FCPS Connect
Thursday, March 7
We are proud to celebrate our 2024-25 Teacher of the Year nominees! Principals from each school have the opportunity to nominate an FCPS teacher who goes above and beyond to support students on a daily basis.
One of these outstanding educators will be the next FCPS Teacher of the Year and our representative in the Maryland Teacher of the Year program, which provides professional development opportunities throughout the year, recognition at a state-hosted banquet, and the opportunity to engage with the other countywide Teachers of the Year throughout Maryland. The Teacher of the Year’s home school also receives special recognition.
Windsor Knolls Middle science teacher Nicole Rhoades was named the 2023-24 Frederick County Public Schools Teacher of the Year.
The full list of Teacher of the Year nominees is posted to FCPS.org.
Congratulations to all the nominees!
Have a great weekend!
Dr. Cheryl L. Dyson,
FCPS Superintendent
TOY goes to the State House
Current FCPS Teacher of the Year Nicole Rhoades spent Friday with her fellow Teachers of the Year from throughout Maryland at the State House in Annapolis!
Board of Education unanimously approves 2025-26 calendar
The Board of Education of Frederick County unanimously approved the 2025-26 FCPS academic calendar during its Wednesday night meeting.
The FCPS calendar committee shared three potential calendar options. Calendar committee members are appointed by the Board and include a student, FCPS staff and community members.
2025-26 calendar highlights:
- The first day of school for students is August 20, 2025.
- Elementary and middle school parent-teacher conferences are scheduled for October 13-15, 2025.
- Schools are closed November 26, 2025, which is the day before Thanksgiving.
- Winter Break is December 22, 2025-January 2, 2026.
- Spring Break is April 3-April 10, 2026.
- The last day of school for students is June 9, 2026.
- Inclement weather make-up days would be June 10, 11, 12, 15, and 16.
The 2024-25 Board calendar was approved last year.
The 2024-25 and the 2025-26 school calendars are posted at www.fcps.org/calendar.
Essential: Melanie Edgar, Registered Plumbing Apprentice
In our latest episode of Essential, we feature FCPS Registered Plumbing Apprentice Melanie Edgar. She is a proud Linganore High graduate who works to ensure our buildings are safe and ready for students and staff every day. We filmed this video at her alma mater.
You can learn more about her role, her inspiration for entering the plumbing field, and how she's learning from our master plumbers.
School Counselor of the Year nominations are open!
The Frederick County School Counselor Association (FCSCA) is asking educators, community members, students, and parents to submit nominations for the 2024 School Counselor of the Year!
Engaged read-aloud’s happening at Whittier Elementary
PreK and kindergarten parents and guardians have been invited to join Media Specialist Mrs. Albee and Literary Specialist Mrs. Leichliter to see students engaged in a read-aloud.
Mrs. Albee shows parents how to increase children’s vocabulary knowledge, make connections, and ask questions to facilitate understanding while reading to a class. Mrs. Leichliter answers parent questions, discusses what was seen and provides take-home materials to help raise readers.
Over 30 families have attended so far. What an amazing way to share simple tips with parents for helping their child read at home!
Registration open for FCPS Science and Social Studies Fairs
Frederick County Public Schools is excited to announce the Elementary and Secondary Science and Engineering Fair and the Elementary Social Studies Fair will take place on Saturday, March 23 at Tuscarora High School.
Please see the links below and attached posters for more details and to register for the 2024 events:
Register for the Elementary Science Fair here: http://tinyurl.com/ElemSCIFair2024
Register for the Elementary Social Studies Fair here: https://tinyurl.com/SSfairFCPS
Register for the Secondary Science Fair Here: https://sites.google.com/fcps.org/fcsef/registration
Sugarloaf rocks READBowl
Megan Leyh's first grade class at Sugarloaf Elementary was recently crowned the 2024 state champion of reading in the READBowl led by the Share the Magic Foundation. Congratulations!
More than 280,000 students took part in this year's READBowl, a free global reading competition where students in PreK-eighth grade around the globe compete to read for the most minutes.
Annual Career and Tech Fair coming up
Frederick County Public Schools is excited to host the 31st Annual Career and Tech Fair on Tuesday, March 19 at Frederick High School, from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. This event is a cornerstone of FCPS’s efforts to highlight Career and Technical Education (CTE). Leading up to the Fair during February, designated as National CTE Month, middle school students are expanding their skills and knowledge for the competitions listed below that are tied to their related CTE course curriculum.
