This Newsletter updates on all matters connected to Cohasset Public Schools. This letter is sent as part of a District initiative focusing on communication.

Dear Cohasset School Families and Staff:

This week, the School Committee (SC) received recommendations from the Superintendent Search Committee (SSC) for three finalist candidates for Superintendent of Cohasset Public Schools. The finalist candidates are (in alphabetical order):

Dr. John J. Buckey

Current Bilingual Reengagement Coordinator at Peabody Public Schools

Superintendent of Marblehead Public Schools (July 2020 – December 2023)

Principal of Nantucket High School (July 2008 – June 2020)

Ms. Melissa Ryan (Doctorate (Ed.D) expected June 2024)

Current Superintendent of Berkley Public Schools

Assistant Superintendent of Bourne Public Schools (July 2018 – July 2021)

Principal of Bourne Middle School (July 2011 – July 2018)

Ms. Sarah Shannon (Doctorate (Psy.D in Organizations and Leadership) expected May 2026)

Current Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning at Canton Public Schools

Principal of Gavin Middle School (Canton) (2018 – 2021)

Principal of Gates Middle School (Scituate) (2010 – 2015)

Full resumes, for each candidate, will be made available on the Superintendent Search Webpage (on district website) in the near future.

Now that finalist candidates have been named, this process will be entirely public and the SC will continue to provide opportunities for stakeholders to actively participate. To that end, each finalist will have the opportunity to visit our school buildings and campuses in the coming 7 – 10 days in order to view our district’s operations and interact with students and staff. In addition to their site visits, each candidate will individually engage with various stakeholders in public discussion forums, which will be held at a date and time to be determined (but which will be well-advertised in advance). The public discussion forums are a critical piece of this process, and we strongly urge students, staff, and families to attend. The final interviews with candidates will also be public, but only SC members will be permitted to ask questions and deliberate on each candidate by that point in the process. As such, the open discussion forums will be your chance to engage with and observe these finalist candidates as they respond to questions and interact with members of our community. It is vital, as we evaluate these finalists, that we find a genuine, compelling, and meaningful connection between the successful candidate and our school community. We expect that these forums will lend valuable insight to that important consideration.

In announcing the above finalists, the SC asks that the community share in our expression of gratitude to every member of the SSC. The members of the SSC worked very hard to ensure that we carefully vetted each applicant, while also keeping to an aggressive timeline. The finalist candidate recommendations from the SSC were the product of many hours of volunteer work dedicated to ensuring a bright future for our school district. If you see any member of the SSC around town or within our schools, please take a few seconds to thank them for their service to our district. They are, in no particular order:

Anthony Rini (Family Representative), Brie Casey (Family Representative), Candice Hartford (Family Representative), Alex Sullivan (DHS Principal), Brian Scott (CHS Principal), Kara Moser (4th Grade Teacher), Chris Luvisi (CHS Teacher), Dr. Leslie Scollins (Asst Superintendent).

Again, it is our goal to have a new Superintendent of Schools selected and under contract by the time the students leave for April vacation. We will be in touch with additional details in the near future.

Onward and Upward,

Your School Committee

At the 3/13/2024 Cohasset School Committee Meeting, the Cohasset School Committee unanimously approved the calendar below (please click on the image to view the full calendar).

We are pleased to share with you the 2023 school report card from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Please note that because the grade levels at Osgood do not take MCAS, the state indicates "insufficient data" for accountability for Osgood. Osgood's good work on MCAS is indicated in the grade 3 performance. You can access our schools' and district's report cards by clicking on the links below:

For JOS: Osgood 2023 School Report Card

For DH: Deer Hill 2023 School Report Card

For CMS: Cohasset Middle School 2023 School Report Card

For CHS: Cohasset High School 2023 School Report Card

Cohasset Public Schools 2023 District Report Card

We are excited to announce our 2nd Annual Mosaic Event. It will be hosted at the Cohasset High School on Thursday April 11 from 6-8 PM. We will be having dance performers, drummers, and food from different cultures around the world. We hope you can all join us!

