CHS mulls adoption of 4-year math requirement

By Mike Berger

The Canton School Committee will consider whether to accept the recommendation of the MassCore alignment and implement a four-year math requirement for all Canton High School students beginning with this year’s freshman class.

Adopted by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in 2007 and amended in 2018, MassCore is a state-recommended program of study intended to align high school coursework with college and workforce expectations.

CHS Principal Jeff Sperling presented the recommendation to the committee at its November 3 meeting and also outlined steps that he and his staff will undertake, including academic support programs for students who did not meet MCAS targets. Sperling also suggested use of a math interventionist who would be able to work with students during the school day.

Sperling also suggested more diagnostic assessments to determine individual areas of need for math and target areas in writing for the English and Science departments. He suggested before- and after-school help for students in a variety of subjects and a benchmark of term-by-term performance.

Also at Thursday’s meeting, Sperling outlined steps he has taken to begin the CHS re-accreditation process with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), which begins next fall with the formal NEASC visit set for October 5-8, 2023.

To prepare for next year’s collaborative conference with NEASC representatives, Sperling has formed a Steering Committee consisting of staff and students to conduct a self-reflection process and to identify priority areas for growth. Leading the accreditation process are CHS Assistant Principal Nick Fitzgerald and CHS Guidance Director Meredith Chamberland. Surveys will be sent out to students, staff and families to help in the self-reflection process. The target completion date is April to June of 2023.

In other news from the November 3 meeting:

* The School Committee approved Superintendent Derek Folan’s recommendation to again start school prior to Labor Day next year. The decision was reached in collaboration with the Canton Teachers Association. Under the schedule for 2023, staff will report for professional development on August 28 and 29, and the first day of school for grades 1-12 will be August 30. There will be no school on Friday, September 1, to allow families and staff to enjoy one last long weekend of the summer, and kindergarteners will return on September 5. The Rodman Preschool will hold its open house on that day with preschoolers starting …

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