Hornet Nation,

Thank you, Great Mills, for responding! This was a better week, but we do need to continue to get better! Next stop is the bathrooms. School bathrooms have become a meeting place and problem in secondary schools across the country. We do continue to try new ideas outside of locking them. However, it could get to the point that bathrooms are locked during class change and students will need to use the restroom during class when we can better monitor them. For the majority of students that are using the bathrooms for the appropriate use, we understand your frustration and really are working to address it. If you have ideas, please share them with your Assistant Principal or myself.

We have 4 fall sports still alive:

• Coach Delwin Harris and the Volleyball team will face off against Northern High School Monday at 5:00pm.

• Coach Jason Ankrah and the Football team won our first playoff football game since 1981! We will face North Point High School at North Point on Friday at 7:00 pm.

• Coach Brian Hawkins and the Boys Soccer will face Towson High School for the State Semifinals at Crofton High School Saturday at 12:00 Noon.

• Coach Ben Wilhite and the Cross Country team, Carter Brotherton, Brady Gutekunst, and Sadie Swift, will compete in the State Championships on Saturday at Hereford High School.

If you can get out and show some love to our Student-Athletes, I know they will love you for it! All tickets must be purchased through GoFan.com and there is a link below. We will look into getting a fan bus for Football and Soccer. The cost for a fan bus is about $600 per bus. In an effort to keep the bus fee as low as possible for students, we will be accepting donations to cover the cost. This would allow our students to only have to purchase their game ticket and food. Once bus information has been confirmed, we will share more information on how to make a tax deductible donation. Thank you for your support!

Remember, the week will be whatever you make, so let's make it GREAT!

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

ASVAB results are available to pick up from me in D27. If you would like to take a moment to talk through your results and what that means for you, contact Ms. Carroll or Ms. Cunningham in the Career and College room.

The U.S. Army, Coast Guard, Marines, and Air Force will be visiting GMHS during the month of November. Sign up here using your school issued device. A pass will be sent to all those who would like to attend.

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.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) invites you to be part of an interactive event, helping to navigate the financial aid process and learn more about the $130 million in financial assistance available to Maryland students annually!

If you have questions on how to navigate MHEC's Financial Aid process this event is for you! If you are interested in the Maryland Promise Scholarship, this event can also help you understand that process as well.

The Virtual Financial Aid Open House will be on Friday, November 10 from 10am - noon. Click here to attend the Open House.

Please join MHEC Acting Secretary Dr. Sanjay Rai and Al Dorsett, Director of MHEC’s Office of Student Financial Assistance, for a VIRTUAL Financial Aid Open House on Friday, November 10 from 10 a.m. to Noon. The session will be moderated by MHEC Chair Cassie Motz.

The MHEC leadership team will (1) share MHEC’s plans to improve processes in the upcoming financial aid season and (2) welcome suggestions while fielding questions.

Please send your questions and suggestions in advance no later than Friday, November 3rd. Live questions and suggestions will be accepted but are not guaranteed to be addressed due to time limitations.

Click here to attend the Open House

Spread the word!

Encouraging Maryland’s many talented high school students to participate will support the STEM needs of our military and provide scholarships and opportunities for participants.

Link to the flyer: https://paxpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/JSHS-Student-Flyer-2024-Maryland.pdf

JSHS is a U.S. wide program, funded by Department of Defense (DOD) organizations to promote original STEM research and experimentation at the high school level, fostering creativity and academic achievement. Students present their research to their peers and practicing researchers in the DOD, industry and academia. JSHS connects talented high school students, teachers, and research professionals, and expands the talent base to support the needs of our military and our nation.

Timeline for the 2024 MD JSHS:

· Students will register and submit a 250-word abstract online at (https://apps.ideal-logic.com/aeop?key=JKR5-G7ZD1_K9KH-5PTF_2d75753512e5) by November 17, 2023.

· Abstracts will be reviewed, and if accepted, students will submit a full research paper by December 20, 2023.

· All research papers will be reviewed, and ten students will be selected to present their papers. Another ten students will be selected to present posters.

· The top ranked students will go on to present at the National JSHS Symposium in Albuquerque, New Mexico May 1-4, 2024.

National JSHS information can be found at https://jshs.org/national-symposium/, and Maryland JSHS information is at https://jshs.org/region/maryland/. Rules, guidelines, categories, resources, and FAQ are on both sites.

My colleague, Danielle Moore, is the MD JSHS Project Manager for TPP. She may be reached at danielle.moore@paxpartnership.org or 240-317-6023.

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.

The Mid-Atlantic Interscholastic Sailing Association (MASSA) Silver Fleet Championship Regatta was held in Buffalo, NY. Our GMHS team placed second out of 14 teams from the mid-Atlantic region.

Pictured below from left to right:

Coach Braedon Myers (GMHS ‘20), Alex Prior (‘24), Owen Delwiche (‘25), Eliza Szymendera (‘25), Claire Sullivan (‘25), Eli Leopold (‘24), and Ryan Brelage (‘24).

Congratulations and keep up the hard work!!

• November 7 - Report cards will be available on HAC
  
• November 10 - Veteran's Day - All SMCPS Schools will be closed
• November 22 - 24 - Thanksgiving Break - No School

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.

Monday, November 6th

UMD Eastern Shore @ 10:00am

University of Maine @ 1:00pm

Tuesday, November 7th

Army Recruiter @ 10:00am

Wednesday, November 8th

Coast Guard Recruiter @ 11:00am

Thursday, November 16th

FSA (Federal Student Aid) ID Completion Virtual Event

FSA ID RSVP HERE

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

You didn't get your picture taken? No problem, picture make up day is on Wednesday, November 15th, for underclassmen, and the last day for seniors pictures will be Friday, November 3th.

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.

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

This weeks Playoff Games

Monday, November 6th

• Volleyball @ Northern 5:00
  

Friday, November 10th

• Football @ North Point 7:00

Saturday, November 11th

• Cross Country @ Hereford High School - State Champions
• Boys Soccer @ Crofton High School playing against Townson High School in the Semifinal game

Come out and support!!

See full playoff schedules on the SMAC Website when they are available.

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.

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