School Council Surveys regarding the state of each of our schools will be sent out over the coming weeks. We are appreciative of your input to ensure we are moving in the best direction to serve our students. Please see below for anticipated release dates of these surveys to each school community.

Congratulations to all of the honored athletes who were selected for the Cohasset Athletics Hall of Fame for 2024. Please click on the image below to view the press release.

With the Monday, December 19 and more recently, Tuesday, February 13 cancellation of school due to storms, our new last day of school is June 14. Please click on the image below to access the updated calendar, which is also on the District Web Page.

This week the chorus and bands performed at the All Town Concerts. There were two nights of extrodinary music by our students in grades 3-12. Wednesday night was the All Town Chorus Concert and Thursday was the All town Band Concert. It was magical!

Osgood Dance Party Tradition lives on!

Mr. Dykas has inspired so many students!

Thank you to Ms. Gittens-Carle and to our amazing "Black Student Union" who presented at this past Wednesday's School Committee Meeting, which took place at METCO Headquarters at 11 Roxbury Street, Roxbury, MA. The presentation was wonderful and highlighted the fabulous students in this important group. This was a great example of increased student voice throughout the district. Excellent job, students! You made us all proud!

The Home Parenting Solutions Library may easily be accessed using the link on the MPY's home page or clicking this link. No log in or passcode is needed.

METCO HQ and its REI Committee have partnered with Dr. Darnisa Amante-Jackson and Dr. Lee Teitel to offer practical skills in holding productive and persuasive conversations about racial equity with various constituencies. Talking to peers about METCO 2.0—and more generally, about race, equity and integration—can be hard. To realize the vision of METCO 2.0—that every student in a METCO district receives an inclusive, equitable and antiracist education—requires deep change for all of us: for METCO directors, district leaders and HQ, but also for parents, community leaders, students, and school committee members. These sessions are designed to help navigate polarized environments, have conversations about difficult topics, and further the mission of METCO 2.0.

There are several two-part Thursday/Monday Zoom workshops coming up. You will also find upcoming dates in the registration link for the following groups and are welcome to sign up ahead of time for these as well:

· School Leaders, Staff, & Teachers

· School Committees

· Community allies, racial equity groups, METCO supporters

· Parents (parents of both METCO and suburban students)

· Students (METCO students and resident students from the METCO district

Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) is pleased to announce its new MPY Parenting Solutions Library. The MPY Parenting Solutions Library is offered at no charge, in partnership with Peace At Home Parenting Solutions, a non-profit located in Mansfield, Connecticut. Peace At Home Parenting Solutions is a dynamic hub of trusted knowledge and compassionate support that inspires parents to create positive change for their children, their families and themselves. Through this new partnership, MPY is pleased to offer proven resources to help students’ families thrive.

Peace At Home Parenting Solutions specializes in empowering parents with evidence-based strategies to foster nurturing connections that safeguard their children's mental well-being. The trainings are presented by experts with advanced degrees and the trainings focus on child and adolescent development, including difficulties in school, mental health challenges, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+ identity formation, racism, and grief. These trainings present easy-to-use strategies for long-lasting change.

FREE 24 Home Parent Video Presentations

• Inspire School Success for Elementary, Middle and High School Students
  
• Parenting Principles for Progress Not Perfection
  
• Mental Health Knowledge and Skills
  
• Support Your Anxious Child Library
  
• ADHA and Autism: How to Help Your Child Thrive

Please click on the image below to access the Joseph Osgood Kindergarten Registration

Thank you to Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Leslie Scollins and to Director of Data, Evaluation, and Curriculum, Rock Roberts, for their great work in creating and presenting the MCAS Action Plan at the 12/6/2023 Cohasset School Committee Meeting. Thank you to all educators who play a role in analyzing the data and in creating and implementing this plan.

Please click on the images below for the full stories

Spring is here and we look forward to a wonderful season!

Click below for more sports information

Congratulations to Cohasset High School for being recognized by College Board with the highest distinction for Advanced Placement (AP) excellence offered. The AP Honor Roll "recognizes schools that have done outstanding work to welcome more students into AP courses and support them on the path to college success." Cohasset High School is honored with a Platinum Distinction in all available categories:

College Culture: Percent of students in the graduating class who took an AP exam at any point in high school, regardless of score.

