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

2023 Special Town Meeting Information

Special Town Meeting 2023

o Date / Time: November 13, 2023 - 7:00 PM

o Location: Cohasset High School - Sullivan Gymnasium, 143 Pond Street, Cohasset, MA

VIDEO

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.

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

It was four years ago that Erica Parrell (fourth grade teacher) and her Teach from the Shore Committee advocated for the upcoming holiday to be recognized as Indigenous Peoples' Day by Cohasset School Committee... and the Cohasset School Committee agreed! This is a wonderful example of cultural proficiency, student advocacy, and community collaboration. This student agency truly represents our district vision of "Empowering Students to Improve Communities." So please enjoy Indigenous Peoples' Day and reflect on, in the words of President Biden, "Indigenous peoples’ resilience and strength as well as the immeasurable positive impact that they have made on every aspect of American society." Great job students!

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.

Ninth Grade Historical Society Tours and CoastSweep

"Thanks to Coach A, Ms. Reardon, Mr. Fortin, Ms. Norton, Mr. Stamides, Coach Ford, the Green Team, Ms. Noyes and the Historical Society that helped with CoastSweep this year. Another great day and a great way to take responsibility and develop gratitude for our surroundings.

The day began with four rotations that brought the local historyof Cohasset to life. Students visited the Historical Society, the Winslow House, the Maritime Museum, and were given a 9th grade skills workshop at the Town Hall. Following lunch, students cleaned Cohasset beaches (Rocky, Sandy, and Bassings) as part of COASTSWEEP.

COASTSWEEP is the statewide beach cleanup sponsored by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM). COASTSWEEP is part of the International Coastal Cleanup organized by Ocean Conservancy in Washington, DC. Volunteers from all over the world collect marine debris—trash, fishing line, and any other human-made items—and categorize and tally what they find. This information is then used to help discover marine debris sources and find solutions to this problem.

Great day for all!" -- Principal Scott

"Steve Kurkjian visits Holocaust and Human Behavior Course

Coach Afanasiw and his Holocaust and Human Behavior course welcomed Mr. Steve Kurkjian, Boston Globe reporter and father of Ms. Parrell at the Deer Hill School, to speak to them about the human side of the Armenian Genocide, a tragedy which occurred between 1915-1923 which the students were studying and which Mr. Kurkjian's father emigrated to America to escape.

Although students understand the historical events, Mr. Kurkjian personalized the impact that the event had on his father and which continues to resonate today. He stressed the importance of honoring your heritage, but also the importance of acknowledging that such tragedies happened and continue to happen -- in Darfur, Cambodia, Bosnia -- in practices of systemic racism, and most recently for Armenians, in the conflict in Azerbaijan. He implored students to learn from history.

Said Kurkjian, "The Holocaust was not a singular evil in modern history that it was a manifestation of an ideology gone awry and will happen again and again unless awareness is vigilant."

It was an incredibly powerful and personal presentation.

More information about the photograph that was presented and the present day situation in Azerbaijan that the students were studying can be found here:

https://armenianweekly.com/2014/04/22/kiss-childrens-eyes-search-answers-genocide-one-remarkable-photograph/

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/09/27/world/stunningly-sudden-end-long-bloody-conflict-caucasus/?p1=BGSearch_Overlay_Results

" - Principal Scott

"It was a gorgeous fall evening last night and perfect for an outdoor movie. Many thanks to the Deer Hill PSO for hosting a showing of Elemental for all families. I can't think of a better way to kick off a long weekend!" - Principal Sullivan

Celebrating National Principals' Month! We are fortunate to have four wonderful principals leading our amazing schools. Thank you, Principal Farrell, Principal Sullivan, Principal Mills, and Principal Scott for all you do for Cohasset staff, students, and families.

The Cohasset High School Athletic Hall of Fame Committee is now accepting nominations for the 2024 Hall of Fame Class. Families, friends, fans, and CHS Alumni are asked to assist the Hall of Fame Committee in putting together Hall of Fame application packets for prospective candidates for the March 2, 2024, Induction Dinner. The Hall of Fame Committee will be voting on nominated teams in November and will announce the inductees in December.

The mission of the Cohasset Athletic Hall of Fame is to recognize and honor former student-athletes, coaches, teams, administrators/teachers and significant contributors like boosters, volunteers, and military veterans for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the Cohasset High School Athletic Program.

