Superintendent Kimberly Hill, and members of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office reminded La Plata High School student drivers this morning that “We Care” about their safety and their driving. La Plata High School student drivers were greeted Aug. 29 by their principal, the superintendent and officers who passed out fliers reminding the teens of driving rules and driving safety. Across the county, school resource officers also stopped and passed out safe driving flyers to student drivers. “We care about you and we want you here,” La Plata Principal Evelyn Arnold told students as they drove into the parking lot. Hill Read more…

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) serves a variety of breakfast and lunch menu items for students at low costs for parents. For the 2014-15 school year, prices for elementary school students are $1.25 for breakfast and $2.45 for lunch. Middle and high school students can purchase breakfast for $1.40 and lunch for $2.70. Some students may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals and CCPS determines eligibility through income guidelines established by the federal government. The reduced price for breakfast is $0.30 and $0.40 for lunch. All Charles County Public Schools students receive an application for free or reduced-price meals Read more…

The Board of Education is hosting three public forums to provide information about a facilities report evaluating all Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) schools and centers as well as renovation and school construction recommendations for the next decade. CCPS has scheduled the following sessions to present information to the public about the survey report, answer questions and accept comments: Benjamin Stoddert Middle School, 6 p.m., Sept. 22, in the cafeteria; La Plata High School, 6 p.m., Sept. 29, in the auditorium; and Maurice J. McDonough High School, 6 p.m., Oct. 13, in the auditorium. Last school year, the Charles County Read more…

Charles County Public Schools will host more than 150 colleges at its annual Charles County College Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at North Point High School. The fair is open to the public from 6 to 8 p.m. High school juniors and seniors attend the event during the school day as part of the system’s career readiness goal in the five-year plan. Students are transported from school by bus and are able to speak with representatives and gather information from participating colleges. Students wishing to attend the fair during the school day must submit a signed permission slip to their Read more…

The Board of Education of Charles County has appointed William Olmsted, a La Plata lawyer, to serve as chairman of the newly appointed Board of Education Ethics Panel. The panel is serving a four-year term that ends in June 2018. Joining Olmsted on the panel are James Cornette of La Plata, Theresa Everette of Waldorf, Jessie Morris of Waldorf and Derrick Nunn of Waldorf. The Board appoints the all-volunteer, five-member panel every four years prior to a Board of Education election. The ethics panel interprets ethics regulations and provides advisory opinions to Board Members and employees subject to the regulations. Read more…

Thomas Stone High School is hosting the second annual 9/11 Memorial 5K Road Race and Fun Walk at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6. Proceeds from the event will support the 9/11 Memorial Scholarship Fund for Kris “Romeo” Bishundat, a 1995 Stone alumnus who was killed at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. Proceeds will also support the nature’s revival forest trails rehabilitation and cross country teams at Stone. The entry fee is $20 plus a $2.50 sign-up fee and interested participants can register online at www.runningmyraces.com. Select the event date of Sept. 6 and Maryland to find the registration Read more…

Revised – 8/25/14 The Board of Education has scheduled a work session at 6 p.m., Monday, Aug. 25, at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building at 5980 Radio Station Road, La Plata. There is a public forum scheduled at 6 p.m., followed by the work session. The work session is scheduled to receive the report contracted by the Board and the Commissioners to survey the physical condition of each school building, geographical location, and projected demographics. The report provides information about optimum number, size and locations of schools countywide and will be used as a guide for the Charles County Read more…

Charles County Public Schools is expanding the grade reporting feature of Blackboard/Edline to all 21 elementary schools this school year. Edline is a web-based portal that parents can use to view their child’s school records such as classroom assignments, attendance and grades. Elementary school parents will now be able to view their child’s grades and academic progress online through Blackboard/Edline. To access grades and other student-specific information, parents must log in to the system using a registered account. Elementary school parents who have not registered for a Blackboard/Edline account will need to obtain an activation code at their child’s school. Read more…

St. Charles High School is offering free tours of the school and the James E. Richmond Science Center on Sept. 6 to provide the public a chance to see Charles County Public Schools newest high school. Principal Richard Conley says one-hour tours will be held beginning at 12:30 p.m. Due to capacity restrictions in the digital classroom, each tour will be limited to the first 180 people arriving for each time slot. Tours will begin promptly at 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. St. Charles High School staff members will host the tours and are excited to Read more…

The 2014-15 school year officially begins on Monday, Aug. 25 for students in grades kindergarten through 12. Charles County Public Schools expects to welcome more than 26,500 students this school year. Students enrolled in the prekindergarten and three-year-old programs start back on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Charles County Public Schools staff and teachers are preparing for the start of another school year and are finalizing services and programs for students and parents. Bus hotline The school system is sponsoring a bus hotline for parents to call with questions about bus routes. The hotline can be reached at 301-932-6655, and is only Read more…