School system plans annual College Fair
Charles County Public Schools will host more than 150 colleges at its 16th annual Charles County College Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at North Point High School. The fair is open to the public from 6 to 8 p.m. High school juniors and seniors attend the event during the school day as part of the system’s career readiness goal in the five-year plan.
Students are transported from school by bus and are able to speak with representatives and gather information from participating colleges. Students wishing to attend the fair during the school day must submit a signed permission slip to their school’s college and career advisor.
Community members are encouraged to bring their children to the public session. Two financial aid workshops will be held, one at 6:15 p.m. and one at 7:15 p.m., for parents and students to learn about the financial aid application process. There is no cost to attend the event. For more information, call your child’s school or 301-934-7334.
A list of local scholarships, including a link to Maryland colleges and universities, is also available on the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) website at http://www.ccboe.com, under the students section.
School system launches new website
Charles County Public Schools recently launched a new website. The new site is still located at http://www.ccboe.com, but features an updated look with better menu options and an easy-to-use navigation bar located at the top of the home page. The new site also features popular web links under the Quick Links section located on the right-hand side of the home page, and a rotating slideshow of pictures featuring Charles County Public Schools students, staff and events.
Also featured on the home page are three items of interest for parents, students, staff and the community that include Charles County Public Schools press releases, the latest original programming available on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOS Channel 12, and the latest school system news. Website visitors can also sign up to receive Charles County Public Schools press releases by e-mail, which feature student and staff accomplishments, general information items and school closings and delays.
To sign up for Charles County Public Schools press releases, click on the About section in the top menu, then choose Press Releases located under the Public Info/Media section. The subscribe feature is located on the right-hand side of the home page. Subscribers who signed up to receive press releases from the old website will have to follow these steps to register on the new website.
The website will still be used as a primary notification tool when any changes in the school schedule occur. Located at the top of the home page is a scrolling message bar, along with a search function users can select when looking for information on the site. New to the website is a language function in which users can select from the drop down menu to view the site in a language other than English. The tool uses Google translation services.
Additionally, the site features an area for school system employees in which information relevant to staff only is placed in a separate area. Board of Education meetings will still be streamed live on the school system website, but will be featured on the CCPS TV page, which can be accessed at the bottom of the home page.
The site also has a feedback form for users to send comments to communications department staff about the website. The feedback form is located at both the top and bottom of the homepage. The Charles County Public Schools website was last updated in 2006.
Prekindergarten start date for all categories is Tuesday, Sept. 3
The start date for all students enrolled in the Charles County Public Schools prekindergarten program is Tuesday, Sept. 3. This includes all students in categories one, two and three. Originally, prekindergarten students began school on a staggered schedule, with categories one and two beginning on one date, and category three students beginning a week later.
Parents with students beginning prekindergarten this school year are being notified by letter of their child’s acceptance into the program and the start date. Print copies of the 2013-14 Charles County Public Schools Parent/Handbook Calendar, which will be distributed to all students during the first week of school, list a Sept. 9 start date for category three prekindergarten students. The web version posted at www.ccboe.com reflects the changed date.
Open houses planned for schools
Charles County Public Schools has released its open house schedule for the 2013-14 school year. Listed below are open house dates and times, and other activities for schools.
Elementary Schools
-- C. Paul Barnhart, all students, Sept. 4, 6 - 8 p.m.;
-- Berry, back-to-school night, Sept. 5, 6 - 7:30 p.m.;
-- Dr. Gustavus Brown, back-to-school night, Sept. 12, 6 - 7:30 p.m.;
-- Dr. James Craik, back-to-school night, Sept. 19, 6 - 8 p.m.;
-- William A. Diggs, all students, Sept. 5, 6 - 8 p.m.;
-- Gale-Bailey, all students, Sept. 3, 6:30 - 8 p.m.;
-- Dr. Thomas L. Higdon, all students, Sept. 12, 6:30 - 8 p.m.;
-- Indian Head, all students, Sept. 3, 6:30 - 8 p.m.;
-- Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, back-to-school night, Sept. 5, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.;
-- Malcolm, all students, Aug. 29, 6 - 7:30 p.m.;
-- T.C. Martin, prekindergarten - grade 1, Sept. 4, 6:30 p.m.; and grades 2 - 5, Sept. 5, 6:30 p.m.;
-- Mary H. Matula, back-to-school night, Sept. 5, 6:30 - 8 p.m.;
-- Arthur Middleton, prekindergarten - grade 2, Sept. 11, 6 - 7 p.m.; and grades 3 - 5, Sept. 11, 7 - 8 p.m.;
-- Walter J. Mitchell, kindergarten - grade 2, Sept. 18, 6 - 7 p.m.; and grades 3 - 5, Sept. 18, 7 - 8 p.m.;
-- Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy, open house, Sept. 10, 6:30 - 8 p.m.;
-- Dr. Samuel A. Mudd, all students, Sept. 10, 6:30 - 8 p.m.;
-- Mary B. Neal, all students, Sept. 5, 7 - 8:30 p.m.;
-- J.C. Parks, prekindergarten - grade 2, Sept. 4, 6:30 - 8 p.m.; and grades 3 - 5, Sept. 5, 6:30 - 8 p.m.;
-- J.P. Ryon, open house, Oct. 1, 6:30 - 8 p.m.;
-- Eva Turner, all students, Sept. 3, 6 - 8 p.m.; and
-- William B. Wade, kindergarten - grade 2, Sept. 3, 6 - 7:30 p.m.; and grades 3 - 5 p.m., Sept. 4, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Middle Schools
-- Theodore G. Davis, all students, Sept. 17, 6 - 8 p.m.;
-- John Hanson, all students, Sept. 12, 6 - 8 p.m.;
-- Matthew Henson, all students, Sept. 12, 6 - 8 p.m.;
-- Mattawoman, all students, Sept. 12, 6 - 8 p.m.;
-- Piccowaxen, all students, Sept. 19, 6 - 8 p.m.;
-- General Smallwood, all students, Sept. 12, 6 - 8 p.m.;
-- Milton M. Somers, all students, Sept. 12, 6 - 8 p.m.; and
-- Benjamin Stoddert, all students, Aug. 22, 3 - 5 p.m.
High Schools
-- Henry E. Lackey, all students, Sept. 24, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.;
-- La Plata, all students, Sept. 17, 6 - 8:30 p.m.;
-- Maurice J. McDonough, all students, Sept. 10, 6 - 8 p.m.;
-- North Point, back-to-school night, Sept. 24, 6:30 p.m.;
-- Thomas Stone, all students, Sept. 17, 6 - 7:30 p.m.; and
-- Westlake, all students, Sept. 19, 6 - 8 p.m.