Hornet Nation,

Spirit Week, Check; Pep Rally, Check; Homecoming Court, Check; Homecoming Dance, Check!
What a great week to be HORNET! Thank you to SGA including Ms. Knobloch and Ms. Grassinger for organizing such a wonderful week of activities. Our Sophomore class won the Spirit Stick, but the reigning Seniors will have a chance to win it back during our Winter Pep Rally! Below you will find a link for a GMHS Spirit Store, so order your hoodies and hats now and make sure you’re prepared for playoffs and winter seasons!

We are 2 weeks away from the end of the 1st Quarter, so please don’t let your grades prevent you from participating in activities. There is a minimum 2.0 GPA for participation. All teachers are available during Nest Hour for recovery, missing assignments, and/or tutoring help. When looking at all the supports available before, during, and after school, there is no reason any student should fail a course. There are multiple teachers for almost every course that we offer, so even if your teacher is not your favorite you can always ask one of the other teachers even if you don’t have them. Remember, not liking your teacher is not an excuse for not doing your schoolwork. Your cumulative GPA is an average of each of your individual quarter grades. Finish this quarter strong and be on your way to a higher year GPA and Cumulative GPA. All trade schools, community colleges, and four-year schools only see your Cumulative GPA.

This week will be a great HORNET Week!!

Mr. Dothard

Principal

We Are... GREAT MILLS!!!

¡Saludos! Para leer en español, hay un botón para traducir en la esquina superior derecha de los anuncios de Smore cuando se abre por primera vez. Pueden hacer clic en el botón y después selecciona de la lista de lenguas disponibles

Are you looking for Great Mills Swag? We have an awesome virtual store just for you! Click here to check out our virtual store. A portion of the proceeds comes directly back to GMHS and all items will be shipped directly to your home. The time for this store will be extended by a few weeks.

Our schools are heavily impacted by federally connected students – those parents/guardians who work on federal property in Maryland, live on federal property in Maryland, and/or are active duty military personnel. Because of this impact, we receive federal grant funds to operate and maintain our schools and enrich school programs. To receive these funds, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) requires us to survey each student to determine eligibility. SMCPS is encouraging all parents/guardians to please take the time to access and complete the Impact Aid Survey Form online, located in the Home Access Center (HAC). Once logged in, directions to access the online form can be found HERE. A video with instructions is available HERE. The form can now be accessed in Spanish by clicking on the Globe in the top right-hand corner once the form has been started. The deadline for the online submission of Impact Aid Program Survey forms is November 14, 2023.

Effective communication is critical to the success of St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS). This will be crucial not only for emergencies but for our ability to communicate with families in general. Online Emergency Information Update Forms are now available through the student’s Home Access Center (HAC). Once logged in, directions to access the online form can be found HERE. A video with instructions is available HERE. It is vital that all information is updated in eSchool. The deadline for the online submission of Emergency Information Update forms is November 14, 2023. Please click here for the Blank Emergency Form. If you have any questions, please contact Tiffany Shreve at tkshreve@smcps.org.

• October 20th 2-Hour Early Dismissal
  
• October 27th 2-Hour Early Dismissal and End of 1st Quarter

For any senior who needs help starting the process of applying for college and scholarships, join Ms Carroll for a Lunch & Learn on Thursday, 10/19. Come to the Career Center during Green Lunch with your laptop!

My name is Makda Bekele and I am the outreach director of the University of Maryland’s chapter of Society of Women Engineers. I am reaching out to inform you that we are holding our annual “Coffee & College” event for high school women interested in engineering on October 18th at 7pm via Zoom! Please share this with any interested students!

This is a Q&A event where the students will have the chance to ask any questions they have about engineering, the A. James Clark School of Engineering school, the application process and any questions related to college. The panel will consist of women in various engineering disciplines at UMD from freshman to seniors.

SWE UMD’s executive board has also created an interactive “Prospective Student Workbook” with activities and reflection questions for students to answer throughout their journey to college; this will automatically be shared with attendees, as well as the Zoom link after they sign up.

This year’s SMCPS STEAM Festival will be held on Saturday, October 28th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds. Admission is free and open to the public. Wrap up the fall festival season with a day of learning, food trucks, and STEAM-related fun!

Since the entire school is on lunch together students do not have an assigned location for during lunch. This sometimes makes it difficult to locate students quickly. Please plan ahead by notifying the school prior to 11:30 and we will be able to get them a pass to the office for whatever time you plan to arrive during lunch. If you are unable to plan ahead we understand, but if you can call or text your student to share with us their location it will speed up the process.

