Academics

Consistent with Massachusetts regulations, 603 CMR 26.05(1), the Canton Public Schools, through its curricula and materials, encourages respect for the human and civil rights of all individuals, regardless of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.  In accordance with district guidelines, families may request information from the building principal on available accommodations related to curriculum content.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate from Canton High School and receive a diploma, a student must earn 120 credits (27 of which must be earned during senior year) and achieve the Competency Determination set forth by the Canton Public Schools, in accordance with DESE regulations. Students who do not achieve a Competency Determination will receive a Certificate of Attainment. 

Students must complete a total of 80 hours of community service to participate in the graduation ceremony. 

The 120 credits necessary for graduation must include passing the following: 

● 24 credits in English (minimum of 6 credits per school year) 

• Required courses: English 9, 10, 11, and 12 taken in each respective year 

● 18 credits in Social Studies (including 6 credits in U.S. History) 

● 24 credits in Math 

● 18 credits in Science 

● 12 credits in World Languages 

● 12 credits in Wellness (minimum of 3 credits per school year) 

• Required courses: Wellness 9,10, 11, and 12 taken in each respective year 

● 6 credits in Visual and/or Performing Arts 

The minimum graduation requirements and competency determination requirements must be met through Canton High School courses. Outside courses will not satisfy these requirements. 

CHS Competency Determination Requirements 

One of the requirements for graduation in Massachusetts is a determination of competency in subjects previously covered by the MCAS.  In addition to other requirements for graduation, students must have been determined by the district to have achieved mastery of the common core of skills, competency, and knowledge in said areas, and satisfactorily completed 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.  

A determination of competency shall include demonstrating a mastery of skills in English language arts, mathematics, science, and US History; and the satisfactory completion of relevant coursework aligned to the standards measured by the high school English language arts, mathematics, and science MCAS assessments administered in 2023.  

To show mastery, a student must successfully complete, in accordance with the district’s grading policy or by any other appropriate methodology as may be determined:

1. The final assessment for a course; or 

2. A capstone or portfolio project; or

3. An equivalent measure identified in the district’s CD policy.

A student enrolled in the Canton Public Schools will be determined to have satisfactorily completed coursework and earned full credit in accordance with the district’s grading policy and the requirements outlined below: 

Content Area Coursework Requirements

English Language Arts

• The equivalent of two years of high school English language arts courses.

• To satisfy this course requirement, the English Language Arts courses must be taken in grades 9-12.  

Mathematics

• The equivalent of one year of both Algebra I and Geometry courses, or the equivalent of one year of both Integrated Math I and Integrated Math II. Whether to follow an Algebra/Geometry or Integrated Math I/II course sequence is determined by the district, but the equivalent length of the courses must still be met.

• Middle school math courses may be certified by the district as meeting the coursework requirement for the mathematics component of the CD. Districts must confirm that the course aligns to the high school Algebra I/Geometry/Integrated Math I/Integrated Math II standards as listed in the 2017 Massachusetts Mathematics Curriculum Framework.

Science

• The equivalent of one year of any one of the following disciplines: Biology, Physics, Chemistry, or Technology/Engineering.

• To satisfy this course requirement, the science course must be taken in grades 9-12.   

U.S. History 

• The equivalent of a one-year United States history course.

• To satisfy this course requirement, the U.S. History course must be taken in grades 9-12. 

Promotional Requirements

A student’s grade level shall be determined by the number of credits earned. All students must meet all of the following requirements in order to be promoted to the next grade level. All Credit totals are cumulative.

-For sophomore standing, a student must have accumulated a minimum of 27 credits.

-For junior standing, a student must have accumulated a minimum of 54 credits.

-For senior standing, a student must have accumulated a minimum of 81 credits.

Academic Honor Code

It is the responsibility of all Canton High School educators to prepare students for higher academic study by challenging them to engage rigorous curriculum. Academic honesty is an essential element of a healthy learning environment. We expect that all students exhibit honesty and integrity in their academic work, and that the work students submit represents their own best effort. The Canton High School faculty takes seriously any potential violation of honesty and academic integrity.  Academic violations are usually categorized as cheating or plagiarism.  Other offenses, however, may be classified as academic violations. Academic violations may also carry disciplinary consequences in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

Definitions

Cheating

In an academic setting, cheating consists of such acts as communicating with other student(s) by talking or writing during a test or quiz; unauthorized use of technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), during an assessment; or any other such action that invalidates the result of the assessment or other assignment. 

Examples:

• copying another student’s homework and giving the impression it is your work

• copying someone’s ideas, data, or exact wording without citing your source

• copying or sharing answers by talking, signing, or gesturing during an assessment

• allowing another student to copy your work

• passing test or quiz information to others in another class period with the same teacher or course

• submitting a pre-written writing assignment at times when such assignments are supposed to be written in class

• using unauthorized study aids, notes, books, text messages, data, or other information

• sabotaging the projects or experiments of other students

• lying or failing to give complete information to a teacher for the purpose of gaining academic advantage

• feigning illness to gain extra preparation time for tests, quizzes, or other assignments

• purchasing a paper or having someone write a paper for you

• altering graded exams and re-submitting them for re-grading

• submitting papers/projects that have been done for a previous class

• using the internet/Wi-Fi to access group chats via personal devices and copying/sharing another person’s homework, test, quiz or ideas via texting, social media or otherwise.

