The Cohasset School Committee moved to solidify its leadership team on Wednesday night, unanimously appointing Dr. Beth Wilcox as the district’s next Assistant Superintendent. Following a search that attracted 38 applicants and three finalists, Dr. Wilcox will succeed the retiring Dr. Leslie Scollins. Superintendent Sarah Shannon recommended Dr. Wilcox, noting her five years of experience as an administrator in Duxbury and her previous tenure as a principal in Hingham. Stakeholders described her as thoughtful, intelligent, and a steady presence, Shannon said, emphasizing that Wilcox will oversee curriculum development and teaching across the district.

Dr. Wilcox thanked the committee for the opportunity, stating, I appreciate the opportunity to serve. I agree with the values and the work being done here and look forward to being part of it. Member Corey Evans, mindful of recent fiscal tensions in neighboring towns, asked how she might navigate future financial hurdles. Dr. Wilcox responded that every decision centered on students has budget implications, noting her commitment to aligning priorities with available resources. Motion Made by C. MacLellan to approve Dr. Beth Wilcox as the next Assistant Superintendent of Cohasset Public Schools. Motion Passed 5-0.

The appointment comes at a moment of transition for Cohasset, as the committee also digested sobering data regarding student mental health. Dr. Brandon Wy of Challenge Success presented results from a town-wide survey funded by the Cohasset Education Foundation, revealing that 70% of students reported stress-related health symptoms like headaches or stomach aches within the last month. While 95% of high schoolers reported having at least one trusted adult at school—a figure 17% higher than the national average—the data showed students are struggling significantly with sleep and workload. In the high school, the top word was 'stressed,' followed by 'demanding,' Dr. Wy told the committee. He noted that nearly all high schoolers and 38% of middle schoolers sleep with phones in their rooms, contributing to chronic exhaustion.

Secretary Lance Dial questioned how the district would translate the data into immediate action, while Member Corey Evans noted that the findings should support efforts to give students more time to breathe. Chair Jennifer Lesky inquired whether the survey could distinguish between procrastination driven by digital distractions and executive function challenges, a detail Dr. Wy promised to explore in upcoming listening sessions with students. I want to publicly thank the CEF for funding this undertaking, Lesky added, noting the importance of addressing the lived experience of the student body.

Fiscal and infrastructure concerns also took center stage as the Alternative Energy Committee (AEC) sought permission to move forward with a solar Request for Proposals (RFP). Tony Bodell, Chair of the AEC, explained that the group aims to lease school property at the Joseph Osgood and Deer Hill schools for solar arrays. The goal is to secure a non-binding letter of intent by July 4 to take advantage of a 30% federal credit. We want to get a non-binding letter of intent by July 4th to secure a 30% federal credit, Bodell said, noting the process is an update to a 2020 initiative. Member Evans voiced strong support for the inclusion of carports, noting that having shade there would be great for families during summer camps. Motion Made by C. Evans to grant permission for the AEC to engage in the RFP process for solar energy arrays at the Osgood and Deer Hill Schools. Motion Passed 5-0.

In a report on the current fiscal year, Business Administrator Sue Owen revealed that the district’s budget utilization sits at a razor-thin 99.99%. With $16.2 million already expended and the remainder of the $26.3 million budget encumbered, Owen noted that the district is aggressively reviewing purchase orders to find savings. A persistent shortage of bus drivers continues to plague operations, leading to doubled-up routes. It's statewide, partly due to changes in CDL laws, Owen explained. Despite these pressures, Superintendent Shannon noted some relief as the Capital Board approved several requests, including laptop replacements and a multi-purpose van, which eased pressure on the operating budget. Vice Chair Craig MacLellan remarked that the support from the town is a testament to district leadership.

Changes are also coming to the curriculum. High School Principal Mr. Scott presented a plan to unlevel US History 1 for ninth graders, moving all students into an accelerated curriculum model. It won't be teaching to the middle; it allows for a diversity of opinions in an academic class, Scott explained. Simultaneously, the high school will diversify its physical education offerings to include competitive pickleball, badminton, and yoga. Motion Made by C. MacLellan to approve the amendments to the High School Program of Studies. Motion Passed 5-0. Meanwhile, Middle School Principal John Scapellati reported the removal of coding and robotics courses due to staffing cuts, as well as the elimination of honor roll language to align with middle school practices. Motion Made by L. Dial to approve the Middle School Program of Studies as presented. Motion Passed 5-0.

The district will also take over the management of before and after school programs from the Recreation Department. Dr. Leslie Scollins explained that this shift avoids complex state licensing requirements for the town side and could provide a financial benefit to the schools. It will likely benefit us financially as we will take the registration and funding in-house, she said. Chair Lesky urged the administration to consider earlier morning hours to assist working parents. Motion Made by C. MacLellan to authorize the Assistant Superintendent to proceed with the application to the state for the before and after school program. Motion Passed 5-0.

The committee briefly opened a public hearing on school choice, but ultimately decided to delay the vote to allow for more community feedback. Superintendent Shannon recommended against participating in school choice, citing the risk of unexpected out-of-district placement costs. Member Evans expressed a desire to hear more from families, suggesting that if we are undersubscribed in some areas, could this help? Motion Made by C. MacLellan to reconvene the public hearing on school choice at a time prior to the next school committee meeting (May 6 at 5:45 PM). Motion Passed 5-0.

The meeting also featured student success stories, including a presentation on a recent Model Congress trip to Boston. Student Quinn shared the value of role-playing different political ideologies: You have to put personal beliefs aside and look at objective facts to approach issues as your assigned politician would. Additionally, Deer Hill faculty members Marie Boris and Lauren Flynn demonstrated specialized writing frameworks like TIDE and C-SPACE that are helping students with disabilities gain confidence in their composition skills. One student said TIDE is their number one writing template, Boris shared, highlighting the direct impact of explicit instruction on student performance.