Cohasset High School Newsletter
News and Happenings at Cohasset High School
September 26, 2025
Dear Families,
I sometimes will joke with faculty that if we are taking 100 students on a field trip, even if we return with 95 it's still an A. Obviously, such a result would be unacceptable, but I use it to illustrate that metrics need to be contextualized, whether those metrics are grades, DESE accountability ratings, or rankings in things like Boston Magazine or US News & World Report.
On Wednesday evening we had a wonderful gathering of parents and educators who were not afraid to address some real challenges our students face. While we discussed achievement pressure specifically, I think this is one of many challenges that our students face in their quest for self-esteem, purpose, and confidence. Concretely addressing the reality of the situation, looking at what we are doing that unintentionally contributes to negative outcomes, and being willing to admit that we have made mistakes and can and need to do better is a helpful first step.
In all of the metrics we shared, I made the point that percentages at Cohasset are easy for me to understand. Because when you have a class size of 100 students, each percentage is one student. And sometimes anything less than 100% is just not good enough.
Twenty years ago I was teaching and I had a student named Tommy. Tommy was there every day, and every day did his best to sleep through my class. He rarely if ever had homework done and routinely failed assessments. He failed the class. I also ran summer school at the time and Tommy, a senior, needed to pass the class to graduate, but also needed an alternative assignment so that he could move on prior to July.
I gave him an essay, and he promptly returned the essay with the web address of the site he used to plagiarize still printed on the bottom. I went to the principal at the time, a man who I greatly respect and who has very much shaped the administrator and the teacher that I hope to become. Livid, I told him that there was no way in good conscience that I could pass him. I felt personally drained from multiple efforts to reach him, and self-conscious in my failure, but obstinate that I was going to hold the line which I viewed as academic integrity.
The principal let me vent, then looked me straight in the eye and described how it was a miracle that Tommy showed up every day. He was late most days because he had to get his little brother on the bus with his lunch packed, and when he went home in the afternoon he often found his mother on the couch, addicted to drugs, and had to care for his brother then, feeding him, making sure he took a bath, and helping him with his schoolwork. On the weekends he worked to support his family.
"Tommy doesn't need your class. He needs a diploma and a chance. This looks like D- work to me." We have since come to call it "The gentleman's D-".
I was humbled. And I share that story with faculty because it made me realize that my own ego was getting in the way of what the greater purpose was. That purpose and the context in which we need to contextualize our metrics is outlined in our Vision of the Graduate. We do our best at teaching certain skills and content that will help students be successful in the future. But that can never be a substitute for modelling compassion and being aware that all people in our buildings -- students, faculty, staff, parents -- come into our space with what Peggy McIntosh describes as "an invisible knapsack", a whole host of obstacles that get in the way of learning.
For our students, that can take many forms: the pressure of social comparison, fledgling friendships, unstable home lives, substance struggles. Every one of those students wants at their core to be connected to something. And often when the stabilizing connections are threatened, they make decisions that can complicate matters -- picking on other students, withdrawing, exhibiting depressive symptoms, and self harm.
We have a unique opportunity here in Cohasset to build a better community for those who seek it. And while it might not hold up in every aspect of their lives, having some pockets where students feel seen and understood and supported is crucial of we are going to realize the aspirations present in our Vision of the Graduate. And whatever challenges we face, whether achievement pressure or something else, if we can keep that lighthouse in our sights, we have a real chance of reaching every student.
Sincerely,
Brian T. Scott
Principal
Letter of Commendation
Congratulations to senior Charlotte McCallion, who was recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a Commended Student in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program and specifically her performance on the PSAT/NMSQT Qualifying Exam. Roughly 1.5 million students take the PSAT. Of those, the top 50,000 scorers are identified. The top 16,000 move into the semifinalist round for the National Merit Scholarship. The remaining 34,000 students are designated as commended students. That puts Charlotte among the top 3% of performers nationally in 2026. Congratulations Charlotte!
Let's Go Skipp-ahs!
Last Friday, our senior fall captains visited Deer Hill and led the students in a range of appropriate cheers for when they come out to celebrate their favorite sports teams. Yes, they are on togas.
School the World
Date/time: Thursday, October 16th at 6PM
Location: Cohasset High School Room 177
Contact: info@schooltheworld.org
Description:
Join us to learn about School the World's 2026 spring and summer service trips! STW's Student Service Program provides an inspiring service experience for High School Students. While traveling to Guatemala, Panama, or Honduras, they will get to experience a new culture, make new friends, fulfill service hours and create lasting relationships with the kids in the community! All while supporting our infrastructure growth by building a school and/or a playground! Join us on October 16th to hear from past Cohasset student travelers about their experiences, and ask questions about our spring programs!
