Seal of Biliteracy, Updated Academic Policy, Fun Friday, and more!

Welcome to December! How did that happen so fast? We hope everyone had a restful Thanksgiving holiday with their loved ones.  Things here at CCHS are moving along. December can be a very busy month both at school and at home for both faculty and students. Please make sure your student is taking care of themselves. Please remind them to slow down on all fronts and to get enough sleep (easier said than done, we know!). Hopefully, if we all communicate the same message to the students it will serve as a helpful reminder. We have another “Fun Friday” coming up at the end of the week. These lunch blocks have gone well and will hopefully bring a nice break with a bit of fun to your student's day. Please see a few pics below from our November Fun Friday. Whether it is decorating cookies, playing giant Connect Four or Jenga or cornhole,  painting rocks, or blowing bubbles, our Fun Fridays have not disappointed. 

Seal of Biliteracy - Deadline to Apply is December 15

This school year, 2023/24, Concord-Carlisle High School participates in the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy program. The State Seal of Biliteracy is an award that recognizes high school graduates who attain high functional and academic proficiency levels in English AND a World Language by high school graduation. 

The purpose of the State Seal of Biliteracy is to: 

• Encourage students to study and master languages

• Certify attainment of biliteracy skills

• Recognize the value of language diversity

• Provide employers with a means of identifying people with language and biliteracy skills

• Provide universities with a method to recognize and give credit to applicants 

• Promote skills that will benefit them in the labor market and the global world

• Strengthen intergroup communication and honor the multiple cultures and languages in a community.

CCHS Students enrolled in 4H, AP, or C&C/level 5 (Chinese, French, Latin, Spanish), courses as well as Heritage speakers (any language) and English Learners, are encouraged to take the test. 

The State Seal of Biliteracy’s criteria are: 

• Meet or exceed the proficiency threshold of the ELA MCAS of grade 10 or WIDA ACCESS

• Attain a score or level at the Intermediate-High level of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines (4H, AP, or C&C).

CCHS will administer a nationality-recognized assessment taken online in early March 2024 during school. All four skills will be assessed: writing, reading, listening, and speaking—for Latin, reading skills. For languages that do not have a state-approved assessment, a portfolio option may be available. 

All applicants must fill out this form by Dec.15th, 2023, Seal_sign_up_2023/24

Seniors who earn the Seal will have the Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy insignia affixed to their Concord-Carlisle High School transcripts and diplomas. 

For additional information, here is a FAQs document here, or please contact;

Sue O’Connor, English Learners teacher, soconnor@concordcarlisle.org

Florence Roussel-Ehrenthal, WL Department Chair; frousselehrenthal@concordcarlisle.org

Changes to Food App Deliveries to CCHS

Please see an email that was sent to the student body this evening regarding changes to ordering food delivery to the school from various food applications. We would appreciate your support on this. Thank you!

Good evening students.

We wanted to let you know about some changes we have made to food delivery to the school through Apps like Uber Eats, Door Dash, etc.

Starting tomorrow, any food that is ordered needs to be delivered to the back of the school by the amphitheater. We will have a table outside for deliveries to be dropped off at. Delivery people are not allowed to enter the building. You will need to pick your food up from the table set up out back. No exceptions.

Please remember that you are not allowed to leave class, at any time, to order or pick up food. You are only allowed to order food to be delivered during your free blocks or lunch. Our reason for doing this is to make sure that the building is as secure as possible. Your safety and the safety of our entire community are of the utmost importance and we do not want delivery people coming in and out of the building. Please also remember that you should never open any door that leads to the outside of the building to visitors. All visitors must be buzzed in through an adult in the main office.

