Calvert Co. Public Schools News Briefs


Huntingtown High Key Club Recognized for Contributions to Maryland Food Bank

The Key Club of Huntingtown High School (HHS) earned recognition by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) for its contribution to the Harvest for the Hungry Kids Helping Kids food collection campaign. The club collected over 4,500 pounds of food for End Hunger of Calvert County, an affiliate of the Maryland Food Bank.

Key Club sponsor and HHS teacher Rachel Dove and student Elisabeth Cunningham will receive the award on behalf of the school at a ceremony on May 11, 2015 at the Maryland Food Bank in Baltimore.

Statewide, the Kids Helping Kids Food and Fund Drive raised over $139,000 and collected over 447,000 pounds of food to help feed hungry children across Maryland. The Maryland Food Bank coordinates the program in conjunction with affiliate food banks throughout the state.

The Kids Helping Kids Campaign provides students with the opportunity to learn about food insecurity in their community while collecting food for their local food bank. The food banks then distribute the food to children in need across the state.

Maryland Age of Compulsory School Attendance

Maryland is joining a growing number of states that require students to attend school until age 18. Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, the age of compulsory school attendance will increase from 16 to 17 for any child who turns 16 on or after July 1, 2015. Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, the age of compulsory school attendance will increase from 17 to 18 for any child who turns 17 on or after July 1, 2017.

The Maryland General Assembly enacted legislation in 2012 to raise the compulsory attendance age from 16 to 17, followed by an increase to age 18, with several contingencies (Senate Bill 363, Chapter 494, 2012 Laws of Maryland). Exemptions in the legislation include students who are home-schooled, pregnant or have already obtained a General Educational Development (GED) certificate.

Director of Student Services Kim Roof said that the new legislation will ensure that more students receive the skills necessary to pursue a career or post-secondary education. She said, "We never want to give up on students. We want them to stay in school with us to maximize their future opportunities."

The dropout rate in Calvert County Public Schools ranked among the lowest in the state for the graduating class of 2014, with only 4.01%-or 55 students in a cohort of 1,371-dropping out of school. The Dropout Rate that Maryland has previously reported is called the Annual Grade 9-12 Dropout Rate. However, federal law now requires that Maryland use an adjusted cohort dropout rate. The four-year adjusted cohort dropout rate is defined as the number of students who leave school, for any reason other than death, within the four-year period divided by the number of students who form the adjusted cohort.

Volunteers Recognized by Board of Education

The Volunteer of the Year recognition program for Calvert County Public Schools was held during the meeting of the Board of Education on Thursday, May 21, 2015 at 10:00 AM. Each school in the district chooses a volunteer to recognize for service provided throughout the year.

The 2014-2015 service year continues throughout the summer as volunteers provide help and assistance as schools close in June and prepare to re-open for a new school year in August.

The Volunteers of the Year for 2014-2015 are:

Barstow Elementary: Genie Carroll

Beach Elementary: Stephanie Patterson

Calvert Elementary: Dave Walton

Dowell Elementary: Meredith Grand

Huntingtown Elementary: Amy Boswell

Mt. Harmony Elementary: Kristi Bingham

Mutual Elementary: Carol Petralia

Patuxent Appeal Elementary: Campus Tara Woods

Plum Point Elementary: Kimberly Koteff

St. Leonard Elementary: Aimee Yoder

Sunderland Elementary: Susan Vilcheck

Windy Hill Elementary: Stephanie Jones

Calvert Middle: Donna and Tom Breske

Mill Creek Middle: Kelly Walker

Northern Middle: Angelina Mackey

Plum Point Middle: Lori Moore

Southern Middle: Linda Ward

Windy Hill Middle: Susan Morris

Calvert High: Robert and Laurie Bryner

Huntingtown High: Tami Brunstrom

Northern High: Stefany Lang

Patuxent High: Stephanie Witte

Calvert Country: Kyrstin Brown-Wainwright

Special Education Department: Pat Young

Joint Press Release Calvert County Public Schools and the Calvert Education Association

The Board of Education of Calvert County Public Schools and the Calvert Education Association (CEA) reached a tentative agreement for the FY 2016 collective bargaining agreement.

