Current Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) sophomores can apply for admission to one of five available career and technology education (CTE) programs at the Robert D. Stethem Educational Center. The application window opens 8 a.m. Monday, March 4 and closes at 3 p.m. March 22. The online application process is new for the 2019-20 school year. Placement is for the 2019-20 school year and includes the following programs: automotive technician, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), interactive media production, pharmacy technician and physical rehabilitation. Juniors enrolled in a CTE program at Stethem attend classes at the Stethem Center in the Read more…
The 41st annual Charles County Spelling Bee is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 6 at Piccowaxen Middle School in Newburg. Middle school spelling champions in public and private schools will face off to see who will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee set for May 28-30 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center at the National Harbor. Teams from the eight Charles County public middle schools, as well as local private schools, are set to participate. The county Bee will be streamed live at www.ccboe.com, starting at 6 p.m. Viewers can also catch the Bee on YouTube Read more…
Get ready for some rock and roll, sightseeing on a magic carpet and disco dancing with student actors from the school system’s seven high schools as they prepare for their spring productions. The season kicks off next weekend with “Chicago, High School Edition” at St. Charles High School on March 8-10. The production sets stage in the city of Chicago during the 1920s. Main character Roxie Hart finds herself wrapped up in a murder and convinces her husband, Amos, to take the blame. After realizing he was set up, Amos turns on Roxie who is convicted and sent to prison. Read more…
More than 170 students participated in the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) winter chess tournament held this past Saturday, Feb. 23 at Henry E. Lackey High School. Registrations increased from the fall event, with 125 participants competing in October to 170 at the winter event. The tournament is open to interested students in kindergarten through Grade 12. The tournament follows a Swiss-style format in which each student plays four games. Students compete in eight grade-level divisions and trophies are given to division champions. Students who earn a top finisher award in their respective categories receive a medal, and all participants Read more…
Strings students at Henry E. Lackey High School spent a recent afternoon honing their skills as musicians when guest conductors set up shop in Dr. Alan Freeman’s classroom. “I love doing this … it’s my seventh or eighth time here,” said Stephen Czarkowski, a conductor and cellist. “This orchestra just gets better.” Czarkowski, a conductor of the Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra, and others, was joined by YaShauna Swan, a coach with FRYO, and Nathan Wisniewski, a U.S. Air Force master sergeant and arranger for the Air Force Strings. The three were brought to Lackey by Freeman with the help of Read more…
Several Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students earned medals in the recent regional SkillsUSA competition and advance to the state event set for April 12-13. Career and technology education (CTE) students from North Point High School and the Robert D. Stethem Educational Center compete annually in the event. SkillsUSA competitions showcase CTE students, involve industry professionals in evaluating student performance and help to train students for workforce needs. Students compete locally and continue through both the state and national levels. Students who earn a gold, silver or bronze medal will represent their respective CTE program at the State Leadership and Read more…
Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students in the Teacher Academy of Maryland (TAM) program attended the second annual CSM Teacher Academy Conference Feb. 22 on the La Plata campus of the College of Southern Maryland. Local students were joined at the conference with peers from Calvert and St. Mary’s counties where they attended sessions on education topics taught by CSM and CCPS staff members. TAM students learned how games can be used to engage students in math lessons, how to use reading and literacy strategies and how trauma effects children. Along with the conference, students took part in regional Educators Read more…
Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) is ending its meal credit extension for parents and students. To help families affected by the federal government shutdown, CCPS increased the amount of meal credits students could use to buy breakfast and lunch. Credits are given only for students who attempt to purchase meals and have no money on their account. Beginning on Monday, March 4, CCPS will begin to reduce the amount of meal credit extensions as follows: Monday, March 4 – limit drops to $50; Monday, March 18 – limit drops to $25; and Monday, April 1 – standard limits return. Read more…
Four Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Unified Bocce teams earned awards at the Unified Bocce State Invitational held Feb. 13 at Hagerstown Community College. A team from Maurice J. McDonough High School took first place in division three of the event. A second team from McDonough earned third place in division two of the event, and a La Plata High School team received a third-place award in division three of the tournament. A third team from McDonough received fourth place among teams competing in division one. Unified sports teams include a combination of students with and without disabilities who train Read more…
Due to a winter weather advisory predicting snow and ice, all Charles County public schools are closed tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019. There is a code blue for staff, which means Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) employees do not report to work. Visit the school system website at www.ccboe.com or call the 24-hour information line at 301-932-6656 or 301-934-7410 for the latest CCPS information.