Canton Public Schools Share Information From April 29 School Committee Meeting

Press release from Canton Public Schools:

May 11, 2021

CANTON — Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Fischer-Mueller would like to share with the school community updates and information provided at the April 29 Canton School Committee meeting.

A recording of the full meeting can be viewed here.

Additional meeting materials, including the Superintendent’s Report and all documents shared at the meeting are available here.

Summer Learning Programs

The District is developing a number of new summer learning programs in recognition of students’ additional academic and social-emotional needs due to several months of hybrid/remote learning this year. In addition to the new programs, the Extended School Year, Canton Academy, Bridge and Jump Start programs will return this summer.

Summer Scholars: Summer Scholars will be a summer academic program and will meet the needs of students going into grades 1-12 who may have unfinished learning or need to continue their learning into the summer. It will run four weeks, July 12 – August 5, Monday through Thursday each week. The program is grant funded and will be provided at no cost to families.

The Summer Scholars program for students K-5 will focus largely on academic needs – primarily foundational reading and math skills – but will also devote time to social-emotional development. The program will have multiple location and scheduling options, including: the Stoughton Y full-day program option, the JFK School morning option, and through a collaboration with Kidsborough and Cole Harrington for students at camp.

The Summer Scholars program for GMS students will be a half-day program and will focus on project-based learning. The program will also promote student engagement, interaction and collaboration. CHS Summer Scholars students will take half-day subject specific classes in ELA, Math, Science or History/Social Studies. CHS students will be able to take one or two classes.

A variety of criteria will be evaluated to determine which students are eligible for Summer Scholars or may benefit most from the program, including attendance, grades, social-emotional needs, economic insecurity (as defined by DESE), standardized test scores, assessment data and teacher input. Parents/guardians are also able to complete a survey to specifically let the District know that they would like their child to be considered for Summer Scholars. Parents/guardians recently received this survey along with summer programming information.

Summer Enrichment: The K-8 Summer Enrichment program will take place through Canton Academy. Additional options may also be available for GMS and CHS students, including a possible summer book club or math support. The Music Camp will be available for students and will take place from August 16-20. The District is also developing an elementary summer resource page with resources in Math, Science and English Language Arts to support parents/guardians who may prefer to work with their students remotely over the summer.

Additional supports for all students: The District is also working to make summer reading books available for all students along with online math support. More information regarding these resources will be made available to parents/guardians before the end of the school year.

Parents/guardians received summer learning information at the end of April. Between May 3-15 schools will be working to identify students for the Summer Scholars program and communicating with those families. Registration for summer programs will take place May 17-31.

Details of the summer learning programs can be viewed as part of the District Update presentation by clicking here.

Spring 2021 MCAS

The District’s MCAS testing calendar is now available and has been distributed to parents/guardians. Students in grades 3-8 on the RLP will have the option to complete the MCAS remotely. Students at the high school level will be expected to take the MCAS in person. Current Juniors are not required to complete the MCAS for graduation purposes, but have the option of testing for scholarship qualifications and the Seal of Biliteracy. Parents/guardians of Juniors who wish to take the MCAS should opt in to testing via a survey that was distributed.

Canton Public Schools MCAS Calendar:

• Grade 3 Continuum/RLP: English Language Arts on May 20, Mathematics on May 25
• Grade 4 Continuum/RLP: English Language Arts on May 18, Mathematics on May 24
• Grade 5 Continuum/RLP: English Language Arts on May 17, Mathematics on May 21, Science on June 1
• Grade 6 Continuum/RLP: English Language Arts on May 20, Mathematics on May 25
• Grade 7 Continuum/RLP: English Language Arts on May 18, Mathematics on May 24
• Grade 8 Continuum/RLP: English Language Arts on May 17, Mathematics on May 21, Science on May 26
• Canton High School: English Language Arts on May 27 and 28, Mathematics on June 2 and 3, Science on June 7 and 8

GMS Therapeutic Program

The District is proposing the GMS Therapeutic Program to support the increasing population of students at the middle school level, both currently at GMS and who may be considering returning to GMS, who are presenting with social-emotional concerns. The early support that would be provided by this program will help with students’ success toward graduation from the Canton Public Schools.

The GMS Therapeutic Program is designed for students who meet the criteria for Emotional Impairment under DESE guidelines. Prior to a referral to the program, these students will have demonstrated significant and limited social-emotional functioning across multiple settings; an inability to manage emotions, frustrations and/or behaviors, and an inability to build or maintain relationships with peers and adults.