Under the tentative agreement reached on May 18, 2015, the parties agreed to procedural language regarding teacher evaluation, non-promotional transfers, and payroll schedule. Tuition reimbursement rates were standardized for all teachers. No salary or step increases were included in the tentative agreement. The parties agreed, however, that further negotiations may occur if additional unrestricted operating funds-in excess of those necessary to support programs and services deemed by the Superintendent as essential to the operation of the system, as well as those funds necessary to eliminate the currently projected deficit-become available to the school system from state or county funding sources during FY 2016.

CEA and the Board must now ratify the tentative agreement.

School Immunization Requirements for the 2015-2016 School Year

New Maryland school immunization requirements that were established in 2013 have resulted in the following vaccination requirements for the start of the 2015-2016 school year:

Kindergarten and 1st Grade Students

Varicella: Two (2) doses of Varicella vaccine are required for Kindergarten and 1st grade

7th and 8th Grade Students

Tdap: A single dose of Tdap vaccine is required for all students entering 7th and 8th grade

Meningococcal: A single dose of Meningococcal (MCV4) vaccine is required for all students entering 7th and 8th grade

All students in the affected grades who are entering Calvert County Public Schools for the 2015-2016 school year should receive these vaccines prior to the start of school. In the event, however, that students do not have the required vaccines, schools may temporarily admit them. In order to admit or retain a student temporarily, the student's parent or guardian shall present evidence of the student's appointment with a health care provider or local health department to receive a required immunization; reconstruct a lost record; or acquire evidence of age-appropriate immunity. It further requires that the date of the appointment may not be later than 20 calendar days following the date the student was temporarily admitted to school.

Students out of compliance with the immunization requirements may not be admitted to school without the evidence of an appointment. The parent must present evidence of an appointment the first day a student is admitted.

Evidence of an appointment may include the following:

1. An appointment slip or note from the health care provider's office of an appointment no later than 20 calendar days from the date the student is temporarily admitted or retained;

2. A verbal or written statement signed by the parent/guardian that contains the appointment date, no later than 20 calendar days from the date the student is temporarily admitted or retained, with a health care provider, or

3. A verbal or written statement by the parent/guardian indicating the parent/guardian's intent to attend a local health department immunization clinic within the next 20 calendar days.

Once students are admitted, they must keep the appointment and obtain the required documentation of immunization compliance or be excluded the day after the appointment.

The Calvert County Health Department will hold immunization clinics several times this summer. Children through the age of 18 must meet one of the following criteria to be eligible to attend the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Immunization Clinic:

-- Health insurance through the state (medical assistance/Medicaid)

-- Uninsured (has no health insurance)

-- American Indian or Alaska Native (As defined by the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C 1603))

-- Underinsured by private health coverage (A child who has private health insurance but the coverage does not include vaccines or only covers select vaccines)

There is a fee of $23.28 per vaccine administered. For children who are insured by the state, the $23.28 fee per vaccine will be billed to their state health insurance. All other children who are VFC eligible will be responsible for the payment of $23.28 per vaccine out of pocket. If there is a true inability to pay, the fees can be waived on a case by case basis. Call 410?535?5400 ext. 334 to schedule an appointment.

Children who are not eligible to attend the VFC Immunization Clinic (children who have private health insurance) need to be referred to their Primary Medical Provider. The Health Department may see these children on a case by case basis for Immunizations. The full cost of each vaccine will be charged (payment plans and fee scales are available). The Health Department will provide upon request a receipt with billing codes to submit to an insurance company for possible reimbursement. To schedule an appointment call 410?535?5400 ext. 347.

Clinics will be held at the Calvert County Health Department on the following dates:

-- Every Tuesday in August and September: 1:00-3:30 pm for VFC eligible students only. Appointments are needed.

-- August 13, 2015: 4:00-7:00 pm for all school-age children who need "Back to school Vaccines" (varicella, Tdap, & MCV4). No appointments are needed; walk-ins welcome. Vaccines are free for all students.

-- September 10, 2015: 9:00-3:00 pm for all school-age children who need "Back to school Vaccines" (varicella, Tdap, & MCV4). Appointments are needed. Vaccines are free for all students.

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