College Credit: Percent of students in the graduating class who scored 3B on any AP Exam in high school.

College Optimization: Percent of students in the graduating class who took 5 or more AP Exams in high school, where at least 1 exam was taken in 9th or 10th grade.

Thank you to all who support our successful AP program.

We are proud to announce that Cohasset Public Schools has achieved at a 99% success rate in meeting or exceeding our MCAS accountability targets. 99% success in meeting or exceeding targets places us near the top of all districts (#2) in this important measure. Thank you to the leadership, staff, families, and students for their efforts in reaching this milestone. We are excited to share the full results with families soon. We are in the process of analyzing the results so that we can continue this growth for Cohasset Public Schools.

Further accolades for MCAS performance place Deer Hill Elementary School and Cohasset High School as two of the 66 schools in the Commonwealth who were recognized for exceptional growth or achievement under the state's accountability system, which takes into account MCAS scores and other measures. This honor is a complete team effort and certainly reflects the good work happening at Osgood and CMS, as well.

The Instructional Leadership Team for Literacy met this week to review our elementary literacy practices and create Look Fors for our Learning Walks. These Look Fors will help the district see trends and patterns to determine next steps.

The Professional Development Committee will meet virtually Wednesday, March 27 to begin creating the professional development plan for 2024-2025.

Progress Reports for grades K-5 and Reports Cards for grades 6-8 are available Friday, March 22.

MCAS begin next week at CHS. Please see the schedule below for all MCAS dates.

High School

ELA: March 26 & 27 (Grade 10)

Math: May 21 & 22 (Grade 10)

Physics: June 4 & 5 (Grade 9)

Middle School

ELA: April 2 & 3 (Grades 6-8) (CHANGE to the dates from April 1 & 2 to April 2 & 3)

Math: May 16 & 17 (Grades 6-8)

Science: May 7 & 8 (Grade 8 only)

Civics Field Test: May 23 7 24 (Grade 8 only)

Deer Hill Elementary

ELA: April 3 & 4 (Grade 3)

ELA: April 8 & 9 (Grades 4 & 5)

Math: May 15 & 16 (Grade 3)

Math: May 13 & 14 (Grades 4 & 5)

Science: May 7 & 8 (Grade 5 only)

Please see the Professional Development Calendar below for more information about the professional development for this year.

Please see the graphic below, which was established through the collaborative work of the Cohasset High School Community as part of their accreditation process with NEASC. This work also helped to set our District theme for the year, "Follow Your Compass."

We will continue to engage our students with authentic audiences and to work in contexts that simulate real-world scenarios and conditions. Whether it is the Financial Literacy Fair at CHS, second graders investigating salt marsh minnows and intertidal life, Cohasset High School students presenting their civics action plan and analysis of local watershed data to determine water quality and the health of Cohasset Harbor, CMS French students using their language skills in real life by ordering treats in French at our local Cohasset bakery, French Memories, the amazing opportunities throughout the district provided through our partnership with Holly Hill Farm, our diversity fairs and mosaic initiatives, our collaboration with CEF, including Deer Hill physical education (PE) students learning about bike safety and maintenance in PE, our music students meeting with professional musicians, or our civics and sustainability seminar opportunities (just to name a few), We will continue to provide our students with inspiring and engaging experiences. This real-life and authentic teaching focus will be a major focus for us this upcoming year and will undoubtedly be a major component of our next strategic plan.

All plans and handbooks for the 2023-2024 school year have been approved by the Cohasset School Committee. Thank you to Principal Farrell, Principal Sullivan, Principal Mills, Principal Scott, and to their School Councils for this excellent work. Please see below for the approved plans, which coincide with the Strategic Objectives of the Cohasset Public Schools Strategic Plan, 2021 - 2024.