Overall, the program will aim to:

• Help students increase abilities to sustain attention and regulate emotions and behaviors in order to access grade level curriculum in the general education setting, with increasing independence;
• Teach students to identify their triggers and utilize coping strategies when faced with a frustrating situation, with decreasing support from staff; and
• Provide students with therapeutic, structural, academic and behavioral support throughout the day so that they are able to participate in the general education setting as much as possible based on the individual needs of every student.

These program goals will be accomplished by focusing on areas such as: developing safe and supportive relationships with peers/staff, identifying and utilizing coping strategies to manage behaviors and develop problem-solving skills, maintaining safety, managing transitions, developing executive functioning skills, expanding critical thinking and collaborative skills, having access to inclusion classes, and maintaining grade level academic skills. Therapeutic strategies utilized as part of the program will include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Social Development Skills and Self-Regulation Skills.

The Therapeutic Program differs from a Home Base program because it is long-term and provides consistent wrap-around therapeutic supports throughout the day. Additionally, IEP goals and benchmarks drive the specialized academic and other supports that are provided. The program is also data driven and based on special education eligibility criteria, and has clear entry and exit criteria.

The total costs for tuition and transportation for students who are expected to come back to the District because of the program is currently estimated at $236,205 for FY22. Additionally, the estimated costs for staffing the program with a teacher, special educator and adjustment counselor is $125,000. As the program is developed overtime, future savings are estimated to be $243,291 for FY23. This takes into account the alternative placements that may be needed for students without the Therapeutic Program. With a Therapeutic Program established at the GMS, the District would conduct needs assessments that may identify needs for additional programs at the elementary or high school levels.

The full presentation regarding the proposed GMS Therapeutic Program can be viewed by clicking here.

Additional Updates

All-in Learning

All students Pre-K-12 are now learning All-in. GMS students and staff returned April 15, and CHS students and staff returned April 28. Photos from the schools’ first days of All-in can be viewed as part of this presentation.

COVID Update

Canton remains in the “Yellow” state designation for COVID, which represents a “medium” risk level. The District continues to consult with the Health Department and closely monitor school-based data and data surrounding quarantining and attendance. Attentiveness to COVID protocols in and out of school, as well as continued communication between families and building nurses and completing the Daily Screener remain of high importance.

Canton Future Problem Solvers

The Massachusetts Future Problem Solving Program State Bowl Award Ceremony was held virtually on April 18. All of the following individuals and teams have been invited to compete at the International Conference, which will be held virtually June 9-14. The following CPS students are commended for their work:

Global Issues Problem Solving

• Middle Division – Individual: Anika Valluri, 2nd place, grade 9, Personalized Medicine
• Senior Division – Individual: Harshitha Valluri, 1st place, grade 12, Personalized Medicine

Community Problem Solving

• Middle Division – Individual: Ishita Jaiswal, 1st place, grade 8, Project HOPE (Helping People on Edge)
• Senior Division – Individual: Harshitha Valluri, 1st place, grade 12, Project ISEE (Increasing Science Educational Engagement)
• Senior Division – Team: Julia Cummings, Riley Harn, Danica Seto, Anika Valluri, 1st Place, grade 9, Project REMOTE (Reimagining Educational and Meaningful Opportunities to Engage)

District Personnel Updates

On April 15, CHS Principal David Turcotte announced his resignation at the end of this school year. Dr. Fischer-Mueller and Julie Shore are co-chairing the process to identify the next Principal of Canton High School, which started with letters to the stakeholders letting them know of the opportunity to be involved in the process. Participants selected to be part of the Interview Committee will be announced, followed by the introductory orientation meeting and distribution of applications.

Additionally, the Interview Committee for the Director of Finance and Operations position completed its interviews and selected two candidates to advance to the next round of interviews. After one of the two candidates withdrew, the Committee continued with the additional candidate with a follow-up interview. The Committee will continue to check references and will report back to the School Committee with recommendations for next steps soon.

Recertification of Residency

Each year, parents/guardians of students who are entering grade 6 or grade 9 for the upcoming school year are required to submit residency documents. Parents/guardians will receive a letter outlining the necessary documents along with a Re-Certification of Residency Form via mail, and these documents will be required to be returned to the District by June 18, 2021.

The next Canton School Committee meeting will take place on Thursday, May 13 at 7 p.m. Each meeting is available to watch via Zoom and upcoming meetings are listed on the District website.

This press release was produced by Canton Public Schools. The views expressed are the author's own.