THE NAVIGATOR
May 20, 2022
Newsletter
Student Services Forum on May 18 at 6:00PM
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Student Service Forum this past Wednesday evening. A special thank you to Barbara Cerwonka, our Director of Student Services, and to SEPAC for their presentations. Here is a recording of the event, which begins at 10 minutes and 14 seconds into the recording.
Be Sure to View the Information on the Student Services Web Page
Talking to Children About Traumatic Events
Sadly, as a nation we are dealing with another traumatic event with the recent racially motivated shootings in a Buffalo supermarket. Devastating events, such as this, that carry with them media coverage, expose children to images and reports that are troubling and often lead children to ask questions of the adults whom they trust.
Here is an article from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which offers advice regarding how we can talk to children about events such as this.
https://www.adl.org/blog/the-horrific-mass-shooting-in-buffalo-how-to-talk-with-young-people
The ADL website offers additional helpful information.
Our thoughts go out to the victims and their families. We will continue our work to promote equity, inclusion, and empathy.
Sincerely,
Patrick Sullivan, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Cohasset Public Schools
School Transitions in Full Swing
Grade 2 to Grade 3:
The process of preparing your child for 3rd grade includes the following:
DHS visits JOS (June 6): Mrs. Sullivan, Mrs. Dolan, and Mrs. Costa will visit the second-grade classrooms and introduce themselves.
DHS Meet and Greet (June 7): Mrs. Sullivan will host a meet and greet Zoom for families at 6:00 pm; invitations will be sent out.
Student Questions (Week of June 7): Second-grade students will write letters to Mrs. Sullivan asking third-grade questions during computer class.
JOS Students visit DHS (June 14): Second-grade students will visit Deer Hill with their classroom teacher.
Grade 5 to Grade 6:
The process of preparing your child for 6th grade includes the following:
Student Survey (April 25-April 29): DHS 5th grade students answered survey questions about how they feel about coming to middle school and what stressors they may have about the transition to middle school. Our goal in surveying students is to more accurately gauge their concerns as well as to impress upon them our regard for their well-being and student voice.
CMS Visit to DHS (May 4): CMS Principal Mills and School Counselor Mrs. Pearce visited 5th grade classes to introduce students to life at CMS and answer their questions.
CMS Visit to DHS--Choosing Classes (May 11): CMS Music and World Language teachers presented to 5th grade students in person and via Zoom to discuss choosing 6th grade classes.
CMS Welcome Presentation for Parents: (May 11) CMS administration and counseling met with parents via Zoom to share what they and their children can expect in sixth grade. The meeting will be 6PM-7PM and is accessible by using this link: CMS Welcome Presentation for Parents
Course Requesting on Aspen (May 11 - May 18) Students and parents will confirm their courses for 6th grade as well as select their choice of Music, Creativity, and World Language classes on Aspen.
Grade 5 Step Up Day (June 17): Grade 5 students will visit CMS during the day to tour the school and meet their teachers and current 6th graders.
Orientation Day (August TBA) The Orientation Day re-introduces students with the school and teachers. The goal is to answer all lingering questions and prepare students to confidently begin this exciting next stage in their academic career.
Grade 8 to Grade 9:
Conversations with 8th Graders and Parents: Conversations began with 8th graders and their parents in March.
8th Grade Curriculum Night: We hosted an 8th grade curriculum night for parents on 3/22 followed by a series of 8th grade workshops which introduced them to the schedule and helped them pick courses.
Tour of High School: In June we will bring them in for a tour of the building and an athletics assembly regarding fall sports, and will host an orientation in August.
Principal Mills and Guidance Counselor Pearce meet with 5th grade students
CMS Gr 8 students meet with Mrs. Struzziery and the CHS guidance staff
Safe Harbor's Cohasset Youth Ambassadors will spotlight the hidden struggles many people face with the group's first "Cohasset Minds Matter: A Community Wide Day for Mental Health Awareness." The free event, aimed to destigmatize mental health issues, will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 21, on the Cohasset Town Common.
Images of the Week
Wonderful CHS Arts Night!
Please see below for an eloquent thank you from our Arts Department to our students and families...Also, thank you to our Arts Department for all they do, as well.
Osgood Important Dates
Deer Hill Important Dates
CMS Important Dates
CMS French Students Visit Quebec
Important Dates for the Class of 2022
Seniors on College T-Shirt Day
Seniors Enjoying One of Their Last Lunches in School Together
Some Updates Courtesy of Principal Scott and the CHS Newsletter
Max Fernald wins Marjot Grant
Congratulations to 9th grader Max Fernald for winning a prestigious Marjot Foundation grant. Max and his team of young researchers, Owen Gurtz, Isa Murray, and Finn Yemeni will investigate how salinity and temp impact eel grass wasting disease. Come see their presentation at the CSCR State of the Harbor on 5/18 and read more about their work in the Spinnaker.