For Employees:

We continue to update our school website. Please visit the Human Resource page located within the Finance and Operations Department. There you will find lots of exciting information for staff including training videos for Aspen, Aesop as well as updated employee forms. If you have any ideas of what you would like to see on the HR page, please email jballard@cohassetk12.org

Finance and Operations News:

Cohasset Public Schools is Hiring:

We are looking for Educational Support Professionals, please visit www.schoolspring.com to apply

We are also looking for Café staff, please email your resume to vcordon@cohassetk12.org

Fitness Center and the Learning Commons are now open to the students on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Transportation News:

BUS REGISTRATION FOR THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR IS UNDERWAY

Online payment is available through MySchoolBucks. Please visit our Transportation Tab on our school website for more information on registering and paying online. You can also complete the registration form, which can be found on our website, and mail it with your payment, if applicable, to: Cohasset Public Schools, Transportation Department at: 143 Pond Street, Cohasset, MA 02025

If you have questions regarding transportation, please contact Ray Miscioscia, if you have questions regarding MySchoolBucks, please contact Jerilyn Ballard

We are excited to share with you that all bus passes will be available through your Aspen Parent Portal

Once bus passes are loaded into Aspen, these are the instructions for downloading the pass:

1) Log into Aspen: https://ma-cohasset.myfollett.com/aspen/logon.do

2) Click on Family Tab at the top

3) Click on Child’s Name

4) Click on Documents Side Tab

5) Look for and download Bus Pass 2023-2024 document

Students with a smartphone can download or display a screenshot of the bus pass on their devices.

If you have any issues logging into your Aspen Parent Portal account, please submit an IT ticket to: helpdesk@cohassetma.org. Please put “Aspen Parent Portal” in the subject line to ensure a timely response

STOPFINDER

*Stopfinder invites have been emailed, please contact Jerilyn Ballard if you have not received your invite or have questions about the app.

Stopfinder is the all-in-one parent engagement app designed by parents for parents to keep you in the know. Receive bus location and messages, updates, and alerts in real-time. No other parent app provides this much information in real-time to parents and school transportation departments. Think of the peace of mind when parents and guardians know where their child’s bus is and when their student arrives at school or when dropped off at the bus stop.

In the Transportation tab on our website, you will find helpful tutorials on how the parent app works.

We will continue to engage students and staff in the meaningful discussions necessary to promote change. We are committed to promoting anti-racism and cultural responsive teaching and learning.

Ring ring! Hello- it’s us! Cohasset students will be calling next Monday and Tuesday from 6-8pm for our 2023/‘24 appeal. Please answer the call to help support the CEF!

Thank you to the CEF for awarding $23,554 for innovative grants in the last grant cycle. We are so appreciative of the support.

Read more about all our awarded grants in the ‘22/‘23 school year below:

CPS is pleased to continue its partnership with the Cohasset Recreation Department by providing before and after school care for our elementary students. We have an amazing staff that provides wonderful opportunities for our students through the RISE program. Please see this link for more information.

The Student Opportunity Act (SOA) implements the recommendations of the 2015 Foundation Budget Review Commission and includes other provisions to benefit our public schools.

As part of the SOA, districts are required to submit three-year, evidence-based plans aimed at closing persistent disparities in achievement among student subgroups. The District submitted the SOA Plan in January 2021 and then sent the amended plan in March 2022. Please see the presentation below.

Student Opportunity Act Presentation March 2022

Dear CPS Families,

Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year!

Please review our Tech For Families page on the Cohasset Public Schools web site for a list of links and Getting Started resources for CPS families, such as Aspen and Google.

LINK: https://www.cohassetk12.org/Page/4455

For Families in Grades 6-12, your child is a member of our BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) program. Check out our recommended specifications to ensure that you purchase a device that will support their learning at CPS.
LINK:: https://www.cohassetk12.org/Page/4454

Follow these steps to help your child install the BYOD certificate at home:
LINK: https://www.cohassetk12.org/Page/4470

Contact our IT Help Desk for help with your Aspen Family or Student Portal Account, a forgot/lost Cohasset K12 Google Account password, or for assistance with your child’s BYOD device.
LINK: https://www.cohassetk12.org/Page/4481

THURSDAY, December 14, 2023

The holiday season is upon us and we wish everyone a safe and healthy time celebrating with family and friends.

For some of us, the holiday season may bring heavy emotions or you may have a college student returning home for break. Find resources below to assist during this time.

