Education

Celebrate Spring at Historic St. Mary’s City: Free Admission and a Day of Engaging Activities

Celebrate Spring at Historic St. Mary’s City: Free Admission and a Day of Engaging Activities

Historic St. Mary’s City (HSMC) is excited to announce a celebration of its spring opening on Saturday, March 22, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This special day will feature a range of activities and demonstrations perfect for the entire family. To celebrate the season’s arrival, admission is free, and all activities and...
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Attorney General Brown Secures Early Court Decision Stopping Trump Administration’s Unlawful Termination of K-12 Teacher Preparation Pipeline Grants

Attorney General Brown Secures Early Court Decision Stopping Trump Administration’s Unlawful Termination of K-12 Teacher Preparation Pipeline Grants

Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today secured a decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts temporarily blocking the Trump administration’s unlawful termination of K-12 teacher preparation pipeline grants while the states seek a preliminary injunction. Attorney General Brown joined a coalition of eight attorneys general in filing a lawsuit challenging...
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Felix Martinez Named Finalist “Campus Safety” Director of the Year

Felix Martinez Named Finalist “Campus Safety” Director of the Year

St. Mary’s College of Maryland Director of Public Safety Felix Martinez was named a finalist for “Campus Safety” magazine’s Director of the Year. Through this program, the magazine honors executives in hospital, university and school security, law enforcement and emergency management. “In Chief Martinez’s short tenure at St. Mary’s College of Maryland he has...
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April 2025 Calvert Marine Museum Events

April 2025 Calvert Marine Museum Events

April is packed with exciting events at the Calvert Marine Museum! Get ready for the second annual Otter Trot 5K on April 12, an otterly awesome event for all ages! Plus, our Spring Break Programming has tons of fun activities for kids out of school, including frog-themed adventures, eco-exploration, and more. Whether you’re running,...
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Two Calvert Career and Technology Academy Teachers Receive Top Statewide Honors

Two Calvert Career and Technology Academy Teachers Receive Top Statewide Honors

Calvert County Public Schools is proud to announce that Rick Villano and Robin Burns, both teachers at the Calvert Career and Technology Academy (CTA), have been recognized with top honors by the Maryland Career and Technical Administrators (MCTA) chapter of the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE). Rick Villano has been named the...
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CSM Cheers on 54 Employees for 705 Years of Service at 37th Service Recognition Ceremony

CSM Cheers on 54 Employees for 705 Years of Service at 37th Service Recognition Ceremony

Fifty-four College of Southern Maryland (CSM) employees were recognized and celebrated by peers cheering and waving poms Feb. 28 at the 37th annual CSM Employee Service Recognition Ceremony in La Plata. The high-spirited event kicked off with pep rally enthusiasm as the honorees ran into the room as if they were headed into a...
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Waldorf Man who Killed 17-Year-Old Westlake High School Student Found Guilty of Murder

Waldorf Man who Killed 17-Year-Old Westlake High School Student Found Guilty of Murder

UPDATE 3/7/2025: Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Friday, March 7, 2025, a Charles County jury, after a 5-day trial, convicted Elijah Bernard Barnes, 20, of the Second-Degree Murder of Rajon Lateef Jackson, III, as well as related charges. On January 13, 2023, officers responded to Harvest Fish Place in...
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16 Charles County Students Awarded in the 2025 VEX IQ Robotics Tournament

16 Charles County Students Awarded in the 2025 VEX IQ Robotics Tournament

Sixteen Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) VEX IQ robotics teams participated in the Feb. 8 Southern Maryland VEX IQ Tournament at Great Mills High School in St. Mary’s County. Two CCPS teams, Team 31890A and Team 31890B of the Robo Huskies from Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School, advanced to the state competition at...
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Community Survey! How Should Charles County Budget for Fiscal Year 2026?

Community Survey! How Should Charles County Budget for Fiscal Year 2026?

We want to hear from you! The second resident survey for the Charles County Government Fiscal Year 2026 budget is now open. Resident input is critical in ensuring that the budget accurately addresses community priorities and needs. Share your input on spending priorities and offer suggestions on how the county can address changes in...
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CSM Faculty and Students Discuss Advantages of Early College During Workshop

CSM Faculty and Students Discuss Advantages of Early College During Workshop

College of Southern Maryland (CSM) faculty recently hosted a professional workshop with staff and students to discuss best practices for students who attend CSM’s Early College program, which is offered to high schoolers in Calvert and Charles counties. CSM’s Division of Learning faculty hosted the virtual “Early College Program – Best Practices for Student...
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Local Robotics Team Advances to VEX IQ World Championship in Texas

Local Robotics Team Advances to VEX IQ World Championship in Texas

A local robotics team is advancing to the VEX IQ World Championship in Dallas, Texas, after an impressive performance at the Maryland State Championship this weekend. The team, 836A The Hive Mind, is from growingSTEMS, a community-based non-profit program located in Hollywood, MD, with the mission statement of developing the next generation of problem...
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No Children Injured After School Bus Accident in St. Mary’s County

No Children Injured After School Bus Accident in St. Mary’s County

On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at approximately 3:16 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of Medleys Neck Road and Watson Lane in Leonardtown, for the reported motor vehicle collision with unknown injuries involving a school bus. Crews arrived on the scene to find a passenger vehicle and a St....
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Charles County Public Schools Employee Data Information Update

Charles County Public Schools Employee Data Information Update

On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) offices of School Safety and Security and Technology discovered fraudulent activity related to two employee email and Oracle accounts. The report is still under investigation, but the employees impacted are aware of the activity. Note: A version of this update was emailed to...
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Alison Cheney, Teacher at F.B. Gwynn Educational Center Named 2025 Teacher of the Year