The Marjot Foundation is a non-profit that supports environmental research at the high school level by funding individuals or teams of high school students to conduct an environmental field or laboratory research project. Projects may focus on any area of environmental research, and must be designed by the student applicant. Students must write an independent proposal detailing their research goals to be carried out over a one-year period in order to apply for a Marjot Foundation grant.
A big thank you goes out to our IT Department for their work in allowing our MCAS testing to run so smoothly.
Cohasset High School Recognized by US News & World Report
Deer Hill Spelling Bee Returning!
Ai3 Presents School Facilities Condition Study
Overall Recommendation for Cohasset Middle School and Cohasset High School is for "Comprehensive Renovation and Addition or New Construction as Defined by the Massachusetts School Building Authority and its Core Program"
Thank you to the Town of Cohasset for Approving the Below School District Budget for FY23
Finance and Operations Updates
Finance and Operations News:
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
Transportation News:
For Parents:
BUS REGISTRATION FOR THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR HAS OPENED
Effective for the 2022-2023 school year, Cohasset Public Schools will continue to administer a fee-based transportation program. The application fee applies to students in Grades K-6 who reside less than or equal to 2 miles from their designated school, and all students in Grades 7-12.
Please visit the Cohasset Public Schools website for more information and the register your child for transportation.
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Coming soon…..
We have been working with Transfinder, our bus routing software company, implementing a new add on for parents, Stopfinder.
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.
All this power in the palm of your hand.
The Stopfinder app is secure and protected. But the app requires your local district to be utilizing Transfinder’s Routefinder software. Stopfinder with Routefinder software will provide your district accurate real-time updates of routes and bus substitutions.
More information to follow in the coming weeks.
School Committee Determines That 2022 - 2023 School Year Will Begin After Labor Day For Students...September 6, 2022
The Cohasset School Committee also decided, by vote, that, moving forward, a pre or post Labor Day school start for students will be determined by how early Labor Day falls within the school year.
“For the 2022-2023 school year, teachers will begin their work year on the Wednesday and Thursday before Labor Day with the Friday before Labor Day as a no school day for students and staff. The first day of school for students for 2022-2023 school year will be September 6th. In subsequent years, if Labor Day falls on September 3rd or earlier, the teachers' work year will start on the Wednesday and Thursday before Labor Day with the Friday before Labor Day as a no school day for students and staff and the first day of school for students taking place on the Tuesday following Labor Day. If Labor Day falls on September 4th or later, the teachers' work year will start on the Monday and Tuesday before Labor Day with the first two days of school for students taking place on Wednesday and Thursday before Labor Day and the Friday before Labor Day as a no school day for students and staff. Teachers work year will terminate no later than June 30. Input from the Association will be considered in developing the School Calendar.”
Please see full 2022 - 2023 School Year Calendar which was approved at the April 13 School Committee Meeting for vote and approval. Thank you to everyone who engaged in the important discussion during the school committee meeting.
Cohasset Community Health Update
Community Health Information:
As of May 19, 2022, the Department of Public Health (DPH) reports that the town of Cohasset’s positive COVID-19 test rate over the past 14 days is 12.91% with 395 tests reported. The town of Cohasset has 51 positive cases reported over the past two weeks. Currently, 95% of eligible Cohasset residents are fully vaccinated with 13% of eligible residents partially vaccinated. Here is the complete report issued on May 19, 2022.
Here is the Confirmed Positive COVID Cases Weekly Update Spreadsheet. This spreadsheet is also found on the district website under COVID-19 Information.
Vaccination Attestation:
Please remember that as your child becomes fully vaccinated to please contact your child’s school nurse.
Proof of your child’s vaccination, submitted to your child’s school nurse, can be provided in one of the following ways:
- A signed self-attestation completed by a parent / legal guardian of the child indicating the brand of vaccine; or
- Documentation provided to the individual by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health or a health care provider. Documentation may include but is not limited to a COVID-19 vaccination record card or a copy or digital picture of the vaccination record card, or a print-out from the Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS).
Thank you for your understanding and for your assistance.
PLEASE NOTE: We have now officially transitioned our practices from Test and Stay to At Home Testing. In conjunction with DESE requirements for being a part of the At Home Testing Program, we are no longer contact tracing within the schools.
Symptomatic Testing: The same consent previously signed for Test and Stay covers Symptomatic Testing, which will be able to be implemented by our nursing staff, now that we are implementing At Home Testing.
Parents and guardians who wish to have their children participate in the Cohasset School District Covid-19 testing, thus being eligible for Symptomatic Testing, must click on the link provided (if you did not do so previously for test and stay) and complete the consent forms.
We are a proud METCO District!
Cohasset Public Schools Vision of Equity
CPS Equity Vision Statement
BE THE CHANGE
Please visit our website for resources regarding the promotion of diversity.
