Education

St. Mary’s College Associate Professor Troy Townsend ’07 Recognized as Maryland Outstanding Young Scientist

St. Mary’s College Associate Professor Troy Townsend ’07 Recognized as Maryland Outstanding Young Scientist

Associate Professor of Chemistry Troy Townsend ’07 was named a 2022 Maryland Outstanding Young Scientist by the Maryland Academy of Sciences and the Maryland Science Center. Townsend was honored at a ceremony May 11 at the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. In his acceptance speech, Townsend spoke of the inspiration and support...
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Charles County Sheriff’s Office Investigating Possible Overdose at Maurice J. McDonough High School

Charles County Sheriff’s Office Investigating Possible Overdose at Maurice J. McDonough High School

On May 24, 2022, at 1:15 p.m., a student at Maurice J. McDonough High School consumed several pieces of candy knowing they were possibly tainted with an unknown substance intended to cause a high. The student became ill and was taken to a hospital by ambulance and treated. Parents are urged to talk with...
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Two Students to be Charged in Connection with Assaulting a School Administrator:

Two Students to be Charged in Connection with Assaulting a School Administrator:

On May 23, 2022, at 11:15 a.m., a school administrator at Thomas Stone High School was assaulted by two students while attempting to separate them from fighting. Additional staff were able to intervene and stopped the assault. The administrator was subsequently treated for injuries. The Charles County Sheriff’s Office school resource officer will be...
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Charles County Youth Orchestra, Osman Kivrak, Director Celebrates Its Graduating Seniors

Charles County Youth Orchestra, Osman Kivrak, Director Celebrates Its Graduating Seniors

The graduating seniors of the Charles County Youth Orchestra, Eileen Browning, Sam Chernoff, Candace Jackson, Sidney Lewis, Blythe McCammon, and Kelsey Njembu were honored at the CCYO concert on Saturday, May 15, 2022. Blythe McCammon, violinist and a member of CCYO for six years, will attend Towson University to major in Violin Performance. She...
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Police Recover Replica Handgun from Thomas Stone High School Student

Police Recover Replica Handgun from Thomas Stone High School Student

On Friday, May 20, 2022, at 8:53 a.m., school administrators at Thomas Stone High School were made aware that a student was possibly in possession of what appeared to be a handgun. The school resource officer located the student and found a replica 9mm airsoft gun, which resembles a semi-automatic firearm. The gun was...
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Peers Recognize CSM Professor Dr. Richard Bilsker With Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award

Peers Recognize CSM Professor Dr. Richard Bilsker With Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award

College of Southern Maryland Professor of Philosophy Dr. Richard Bilsker was recognized during the college’s 63rd Spring Commencement, and during the college’s Academic Excellence Awards program, for receiving the CSM Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award. The award is bestowed upon a full-time professor by members of CSM faculty. “The faculty excellence in teaching award is...
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Charles County Commissioners Adopt Fiscal 2023 Budget of $494 Million

Charles County Commissioners Adopt Fiscal 2023 Budget of $494 Million

On Tuesday, May 17, 2022, the Board of County Commissioners adopted a balanced General Fund budget of $494,446,200, an increase of 9.8 percent over last year. The adopted budget provides historic funding for Charles County Public Schools, makes critical investments in core programs and services, record-level investments in public safety, and does not increase...
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St. Mary’s College Board of Trustees Approves Graduates and Budgets at May Meeting

St. Mary’s College Board of Trustees Approves Graduates and Budgets at May Meeting

The St. Mary’s College Board of Trustees approved on Friday, May 13, the graduates of the St. Mary’s College of Maryland Class of 2022, comprised of  351 Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Science degrees, and 24 Master of Arts in Teaching degrees. The Board also approved proposed budgets and greenlit a long-range tuition strategy....
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CSM Announces 2022 Spring Commencement Candidates for Graduation

