Hello Hornet Nation,

Spring brings end-of-year assessments, so attendance is more important than ever. Some assessments are necessary for graduation, and all 11th graders will take the SAT. Did you know this also counts as the placement exam for CSM? If your seniors is staying local or just doesn't want to go to college, consider the CSM Center for Trades and Energy Training in Hughesville. There is a link below to learn more about it.

Counselors are meeting with students to plan next year's classes. I strongly believe any student who is planning to attend college should take at least one AP course, preferably in a field they plan to study. It's not uncommon to not know what you plan to study, so if this is the case find one in a subject that you are strong in. This looks great on college transcripts because they like to see that you have challenged yourself academically. Contact a school counselor with any questions.

This is all I have, so until next time, have a great week Hornet Nation!

Mr. Dothard

Principal

We Are... GREAT MILLS!!!

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

On this 5-year mark, we remember the events that changed our Hornet Family forever. The mural painted by teachers and students reminds us of the hole that was left, but also how we came together to protect each other and stop the hole from growing. Let us continue to build personal connections and be the voice of support others need. We must continue to work together to prevent dating violence and create an open-door policy for all teenagers facing problems. You are not alone, and we stand with you. Together, we can overcome any obstacle and build a stronger community.

Spring break is just around the corner, beginning with a two-hour early dismissal on Friday, March 31, 2023. Please note that Schools are closed for all students and 10-11 month staff from April 3-6, and all schools and offices are closed April 7 and 10. Students will return to school on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Additionally, the Superintendent and staff presented updates to the calendar to the Board of Education on March 8 identifying potential changes to the end of this school year, pending approval by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the Board of Education of St. Mary’s County. These changes are based on a mild winter - and therefore no snow days this year, as well as recent guidance from MSDE that allows for the use of virtual learning days in our calendar. We encourage you to view the March 8 Board Meeting presentation and provide input through this brief survey.

Parents and guardians should be mindful of all debt that their students accrue throughout the 2022-2023 School Year. Student debt could take any one of the following forms:

• Lost/Damaged Computer Devices
• Lost/Damaged Textbooks
• Lunch Debt

Parents/Guardians play a key role in monitoring not only their student's actions but also their fiscal responsibilities regarding lost/damaged issued devices (such as computers and textbooks) and/or food purchases made by your child in our school cafeteria. Payment can be made in the form of cash or check and should include your child's five-digit Student ID# (e.g., #12345). For further convenience, families may also pay by credit card online at http://www.myschoolbucks.com/. All questions and concerns should be directed to the school bank or the principal's secretary.

MARYLAND SCHOOL SURVEY - ALL STUDENTS IN GRADES 9-11 State law requires that all public schools in Maryland survey students about school climate. The purpose of the survey is to gain valuable information about the quality and character of each school’s learning environment so that schools can promote a climate that supports student learning. All students, grades 9 through 11, will take the Maryland School Survey per MSDE. The survey will ask students about topics such as student engagement, interactions with adults and with other students in the school, the school environment, bullying, and safety. The survey will not ask about a student’s personal experiences, and students will not be asked to provide any information that might violate their privacy. Students will complete the survey during regular school hours during the testing window (March 27th through March 31st) in their Science class. If a student does not have a science class in their schedule, they will be contacted by Ms. Dillahunt about another time to complete the survey. Please read this letter for more information.

I just wanted to put this out while there is still time to make adjustments. All summer school courses this year will be strictly on Edgenuity. We will have a classroom for students to work on Edgenuity classes with support from a teacher, but there will be no transportation or food services. If working in a classroom over the summer doing Edgenuity doesn't sound like fun, you need to start meeting with your teachers during lunch and taking care of business in the classroom now! It might be a challenge for some, but you still have time to pass almost all classes with quarter recovery and consistent work for the next to quarters.

The Future Doctors Program offers a unique opportunity to learn from, network with, and receive expert mentorship from qualified Harvard instructors and begin your journey into the global health care and medical practices.

