Cohasset High School Newsletter

November 21, 2025

Dear Families,

Last Friday, we published report cards. That same day, the Boston Globe published an article in which an internal report from Harvard lamented that too many students are receiving A's, reflecting both the known phenomenon of grade inflation at all secondary levels and a concern among faculty that holding students to a more rigorous standard causes them to be the outlier and come under more scrutiny. The article raises the concern that the inflation is masking a level of competency among graduates.

This is neither surprising nor particularly new, and we are not so different in terms of these trends. There are many reasons for this. Over the last decade there have been several shifts in the way student learning is approached and scaffolded, the way student assessments are created, and how competency is measured. Open enrollment in classes resolves the issues of tracking and can lead to student opportunities, but it can also lead to a more watered down version at the higher levels of classes as the variability in learning profiles expands in a given discipline and teachers are faced with reaching all students.

There is also the philosophical debate about whether and to what extent grading should reflect a student's mastery of content and skills as opposed to behaviors (consistently completing homework for example). The ability of students to redo work falls into this debate. All of these trends impact the discussion on what grades have become, much different than the bell curve 30 years ago.

But one observation stood out to me, and I want to explore this more deeply. "Far too many Harvard students believe that grading should reflect the effort they put into a course rather than the quality of their work, or their mastery of academic materials", Dean of Undergraduate Education Amanda Claybaugh said. According to the article, this observation seems to correlate with COVID, where concern for students' emotional well-being and a dramatic shift in being able to teach effectively also seems to have inadvertently sent a message to students that there is a direct causation between effort and grades. While there should be a correlation between effort and grades, it's a misleading message to send that mastery of a subject can be attained simply through hard work.

To be clear: our teachers maintain rigorous standards, and grades earned reflect genuine achievement. The question isn't about the validity of grades. It's whether our overall system is optimally preparing students for what comes next. According to the report, 22% of students who go to state universities have to take at least one remedial course.

As subjects get harder and more abstract, most students hit a wall where the amount of work they're assigned starts to outpace their ability to truly understand it. Our students are really good at "doing school"—give them clear instructions and a rubric, and they'll deliver exactly what's asked. That's effort, and it matters.

But here's where effort isn't enough. As someone who scored well in AP Calculus in high school but struggled with graphical calculus in college, I understand this completely. Ask our students to find the derivative of f(x) = x³ + 2x² - 5x + 7, and most can do it. They'll apply the formula and get f'(x) = 3x² + 4x - 5. What many can't do yet is answer the deeper questions: Why does this derivative tell us how fast the function is changing? What does it actually mean when we calculate f'(2) = 15? Where is the function going up versus going down? If this equation described a car's position over time, what would the derivative represent? Why did that 7 at the end disappear?

There's a big difference between following steps and actually thinking mathematically. A student who's great at following formulas might complete all of the homework but then freeze when you show them a graph and ask, "What would the derivative look like?" or "When is this particle moving fastest?" These questions demand real understanding of how things relate to each other, not just memorized procedures.

That's the gap between doing the work and genuinely learning the material. The difference is between executing an algorithm and thinking like a mathematician. This is exactly what Harvard's report is getting at: students can jump through hoops and earn A's without ever being pushed to demonstrate deep comprehension.

For most of our students, this level of comprehension takes time. And they are able to do it. The challenge is how many of these things can we realistically ask them to do simultaneously. A student might excel in Accelerated English or Chemistry or Biology or French or AP US History . . . but to do them together and with all of their other commitments might just be too much.

Pressure on seniors to send out high quality first report cards doesn't help this phenomenon, and we understand that. I believe that part of the solution happens long before senior year. The right balance of classes is important. A student can take the highest levels of classes and work hard and do all of the work and sometimes even get all good grades. But if it's at the expense of deeply understanding the material it may be a challenge later on. It may also impact a student's overall well-being, something we've discussed at length. The takeaway isn't that we should lower standards, but that we should appreciate the level of rigor that a student is being asked to do and help them make sure that the level of effort for deep comprehension is accessible.

We need to have honest conversations with counselors and teachers about course selection, particularly in 10th grade at the high school, but even in 7th grade as students choose levels. And those conversations need to acknowledge not just whether the student is able to take all accelerated courses, but whether the load will allow them to truly engage and master the material. As a school, this is an area that we consistently struggle with, but it's an area that is important to take seriously.

As students and parents both put it (and I agree), yes, the grade on that first report card is important, but they also need to be able to do the work when they get to college. As we rethink our grading structures in the context of preparedness and student well-being, these are important things to consider and conversations that we are committed to having as a school community.

Sincerely,

Brian T. Scott

Principal

Congratulations to the 2025-2026 National Honors Society Inductees!

On Tuesday, November 18th, 33 new members were inducted to the Joseph Osgood Chapter of the National Honors Society. The Joseph Osgood Chapter of NHS is proud to have been inducting new members since 1967 and this week's ceremony indicates the continuing emphasis on excellence that we represent for our school and community.

Throughout the year, members of our chapter serve as role models for other students. In addition to the strong academic achievement which establishes eligibility for membership, our chapter members are leaders in many student organizations and serve our school and community, partnering with organizations such as the Safe Harbor Coalition, the Cohasset Historical Society, St. Anthony’s Food Pantry, Dana Farber Cancer Center, Cohasset Veterans Affairs and the Cohasset Conservation Trust among several others.

We are proud of our record of accomplishment and welcome our new inductees who bring new energy in support of our continuing work.

Third Annual Addiction Gallery Walk

Gabby Madden has organized the 3rd annual Addiction Gallery Walk at the Paul Pratt Library. It is a project she has been doing that asks Cohasset High School students to create art about addiction, recovery or anything in between. Multiple mediums were used, and this year an amazing display is set up for viewing in the Paul Pratt Library through the month of November. All are invited to view!

SAACing Suicide Prevention

The SAAC has finished the Suicide Prevention Month awareness and fundraising campaign selling semi colon pins. They raised $425 and donated it to the Suicide Prevention division of the South Shore NAMI.

Football in the Final Four!

Come support the Skippers as they take on Northbridge at Woburn HS this Saturday at 1:30. If you can't make the game, it will be streamed by the MIAA using the link below.

In Important News . . .

Congratulations to JT MacDonald and Tighe Dwyer for defeating Ronan Carnes and James Muldowney in the 2025 Pickleball Tournament. For a large man, JT is surprisingly nimble on the court. Thanks to Student Council for running another great tournament!

HIGH SCHOOL HEALTH SCREENINGS

9th and 10th grade health screenings will be starting next week (Oct. 14th) in the high school nurse’s office.

The freshman class will be screened for scoliosis. This requires students to remove their shirts so that the spine can be evaluated. The screening is performed in a private examination room.

The sophomore class will be screened for hearing, vision, height and weight.

At all times student’s privacy will be respected.

If a student does not pass the screenings the parents/guardians will be notified by the school nurse.

Please email Mrs. Collins R.N. jcollins@cohassetk12.org if you would like to opt your student out of the screenings or if you have any questions.