Winners of classroom-level competitions or judged to advance to school-level competitions will go on to represent and compete for their school in the county championships at the Career and Tech Fair.
This year we are excited to provide the community an opportunity to come and learn about CTE throughout the county while cheering on students at the fair. FCPS’s new Career Coaches from all middle schools as well as high schools, will be on hand to provide information and showcase the amazing opportunities students have to engage in CTE. Additionally, high school CTE teachers, partners, and organizations will be present to share about CTE pathways and extracurricular opportunities such as FBLA, FFA, SkillsUSA, FCPS Robotics Clubs and ACE Mentoring. All students, parents, staff, and community members are welcome to attend to learn about CTE and cheer on middle school students in the competitions!
Doors open at Frederick High School, 650 Carroll Parkway, Frederick, Maryland, 21701, at 4:45 p.m. and will conclude around 7:00 pm.
Students or parents who want to know more about the classroom competitions should reach out to their student’s middle school CTE Teacher. For more information about the Career and Tech Fair please contact Career and Technical Education Coordinator, Norm McGaughey, or CTE Administrative Secretary, Haley Weldon, at 301-644-5188.
Montessori Charter School lotteries are open
The lotteries are open at the following FCPS Montessori charter schools to Frederick County residents for the 2024-2025 school year:
Carroll Creek Montessori Public Charter School (CCMPCS) ages 3 through 8th grade
Monocacy Valley Montessori Public Charter School (MVMPCS) ages 3 through 10th grade.
Applications are online: https://mmcimd.org/charter-schools/enrollment/
The lottery deadline is Friday, March 11 at 11:59 p.m.
IMPACT Student: Camila Gonzalez
n our latest edition of FCPS Impact, we feature Camila Gonzalez, a senior who attends Urbana High School and the FCPS Career and Technology Center.
Camila earned the gold award in health science from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, a nonprofit that identifies, inspires, prepares and positions leaders in the classroom, community and workforce. The foundation's Youth Awards honor high school seniors who excel in the classroom and community.
We surprised Camila with an FCPS Impact Award in her Career and Technology Center Biomedical Science classroom.
Get ready for some fun! Check out the 2024 FCPS musical schedule now!
It’s Women’s History Month!
March is Women's History Month! Visit https://www.womenshistorymonth.gov/ for more information.
Glade fifth-grader wins spelling bee
Congratulations to Glade Elementary fifth-grader Chase Camuti for winning the Frederick County Spelling Bee on Saturday! He will go on to represent Frederick County at the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. in the spring. Check out this News-Post article to read more!
Youth Art Month is here
March is Youth Art Month! To celebrate, the annual FCPS Youth Art Month student art exhibit will be hosted at The Delaplaine Arts Center in Frederick.
When: Saturday, March 2 through Monday, March 25
Where: The Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick
Delaplaine Center hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays
Admission: Free
Parking: The Delaplaine Center is located next to the East All Saints Parking Garage. The garage’s address is 125 East All Saints St., Frederick. Metered parking is also nearby.
What exhibit viewers will find: Every FCPS art teacher submitted three outstanding student art pieces for the exhibit, which will include more than 400 imaginative two and three-dimensional student creations. The exhibit highlights exceptional student artists and is a testament to the always creative FCPS art teachers.
While at the Delaplaine: To coincide with the student art exhibit, the Delaplaine coordinates an FCPS faculty art exhibit on the second floor. Be sure to check it out!
More information: Visit www.delaplaine.org
Scholarship opportunity for student athletes
Are you an FCPS senior student-athlete who excels in the classroom, community and in athletic competition? If so, apply for the 2024 MPSSAA Minds in Motion Scholar-Athlete Scholarship!
The deadline to apply is Friday, April 5 at noon. Check out this web page for more information.
Check it out! FCPS Informando
Did you know FCPS has a Facebook page for Spanish speaking community members? FCPS Informando has important updates for families. We encourage our community to check it out!
¿Sabía que FCPS tiene una página de Facebook para miembros de la comunidad de habla hispana? FCPS Informando tiene actualizaciones importantes para las familias. ¡Animamos a nuestra comunidad a comprobarlo!
Calendar update
Contact us
Email: communications@fcps.org
Website: www.fcps.org
Location: 191 South East Street, Frederick, MD, USA
Phone: (301)644-5000
Facebook: www.facebook.com/fcpsmaryland
Twitter: @FCPSMaryland