Dorchester County Public Schools -

October is National Principals Month, a celebration of the transformative power of our school principals! These leaders shape their schools, and in doing so shape youngsters, teachers, and our community. Their effort, energy, and enthusiasm make you believe that it wasn’t that long ago they were children themselves! Over the next few weeks we will introduce you to our DCPS principals, most with a ‘throwback’ to not-so-long-ago, when they were students themselves. Today we begin with Ms. Marybeth Blake, first as a kindergartener at Sandy Hill Elementary – a school where she was later principal – and now, as leader of Warwick Elementary. Thank you, Ms. Blake, for your leadership and making DCPS your home! #ThankAPrincipal #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15

Dorchester County Public Schools is charting the course for the future by developing a strategic plan for 2025-2028. We have a goal: to go from the 23rd-ranked school district in Maryland to the 15th. Students, parents, teachers, other staff, school leaders, and our Dorchester County community all have a role to play in our success. You are invited to attend one of our upcoming community meetings to add your thoughts and ideas: • Monday, October 14, 6:00 to 7:30, Hurlock United Methodist Church, 502 S. Main St., Hurlock MD • Tuesday, October 15, 6:00 to 7:30, St. Luke’s Methodist Church, 712 Bradley Ave., Cambridge MD • Wednesday, October 16, 6:00 to 7:30, South Dorchester School, 3485 Golden Hill Rd., Church Creek, MD Come and meet our new Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Jymil Thompson, and be an active part of the DCPS journey! #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15 Las Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Dorchester están trazando el rumbo hacia el futuro mediante el desarrollo de un plan estratégico para 2025-2028. Tenemos un objetivo: pasar del puesto 23 al 15.º de distrito escolar en Maryland. Los estudiantes, los padres, los maestros, el resto del personal, los líderes escolares y nuestra comunidad del Condado de Dorchester tienen un papel que desempeñar en nuestro éxito. Estás invitado a asistir a una de nuestras próximas reuniones comunitarias para agregar tus pensamientos e ideas: • Lunes 14 de octubre, de 6:00 a 7:30, Hurlock United Methodist Church, 502 S. Main St., Hurlock MD • Martes 15 de octubre, de 6:00 a 7:30, St. Luke’s Methodist Church, 712 Bradley Ave., Cambridge MD • Miércoles 16 de octubre, de 6:00 a 7:30, South Dorchester School, 3485 Golden Hill Rd., Church Creek, MD ¡Ven a conocer a nuestro nuevo Superintendente de Escuelas, el Dr. Jymil Thompson, y sé parte activa del recorrido de DCPS! #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15

As part of Farm to School Week, DCPS Food & Nutrition Services organized for the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation’s Ag in the Classroom Mobile Science Lab to spend a few days this past week at Maple Elementary School, allowing students to visit for a grade level appropriate agri-science lesson. Here is a class of Maple kindergarteners who, after hearing a story, made a small container of their own butter and even got to taste it. There was a whole lotta shakin’ going on for sure! #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15

We are so proud of Maple Elementary’s Katelyn Blair, Dorchester County’s Teacher of the Year, who shined while representing Dorchester County Public Schools at last night’s Teacher of the Year gala in Baltimore, accompanied by her crew of DCPS colleagues and family! Congratulations also to Baltimore City teacher Kat Locke-Jones on being named 2024-2025 Maryland Teacher of the Year!

Calendar reminder: There will be no school for students on Monday, October 7 due to Parent Conference Day. Arrangements are different in different schools, so if you are not sure of the conference arrangements in your child’s school, contact them directly to find out. No matter their age, your child needs you to be part of their school life! #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15

Student safety is clearly important at Dorchester County Public Schools, which is why only clear backpacks and water bottles, either from DCPS or purchased privately, are allowed for our students. With 4500 students entering our buildings each morning in a short timeframe, it is necessary for staff to be able to quickly spot anything obviously inappropriate or dangerous for a school setting and keep the line moving. Parents, we thank you for making the CLEAR choice to help us keep our schools safer by ensuring your child uses only clear backpacks and water bottles! #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15

Due to high water, South Dorchester School will be closed today, Thursday, October 3, 2024. C-SD students living in the South Dorchester area will not have bus service today. Also, North Dorchester High School, North Dorchester Middle School, and Vienna Elementary School students living on Elliott Island will not have bus service today. Our apologies for late notice – bus drivers went out but there were areas they could not get through. Stay safe!

Yes, it is Farm to School Week at DCPS, and Maple Elementary School is taking that literally! It seems a visit from a friendly cow puts our kiddos in the moo-d for learning! #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15

It's Custodian Appreciation Day and we salute the HEROES and SHEROES of the Dorchester County Public Schools custodial staff! If you see any of these fine folks today, join us in a big thank you for all they do for our students, staff, and schools! Hope Andrews, Charles Askins, Jose Barrios-Munoz, Felicia Blount, Spencer Brown, Christopher Casado, Charity Cephas, James Cornish, Bryant Crosell, Marcellus Dockins, Chanelle Foster, Nicholas Foxwell, John Hoffman, William Holland, Sharon Huether, Gregory Jefferson. Archie Jenkins, Pamela Johnson, Joseph Johnson, Keyshawn Johnson, Wallace Jones, Dewayne Jones, Ryan Kellner, Michelle Lewis, Myson Lucero, Dyneka Major, Kirk Major, Jacques McKnight, Tyrone Molock, Katina Molock-Ash, Regenia Neal, Uga Parker. Bonita Perry, Darren Potts, Mark Price, Hattie Redmond, Antoine Ringgold, Tyshena Rolle, Ivory Smith, Carlton Stanley, David Sutt, Laverne Taylor, Vonzella Thomas, Ellena Walker, Gregory Walls, Jacob Whipple, Anthony Woolford, and Angela Young. #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15