Due to safety concerns and the demands on the main office, we do not accept food deliveries of any kind. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Oct 17th - Washington College @ 10am & Merrimack College @ 11 am

Oct 18th York College of Pennsylvania @ 10 am

Oct 19th- Stevenson University @ 10:30 am

Oct 26th- Notre Dame of Maryland University @ 11 am

Oct 30th- The University of Alabama @ 1 pm

Oct 31st- Frostburg State University @10 am

2024 Yearbooks are on sale for the cheapest price of the year!! Follow this link to purchase yours today!

Need to register for the SAT? We have fee waivers available for qualifying students in the counseling office. Follow this link to log in and sign up.

Schoology New Parent/Guardian Provisioning: New Schoology parent/guardian accounts will be created in the coming weeks. We hope to have accounts created and parents/guardians connected to their students in Schoology by Friday, September 2nd. Continue to use Schoology for your updates along with your SMOREs/School Messenger. Please share this specific message with your school community through School Messenger. Parents that have difficulty accessing their pre-existing accounts should contact schoology@smcps.org and include the student name and ID number for troubleshooting.

For more help with Schoology, visit the SMCPS Schoology Parent Dashboard.

1. "You are the creator of your own destiny, so make it worth living."
2. "The only way to achieve greatness is to take the first step towards your goal."
3. "Believe in yourself, and watch the world believe in you."
4. "Success is not a destination, it's a journey. Embrace the process and enjoy the ride."
5. "The only limit to your potential is the one you set for yourself."
6. "The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do."
7. "Small steps lead to big achievements. Keep moving forward."
8. "Don't wait for opportunities to come to you, create them."
9. "Chase your dreams relentlessly, because they are yours for the taking."
10. "Success is not about being perfect, it's about being persistent. Keep going."

It's that time of year again, link your Harris Teeter card to Great Mills High School!

Superintendent of Schools, Dr. J. Scott Smith, announces enhanced security measures for after-school events. Beginning this year:

• There will be No Bags allowed in sporting events. Spectators will only be permitted to carry a small clutch or wallet into events. Other small permissible items such as keys, wallets, cell phones, credit cards, and cash may be carried in a pocket or by hand. Prohibited items include weapons, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, electronic cigarettes, outside food and drinks, laser pointers, non-service animals, and other items deemed inappropriate by the school administration.

Pasta parties, water polo, strength training, community, cross-training, and swimming! Join the Great Mills High School swim team this Fall for fun and fitness. Tryouts will be held in mid-November at the Great Mills Pool after school. Watch the Hornet Buzz and the hallway announcement slides for upcoming details. Swimming is a great sport for athletes in fall/spring sports to stay in shape. Contact Coach Meagan Ross at maross@smcps.org if you’re interested and text @h2ornets to 81010 to join the Remind group.

Assistant coach positions are still open!

Monday, October 16th

• Volleyball @ Chopticon -JV 4:30 - Varstiy 5:30

Wednesday, October 18th

• Volleyball vs Leonardtown JV 4:30; Varsity 5:30
  

Friday, October 20th

• Varsity Football vs Chopticon 6:00

See full schedules on the SMAC Website.

All SMAC regular season and playoff tickets will be sold online using Go Fan. I do recommend creating a free account to make purchasing tickets throughout the school year quicker. We will have card readers at the door, but NO CASH will be accepted at the door.

Winter sports will be starting in November. If you haven't already had a physical the form is below for you to download. Get your physical and start getting in shape!

Winter Sports:

Boys and Girls Basketball

Girls and Boys Swimming

Boys and Girls Wrestling

Girls and Boys Indoor Track and Field

Winter Cheerleading

Pals Bowling

Are you aware that your child could qualify for a free Associate Degree or free professional certifications from CSM or a trade school in Maryland? What exactly is the Maryland Promise Scholarship?

SMCPS is committed to the mental health and wellness of students and parents. Check out each of the available sites for valuable resources.

For Our Spanish Speaking Families

¡Saludos! Para leer en español, hay un botón para traducir en la esquina superior derecha de los anuncios de Smore cuando se abre por primera vez. Pueden hacer clic en el botón y después selecciona de la lista de lenguas disponibles

Follow us on Twitter or check the school website for updates.

Email: bjdothard@smcps.org
Website: https://schools.smcps.org/gmhs/
Location: 21130 Great Mills Road, Great Mills, MD, USA
Phone: (301) 863-4001
Twitter: @GMHS_SMCPS