Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) kicked off its high school graduation ceremonies May 31 with the Class of 2018 from North Point High School. Graduates walked across the stage, eager to get their diplomas during a ceremony that celebrated the accomplishments, successes and future plans of 448 students. North Point valedictorian Noah Kidwell plans to study biomedical engineering at The Ohio State University. During his speech to his classmates, Kidwell highlighted an important message each student who leaves North Point can resonate with after they graduate. “As we’ve heard for the last four years, the real world starts here. We’ve Read more…

The Board of Education is holding an executive session at 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 6 at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building to discuss personnel as permitted by the Maryland Open Meetings Act, Sections 3-305 and 3-103 of the General Provisions Article. About CCPS Charles County Public Schools provides 26,900 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 36 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education. The Charles County Read more…

Teachers, instructional assistants (IA) and others who make a difference in the lives of special education students and their families were honored May 16 at the 13th annual Staff Appreciation Awards given by the Charles County Special Education Advisory Committee (SECAC). Awards were given in the categories of elementary, middle and high school teams; elementary, middle and high school individual educators; related services personnel and support service workers. Parents, families and students nominated the recipients, writing letters of support, detailing how educators have helped students — and by extension — the child’s family and community. “It is such a great Read more…

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) will honor 2,071 seniors during high school graduation ceremonies set to take place over the next three days at the Charles County Convocation Center at North Point High School. Students in the Class of 2018 have earned a record amount of scholarship offers for a graduating class, with offers totaling nearly $122 million. This is an increase of more than $43 million from last school year. Valedictorians and salutatorians were announced earlier this week and represent the top academic achievers at each school. These positions are determined by student grade-point averages. The Class of 2018 Read more…

Jennifer Smith, a longtime athletic director with Charles County Public Schools (CCPS), was recently honored with the Maryland State Athletic Directors Association (MSADA) Athletic Director of the Year award for District 4. Smith currently oversees the athletic programs at St. Charles High School, where she has been the athletic director since the school opened in 2014. Smith was selected for the recognition from among other eligible District 4 nominees. District 4 represents Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s counties. Smith learned of her selection for the award in December and was honored by the MSADA at its annual conference last month. Read more…

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) staff and parents celebrated the first set of students in the Class of 2018 at the Adult Independence Program (AIP) graduation ceremony held Friday, May 18. Thirteen graduates took the auditorium stage at North Point High School to celebrate their successes and program accomplishments. Honored were Cameron Dew, Heba Habib, Emily Hughes, Brianna Jackson, Mathew Jackson, Logan Jenkins, Kenedeigh Johnson, Brenden Kelley, Danielle Murphy, Jerl Peoples, Estriana Smith, Rebecca Stine and Erica Tavernier. Johnson led the opening of the ceremony, in which each graduate proudly took the stage as he or she was introduced during Read more…

North Point High School senior Michael Meade has known for quite some time that he wants to be an engineer. He loves learning about science and math, and thought he would study civil engineering once he graduated. But, Meade said it was a class he took about materials and bioengineering that sparked his desire to pursue a different type of engineering path. “I have always done well in math and science and enjoy learning about materials and bioengineering. It is my favorite topic,” he said. Meade recently learned he received two scholarships that will help him pursue his engineering career: Read more…

Maurice J. McDonough High School senior Elizabeth Saoud is about to start on an Ivy League journey that almost did not happen. Captain of the McDonough Rams varsity girls’ soccer team and president of the National Honor Society and Student Government Association, Saoud’s high school career includes numerous academic and athletic achievements. Her achievements will help with her career goal of becoming either a surgeon or an anesthesiologist. For a long time, Saoud said she thought she would attend Johns Hopkins University. “I applied to Hopkins, University of Maryland and William and Mary,” she said. However, she also dreamt of Read more…

Robert D. Stethem Educational Center Career and Technology Education (CTE) students took a step further into the “real world” May 15 when they capped off two years of skills training with a recognition ceremony. The 57 students come to Stethem from the county’s seven high schools to attend courses in the programs of automotive technician, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), interactive media production, pharmacy technician and physical rehabilitation. The American economy and the country’s status as a world leader are linked to its current and future workforce, Lynne Arnold, principal of Stethem, said. Employers look for skills such as Read more…

The Board of Education is holding an executive session at 6 p.m. Monday, May 21 at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building to discuss the Superintendent’s evaluation as permitted by the Maryland Open Meetings Act, Sections 3-305 and 3-103 of the General Provisions Article. The meeting is expected to be closed to the public. About CCPS Charles County Public Schools provides 26,900 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 36 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership Read more…