Last day of school for students is June 15
The last day of the 2015-16 school year for Charles County Public Schools students is Wednesday, June 15. Two-hour early dismissal days are June 10, June 13, June 14 and June 15. The last day of school for students in the Three's program is Wednesday, June 8. The last day for teachers is Thursday, June 16.
Charles County Public Schools used five of the six inclement weather days built into the school calendar. The school system closed schools five times for inclement weather: Jan. 21, Jan. 22, Jan. 25, Jan. 26 and Feb. 16.
Report cards for students in the Three's program will be issued on June 8. Morning prekindergarten students will receive their report cards on Wednesday, June 15, and afternoon prekindergarten students receive their report cards on Tuesday, June 14.
All other elementary school students receive report cards on June 15. Report cards for middle and high school students will be mailed on Wednesday, June 22.
Registration for the 2016 Summer School program begins at the Robert D. Stethem Educational Center on Wednesday, June 22 and Thursday, June 23. Classes begin for Summer School on Tuesday, June 28 at Westlake High School.
Report card distribution date changed to April 15
Charles County Public Schools has changed the report card distribution date for next week. Report cards will be distributed to elementary school students on Friday, April 15. Report cards will be mailed to middle and high school parents on April 15.
The original distribution date of Tuesday, April 12 was changed due to technical difficulties the school system has experienced with Edline, the system's gradebook provider. The change will provide teachers with additional time to finalize third-quarter grades. Edline is working to resolve the technical issues, which are affecting clients nationwide.
Employees honored for commitment to school system
The Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools Kimberly Hill on Thursday, March 31 honored Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) employees for their years of service to the school system and children during a ceremony held at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building. Honored were those employees who have contributed to the school system with careers that total 40, 35, 30 and 25 years with CCPS.
Keith Hettel, assistant superintendent of supporting services, was honored for his 40-year career with the school system. Hettel began his career at the elementary-school level as a teacher at Dr. Gustavus Brown Elementary School and later served as a principal at Gale-Bailey and William B. Wade elementary schools.
In 1991, Hettel was honored by the Washington Post as a recipient of a Distinguished Educational Leadership Award and was the Charles County Public Schools Principal of the Year. At the district level, Hettel first took a position as Director of Educational Options at the Starkey Building and later became the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. In 2013, Hettel was named as the Assistant Superintendent of Supporting Services, and he oversees the maintenance and operations of all facilities within the school system.
The Board hosts a years of service ceremony annually to recognize CCPS employees. In addition to Hettel, the Board honored 64 employees.
Employees with 35 years of service are:
• Barbara Davis, speech therapist, Indian Head Elementary School;
• Bryan Donahue, art teacher, Henry E. Lackey High School;
• Frederick Farley, in-school retention program instructional assistant, Westlake High School;
• Natalie Fenwick, kindergarten instructional assistant, Arthur Middleton Elementary School;
• Brenda Garner, secretary to the director of transportation, Annex 1 Building;
• Jill Morrow, physical education teacher, Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School;
• Clifton Posey, building service manager, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School;
• Wilhelmina Pugh, principal, Malcolm Elementary School;
• Michael Simms, principal, North Point High School;
• Elizabeth Wanzer, art teacher, Milton M. Somers Middle School; and
• Richard Williams, computer teacher, La Plata High School.
Employees with 30 years of service are:
• Susan Belmore, art teacher, T.C. Martin Elementary School;
• Brian Chase, building service manager, Gale-Bailey;
• Tony Chase, building service manager, Robert D. Stethem Educational Center;
• Darrell Clark, building service worker, Maurice J. McDonough High School;
• Karin Clark, third-grade teacher, Mary H. Matula Elementary School;
• John Farmer, Jr., building service manager, F. B. Gwynn Educational Center;
• Pamella Gingerich, Reading Recovery teacher, Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School;
• Charlotte Goldsmith, special education instructional assistant Life Skills program, Somers;
• Kathryn Koch, reading resource teacher, Piccowaxen Middle School;
• Christine Mais, executive assistant to the assistant superintendent of school administration, Starkey;
• Mary Montgomery, fifth-grade teacher, Mitchell;
• Robert Opiekun, principal, J. P. Ryon Elementary School;
• Lisa Peters, secretary in special education, Starkey;
• George Simms, pupil data accounting specialist, Starkey; and
• Jack Tuttle, content specialist in social studies, Starkey.
