Dorchester County Public Schools -

Here are just a few of the 2023 happenings at North Dorchester High School! #AllHandsOnDeck

Can you spot the DCPS teacher who was invited to the White House recently? It’s Sandy Hill Elementary teacher extraordinaire and the current Dorchester County Public Schools Teacher of the Year, Ms. Briana Beulah! Here she is, posing with other Maryland Teachers of the Year during their visit. #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Today we have a little look at life at South Dorchester School in 2023! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Here’s a little look back at a few happenings at Vienna Elementary School in 2023! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

What was DCTC up to in 2023? Have a look below! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

We get by with a little help from our friends, and Hurlock Elementary School is very grateful for lots of friends! To say thank you to its community partners, every student at the school colored and cut out a big paper bauble, which were strung together in garlands. Staff have been trying hard to deliver the ‘thank you’ bauble garlands this past week, but as you can see from the list of friends, Hurlock Elementary is blessed to have many! Thank you to: • Hurlock Police department • Hurlock Volunteer Fire Company • Hurlock Lions Club • Dorchester County Public Library - Hurlock branch • B&G Food Inc. • Meals Til Monday • The Learning Garden • Faith Community United Methodist Church in East New Market • CW Transport • The Hurlock Drug Store • Jock Orr , District 4 Councilman Town of Hurlock • WIN Transport • Turner Farm • E & L Quik Freez • Mom and Pop's Restaurant • Goose Creek in Hurlock • Hurlock Post Office • Hurlock Town Office • Hurlock United Methodist Church • Grace Baptist Church • Unity Washington United Methodist Church • Faith Community United Methodist church in East New Market • Maryland Food Bank • Channel Marker, Inc. • Maple Shade Youth and Family Services • 3C USA Dorchester Campus • All4Love • Life Energy Wellness • The Wellness Center of Salisbury • Susan Radcliffe, Dorchester County Health Department • Dorchester County Health Department • SISK Fulfillment Services Inc • People for Better Housing #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Today we have a look what Mace’s Lane Middle School was up to in 2023! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Santa was able to squeeze in one last visit before schools closed for the Winter Break, and he brought Mrs. Claus too! This time the stop was South Dorchester School, for which the Claus family has special affection and to which they travel an extra-long distance to reach. Thank you to the Clauses for keeping the children of Dorchester County Public Schools so close in your heart! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Today we look back on some of the fun and learning at Maple Elementary School in 2023! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

It is said that the days are long, but the years are short. Over the Winter Break we’ll have a small collection of this year’s photos from one school each day, as we remember 2023 and prepare to say hello to the adventures coming in 2024! We begin today with Warwick Elementary. #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Best wishes for Happy Holidays to all from Dorchester County Public Schools! Remember – no school from December 21 through January 1, but we look forward to seeing all our young friends back on Tuesday, January 2. Enjoy the Winter Break! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Remembering Dr. Theresa Stafford: Dorchester County Public Schools is saddened by the recent death of Dr. Theresa Stafford, the member of the Board of Education representing District 2. Dr. Stafford died on December 14, 2023. A lifelong educator, Dr. Stafford was a teacher in Dorchester County before assuming teaching and administrative roles in Caroline County where she served until her retirement in 2014. A graduate of Cambridge High School, she earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, a master’s degree in education from Salisbury University, and a doctorate in Educational Innovation and Educational Leadership from Wilmington University in 2004. Dr. Stafford served the community in many ways. She was a 22 year-veteran in the Maryland Army National Guard, a charter member and former president of the Iota Chi Zeta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta sorority, as well as serving on Cambridge’s Planning and Zoning Commission and Dorchester County Citizen’s Review Board for Children. She was also a foster parent for almost 20 years, and a lifetime member of the NAACP. “Dr. Stafford was a tireless advocate for children,” said Superintendent of Schools Dave Bromwell. “Her retirement from education allowed her to begin the second chapter of her advocacy, through her work in building New Beginnings Youth and Family Services and her service on the Board of Education of Dorchester County. Her dedication to the community was unmatched.” There will be a public viewing at Cambridge-South Dorchester High School, 2475 Cambridge Beltway, on Saturday, December 23 from 11:00 am to 1 pm, followed by a Celebration of Life service from 1 pm to 3 pm.