It’s Farm to School Week at Dorchester County Public Schools this week, with a few school events emphasizing food education and local ingredients. Not all local ingredients come from the soil though – today North Dorchester High School welcomed back NDHS 2022 graduate Mason Little, owner of Choptank River Crab & Oyster Company, an up-and-coming seafood wholesaler and retailer based at 203 Trenton St., near the Creek Bridge, in Cambridge. Mason distributed crab balls to students and staff at lunchtime, a little treat to show off his local wares. He also talked with students about his venture, emphasizing that nothing comes easy; success requires hard work. We’re proud of this young DCPS graduate - thank you for visiting, Mason, and sharing your story . . . and your crab! #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15

Due to continuing high tides, South Dorchester School will be closed today, Tuesday, October 1, 2024. C-SD students living in the South Dorchester area will not have bus service today. Also, North Dorchester High School, North Dorchester Middle School, and Vienna Elementary School students living on Elliott Island will not have bus service today. Stay safe!

Did you know that your child’s school is penalized for every absence on a state assessment day? No one can help the occasional upset stomach or bad cold, but many other absences on testing days can be avoided, and we have just the tool to help families do this. Calendars of state and local assessments are available on our website at https://bit.ly/47UJ3yI - they tell you which dates your student will have important assessments so you can avoid scheduling non-urgent absences. Every day counts! #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15

Introducing the Dorchester County Public Schools members of the 2024-2026 Academy for Leadership in Education (ALE) cohort at Salisbury University! These DCPS Assistant Principals are attending this transformational leadership workshop series as we renew our emphasis on the importance of instructional leadership in our schools in our push to raise academic achievement. We look forward to watching the professional growth of attendees (l-r) Assistant Principals Mark Pages (North Dorchester High School), Bobbie Matthews (Choptank Elementary School), Briana Beulah (Sandy Hill Elementary School), Linda Barnes (North Dorchester Middle School), and Nichole Horton (Cambridge-South Dorchester High School). #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15

Good news for the C-SD Interact Club! Although its long been known for its work to benefit the school and wider community, it recently received a Rotary International Presidential Citation, delivered by Cambridge Rotary member Mr. Phil Reed, recognizing their projects and membership growth during the last school year! Projects undertaken by the students included the CSD Blessing Closet, a coat drive, a fundraiser for the baseball team, Christmas cards to first responders and C-SD teachers, a property cleanup and sports concessions. They also partnered with their sponsors, the Rotary Club of Cambridge, in ringing the bell for the Salvation Army last Christmas. Congratulations to Interact Club members on this honor! 2024-2025 Interact Club officers are President Tyler Sears, Vice-President Savannah Weber, and Secretary Christina Hyde. Club advisors are Morgan Mann and Michael Tremper. #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15

Congratulations to North Dorchester High School senior Daniel Yorton, who today signed on the dotted line to begin an apprenticeship with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) at Horns Point! Between now and his graduation next spring, Daniel will be supporting the Center’s work in the Aquaculture Restoration Ecology Laboratory, otherwise known as the Oyster Hatchery – learning while earning money and getting great experience to take with him to college next year. Thank you to UMCES President Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm (pictured below, thumbs up!) and Hatchery Manager Stephanie Alexander for entering this valuable partnership with Dorchester County Public Schools! It's not too early for students who will be in 11th or 12th grade next year to find out more about the Maryland Youth Apprenticeship Program. Career Coach Ms. Shay Lewis-Sisco is ready to help you; contact her at lewiss@dcpsmd.org. #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15

Thank you, Ironman Maryland, for allowing two Dorchester County Public Schools students the honor of presenting medals to the first man and first woman finishers in today’s triathlon! What a privilege it is to see the result of such strength, focus, discipline, and resilience up close. Congratulations to first man finisher Matthew Tatum who received his medal from Maple Elementary School 2nd grader Jerry Garcia and Jill Jacinth, the first woman finisher, to whom Maple 5th grader Aniyah Diggs presented her medal. #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15 #DCPSAnythingIsPossible

Tacos for triathletes! When today’s participants in Ironman Maryland finally cross that finish line, they then have the opportunity to continue a few extra feet over to the Food Tent to celebrate with a taco or three! As you can see, Chef Charlene Zinnel’s culinary students at Dorchester Career and Technology Center have been busily preparing the protein for the tacos, which can then be completed by taco fixins’ from local favorite Center Market. Don’t fret, vegetarian athletes – there’s an option for you, too! #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15

We may not know who will be the first to cross the Ironman Maryland finish line tomorrow, but we do know who will be there to award their medals! Congratulations to Maple Elementary 2nd grader Jerry Garcia and 5th grader Aniya Diggs who will be placing the coveted medals around the necks of the first male and female finisher, respectively. Maple Lions are roaring to success! Here they are, pictured with Maple Principal Ms. Myesha Ford and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jymil Thompson. #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15

Our Ironman Maryland friends have arrived! Coming from Maine to Florida, from California to Maryland (yay!) and from 40 different countries, no matter where you began your journey, we’re glad you’re now with us in beautiful Dorchester County! We hope you enjoy your ‘special delivery’ – notes of welcome and friendship from Dorchester County Public Schools students. Here are just a few of our visitors with their letters! #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15

It was a packed house as Grandmas, Grandpops, and Grandfriends all were invited to Choptank Elementary School yesterday morning to share some quality time with their little Hummingbird! Children can never have too many caring adults in their lives! #DCPS23NoMore #DCPSTeam15