CSM Announces 2022 Spring Commencement Candidates for Graduation

The following students were recognized as candidates for associate degrees, certificates or letters of recognition at the College of Southern Maryland’s (CSM) 63rd Spring Commencement ceremony held Friday, May 13, 2022, at the La Plata Campus. The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) celebrated 432 candidates for 438 degrees and 136 certificates during its 63rd...
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CSM Commemorates 63rd Spring Commencement with 432 Candidates Receiving 438 Degrees, 136 Certificates

CSM Commemorates 63rd Spring Commencement with 432 Candidates Receiving 438 Degrees, 136 Certificates

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) celebrated 432 candidates for 438 degrees and 136 certificates during its 63rd Spring Commencement May 13 at the college’s La Plata Campus. The event marked the return of in-person festivities for the time-honored tradition since the beginning of the global pandemic in 2020. Of the students celebrated, 160 are...
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St. Mary’s County Commissioners Meeting Roundup – Tuesday, May 17, 2022

St. Mary’s County Commissioners Meeting Roundup – Tuesday, May 17, 2022

The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County held their regular business meeting in the Chesapeake Building Tuesday, May 17, 2022, with the invocation and pledge, followed by approval of the consent agenda. The Commissioners presented Proclamations in recognition of National Public Works Week and National Emergency Medical Services Week. The Commissioners convened as the Board...
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Berry’s D’Ambrosio Named 2022 Principal of the Year for Charles County Public Schools

Berry’s D’Ambrosio Named 2022 Principal of the Year for Charles County Public Schools

Every time he uses chopsticks, Louis D’Ambrosio silently thanks his first-grade teacher, Rose Eckmann. During a weeklong unit studying Japan, Eckman tasked her students with practicing using chopsticks to pick up pink erasers from their desks. At the end of the week, Eckmann brought in a hot plate and made the class a meal...
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Charles County Board of Education Recognizes Accomplishments of Outstanding Students

Charles County Board of Education Recognizes Accomplishments of Outstanding Students

The Board of Education at its May 10 meeting honored five Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students. School principals annually select one student and staff member for Board recognition. Students are honored for accomplishments in the areas of academic achievement, career readiness and personal responsibility. Honored at the meeting were the following! Scarlett Castro...
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VIDEO: Governor Hogan Signs 105 More Bipartisan Bills Into Law, Including Statewide Overdose Prevention, More Infrastructure Funding For Local Governments, and Solidarity With Ukraine

VIDEO: Governor Hogan Signs 105 More Bipartisan Bills Into Law, Including Statewide Overdose Prevention, More Infrastructure Funding For Local Governments, and Solidarity With Ukraine

Governor Larry Hogan signed an additional 105 bipartisan bills into law, including measures to prevent opioid overdoses statewide, direct more funding to local governments for infrastructure improvements, and additional steps to divest from Russia and express solidarity with Ukraine. “Today, we are signing another 105 bipartisan bills into law, including measures that keep important...
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Charles County Public Schools Students Earn Medals in Recent SkillsUSA State Championship

Charles County Public Schools Students Earn Medals in Recent SkillsUSA State Championship

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students from North Point High School and Robert D. Stethem Educational Center participated in the state Skills USA Maryland state championship held on April 1-2. Each year, the state championship showcases more than 1,000 Maryland Career and Technology Education (CTE) students who compete in over 90 skilled, occupationally related...
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375 Students Graduate in 2022 Commencement Ceremony at St. Mary’s College of Maryland

375 Students Graduate in 2022 Commencement Ceremony at St. Mary’s College of Maryland

St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the National Public Honors College, graduated 375 students with Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees on Saturday, May 14, outdoors on the campus’ Townhouse Green. The commencement address was delivered by Terron Hillsman, director of the ecological sciences division for the USDA-...
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St. Mary’s College of Maryland Students Place at MAA Sectional Conference

St. Mary’s College of Maryland Students Place at MAA Sectional Conference

On April 22-23, St. Mary’s College of Maryland students presented their work at the MD-DC-VA sectional conference of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) held in Germantown, Maryland. Gillian Carr ’22 won the award for the best student presentation. The “Radical Dash” team of Alyson Conover ’22, Gillian Carr ’22, Joseph Daly ’24 and...
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Charles County Public Library Celebrates 100 Years with Parties and Music – May 16 to May 20, 2022

Charles County Public Library Celebrates 100 Years with Parties and Music – May 16 to May 20, 2022

Charles County Public Library (CCPL) continues the celebration for its 100th anniversary of serving Charles County. Started in a single room on the second floor of the county jail on Washington Avenue in La Plata in 1922, the library was made possible by the County Homemakers Club and County Extension Agent P.D. Brown. This...
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College of Southern Maryland’s Robotics Team – The Talons, Place 10th in World Competition

College of Southern Maryland’s Robotics Team – The Talons, Place 10th in World Competition

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) competitive robotics team – the Talons – headed to Dallas last week for the VEX Robotics World Championship where they competed against dozens of university teams from around the globe to earn the title of 10th best team in the technology category and 11th best in the skills...
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School Resource Officer Recovers Airsoft Gun From Student at Esperanza Middle School

School Resource Officer Recovers Airsoft Gun From Student at Esperanza Middle School

On Tuesday, May 10, 2022, a student at Esperanza Middle School, in Lexington Park, reported that another student was showing a gun magazine clip to students in a  classroom. Administration was contacted immediately, and the child was brought to the office. Administration investigated the situation with the assistance of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s...
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7-Year-Old Transported to Hospital After Attempting to Stab Victims with Scissors at Piney Point Elementary School

7-Year-Old Transported to Hospital After Attempting to Stab Victims with Scissors at Piney Point Elementary School

On Tuesday, May 10, 2022, at approximately 1:15 p.m., police responded to the Piney Point Elementary School in Tall Timbers, for the reported active disturbance with a weapon. Police were advised a 7-year-old male student was attempting to stab people with scissors. Staff members were able to isolate the student in a room away...
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Charles County Public Schools and Bryans Road Volunteer Fire Department Remembers Career Educator and Life Member Keith Alan Hettel

Charles County Public Schools and Bryans Road Volunteer Fire Department Remembers Career Educator and Life Member Keith Alan Hettel

CCPS: Charles County Public Schools is remembering Keith Hettel, a longtime CCPS educator who retired in 2016 as the assistant superintendent of supporting services. Mr. Hettel passed away earlier this week on Tuesday, May 3. The CCPS maintenance and operations departments are honoring Hettel through a visual memorial located outside of the maintenance bay...
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Students are introduced to the world of aviation technology with the St. Mary’s Ryken Flight Academy opening

Students are introduced to the world of aviation technology with the St. Mary’s Ryken Flight Academy opening

With a generous endowment from The Patuxent Partnership (TPP), St. Mary’s Ryken (SMR) has installed a STEM lab flight program. The donated National Flight Academy program was funded by a grant from Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD). SMR Flight Academy is an interactive classroom space that provides students with the opportunity to...
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Department of Economic Development Announces AeroPark Innovation District Will Host 2022 AUVSI SUAS Competition

Department of Economic Development Announces AeroPark Innovation District Will Host 2022 AUVSI SUAS Competition

The Student UAS Competition (SUAS) has a long history in St. Mary’s County. Since 2002, the SUAS Competition has operated at Webster Outlying Field. The Department of Economic Development is pleased to announce the 2022 SUAS is moving to the AeroPark Innovation District. The move to the new location is a cooperative effort between...
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FREE EVENT! St. Mary’s College of Maryland Jazzed for Mulberry Music Festival on Friday, June 17

FREE EVENT! St. Mary’s College of Maryland Jazzed for Mulberry Music Festival on Friday, June 17

The St. Mary’s College of Maryland presents the Mulberry Music Festival: Jazz, featuring Joseph Brotherton, the Kelly Bell Band, Carly Harvey, and headlined by Sharón Clark on Friday, June 17, beginning at 6 p.m. on the College’s Townhouse Green. The event is free of charge and open to the public. It will be simultaneously...
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