• using artificial intelligence, to include assistive or generative artificial intelligence, without the explicit permission of a classroom teacher.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism consists of the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author, including Artificial Intelligence, and the representation of such as one’s own work. 

Examples:

• submitting an assignment in whole or in part that has been copied from a  published source or downloaded from computer software or the Internet 

• borrowing the sequence of ideas, the arrangement of materials, or the pattern of thought of someone else without proper acknowledgment

• having a parent/guardian or another person write an essay or do a project that is then submitted as one’s own work

• failing to use proper documentation and/or bibliography

• using artificial intelligence to generate ideas, essays, or parts of essays without permission or without disclosing the source of the ideas or writing 

*AI Policy and protocols are continually evolving at the state and local levels. We anticipate updated AI guidelines throughout the 26-27 school year.

Collaboration

The Canton High School faculty encourages students to collaborate with one another in accordance with the guidelines provided by the teacher of the course.  

• What collaboration looks like will vary from class to class- do not assume that collaboration is allowed on every assignment, or that collaboration expectations are the same for every assignment. 

• Working together on assignments that were intended to be completed individually will result in a violation of the Academic Honor Code.

Accountability for violations of the Academic Honor Code

Faculty Responsibilities

Faculty members should take the following steps when they suspect that a student(s) has violated our Academic Honor Code.

• The teacher notifies their Department Coordinator and consults, if necessary, to determine whether the issue is a violation of the Academic Honor Code. 

• Teachers may assign a failing score for the assignment after consulting the Department Coordinator

• The teacher discusses the concern with the student(s). If the student shares information that changes the teacher’s understanding of the violation, the teacher may change the consequence. 

• The teacher finalizes the academic consequence with their Department Coordinator and/or Assistant Principal. 

• Teacher calls parents to inform them of the violation and academic consequence.  Teacher also notifies the School Counselor and Assistant Principal.

• School counselor reaches out to the student. 

• The Assistant Principal meets with the student to discuss any additional consequences for this incident and/or any future consequences of another violation of our academic integrity policy. 

Additional Accountability

• Students who violate the Academic Honor Code more than once may be removed from leadership positions and/or extracurricular activities, especially if they belong to organizations (i.e. honor societies) that prioritize academic achievement and integrity.

• When appropriate, the Assistant Principal may determine that additional accountability is necessary in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

Honor Roll Requirements

• Students who earn grades of B- or better in all subjects will be eligible for the Honor Roll (published each term). 

• Students who earn grades of A in all subjects will be eligible for the Highest Honors category. 

• Students who are taking three or more Accelerated/AP courses are eligible for the Honor Roll if they have no more than one C in those subjects. 

National Honor Society Eligibility Criteria

• Scholarship: The scholarship component requires students to maintain a weighted GPA of 3.7 or higher to become academically eligible for membership.

• Character: The character component is based on evaluations from faculty, staff, and coaches who know the student well. 

• Service: The service component requires juniors to complete a minimum of 60 service hours and requires seniors to complete a minimum of 90 service hours. These hours may include the 20 hours of mandatory service.

• Leadership: The leadership component requires a minimum of two distinct leadership positions based on all positions in school, community organizations, or work settings where the student has demonstrated the responsibility for directing and motivating a group

Class Valedictorian and Salutatorian

The student in the Canton High School graduating class with the highest cumulative weighted GPA at the end of seven semesters (following semester one of a student’s senior year) will receive the honor of being named the class valedictorian.  The student with the second-highest weighted GPA will be honored as the class salutatorian.  In the case of a numerical tie, there could be more than one Valedictorian or Salutatorian.

Summer School and Courses Taken Outside of Canton High School

COURSES TAKEN OUTSIDE OF CHS

• No courses outside of CHS offerings will satisfy the minimum graduation requirements or competency determination requirements. 

• Students must apply in writing to the principal for any non-CHS course for credit.

• Students may not receive credit for a course taken outside of Canton High School during the school year without the prior approval of the high school principal.

SUMMER SCHOOL MAKE-UP AND CREDIT

A student may attend summer school for enrichment in a course OR a student may attend summer school to make up a failed course when the following criteria are met:

• The student has not withdrawn from the course during the school year.

• The student has received at least a 50% for a final grade.

• The student obtains prior approval from the principal or designee before enrolling in summer courses at a different school system. 

• The following conditions may apply: 

  • The student may be asked to submit a portfolio of work performed at summer school, including a record of attendance, homework, assessments, etc.

  • The principal or designee reserves the right to administer a test that must be passed before students can receive credit for a course taken in summer school.

Summer school remediation grades and credits appear on the Canton High School transcript, but are not included in calculating the Weighted or Unweighted GPA. Enrichment courses will not appear on the transcript.