THE NAVIGATOR
November 4, 2022
Newsletter
Images of the Week
Trunk or Treat
This past week Osgood had their third O So Good Call Home. This student was recommended because of his kindness and friendly ways. Congratulations to Wes B!
Interested CMS and CHS students met author and educator Tiffany Jewell @tiffanymjewell this past week virtually in a wonderful global learning opportunity.
We Appreciate Our Food Service Workers...Thank You For All You Do! (pictured below are a few of the amazing food service crew at Osgood)
Feliz Dias de muertos! CMS Spanish students learned about the Mexican traditions and meaning of this holiday.
"At Wednesday evening’s Cohasset School Committee Meeting these eloquent Deer Hill educators, Mrs. Johnston, Mrs. Levine, & Ms. Schneider, shared the 5th grade identity unit — its ties to the standards as well as how students build community & value other perspectives." - Principal Sullivan
Wonderful PEP Rally and Homecoming Dance (Dan Leahy Photos)
Seniors Honored for Best Representing the Values of CHS
Seniors in Attendance at Homecoming Game
CMS TO STAGE PRODUCTION OF "MOANA"
Sophomore Leading the "Make a Difference Campaign"
CHS Athletic Complex Update
We are excited for the new track. Here are some pictures showing the finished product!
Turf Renovation to Begin on November 7
The turf replacement project at Alumni Stadium is set to begin this Monday, November 7, 2022, at which time access to the turf and track will be prohibited until further notice. This turf replacement project, along with the recently completed track, is a welcomed improvement to our athletic facilities. We are thankful for the school community and town support and understanding, as we work to provide the best facilities possible for our students and town.
Athletic Director Steve Rotondi and Principal Brian Scott recently sent a message to families of fall sports athletes to outline the potential adjustments to the fall schedule. We plan on maximizing our home facility use, including preserving some home playoff games at Alumni Stadium before the work begins on November 7.
Sports Information
We are excited to cheer on our amazing sports teams, as they move into the postseason. Go Blue!
Cohasset Football Defeats East Bridgewater 42 - 22 at Homecoming (William Wassersug Photo). Cohasset will host Drury High School in first round action of the State Tournament, tonight, Friday, 11/4, at 6:30PM on Alumni Field.
Girls Field Hockey Defeats Hampshire 7 - 0 in First Round of State Tournament. On to round of 16! (William Wassersug Photo)
Cohasset Field Hockey Senior Night (William Wassersug Photo)
Cohasset Girls Soccer Senior Night (William Wassersug Photo)
Dan Leahy Photos / Collage
Strong performances for Cohasset Cross-Country at the South Shore League Championship Meet. Girls were led by sophomores Maggie Brinzey (4th) and Lizzie Blanchard (6th). Boys led by Freshmen Ronan Kearney (16th) and Junior Mick Dockray (20th)
Congratulations, Maggie and Lizzie for earning automatic South Shore League All-Star Team bids with 4th and 6th place finishes.
A great way to celebrate our 3 seniors with a pair of wins vs Sandwich Boys 25-36 and Girls 15-50. Congrats, Bella, Liam and Leighton on your Senior Day.
Great Season, Girls Volleyball. Congratulations, Seniors! (Dan Leahy Photos/ collage)
Great Season, Cohasset Cheer!
Boys Soccer Wins South Shore League Title! (William Wassersug photo)
Budget Calendar and Budget Priorities Approved by School Committee
Budget Calendar for 2022-2023
Budget Priorities
We are currently adjusting the StopFinder app so that families who are signed up for StopFinder will be able to view their child’s bus route in its entirety. We will send a communication to families when the app and this feature are up and running properly for all bus routes (many of you should be realizing full capabilities of the application now).
Please be aware that in the circumstances where we must double up on routes because of a driver shortage your child’s bus route will not be visible in the app. Also, if a bus goes into routine maintenance, your route will not be visible. Moving forward, we will be informing families when either of these two situations occur.
Thank you for your patience as we continue to learn this program together.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the StopFinder app, please reach out to Jerilyn Ballard @ Jballard@cohassetk12.org
School Facilities Condition Study & "Senior Study" Visit
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"
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Excessive Student Absence Notification
Massachusetts General Law Chapter 76 requires that each school notify parents and guardians if their student has five (5) or more unexcused school absences. Parents and guardians will receive a letter when their child has 5, 10, and/or 15+ days of unexcused absences. The letter will also include the number of unexcused tardies and unexcused early dismissals.
Absences will be excused under the following circumstances:
After a medical appointment documented with a note from the medical office
Illness or quarantine with a note from the appropriate medical office
Observance of a religious holiday
Bereavement or serious illness in family
Court appearance
A child may also be excused for other exceptional reasons with approval of the Principal or designee in accordance with the school committee policy and the regulations set in Chapter 76
Daily attendance is essential to a student's success. Missing a significant number of days of school has a detrimental effect on academic and social development. Therefore, each school will work with individual families to support student attendance.
