Dorchester County Public Schools -

It's School Social Work Week, and we pay tribute to our Dorchester County Public Schools social workers! These folks put in the effort every day to help us achieve our academic mission, with home, school, and community collaboration being the key to student success. Thank you! Rachel Chambers, North Dorchester Middle School Shayna Church, Hurlock Elementary School LaShona Coleman, Sandy Hill Elementary School Monick Conway, Choptank Elementary School Ashley Hayden, Behavioral Health Coordinator Katelyn Helwig, PBIS and Community Schools Coordinator Sarah Hopkins, North Dorchester High School Connar Hughes, NDLA, South Dorchester School, Vienna and Warwick Elementary Schools Ashley Leak, Mace’s Lane Middle School Angela Meekins, Maple Elementary School Kevonya Moment, C-SDHS Ashley Pinder, Maple Elementary School Steve Scott, Sandy Hill Elementary School Rebecca Skinner, Mace’s Lane Middle School Renee Travers, Choptank Elementary School Kawana Webb, Supervisor of Mental Health Services #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Colleen Carney, Dorchester County Public Schools Teacher of the Year finalist from Cambridge-South Dorchester High School, says she became a teacher because, “I want to help students overcome challenges in the classroom and be part of their support system to success.” She chose to teach social studies because, “I want to help students looking at the world around them realize that we have more in common between us than the differences that may seem to divide us,” plus a particular interest in history, thanks to her history buff Dad. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in History and Secondary Education and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, Ms. Carney is in her seventh year of teaching, all at C-SD, but has been a Viking much longer. Her high school in Vernon, New Jersey – where she grew up – were Vikings too! Thank you, Ms. Carney, for following your Viking destiny all the way to Dorchester County Public Schools! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

It’s Teacher of the Year season! Dorchester County Public Schools will name its Teacher of the Year and First Class Teacher of the Year for 2024-2025 on Tuesday, March 26. Over the next few weeks, we will be introducing you to the finalists in each category. Today we begin with Heather Rhinehart, 2nd grade teacher at Warwick Elementary. “My teaching philosophy includes meeting students where they are, developing strong relationships, and teaching my heart out!” So says Warwick Elementary’s Teacher of the Year finalist Heather Rhinehart. A teacher for 16 years, five with DCPS and all of those at Warwick, Ms. Rhinehart became a teacher because of her own love for learning. “From teaching stuffed animals, to playing school with neighborhood friends, I have always loved the excitement in watching others find success,” she says. Originally from Baltimore where she graduated from Open Bible Christian Academy, Ms. Rhinehart has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, and a freshly minted Masters in Curriculum and Instruction, just completed on February 29. A military spouse, Ms. Rhinehart could be teaching almost anywhere, so we feel particularly fortunate that we have her here. Thank you for your service to Dorchester County, Ms. Rhinehart! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Sandy Hill Elementary School was so excited to get started with Read Across America Week they hosted guest readers in classrooms on Friday. Interim Superintendent Dr. Jymil Thompson got into the rhythm of the classroom, reading to kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 5th grade. Other guest readers from the Central Office shared favorite books, and even a visitor to the Central Office, Dr. Frank Grossman, joined it. After all, readers make leaders! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

March Math Facts Madness began yesterday at Warwick Elementary School when the Viking Boys and Girls Basketball teams took a break from their playoff schedule to help the Huskies launch a month of math mania. Warwick mathletes went head-to-head in 60-second rounds with math fact questions and for each one they got correct, ‘their’ Viking would shoot a basket to earn them a point. It was an exciting, fast-paced way of reinforcing math facts, and gave the Vikings a good workout too! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Congratulations to these Dorchester County Public Schools students who won their school spelling bees, qualifying them for the Eastern Shore Regional Spelling Bee to be held tomorrow, March 2, 2024, at UMES! Top spellers were Cy’Ree McNair, 3rd grade and Trinity Deshields, 4th grade, Hurlock Elementary School; Landon Lewis and Everett Hinmon, Jr. (not pictured), both 7th grade, North Dorchester Middle School; and Autumn Knopp, 6th grade, and Marcus San Juan, 7th grade, Mace’s Lane Middle School. Good luck tomorrow, and be sure to take your B-E-L-I-E-F with you! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Today we say goodbye to Career and Technical Education Month, but hello to another student who has benefited from a CTE course, Evan Adams. Evan chose to take the Project Lead the Way Engineering course at DCTC, taught by Mr. Philip Albert, because he felt confident the rigor would give him an advantage as he continues his education. A soon-to-be graduate of C-SD, Evan is heading to Millersville University to study meteorology with a goal of working for the National Weather Service. We forecast bright days ahead for Evan! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Today we celebrate our ‘Leaplings’, those Dorchester County Public Schools students who were born on Leap Day, February 29, the date that only comes around every four years! A very happy third birthday to Sandy Hill Elementary student Zeke Lovett, born this day in 2012, and happy fourth birthday to C-SD students Cristina Mateo Antonio and Blake Todd, born this day in 2008. May your day be as special as you are! Zeke and Cristina are pictured below, Blake is off celebrating! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Important news for parents: My School Bucks is increasing their transaction fees on credit/debit card payments starting Friday, 3/1/24 to $3.25 per transaction. Remember you can always add money to your student’s account free of charge by sending in cash or check to the school cafeteria!