Spread over two weekends, it is a one-of-its-kind medical-experiential program for high school students across the globe aspiring to become change makers in the medical field. The program will enable students to dive deep into the pre-medical field with an introduction to Genetic Inheritance, Hormones, Immunology, and Organic Chemistry, while acquiring 21st-century skills to succeed in the medical field through real-world exposure.

This time, we are opening the applications for 2 cohorts - March and May. So now you have the flexibility to join the cohort of your choice!

The May 2023 Cohort
Who Is Eligible?: Students from Grades 8 to 12
Duration: 2 weekends
Last Date of Application: 10th April, 2023
Program Starts: 20th May, 2023
Find more about the Program: Here
Application Form (May): Click Here

St. Mary's County Public Schools pays for ALL 11th graders to take the SAT one time for free. Students have also taken the PSAT 3 times, 9th, 10th, and 11th grade, prior to taking the SAT on March 22nd to help them receive the highest score possible. This means families would never have to pay to take the test if students take advantage of the opportunities provided through the school system.

All juniors will take the SAT in school on March 22nd. Click the link below to learn more details about March 22nd.

After-school tutoring began on Monday, January 30th, and will happen every Monday-Thursday in all areas. We will hold in-person tutoring and virtual tutoring. Transportation will not be provided so please arrange your transportation prior to staying after school. It runs from 3:10-4:10 and extra time can be arranged if needed.

If you need to pick your student up at the end of the day, please try to notify the main office by 2:30. There are a lot of moving parts at the end of the day, but advanced notice would help things run a lot smoother. The number to the main office is 301-863-4001.

Thank you for support.

Just a reminder that when students arrive at school on the bus or are dropped off, they are not permitted to leave school property without being signed out by a parent or guardian. If students leave school property and return without a parent or guardian, they are subject to disciplinary consequences.

Seven 11 will open across the street very soon. Please speak with your student/s about leaving school grounds. If caught they will be given a referral Insubordination and this can go all up to an out-of-school suspension. Let's stay inside the school, while we are at school!

The Jack Bailey Senatorial Scholarship is now OPEN! Students who permanently reside within the 29th Legislative District should apply for this scholarship. Another requirement is that students must be attending an in-state institution or have approved unique major status through MHEC. The deadline is April 7, 2023.

Edgenuity now offers SAT prep classes to assist all students in preparing for the SAT. ALL JUNIORS,11th graders, will take the SAT for free during the school day in March 22nd. This is an excellent resource for students to prepare for the test. Students can access via the Clever login to Edgenuity. Click HERE for information on how to set up your account. You do not need to register for this test, but if you would like to take the SAT outside of this date use the link below to register.

The National Honor Society will again be offering tutoring during One Lunch.

Students can sign up for individual tutoring sessions by going to room F36 to request tutoring, and Mrs. Johns will then match you with a tutor and schedule a session.

Need college, job opportunities, trade school, and scholarship information? Mrs. Waddell is here to help you. She may be contacted at tdwaddell@smcps.org or 301-863-4001 ext.18139. She also built the GMHS College & Career Readiness Google Site, which contains information for students and parents.

The SMCPS Evening Counseling Center provides FREE counseling services, by appointment, to SMCPS students. SMCPS recognizes that positive mental health is necessary for students to experience success at home, school, and in the community. In-person counseling is available weekly, in-person at Greenview Knolls Elementary. Virtual counseling is also available weekly. To request an appointment or receive more information, use this link: https://bit.ly/3Hgx7LX

The GMHS Writing Center is an in-school resource available every day during both Green and Gold lunches in Room C-15. Students can get support on new assignments, revisions, personal writing, college application essays, and more!

If you have questions contact:

Mr. Stevens (wbstevens@smcps.org); Mrs. Walsh (mfwalsh@smcps.org)

We will be looking to grow different options for clubs and groups during 1-Lunch! Are you interested in giving back to your community?

The School Volunteer Portal is now open for applications. Beginning this year all school volunteers must apply annually for approval. If you were approved last year, you will need to reapply through this portal. The application process will end on May 1 of each school year. There is no application fee for school volunteers. The volunteer portal is now fully integrated with the Raptor visitor management system. Once approved you will receive an email. That’s it!

Join Gals Lead on Thursdays in D-11 during Green and Gold lunch. It is Dream Queen Association’s signature program for teen girls to help develop confidence, connection, and career clarity to help young women live their most awesome dream life.

Did you miss your chance to purchase a yearbook in high school? We can't bring you back to high school, but we can sell you a book of high school memories!

Here is a direct link to purchase an Alumni Yearbook from the years 1980-2021. There is a limited quantity of each and once they are gone, we do not have the ability to order more.

Click here to purchase yours today!

prices are :

1980-2000 $25.00

2001-2018 $30.00

2019-2021 $45.00

Shipping is $6.50 per book.

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.

Are you aware that your child could qualify for a free Associate Degree or free professional certifications from CSM and/or Blades School of Hair and Design? What exactly is the Maryland Promise Scholarship?

Hey Hornets! Everyone who has purchased a yearbook by February 24th will get free autograph pages for signing day!

Yearbooks can be ordered online through the following link: Buy your YEARBOOK here

Did you know that even just a few minutes on a cell phone texting, checking social media, etc adds up over the course of a school day? Students, who use their devices for just 5 minutes each period, lose nearly 1 period of instructional time per day (35 minutes of class). Over the course of 1 week, those 5 minutes per class adds up to nearly 4 missed periods! Personal devices can be a HUGE distraction for students. Please start this year off right, by keeping personal devices away in your bookbag or at a charging station if your teacher has one available. There is a direct connection to phone usage during the school day to grades. Encourage your student/s to only use their phone during lunch, between classes, or when approved by a teacher.

Harris Teeter’s Together In Education program gives schools a chance to earn funds when you link your VIC card and shop Harris Teeter brands. Please link your VIC card to GMHS #4324.

Harris Teeter has donated over $32.4 million to Together In Education schools since 1998! When you shop Harris Teeter brands, a percentage of your purchase is donated to the school that your VIC card is linked to.

There are NO LIMITS to how much a school can earn!

Any customer with a VIC card can link their card to a school. Customers can link up to five (5) schools to their account.

MySchoolBucks is an online payment service that provides a convenient way for parents/guardians to pay for school-related purchases by using their credit/debit card or electronic check. Please use this link for more information on how to sign up for a MySchoolBucks account if you do not already have one.

SMCPS is looking to get nominations to recognize our cafeteria workers from school-based staff, students, and parents. Please consider clicking here to nominate one of our wonderful GMHS Cafeteria workers. All staff members are listed on our GMHS website.

Nominations will be selected each month to pass along The Golden Spatula Award to our cafeteria staff.

Tuesday, March 21, 2023 (Since many schools do not have JV teams Mr. Hanley has scheduled specific JV nights to get them games)

• Boys Lacrosse vs Leonardtown 6:00 JV
• Boys Lacrosse vs Chopticon 6:00 JV
• Baseball vs Mc Donough 4:30 JV
• Softball vs Huntingtown 4:30 JV
• Boys and Girls Track and Field @ St. Charles 4:00 (No home meets, catch them on the road)

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

• Tennis vs Lackey 4:30
• Girls Lacrosse vs La Plata 5:30 Varsity only

Friday, March 24, 2023

• Softball vs Westlake 4:30 Varsity
• Baseball vs Westlake 4:30 Varsity
• Girls Lacrosse Scrimmage vs Mc Donough 5:00 Varsity Only

Purchase tickets here

Winter sports teams have been picked and we are ready to roll! You will be able to purchase tickets online at Go Fan or at the gate with cash only. All winter sports schedules have been uploaded and are ready for purchase. Get online and create your free account now to purchase tickets. Once you have purchased the ticket you just need to show your online ticket at the ticket table using a mobile device.

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

We are pleased to announce that phase 1 of the community project is finished with the completion of the brick foundation. We are going to begin phase 2 with the selling of additional bricks to raise money for the Hornet statue. Click to purchase your own brick!

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