Alison Cheney, Teacher at F.B. Gwynn Educational Center Named 2025 Teacher of the Year

Alison Cheney, a physical education teacher at the F.B. Gwynn Educational Center, was named the 2025 Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Teacher of the Year during a Feb. 20 recognition ceremony. The event, held at St. Charles High School, honors nominees for the 2025 Washington Post Teacher of the Year and CCPS Teacher of the Year award...
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St. Mary’s County Health Hub and Literacy Council Seek Tutors for Adult Education

St. Mary’s County Health Hub and Literacy Council Seek Tutors for Adult Education

The Literacy Council of St. Mary’s and the St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) are seeking tutors for their adult education tutor match program. Literacy Council of St. Mary’s provides one-on-one tutoring and customized learning opportunities for adults. The mission of the Literacy Council is to develop community relationships and workplace readiness by working...
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Calvert Marine Museum Exciting Improvements to Maritime Hall Exhibits with Community-Driven Plan

Calvert Marine Museum Exciting Improvements to Maritime Hall Exhibits with Community-Driven Plan

In 2022, the Calvert Marine Museum (CMM) engaged a consulting team to develop a community-driven plan aimed at revitalizing the Maritime Hall exhibits. This comprehensive plan will guide future design and updates to the exhibit space, ensuring an immersive and authentic experience that reflects various perspectives of life in Southern Maryland, with a particular...
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Charles County School Renaming Committee Seeks Feedback on Name Recommendations

Charles County School Renaming Committee Seeks Feedback on Name Recommendations

The Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) School Renaming Committee seeks feedback on its name recommendations for General Smallwood Middle School. In November 2024, the Board of Education of Charles County moved forward with a vote to rename the school, following its school renaming policy, Board Policy 7230. Following Board Policy 7230, the renaming committee...
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Piney Point Lighthouse Museum Announces 4-Day Outdoor Spring Break Program for Junior Historians!

Piney Point Lighthouse Museum Announces 4-Day Outdoor Spring Break Program for Junior Historians!

St. Mary’s County Government’s Museum Division is pleased to announce the Junior Historian program for Spring Break. Designed for children aged 7 to 10, the Junior Historian program at Piney Point Lighthouse Museum will run for 3 hours per day from April 14 to 17, offering an exciting blend of outdoor exploration and hands-on...
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Southern Maryland School and Weather Updates for Thursday, February 20th, 2025

Southern Maryland School and Weather Updates for Thursday, February 20th, 2025

ST. MARY’S COUNTY – 2 Hour Delayed Opening – February 20, 2025 – Code 5 for Staff All SMCPS Schools will have a delayed opening of two hours on Thursday, February 20, 2025. Code 5 for staff. Ten and eleven-month employees report to work two hours late. Twelve-month employees and food service workers are...
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Get Ready to Swing into an Unforgettable Adventure with Summerstock!

Get Ready to Swing into an Unforgettable Adventure with Summerstock!

St. Mary’s County Government’s Department of Recreation & Parks (R&P) is thrilled to present TARZAN®: The Stage Musical for the 43rd production of Summerstock. Performances will be held at Great Mills High School on July 18–20 and July 25–27, 2025, with a total of 8 shows. TARZAN®: The Stage Musical is based on Disney’s...
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CSM Hosts 35 Middle and High School Teams in ‘High Stakes’ Robotics Tournament

CSM Hosts 35 Middle and High School Teams in ‘High Stakes’ Robotics Tournament

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) hosted 35 teams of local and regional middle- and high-school students last weekend at the Southern Maryland VEX V5 Robotics Tournament held at the La Plata Campus. At the Feb. 15 tournament, student-team-built robots were inspected, put to the test, judged, and awarded for their high-tech efforts. “I...
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Leadership Maryland Announces Executive Program Class of 2025

Leadership Maryland Announces Executive Program Class of 2025

Leadership Maryland officially announces the Executive Program’s Class of 2025, consisting of 53 business and community leaders from across the state chosen to participate in the professional development program dedicated to building a better Maryland. The Class of 2025, the Executive Program’s 32nd class, reflects a cross-section of the state, including diversity of geographic...
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SMECO Sponsors Southern Maryland’s 31st Annual Math Competition

SMECO Sponsors Southern Maryland’s 31st Annual Math Competition

Southern Maryland’s annual MATHCOUNTS competition marked its 31st anniversary on Saturday, February 5, 2025. More than 150 students from 18 schools gathered at Calvert High School in Prince Frederick to test their math skills. A competitive technological world requires a proficiency in mathematics as a foundation for success in science, technology, and engineering. MATHCOUNTS...
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Charles County Board of Education Appoints Navarro to Second Term as Superintendent

Charles County Board of Education Appoints Navarro to Second Term as Superintendent

The Board of Education of Charles County unanimously voted during its Feb. 11 meeting to renew the contract of Superintendent Maria V. Navarro, Ed.D., for a second, four-year term. Navarro was hired by the previous Board in 2021 with her first term closing this summer on June 30. In the past four years Navarro...
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STEAM Room Catalyst Event Ignites Hands-On Learning on March 30, 2025

STEAM Room Catalyst Event Ignites Hands-On Learning on March 30, 2025

Imagine a place where young minds don’t just learn about science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM)—they create it. Pure Play Every Day Inc., a Southern Maryland non-profit, is making that vision a reality with the STEAM Room—an innovative children’s museum concept designed by students for students. This one-of-a-kind initiative gives middle and high school...
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