Dorchester County Public Schools -

On Saturday January 18th, Middle School and High School musicians from across the Eastern Shore met at James M. Bennett Middle School to audition to be part of the Junior (Middle School) or Senior (High School) All-Shore Honors Band hosted by the Eastern Shore Band Directors Association. The top students of each instrument who auditioned were chosen to be part of this distinguished group of musicians to deepen their musical skills and knowledge. DCPS is proud to announce that six of our own musicians were selected and will participate in a concert that will display their achievements on April 5th at Wicomico High School. We would like to congratulate Senior Hailey Stivers (NDHS Tenor Saxophone), 7th Grader Joice-Anne (MLMS Clarinet), 8th Grader Madison Windsor (NDMS Timpani), 8th Grader Andrew Bayliss (NDMS Tuba), 7th Grader Char'lae Cephas (NDMS Bass Clarinet), and 7th Grader Lydia Shufelt (NDMS Clarinet).

Calling all SENIORS of the Class of 2025 to join the Office of Student Services for our annual Scholarship Fair on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, from 5:30 - 7 p.m. at the Dorchester Career & Technology Center (DCTC). This event is open to all DCPS students and families but is especially for all graduating students (juniors & seniors). Come out and meet representatives from local scholarship committees to learn more about their scholarship opportunities. The following organizations are confirmed: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. - Kappa Theta Omega Chapter Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. - Delta Omicron Lambda Chapter Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. - Cambridge Alumnae Chapter Dorchester Chamber of Commerce Dorchester General Hospital Auxiliary Dorchester General Hospital Foundation Edythe M. Jolley Memorial Scholarship - Maces Lane Alumni Heart for Music Foundation Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) Mid-Shore Community Foundation Upper Shore Workforce Investment Board Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. - Iota Chi Zeta Chapter If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. LaSina Branch at BranchL@DCPSMD.ORG in the Office of Student Services

NOTICE OF BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING DATE: Thursday, January 23, 2025 TIME: 4:15 p.m. PLACE: Superintendent’s Conference Room Central Office of the Board of Education 700 Glasgow Street Cambridge, MD 21613 The Board of Education of Dorchester County Policy Committee will hold a Policy Review Meeting on the date, time, and location indicated above.

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.

NOTICE OF MEETING Board of Education Budget Work Session with Public Comments on the Budget DATE: Thursday, January 23, 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 a Budget Work Session with Comments from the Public at the date, time and location indicated above to address business as indicated on the agenda. 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 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 22 2025. All Board of Education Meetings will be livestreamed: https://townhallstreams.com/towns/dorchesterboe

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

🎉 Join Us for the Dorchester Career and Technology Center Open House! 🎉 📅 Date: February 5 🕓 Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM 📍 Location: Dorchester Career and Technology Center Are you a student or a parent curious about the exciting programs we offer? Our open house is the perfect opportunity to explore the variety of career and technology pathways available. Meet our dedicated instructors, speak to current students, and get answers to all your questions! Don’t miss this chance to discover how the Dorchester Career and Technology Center can help shape your future!

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

Nominations are being accepted for the BEST of DCPS. Find out more information by visiting https://tinyurl.com/4r88tbkt

NOTICE OF BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING DATE: Thursday, January 16, 2024 TIME: 5:00 p.m. PLACE: Dorchester Career and Technology Center 2465 Cambridge Bypass 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 Session in accordance with Section 3-305 of the General Provisions of the Annotated Code of Maryland to discuss personnel, update on legal issues, school security update, 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, January 15, 2025. All Board of Education Meetings will be livestreamed: https://townhallstreams.com/towns/dorchesterboe

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.

Today, we celebrate the incredible individuals who guide and inspire our students to pursue their career pathways! Thank you for being mentors, cheerleaders, sounding boards and so much more for our students! Mission: Encourage students to reach their full potential by empowering and exposing them to tools, insights and experiences needed to pursue their career pathways. Vision: Cultivate a future where confident individuals are equipped to succeed by continuously honing their skills, embracing curiosity, and becoming life-ready. If you've benefited from the wisdom of a career coach, take a moment to express your gratitude today. Ms. Shaw- shaws@dcpsmd.org Ms. Lewis-Sisco- lewiss@dcpsmd.org Ms. Roberts- robertsa@dcpsmd.org

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.

