Worcester CountyPublic Schools

Maryland Career and Technology students challenged 6,400 other student champions from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and Virgin Islands, at this year’s 54th Annual National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC) held in Louisville, KY.

Eleven schools across Worcester County were honored at the 2018 PBIS Eastern Shore Regional Summer Institute last week. All eleven schools achieved Gold Status and were honored. Opening the Institute with comments was Superintendent of Schools Louis H. Taylor.

At today’s Worcester County Board of Education meeting, three administrative appointments were approved. The new assignments are effective July 1, 2018.

Congratulations to the recently honored winners of the 2018 Celebrating Innovation Program. The program seeks to recognize any school system employee who implements innovative practices and/or processes which lead to evidence-based improvement.

In an effort to combat hunger, Worcester County Public Schools has established a Summer Food Service Program at several sites throughout Worcester County. These sites will be in operation during specific times and will serve school-aged children (18 and under).

Worcester County Public Schools wishes all of the 2018 graduates all the best as they leave our halls to pursue college and careers!

Living on the Eastern Shore, a peninsula bordered by water on three sides, affords us the opportunity to enjoy our waterways through swimming, surfing, fishing, boating, and more. In addition, living in Worcester County means that you are not a far drive from a body water, and chances are, someone in your family or neighborhood are fishermen or watermen, recreationally or professionally.

This week, Worcester County Public Schools in partnership with Hardwire, LLC, installed emergency shields within every school to augment existing safety protocols.

This spring, Snow Hill High School's Engineering Club as part of Academy 100 Afterschool Program, came together to replace an old ramp for Snow Hill community member. The team is led by Mrs. Kosin, Snow Hill High School's 2018 Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Kosin and her team partnered with the Chesapeake Housing Mission. With the guidance of Mrs. Kosin and the leaders from the nonprofit organization, students came out despite the nasty weather to remove an old ramp that was not up to building codes and replace it with a brand new one.

At today’s Worcester County Board of Education meeting, several administrative appointments were approved, and administrative transfers were announced. The new assignments are effective July 1, 2018.

On Monday, May 7, kindergartners and First Graders at Showell and Ocean City Elementary Schools were all smiles! They were making music, practicing the high and low sounds of the violin and the cello. Helping them try their hand at student-sized instruments were professional musicians from the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO), Blair Skinner, violinist, and Ismar Gomes, cellist, who travelled from Baltimore to spend the day with these budding musicians.

Planning out what to do with $100,000 probably is not a challenge for many teenagers. In fact, it is highly likely that most would have the entire lot spent on fancy things and traveling. This, however, is not the case for the Stephen Decatur High School After School Academy Investment Club members.

Worcester County Public Schools is proud to announce the following winners at Maryland History Day in late April. Congratulations to Stephen Decatur Middle School student Aria Islam for her special award in Women's History. Sean Wilson of Snow Hill Middle School has also been named the Worcester County Teacher of the Year for Maryland History Day.

On Friday, May 4, students and staff at Showell Elementary School celebrated "Honor Our Heroes" Day. During the celebration, Ms. Wylde's 3rd grade class enjoyed a demonstration from the OCPD Mounted Unit and met PFC Snyder from the Ocean City Police Department. Snyder taught students about his career as a police officer and how following the rules can help keep students and others safe. The students also spent the afternoon learning from Officer Braniff and her K-9 Clem.

At Berlin Intermediate School, we are proud of our growing afterschool partnership with the Worcester County Humane Society. Each session, up to twenty-five students begin with a tour of the Worcester County Humane Society in West Ocean City, where they meet the animals.

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) recently honored outstanding performance in secondary and postsecondary Career and Technology Education (CTE) through the 2018 Awards of Excellence.

Who doesn't have a large drawer or closet filled with used plastic shopping bags? Why not take that stash and help Stephen Decatur Middle School students to turn them into PLARN! What is plarn?

In early April, excited students at Buckingham and Ocean City Elementary Schools met trombone player, Nick Mazziott, and violinist, Blair Skinner from the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO), thanks to the invitation from music teachers, Julie Young and Rick Chapman.

There is an art to writing, a challenge, a necessity to learn how. Writing can become something that students enjoy, do for a hobby, or even get excited about. Yet for some, writing can be a daunting task.

Worcester County Public Schools is proud to announce a new and innovative approach to its summer programming beginning in the summer of 2018. Each of Worcester County’s thirteen comprehensive schools will offer a new Design Engineering Camp filled with age-appropriate activities and curricula to spark a student’s imagination and critical thinking skills.

Worcester County Public Schools has joined with SCoPE School Surveys to gain input on the school system’s communications. School Communications Performance Evaluation (SCoPE) Surveys seek feedback from parents, faculty and staff and members of the Worcester County community on how they receive information and whether they consider the communication to be effective.

SWAG is an afterschool mentoring program that focuses on teaching girls about their strengths and how they can help others.

At the April 6 banquet, Worcester County Public Schools proudly announced that Karen Holland, a special education teacher at Cedar Chapel Special School, is the 2018 Worcester County Teacher of the Year.

Every Monday afternoon, third grade students at the Snow Hill Elementary School CARE Afterschool Academy, participate in a fun, game-based, math class called Shake, Rattle and Roll.

At Ocean City Elementary School, the After School Program may look a little different. For one hour every Tuesday and Thursday, students work diligently on homework.

Earlier this month, fifty-five Grade 7 and 8 Band Students at Snow Hill Middle School sat on the school stage and played “Gypsydance” by David Holsinger for the small audience in attendance.