Muhammed Ali, Sojourner Truth, George Washington Carver, Coretta Scott King, and LeBron James were among the visitors to Sandy Hill Elementary School this week! Fifth graders have been researching the lives of African-Americans who are prominent in their fields, and took the opportunity to share their information with students in other grades, families, and other visitors in celebration of Black History Month. #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Thank you to the community partners who helped the Choptank Elementary School pre-kindergarten through 2nd grade celebrate Black History Month this morning by visiting classrooms as Guest Readers! Minary's Dream Alliance Life Energy Wellness Eastern Shore Wellness Solutions, Inc. Dorchester County Library Cambridge Police Department Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Dorchester Co. Health Department Boys and Girls Club Every Voice Count Dream Big Academy #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Three cheers for the North Dorchester High School Cheer Team, who won the national championship in the Novice Performance Division of the Reach the Beach cheer competition held this past weekend in Ocean City, Maryland! They also took away the Best Use of Tumbling award. Congratulations to an amazing and dedicated team of Eagle athletes and their coach, Ms. Amber Knoepfel! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

C-SD Senior Myra Lehn has used a Career and Technical Education course to “try before you buy”! Myra says she enrolled in the Medical Services program at DCTC, taught by Ms. Kastine Farmer, to find out if a healthcare career is truly the direction in which she wants to go. The answer is a “Yes!”, as Myra says the course has given her “great exposure to healthcare, with clinical experience.” As a result, she is heading off to college to study biology in a pre-med program, with the long-term goal of becoming a dermatologist. These experiences for our young people are yet another reason to celebrate CTE Month! #CreateYourFutureDCTC #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Our principals’ talents go way beyond teaching children and running schools! Supervisor of Strategic Initiatives Dr. Donald Boyd was just wishing he had some DCPS swag and look what Hurlock Elementary School principal Dawn Corkran whipped up for him! #WarmHeadsOnDeckDCPS

Here is the Board of Education’s preferred school calendar for the 2024-2025 school year, and now your comments are sought before a final decision is made. Tell us what you think by emailing Nancy Harrington at harringtonn@dcpsmd.org.

Introducing the three young North Dorchester High School musicians who have earned places in the 2024 All-Shore Band! Left to right, 11th grader Hailey Stivers, 5th chair alto sax; 12th grader Julia Creighton, 2nd chair clarinet; and 12th grader Megan Williams, 2nd chair bass clarinet. Two interesting facts: Hailey also was awarded 1st chair tenor sax, but chose alto sax, and this is Julia’s sixth (and, as a senior, final) year as part of the All-Shore Band. Congratulations to all three on this honor! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Appointment of Interim Superintendent The Board of Education of Dorchester County has appointed Dorchester County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jymil Thompson as Interim Superintendent, effective March 2, 2024, to serve the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year, ending June 30, 2024. The Board will conduct a search for a new Superintendent of Schools to take office July 1, 2024.

Dorchester County’s tradition of the water’s importance to the economy continues, although looks much different than it did in our grandparents’ day! Career Coach Sandy Shaw invited our Dorchester water-based business neighbors to visit Cambridge-South Dorchester High School yesterday to talk to students about their work and opportunities on or near the water as a career, and we thank them! Seed to Shuck Ventures Horn Point Oyster Hatchery National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Accurate Marine Group Madhouse Oysters Hoopers Island Oyster Company Cambridge Power Squadron Shore River Keepers #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

The Board of Education and Superintendent David Bromwell have mutually decided that Mr. Bromwell will step down as Superintendent effective March 1, 2024. The Board of Education will be voting on an Interim Superintendent to serve the remainder of Mr. Bromwell’s term—that is, until June 30, 2024—at its February 22, 2024 meeting.

Each February DCPS administers the CogAT to students in grades 3-8 as part of our Gifted and Talented identification process. This test challenges students to demonstrate their problem-solving skills. For more information about the CogAT visit https://riversideinsights.com/cognitive_abilities_test. Results will be shared with your student’s school!