The Braves Bulletin
March 29, 2020
Message from the Principal
Teachers will be reaching out to students this week to provide more information about 3rd marking period grades. While the online learning platform - Edgenuity - will be available to students starting Wednesday, teachers will be in professional development all week and may not be available to answer questions. Students may access Edgenuity by signing in through Clever on this webpage using their school login and password. If your student has forgotten his/her password, they may sign into their email using their student ID.
April 6 - 13 is spring break. Starting April 14, teachers will be monitoring student progress in Edgenuity and will be available to answer student and parent questions via email.
As the Superintendent states in his letter below, there is much more information to come. I ask for your continuing patience.
Wishing the best for you and your families.
Kim Summers, Principal
Comcast is advertising free internet service for two months
Message from the Superintendent
March 25, 2020
Dear SMCPS Community:
Today, Governor Hogan and State Superintendent Karen Salmon announced that all Maryland Public Schools will remain closed through April 24, 2020. As we go through the next four weeks, we will remain in daily communication with all our state partners to monitor the progress of all of the precautions we are taking to blunt the progress of the Coronavirus across Maryland. As of today, St. Mary’s County has four confirmed cases.
Now that a decision has been made to keep schools closed for another four weeks, we will move to the next phase of our response. Teachers, along with other 10- and 11-month staff will be back at work on Monday, March 30 reporting remotely and teleworking. Directions will be shared with staff over the next two days as to what their telework schedule will look like next week and what professional development will be provided during that time.
By the end of next week, we will expand the use of the Edgenuity platform for all our secondary students and Imagine Learning for all our elementary students. We have spent the last week securing subscriptions for all students and organizing professional development for our teachers. These resources will provide continuous learning opportunities for each student - with a focus on promoting participation and progress in their specific grade-level content.
Students in homes without internet access or appropriate technology will have hard copies printed and made available. We are currently preparing system laptops for targeted distribution - starting with our seniors and then working down the grades. We currently have a 1 to 2 ratio for computers to students and no dedicated funds to replace devices if they are lost. We will be working with businesses across the county to identify free internet zones and options for families if connectivity is a barrier.
There will be much more information to come. Some communication will come from your principal, and next week, communication may come directly from your child’s teacher. I urge you to visit our webpage and watch the YouTube broadcasts of your Board of Education and St. Mary’s County Government. They are rich resources about what we are all doing to bend this Coronavirus curve.
One certainty we learned today is that there will be no Maryland Comprehensive Assessments this year. The United States Department of Education offered waivers and the Maryland State Department of Education requested one. So this is one thing we can set aside until 2021.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through these unchartered waters. No matter what, we will do everything we can to keep us all moving forward.
Sincerely,
J. Scott Smith Superintendent of Schools
SMCPS Drive Up Lunch Program
With increased flexibility to the guideline of the Summer Meals Program, St. Mary’s County Public Schools will be offering breakfast, lunch, supper and snack at 4 locations. Community members will drive up and receive all meals for the day conveniently packed in one grab and go bag for children 18 years and younger.
St. Mary’s County Public Schools Department of Food and Nutrition Services is offering meals to students through the Summer Meals Program. Acceptance and participation requirements for the Program and all activities are the same for all regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. There will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service. Meals will be provided at the sites and times as follows:
*The drive-up lunch service will continue from March 30-April 3, 2020, Monday-Friday, at the locations listed below from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Meals will be offered to all children 18 years and younger free of charge. Parents and children can drive up to these locations and receive meals that they can take home during our current school closures. Additional information will follow regarding the continuity of meal programs for the upcoming weeks.
Leonardtown Elementary School
22885 Duke Street
Leonardtown, MD 20650
Greenview Knolls Elementary School
45711 Military Lane
Great Mills, MD 20634
Margaret Brent Middle School
29675 Point Lookout Road
Mechanicsville, MD 20659
Lexington Park Elementary School
46763 Shangri-La Drive
Lexington Park, MD 20653
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
For questions regarding the lunch service program, please email foodservices@smcps.org.
Medicine Pick-Up from the School Nurse, April 1 from 9 a.m. - noon
Any student who has medical supplies or medication at school should arrange for these items to be picked up on Wednesday, April 1 between the hours of 9:00-12:00. Please REMAIN in your car and present a photo ID to the nurse at the curb in front of the main entrance to receive your child's medication. Wednesday is the only scheduled day for pick up as our nurses will also be working remotely during the shutdown.
Questions - email Michelle Sultage at mesultage@smcps.org
AP Testing
College Board has a website for the updated AP test information apstudents.collegeboard.org/coronavirus-updates. The website also has review videos.
Questions??? Contact Vernetta Smith at vhsmith@smcps.org
Mrs. Norton Announces Retirement
Mrs. Norton asked that we share this message with you:
Dear Chopticon Families,
It is with mixed emotion that I let you know that I will be retiring on April 1, 2020. In lieu of the current state of things, I, unfortunately, won't be able to say goodbye to my students, our staff, and families.
I have thoroughly enjoyed working with all of our students and their families and truly appreciate the professionalism and immense efforts our staff employ to meet the needs of every child!
Students, YOU have the power to make your future bright! Graduate on time, make great choices, and do things that help, not hurt your future. Parents, please continue to work with our school team, as we all want the same thing- your child's bright, successful future! Teachers, never lose the passion you have for teaching and why you entered this profession to begin with: the children.
Thank you for your support during my tenure at Chopticon, and I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers. If you need to reach me or just share a note about your successes along the way, I would love to hear from you! I will leave my mailing address with the guidance office.
Take care, and God bless!
Kathy Norton