Ninth, 10th, and 11th grade C-SD AVID students (Advancement Via Individual Determination) visited Choptank, Sandy Hill, and Maple Elementary Schools this week for a service-learning project organized by the 9th graders as part of their AVID program. The big kids helped the little kids with a holiday craft project involving some paint, stones, more paint, shells, and even more paint! Holiday fun all around! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Just a reminder that tomorrow, Wednesday, December 20, is an early dismissal day for all schools. Schools will then be closed for Winter Break from Thursday, December 21, 2023 through Monday, January 1, 2024. Schools re-open on Tuesday, January 2, 2024 – we’ll see you then! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

What young child doesn’t like stories about animals and farms? It was a treat last week when the Dorchester County Farm Bureau visited Ms. Mo Brinsfield’s PreK-3 class at Hurlock Elementary and presented each child with their own “book pillow” – a soft, snuggly pillow with a pocket for a favorite book, all handmade with love! Bureau President Ms. Valerie Brinsfield and Bureau member Ms. Ashley Brown talked to the students about farming and animals, as well as presenting the school library with books. Thank you for sharing with our littlest learners! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Santa took a break from his hard work at the North Pole to visit another DCPS school yesterday! This time he stopped by Warwick Elementary to have breakfast with the Huskies, future Huskies and their families. The super kitchen staff, who are so good that they must be at the very top of Santa’s ‘Nice’ list, made sure that everyone enjoyed pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausages, juice, or coffee, and a yummy pancake-topping bar. Rumor has it that Mr. McDonald (Elf Name: Boo-Yah) was auditioning for a full-time North Pole gig! Thank you to Cambridge Starbucks for their support of this event! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

Another round of big thank you’s to the Cambridge Lions Club, this time for a generous donation of goods and money to top up the food pantry at Cambridge-South Dorchester High School! The pantry is a resource for students and is run by C-SD Social Worker Mrs. Moment and Community Liaison Tina Morris, shown here accepting the donation from Mr. Gene Williams of the Lions Club. #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

They may be small gifts but are given with BIG love! Ye Not-So-Olde Holiday Shoppes opened for a limited time this week at Hurlock Elementary, Maple Elementary, and North Dorchester Middle School to allow students to get in a bit of present shopping before the Winter Break. The only currency accepted is points they have earned at school during the Fall through good effort, behavior, and attendance. Kiddos loved picking out something special for loved ones, friends, and sometimes even teachers from the merchandise, much of it new and gently used donations. Thank you to those who donated items, volunteered as gift wrappers, and otherwise helped our youngsters be part of the joy of giving! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS

The Schools Report Card, released by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) yesterday, shows Dorchester County Public Schools is rebounding from the effects of the pandemic. District improvement was noted in 10 out of 13 areas scored by MSDE: Elementary Academic Achievement Elementary Academic Progress Elementary School Quality and Student Success Middle School Academic Achievement Middle School Academic Progress High School Academic Achievement High School Graduation Rate High School Progress in Achieving English Language Proficiency Readiness for Post-Secondary Success High School School Quality and Student Success Ten out of 11 schools retained their previous star rating with three schools less than one percentage point from gaining another star: Mace’s Lane Middle School at .4 of a point, Sandy Hill Elementary at .5 of a point, and North Dorchester Middle at .7 of a point. Cambridge-South Dorchester High was 2.7 percentage points short of becoming a three-star school and Hurlock Elementary was 2.5 percentage points away from its fourth star. Notable gains were achieved by Hurlock Elementary School with an increase of 11.31 points, and Sandy Hill Elementary School with an increase of 10.22 points, both out of a possible 100 in the overall scoring criteria. “The improvements noted, along with so many schools coming close to earning another star, make us optimistic that we’re heading in the right direction,” said Superintendent of Schools Dave Bromwell. “However, our academic achievement is still below the state level, and it’s important that we continue our efforts to improve instruction and learning, as well as work with families to end chronic absenteeism.” Report cards for all Maryland schools and districts are available at https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/, along with resources to help understand and analyze them. The tools include a user guide and a one-page summary of calculations for elementary, middle, and high schools.

There wasn’t a red suit or white beard between them, but Pat Papineau, General Manager of Hertrich Chevrolet GMC of Easton, and David Sullivan, Marketing Director for Hertrich, played Santa Claus yesterday afternoon by delivering a big check to teacher Jill Creighton! Ms. Creighton, Technology teacher at Hurlock Elementary School, was a winner in Hertrich’s Cash for Class, their annual cash giveaway in which winning teachers’ special projects are funded. The $1000 from Hertrich, which was a surprise to Ms. Creighton and all the Hurlock students, will go towards a visit from a video game truck later in the school year. Way to go, Ms. Creighton, and thank you to our friends at Hertrich Family of Automobile Dealerships for always supporting teachers and schools! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS