Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School celebrated College Week from Jan. 23-26. Each day featured a different theme ranging from College Professor Day and College Major Day to Mitchell University Day and #WJMProud Day. On #WJMProud Day, students dressed in colors to represent their learning pods, or classrooms divided among grade levels. On College Professor Day, students dressed the part in suits and ties, dresses and skirts. On Mitchell University Day, students and staff wore shirts, hats and school colors to represent where a family member, or teacher, went to college. The goal of College Week was to highlight colleges and Read more…
The Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Office of Accountability team of Cliff Eichel, Emily Cole-Bayer, Christina Miller and Karen Peters will present “The Little District That Could: How a Mid-Size District Implemented a Balanced Assessment System” at the National Conference on Student Assessment in June. The conference is organized annually by The Council of Chief State School Officers and presenters must submit presentation topics months in advance. A limited number of presentations are accepted for inclusion at the conference. At the conference set for June 28-30 in Austin, Texas, the Office of Accountability team will present to more than 1,000 Read more…
Due to inclement weather conditions, all Charles County public schools will open two-hours late today, Monday, Jan. 30, 2017. All morning prekindergarten classes are canceled. There is a code two, which is a two-hour delay, for staff who follow the code system. Visit the school system website, www.ccboe.com, or call the 24-hour information line at 301-934-7410 or 301-932-6656 for the latest school closing information.
Experts who let their credentials lapse, a mother who cleans her house when not being a spokeswoman for a water company, a defense witness who is a longtime friend of the accused. Mass emails! A million dollars in bottled water! Enough water-based puns to sink a ship! The Jan. 24 mock trial of the State of Maryland vs. Sam S. Saratoga was a legal thriller as Thomas Stone High School portrayed the prosecution against North Point High School as the defense. This year marks the 34th annual Maryland State Bar Association’s mock trial competition which strives to bring about an Read more…
Superintendent Kimberly Hill and Board of Education Chairman Michael Lukas updated the state Board of Public Works (BPW) today on a 10-year facilities plan that blends new school construction with renovations and expansions. Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) requested nearly $17 million in funding from the state for the construction of elementary #22 in White Plains off Billingsley Road, the renovation and expansion of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School and kindergarten additions at Berry and Dr. James Craik elementary schools. The state, through the Interagency Committee on School Construction (IAC), has already recommended $7 million in funding for the Read more…
Charles County Public Schools’ (CCPS) graduation rate remained above the state average, but dropped slightly from 92.36 percent in 2015 to 92.17 percent in 2016, according to data released Jan. 24 by the Maryland State Department of Education. The CCPS four-year cohort graduation rate has improved more than 6 points since 2010. “A high school diploma is the first essential tool for career and college success. Our goal is for all students to finish high school with their class. We continue to explore ways to help students who may need a different option than a traditional high school to stay Read more…
Fernandez named Berry Geography Bee champ Stan Fernandez, a Berry Elementary School fourth grader, was named the school’s Geography Bee champion earlier this month. Fernandez, who spent days studying for the Bee and was quizzed by his mom, was excited and surprised to have won. “I felt very proud and very happy,” Fernandez said. “When I got home, my parents and sister surprised me with balloons and music. I was so happy that my family got to enjoy the celebration.” Fifth grader Ethan Ristu came in second place and Joyce Hebou, a fifth grade student, came in third. The Geography Read more…
Five student artists from Piccowaxen Middle School were recently honored by the Maryland Art Education Association (MAEA) through its 2017 Maryland Youth Art Month Flag contest. Honored for their creative entries in the contest, which celebrated the theme of United Through Art, were Lauren Anderson, seventh grade; Leann Asher, eighth grade; Makayla Metz, seventh grade; Emily Moon, seventh grade; and Jade Petty, eighth grade. Anderson received the top award overall at the middle school level of the contest. Her art features the drawing of a crab in the colors of red, white, black and yellow to depict the Maryland Read more…
Superintendent Kimberly Hill recently presented to the Board of Education a proposed fiscal year 2018 budget request of $364.1 million, an increase of 5.8 percent, or $19.9 million. The budget proposal includes an anticipated $4 million state increase and a request for an additional $17.9 million from the county. The primary cost drivers of next year’s budget are employee salaries and benefits, additional support for special population students, teachers for enrollment growth and bus replacements and additional bus routes. Employee compensation, Hill said, is essential to hire and retain high quality staff — the foundation of success for teaching and Read more…
The Twitter hashtag #beautifultomorrow was a hot topic at Maurice J. McDonough High School Friday afternoon as students and staff participated in an interactive presentation with a local motivational speaker, Jason Lewis. Lewis performs under the name of Humble Tip as part of the rap group “Humbled Kings Forever” and is a Charles County Public Schools graduate. His presentation titled “The Beautiful Tomorrow” features messages of motivation, respect, accountability and tips for young adults in how to handle peer pressures to stay on a path to success. “Only you can control your futures, drive your own decisions. It’s up to Read more…