Cohasset Public Schools is a proud METCO District. Please see the METCO Web-page for additional diversity resources.
2021 - 2022 Cohasset Public Schools Calendar
Cohasset PSO Happenings
Cohasset Public Schools' Strategic Plan for 2021- 2024
2021 - 2022 School Improvement Plans
Sports Information
Photo by William Wassersug and the Cohasset Anchor
Riley Nussbaum broke a 48 year old Cohasset school record in the 1 mile run today at the MSTCA coaches invitational with a time of 5.26.30 Way to go, Riley!!
Congratulations to James Appleton and Connor Nicholls who were recognized as members of the MBCA All-Academic Team!
Patriot Ledger Photo
Cohasset-Hull Track & Field Senior Day
RISE Program
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: Assistant Superintendent Leslie Scollins, Ed.D.
Professional Development
Assessment
The Student Opportunity Act
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.
Office of Student Services
UPDATES
Be Sure to View the Information on the Student Services Web Page
Child Find Public Notice
Multi Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Information
A Message from our Director of Student Services, Barbara Cerwonka
To Parents/Guardians of Cohasset Public Schools :
The Cohasset Public Schools believes in providing the highest quality of education for our students. This letter is to provide you with information about a three-tiered instructional approach we use to meet this goal, referred to as Multi Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).
For MTSS, all students will participate in the core curriculum, with three levels (tiers) of interventions for students who demonstrate at-risk skills in general academics or behavior/social emotional areas. Each tier provides additional support beyond the core curriculum. All students receive formal and informal checks to measure their progress to determine if they are performing at an expected level. Behavioral and social emotional impacts are also monitored on a regular basis through the year.
Tier One- Teachers will use different strategies as universal supports within the core curriculum to address all student educational needs.
Tier Two- Based on progress data, students who require more support than Tier One will be provided targeted interventions matched to their needs within the general classroom by the classroom teacher and/or support staff in the classroom. The Tiered Support Team will track the student’s progress, and parents/guardians will receive ongoing progress data.
Tier Three- Students who continue to require measures beyond Tier Two will receive more intensive interventions at this level. Parents/guardians will receive ongoing progress data. After Tier Three implementation, students who continue to display limited progress may then be considered for further evaluation and services.
Our schools are excited to take part in this process to improve educational outcomes for all students. As always, do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or myself if you have questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Barbara Cerwonka, Director of Student Services
Office of Student Services
143 Pond Street, Cohasset, MA 02025-1999
Telephone 781-383-6104
Please see the Basic Rights in Special Education Presentation by Director of Student Services Barbara Cerwonka below
SAFE HARBORS UPDATES
Most Recent Safe Harbors Newsletter
Don't miss out! Tonight-Ground Level Cafe, May 21st Cohasset Minds Matter and more found here.
The Important Role Families Play In Stopping the Spread of COVID-19
Families play an important role in helping to create a culture that prioritizes health and safety. Families should check their children daily for signs of COVID-19 and should keep them home from school if they are not feeling well or if they have been in close contact with a person who has been recently diagnosed with COVID-19. It is also important that families support students wearing masks in school and on the bus. We are strongest when we work together to stop the spread (Initial Fall School Re-entry Guidance, 2020).
CPS Pledge: Healthy and Responsible Behaviors Regarding COVID-19
By coming into Cohasset Public Schools, I pledge I am following:
State expectations for social and physical distancing
Regulations regarding the wearing of facial coverings
Quarantine directives put forth by the Massachusetts Department of Health and the Cohasset Department of Health
Guidance that has students and staff stay home from school / work if they are experiencing symptoms of fever, fatigue, difficulty breathing, or dry cough or if they have exhibited any symptoms relating to COVID-19
Thank you to all of our counselors for their caring and selfless work throughout the District!
Osgood: Dave Vinton dvinton@cohassetk12.org (adjistment counselor)
Deer Hill: Robyn Costa rcosta@cohassetk12.org
Deer Hill and Osgood: Laurie Dolan ldolan@cohassetk12.org (adjustment counselor)
Robyn Costa rcosta@cohassetk12.org (adjustment counselor)
Alyson Doyle adoyle@cohassetk12.org (school psychologist, Osgood and Deer Hill)
CMS: Emily Manewal emanewal@cohassetk12.org
Allison Pearce apearce@cohassetk12.org
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)
Stephanie Gertz sgertz@cohassetk12.org (ESP: BRYT Program...Middle and High School)
Happy Mother's Day!
Take Care of Yourself and Take Care of Each Other
Please click on the following link to access even more information on the Cohasset Public Schools Web Site.
Please follow me on Twitter for daily updates from the Cohasset Public Schools
Email: psullivan@cohassetk12.org
Website: https://www.cohassetk12.org/
Phone: 781 383 6111
Twitter: @SuperCohasset