Hello Hornet!

We had an incredible week at Great Mills High School with the NJROTC changing of the Guard ceremony. This ceremony is a special occasion where our high-ranking seniors pass their positions on to the next generation of leaders. It was a remarkable event, and we were honored to have our Superintendent, Dr. Smith, and School Board member, Mrs. Bailey, in attendance.

But that's not all! Our NJROTC students had the opportunity to meet and greet Rear Admiral Mattingly from Great Lakes, Illinois. This was a significant honor for us because Admiral Mattingly oversees Boot Camp for the entire Navy, all college ROTC programs, and all High School NJROTC programs across the country. During our conversation, he pointed out something truly remarkable - Great Mills High School is one of the few high schools in the entire country that has produced three Admirals! It's extraordinary to think that someone who lives hundreds of miles away recognizes the greatness that exists within our school.

We are proud of our NJROTC program and the accomplishments of our students. The changing of the Guard ceremony and the opportunity to meet Admiral Mattingly were moments that will be remembered for years to come. We continue to strive for excellence in all areas, and it is moments like these that remind us of the exceptional talent and potential within our Great Mills High School community.

Thank you to everyone who made these events possible, and congratulations to the seniors who passed their positions on to the next generation of leaders. We look forward to the continued success and greatness of Great Mills High School!

This is the last week before Spring Break and Friday is a virtual day for SMCPS. Let's make this week at Great Mills amazing!

We Are… GREAT MILLS

#TRUSTTHEPROCESS

¡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

• March 21 - York College of Pennsylvania
  
• March 22 - Virtual Instruction Day
• March 22 - End of 3rd Quarter
• March 25 to April 1 - Spring Break
• April 10 - 3rd Quarter Report Cards available on HAC
• April 10 - 3rd Quarter Awards Assembly

Registration for the online Health 2 summer course has reopened. There are 180 seats available for the course. Registration is based on a first-come, first-served for rising eleventh & twelfth graders. When course enrollment is full, the course will close. Registration is not finalized until you are sent an email with the payment information.

SMCPS will also be offering an 80/20 virtual course option for Health 2 in the fall and spring of school year 2025. The 80/20 model requires 80% of the course to be completed online and 20% of the course to be delivered via Google Meet. The Google Meet sessions will occur before or after the regular school day based on the teacher's availability. Advertisement and registration for this option will be available in April.

The registration link for Health II in the summer is found here: Summer Course Google Form.

SMCPS students can sign up for the following summer courses for original credit: Health 2, Foundations of Computer Science, Geometry, Spanish 1 and Spanish 2. Click the FLYER below it includes all of the details on how to register and course dates and time. Any questions can be directed to Heather Wysokinski, hmwysokinski@smcps.org

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

Congrats to the GM Music Department on their fantastic participation at District Assessment. Band and all 3 Choirs received Excellent ratings. The GM Orchestra's performances were also fantastic, with a special shout-out to the GM Chamber Orchestra for receiving a Superior rating and qualifying for states!

Way to Go Hornets!!

We Are... GREAT MILLS!!!!

Aarav was awarded Grand Prize! He is also a finalist from ST. Mary’s County moving on to the International Science Fair Competition!

Good luck Aarav!

GMHS Gardening Club will be having a plant sale during Green and Gold Lunches March 18-21. We will sell to the public between 1pm and 3pm on FRIDAY, March 22nd. Cash and online payments via MySchoolBucks accepted. Prices range from as little as $1-$10 for most items. Succulents, houseplants, herbs, veggies, flowers, etc

The Youth Art Month Gallery Open House will be held on Tuesday, 3/19 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center. The event will feature works from each school and a performance by the LHS Jazz Band.

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

Parents or guardians of children receiving special education and related services were mailed the Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey from the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services during the week of February 12, 2024. Parents are asked to complete the survey and return it in the postage-paid envelope by May 24, 2024. The Survey may also be completed online. Your feedback will help guide efforts to improve special education and related services in your local school system. Your voice can make a real difference for your child and many other children across the state of Maryland. To learn more, please visit https://www.mdparentsurvey.com.

Much like our college rep visits, I will be bringing local professionals into the building to talk to students about their careers and the steps they took to get to where they are now. You will have the chance to sign up for the career representatives you are interested in hearing from and ask questions, get advice, and create connections during these visits. Some scheduled visits are with an engineer who graduated from GMHS and a local daycare owner. If you are interested in a career in engineering, entrepreneurship, or early childhood development, these visits are for you! Sign up here!

Maintaining order in school bathrooms has been an issue for schools nationwide, and Great Mills is no different. Last week, we had extensive damage in one of our boys' restrooms. This restroom will be out of order indefinitely until repairs are made. In the ongoing effort to keep bathrooms functional and available for the entire student body, we are establishing the following protocol for the student bathrooms:

• During class time, all students must have a valid pass to use the bathrooms (if not, you will be turned away)

• There is a maximum capacity of 5 students in any given bathroom at all times. If the capacity has been reached, you will need to wait

• Always follow the directions of the adults who are monitoring the bathrooms (Safety Assistants, Admin, Teachers, etc)

• Not following these expectations can result in disciplinary action under Code 702, Insubordination, in the Code of Conduct.

