FCPS Community Bulletin Board
I am filled with pride and excitement as we prepare to celebrate the graduating Class of 2025 from each of our high schools next week. Graduation is always a special time—a moment to reflect on accomplishments and look forward to the bright futures that lie ahead for our students.
This week, we were honored to celebrate the achievements of our graduates from Rock Creek School and our SUCCESS Program. These students have persevered to reach this milestone, and we are so proud of each one of them.
All of our upcoming graduation ceremonies at Mount St. Mary’s will once again be livestreamed so that friends and family members near and far can share in these important moments. You can access the livestream here: https://www.youtube.com/@FCPSMaryland/streams
I know our students are prepared to succeed – in college, in career, or by serving our country.
For the FCPS Class of 2025, 63 percent of seniors participated in dual enrollment courses through our partnership with Frederick Community College. Collectively, 3,650 high school students took college-level courses.
During a ceremony at Frederick Community College this week, a record 44 students graduated from the Frederick Community College Early College Program. These students simultaneously earned a high school diploma and an associate degree from FCC.
Earlier this month, 20 students took part in our district’s Signing Day, celebrating job offers they secured following successful internship and mentorship programs.
You can learn more about some of our graduates, and their journeys, through profiles posted online.
To all our graduates: Congratulations! We are proud of you, and we can't wait to see what you'll accomplish next.
Dr. Dyson
We were honored to celebrate the 2025-26 Teacher of the Year nominees at our annual gala earlier this month. See the Teacher of the Year celebration photos taken by our FCPS photographer by clicking the button below.
See the full list of Teacher of the Year Nominees here.
Courtney Prahl, a special education instructional assistant at Centerville Elementary, is the 2025 FCPS Overall Support Employee of the Year.
Prahl has served as an FCPS employee for more than 15 years. She is known for implementing solutions that benefit students and staff. She also developed a library of stories that help students understand and navigate challenges leading to success.
During the FCPS Support Employee of the Year process, six category winners were selected by a panel. Prahl was the Special Education Support Employee of the Year.
The other exemplary employees recognized as category winners were:
Administrative Support Employee of the Year: Theresa Wisner, Central Office
Food Service Support Employee of the Year: Casandra Allison, Middletown High
Operations Support Employee of the Year: Livida Merlos, Ballenger Creek Middle
School Support Employee of the Year: Curtiss Belcher, Brunswick High
Technical Support Employee of the Year: Tammy Barlow, Middletown High
Prahl and the other category recipients were recognized at the May 21 Board of Education of Frederick County meeting. The category winners are in the photograph above.
Frederick County Public Schools is looking forward to celebrating the graduating Class of 2025 at the upcoming commencement ceremonies taking place in May.
Graduation Locations
Most high school graduations occur at Knott Arena at the PNC Sports Complex on the campus of Mount St. Mary’s University following Memorial Day Weekend, from May 27-30.
The SUCCESS Program, Rock Creek School, Heather Ridge School, and Frederick County Virtual School and Summer Session hold their commencement ceremonies at alternate sites.
The full list of graduations can be found here.
All high school graduations will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend the ceremonies live. The graduations will be livestreamed on the FCPS Maryland YouTube page and will also be archived there for future viewing.
Closer to graduation, we will share a message indicating where families can directly access the ceremonies.
Learning @ Home on Graduation Days
Once again this year, FCPS will hold Learning @ Home virtual days on the date that high schools are holding graduation ceremonies.
Please note the following Learning @ Home Day schedule:
Tuesday, May 27: Frederick High, Gov. Thomas Johnson High, Linganore High
Wednesday, May 28: Brunswick High, Middletown High, Catoctin High
Thursday, May 29: Walkersville High, Tuscarora High
Friday, May 30: Urbana High, Oakdale High
The Department of Special Education and Student Services wants to hear your feedback!
The MSDE Parental Involvement Survey creates opportunities for feedback and engagement. This is your chance to share feedback regarding Special Education Services for your child!
Please share how we can better support your family and child with Special Education services. You can complete the short survey at www.mdparentsurvey.com.
The survey will be available through May 30, 2025.
Thank you in advance for sharing your experiences and ideas! Together, we can continue to improve Special Education Services and Programs in FCPS.
The 5-Star Service Award is for community use in recognizing FCPS employees who show excellence in one of the 5 FCPS goals. Community members are welcome to nominate any worthy FCPS employee.
This award is designed to provide recognition by community members to employees for excellence in one of the 5 FCPS goals.
Community members are encouraged to nominate any worthy FCPS employee.
Nominations will be reviewed on the 15th and 30th of each month by staff in the Offices of the Chief of Staff, Human Resources, and Public Affairs.
More information on the selection timeline and next steps can be found on the 5-Star Service Award nomination form.
