Cohasset High School Newsletter

September 18, 2026

Dear Families,

This past Wednesday, we had the opportunity as a leadership team to visit the Joseph Osgood School and participate in a conversation with parents that centered around what we are doing as a district to foster belonging from grades K-12. If you've followed the strategic plan over the years, fostering belonging isn't a new initiative, but it is one that evolves both vertically as students age and horizontally as student demographic groups emerge over time.

Vertically, that has meant building genuine connection across grade levels. Our older students now visit the elementary schools for reading projects, present on drug and alcohol awareness, take part in Earth Day activities together, and lead the holiday tour — creating relationships between our youngest and oldest students that didn't exist a few years ago. Horizontally, it has meant expanding the ways students can find their place within a single grade or building, reflected in the growth of athletics and new clubs like Lego League and the Black Student Union.

For me personally, it's the most important thing we can do. One of the most human instincts we have is the need to belong. From an early age, children sort themselves into groups — by interests, by friend circles, by the teams they play on or the activities they choose. This is natural, and it isn't something we want to erase. Groups and identities give kids a sense of pride and connection, whether that is to a neighborhood, grade level, team, club, lunch table, or any of the multiple ways in which students organize themselves.

But there's a harder question underneath that instinct: does belonging to a group require having something — or someone — to define ourselves against? Left unchecked, the same pull that brings kids together can just as easily divide them, sorting classmates into "us" and "them" based on things as arbitrary as what bus they ride. We want students to have a real sense that they belong to something greater than themselves. At the same time, we want all of us to belong, in all of our diversity, under the shared values outlined in the Vision of the Graduate. We strive for an Us that doesn't require a Them.

Fostering belonging is a focus that is achieved, not by asking kids to blend in or give up what makes them distinct, but by working to expand our community so there's room for everyone as they are. That might look like a new club that gives a group of students a place to land, a difficult conversation that helps two kids see each other differently, or simply a classroom culture where differences are treated as interesting rather than divisive. This is a theme that will drive us this year.

We know this work doesn't happen only at school. We're grateful to partner with you in raising kids who feel secure enough in their own belonging that they don't need to find it at anyone else's expense. Over the coming months, you'll see some of the specific ways we're putting this into practice this year. We thank you for your partnership in helping to create an environment that maximizes student well-being.

Sincerely,

Brian T. Scott
Principal

IMPORTANT! Complete Your Annual Student Information Update

It is critically important that we have the most updated contact information and information regarding data-sharing on file. Each year, parents and guardians are required to update this. To do so, please:

Log in to the Parent Portal.
Select Forms from the left navigation menu.
Click Contact Update and Annual Permissions and select New.
Complete each section in order:

Start
Student
Family/Contacts
Additional Info
Documents
Submit

After reviewing all information, click Submit to finalize your update.

National Merit Commended Students

Congratulations to the following students who have been named as Commended Students in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program, awarded to 34,000 of the top 50,000 students bsed on their 2025 PSAT scores.

Charlotte Gallagher

Sienna Marshak

Wilson Nussbaum

Eren Tiryaki

Student Council Officers

Congragulations to our newly elected underclass student officers!

Grade 11
Joey Pannozzo (P)
James Sunday (VP)
Max Ly (S)
Cole Buckley (T)
Enzo Arace (Tech)

Grade 10
Caroline McCallion (P)
Flynn Jansen (VP)
Eddie Windham (S)
Christian Kondrat (T)
Henry Gallagher (Tech)

Grade 9
Molly Kiernan (P)
Adrienne Crowell (VP)
Najlah Jackson (S)
Andrew Askjaer (T)
Josh Rossi (Tech)

Cohasset HS Featured in The Spot

Thanks to The Spot for featuring a few recognitions and initiatives in their latest podcast. Worth a listen!

PSAT and SAT Dates

Please note the following:

On Thursday, October 8, 2026, Cohasset High School will administer the PSAT during the school day for all interested 10th- and 11th-grade students.

The PSAT gives students valuable practice with the content, format, and experience of taking a college entrance exam (SAT). We encourage students to take the PSAT in both sophomore and junior year. For juniors, the PSAT is also the only qualifying exam for National Merit Scholarship consideration.

Registration & Payment
$50 if paid by September 14, 2026
$60 after September 14, 2026
Payment deadline: September 21, 2026
Payment information will be sent shortly
Payment automatically registers your student.
Fees are non-refundable once tests have been ordered.
For questions about registration or testing accommodations, or if the fee presents a financial hardship, please contact your student’s counselor.

For questions about test administration, please contact SAT Coordinator, Shawn Turner at sturner@cohassetk12.org.

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SAT – October 2, 2026
On Friday, October 2, 2026, Cohasset High School will offer the SAT during the school day for 12th-grade students.
While many colleges and universities are test-optional, many still consider SAT scores. For the most up-to-date testing requirements, visit FairTest and individual college websites. Students and families may also contact their school counselor for assistance in developing a testing plan.
Registration & Payment
$68 if paid by September 14, 2026
$106 after September 14, 2026
Payment deadline: September 21, 2026
Payment information will be sent shortly
Payment automatically registers your student.
Fees are non-refundable once tests have been ordered.

For questions about registration or testing accommodations, or if the fee presents a financial hardship, please contact your student’s counselor.

For questions about test administration, contact SAT Coordinator, Shawn Turner at sturner@cohassetk12.org.