Education

Southern Calvert Baptist Church to Sponsor Parental Information Night on Sex Education in Schools

Southern Calvert Baptist Church to Sponsor Parental Information Night on Sex Education in Schools

On March 21, 2023, at 7:00 p.m., Southern Calvert Baptist Church (located in Lusby, MD) will be hosting a free event open to the public. This event will explain how comprehensive sex education changed from a legislative proposal, to becoming part of the Maryland State Department of Education Framework, and then ultimately entered the classroom....
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School Resource Officer Investigating Multiple Fights and Disorderly Conduct at St. Charles High School

School Resource Officer Investigating Multiple Fights and Disorderly Conduct at St. Charles High School

On the morning of March 10, 2023, a group of three students at St. Charles High School, ages 14, 15, and 16, attacked a 15-year-old student. During this altercation, a teacher was struck. Another student, age 15, intervened and began fighting the group of three. Additional students heard about the altercations and left their...
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Celebrate Maryland Day at Maryland’s Birthplace on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at the St. Clement’s Island Museum

Celebrate Maryland Day at Maryland’s Birthplace on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at the St. Clement’s Island Museum

On Saturday, March 25, 2023, “Maryland Day” the public is encouraged to celebrate the founding of Maryland at the state’s birthplace, St. Clement’s Island. St. Clement’s Island Museum will offer a full day of fun from 10 am to 5 pm, including free museum admission, kids’ activities, free water taxi rides (10 am –...
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Graduation Rates for Charles County Public School Students Continue to Exceed Statewide Average

Graduation Rates for Charles County Public School Students Continue to Exceed Statewide Average

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) graduation rates for the Class of 2022 indicate that nearly 93% of students graduated on time. Graduation rate data was released this week by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). The 92.6% graduation rate for the CCPS Class of 2022 is more than 5% higher than the statewide...
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Mattawoman Middle School 8th Grader is County Spelling Bee Champ, Heads to National Competition

Mattawoman Middle School 8th Grader is County Spelling Bee Champ, Heads to National Competition

The word that clinched the 2023 Charles County Spelling Bee for a Mattawoman Middle School eighth grader was “valedictorian.” Correctly spelling the word that defines a student with the highest academic achievements of a graduating class seems a fitting word for Alec Gallahan to nail. He advances to the Scripps National Spelling Bee held...
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Police Investigating Threats Made by 12-Year-Old General Smallwood Middle School Student

Police Investigating Threats Made by 12-Year-Old General Smallwood Middle School Student

On the morning of March 10, 2023, Charles County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) received an anonymous tip that a 12-year-old student at General Smallwood Middle School made verbal statements as well as on a social media platform to shoot multiple students during the school day. The School Resource Officer was notified and initiated an investigation....
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Calvert County Public School Career and Technology Academy Teacher Named CTE Teacher of the Year by the Maryland ACTE

Calvert County Public School Career and Technology Academy Teacher Named CTE Teacher of the Year by the Maryland ACTE

Calvert County Public Schools Career and Technology Academy (CTA) Teacher Scott Owens has been selected as the 2023 Career & Technical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Year by the Maryland Career and Technical Administrators chapter of the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE). Mr. Owens is a 20-year veteran teacher at CTA where...
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Join Coders and Inventors to Transform Problems into Solutions at the CSM Velocity Center’s Climate Change Hackathon March 30-31

Join Coders and Inventors to Transform Problems into Solutions at the CSM Velocity Center’s Climate Change Hackathon March 30-31

Registration is now open for College of Southern Maryland (CSM) Velocity X Climate Innovation Hackathon where participating teams will solve real world challenges by inventing, designing and testing solutions to solve the impact of climate change. Held at the Velocity Center in Indian Head, coders and inventors are invited to join community partners for...
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St. Mary’s College of Maryland College Receives $1,000,000 Appropriation for Aquatic Lab Renovation

St. Mary’s College of Maryland College Receives $1,000,000 Appropriation for Aquatic Lab Renovation

Students in the marine science program and related fields of study at St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) for years to come will be the beneficiaries of a $1,000,000 federal appropriation secured for the college by U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D, 5th), in whose district the College lies. The funds will support a renovation...
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Police Recover Suspected Marijuana Edibles from St. Charles High School Student

Police Recover Suspected Marijuana Edibles from St. Charles High School Student

On March 8, administrators at St. Charles High School recovered a bag of edibles containing suspected marijuana from a 15-year-old student. The School Resource Officer was notified and began an investigation. The State’s Attorney’s Office is being consulted regarding charges and the student faces disciplinary action by CCPS. Parents are asked to talk with...
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Police Investigating Sexual Assault by 12-Year-Old Student at Piccowaxen Middle School

Police Investigating Sexual Assault by 12-Year-Old Student at Piccowaxen Middle School

On March 3, a 12-year-old student at Piccowaxen Middle School entered a classroom that he did not belong in, sat next to another student and tried to grab her hand, which she did not allow. When the teacher dismissed the class, the male inappropriately touched the victim, and then followed her towards her locker....
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St. Mary’s Ryken Students Receive Awards for Participation in St. Mary’s County’s History Day

St. Mary’s Ryken Students Receive Awards for Participation in St. Mary’s County’s History Day

St. Mary’s Ryken students participated in St. Mary’s County’s History Day and received several individual and group awards. History Day, an Annual National event, engages students in historical research and discussion around an annual theme. This year’s theme is “Frontiers in History: People, Places, and Ideas.” Regarding the recent event, Mr. Leif Liberg, SMR...
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Police Investigating Suspect Overdose at La Plata High School