Please understand that the last thing we would like to do with our time is monitor high school bathrooms, but unfortunately, this is where we are. In an effort to get students help we created an anonymous form where anyone can report suspicious behavior in the bathrooms. We will place QR codes to this form around the building.

Safety for everyone is a top priority! I want to remind everyone that under no circumstance should we open an exterior door to allow entry to anyone. Even if you think they are student do not open doors and direct them to the main office doors for entry. Everyone, including students, should enter through the main office.

We would like to bring to your attention a recent issue that has been occurring within our school. There have been instances where students have been engaging in play fighting in the hallways. While some may view this as harmless horseplay, others are doing it intentionally to provoke a response from administrators.

We understand that play fighting may seem like a minor issue, but it has been causing disruptions in the school day, especially with the recent increase in fights over the past month. We have already addressed this matter with the students, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a safe and respectful environment.

However, we believe it is crucial to inform you as well, as parents play a vital role in reinforcing positive behavior and accountability. Moving forward, if any students are found engaging in play fighting in the hallways, we will address this with disciplinary consequences.

We greatly appreciate your support in helping us maintain a peaceful and conducive learning environment for all students. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

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.

All 9th and 10th graders interested in applying to the Tech Center for next school year needs to make sure they attend the virtual Tech Center Meet and Greet during lunch. This is the first step of the application. If you would like to know what programs are available to SMCPS students click here.

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.

We hope to see you in The Learning Center on Wednesday!

How did your grades look in the first marking period? Looking to recover those grades to a passing grade?

The Learning Center (TLC) will be available during One Lunch. TLC will support students who need additional help in their graduation-required courses. Any students who are interested in the TLC need to report to Room F12 during One Lunch on 11/20. If you have any questions about TLC, please contact Katie Sushinsky, GMHS Literacy Coach, at kesushinsky@smcps.org or Hattie Webb, GMHS Math Coach, at hswebb@smcps.org.

Did you miss out on BECA scholarships? Do you want money for college? This opportunity is for YOU! If you did complete BECA then this scholarship bundle is a breeze! If you want guidance on this scholarship opportunity, please email Mrs.Cunningham, accunnignham@smcps.org, and we can meet!! Please visit the link below for more detailed information and directions. Click the photo below or scan the QR Code.

The William and Dorothy Ferrell Scholarship is awarded every other year in even years to two selected applicants who are legally blind and are studying for a career in the field of services to persons who are blind or visually impaired. The two scholarship recipients will be awarded $1,000 each, and the winners will be announced in the late Spring of 2024. Due 4/18. Learn more and access the William and Dorothy Ferrell Scholarship application.

2024 AER Scholarship: The 2024 AER Scholarship is awarded annually to three selected grad student applicants studying for a career in the field of Orientation & Mobility or Teachers of the Visually Impaired. The three scholarship recipients will be awarded $2,000 each, and the winners will be announced in the late Spring of 2024. Due 4/18. Learn more and access the 2024 AER Scholarship application.

Please email Mrs. Cunningham, accunningham@smcps.org, if you need assistance in completing FAFSA and/or MDCAPS

• March 21 - York College of Pennsylvania
  
• April 11 - ASVAB Test

IMPORTANT REMINDER Class of 2024! If you have not placed an order for your Graduation announcements, senior apparel, keepsakes and most importantly, your Cap and Gown unit, the time to do so is NOW. If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Toney in room 1203 or by email tntoney@smcps.org.

The Spring ASVAB will be given on April 11, 2024 for Juniors and Seniors. Military branches use the ASVAB as a tool to determine how successful a person will be at certain occupations. Sign up using the link in your email or see Ms. Carroll, lmcarroll@smcps.org with any questions.

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that if you qualify for the Free and Reduced-Meal Program, students also qualify for the following opportunities:

• Free registration fees for SAT & SAT I

• Free registration for ACT

• Waived College Application fees

• Federal Pell Grants for Trade schools, Colleges, Universities, and other certificate programs for after high school

Fill out the online Free and Reduced-Meal Application HERE

Would you be interested in an ASVAB tutoring session during the school day with a military recruiter? This session can help improve your current score or help you prepare to take the ASVAB for the first time. If you are interested, please email Ms. Carroll at Lmcarroll@smcps.org

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?

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.

This week in Sports

Spring Sports is up on us!!!

Friday, March 22

• Softball Varsity vs Leonardtown - 4:30
• Softball JV @ Leonardtown - 4:30
• Baseball vs Leonardtown - 4:30
• Baseball JV @ Leonardtown - 4:30

Come out and support!!

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.

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.

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.

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

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

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN HEALTH INSURANCE OR SUPPLAMENTAL HEALTH INSURANCE FOR YOUR STUDENT? FIND MORE INFORMATION BELOW.

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