NOTICE OF BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
DATE: Thursday, June 12, 2025
TIME: 5:00 p.m.
PLACE: The Board Room Central Office of the Board of Education
700 Glasgow Street
Cambridge, MD 21613
The Board of Education of Dorchester County will conduct an Open Session at the date, time, and location indicated above to address business as indicated on the agenda. After the start of the Open session, the Board will meet in Closed in accordance with Section 3-305 of the General Provisions of the Annotated Code of Maryland to discuss personnel, update on legal issues, and coaching training. At the conclusion of the Closed Session, the Board will reconvene at 6:00 p.m. in the Open Regular Session.
The agenda and related documents can be accessed online via BoardDocs on the Dorchester County Public Schools website at www.dcps.k12.md.us.
Anyone who would like to submit public comments electronically, to be included in the minutes, can email comments@dcpsmd.org by 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 11, 2025.
Dorchester County Public Schools will be operating on a 2 hour dealy due to fog. Be safe!
Students in grades 3-11: Join IXL's Study in the Sun contest from June 9th- August 3rd! Answer 7,000 language arts, math, and/or social studies questions on IXL this summer for a chance to win a $350 VISA gift card!
Visit https://www.ixl.com/contest to sign up!
On Tuesday, June 3rd, we got in the 🪩GROOVE🪩 at the Cambridge Elks Lodge #1272 to celebrate 22 incredible retirees who together contributed over 450 years of dedicated service to Dorchester County Public Schools! From secretaries and coaches to teachers, instructional assistants, custodians, food service staff, principals, and even a superintendent — each have played a vital role in shaping our schools and community.
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to these influential individuals for their commitment, passion, and investment in our students over the years. We wish them all the best in this exciting new chapter! 💙📚
Summer school may not be taking place this summer, however, the same high-quality instructional materials are secured for your child's use to work on at their own pace. Practice math skills throughout the summer using any of the provided resources dependent of grade band: iReady, IXL, Khan Academy, and/or summer workbooks and packets. If you have questions, now is the time to reach out to your child's teacher. In addition, please be on the lookout for family reports unique to iReady diagnostics for grades K-8 coming home soon!
There will be an Ed Spec Community Meeting to discuss the findings of the Ed Spec process.
The public is invited to provide final input.
Date: June 4, 2025
Place: Dorchester Career and Technology Center, 2465 Cambridge Bypass, Cambridge, MD
Time: 6:00pm
This meeting will be live streamed in TownHall.
You may access it through the following link: https://townhallstreams.com/towns/dorchesterboe
To review the recommendations of what a future elementary school in Dorchester County will look like go to the DCPS website on or after May 28, 2025
FREE Summer Meals in Dorchester County!
DCPS Food & Nutrition Services is excited to announce our new Summer Meals To Go program — providing FREE weekly meal boxes for all Dorchester County students under 18!
Here’s what you need to know:
WHEN:
Tuesdays, from June 23 to August 21
(That’s 9 weeks of meal pick-ups!)
WHERE:
We have 10 convenient pick-up locations across the county. See the flyer for specific times and sites in Cambridge and the North Dorchester area.
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
Each child will receive one meal box per week, which contains:
7 breakfasts + 7 lunches
Optional Milk for the week
Each meal includes an entrée, fruit, and vegetable
Everything is ready to go and completely free!
WHO CAN PICK UP:
Only a parent or guardian (as defined below) may pick up boxes on behalf of a child.
A guardian is the designated primary caregiver — this can include a grandparent or relative temporarily caring for the child, but does not include licensed daycare providers picking up for clients.
HOW TO REGISTER:
One-time registration is required.
You can pre-register online using the QR code or this link: https://forms.gle/tjAfWMCCnHhptnCA8
Or register on-site during pickup!
Let us feed your kids while you enjoy your summer — we’ve got the meals covered!
Questions? Call the food service office at 410-901-6930, shoot us an email at Food_Service_Questions@dcpsmd.org or call Lisa Peters @ (410) 463-1890 for more info.
#DCPS #SummerMealsToGo #FeedingBodiesAndMinds #DorchesterKids. #feedingkids=feedingourfuture
Administrative Appointments Announced
We are pleased to announce the following administrative appointments that was approved by the Board of Education on Thursday, May 15, 2025:
• Director of Student Services, Central Office – Yolanda Holloway – Effective: July 1, 2025
• Acting Principal, Mace’s Lane Middle School – Jesssica Dulin (currently Assistant Principal, Mace’s Lane Middle School) – Effective: May 12, 2025 Through June 30, 2025
• Principal, Mace’s Lane Middle School – Kesha Cook (currently Assistant Principal, Maple Elementary School) – Effective: July 1, 2025
• Assistant Principal, Maple Elementary School – Natalie Drake (currently Elementary Education Teacher, Maple Elementary School) – Effectively: July 1, 2025
• Principal, Sandy Hill Elementary School – Tiana Powell-Robinson (currently Assistant Principal, Choptank Elementary School) – Effective: July 1, 2025
There will be an Ed Spec Community Meeting to discuss the findings of the Ed Spec process.