Volunteers Needed
Wellness Committee
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: Assistant Superintendent Leslie Scollins, Ed.D.
Curriculum Updates
Curriculum Review Process
The Cohasset Public School District will begin a formalized five-year curriculum review cycle this year. Development of a curriculum review process is an essential component to maintaining a focus on continuous improvement of student learning. The curriculum review cycle consists of four phases:
- Self-Study: Analysis of the current curriculum and development of action plan
- Develop/Redesign: Development and revision of curriculum
- Implement/Monitor: Implementation and monitoring of curriculum (2 years)
- Evaluate: Evaluation of data/outcomes
The rationale for a Curriculum Review Process:
- Ensures that the district has clearly articulated curriculum that is well coordinated through PreK-12
- Provides for an ongoing review and revision of curriculum
- Supports the ongoing use of assessment data to inform and improve curriculum and instructional practices
- Ensures that revisions and updates to curriculum, instruction, and assessment take place to maintain adherence to changes in state and federal mandates, as well as MA Curriculum Frameworks
- Ensures that curriculum is culturally responsive, unbiased, and inclusive
- Outlines a planned approach towards researching and budgeting for expenditures in curricular materials and professional development
- Evaluates potential needs for curricular or programmatic changes to support student learning
This process of curriculum design and revision is based on the process of backwards design. The foundation of backwards design of curriculum is to determine first, based on our state curriculum standards, what students will know and be able to do and clarify these expectations in a written and communicated curriculum map.
This year Math and Music/Art will be in Phase 1 of the Curriculum Review Process. Please see the Curriculum Review Calendar.
Each content area will involve the creation of a steering committee which will have representatives from district and building leadership, department chairs, and teachers PrK-12. There will be opportunities for family input throughout the process.
Curriculum Initatives
Professional Development
Data Analysis
Elementary Literacy
Please see the professional development calendar below for more information about the professional development that is planned for the year.
Assessment
MCAS 2022 Results
Cohasset High School Vision of the Graduate
Student Opportunity Act (SOA)
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.
District Curriculum Accommodation Plan (DCAP) Revised
Cohasset Public Schools' Strategic Plan for 2021- 2024
Please Click on the Link Below to Access the Entire Strategic Plan
A Downloadable Version of the Calendar Can Be Found Below
Just a reminder that for the 2023 - 2024 School Year, the first day of school for students will be Wednesday, August 30 (before Labor Day). There will be no school for students or staff the Friday before Labor Day.
School Improvement Plans for 2022-2023
From Commissioner of Education Riley’s memo to Superintendents sent on August 15, 2022:
“The Commonwealth is not recommending universal mask requirements, surveillance testing of asymptomatic individuals, contact tracing, or test-to-stay testing in schools. Districts and schools are reminded that there is no longer any statewide masking mandate in schools (other than school health offices) and there is no testing requirement for schools.” We will continue to respect the right of individuals to wear masks at any time during the school day.
“Effective August 15, 2022, all students and staff in childcare, school in grades K-12, or participating in out-of-school time (OST) and recreational camp settings should follow the updated isolation and exposure guidance issued by DPH, in alignment with recently issued guidance from CDC. No asymptomatic person should be excluded from school as a result of exposure, regardless of vaccination status or exposure setting.”
An additional link on isolation and exposure guidance can be found here:
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-isolation-and-exposure-guidance-for-the-general-public
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 PSO Happenings
Cohasset Education Foundation (CEF)
RISE Program
Office of Student Services
UPDATES
Opening Letters and Information Regarding Multi-Tiered Student System of Supports (MTSS)
Multi-Tiered System of Supports
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 and instruction. 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- As the largest tier, and the foundation for the entire framework, Tier 1 encompasses the entire school with core instruction and basic interventions. This structure helps to build positive relationships between staff and students. It includes proactive classroom strategies aimed at creating a supportive learning atmosphere. Teachers will use different strategies as universal supports within the core curriculum and instruction to address all student educational needs. These supports include but are not limited to items identified within the District Accommodation Plan (DCAP) and/or the School Accommodation Plans.
● 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 Multi Tiered System of Support (MTSS) 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 individualized interventions at this level. Parents/guardians will be notified of these supports and 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 School is 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.
Respectfully,
___________________________
Barbara Cerwonka, M.Ed.
Director of Student Services
Child Find Notification
Be Sure to View the Information on the Student Services Web Page
SAFE HARBORS UPDATES
Teen Mindfulness Class
Most Recent Safe Harbors Newsletter
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)
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
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.