The deadline for submitting nomination forms is November 13, 2023.

Below are the links to the online CHS Athletic Hall of Fame nomination forms.

Individual Athlete: https://forms.gle/vqjV6kkLNrSiN8tv5

Team: https://forms.gle/T2wCEQxaZ4oboA2L6

Coach: https://forms.gle/4b3grjQz3f9VWaL48

Significant Contributor: https://forms.gle/n9JGbsStnDigQZZe8

If you would like a written or digital copy of the nomination forms sent, please email Ron Ford at rford@cohassetk12.org.

Families in grades K-8 received information about fall benchmark assessments. i-Ready benchmark assessments (reading and math) family reports for students in grades K-8 are available in Aspen. DIBELS family reports for students in grades K-5 will be sent home via your child's backpack on Wednesday, October 11th.

Friday, October 6 Cohasset Faculty engaged in a professional day filled with collaboration and learning.

The Wellness Committee met on Wednesday, October 4 and discuss plans for the upcoming school year. Please see the minutes below. The committee is made up of staff, students, families, and community members. We are in need of parent/guardians to be part of the committee. If you would like to be part of the Wellness Committee please contact Leslie Scollins at lscollins@cohassetk12.org.

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

All parent/guardians of CPS students are now able to verify and update their contact information in Aspen's Parent Portal.

The workflow is intended for a parent/guardian to electronically update (per student) the following information:

• Emergency Contact Information
• Do Not Photograph
• Handbook Acknowledgment
• Information Sharing with the PSO and CEF

Instructions on how to complete the workflow can be found here:

https://www.cohassetk12.org/cms/lib/MA01907530/Centricity/Domain/214/ASPEN%20PARENT%20CONTACT%20Workflow%202022.pdf

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."

Greetings Cohasset Families,

We are excited to welcome everyone back to what promises to be a wonderful school year. This year we will continue to focus our efforts as a school community on the implementation of the third and final year of the Cohasset Public Schools Strategic Plan 2021- 2024, which was created collaboratively by the entire Cohasset School Community.

We will strive to create an environment that is focused on the whole student, as we help students realize this year’s theme, “Follow Your Compass.” We are excited to help students achieve the gains that come from navigating their educational journey, as they understand their strengths and opportunities for growth.

Above all else, please know that we are here to support you and your child. Please do not hesitate to contact me or any staff member if we can help along this year’s journey.

Please click on the included links to access the Welcome Letter for the 2023-2024 School Year.

Sincerely,

Patrick Sullivan, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Cohasset Public Schools

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 Marilyn Haraden

Fitness Center and the Learning Commons are now open to the students on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00 pm to 6:00 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.

Please see the METCO webpage on our District website for important information regarding our METCO program.

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.

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

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to the 2023-24 school year. The Cohasset Public Schools Department of Food and Nutrition is excited to provide breakfast and lunches to all students in the district for free this year once again through the state of Massachusetts.

State officials have clarified that while school meals will be universally free for all students during SY 2023-2024, all school districts must continue to make school meal applications available to certify children for free and reduced price meals and that information may be used to qualify newly eligibly children for P-EBT.

Therefore, a new SY 2023-2024 meal household application must be filled out to qualify for these benefits.

If you already received a letter from the district do not fill out another application.

We will be sending forms out and they are also available on Please our website cohassetk12.org to fill out a SY 2023-2024 free and reduced application. Forms are available under the nutrition tab.

REQUIRED FOR APPLICATION TO BE APPROVED:

Step 1: Child’s full legal name and school (no nicknames)

Step 2: Number is provided on your letter – not your card

Step 3. Name and income – (Weekly, Bi –Weekly, 2x Monthly or Monthly)

If you are a seasonal employee, please enter annual income

Step 4: Last 4 digits of Social Security and Signature are REQUIRED –If not received, applications will be denied automatically and will delay approval process.

• New form is required, status does not carry over from year to year.
• ONE form per family. Please make sure all children are included on the form that are in your household, including those that do not attend school
• Only one application is required. If an online application is completed, a paper application is not needed.
• If you have any questions, please contact food services at 781-383-6107 or email at mharaden@cohassetk12.org.

Thank you,

Marilyn Haraden, Director of Food Services

Cohasset Public Schools

“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.