The public is invited to provide final input.
Date: June 4, 2025
Place: Dorchester Career and Technology Center, 2465 Cambridge Bypass, Cambridge, MD
Time: 6:00pm
This meeting will be live streamed in TownHall.
You may access it through the following link: https://townhallstreams.com/towns/dorchesterboe
To review the recommendations of what a future elementary school in Dorchester County will look like go to the DCPS website on or after May 28, 2025
MSDE is soliciting public comment on the proposed revisions to the Maryland College and Career Ready Standard for Mathematics for PreK- Integrated Algebra. To access the proposed revisions and feedback form, please visit the MSDE Mathematics Branch webpage at https://bit.ly/3S3X4CZ
It has been a busy spring for DCPS athletics. North Dorchester High School Softball team has won the Bayside conference beating Stephen Decatur. Both the Girls and Boys Track Team at Cambridge-South Dorchester won the two-day bayside track meet. Good luck to all our spring athletes during their state playoffs.
On Friday, May 2, 2025, North Dorchester Middle School had the exciting opportunity to welcome Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, Carey M. Wright. Accompanied by the Dorchester County Public Schools (DCPS) Executive Team and several members of the DCPS Board of Education, Superintendent Wright's visit was a wonderful chance to connect with our school community.
As she toured the school, Superintendent Wright stepped into Ms. Moss's 6th grade Reading and English Language Arts (RELA) class, where the energy was unmatched. Students eagerly showcased their learning, diving into discussions about objective and subjective points of view while identifying sensory details in various texts. Their enthusiasm for reading and language arts was truly inspiring.
Next, Superintendent Wright visited Ms. Carpenter's 8th grade math class, where students collaborated on problem-solving activities related to bivariate data and graphing the line of best fit. Students could be seen working together, sharing ideas, and supporting one another in their learning journey.
The visit also included a special moment with the media specialist Ms. Jolene South and Assistant Principal Ms. Linda Barnes. They shared the incredible hands-on learning experiences happening at North Dorchester Middle School, including a lab dedicated to the life cycle of a butterfly, innovative hydroponics projects for growing food, and initiatives focused on replenishing trees to enhance soil quality. It was clear that these experiences are not just lessons; they are opportunities for students to connect with the world around them.
Superintendent Wright's visit highlighted the ongoing commitment of Dorchester County Public Schools to provide a high-quality education and create a nurturing environment where all students can thrive. We are grateful for her support and for the chance to showcase the amazing work happening at North Dorchester Middle School!
Chesapeake College and Salisbury University have partnered to offer high school students a head start on a rewarding teaching career. Through this innovative program, students can begin earning college credits toward a teaching degree—while still in high school!
This virtual information session is ideal for parents of high school and college-aged students.
Join us on May 28 at 7:00 PM to learn how to take the first steps toward becoming a teacher.
To register, email Marci Leach at mleach@chesapeake.edu.
Throughout the month of April, all elementary and middle schools were given the opportunity to participate in a district-wide incentive that required students to have a laser focus on monitoring and reflecting on their Personalized Instruction within i-Ready. Students who completed a weekly reflection log were entered into a school level drawing. Winners from the school drawing were then entered into a district level drawing for additional recognition and a prize. Congratulations to our school winners and district champion!
School winners: CES, Jocelina Cephas; HES, Eric Flynn; MES, Meira Halasa; SDS (K-5), Scarlett Stevens; VES, Joseph Frankel, WES, Willow Hubbard; NDMS, Christobel Perez-Lopez; and SDS (6-8), Tillor Wingate. *District champion: CES, Jocelina Cephas*
On Friday, April 25th, Vienna Elementary School had a fantastic time filled with energy as gamers packed the house! It was incredible to see many students we thought were shy come to life. In addition to diving into video games, we enjoyed watching some fantastic dance videos that showcased our students’ incredible talents. The atmosphere was buzzing with joy and laughter!
We were thrilled to have Dr. Thompson, our Superintendent of Schools for Dorchester County, stop by to say hello and spend quality time with us. His presence truly made the day more special!