Police Investigating Suspect Overdose at La Plata High School

On the morning of March 8, the nurse at La Plata High School requested the School Resource Officer’s assistance with a student that was hyperventilating and exhibiting abnormal behavior. The officer was able to calm the student down, and the student notified the officer that she had used a vape pen containing what was...
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Teacher at Grace Lutheran Church in La Plata Charged with Child Sexual Abuse

Teacher at Grace Lutheran Church in La Plata Charged with Child Sexual Abuse

On March 4, 2023, Charles County Sheriff’s detectives arrested and charged David Warren Henson, Jr., 53, of Waldorf, with sexual abuse of a minor and child pornography after it was reported that he sexually abused an adolescent female over a period of two years. Henson has been employed as a teacher at Grace Lutheran...
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Registration Opens for 2023 Keys to Senior Independence Series

Registration Opens for 2023 Keys to Senior Independence Series

What are your plans for retirement? Do you know how to access Medicare, Medicaid, or other programs and services? Are you seeking volunteer opportunities within the St. Mary’s County community? Get connected and get the information you need at the Department of Aging & Human Services Keys to Senior Independence series! The Keys to...
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You “OTTER” come to OTTERMANIA at the Calvert Marine Museum on Saturday, March, 25, 2023

You “OTTER” come to OTTERMANIA at the Calvert Marine Museum on Saturday, March, 25, 2023

Celebrate everyone’s favorite museum mammal during OtterMania! at the Calvert Marine Museum on Saturday, March 25 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Enjoy “otterly” outrageous activities, and meet the otters: Chumley, Chessie Grace and Calvert. Museum admission applies: FREE for CMM members. Ideal for families, OtterMania! invites kids to dance the “Swim” with the...
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Maryland Department of Agriculture Expands Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine Zone

Maryland Department of Agriculture Expands Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine Zone

The Maryland Department of Agriculture today expanded its spotted lanternfly quarantine to include the following counties: Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Talbot, Washington and Wicomico, as well as Baltimore City. This quarantine is effective immediately, and restricts the movement of regulated articles...
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Early Learning Center at College of Southern Maryland La Plata Opens for Students Fall 2023

Early Learning Center at College of Southern Maryland La Plata Opens for Students Fall 2023

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) is opening the Early Learning Center at the College of Southern Maryland at the start of the 2023-24 school year. Housed in the building that held the former St. Charles Children’s Learning Center, the Early Learning Center expands the CCPS prekindergarten program. The prekindergarten program at the center is...
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Calvert County Teacher Devin Page Honored as Maryland History Day Middle School Teacher of the Year

Calvert County Teacher Devin Page Honored as Maryland History Day Middle School Teacher of the Year

By Sarah Weissman, Maryland Humanities: 19 outstanding Maryland middle and high school history scholars received commendations from State Senators and Delegates at the Maryland State House in Annapolis. The students were acknowledged on February 27, 2023, for awards or honors they received at the 2022 National History Day competition. They represented Baltimore City, Howard...
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Charles County Commisioner Meeting Update – February 28th and March 1st, 2023

Charles County Commisioner Meeting Update – February 28th and March 1st, 2023

On Tuesday, February 28, the Department of Fiscal and Administrative Services, Department of Planning and Growth Management, and Department of Recreation, Parks, and Tourism staff provided a presentation to the Board of County Commissioners on fiscal 2024 congressionally directed spending. County Commissioners approved the request for earmarked funding. Legislative Update Associate County Attorney Danielle Mitchell provided...
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Thomas Stone Resource Officer and Student Assaulted by Six Other Students

Thomas Stone Resource Officer and Student Assaulted by Six Other Students

On Thursday, March 2, 2023, at approximately 10:19 a.m., a group of six students were threatening physical harm to another student in the hallway area of Thomas Stone High School. The School Resource Officer responded immediately and gave verbal commands to the students to disperse but they refused. One student approached, and struck the...
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Charles County High Schools Place in Bocce State Championship

Charles County High Schools Place in Bocce State Championship

Five Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) high schools participated Feb. 15 in the Special Olympics Maryland Unified Indoor Bocce State Championship at Hagerstown Community College in Hagerstown. The competition is sectioned into divisions represented by colors. In the Green Division, La Plata High School Team 1 came in fifth place with Maurice J. McDonough...
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Charles County Public School Parents/Guardians Can Now Register for Free Special Education Expo on March 18, 2023

Charles County Public School Parents/Guardians Can Now Register for Free Special Education Expo on March 18, 2023

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS), the Charles County Parent Center and the Parents’ Place of Maryland are hosting the annual Special Education Expo conference on Saturday, March 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The free conference is designed for families of students who are younger than 21 receiving special education services in CCPS....
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Calvert Middle School National Junior Honor Society Raises $1,400 for Breast Cancer Care

Calvert Middle School National Junior Honor Society Raises $1,400 for Breast Cancer Care

Congratulations to the newest members of the CalvertHealth Foundation’s Rising Star Program – the Calvert Middle School National Junior Honor Society! Members of the NJHS planned and executed a school-based benefit for the Sheldon E. Goldberg Center for Breast Care. Through their leadership, a total of $1,400 was raised by students and staff at...
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St. Mary’s County Commissioner Meeting Rollup – February 28, 2023

St. Mary’s County Commissioner Meeting Rollup – February 28, 2023

The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County (CSMC) held their regular business meeting on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, beginning with the invocation and pledge, followed by approval of the consent agenda. The CSMC then welcomed Simone Ross, MPA, Executive Director for the Housing Authority of St. Mary’s County (HASMC) to provide an informational briefing on...
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