Dorchester County Public Schools -

Two items of interest: 1. Tonight (Tuesday, 4/9/24) is the first of three Community Vision sessions, organized by the Board of Education, to discuss the current and future needs of the district as part of the process of selecting the next Superintendent of Schools. It will be held in the cafeteria of North Dorchester High School at 6:00 – 7:30 pm, and all stakeholders – parents, teachers, administrators, staff, students, and Dorchester County residents – are invited to attend. The next one will be at C-SD on Wednesday, April 17, 6:00 – 7:30 pm. 2. Today is the final day to complete the survey of where you think Dorchester County Public Schools is now, and the leadership qualities you believe to be most important in a Superintendent. The survey can be found at https://hyasurvey.com/dorchester. #AllHandsOnDeck

Woo-hoo! Congratulations to the Dorchester County Public Schools winners of the National School Bus Safety Poster Contest! Choptank Elementary School 2nd grader Aamiracle Turner and 5th grader Josselyn Ramirez Gudino, both riders of Bus #53, are shown here with proud principal Gaven Parker, and Derrick Faulcon and Bill Fleming from the DCPS Transportation Department. We’d love to show you their winning posters, but they have gone on to the state level of judging – good luck, girls! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Tomorrow, Monday, April 8, 2024 is the opening of the MCAP testing season for Dorchester County Public Schools, and Sandy Hill Elementary’s 3rd through 5th grade test-takers are fired UP! A pep rally was held Friday afternoon to put the Bees in a winning mindset, the centerpiece being a Student vs. Teacher basketball game, with some special visitors: the runners-up for the 23-24 1A State Basketball Championship, the Viking boys’ team! The teachers had some terrific moves but the students persevered, coming out the winners. It’s kind of like tests: you got to be all in it to win it! Thank you to the Cambridge Police Department for the donation of two bikes to be given away in a prize draw to two Sandy Hill students whose names are picked among those who are present and on time for tests and give it all they got! And thank you to parents for ensuring your well-rested kiddos are in school on time every testing day, so they can do their best! A reminder: the testing schedule for schools is available on our website: https://www.dcps.k12.md.us/o/dcps/page/parents. Go to Assessment Calendar, then Spring 2024 MCAP Calendar. Check out when YOUR child will be testing! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

A special meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Thursday, April 11, 2024, at the Central Office of the Board of Education, 700 Glasgow St., Cambridge, with the swearing in of the new member of the Board of Education at 5:00 pm. This will be open to the public. The Board will then go into closed session and reconvene in open session at 6:30 pm. The agenda and related documents will be found online via Board Docs on the Dorchester County Public Schools website at www.dcps.k12.md.us. The meeting will be livestreamed at https://townhallstreams.com/towns/dorchesterboe.

If you have a three-, four-, or five-year-old who is not attending a DCPS school this year, this is your date to remember! That’s when online registration OPENS for a place in a Dorchester County Public Schools PreK-3, PreK-4, or Kindergarten classroom for the 2024-2025 school year. All Dorchester County postal addresses should have received a postcard with registration information and a QR code for registration on or after April 25, but in case you were missed, keep reading. To register your child, parents need proof of residency (mortgage, lease, or utility bill); proof of the child’s age (birth certificate or passport); proof of relationship to student (birth certificate, court order, legal documents); and proof of income (for PreK-3 and PreK-4 only) for all adults in the household (2023 tax return, W2’s, schedule C/1099, paystubs, proof of additional income – TCA letter, child support, unemployment). The post card you received has a QR code that will take you to the registration form, or you can use this link: https://bit.ly/3J7fCOk. Important: the registration form will not be available until April 25. Registration is online, but if you have a special need to register at the school, you must call the school to make an appointment. For the 2024-2025 school year PreK-3 will be available at Hurlock Elementary School, Maple Elementary School, Sandy Hill Elementary School, and (NEW!) Vienna Elementary School. Please be aware that PreK-3 places are limited, so please register early (April 25 or soon thereafter). Students must be three years old by September 1, 2024 to qualify. Those registering for PreK-4 must be age four by September 1, and those registering for Kindergarten must be age five by September 1. Kindergarten attendance is mandatory by Maryland law. Please note, children already attending a DCPS PreK-3 or PreK-4 program do not need to register. Questions? Contact Ms. Julie Lewis, Supervisor of Early Childhood Education at lewisju@dcpsmd.org or 410-228-4747 x1035. #AllHandsOnDeck