Thank you to Mr. Abbott, our Math and Reading Coach, for organizing this fantastic event! We also want to express our gratitude to the Precision Paintball Mobile Gaming unit from Georgetown, Delaware, for joining in on the fun and bringing smiles to our students’ faces.
Finally, let's give a big round of applause to our outstanding students who earned well-deserved awards for being respectful, responsible, and following directions throughout the month of April. You all did a great job—keep it up! We are so proud of each and every one of you!
The Dorchester County Public School Teacher of the Year and Early Excellence Educator were recognized by members of the Rotary Club of Cambridge. The 2 educators were chosen within their school with the selection done by DCPS representatives.
Tanya Travis, a 5th grade Math teacher at Choptank Elementary, was introduced by her Principal, Dr. Gaven Parker. Dr. Parker spoke about her talent as a teacher and the relationship she has with her students. Ms. Travis thanked the Rotarians for the recognition she received.
Hurlock Elementary Principal Dawn Corkran introduced Robin Dukes to the Rotarians. Robin, the recipient of the Early Excellence Educator Award, is in her first full year as a Pre-K teacher at Hurlock. Formerly the First Class Teacher of the Year Award, it was felt the new name better describes the Award. Dawn talked about Mrs. Dukes sharing her work which began as a substitute leading to Robin’s decision to go to school to become a teacher. Robin told the Rotarians, when she graduated from Cambridge South Dorchester High School in 1997, her plan was to go to school to become a teacher but life took a different turn.
Each teacher was presented a gift card, by Rotarian Phil Reed, as a token of appreciation for their work with students. Dr. Jymil Thompson, Dorchester County Superintendent of Schools, began the meeting by introducing both principals. In the introduction, Dr. Thompson told the Rotarians that he was pleased to announce Dr. Parker’s recent completion of his doctoral program.
For more information about Rotary, visit our website – Cambridgemdrotary.org
Pre-Kindergarten 4 Out-of-District consideration is now open. The link will remain open until June 30, 2025. All Pre-K 4 Out-of-District requests must be received by June 30, and as stated previously are limited. There is NO Out-of-District consideration for PK3.
Please use the PreK4 Out-of-District Request Form to submit your request. https://bit.ly/4d0Tcwn
Choptank Elementary was happy to host over 200 people this year for the 25th annual Bayside Scholar Athlete Banquet.
This event highlights one female and one male from each High School within the bayside conference who are multi-sport athletes and carry high GPAs. Superintendents, Principals, Athletic Directors and families all come together for this celebration.
Representing Dorchester County Public Schools from North Dorchester High school was Madison Tobat and Kevin Banda-Perez. From Cambridge-South Dorchester High School was Isabelle Hughes and Te’Kai Drummond.
All four represent the best of DCPS!
Hurlock Elementary's 5th graders embarked on a journey during the opening day of our third annual Amazing Shake competition with these students navigating “The Gauntlet.” The gauntlet is an obstacle course set to test their professional skills such as firm handshakes, excellent eye contact, poise under pressure, and conversational skills no matter what the topic.
The judges were members of the business community who each had a different scenario to throw at our students and truly put their skills to the test. We can not thank Bill Christopher from the Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce enough for recruiting our amazing judges! Another huge shout out to Mrs. Powell for organizing this event every year!
After all the scores were calculated our top 8 are going to be moving on to Round 2 which will take place on Wednesday at the Hurlock Town Hall. Congratulations Ka'Von, Khloe, Malayah, Christyn, Zayden, Jase, Paxton, and Amari!
REMINDER: APPLICATIONS ARE DUE APRIL 30, 2025.
The DCPS Out of District application is now open for the 2025-2026 school year. This application is only good for the current school year and a new application must be submitted for approval each school year.
For the 2025-2026 school year we are continuing the completely online application process. The link is also posted on the DCPS webpage For Parents. The application must be completed by April 30, 2025 for consideration. The only exceptions are for families that move after June 1, and/or Pre-K enrollment – that enrollment period for Out of District is from September 1 to September 13, 2025. Pre-K is not included in this process; enrollment for PreK will open in May as a separate link.
Families with difficulty accessing the online link should contact your current school to schedule an appointment to assist. All applications will be processed through the Student Services office and families will receive notifications by June 30.
As a reminder, no transportation is provided for out of district students. Students may only ride their assigned buses (home school) and parents are responsible for transportation for all out-of-district approved placements.
To register for out-of-district, please use the link below. If you have questions, please call 410-901-6944. We look forward to a successful end of the 2025 school year and a fantastic 2025-2026 year!
Link to register for out-of-district: https://form.jotform.com/250264273742152