Thank you for your cooperation. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you,

Ms. Stahl, Co-Principal

Updated Academic Integrity Policy

In response to the quickly evolving information environment, Concord Carlisle has been engaged in updating the Academic Integrity Policy currently found in the CCHS Handbook. The updated policy will include language that addresses new trends in academic behaviors related to the use of artificial intelligence platforms, such as ChatGPT. The new language specifically states that such behaviors violate our school’s academic integrity expectations based on this definition of use:

• Use of artificial intelligence applications to generate work or to enhance it to the point that the work does not reflect the student’s original work. Assistance from an AI system is too much when it interferes with the educational objectives or the assessment of a submitted work.

This updated policy will tentatively replace the current policy in the CCHS Handbook on January 19, 2024. Teachers will be sharing this update with students, answering clarifying questions about expectations around the appropriate use of artificial intelligence in their classrooms and the consequences of violating the updated policy.

To further inform this work, we will be conducting a survey of students to gain a better understanding of current behaviors and strategies students are employing to complete their academic work. The survey will be anonymous, with no collection of email addresses. CCHS will also provide several student focus groups over the coming weeks to hear directly from students about the updated policy and their thoughts, questions, or concerns.

To opt your student out of this survey, please email Assistant Principal, Dr. Darius Green (dgreen@concordcarlisle.org).

FAFSA Support

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has partnered with the nonprofit uAspire to provide free support to students and school staff to help seniors complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
 
uAspire will offer a FAFSA webinar for students three times: 4:00-5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 3; 5:00-6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 30; and 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 27. Registration is open online. In addition, FAQs are available in English and Spanish, and more resources are posted on uAspire.org/resources, uaspire.org/Checklist, and uaspire.org/FSAID.

Careers in Sustainability Field Trip

At Walden Pond, left to right: Daniel Simmons, Laz Keita, Alexia Brunius, Debra Jemison, METCO Director, Elyjah Ramos, Cesar Hernandez, Ndungu Muiruri, and Jermaine Fernandez.

On November 14 after school, CCHS students interested in the STEM field met with the Green Engineer group (based in Concord) to explore careers in sustainability. The students walked to Walden Pond and met with staff from the Green Engineer and the Walden Visitor Center to see firsthand the impact of addressing sustainability and social equity in the built environment.  The visitor center is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold-Certified building. The Green Engineer group was a consultant in the design and construction of this center made from locally harvested wood and triple-paned glass.  The center is sunlit and energy efficient, powered by nearby solar arrays on a parking lot canopy.  Additionally, students enjoyed visiting the replica of Henry David Thoreau’s “simple house”, a clear example of earlier sustainable practices.  After walking back to school, students participated in an informative Q & A session with Green Engineer partners and a college intern to explore the many ways to prepare for work in the fast-growing field of sustainability that advances healthy built and outdoor environments for all.

Important Dates

Day	Date	Time	Event
Mon-Fri	Dec 18 - 22	All Day	Coordinated Assessment Days: December Break
Friday	Dec 22	11:15 AM	Early Dismissal Schedule
Friday	Dec 22	All Day	No Homework Night: December Break
Sun-Sat	Dec 24-30	All Day	December Break

The JED Foundation

Dear CCHS Families,

As part of our School Improvement Plan, CCHS is focusing on student mental health and wellness.  Goal #2:

Develop and create a sound infrastructure to support the well-being and mental health of our school community - students, staff, administrators, and families.

We created a new role of a Wellness Coordinator in order to guide and inform our efforts to ensure that we are effective in improving our supports for our community members. The administration, Wellness Coordinator, and counselors are dedicated and excited about this work. 

As part of this improvement plan, CCHS has partnered with the Jed Foundation to conduct an online survey about student well-being, challenges they may face, and their sources of support. We are asking students to take the JED High School Student Survey because we believe this confidential survey can provide students who are otherwise unheard, a chance to speak up about their experience at our school. We feel it is vital for us to have input from students in order for us to know if our efforts to improve student well-being, academic success, and inclusivity are working. The answers from the survey will be used to implement programs and protocols, conduct training, shape our curriculum, and advocate for resources from the state at our school. Students' responses will be kept confidential and secure, and will not be connected with their name, email, or any other information that identifies them. If you allow your student to participate, your student may choose to skip questions or stop participating at any time. The survey typically takes around 30-45 minutes to complete. 

Please complete the opt-out form below by Wednesday, December 6, if you do not want your student to participate in the survey.  If you choose to complete the opt-out form, you will need your student’s information [first name, email, student ID].

English: Opt-Out

Spanish: Opt-Out

Portuguese: Opt Out

Haitian-Creole: Opt Out

For study-related questions, please email the principal investigator Dr. Michelle Mullen at HSStudentSurvey@jedfoundation.org. You may also reach out to Cristina Jonson, the Wellness Coordinator, at cjonson@concordcarlisle.org  for more information. 

Sincerely, 

Brian Miller and Katie Stahl

Co-Principals

Winter Sports Registration Deadline and Men's Soccer

Winter Sports Registration - Deadline is TODAY

The deadline to register for Winter Sports is today, November 20th. Use this link to register: 

https://students.arbitersports.com/concord-carlisle-high-school

Tryout Schedule: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NsvkydkrYADwEDQqBAM_gOzIggtLK4aNPceA-wfcK7A/edit

If you are not registered you cannot participate. The deadline is firm so be sure to sign up! 

All registered students must attend the winter sports preseason meeting in the gym on Tuesday, November 21st immediately after school. 

- Mr. Joncas, Athletic Director

Congratulations Division 1 Champions!

CCHS Men’s Soccer won the Division 1 State Championship on Saturday evening with a 2-0 win over Needham.  This is the team’s sixth State Championship and the first in Division 1. Congratulations to the team and coaches for this outstanding achievement!

Student Shadow Day Program

Dear Students and Families,

We hope you are well and having a lovely start to the year! As part of our ongoing commitment to improving the student experience at CCHS, we are implementing a Student Shadow Day Program for faculty.  Student Shadow Day aligns with our District Goal (District 1.3) to expand learning opportunities that are student-driven and increase student engagement and joy in their learning) as well as our School Goals from our School Improvement Plan:

1. Teachers will incorporate more activities and forms of instruction (student-centered learning, critical thinking, discussion, and collaboration) into classes to engage all students and their various learning styles.
2. Data from the Challenge Success student survey will demonstrate increased student engagement.
3. At least 80% of faculty members will shadow a CCHS student for a full day by April 2024 and reflect upon their experience at a schoolwide faculty meeting in the spring.

CPS | CCRS District Strategic Plan link

CCHS School Improvement Plan 

Why shadowing:

Shadowing a student allows us to understand the needs of our students, observe their challenges and/or achievements, and empathize with the expectations we require of them. 

What is shadowing:

Shadowing involves following a student through their entire school day to get a snapshot of their academic life, social-emotional catalysts, and expectations as a student in our school community.

When is this happening:

Student Shadow Days will occur between November 15, 2023, and April 1, 2024. Students were randomly chosen to represent our student body fully and to facilitate the Shadow Days. An earlier email was sent to inform those students and parents/guardians randomly selected to participate.

There is no additional work or any schedule disruption required of your student.

If your child was not randomly selected, please do not worry, there will be more opportunities for Student Shadow Days soon. Also, if you do not want your child to participate (parent/guardian), please email by November 15, 2023.

Email: denes@concordcarlisle.org

Subject: Opt out of Student Shadow Day

Message: Please remove (Student Name) from your Student Shadow Day list.

Thank you,

Ms. Maines, Assistant Principal of Student Life

Dr. Green, Assistant Principal of Teaching and Learning

Veterans Day, DEIB Assembly, Exceptional Students, and Much More!

 Veterans Day

Today we pause to thank the men and women of the armed forces. We officially thank them as a nation annually on 11 November, but they deserve a thank you every day.

It is a day to pay tribute to our nation's heroes, those who have selflessly defended our freedoms, our values, and our way of life. Let one not forget the roughly 1.4 million active members of the military all enlist voluntarily. A fact so ingrained it is easy to take for granted. 

Stating the obvious, young men and women voluntarily serve in the United States means those who wish not to serve don't have to serve. This fact should not be taken for granted. 

The sacrifice made to serve our country can only be known by those serving, but the tremendous sacrifice is broader than the men and women in uniform. Mothers, fathers, siblings, husbands, wives, and children of military members all sacrifice greatly. 

Let us remember that Veterans Day is not just a day off from school, but a day to remember, reflect, and show our gratitude to those who have given so much for our nation. Let us carry the spirit of service and sacrifice with us every day, not just on this occasion.

We encourage you all to reach out to a veteran, thank them for their service, and listen to their stories. Let us also strive to be inspired by their dedication and channel that inspiration into making a positive impact in our own lives and our communities. It is through understanding and appreciation that we can truly honor our veterans.

Classroom Kudos

Last week, Ikuo Naito, one of the visiting  English teachers from Nanae, led a class for some of Madame Pinto’s French students. During his lesson, Mr. Naito talked about many different aspects of Japanese culture. Our students learned about different cities and villages in Japan, well-known landmarks where the 2020 Summer Olympics were held, and delicious must-try Japanese foods like sushi and ramen. The students and adults were thoroughly engaged during Mr. Naito’s lesson. After his lesson, two of the Japanese high school students showed our students how to make Origami and Misanga (a bracelet). This was such a wonderful example and experience for our students and faculty to learn and create with students and teachers from a country that is thousands of miles away. It was truly wonderful!

DEIB Assembly

Yesterday, we had an incredible assembly with various student and staff speakers who shared personal experiences and responded to the prompt:

Considering aspects of your identity and the social justice causes you are most passionate about, why is our school's commitment and focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) important for students?

Our panelists, Ryann Scott, Alex Nugent, Elyjah Chabilal Ramos, Keiarra Gray, Ben Neville, Nafeesa Hoda, and English teacher, Ms. Kim bravely shared their experiences, thoughts, and advice with their peers. They made themselves vulnerable and CCHS is feeling even more connected because of their courage to share. During both assemblies students and faculty were engaged, respectful, and supportive of the panelists. Many students who listened to their stories followed their lead and shared a personal experience of their own or commented on something they connected with from the messages they heard from the students. This was a true testament to the amazing and inclusive school we are and strive to be. The courage, vulnerability, strength, compassion, and wisdom of each of the panelists were well beyond their years.  We are grateful to each of them.

Staff Kindness Chain

Ms. Jonson, Wellness Coordinator,  is preparing for World Kindness Day on Monday, November 13th. Students and faculty will have the opportunity to write about an act of kindness they have done for someone else or received. These notes will be on display throughout the school building. Below are a few examples faculty shared at our Faculty meeting on Tuesday.

• "I will say hello to every student that I see in the hallway. This is to ensure that at least one human sees them and greets them with a smile."

• "I gave a fellow coworker a Monster's Inc. mug because I knew her daughter liked the movie and wore the costume for Halloween."

• "CCHS staff have gone out of their way to make sure my 1st year here goes smoothly!"

• "I will make fun of Hoblitzelle like I do every day. It makes him laugh."

• "A colleague found some mugs at Goodwill that had my last name on them. She brought them to me one day and it made my week (and my kids too, they love them.)" 

• "Be encouraging. Ask for encouragement."

• "Smile at the kids."

• "Mr. Krans taught me how to teach."

• "Checking in on colleagues after hard meetings! It feels good to be cared about and part of a supportive team." 

• "A friend/colleague from another department noticed that I was looking sad and checked in on me."

NCAA National Letter of Intent

On Wednesday,  November 8th, six students from the Class of 2024 signed an NCAA National Letter of Intent to compete in Division 1 Athletics next year. Thank you to Mr. Joncas for organizing the event. CCHS parent and Olympic Women's Hockey player shared her experience of playing College Hockey at Harvard with our students. Congratulations to these six Seniors!

Featured Guest: AJ Mleczko 

Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist, Women’s Ice Hockey

1999 NCAA All-American at Harvard University

1999 USA Hockey Women’s Player of the Year

Commentator, NHL on ESPN

Students honored:

Peyton Balazy: University of Virginia, Women’s Crew

Lucas Bikkesbakker: College of the Holy Cross, Men’s Tennis

Willow Cyr: University of California, Women’s Lacrosse

Alana Leen: Villanova University, Women’s Swimming

Thomas Murdough: Rutgers University, Men’s Golf

Alexandra Saunders: Tulane University, Track and Field

“Who Brought Who” Speaker Series*

The Concord Middle School community is trying to inspire one parent/guardian/adult family member and a CMS student to come to this speaker series. Hence, a "Who Brought Who" speaker series. It's the hope of Concord Middle School to inspire a greater and deeper conversation at home about the themes and topics that are part of this speaker series. 

*We are also opening this night and series to parents and older students across Concord Public Schools and Concord-Carlisle Regional School District. Also, an older student or member of the CPS/CCRSD can come alone.*

Please RSVP for this event.

Raising Healthy Kids in a Digital World: Watch the Replay

On November 1, Cartwheel hosted internet safety expert and educator Lori Getz for a session which provided practical tips on creating a holistic family approach to technology, screens, and internet use.

In this webinar, we cover:

- How to know when kids are ready for certain technology privileges

- How leading with curiosity (not judgment) leads to less contentious conversations about what’s happening online

- Why it’s critical to convey to your child: “If someone’s important to you, they are important to me, too”

Click HERE to watch the replay.

Many thanks to those who were able to attend! We hope you'll join future webinars, including Parenting Strategies for Kids with ADHD on December 6 at 7pm ET. Sign up for our webinar email list to receive registration links.

CCHS Musicians Excel at Regional Auditions

This past weekend, musicians from our CCHS bands, choirs and orchestras attended the MMEA Eastern District Senior Festival Auditions at Milton HS. Students who elected to participate spent several months - some since last June - preparing for these auditions. Out of the 993 students who auditioned from the 30 cities and towns in our district, only 444 were accepted. The top 50% of accepted students receive a recommendation to audition for the All-State Concert Festival.

Students accepted to the festival will attend a full-day rehearsal followed by a concert at Milton High School along with their peers from schools across MMEA's Eastern District. At the festival, students will work with a talented guest conductor and perform a rigorous concert program. The concert is on Saturday, January 6th, in the Milton HS Auditorium and is open to the public - tickets are available in advance, and I would be happy to facilitate your ticket purchase for this event!

The CCHS Music Department is incredibly proud of these students based on our holistic approach to the audition: focusing on the experience, the opportunity for personal growth, and the journey over the destination and outcome.

Please join me in congratulating the students listed below for their hard work! They represented our community magnificently!

-Chris Noce, Director of Bands & Orchestras

Fall Choral Concert

Last night our new choral director, Sarah Grina, led her inaugural Fall Choral Concert at CCHS. The concert, titled Dawn, was an amazing success. Congratulations to Sarah and all of the talented vocalists and musicians who participated in the event. It was a lovely evening. We can’t wait to see what else Ms. Grina will do. Bravo!

Upcoming Dates

Day	Date	Time	Event
Wednesday	Nov 22	All Day	Half Day/Spirit Assembly
Wednesday	Nov 22	All Day	No Homework Night: Thanksgiving
Mon-Tues	Nov 27/28	All Day	No Assessment Days: Post-Thanksgiving Break
Wednesday	Nov 29	1:15 PM	Early Release (schedule is the second tab in Bell Schedule Document)
Mon-Fri	Dec 18 - 22	All Day	Coordinated Assessment Days: December Break
Friday	Dec 22	11:15 AM	Early Dismissal Schedule
Friday	Dec 22	All Day	No Homework Night: December Break
Sun-Sat	Dec 24-30	All Day	December Break