There’s a selection of sports represented by March’s Athletes of the Month! At North Dorchester High School, the Boys’ Varsity award (sponsored by Parker Hinson/Erin Wheatley Hinson) goes to four-year veteran track athlete Zachary Adams, an “exceptional athlete, a leader, and a positive role model for freshmen,” according to his coach Melvin Young. The Girls’ Varsity award winner (also sponsored by Parker Hinson/Erin Wheatley Hinson) is junior Maddie Tobat of the Eagle tennis team who her coach describes as a “leader, and a team player” who “never gives up”. The JV Athlete of the Month (sponsored by Cambridge/Easton Premier Cinemas) is Jackson Nehring, a 10th grader who carries a 4.0 grade point average and “always goes above and beyond at practice and team times”. Over at C-SD, softball player Emma Robinson, a junior, picked up the girl’s Athlete of the Month honors. The boy’s award winner is La’Shaun Moody, a senior and member of the Viking basketball team that made it to the State 1A Finals. Congratulations to all our scholar athletes! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Yes, that’s our Teacher of the Year 2024-25 Katelyn Robinson and First Class Teachers of the Year 2024-25 Haley Wright and Jordan Lewis who were honored last night at a meeting of the Dorchester County Council. And, yes, we’re sure proud! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Spring assessment season is starting soon! Please visit the DCPS Parents/Students page on our website and go to 2023-2024 District and State Assessment Calendars to see the testing schedule for your child’s school: https://www.dcps.k12.md.us/o/dcps/page/parents. Help your child by ensuring they arrive at school on time during testing days! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

The Board of Education of Dorchester County will conduct three Community Vision sessions to discuss the current and future needs of the district as part of the process of selecting the next Superintendent of Schools. All stakeholders, including parents, teachers, administrators, staff, students, and Dorchester County residents, are invited to attend. The dates and locations of the meetings are: Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 6:00-7:30 PM, North Dorchester High School – Cafeteria Wednesday, April 17, 2024, 6:00-7:30 PM, Cambridge-South Dorchester High School – Library Tuesday, April 23, 2004, 6:00-7:30 PM, South Dorchester K-8 – Gym Don’t forget – community members can share their thoughts about where Dorchester County Public Schools is now and what leadership qualities are considered most important in a new Superintendent by completing a survey open now through April 9. It can be found at https://hyasurvey.com/dorchester. For more information about the Superintendent search process, visit the DCPS website at https://www.dcps.k12.md.us or contact Board member Chris Wheedleton at wheedletonc@dcpsmd.org. #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

‘Real Men Read’ made its debut in Dorchester County at Sandy Hill Elementary School shortly before spring break, as around two dozen young men, all students at UMES, Salisbury University, or C-SD, visited PreK-4, Kindergarten, and 1st and 4th grades to share books and conversation. This is part of an initiative of the organization We Will All Rise to encourage men of color into schools, as educators and role models for youngsters. Thank you, gentlemen, for sharing your time and excitement about learning with the Sandy Hill Bees! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it . . . With Secretary, Maryland the fashion capital of Dorchester County, everyone has been awaiting the Big Reveal of what spring hat is the hot style this year. Check out these Husky fashions, introduced on the catwalk of Main St., at the annual Warwick Elementary School Hat Parade this past week. #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Here’s one more look at our terrific school-level Teachers of the Year 2024-2025, holding citations celebrating their honor! Also, we can’t say enough ‘congratulations!’ to Katelyn Robinson (Maple Elementary), the teacher selected to go on to the state level contest, shown here with First Class Teachers of the Year Haley Wright (Maple Elementary) and Jordan Lewis (Choptank Elementary). #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

A BIG ‘thank you!’ to the almost 50 community-minded businesses and other organizations who generously supported our Teacher of the Year 2024-2025 programs with contributions and donations, allowing us to celebrate our Teacher of the Year, First Class Teachers of the Year, and all the finalists. You’re the best! Aero Energy Amick Farms, LLC Ava’s Hospitality Group Bay Country Bakery Bay Country Communications Cambridge Chick-fil-a Cambridge Lions Club Cambridge Marketplace, LLC Carmela’s Cucina Carpenter Street Saloon Canters for Specialized Dentistry – Dr. John Lewis Chesapeake Family YMCA Chesapeake Seed & Feed Chipotle Choptank Electric Cooperative Craig’s Drug Store Data Network Delmarva Document Solutions Dorchester Center for the Arts Dorchester Educators Dr. Lois Narr Emily’s Produce ES Hubbert & Son Haddaway’s Service, Inc. Hair Couture – Courtney Slacum Heirloom Athletics Hertrich Automotive Group Hooper’s Island Volunteer Fire Company Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore Karen Davis – State Farm Insurance Kool Ice and Seafood McDonalds of Cambridge Megan Holotik – State Farm Insurance Mid-Shore Meals til Monday Nathan of Dorchester National Outdoor Foundation Ocean Odyssey Restaurant Simmons Center Market Starbucks The Rose Group – Applebee’s Restaurant Thomas Fine Jewelry Thomas Funeral Home, P.A. Tri-Gas and Oil Company, Inc. Twins & Company VCA Choptank Animal Hospital Victoria Nails & Spa Whitten Financial Group, LLC #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

The Board of Education of Dorchester County has launched its search for a new Superintendent of Schools, guided by executive search firm Hazard Young Attea Associates (HYA), and your input is needed. Starting today (Wednesday, March 27), all parents, teachers, administrators, staff, students, and community residents are invited to complete a survey regarding your thoughts about where Dorchester County Public Schools is now, and what leadership qualities you consider most important in a Superintendent. The survey will be open until April 9 and can be accessed here: https://hyasurvey.com/dorchester. More information about this search process can be found on our website at https://www.dcps.k12.md.us/article/1525091. #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Announcing Dorchester County Public Schools Teacher of the Year 2024-2025: Maple Elementary School PreK-4 teacher Katelyn Robinson! First Class Teacher of the Year 2024-2025 honors are shared by Jordan Lewis, PreK-4 teacher at Choptank Elementary School and Haley Wright, 4th grade teacher at Maple Elementary – the result of the first time there has been a tie in the judging of First Class Teacher of the Year! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Announcing Dorchester County Public Schools Teacher of the Year 2024-2025: Maple Elementary School PreK-4 teacher Katelyn Robinson! First Class Teacher of the Year 2024-2025 honors are shared by Jordan Lewis, PreK-4 teacher at Choptank Elementary School and Haley Wright, 4th grade teacher at Maple Elementary – the result of the first time there has been a tie in the judging of First Class Teacher of the Year! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Tonight’s the night! The Dorchester County Teacher of the Year for 2024-2025 will be announced from this list of more-than-worthy finalists. Congratulations to all for representing your schools and thank you for sharing your talent, knowledge, and expertise with the children of Dorchester County! Emma Brant, 3rd grade, Choptank Elementary School Christie Carels, 4th grade, South Dorchester School Colleen Carney, Social Studies, C-SD Crystal Carpenter, Math and Spanish, North Dorchester Middle School Kierra Farrare, 7th grade, Math, Mace’s Lane Middle School Jennifer Filipovic, Kindergarten, Hurlock Elementary School Heather Rhinehart, 2nd grade, Warwick Elementary School Katelyn Robinson, PreK-4, Maple Elementary School Christy Starling, PreK-3, Sandy Hill Elementary School Tony Thomas, Homeland Security, Emergency Preparedness/Criminal Justice, DCTC Kay Trice, Chemistry, Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, North Dorchester High School #AllHandsOnDeck

These are our Dorchester County Public Schools 1st Class Teacher of the Year finalists for 2024-2025! They are all first year certificated teachers who are rising to the challenge of what is probably one of the most demanding years of their lives – their rookie year of teaching – and who are showing exceptional promise and grace in the process. Jordan Lewis, Pre-K4, Choptank Elementary School; Brianna Sann, 1st grade, Sandy Hill Elementary School; Devyn Thompson, 6th grade RELA, Mace’s Lane Middle School; Haley Wright, 4th grade, Maple Elementary School Stand by for the announcement of who is the 1st Class Teacher of the Year, which will be made tomorrow, Tuesday, March 26, during the evening Teacher of the Year reception! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

This is a big “thank you!” to the folks who graciously performed the very tough job of selecting the Dorchester County Public Schools Teacher of the Year and First Class Teacher of the Year: Ms. Briana Beulah, Dorchester County Public Schools Teacher of the Year 2023-2024; Ms. Wendi Bleyer, Dorchester County Public Schools First Class Teacher of the Year 2023-2024; Mr. Bill Christopher, President, Dorchester Chamber of Commerce; Ms. Debbie Johnson, retired Administrator, Dorchester County Public Schools; Ms. Alice Mitchell, retired Administrator, Dorchester County Public Schools. Those chosen for the 2024-2025 titles will be announced tomorrow evening, Tuesday, March 26. Stay tuned! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Spring Break alert! Spring Break starts later this week and, thanks to Mother Nature, is a little different than the DCPS Calendar/Handbook. Thursday, March 28: Schools are closed, but offices are open and 12-month employees are working. Friday, March 29: Schools and offices are closed. Sunday, March 31: Happy Easter! Monday, April 1: Schools and offices are closed. No foolin’! Tuesday, April 2: Schools and offices are open as normal. This was originally to be a holiday and is listed in the 2023-24 DCPS Calendar Handbook as such, but has now been made a regular school day due to the number of inclement weather days taken so far this year. #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS