Thank you to our Grade 8 students and our teachers for their patience this week as we struggled to complete the second session of MCAS Session 2 English Language Arts testing due to the wireless network issues. Testing will be made up on April 14th. It is hard to believe we are 3/4 through the school year. Term 4 begins on Monday, April 7th. Let's finish the year strong!!

Friday, 4/4-Sunday 4/6 Key Club District Educational Conference

Saturday, 4/5 Concert & Choral Festival MICCA Concert Festival

Monday, 4/7 National Spanish Exam (A and B Blocks)

Tuesday, 4/8 National Spanish Exam (A and B Blocks)

Tuesday, 4/8 One Goal Y2 Fellow Summit Field Trip

Wednesday, 4/9 AP Rally E and F Blocks

Wednesday, 4/9 Early Release @11:50 AM

Thursday, April 10th Mass Tean Safety Assembly for Seniors 12:30PM

Friday, April 11th In School SAT Testing

Monday, 4/14 AP Seminar Presentations

Monday, 4/14 Rescheduled MCAS Grade 8 English Session 2 Exam

Tuesday, 4/15 AAPPL Seal of Biliteracy Test (Spanish, Portuguese, French) (A-D Blocks)

Wednesday, 4/16 AAPPL Seal of Biliteracy Test (Multiple languages)

Wednesday, 4/16 School Council Meetings 5:00 PM

Friday, 4/18 No School- Good Friday

Monday, 4/21-Friday, 4/25 No School April Vacation

Wednesday, 4/23 NEWL (Portuguese V AP Exam) (A-D Blocks)

Wednesday, 4/23-4/27 Band Trip to Dallas, TX

Friday 4/25-5/30 International DECA Competition Orlando

Monday, 4/28 ILT Meeting 2:15 PM

Tuesday, 4/29 Career Fair Date 8:00-11:00 AM

Wednesday, 4/30 MCAS Math Session 1 Grade 8

Wednesday, 4/30 AP Seminar & AP Research students submit performance tasks by 11:59 PM

Wednesday, 4/30 AP Computer Science Principles students submit performance tasks by 11:59 PM

Thursday, 5/1-5/3 Skills USA State Leadership Conference (Marlboro)

Thursday, 5/1 MCAS Math Session 2 Grade 8

Thursday, 5/1 Recommended final day for required observations (maybe conducted through May 15th)

Monday, 5/5 AP Biology Exam 8:00 AM

Monday, 5/5 AP Microeconomics Exam 12:00 PM

Tuesday, 5/6 AP Chemistry Exam 8:00 AM

Tuesday, 5/6 AP Human Geography Exam 8:00 AM

Tuesday, 5/6 MCAS Science Session 1 Grade 8

Wednesday, 5/7 MCAS Science Session 2 Grade 8

Wednesday, 5/7 AP English Literature and Composition Exam 8:00 AM

Wednesday, 5/7 AP Comparative Government & Politics Exam 12:00 PM

Wednesday, 5/7 AP Computer Science A Exam 12:00 PM

Wednesday, 5/7 Faculty Meeting 2:15 PM

Thursday, 5/8 AP Statistics Exam 8:00 AM

Thursday, 5/8 THS Choral Concert 7 PM

Friday, 5/9 AP US History Exam 8:00 AM

Friday, 5/9 Deadline for AP Art & Design Portfolio 8:00 PM

As a reminder, THS has an early release scheduled for Wednesday, April 9th at 11:50 AM. Below are the special bell schedules.

Grade 8

Grades 9-12

Below are three key changes to our graduation requirements, approved by the School Committee on April 2nd.

3 Years of Lab- Based Science Requirement

Effective starting the 2025-2026 school year for the Class of 2030, THS will have a 3-year lab-based science graduation requirement for all students. Currently, we offer 3 years of science, but they do not need to be lab-based science courses.

Below are the key reasons for such a change:

1. Modern science education frameworks (Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)) emphasize hands-on, inquiry-based learning. Lab-based science encourages students to engage directly with scientific methods, fostering a deeper understanding of core concepts.

2. Lab work emphasizes practical application, critical thinking, and real-world problem-solving skills, central to modern science education. Lab-based courses help students bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications, deepening their understanding of scientific principles.

3. Many colleges and universities prefer or require lab-based science courses for admission, especially in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) programs.

4. Lab-based experiences develop collaboration, technical, and analytical skills essential in science and technology careers.

2 Years World Language Requirement:

Effective starting the 2025-2026 school year for the Class of 2029, THS will have a 2-year world language graduation requirement (of the same language) for all students.

The reasons for this recommended change are as follows:

1. Learning a second language enhances students' ability to communicate and connect with people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, a critical skill in an increasingly globalized world.

2. Many colleges and universities require or strongly recommend applicants to have studied a world language, often for at least two years.

3. MassCore, the recommended course offerings by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, includes the two-year World Language requirement.

4. Including a World Language study aligns with Massachusetts' participation in the Seal of Biliteracy program, which recognizes students who achieve proficiency in English and an additional language.

5. Multilingual proficiency is increasingly valued in the workforce, particularly in international business, healthcare, education, and public service fields.

6. Studies show that learning a second language improves cognitive abilities, such as problem-solving, memory, and critical thinking. It also enhances academic performance in other subjects, including math and reading.

7. World language education fosters cultural appreciation and awareness, helping students to understand and respect cultural diversity.

8. World language programs promote social and emotional growth.

Competency Determination for Graduation

To receive a high school diploma, students must meet the Taunton Public Schools competency determination requirements, which are in addition to the graduation requirements.

As defined by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the "competency determination" shall be based on the academic standards and curriculum frameworks for tenth graders and shall represent a determination that a particular student has demonstrated mastery of a common core of skills, competencies and knowledge in these areas, by satisfactorily completing coursework that has been certified by the student's district as showing mastery of the skills, competencies, and knowledge contained in the state academic standards and curriculum frameworks in the areas measured by the MCAS high school tests described in section one I administered in 2023, and in any additional areas determined by the board.

Students who have previously earned a Competency Determination (CD) through a regular or retest administration of the MCAS (including the November 2024 retest) or through a DESE appeal process have earned their competency determination.

For The Class of 2025 (Seniors)

Students in the Taunton Public Schools who have not yet earned their competency determination through previous MCAS administrations can meet the requirements for a competency determination through the following:

• Receive a passing grade in Grade 10 English.

• Receive a passing grade in Algebra I and Geometry.

• Receive a passing grade in Biology.

For the Class of 2025, passing classes in credit recovery classes, such as summer school, will count toward earning the competency determination.

Taunton Abroad is thrilled to announce their upcoming international tour to London & Paris in June 2026.

Traveling abroad offers students the chance to expand their knowledge of the world, gain independence, and build confidence—essential skills for becoming global citizens. We would love for your student to join us on this unforgettable adventure!

Lock in the lowest price before April 30th! Secure your spot today with just a $50 deposit at London & Paris 2026 Sign Up

Space is limited, so don’t wait! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Taunton Abroad advisors Mr. Greding or Mrs. Golder for more details.

Congratulations to THS teacher Mr. Quaintance on publishing his first fictional novel!

From the Taunton Gazette

• Taunton High School business teacher James Quaintance has written his first fictional novel, "Black Diamonds: Swift, Silent, Deadly," based on his experiences in the Marines.
• The book explores themes of brotherhood, perseverance, and overcoming obstacles, drawing parallels to Quaintance's teaching philosophy of embracing failure as a learning experience.
• Quaintance's book, inspired by his military service in the 1980s and 1990s, served as a cathartic experience for him to process past events.
• "Black Diamonds" is the first installment in a planned four-book series, with Quaintance also working on a fantasy series.

Full article is below!

On April 3, 2025, Taunton High School proudly hosted its annual Student Leadership Summit at the enVision Hotel and Conference Center. Over 90 students participated in thoughtful and spirited conversations on the school's instructional vision. Some of the areas of focus include: Learning and Connecting, Grading and Feedback, Post-secondary Connections, Systems for Support.

Congratulations to our spring sports athletes who are off to a great start! Softball and baseball picked up multiple wins each this week and our spring track team held its first meet versus Attleboro!

Taunton, 15 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Senior Brooke Aldrich smashed a three-run home run to put an exclamation point on Taunton’s strong start and the Tigers went on to score 10 more runs between the third, fourth, and fifth innings to get a win on the road. Aldrich finished the day 3-for-4 with five RBI and three runs scored, adding a double later in the game for Taunton, who had a 5-0 lead after an inning. Sophomore Bella Bourque added three hits, including a pair of doubles, two RBI, and three runs scored, and sophomore Aniyah Bailey drove in two and scored three runs. Cate Larson scattered five hits and one walk across five shutout innings, striking out nine including three straight with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth.

Attleboro, 4 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – The visiting Bombardiers plated three runs in the top of the fourth to seize a 4-1 lead but Taunton quickly answered with three runs in the bottom half and took the lead for the first time in the game with what turned out to be the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth. Attleboro led 1-0 in the top of the first but the Tigers answered right away in the bottom half. After canceling out Attleboro’s three-run lead in the fourth, junior Dylan Keenan reached on an error and Jeremy Knief, who had singled and moved all the way to third on a wild pitch, came in to score to make it 5-4. Taunton senior Aiden Resendes (W, 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K) had a huge performance in relief, coming in in the top of the fifth with the bases loaded, inducing a fielder’s choice for the final out of the inning to keep the game tied 4-4. He then worked around a two-out error and a walk in the sixth and got a strikeout to end the game after Attleboro put the tying run on in the seventh. Senior Cam Tomaszycki (3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K) had a big two-out single to score two runs to tie the game in the fourth, Keenan finished with two RBI, and Caden Lindskog had a hit and an RBI. Jacob Bettencourt, Michael Huntington, Jeremy O’Hara, and Mason Kolczewski had a hit and an RBI for Attleboro while Aidan Landers went 2-for-4 with a run. Ryan Landry pitched well in relief for Attleboro, giving up just one unearned run on one hit and one walk with six strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work.