Ms. Ziady
Ms. Toffey
The 2026 School Council
Free Cohasset Gear!
Now that I have your attention, we are looking for parents, and particularly parents with current knowledge of what workplace expectations are for our students. Please consider building our support community by joining one of the opportunities offered by the Superintendent below. And if you join, come see me about getting some Cohasset swag. I won't leave you hanging.
Project Based Learning Steering Committee
Mondays @ 3:30pm-4:30pm
10/6,11/3,12/1,1/12, 2/2, 3/2, 4/6, 5/4, 6/1
Purpose: The PBL Steering Committee will meet regularly to learn about PBL and design a plan to support the roll out of PBL in CPS.
Members will include: Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Director of Student Services, 1 Elementary Principal, 1 Secondary Principal, up to 2 Unit A Members per building, up to 2 MS and 2 HS students, up to 2 CPS caregivers
AI & Tech Task Force
Mondays @ 8:45am-9:45am
10/27, 11/24, 12/15, 1/26, 2/23, 3/23, 4/27, 5/18
Purpose: The AI & Tech Task Force will meet regularly to learn about AI, drive the development of a district-wide AI policy, evaluate and recommend AI tools and usage across the District, and consider the wider use of technology as well.
Members will include: Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, CPS Data Information Systems Manager, 1 Technology Department Representative, 1 Elementary Principal, 1 Secondary Principal, up to 2 Unit A Members per building, up to 2 MS and 2 HS students, up to 3 CPS caregivers
Communications Committee
Mondays @ 3:30pm-4:30pm
10/20, 11/17, 1/12, 2/9, 3/9, 4/13, 5/11, 6/8
Purpose: The Communications Committee will meet regularly to assess and evaluate communication practices across the district and develop a communications plan for CPS.
Members will include: Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, 1 Elementary Principal, 1 Secondary Principal, up to 1 Unit A Member per building, up to 1 MS and 1 HS student, 1 School Committee Member, and up to 2 CPS caregivers.
Please reach out to Ms. Shannon with any questions. Registration for each working group will be open through Monday, September 29, 2025 and can be found on this Google Form. We will notify you by October 1 if you have been chosen as a representative on a committee. We will be prioritizing those applicants with relevant experience. We are looking forward to working with you!
Important! Please Complete
Please complete the Parent Portal Workflow in Aspen. The workflow is very brief and covers the following areas:
- Emergency Contact Information
- Do Not Photograph -- NOTE: DO NOT PHOTOGRAPH includes Yearbook photos.
- Handbook Acknowledgment
- Information Sharing with the PSO, CEF, and Military
Instructions on how to complete the workflow:
Parent Drop Offs in the Main Office (and for the love of Pete Stop dropping students on the main drive in the morning. It's getting awkward.)
We are seeing an alarming number of drop-offs in the main office since the beginning of school. While we can all appreciate the rush to get out of the house, we also want to promote solving the problem rather than enabling it. If that means a student goes without gym shoes for the day and needs to make up a class, it's a minor penalty to help build muscle memory not to leave the shoes the next time.
MCLC Seeking Civics Fellows for the 2025-26 School Year
MCLC, a statewide group of non-profits, school districts, educators, and civic-minded organizations, is recruiting currently-enrolled high school students to serve as “Civic Fellows” in support of the Coalition’s mission to help prepare students to become more civically aware and engaged.
This fellowship opportunity, available to 8-10 applicants, will begin in late-September of 2025 and run through early May, 2026. During this approximately 8-month period, Civic Fellows will identify a public policy concern within the realm of the Coalition’s mission and goals and work to develop a strategy to address the issue. For 2025-26, the Coalition has identified high school voter registration as an urgent public policy need and students with a particular interest and/or experience in this regard are strongly encouraged to apply. The anticipated time commitment is 4 hours per month, largely remote, for a total of 20 hours over the 8-month fellowship period. This stipended position will pay $500.00.
Those interested in pursuing this opportunity should send an email expressing their interest to Ed O’Connell, MCLC’s Youth Initiative Leader, with the subject line “Civic Fellowship Opportunity.” Ed will also be happy to answer any questions you have! A "quick facts" sheet may be found here. A short application form may be found here. An informational flyer may be found here.
Cohasset High School
Website: www.cohassetk12.org
Location: 143 Pond Street, Cohasset, MA, USA
Phone: 781-383-6100
Twitter: @CoHSPrincipal