to participate.

Confidentiality is a central part of the program. We understand that asking for food assistance can feel personal, and we want families to feel comfortable exploring this resource without stigma or concern about their privacy. Information submitted through the interest form will be handled confidentially and discreetly and used to help CPS and South Shore Backpackers plan the program and connect interested families with available support.

If your family could use additional food support on weekends or during school breaks, we encourage you to learn more and complete the confidential interest form. You can access the form through the CLICK HERE button or QR code on the program flyer. Questions about the program can be directed to John Scopelleti at JScopelleti@cohassetk12.org.

Cohasset Embraces and Models The Dignity Index

High Quality - and FREE - Resources for Parents and Caregivers

Mass Partnership for Youth (MPY): Parenting Solutions at Your Finger Tips

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: