Dear Class of 2020 Students and Families,

The link below contains a 35 minute video and presentation on selecting a college using virtual resources, how to negotiate financial aid packages, and how to complete the community scholarship applications virtually.  I hope this video helps.  Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments.  The guidance counselors, career counselor, and I are here to assist in any way we can.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uQVaZ5RoL88McBtAWEPOdOsUPRDMBmJr/view?usp=sharing

Course Selection How To Video

Dear 9th, 10th, and 11th Grade Students and Families,

I have made the short video below to help you with your course selection process.  If you have any further questions, please reach out to your child's guidance counselor.

Course Selection How To Video:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AJTLE9IHwSl4Z1EctpeVI9aWUo_8wTD6/view?usp=sharing

Course Selection Deadline Extension

Good Afternoon Students and Families,

I am reaching out as I know I have heard from some of you that the link to the grade level webinars that I hosted last week on course selection are not currently working.  We are experiencing some difficulties, and I am looking into a variety of ways to meet your needs.

As I reminder, you use the Google Form to complete your course selection. The course Over-ride form found on the Canton High School website will be coming down tomorrow at 3 pm.  We will not be accepting late requests.

However, if you need more time to pick your electives through your Google Form, we are extending the deadline until Wednesday, April 8th.  You will need to use your cpsmail account to fill out the Google form with a parent or guardian

If you still have questions, please reach out to your child's guidance counselor.    

Class of 2021 Form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfjaJnitMg8ujWcDdi7QWDPVxWNx2zwGLXWV_JTXHQ5IJPULA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Class of 2022 Form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5w6G4yPnSX82ZXkKpwzAw_rgIjCBSY4y2outUx4rhJ4B_Gw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Class of 2023 Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfPKL4IT7v2WUFbXiQpsF8B0IqkpYxXgedK8tpax-VAuLZ1xA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Warmly,

Dr. Meredith Chamberland

chamberlandm@cantonma.org

Course Selection Update

All students in grades 9-11 received their course selection sheets in homeroom on Tuesday, March 10th. Since we are no longer able to collect course selection sheets in person, we are adapting the process this year. I will be hosting a Zoom webinar for each grade so families can tune in from home and ask questions.  The webinars will be recorded so families who cannot make it can watch it at another time. A separate email specific to each grade will include the Zoom meeting details.

Zoom Webinar for 9th Grade Families: Thursday, March 26th at 12:30 pm

Zoom Webinar for 10th Grade Families: Thursday, March 26th at 1:30 pm

Zoom Webinar for 11th Grade Families: Thursday, March 26th at 2:30 pm

On Friday, March 27th, each grade will be sent a Course Selection Google Form to be completed along with a link to the Course Over-ride Form. Students and parents/guardians are expected to fill out this form together. We will not be collecting paper sheets. Directions will come with the Google Forms on Friday, March 27th. Course Selection Forms and Over-ride Forms are due on Friday, April 3rd.

Please email your guidance counselor if you have specific questions relating to your academic programming for next year.

Mr. Drew Carty: cartyd@cantonma.org

Mr. Chris Buss: bussc@cantonma.org

Ms. Stephanie Shapiro: shapiros@cantonma.org

Ms. Katie Leazott: leazottK@cantonma.org

Update on AP Exams

Greetings 2020 AP Students,

I am reaching out to share some important information regarding AP exams for this spring semester. Please know that information is evolving, and I will be utilizing this blog to keep you in the loop with the latest news from College Board regarding AP tests.

The link below has all the details College Board has outlined thus far. It is important to note that more information will be coming out next Friday, April 3rd.

At this point in time, College Board has announced the following:

This year AP exams will be:

• 45 minute exams
• taken digitally from home
• free response questions only, no multiple choice
• available on two dates of when each exam can be taken (exact schedule is to be released Friday, April 3rd)
• supported with free online preparation videos and teaching resources through the College Board on Wednesday, March 25th

As always, your AP teacher is a great resource and will have subject-specific information. I will also continue to update you with more detailed information as it is released.  

Here is the College Board link with additional information:

https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/coronavirus-updates

Please do not hesitate to reach out to chamberlandm@cantonma.org if you have any questions.

Warmly,

Dr. Meredith Chamberland

Guidance Director

AP Coordinator

Course Selection

As we are just shy of two weeks before February break, it is important to remember that we are embarking on course selection time! Starting February 10th, the 6-12 Canton Guidance Department will be working collaboratively to assist students and families with picking a balanced and sound educational program for every student.  

How will we go about doing this? Starting on February 10th, we will be meeting with students in seminar in grades 10 and 11, meeting with freshmen in larger group presentations, and will finish up with eighth grade workshops in their sciences classes the beginning of March. There will be a parent evening event on February 10th.  Eighth grade parents will come to the GMS cafeteria at 6:30 pm, and parents and guardians of grades 9, 10, and 11 will come to the CHS cafeteria at 6:00 pm.  If that night doesn't work for you, we will have a Coffee with Counselors the following morning, February 11th, at 7:45 am in the CHS library (you do not need to attend both, just one or the other).  Lastly, you will also be able to watch the presentations from the comfort of your home when I host a webinar later in the week of February 10th.  More details on the webinar will follow.

We are hoping with all of these options, you will be able to participate in your child's course selection.  It is so important that we partner together to make sure that our students are challenged but not overwhelmed and are thinking how their educational choices impact their long term goals. We look forward to partnering with you in this endeavor. 

Important Implications of the Early Decision Trends

In looking at some early data on Early Decision trends, it is vitally important that I take a minute and describe what I am seeing and the implications I am hypothesizing. For those who do not know, Early Decision is an application type that allows students to apply "early" and receive a decision early.  However, Early Decision differs in the fact that if students are accepted, they must attend.  This becomes particularly tricky because of cost.  Early Decision applications require a signed "contract" with parent, student, and guidance counselor acknowledging that they understand the implications even if the financial aid package is not what the family desires. In other words, families that are not full pay applicants, have to exude extreme caution when thinking about using Early Decision as a method of applying.

What has become a widely spread trend is colleges and universities filling more and more of their class with early decision applicants.  For example, this year, Duke and Brown filled approximately 50% of their class with early decision applicants.  This in turn makes the regular decision applicant at a huge disadvantage because there are so many applicants vying for so few spots. Boston College added Early Decision this year, but two rounds of it.  In other words, there are two different dates to apply Early Decision to Boston College.  If they accept as many students in Early Decision 2, as they did Early Decision 1, then Boston College will also fill over 50% of the class before they even look at a regular decision applicant. 

I will be spending the next 9-12 months doing a deep dive into the world of early decision.  The implications for this pattern are widespread.  Students who may have had a realistic shot at attaining acceptance at many selective schools with a regular decision application, now need to view these colleges and universities as reaches.

This is also why it is vital to apply to range of schools: confident, realistic, and reach. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's counselor at any time. I am always hear to help as well.