General Information

General Information sections are in alphabetical order

Age of Majority

Students who have reached the age of 18 may notify the school administrations that they wish to exercise their age of majority rights.  When this happens, the school’s practice is to notify parents/guardians that the student has made this declaration.  Students may then access all information about their records and are entitled to sign permission slips for trips, absence notes, tardy notes, and dismissal notes. Any student coming late to school or leaving early because of any type of appointment must still submit the proper documentation for the appointment. The nurse must still dismiss students who are ill before they may sign out of school. 

Automobiles/Student Parking

Driving and parking vehicles on school property is voluntary and a privilege. On an annual basis, Grade 11 and 12 students wishing to drive to school must register with the main office; the registration fee is $200.

Parking expectations:

• All students driving to and from school must park in the designated student parking area.

• When a student arrives at school, they should secure their vehicle and enter the building.

• Students are not allowed to visit their vehicles during school hours.

• To park on school property, students must have been issued a Canton High School parking sticker and that sticker must be visible.

• Students are NOT to park in the American Legion parking lot, the Rodman parking lot, the staff lots, the visitor spots, and/or any area not designated for student parking.

• Once all spots are assigned, students may sign up for a waitlist. 

• Students parking on school property without a sticker will receive disciplinary consequences including but not limited to school-based consequences, loss of privileges, ineligibility for future parking privileges, and there may be instances where a vehicle will be towed/removed from campus.

Students in lower grades are not allowed to park on campus. 

Parking violations or unsafe driving on campus or in the neighborhoods surrounding the high school may result in a student losing parking privileges. In addition, student vehicles may be searched if a school administrator suspects the vehicle contains illegal or unsafe/prohibited materials. If possible, the student will be present during the search. Parents/guardians will be notified of the search as soon as possible.

CHS Career Center

The Career Center is open during most periods of the day and also after school and is designed to help students explore career options, seek help with employment after school and determine activities to be done for the yearly twenty-hour (20) community service graduation requirement.

The Center has several computers which have programs designed to help students look at all types of career options. The Center also sponsors various career field trips in conjunction with the Schools-to-Careers Project. Announcements about all opportunities available from the Center are posted outside the Center, listed in the Daily Bulletin and broadcast during the morning announcements. For more information, students should contact Mr. Edward Amico. 

Century Club

The Canton High School Century Club is one of a kind.  The Century Club membership is strictly an honorary award given to those students who have achieved exemplary unweighted class rank. The unweighted rank is cumulative and it is reviewed annually after Term 3.  One hundred (100) students are chosen from the four classes as follows:  the top forty (40) seniors, the top thirty (30) juniors, the top twenty (20) sophomores, and the top ten (10) freshmen.  Century Club members are honored at the Scholastic Honors Night in May.

Contact Sequence

Should you wish to contact the school for a class- or counselor-specific issue please use the following continuum to guide your outreach:

• The teacher or counselor, then

• The Department Chair, then

• The Assistant Principal, then

• The Principal, then

• The Director of Curriculum and Instruction/Director of Student Services, then

• Lastly, the Superintendent of Schools

Dance/Prom- Student Expectations

Students who wish to participate in any school-sponsored dance or prom must sign a contract, which outlines the expectations of the event.  Guests may be allowed to attend the CHS proms when appropriate.  If guests are allowed, the CHS student and their guest are required to complete and submit the CHS Prom Guest Form in advance and receive approval from CHS administration. 

Directed and Self-Directed Study Courses

• All students are assigned a study during non-academic class periods.  

• Students in grades 9-11 may remain in their study or obtain a pass in advance from a teacher to receive support or to make up work. 

• Students may also be eligible to get a pass to the library, counseling office, or Career Center in advance of study following approved procedures.  

• Seniors may choose where they would like to spend their unassigned blocks within the school building when not assigned to a specific directed study.  These areas include the library, cafeteria, counseling office, career center, common areas designated by the administration, or with a teacher/staff member. 

Dress Code

The dress code is intended to support the school’s culture of respect and high expectations and outlines reasonable regulations expected of students’ attire.  Also, in accordance with Massachusetts state law students are expected to dress in a manner that conforms to reasonable standards of health, safety, and cleanliness that will not cause disruption to the educational process.

Examples of clothing that may not meet these standards include, but are not limited to:

• Excessively revealing clothing

• Articles of clothing/accessories that impede the immediate identification of a student with the exception of clothing worn for religious purposes/observances

• Clothing with profane or offensive language or which contains images, words, or symbols relating to sex, drugs, alcohol, or other conduct/topics prohibited at CHS

CHS staff (advisors, coaches, and/or teachers) may require higher standards of dress in order to participate in special activities, including field trips and events. Additionally, staff may ask students to remove “smart devices/watches” during a class assignment or assessment and/or require certain clothing or footwear for a class activity. 

