Welcome back to school! We hope you were able to have some fun this summer and also relax. We look forward to hearing from our students about their summer vacations and adventures.

During the summer, our 12-month staff has been busy preparing for this school year. Mr. Rice and Ms. Jackson worked many hours to get the building deep cleaned and ready. Ms. Lindauer and Mrs. Michael made sure that we are stocked up on supplies. Some staff members attended trainings or summer meetings to prepare for this school year. Other staff worked with our students for Extended School Year (ESY) services or Summer Youth Employment (SYE). Now, we are happy to be back together to make this a great school year! While many things have remained the same since June, we do have some staff changes to share. Nurse Cash accepted a position at Calvert Middle School. We will miss the energy he brought each day.

Our staff additions/changes:

• Ms. Casey Grenier--Tech Integration Specialist
• Mrs. Katherine McShea--Assistive Technology Specialist
• Mrs. Chie Schnetzler--Elementary Teacher
• Ms. Emma Hillyer--Social Worker Intern

We have vacancies (Dean of Students, Middle School Teacher, Nurse) that we are working with Human Resources to fill. Shout out to our High School Teachers and Middle School Assistants for providing services for our secondary students!

Many of you know that Mr. Jeff Mackall, one of our talented High School Instructional Assistants, died unexpectedly just two weeks ago. This is a tremendous loss for CCS, and we ask that you keep both the Mackall family and our CCS family in your thoughts and prayers. Mr. Mackall worked over 30 years with CCPS and was a friend to so many. While this is a difficult time, we rejoice that we can gather as a community to remember him. We will keep his spirit alive by talking about him and sharing memories of him. Mr. Mackall was a lover of all sports, and now he is at peace in Heaven's end zone.

Weekly folders will be sent home each Wednesday. Please make it a habit to ask your student for the folder and to also check your students backpacks daily. Any papers that are sent home for completion and/or your signature, should be completed and returned in the folder or envelope it was sent in. It is anticipated that the Student Code of Conduct and the Free and Reduced Meal Application will be sent in the first weekly folder.

Aug. 27 - Students return to school!

Sept. 2 - Schools closed for Labor Day holiday

Sept. 11 - Two-hour early dismissal for students

Sept. 18 - Open House at 5:30pm

Sept. 27 - Schools closed for students

Sept. 30 - Two-hour late arrival for students

Oct. 2 - 1st Marking Period Interims in HAC

Oct. 14 - Two-hour late arrival for students

Oct. 18 - Schools closed for students

Oct. 31 - End of 1st quarter--Happy Halloween!

We hope you will join us on Wednesday, September 18th at 5:30pm. This is an opportunity to visit classrooms and talk with teachers. We will have a laptop available to assist you with the Annual Student Update if you need help accessing the program through the Home Access Center (HAC).

The Annual Student Update will be available 9/5. A parent with whom the student lives may complete the update through the Home Access Center (HAC). The update provides us with emergency information, which is crucial if something goes sideways. You will receive more information when the update is available. Please make the Annual Student Update a priority. If you need assistance accessing or completing the online update, please call the office (443-550-9910) for assistance or plan to attend the Open House on 9/18.

Breakfast and Lunch meals are offered daily. School Meal Prices for SY 2024-2025 are:
Breakfast: $1.65; Elementary Lunch: $2.80; Secondary Lunch $3.00; Student Milk $0.60.

The Free and Reduced Meal Program is available to all families who qualify. A new application must be submitted each school year. To see if your household qualifies, please complete, and submit one meal benefit application per household. Applications will be sent home with students in the beginning of the school year folders but may also be completed online at https://LinqConnect.com.

The link below will take you to the menu options.

It makes sense that great attendance gives students the best chance of success. The U.S. Dept. of Education's website on chronic absenteeism shares that students with disabilities are 1.5 times more likely to be chronically absent than students without disabilities. From CCPS Policy 3305: No student who is excessively absent during the school year can fully benefit from educational programs, student supports, and activities offered at the school. There is little chance of continuity of instruction or maintenance of interest when a student does not attend classes regularly. Students with good attendance have greater opportunities to utilize their talents, to increase their self-esteem, and to acquire social and emotional competencies. Encourage your student to show up and be on time. We'll be waiting for them!

Like other schools in Calvert County, CCS has a Facebook page (CCS Comet News & Info). It is a friendly and fun way to share information, achievements, and pictures. To protect our students, the page is not public so you will need to answer a few questions before being approved to join. Any member can share to the page but remember to be kind, courteous and respectful.

CCS accepts donations of gently used clothing, shoes and books (no household items). There is a collection bin in the front lobby of the school. Please bring your donated items during school hours. Our students will wash, dry, and sort the clothing. This provides the students with real-life work experiences and the small bit of money earned from Planet Aid is deposited into the Student Activity Fund. This past quarter, CCS earned $41.30 from Planet Aid.

Times have changed since having to cut little squares out of cardboard boxes to send into school. Now, earning money for school is simple. Just send in your grocery receipts when you make purchases of Box Top eligible items, and we can scan them for you. If you want to scan your own receipts, just download the Box Tops app on your phone and snap pictures of the receipts through the app. Remember to specify CCS as the recipient!

If you want to know which grocery items are eligible, click the link below.