The Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Department of Student Services will host a virtual parent and caregiver workshop on Dec. 15. All virtual presentations will include an interpreter for Spanish-speaking parents and caregivers. The upcoming workshop will focus on healthy relationships among teens. Student Services staff members — school counselors, school psychologists and pupil personnel workers — will continue to share information during the school year that mirrors social emotional learning (SEL) instruction students receive in their classes. Workshops will continue to help parents and caregivers gain knowledge of SEL information, strategies and coping skills students are taught. Topics for Read more…

Increasingly — and, some might argue, exclusively — people are communicating electronically. Text, email, social media — when it comes to writing to each other, people are talking with their thumbs. Emily Leedy, a fifth-grade teacher at Malcolm Elementary School, is attempting to change things up a bit by introducing a cross-curricular letter writing opportunity to fifth graders. She will be helped in the endeavor with a $300 mini grant from the Maryland Retired School Personnel Association (MRSPA). The grants help bring projects to classrooms and schools that might not be possible without the boost of the award. The association’s Read more…

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) hosted its 2021 Middle School Archery Tournament on Nov. 19 at Milton M. Somers Middle School. Archers from the county’s public middle schools participated, divided by grade level into boy and girl teams. The top boy and girl archer by grade were recognized, as well as teams overall. Top archers: Rylie Rich, sixth grade, Piccowaxen Middle School, 139 points. Chandler Robinson, sixth grade, Matthew Henson Middle School, 144 points. Aubriana Harrington, seventh grade, Henson, 133 points. Colton Scott, seventh grade, Henson, 104 points. Devin Embrey, eighth grade, Henson, 104 points. Mason Truesdell, eighth grade, Piccowaxen, Read more…

Members of La Plata High School’s National Honor Society (NHS) recently collected food for, put together and delivered Thanksgiving food baskets. Families of La Plata students were selected by the school’s pupil personnel worker (PPW) to receive the food baskets that were brimming with donations collected by NHS members from club members, teachers and staff, and Key Club members. The program has been overseen by the group for more than two decades, Nicole Deavers, who co-sponsors NHS with Victoria Lee, said. Members of La Plata’s NHS worked with those in the Key Club to host a Trunk-or-Treat event at the Read more…

The Board of Education at its Nov. 9 meeting approved the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) middle school redistricting plan, which takes effect next school year. In a vote of 4 to 2, the Board approved Superintendent Maria V. Navarro’s recommendation of a modified version of Proposal A which balances state-rated capacity and includes movement of students among all eight CCPS middle school zones.   The redistricting measures address the anticipated growth in student enrollment while adhering closely to each school’s state rated capacity guidelines. The approved plan moves a smaller number of current CCPS students and better balances growth in neighborhoods zoned for Benjamin Read more…

The Board of Education of Charles County is holding a 6 p.m. work session on Monday, Nov. 22, in the boardroom at the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building. The Starkey Building is located at 5980 Radio Station Road in La Plata. The meeting is open to the public. However, the Board is limiting the number of in-person attendees to the first five arrivals to support social distancing in the boardroom. Visitors are required to wear a face mask and will be seated in the back of the boardroom. If more than five visitors come to Read more…

The Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Department of Student Services will host virtual parent and caregiver workshops on Nov. 16 and 17. All virtual presentations will include an interpreter for Spanish-speaking parents and caregivers. Student Services staff members — school counselors, school psychologists and pupil personnel workers — will continue to share information during the school year that mirrors social emotional learning (SEL) instruction students receive in their classes. During the workshops, parents and caregivers will gain knowledge of SEL information, strategies and coping skills students are taught. Topics for the secondary-level workshops will include depression, healthy relationships, healthy communication, Read more…

The Board of Education of Charles County at its Nov. 9 meeting honored five Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students. School principals annually select one student and staff member for Board recognition. Students are honored for accomplishments in the areas of academic achievement, career readiness and personal responsibility. Honored by the Board on Nov. 9 were Yaretzy Alegria-Hernandez of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School; Samuel Binsol of William B. Wade Elementary School; Lionel Saravia of Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary School; Peyton Lewis of Matthew Henson Middle School; and Eric Thompson of the Robert D. Stethem Educational Center. Read more…

The Board of Education of Charles County at its Nov. 9 meeting honored four Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) staff members for their commitment to the school system and student success. Each month, the Board honors staff members chosen by their school principals for recognition who demonstrate their dedication to teaching and learning. Honored by the Board at its November meeting were Lea Flynn of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School; Andrew Shanbarger of Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary School; Alisha Sweatt of William B. Wade Elementary School; and Todd Wogamon of the Robert D. Stethem Educational Center. Flynn Read more…

Five Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) World Language teachers recently earned the Global Seal of Biliteracy. The Seal of Biliteracy is a credential that was first established in 2008 in California and adopted by Maryland in 2016. The recognition is given to students and educators who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages and can be used as a credential for academic and employment purposes. Spanish teachers Joshua Clark of Henry E. Lackey High School, Maureen Stewart of North Point High School, Danyale Ury of North Point, Ana Villela-Villela of Milton M. Somers Middle School and Latin Read more…