Canton High School Newsletter
2023-2024 School Year
Upcoming Events
September/October Calendar
9/25: No School- Yom Kippur
9/26: CHS Open House (6:30pm)
10/4-10/5: NEASC Collaborative Conference at CHS
10/9: No School- Columbus Day
10/11: CHS Testing Day
- 10th grade, Pre-ACT
- 11th grade, PSAT
- 12th grade SAT (optional)
CHS Open House Schedule
Testing Day Overview
12th Grade: Optional SAT (pre-registration required)
Day of Service or College/Future Planning Visit for those not taking the SAT
11th Grade: PSAT
10th Grade: Pre-ACT
9th Grade: Class Activities
- Organized class events at the turf field
- Screening of The First Day documentary from Chris Herren
(We are planning to bring Chris Herren back to CHS again next year)
- Student Council elections
Handbook Highlights
Attendance and Extracurricular Participation
Students may not participate in extracurricular or after-school activities, including athletics, if:
They are absent from school on the day of the event or activity.
They are absent for more than one class period on the day of the event or activity. Students who miss more than one class period for reasons related to illness or medical appointments must provide documentation from a medical professional if they wish to participate on the day they missed classes. Students who miss class to attend a funeral may participate after school on the day of their absences.
They skip a class during the school day; this includes students who miss more than 15 minutes of a class without a teacher’s permission.
They are dismissed by the nurse for reasons related to illness.
Students who exceed the absence limit in a class may lose extracurricular and social privileges, which may include athletics and performing arts. This includes attendance at school-sponsored dances and athletic and performing arts events. Seniors who exceed the absence limit may lose their senior privileges.
CHS Receives Several National Recognitions
CHS received the National Banner Recognition from the Special Olympics North America. We are one of only 22 schools in MA and one of 205 schools nationwide to receive this recognition. A huge congratulations to the team of staff, students, and families that support and participate in this amazing program.
CHS was also awarded an honor as one of the Best High Schools in America by the USA News and World Report. Below is the recent press release of this recognition.
CHS is 54th in U.S. News & World Ranking of Best Schools in Massachusetts
CANTON, Mass.—In its just-released rankings of the best high schools in Massachusetts, U.S. News & World Report named Canton High School the 56th best of 437 high schools, and 45th among high schools in the metro Boston area. The magazine notes that 60 percent of CHS students take Advanced Placement classes and 96 percent of Canton High School students graduate. The news publication evaluated 18,000 high schools across the country, and Canton placed No. 1484.
“This recognition in U.S. News & World Report validates the hard work of our teachers and students,” said Jeff Sperling, Canton High School principal. “The success of our high school reflects the strength of our entire district, with its focus on leveraging high-quality instructional practices in the classroom, providing valuable teacher development, and social-emotional learning. We continue to strive for improvements and maintain high standards for everyone in our school community”. Canton received an overall score of 91.61 out of a possible 100 points, just 8.11 points behind top-ranked Boston Latin School.
“I want to commend everyone at Canton High School for this well-deserved recognition,” said Canton Public Schools Superintendent Derek Folan. “This is a proud day for the students, teachers and staff of our district, who are committed to excellence in the classroom and in life.”
CHS Faculty/Staff Member of the Month Nomination Form
The Faculty/Staff Member of the Month initiative is designed to recognize outstanding teachers, school counselors, educational assistants, administrative assistants, cafeteria staff, and custodians for their contributions to Canton High School, excellence in and out of the classroom, leadership, innovation, community involvement, dedication, and support for CHS students. One faculty/staff member will be recognized each month during the school year.
Nominations may be submitted by the faculty, staff, students, parents/guardians, and community members.
Canton High School would like to stress that the real tribute of this award is the nomination, which symbolizes the esteem and appreciation our community has for CHS faculty and staff.
Please use this Faculty/Staff of the Month Nomination Form to nominate a deserving faculty or staff member.
A message from our School Nurses
Screenings:
Our annual screenings are planned for 9th and 10th-grade students during their Wellness classes and study halls starting in October and will continue until completed.
9th-grade students will be having postural screenings. Female students are asked to wear a 2-piece bathing suit or halter-like sports top under their clothing to school the day of the screening. The male students will remove their shirts for screening. This permits more accurate observation of the back. All screenings are done individually, in the privacy of the nurse's office.
10th-grade students will be having hearing and height/weight screenings.
If your child has any unusual findings, we will send home a referral form for them to follow up with their physician or specialist. If nothing unusual is found during the screening, you will not be contacted. However, if you are interested in the results of the screening, please call the Health Office.
These are state-mandated screenings, but you may opt your child out of the screening by contacting the health office in writing or via email at trendellc@cantonma.org. Please make sure to follow up with your pediatrician so that they can complete the screening at their office. If you have any questions, please contact the health office at 781-821-5050 x2110.
Physicals for 10th graders
Massachusetts Department of Public Health laws require every student to provide a written copy of a physical exam at the time of school entry and intervals of every three to four years thereafter. Canton Public Schools has an established policy that physical exams must be submitted to Health Services upon entry to kindergarten, grades four, seven, and ten.
A periodic physical examination is crucial for preventative, diagnostic, or corrective purposes. Its objectives are to understand and follow up on health conditions that may adversely affect the student’s well-being and ability to learn.
If you have not done so already, please forward a copy of your 10th grader’s physical (current within the last 12 months) to campbellm@cantonma.org. If you have a current physical on file with athletics, no further action is needed. If you have any questions, please contact the health office at 781-821-5050 x2110
Thank you,
Maureen Campbell and Christine Trendell
CHS Nurses
CHS Traffic Patterns, Parking and Student Drop-off/Pick-up
Drop-Off and Pick-Up
The driveway in front of the Rodman Building is the bus drop-off and pick-up route. Personal vehicles are not allowed to use that driveway during those times.
CHS student drop-off/pick-up is in the U-shaped driveway across from the tennis courts. Vehicles can access that driveway from both directions and exit quickly and safely after drop-off. Students can certainly meet their rides in the driveway leading up to the loop if that's easier but we do not allow vehicles to enter the parking lots to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
Student Parking
Student parking is by assignment only and for 11th and 12th graders. Students must display their parking pass in a way that is clearly visible when on campus. Parking is not allowed in the staff lots or in the main Legion parking lot. This information was reviewed with all students during our opening class meetings.
Champions of Wellness Road Race- 11/19
We are excited to share information about the Champions of Wellness Road Race on November 19th. This is a new event for CHS, and our students took the lead in bringing the idea to fruition under the leadership of Wellness Coordinator Adam Hughes and Assistant Principal Nick Fitzgerald. You can find more information and the registration form on the race’s website. All current CHS students will be receiving a promotional code for discounted registration once the school year begins so they may want to hold off on registering for now.
CHS Athletic Information
The CHS Athletics Blog is a great resource for checking in and staying on top of the various teams and events. Athletic Director Danny Erickson maintains the blog with up-to-date information, resources, and helpful links. I encourage you to bookmark the blog for continued reference.
About/Around Town- upcoming events and notifications from the Canton community
R.E.A.C.H. Your Fullest Potential
Website: https://www.cantonma.org/chs/index
Location: 900 Washington Street, Canton, MA, USA
Phone: 781-821-5050