Education

Threat to “Shoot up Mechanicsville Elementary School” Under Investigation

Threat to “Shoot up Mechanicsville Elementary School” Under Investigation

On Monday, June 4, 2018, at approximately 11:15 a.m. a student reported to a staff member a threat was made to Mechanicsville Elementary School on Saturday June 2, 2018 during a live chat Xbox game. The student reported the offender stated, ”I am going to shoot up Mechanicsville Elementary School.” Once reported, the Board...
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Governor Larry Hogan Announces $80 Million in Higher Education Scholarships for 2018-2019 Academic Award Year

Governor Larry Hogan Announces $80 Million in Higher Education Scholarships for 2018-2019 Academic Award Year

Governor Larry Hogan today announced that the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) has awarded more than $80 million to nearly 38,000 students to attend one of Maryland’s post-secondary institutions. “Working to make higher education affordable and accessible for as many Maryland students as possible is one of our...
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Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 6/4/2018 to 6/8/2018

Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 6/4/2018 to 6/8/2018

During the week of June 4, to June 8, 2018, automated speed enforcement cameras will be activated in the following school zones: Northbound Middleton Road at Westlake High School Southbound Leonardtown Rd at Thomas Stone High School Southbound Piney Church at St. Charles High School Southbound Oliver’s Shop Road at T.C. Martin Elementary School...
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Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 5/28/2018 to 6/1/2018

Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 5/28/2018 to 6/1/2018

During the week of May 28, to June 1, 2018, automated speed enforcement cameras will be activated in the following school zones: Northbound Middleton Road at Westlake High School Southbound Leonardtown Rd at Thomas Stone High School Southbound Piney Church at St. Charles High School Southbound Oliver’s Shop Road at T.C. Martin Elementary School...
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UPDATE: Allegations of Sexual Abuse by North Point High School Teacher Date Back to 2008

UPDATE: Allegations of Sexual Abuse by North Point High School Teacher Date Back to 2008

UPDATE: Ralph Marvin Van Dyke Jr., 59 of La Plata has been indicted on six counts of sex abuse of a minor in custody, two counts of fourth-degree sex offense and second-degree assault. The indictment summary was filed in Charles County Circuit Court on May 18, 2018. Van Dyke is currently being held without bond at...
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Teacher Charged With Sexually Abusing Student

Teacher Charged With Sexually Abusing Student

Detectives from the Prince George’s County Police Department charged a Waldorf man with sexually abusing a student at a school in Morningside. The suspect is 31-year-old Simeon Smith of the 3000 block of Midlothian Place in Waldorf. Smith is a teacher at Imagine Foundations at Morningside Public Charter School. The preliminary investigation reveals Smith...
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Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 5/21/2018 to 5/25/2018

Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 5/21/2018 to 5/25/2018

During the week of May 21, to May 25, 2018, automated speed enforcement cameras will be activated in the following school zones: Eastbound Berry Road at Jenifer Elementary School Northbound Smallwood Drive at Wade Elementary School Northbound Leonardtown Road at Thomas Stone High School Northbound Marshall Corner Road at McDonough High School Cameras are...
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Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 5/14/2018 to 5/18/2018

Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 5/14/2018 to 5/18/2018

During the week of May 14, to May 18, 2018, automated speed enforcement cameras will be activated in the following school zones: Berry Rd at Jenifer Elementary School Northbound Leonardtown Rd at Grace Christian Academy Northbound Piney Church Rd at St. Charles High School Northbound Oliver’s Shop Rd at T.C. Martin Elementary Cameras are...
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Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 5/7/2018 to 5/11/2018

Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 5/7/2018 to 5/11/2018

During the week of May 7, to May 11, 2018, automated speed enforcement cameras will be activated in the following school zones: Berry Rd at Jenifer Elementary School Northbound Leonardtown Rd at Grace Christian Academy Northbound Piney Church Rd at St. Charles High School Northbound Oliver’s Shop Rd at T.C. Martin Elementary Cameras are...
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Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 4/30/2018 to 5/4/2018

Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 4/30/2018 to 5/4/2018

During the week of April 30, to May 4, 2018, automated speed enforcement cameras will be activated in the following school zones: Berry Rd at Jenifer Elementary School Northbound Leonardtown Rd at Grace Christian Academy Northbound Piney Church Rd at St. Charles High School Northbound Oliver’s Shop Rd at T.C. Martin Elementary Cameras are...
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SMECO Honors Region’s Outstanding Math, Science, and STEM Teachers

SMECO Honors Region’s Outstanding Math, Science, and STEM Teachers

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) worked with the school systems of Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties to select and honor 20 educators with Outstanding Teacher awards for their leadership in the fields of mathematics, science, technology, and engineering. Receiving awards this year were nine math teachers, six science teachers, and five STEM (science,...
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Calvert County Students Help Effort to Restore Oyster Habitat

Calvert County Students Help Effort to Restore Oyster Habitat

Students at one Calvert County school are getting their hands dirty by helping with habitat enhancement and oyster restoration. Fifty students, along with a dozen parents and faculty at Tidewater School in Huntingtown are assisting the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Maryland Artificial Reef Initiative by creating several cement reef balls that will be dropped to the...
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Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 4/23/2018 to 4/27/2018

Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 4/23/2018 to 4/27/2018

During the week of April 23, to April 27, 2018, automated speed enforcement cameras will be activated in the following school zones: Berry Road at Berry Elementary School Indian Head Highway at Smallwood Middle School Marshall Corner Road at James Craik Elementary School Poplar Hill Road at Malcolm Elementary School Cameras are activated Monday...
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Speed Camera Locations for Calvert County

Speed Camera Locations for Calvert County

The Calvert County Safety for Students Speed Enforcement Program is in effect year round. The speed cameras will be moved randomly between the school zones. Currently those cameras are located near Mill Creek Middle, Windy Hill Middle, and Northern Middle schools. In the next week the Mill Creek Middle camera will be moved to...
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Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 4/16/2018 to 4/20/2018

Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 4/16/2018 to 4/20/2018

During the week of April 16, to April 20, 2018, automated speed enforcement cameras will be activated in the following school zones: Berry Road at Berry Elementary School Indian Head Highway at Smallwood Middle School Marshall Corner Road at James Craik Elementary School Poplar Hill Road at Malcolm Elementary School Cameras are activated Monday...
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Governor Larry Hogan Signs Comprehensive School Safety Bill Into Law

Governor Larry Hogan Signs Comprehensive School Safety Bill Into Law

Governor Larry Hogan was joined today by Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller and Speaker of the House Michael Busch to sign 114 bills into law at a signing ceremony at the Maryland State House in Annapolis. The signing followed the conclusion of the 2018 session of the Maryland General Assembly on Monday, April...
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Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 4/9/2018 to 4/13/2018

Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 4/9/2018 to 4/13/2018

During the week of April 9, to April 13, 2018, automated speed enforcement cameras will be activated in the following school zones: Leonardtown Road at Thomas Stone High School Indian Head Highway at Smallwood Middle School Marshall Corner Road at James Craik Elementary School Poplar Hill Road at Malcolm Elementary School Cameras are activated...
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Social Media Threat Against School Had Nothing to do With Maryland, Police Say

Social Media Threat Against School Had Nothing to do With Maryland, Police Say

A message was originally posted to Snapchat and featured a young man apparently holding a rifle, with the caption “F— CHS I’m going out with a bang” and “don’t go to school tmrw.” Some people interpreted it “CHS” to mean Chesapeake High School in Essex. Others feared it might reference Chesapeake High School in...
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Brutal Beating at Leonardtown High School Results in Slap on the Wrist for Howard Straughn

Brutal Beating at Leonardtown High School Results in Slap on the Wrist for Howard Straughn

  UPDATE 4/4/2018: Howard Anthony Straughn, 18, of Hollywood, was charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct for the beating of a fellow student at Leonardtown High School. Straughn pleaded guilty to second-degree assault.udge Straughn was sentenced to 18 months in the St. Mary’s County Detention Center, by Judge Riddle, with all but six...
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Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 4/2/2018 to 4/6/2018

Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 4/2/2018 to 4/6/2018

During the week of April 2, to April 6, 2018, automated speed enforcement cameras will be activated in the following school zones: Leonardtown Road at Thomas Stone High School Indian Head Highway at Smallwood Middle School Marshall Corner Road at James Craik Elementary School Poplar Hill Road at Malcolm Elementary School Cameras are activated...
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UPDATE – Audio added: 911 Calls Released From Great Mills High School Shooting

UPDATE – Audio added: 911 Calls Released From Great Mills High School Shooting

Evidence indicates at approximately 7:57 am on March 20, 2018, the shooter, fired a single shot from a handgun in Great Mills High School Hallway F, striking Jaelynn Willey and Desmond Barnes. The shooter continued walking through the school, and was confronted by School Resource Officer, Deputy First Class Blaine Gaskill, in Hallway D....
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Police in Calvert County Recover BB Gun at Calvert High School

Police in Calvert County Recover BB Gun at Calvert High School

On Friday, March 23, 2018, as students arrived to school, deputies from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office that were working an assignment at Calvert High School learned that a social media threat was made sometime the night prior. The deputies worked with the school administration to investigate the threat. The student was quickly located...
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Southern Maryland Schools to Open Two Hours Late Thursday, 3/22/2018

Southern Maryland Schools to Open Two Hours Late Thursday, 3/22/2018

Charles County public schools will open two hours late tomorrow, Thursday, March 22, 2018. Staff will continue to monitor road conditions for any additional changes to tomorrow’s schedule. There is a code two, which is a two-hour delay, for staff that follow the code system. All morning prekindergarten classes are canceled tomorrow. The AlphaBest...
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St. Mary’s County Health Department Offers Resources for Parents and the Community After tragic situation at GMHS

St. Mary’s County Health Department Offers Resources for Parents and the Community After tragic situation at GMHS

Given the recent tragedy of a school shooting in our community, the St. Mary’s County Health Department has compiled the following resources for addressing mental health and overall well-being of children and adults. These resources are important for both those directly impacted (such as victims, witnesses, responders) as well as others in our community....
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Governor Larry Hogan Statement on Great Mills High School Shooting

Governor Larry Hogan Statement on Great Mills High School Shooting

Governor Larry Hogan issued the following statement following the shooting incident at Great Mills High School in St. Mary’s County, Maryland: “The school shooting that took place this morning at Great Mills High School remains an active investigation, and Maryland State Police are on the scene assisting local and federal law enforcement. I want...
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