Employees with 25 years of service are:
• Robert Ansell, Jr., pupil personnel worker, Starkey;
• Tanya Ansell, language arts teacher, Theodore G. Davis Middle School;
• Heather Beaton, social studies teacher, McDonough;
• Glenn Belmore, risk manager, Starkey;
• Frances Bryner, English as Second Language (ESOL) teacher, J. P. Ryon Elementary School;
• Mary Capper, physical education teacher, Martin;
• Nancy Carbone, in-school retention program instructional assistant, C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School;
• Barbara Cooper, building service worker, Westlake;
• Cheryl Davis, vice principal, North Point;
• Tanya Dorsey, building service manager, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary School;
• Ruby Duehring, drama/theatre arts teacher, Thomas Stone High School;
• Cynthia Fitzsimmons, special education teacher, Gwynn;
• David Fulcher, building service worker, John Hanson Middle School;
• Linda Gill, executive director of school administration, Starkey;
• Todd Glasgow, physical education teacher, Benjamin Stoddert Middle School;
• Lawrence Gross, building service assistant manager, Malcolm;
• Jana Heyl, drama/theatre arts teacher, McDonough;
• Jeffrey Lambert, physical education teacher, General Smallwood Middle School;
• Evelyn Lavorgna, special education instructional assistant, Middleton;
• Cynthia Ledoux, drama/theatre arts teacher, Lackey;
• Lisa Love, secretary in instruction, Starkey;
• Martha Mayer, secretary to the principal, Malcolm;
• Steven Miller, supervising specialist in transportation, Annex 1 Building;
• Sheryl Morrison, pupil personnel worker, Starkey;
• Kathleen Parry, vocal music teacher, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy;
• Nancy Pirner, acting director of compliance, Starkey;
• Patricia Pitonyak, special education teacher, Matthew Henson Middle School;
• Carroll Proctor, building service worker, J. C. Parks Elementary School;
• Wendy Proctor, building service worker, Gwynn;
• Leslie Schroeck, high school resource teacher, La Plata;
• Kathleen Staudmyer, special education teacher, Jenifer;
• Faye Stinehart, art teacher, Brown;
• Jean Walter, special education instructional assistant, Brown;
• Bruce Washington, building service manager, St. Charles High School;
• Margaret Woodley, library media specialist, Mattawoman Middle School;
• Barbara Woods-Miazza, Reading Recovery teacher, Middleton;
• Vera Young, content specialist in English/language arts, Starkey; and
• Julie Yowell, second-grade teacher, Wade.
Board of Education announces April 19 agenda
The Board of Education's next monthly meeting is Tuesday, April 19, at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building on Radio Station Road in La Plata. The public portion of the meeting begins at 1 p.m. and student and staff recognition starts at 4:15 p.m. The meeting is televised live on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOS Channel 12 and is rebroadcast throughout the week.
Board meetings are also streamed live on the school system website at www.ccboe.com. Select the live steaming image displayed in the center of the home page. The following is a tentative meeting agenda and is subject to change.
Executive session—12 p.m.
Call to order—1 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance, Westlake High School JROTC
Recognition of winter sports state champion athletes
Superintendent's update
Reports of officers/boards/committees
• Correspondence/Board Member updates
• Education Association of Charles County update
• American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees update
• Student Board Member update
• Review of partnership between the school system and Charles County Sheriff's Office
• Project status update
• Overview of Nanjemoy Creek program
• Student information system update
• New world language textbooks
• FY 2016 inter-category budget transfer request
• Transportation costs update
• Legislative update
• Plan for recognition of state champions during Board meetings
Unfinished business
New business and future agenda items
Recognition—4:15 p.m.
• Ruth Ann Hall scholarship awards
• Resolutions: Teacher Appreciation Week; Administrative Professionals Week; Child Nutrition Employee Appreciation Week; and National Physical Education and Sport Week
• Students
• Employees
• Kristin Shields, principal, Mt.Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School, 2016 National Distinguished Principal for Maryland
Public Forum—6 p.m.
Action items
• Minutes
• Personnel
• 2017/18 school calendar
Adjournment