The Seahawks Call
Week of May 31, 2021, Volume 35
Congratulations Mrs. Thenstead and Dr. Matthew on your new appointments!
Superintendent announces principal/vice principal changes
Superintendent Kimberly Hill today announced the appointment of three new school principals, six vice principal appointments and six vice principal transfers. Schools affected by principal changes are Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School, Piccowaxen Middle School and Maurice J. McDonough High School. The Superintendent did not recommend any principal transfers for the upcoming school year.
New principal appointments are:
§ Shannon Finnegan, vice principal at Higdon, will move to the principal position at the school. She is replacing Principal Kathy Morgan who is retiring at the end of the 2020-21 school year.
§ Wualanda Thenstead will be principal at Piccowaxen. Ms. Thenstead is a vice principal at Milton M. Somers Middle School and she is replacing Principal Wendell Martin who retired from CCPS in March.
§ Darnell Lewis-Russell will be principal at McDonough. Lewis-Russell is currently a vice principal at Henry E. Lackey High School, and is replacing Steven Roberts who is now serving as director of accountability for Charles County Public Schools.
Vice principal appointments include:
§ Kayla Hawkins, instructional lead teacher with Prince George’s County Public Schools, to vice principal at Billingsley Elementary School.
§ Jessika Washington, an instructional resource teacher at the F.B. Gwynn Educational Center, to vice principal at Gwynn.
§ Sonia Matthew, an administrative assistant at Somers Middle School, to vice principal at General Smallwood Middle School.
§ Cory Underwood, an administrative assistant at St. Charles High School, to vice principal at La Plata High School.
§ Tavon Myers, school resource teacher at Westlake High School, to vice principal at Henry E. Lackey High School.
§ Tyler Miller, administrative intern at Matthew Henson Middle School, to vice principal at John Hanson Middle School.
Vice principal transfers include:
§ Michael Hoffman, from vice principal at Billingsley Elementary School to vice principal at J.P. Ryon Elementary School.
§ Bradley Buzby, from vice principal at Arthur Middleton Elementary School to vice principal at Higdon.
§ Scott Hangey, from vice principal at Ryon to vice principal at Malcolm Elementary School.
§ Patricia Mooring, from vice principal at Malcolm to Arthur Middleton Elementary School.
§ Matthew Newcamp, from vice principal at General Smallwood Middle School to vice principal at Somers Middle School.
§ Ethel Hosendorf, from vice principal at John Hanson Middle School to vice principal at Theodore G. Davis Middle School.
All new assignments take effect July 1.
8th Graders Stepping into the Real World................................
CASE
Amber S. Franklin
Carla D. Jones
Amaia J. Hall
DANCE
Zoe San Luis
You may also find these high-flying Seahawks highlighted on our school's website!
Dress Code Reminder for our In-Person Learning Students
2. Shorts and skirts are permitted as long as they reach the middle of the thigh, defined as shoulders relaxed and arms straight down alongside the body where fingertips touch the thigh. Slits in the skirt may not rise more than two inches above fingertips.
3. Clothing must cover the chest area, cleavage, torso, and undergarments. Tops may not be lower than mid-back
4. Spaghetti straps and garments that are both strapless and sleeveless are not permitted during the school day.
5. Undergarments must not be visible at any time.
6. Pants must be secured no lower than mid-hip.
7. Ripped pants are permitted as long as rips fall below the shorts length criteria, are limited to the front side of the leg, and do not exceed three inches in diameter above the knee. Skin exposed by all other rips must be covered by opaque clothing that is not underwear.
8. Leggings, biker-type/spandex shorts, or joggers must be opaque and worn with a top that meets the length expectations of shorts and skirts (see #2).
9. Backless and open-toed shoes with a hard sole are permitted as long as the shoes do not pose a safety hazard. Foam and similar soft-soled shoes, such as flip-flops or beach footwear, are prohibited.
10. Headwear is not permitted. This includes, but is not limited to, hats, skull caps, visors, bandannas, sweat bands, shower caps, and hoods. Scarves may be worn as a headband only. (Exceptions may be granted based on religious and medical reasons with proper verification.) Sunglasses are not permitted except during outdoor activities.
11. Sleepwear and sleepwear-type clothing are only permitted for certain activities, such as overnight field trips and spirit days.
12. Clothing that displays or symbolizes any language or material that is inappropriate for school or offensive to any group is not permitted. This includes, but is not limited to, material relating to drugs, alcohol, profanity, obscenity, racism, gang activity and violence.
13. The dress code is in effect for participating students at all school-sponsored events on and off campus.
Library News from Mrs. H-J!
Dear Parents and Families:
The Scholastic Book Fair is back! While the Fair will be held online this spring, we still plan on making it a fun and joyous experience for our kids. Our Virtual Fair features:
A fully Virtual Fair so you and your kids can experience the joy of the Book Fair experience! Browse nearly 300 titles by grade, meet popular authors, watch book videos, and discover the magic of reading
Direct access to over 6,000 additional titles with family-friendly prices at the Scholastic Store Online
Every dollar you spend will benefit our school directly (25% back in rewards for every purchase!)
Save these dates and view our school’s Fair site:
Fair Dates: June 1-June 14
Virtual Store: Somers Book Fair Link
We can’t wait to “see” you at the Fair!
SCHOOL SUPPORTS
Marlon Walker - 6th Grade VP - mwalker@ccboe.com
Cynthia Panizzi - 7th Grade VP - cpanizzi@ccboe.com
Wualanda Thenstead - 8th Grade VP - wthenstead@ccboe.com
Sonia Matthew - Administrative Asst. - smatthew@ccboe.com
COUNSELING SUPPORTS
Kenneth Tojek - 6th Grade Counselor - ktojek@ccboe.com
Nancy Franklin - 7th Grade Counselor - nfranklin@ccboe.com
Brittany Williams - 8th Grade Counselor - bwilliams@ccboe.com
INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM
Andrea Johnson - Reading Resource Teacher (Reading) - afjohnson@ccboe.com
Jennifer Branham - Instructional Resource Teacher (Math) - jbranham@ccboe.com
Suzanne Johnson - Learning Resource Teacher (Gifted Education and Testing Coordinator) - srjohnson@ccboe.com
Email: somersms@ccboe.com
Website: https://www.ccboe.com/schools/somers/
Location: 300 Willow Lane, La Plata, MD 20646
Phone: 301-934-4663
Twitter: @miltonsomersms