Nationally, 1 in 3 children are obese or overweight, with annual medical costs related to these conditions costing the U.S. nearly $200 billion in healthcare. Additionally, schools across the country have seen reduced productivity and decreased teacher retention due to high levels of anxiety and stress, poor health habits and increased healthcare costs.

Sixth grade art students at Berlin Intermediate School designed tote bags for Maryland Coastal Bays Program event "Bay Day”. Mrs. McElhinny’s art students developed original designs representing local sea life that were translated into prints.

The K-Kids serve our school and local community as well as support other programs. UNICEF, American Cancer Society and our school's gardens are some of our past projects.

Did you learn how to sew in Family and Consumer Science class, or under the watchful eye of your mother or grandmother? Generations ago, it was not only common but required that children learned the art of sewing and knitting. Clothes were made from hand.

Next week marks the start of registration for incoming pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students for the 2018-2019 school year!

Showell Elementary would like to highlight the great work being done in the SES Afterschool program by Mrs. Silviya Gallo. Mrs. Gallo is an engineering and math teacher at Worcester Technical High School.

Worcester Technical High School (WTHS) announced today that it has been recognized as a Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished School for providing broad access to transformative learning opportunities for students through PLTW Engineering and Biomedical Science.

On Tuesday afternoons you can hear music coming from the 5th grade hallway of Snow Hill Middle School. It is the sound of fourth and fifth graders participating in Dance Club!

Pocomoke Elementary School students, young "Braves", responded generously to victims of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.

Worcester County Public Schools is proud to announce the next step in improving communications with stakeholders with the launch of a fully redesigned mobile app today.

Buckingham Elementary School is one of 63 U.S. schools named as 2017 National Title I Distinguished Schools, and the only school in Maryland recognized this year. The honorees were given this designation for either achieving exceptional student performance overall, for significantly closing the achievement gap between student groups, or for excellence in serving special populations of students.

After receiving hundreds of submissions from talented writers, the Eastern Shore Reading Council (ESRC) proudly announced its finalists in the 2018 Young Authors’ Contest - a whopping 19 of which were students in Worcester County.

In this afterschool program, native English speakers and Non-Native English speakers are given an opportunity to use DuoLingo or Rosetta Stone to build literacy in Spanish, English, or another language.

Leadership Maryland announced today that Dr. Annette Wallace, Principal at Pocomoke High School in Worcester County, has been chosen to participate in the professional development program dedicated to building a better Maryland by harnessing the strength of its local business and community leaders.

Students often learn best from their peers! Students at Pocomoke High School in their Academy 100 Afterschool program are traveling to Pocomoke Middle School every Tuesday to provide peer mentoring and academic support for students in need.

Through MSO master classes, workshops, concerts, and programs, our students are afforded musical opportunities far and above what some schools can provide.

Earlier this month, Snow Hill High School announced its Inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame class, scheduled to be inducted in February of this year.

On January 16, 2018, the Worcester County Board of Education adopted the Superintendent's Recommended 2018-2019 school system calendar.

Fifth and sixth grade art students at Berlin Intermediate School have been creating art in support of Operation We Care, a non-profit dedicated to supporting our military and first responders.

The National Title I Association is pleased to announce that Buckingham Elementary School (BES) in Berlin, Maryland, has been named a National Title I Distinguished School by the Maryland State Department of Education.

The General Levin Winder Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) recently donated $200 to Snow Hill Middle School Social Studies teacher Sean Wilson for National History Day projects.

Students were encouraged to bring in a brand new pair of pajamas to donate to the Pajama Program, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides new, warm pajamas and books to children in need.

Pocomoke Elementary School students, young “Braves,” responded generously to the perseverant storm victim fund-raising efforts of our school’s Kiwanis Kids (K-Kids) Organization.

On November 15, 2017, seven schools and the Board of Education were presented with several grant awards from the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore (CFES) during its annual Education Awards Program.

Students at Buckingham Elementary School had the opportunity to learn from the experts when the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO) presented their “A-B-C-Me Play Program” from Monday, October 9 through Friday, October 20.

The Maryland Society for Educational Technology (MSET) has selected Dr. Annette Wallace, principal of Pocomoke High School, as a featured educator for this month's Digital Showcase, for her work in bringing Twitter EdChats to the school system.

At it's monthly meeting, the Worcester County Commissioners honored students who competed as part of Maryland's SkillsUSA delegation who placed in the top 10 in the nation at the 52nd Annual National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC), held in Louisville, KY, this summer.

Worcester County Public Schools is pleased to announce the availability of applying for Free and Reduced Price Meals online! The process is SAFE, SECURE, PRIVATE, and AVAILABLE anytime, anywhere!

On September 30, Superintendent Lou Taylor and Board of Education member Elena McComas (District 5) will join Worcester County Commissioner Chip Bertino at his monthly town hall meeting.

Schools all across the county opened their doors today to welcome students back for another exciting school year!

The Performing Arts Center of the Roland E. Powell Convention Center in Ocean City was packed with Worcester pride as nearly 1,200 Worcester County Public Schools employees arrived to celebrate the start of the 2017-2018 school year.

Worcester County students for the third consecutive year far exceeded state averages on the latest PARCC results released yesterday.

Laila Mirza, a pre-engineering student at Worcester Technical High School, was elected to serve as parliamentarian of the high school division of SkillsUSA.

Worcester County Public Schools is proud to announce that Chief Operating Officer H. Stephen Price was recently honored by the Maryland Center for School Safety as a 2017 recipient of the School Safety/Security Director of the Year Award.

Today, Worcester County Public Schools honored its 2017 cohort of Celebrating Innovation award recipients at its third annual recognition luncheon.