Sandy Hill Elementary

Good Afternoon Families, This weekend is a 3-day weekend. Schools will be closed on Monday, January 20th, in observance of Martin Luther King Day. We are closely monitoring the weather forecast, which indicates a possibility of snow on Sunday and very cold temperatures on Monday and Tuesday. We are unsure if this will cause a school closure next week. To prepare, we are sending home devices and chargers with students today in case we have to provide virtual learning next week. Remember, we have used all our inclement weather days and are doing our best to not extend the school year further into June. If there is no significant snow event, students should bring their devices and chargers back to school on Tuesday. Please ensure the devices are safely stored over the weekend. If there are any connectivity issues, students will have the opportunity to make up the work, and it will not count against them. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

January 15, 2025 Dear Parent/Guardian/Community Member, Dorchester County Public Schools (DCPS) has initiated a process to modernize its elementary schools, and we need your input in the first step—the Districtwide Elementary School Prototype Educational Specification. This document will identify what an ideal elementary school in Dorchester County should be: the types of instructional and support spaces it will contain, its educational philosophy, and its community features. It will be used to evaluate the older elementary schools in the system, leading to capital improvement projects that will support your children’s needs. You are invited to a listening session to learn about the process for developing the Districtwide Elementary School Prototype Educational Specification. The first session will be held on February 11, 2025, beginning at 6:00 PM, at Cambridge-South Dorchester High School in the auditorium, and the second session will be held on February 12, 2025, beginning at 6:00 PM, at North Dorchester High School in the auditorium. At these sessions, you will have the opportunity to provide input on the elementary schools. You do not need to attend both sessions as they will both cover the same information. Additional opportunities will be available later this spring to provide comments as the draft educational specification document is developed. The Districtwide Elementary School Prototype Educational Specification is the first step in providing modernized facilities for the elementary school students of Dorchester County. Your concerns and observations are crucial to the success of this process. We look forward to seeing you at one or both sessions. Sincerely, Dr. Jymil Thompson Superintendent of Schools

Unfortunatley, we will need to reschedule our Parent University scheduled for Thursday, January 16th. Information regarding the new date will be shared soon.

We apologize for this short notice, but due to staff illness, basketball practice is cancelled today, Tuesday, January 14th. Cheer practice will still be taking place.

Just a reminder, after school Arts and Crafts ended on December 17th. Students who previoulsy participated should no longer stay after school on Tuesdays.

Week of January 13th

Good afternoon! Dorchester County Public schools will be opening on a two hour delay Monday, January 13th. Parents please make sure that your child returns their charged laptop tomorrow.

Join us this Wednesday!

The Parent Encouragement Program (PEP), in partnership with DCPS, is excited to bring an additional resource to support our students' parents/caregivers/guardians. PEP is hosting two family-friendly informational sessions to share insight on parenting styles and support with our DCPS families—one in Cambridge at the Intergenerational Center and the other in Hurlock at North Dorchester Middle School. Dinner will be served, and there will be interactive activities for the children/youth! Please register to join us http://tinyurl.com/PEPinDCMD

Parents of all 3rd through 5th grade students! Please join us on Thursday, January 16th from 5:30 to 7:00 to hear about the upcoming MCAP assessments. We will be sharing current data, sample test items and strategies to help support your child at home to prepare to test later this spring. Please RSVP!

Good afternoon. Friday, January 10th will be a virtual learning day for students. More information will be sent from your child’s school. All 12-month employees are expected to report on time. If staff need additional time to get to work, they may reach out to their supervisor to adjust their schedule. Please be safe.

Fall retake picture day is Tuesday, January 14th. Use the QR code and picture day ID on the flyer below to order your pictures or contact your child's teacher for a paper flyer and picture envelope.

Please check out our January Newsletter linked below for important details about tomorrow’s virtual day. Please make sure devices are plugged in tonight so they are fully charged for tomorrow. All students in grades 1- 5 should use their teacher’s Google Meet code and log in for instruction at 8:30. Students in grades PreK3, PreK4 and Kindergarten do not have devices and will not be participating virtually. Please have your child complete the learning packets that were sent home on Friday, January 3rd. If you have any questions or encounter any issues tomorrow, please call the school at 410-228-7978. https://secure.smore.com/n/4uefxz

Good afternoon. Thursday, January 9th will be a virtual learning day for students. More information will be sent from your child’s school. All 12-month employees are expected to report on time. If staff need additional time to get to work, they may reach out to their supervisor to adjust their schedule. Please be safe.

Good afternoon! Dorchester County Public Schools and Central Office will be closed Wednesday, January 8th. Essential staff may be called in by their supervisor if needed. Stay safe.

Good afternoon! Dorchester County Public Schools and Central Office will be closed Tuesday, January 7th. Essential staff may be called in by their supervisor if needed. Stay safe.

All schools and central office are closed today, Monday, January 6th. Today is not a virtual learning day for students.

Good afternoon! Due to the forecast for Monday, January 6th, all schools and the central office will be closed. If needed, essential staff may be called in by their supervisor. Stay safe.

It looks like 2025 is starting with some possible Inclement Weather days. At this time, the forecast is showing a winter storm on Monday, January 6, 2025. DCPS is scheduled to open on time; however, we will monitor the situation closely. Please visit our website for more information on potential inclement weather days and virtual instruction.

Good evening! Just a reminder that our Winter Concert is tomorrow night at CSDHS. Students should arrive by 6:00 and come dressed in their holiday pajamas. If you have not returned your child's permission slip to attend the rehearsal during the day at CSD, please send that tomorrow or contact your child's teacher.