Canton High to offer Mandarin, new AP courses

By Mike Berger

CHS Principal Derek Folan, in an attempt to raise the bar for all students, has unveiled a revamped program of studies for the next school year that includes more Advanced Placement courses, a new introductory Mandarin course, and the elimination of prerequisites.

Folan is also continuing an earlier practice of phasing out college preparatory 2 (CP2) levels for all courses except for an existing English class for seniors. His goal is to challenge all students while continuing to add necessary support services in the areas of English and mathematics.

Folan has consulted with officials from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), which recently completed a 10-year re-accreditation of CHS, and he also reviewed a list of the best high schools in the state. He noted that each of the top schools has between 15 and 18 AP courses, while Canton currently has 11. He has proposed adding five more AP courses for next year: economics, music theory, psychology, chemistry, and art. His long-term goal is for all students to take at least one AP course prior to graduation.

Folan is also committed to a district-wide STEAM initiative and intends to add more courses in those areas (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics). For next year he is proposing to add a Web 2.0 elective focusing on social media, and he would like to see it become a requirement in the future. Folan also plans to inform students about the opportunity for taking online courses through the regional TEC collaborative for a fee of $300 per course.

All of these proposals received support from the School Committee and from Superintendent Jeff Granatino, who acknowledged that the new courses would require funding but did not see any other major obstacles.

Folan, with support from CHS foreign language coordinator Karen Augenstern, will add Mandarin I to next year’s language offerings (French, Spanish and German), and both agreed that the program should be extended to a second year.

And while French and Spanish remain popular language choices at CHS, Augenstern stressed the importance of retaining German, noting that it is still important in Eastern Europe and in the European financial markets. Canton also has maintained a very successful student exchange program with Bocholt, Germany for the past 35 years.

Folan and Augenstern agreed that students should have the option of taking Mandarin for a grade or on a pass/fail basis in order to encourage participation in the challenging course. School Committee Chairman John Bonnanzio said the committee would like to see the course budgeted appropriately and taught by a qualified professional.

Before Folan outlined his program of studies plan, committee members had a discussion with Augenstern about developing a long-term plan for teaching world languages in the future. They discussed extending some of the courses to elementary students and exploring new ways of teaching through shared classes with other communities, as well as electronic, synchronized instruction using the CHS language lab.

Augenstern said her long-term goal is for students to be proficient in two world languages upon graduation.

Also appearing before the committee on March 14 was K-12 performing arts coordinator Sarah Collmer, who gave an update on system-wide performing arts activities and detailed how a recent infusion of funds has helped the music program. Prior to Collmer’s presentation, the committee received a surprise musical performance by members of the middle school string orchestra, directed by Jen Meckler. Students included Sean McDonagh, Andrew Chung, Baytlah Mazonson, Caroline Magann, and Mary Kate Seltzer.

Collmer highlighted several program improvements, including increased instructional time for general music in grades 1-5; a successful new orchestra program at CHS under the direction of Brian Thomas; a small ensemble night featuring performances by the GMS and CHS jazz bands and the a capella group Vocalmotion; and a revamped music lesson program consisting of 16 teachers and approximately 70 students.

Collmer also thanked the committee for including music stipends in the school budget, allowing the parent booster group MusicCounts to provide funding for equipment, instruments and maintenance. In addition, Collmer highlighted the many contributions of the Rodman Foundation, which paid for 44 students to see “War Horse” at the Opera House, provided lesson scholarships to ten students, and donated funds for instruments at the middle and high schools.

Colmer also reminded the committee and the audience about several upcoming events, including a CHS concert on March 26, a second small ensemble night on April 9, and a band day on April 11 for middle and high school band students. During the band day, students will attend clinics led by UMass Amherst Band Director Dr. James Patrick Miller and will hear a UMass student woodwind quartet.

In other music news, Collmer was proud to report that Canton had two students participate in the All-State Music Festival — Katie Thomas and Grace-Mary Burega — and 11 students participate in the Southeastern Mass. Junior District Festival.

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