December 14, 2023

Be sure to check the Holiday Concert Schedule Below!

December 14: Community Listening Session 6 PM at White Marsh Elementary

December 21: Webinar: What Parents Need to Know about Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana and Alcohol Use - 12 PM Registration Required: https://bit.ly/47783Rm

December 21: Webinar: The Pros, Cons, and Dangers of Social Media Use for Children and Teens - 2:30 PM Registration Required: https://bit.ly/3uVNNod

December 21: Early Dismissal for Students

December 22-January 1: Winter Holiday - Schools Closed

December 25: Christmas

December 26: Kwanzaa

January 2: Schools Re-open

January 15: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Schools Closed

January 17: Board of Education Meeting and Public Budget Hearing 6:30 PM

Don't miss the Community Listening Session at White Marsh Elementary TONIGHT, December 14th at 6:00 PM! Join TCPS Superintendent Sharon Pepukayi and Board of Education Members to discuss TCPS and education-related topics. This is your chance to ask questions, share your thoughts and ideas, and give feedback. We hope to see you there!

Congratulations to Easton High School senior Will O'Donnell for being selected for the Maryland General Assembly (MGA) Page Program! As a page, Will will have the opportunity to work alongside elected officials, legislative staff, and other students from across the state to learn about the legislative process and gain valuable skills. The program provides high school seniors with a unique and rewarding experience in public service. We wish Will all the best in this exciting opportunity!

Superintendent Sharon Pepukayi Ed.D. presented the TCPS FY25 proposed budget to the Board of Education at the December 11, 2023, Board Public Work Session. A Public Budget Hearing will be held on January 17, 2024, at 6:30 pm at the Talbot County Education Center. To sign up for Public Comment, please call Charlene Gould at 410-822-0330 or email publiccomments@talbotschools.org.

The Maryland State Department of Education has released the Maryland School Report Card Data for the 2022-23 school year. The website offers information on the performance of every school in the state. The school ratings, which are determined using metrics that are part of Maryland's accountability system under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), reflect the performance of a school and county on several components. Maryland began implementing the system in the 2017-2018 school year. This is the second release of the MD Report Card following a two-year pause due to the pandemic.

The Report Card uses multiple indicators of school performance to arrive at a rating of one to five stars. For elementary and middle schools, the system considers Academic Achievement, Academic Progress, progress in achieving English Language Proficiency, and School Quality & Student Success. For high schools, the system considers Academic Achievement, Graduation Rate, Progress in Achieving English Language Proficiency, College and Career Readiness, and School Quality & Student Success. In Talbot County, all TCPS schools received star ratings of three or more.

You can find Talbot County's school report cards and other information on the MD Report Card website at https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/.

The following policies are being updated and reviewed by the Board of Education. Policy 10.17 Alcohol and/or Drug Use by Students - Second Reader. Please leave feedback for the Board using the form linked below. All feedback will be presented at the January Board Meeting.

Join TCPS Substance Abuse Intervention and Prevention Specialist Madison Elliott for a webinar to learn more about the risks and dangers of driving under the influence of marijuana and alcohol use and the impact on teens. Q&A at the end. Registration is required. https://talbotschools.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xOaNVS7SSomLdaJAMip7xQ#/registration

Topics Include:
~ Driving under the influence of marijuana
~ Driving under the influence of alcohol
~ Disks and dangers of adolescent use and driving under the influence
~ Holiday stress and coping skills for teens
~ Guide to peer pressure for parents

Join us for a webinar on the Pros, Cons and Dangers of Social Media Use for Children and Teens. Dr. Rob Schmidt, TCPS Mental Health Coordinator, and Cpl. Sam Faggert from the Talbot County Sheriff's Department will discuss social media's impact on kids, online grooming and predators, and what parents can do to protect their children. Don't miss out on this important discussion! Register is required: https://bit.ly/3uVNNod

Congratulations to Easton Elementary Art Teacher Anna Madachik for being named our TCPS December Giant Teacher of the Month!

This year TCPS is going “cashless” for tickets for all of our athletic events using GoFan. You can purchase tickets ahead of time online or at the gate using a credit or debit card. GoFan accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate using Apple Pay and Google Pay. Admission to all events at the Easton High and St. Michaels High Stadiums and Gymnasiums is $6 (children 6 and under are free). Cash payment will not be accepted at the gate.

Tickets can be purchased using the following links:

Easton High

St. Michaels Middle High

The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more. For more information and to apply visit: https://www.fcc.gov/acp

Join the 70+ teachers, administrators, and support staff that have already enrolled in the TCPS SafeTime registration drive. This all-new app is designed to both empower us all with a super easy social media integrated tool to alert the proper authorities if we see something suspicious, AND to raise student self-esteem via the creation and exposure to fun, positive messaging. Students will be encouraged to share their creativity with opportunities to win $1000 scholarships. Parents/guardians and students will be invited to register starting September 17. Thank you!