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 at https://www.dcps.k12.md.us/article/1944226 for more information on potential inclement weather days and virtual instruction.

If you’re a home instruction family or would like to learn more about becoming one, here’s a useful way to begin your new year! Dorchester County Public Schools will be hosting two Home Instruction Information Nights in early January to explain the overall process of becoming and remaining a home instruction family including how to prepare for your Portfolio Review. These information sessions will be held from 6:00 to 7:30 pm on January 7, 2025 at Hurlock Elementary School, 301 Charles St. in Hurlock and January 10, 2025 at Dorchester Career and Technology Center, 2465 Cambridge Beltway in Cambridge and refreshments will be available. Questions? Contact Ms. Jovita Adams at homeschool@dcpsmd.org or call her at 410-901-6944, opt 2.

It’s Christmas Day, and since Christmas is very much about tradition, we want to tell you about a simple act of kindness that has developed into a tradition . . . because all traditions must start somewhere. During the pandemic, South Dorchester School bus driver Amy Werner got to thinking about the activities that were cancelled and people who were more isolated – no school concert, even the Taylor’s Island community caroling would not take place. She knew this would disappoint one important Taylor’s Island resident, Mr. Luther Cornish, a retired long-time school bus driver at South Dorchester School, and an enthusiastic singer himself. Miss Amy had an idea – why not get the children on her bus to learn a Christmas song and on one of the last school days before the winter break, she would stop her bus in front of Mr. Luther’s home so the children could perform for him? They practiced, she stopped, the children sang, and Mr. Luther loved it. From that, a tradition was born. Last week, just before winter break, this tradition continued. Mr. Luther, now 95 years young, waited in front of his house for Bus No. 7 to come rolling down the road from South Dorchester School, and two dozen or so children serenaded him with this year’s selection, “Up on the Roof Top” while wishing him a merry Christmas. Miss Amy delivered a bag of Christmas cards to him from the children, hopped back on the bus, and No. 7 continued its route, just like an ordinary day. It was a little thing, not taking longer than five or six minutes. But during that five or six minutes, children saw how even they can give a simple but significant gift to another by bringing joy to Mr. Luther, making sure he knows he is remembered and appreciated. So on this Christmas Day, as everyone is excited with gifts of the newest technology and the newest fashions, also think of Miss Amy, Mr. Luther, the children of Bus No. 7 and the importance of the simple gift of kindness. You can see the children sing and Mr. Luther’s smile (while wearing his festive Santa cap), by hopping on over to the Taylor’s Island page: https://www.facebook.com/100067688397059/videos/1213232919775329. Merry Christmas from Dorchester County Public Schools! #DCPS23NoMore

There’s another Eagle on the horizon in North Dorchester! That’s John Lankford, a 10th grader at North Dorchester High School and soon to become an Eagle Scout! For his Eagle Scout project, John worked to make the holiday season a little merrier for 40 families at Hurlock Elementary School, his alma mater, by organizing all the provisions for their Christmas dinners. First, he procured donations from community-minded organizations throughout the area, including 40 chickens from Mountaire. Then, last Thursday after school he, with help from friends Nick Lowe and Logan Jump from East New Market Boy Scout Troop 754 and fellow NDHS wrestlers Parker Gomez, Donald Windsor, and Landen Andrews, went to Hurlock Elementary School where 40 boxes were assembled with all the trimmings for a festive meal, with a little help from the Hurlock Elementary Cheer Team. John and friends returned on Friday afternoon to load the boxes into cars as the recipients rolled up. We’re so proud of students like John who take the lead in serving their community and thank him for his generous support of Hurlock Elementary families! #DCPS23NoMore