Blueprint Bulletin
Some thoughts for the starting school year
CCPS BLUEPRINT UPDATES
- Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) was awarded a grant by MSDE to utilize a Strategic Facilitator to assist us in thinking through our next phase of implementation.
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In November, the Accountability & Implementation Board (AIB) and MSDE staff met with school district Blueprint Coordinators to preview changes made to the 2024 implementation plan template and focused on the work the school districts (local educational agencies - LEAs) are doing to move the needle on student achievement.
Community forums will be held in early 2024. Information about the forums will be posted on the CCPS Blueprint webpage and shared through a variety of communication channels in January.
THE BLUEPRINT'S FIVE PILLARS
PILLAR 3: PLANNING, IMPACT, & IMPLEMENTATION
MSDE Releases Final Report on College & Career Readiness (CCR) Study
As part of the Blueprint planning, in 2022 MSDE commissioned an exploratory study and a long-term study. It was conducted by American Institutes for Research (AIR) and presented to the Maryland State Board of Education in September 2023.
The four objectives of the College and Career Readiness (CCR) study were:
- Identify knowledge and skills required to be college and career ready.
- Assess the alignment between Maryland's College and Career Ready Academy Content Standards and postsecondary expectations.
- Asses how well the interim CCR standard and alternate specifications of the standard predict postsecondary progress.
- Identify potential areas of bias within assessments used to determine CCR.
The final report was presented at the September Maryland State Board of Education meeting. At the October Maryland State Board of Education meeting options for new college and career (CCR) standards were presented by MSDE staff. At the December Maryland State Board of Education discussed public feedback on the report that was shared in November and has decided to hold on making any decisions at this time regarding the options until January 2024.
School Administrators Discuss the Blueprint Implementation at Annual Principals' Conference
At this year's annual Maryland Principals Conference, Executive Director of the Blueprint's Accountability and Implementation Board Rachel Hise provided an overview and facilitated a discussion about the Blueprint pillars and timeline with school administrators across Maryland.
Assistant Principal Sarah Bento at Northern High School was in attendance and shared, "I'm excited for the Blueprint for Maryland...the Blueprint is asking us to rethink what high school looks like and make sure that we're preparing all of our students to go to college or enter the workforce in a way that we haven't done before."
Early College Program
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future requires CCPS to plan for a 1 year and 2-year program. we have partnered with the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) and currently have a 25 credit general studies transfer certificate program which we will continue into year two. We are working together to plan for a 2-year program in the 25-26 school year.
CSM and CCPS recently hosted a virtual information session about Early College for next year. This session provided information about the following Early College eligibility requirements:
- Be a senior for the 2024-2025 academic year at CCPS.
- Have an unweighted high school GPA of 2.75 or better.
- Demonstrated College and Career Readiness on MCAP and have completed Algebra 2 with a grade of “C” or higher.
- Completion of all Student Service-Learning requirements.
- Completion of all state testing requirements.
- Completion of two credits of World Language and their pathway for graduation by the end of their junior year.
View the following video to hear what current CCPS student participants think about Early College program:
CCPS Adds a Career Advisor to Every Middle and High School
This school year CCPS launched an innovative career advising program designed to align with the State’s Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. In partnership with the Southern Maryland Workforce Development Board, CCPS’ transformative initiative empowers middle and high school students by providing dedicated career advisors who teach career and exploration skills, ultimately providing students the necessary foundation for individualized academic and career readiness.
“This program transforms our schools into career-curious spaces, fostering the development of each student's unique career identity,” explained CCPS Career and Technology Academy Principal Carrie Akins, who oversees career and technical education for the school district.
“Beyond career fairs and classroom guest speakers, our integrated foundational approach builds relationships with students and provides ongoing, personalized career conversations with all secondary students, ensuring they graduate with the necessary skills to evaluate options and create a career pathway for their future," continued Akins.
Director of the Southern Maryland Workforce Development Board Ruthy Davis said, “As a crucial partner in the realization of the college and career readiness pillar of the Maryland Blueprint, we provide school districts with valuable resources, partnerships, and expertise to help students prepare for a successful transition into college and careers.”
CCPS’ career advising program is centered around recently created career advisors in each of the middle and high schools. The school district’s career advisors are working together to share ideas and activities to ensure collaboration with all students.
“As a career advisor, I work with students to help them gain a better understanding of themselves through career focused discussions, explorations, and activities. The goal is for students to gain skills to equip them to make career preparations and decisions,” said Plum Point Middle School Career Advisor Nikki Phillips.
To begin connecting with students, CCPS career advisors are meeting with students individually as well as speaking with them in the classroom setting. “We are going to students versus waiting for them to come by the counseling office,” continued Phillips. Career discussions and activities designed to engage students will be conducted throughout the school year.
“Our program provides students with the confidence and knowledge to aid them in understanding and shaping their career aspirations, which ultimately guides them towards gainful employment,” said Plum Point Middle School Principal Danielle Swann.
All of the CCPS career advisors meet frequently to ensure that language and strategies are consistently shared at the middle schools to ensure continuity as the student moves to high school.
In addition to aligning with the State’s Blueprint for Maryland; CCPS’ career advising framework also reinforces the School District’s core support strategies of Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision Making.
COMMUNITY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Community business partnership are an important part of the Blueprint. Plumber and Gasfitters Local 5 has been partnering with CCPS in variety of ways from bringing awareness to many careers available in the field of plumbing and gasfitting and providing apprentice opportunities for our CTA students. Thank you Plumber and Gasfitters Local 5 for your continued commitment to helping prepare our students for their future.
Did you know that CCPS students in their senior year are eligible to go to school for part of their day and then go to a registered youth apprenticeship the other part of the day? For more information about our Youth Apprentice program, visit https://cta.calvertnet.k12.md.us/programs/apprenticeship-maryland.
If you are business or organization that would like to provide a youth apprenticeship opportunity, please contact CCPS Apprenticeship Program contact Michelle McGuffin at mcguffinm@calvertnet.k12.md.us.
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