Youth Ambassadors have kicked off their holiday season with their annual sticker shock at Curtis Liquors (read more here), suicide prevention training, Holiday Stroll presence, and are full steam ahead into the new year.

And as we look ahead into the new year, find information below for our Kick Start breakfast on January 11th. RSVP by December 20th so you do not miss out!

December is National Drunk & Drugged Driving Prevention Month

Since 1981, every US president has shown a commitment to stop impaired driving, by proclaiming December National Drunk & Drugged Driving Prevention Month, also known as National 3D Prevention Month.

Why December? The period between Thanksgiving and New Year's has statistically shown to be one of the deadliest and most dangerous times on American roadways due to impaired driving.

Support for Individuals in Recovery

Above are some alkathons that are happening in the area during the holidays. An alkathon is an event or gathering focused on providing support and fellowship for individuals recovering from addiction. The holidays can be a particularly difficult time of year for many, and alkathons help provide a safe, sober place to celebrate.

To Download and View a Full-Size PDF version of this infographic, please CLICK HERE.

Impaired Driving, Talk With Your Kids

SAMHSA

Holidays bring more social event opportunities that may involve substances. Talk openly with family members about being in a vehicle when the driver is under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, including marijuana. Communicate honestly with your children, friends, family members, and colleagues about expectations of behavior and safe choices when attending holiday events, whether they take place in someone’s home or at a public venue.

Please CLICK HERE to continue...

CLICK HERE for more RESOURCES!

Preventing Risky Drinking By College Students The Focus of New Penn State Study

By Penn State news, December 2020

“Underage alcohol consumption has consistently been linked to more frequent consequences across students’ college years, including blackouts, drinking more often and more heavily, and a greater likelihood of driving under the influence or riding with an impaired driver. These outcomes can negatively affect students’ grades, their physical and emotional well-being, and can put them at greater risk of assault or legal problems.”

Please CLICK HERE to continue…

CLICK HERE for more FEATURED NEWS!

Safe Harbor Cohasset Kick Start Breakfast

RSVP by December 20th to safeharborcohasset@gmail.com

“Nine Things Every Parent with an Anxious Child Should Try”

There are many stressors to our day-to-day lives; however, there are many resources available. The District Website has a page dedicated to Social Emotional Learning and Wellness. Please remember that our schools are a resource, and that our counselors, school psychologists, and social workers can support you and your child.

Thank you to all of our counselors for their caring and selfless work throughout the District!

Osgood: Dave Vinton dvinton@cohassetk12.org (adjustment counselor)

Deer Hill: Robyn Costa rcosta@cohassetk12.org (adjustment counselor)

Deer Hill and Osgood: Maeve Dulles mdulles@cohassetk12.org (adjustment counselor)

Deer Hill and Osgood: Alyson Doyle adoyle@cohassetk12.org (school psychologist)

CMS: Emily Manewal emanewal@cohassetk12.org (adjustment Counselor)

Allison Pearce apearce@cohassetk12.org (school psychologist)

CHS: Laura Struzziery lstruzziery@cohassetk12.org (lead counselor)

Leanne McCarthy lmccarthy@cohassetk12.org (high school adjustment counselor)

Kevin McGowan kmcgowan@cohassetk12.org (high school counselor)

Allison Battista abattista@cohassetk12.org (high school counselor)

Catlin Stromberg cstromberg@cohassetk12.org (school psychologist)

Robert Collins rcollins@cohassetk12.org (middle and high school social worker)

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if we can do anything to help your student or your family during this difficult time. Most important is the physical and mental health of everyone, and we will stay focused on making that a priority. Please take good care.

Email: psullivan@cohassetk12.org
Website: https://www.cohassetk12.org/
Phone: 781 383 6111
Twitter: @SuperCohasset

You can also follow the entire leadership team on Twitter to see real-time updates.

Assistant Superintendent: @CPSAssistantSup

Joseph Osgood School: @JOsgoodppal

Deer Hill School: @DeerHillSchool

Cohasset Middle School: @comsprincipal

Cohasset High School: @CoHSPrincipal

We utilize both Aspen and Blackboard communications to inform families of important events, cancellations, and happenings.