If students or parents/guardians have any questions about whether an item of clothing is appropriate, they should consult with the Assistant Principal before wearing that article of clothing.

If a student is dressed inappropriately, the CHS administration is authorized to:

● Have students change their clothing in school to school-appropriate attire.

● Contact parents/guardians to bring in a change of clothing.

The principal or their designee will determine consequences for a student who defies a reasonable request to dress appropriately for the school setting or repeatedly defies the school’s dress code.

Drivers Education

For information about Driver’s Education at CHS, please contact Mrs. Charlotte Nix, Supervisor of Driver Education at (781) 821-5050 ext. 2121. No school credit is awarded for this course. Click here for Canton Driver Education’s website.

Externship

The Senior Externship is a program that enables qualified seniors to spend the fourth term working on a career exploration project of their own choice, with the support and collaboration of the staff at Canton High School.  These internships are work-based activities in which students engage in learning through practical and relevant experiences in a career path that is of interest to them.  The Senior Externship is a six-week unpaid independent study program offering seniors an opportunity to learn in an educational environment not previously available to the student. 

Students must spend a minimum of 30 hours a week on their project, with exceptions on a case-by-case basis. Only students who meet high standards of reliability and responsibility are accepted into the Canton High School Senior Externship program. Participation in the Senior Externship requires punctuality, good attendance, responsible citizenship, and satisfactory academic achievement.

Students must have an overall grade average of a C or better during their senior year and selection will also be based on attendance (including class cuts, absences, and tardies) and school behavior (including detention).  Students MUST fulfill their Service Learning obligation by the middle of 3rd term to be eligible for participation in the Senior Externship.

Fundraising

All fundraising must be approved by the Principal or designee. Approved fundraising will be limited to two weeks and will not be conducted during the school day without specific approval.

All fundraising campaigns must comply with school procedures including the district’s Wellness Policy

Late Bus

The Late Bus is available to CHS students on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The Late Bus will arrive at 3:15 p.m. in the Rodman Loop. Students must meet expectations and follow all school and bus rules on the Late Bus.  

Lockers/Student Belongings

Each student will be assigned a locker. Students may go to lockers before and after school and between periods if they choose. Students going to lockers during a period must have a pass from the teacher. Master keys and copies of combinations for lockers are retained by the school. Items prohibited from school may not be stored in lockers, which include weapons, illegal drugs, alcoholic beverages, stolen property, nicotine products, or anything that may be disruptive or dangerous to the student body or staff. The school retains the right to inspect lockers periodically for compliance with these rules. Whenever possible, inspections will take place when the student is present.

Canton High School assumes no responsibility for items lost or stolen in school.  

Military Obligations

By federal law, all males must register with the Selective Service office within 30 days of their 18th birthday.  In addition, the federal Every Student Succeeds Act legislation requires the high school to supply all military branches with the names and addresses of all students.  Students may opt off of this list by submitting a letter to the Counseling Office from a parent/guardian if younger than 18 or by the student if 18 years or older requesting this information not be sent.

Student Council and Class Officers

Student Council is an organization through which the students may express their opinions/make recommendations to the school administration to improve the school community and serve as a voice for the student body. The Council promotes leadership, initiative, and agency among its members and CHS is a recognized chapter of the National Association of Student Councils. 

The Student Council Executive Board are elected members from grades 11 and 12 and oversees the functions of the Student Council as a school-wide entity. The positions are as follows: 

• Student Council President- grade 12

• Student Council Vice President- grade 11

• Student Council Secretary- grade 12 or 11

• Publicity Coordinator- grade 12 or 11

• Representative to the School Committee (Student Advisory Council)- grade 12 or 11

In addition to the above-noted positions, one Delegate will be elected from each grade. 

Class Officers are elected members of each grade, including a President, Vice President, Secretary, Publicity Coordinator, and Representative to the School Committee (Student Advisory Council). CHS also facilitates the annual election of a Chair of the Student Advisory Council who serves as an ex-facto non-voting member of the School Committee. 

Class Officers are elected members of each grade and include a President, Vice President, Secretary, Publicity Coordinator, and Representative to the School Committee (Student Advisory Council member). CHS also facilitates the annual election of a Chair of the Student Advisory Council who serves as an ex-facto non-voting member of the School Committee. 

Elections for Student Council and Class Officer positions are held in the spring of each year to install student members for the following school year. Students running for these class officer positions must follow all guidelines prepared by the Student Council Faculty Advisor. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the student not being permitted to run and/or serve. 

Any student who holds a leadership position at Canton High School will be held to a high standard of behavior to maintain their position. If a student leader engages in a significant violation of the code of conduct or exhibits chronic behavioral problems, the principal or designee maintains the right to remove the leadership position from the student.

Work Permits

During the school year, students may obtain working papers before or after school in the Main Office. During the summer and vacations, they may be obtained in the Main Office or Counseling Office Monday-Friday from 8:30am - 2:30pm except when the building is closed.