Hello Hornet!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe Spring Break! It's hard to believe that we are already entering the final quarter of the school year. Time really does fly when you're having fun!

I wanted to remind you that the third quarter report cards will be available on HAC (Home Access Center) on April 10th. As we approach the end of the school year, let's strive to finish even stronger than we started.

Did you know that in order to be eligible for fall sports, you must have an average GPA of 2.0 for the previous year? Additionally, to earn credit for the entire year, you need to maintain an average grade of 60% or higher. If you need to do quarter recovery for the third quarter, please make sure you are enrolled in the TLC (The Learning Center).

As we embrace the arrival of Spring and enjoy the change in weather, I would like to take this opportunity to kindly remind everyone to review our school system’s dress code policy. It is crucial that we maintain a respectful and appropriate dress attire throughout the season.

Additionally, I would like to emphasize that house shoes and blankets are not permitted to be worn inside the school. This rule is in place to ensure the safety and comfort of all students and staff.

To inspire and motivate you for the challenges ahead, I have added an old video by Kara Lawson called "Handle Hard Better." It serves as a reminder that the fourth quarter is meant to be more demanding than the first. We have all been working hard for three quarters, and now it's time to step up and knock it out of the park!

I am confident that the fourth quarter will be our best quarter yet. Let's continue to give our best effort, meet the expectations set before us, and make the most of these final months of the school year.

Spring sports are in full effect and I look forward to seeing you at one of our many spring events. So, grab your stadium chairs, lawn chairs, and blankets and let’s go HORNETS!

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

• April 4 - Career Panel Discussions
• April 9 - GMHS College and Career Fair
• April 10 - 3rd Quarter Report Cards available on HAC
  
• April 10 - 3rd Quarter Awards Assembly
• April 11 - Savannah College of Art and Design

Ms. Carroll is offering a Resume Writing session on April 3rd in the Career Center during Nest Hour! An effective resume is needed for some job applications, apprenticeship applications and more! Come with a charged laptop and a list of your activities and achievements!

It's a great idea for 9th and 10th graders to attend the college fair if possible. This will help them start thinking about options after high school and help them understand the expectations to get accepted. Everyone should try to think of questions to ask each school before arrival.

• What is the average GPA of incoming freshman?
• How much weight does extra-curricular activities have when determining acceptance?
• What kind of supports does your school have for first generation college students and families?
• What is your graduation rate?

Here are a few examples, if you would like to ask questions but maybe don't know how to word it feel free to contact an administrator, counselor, or someone from our Career and College department.

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

Congratulations to Aubrey Williamson, who won 2024 Tomorrow's Woman for St Mary's County over 5 other competitors. Tomorrow's Woman is the Woman of the Year award for women under 18.

St. Mary's College of Maryland, Morgan State, Wingate University & Dominican University!!

Congratulations to Mekiah Johnson (Pictured below) and Madelynn Burrows (Pictured above) for their 1st place win at the Americanism Essay Contest. Aniya Gaines also received 2nd place at this contest!

NJROTC enjoyed a short-notice visit from Rear Admiral Mattingly. He's the national lead for all high school NJROTC, college NROTC, and recruit training for the entire Navy.

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

Allegany College of Maryland has a place for you! Did you know they have housing & athletics?! The BEST part is $3,540 for 2 years!!

USMSM Open House on April 10th from 4-8 PM at their campus! This is going to be a great opportunity to explore the many educational opportunities that they offer, while also being able to meet with USMSM alumni, the 6 University partners, CSM staff, financial aid officers, and more!

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.

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. 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

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!!!

Tuesday, April 2

• Softball vs Lackey - Varsity 4:30
• Baseball vs Lackey - Varsity 4:30
  

Wednesday, April 3

• Tennis vs McDonough - Varsity 4:00
• Softball vs Huntingtown - Varsity 4:30
• Baseball vs Huntingtown - Varsity 4:30
• Boys Lacrosse vs Westlake - Varsity 5:30

Friday, April 5

• Softball vs Northern - Varsity 4:30
• Baseball vs Northern - Varsity 4:30
• Girls Lacrosse vs Chopticon - Varsity 5:30

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.

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