FCPS Connect

At FCPS, we are proud of how students can participate in physical education and extracurricular activities at their own pace. Once again, several FCPS schools have been recognized by the Special Olympics for their inclusion efforts.

Catoctin High is the latest FCPS school to earn national banner recognition from Special Olympics North America for schoolwide efforts to provide inclusive sports and activities for students with and without special needs.

The school is receiving this distinguished status as a result of meeting 10 national standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy, and respect. These standards were developed by a national panel of leaders from Special Olympics and the education community.

In recent years, Twin Ridge Elementary and Tuscarora High have also earned this status.

Additionally, this year Catoctin High, Urbana High, Gov. Thomas Johnson High and Tuscarora High earned 2024 Special Olympics Maryland Unified Champion School Status. More than 250 schools in Maryland are currently participating in Special Olympics Unified Champion programming.

FCPS is proud to offer three unified sports at the high school level: Tennis, bocce, and track and field. Plus, our adapted PE specialists are always focused on providing fun activities that all students can participate in at the elementary and secondary levels.

We choose to include!

Have a great weekend!

Dr. Dyson

With the help of some of our students, we are highlighting staff for National Hispanic Heritage Month! This week, FCPS celebrates David Guzman, a local leader, Army veteran, and FCPS Purchasing Department staff member.

We can't wait to celebrate Maryland Homegrown Lunch Week! Next Wednesday, October 2, Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks and Catoctin Mountain Orchards’ Katlyn Robertson will join Dr. Dyson at Waverley Elementary. We will have a recap next week!

High school sophomores and juniors who currently attend Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) may apply to serve as the 2025-2026 Student Member of the Board of Education. The nomination deadline is 4:00 p.m., Friday, November 1, 2024, for the term beginning in July 2025.

The role of the student member is to bring a student viewpoint to the Board of Education (BOE) and represent a multitude of educational issues, with public meetings held two evenings per month. The function is not to represent any particular special-interest group of students on an issue, but rather to respect the diversity of students’ points of view, to improve communication between the student body, staff and BOE members, and to inform students of policies and decisions executed by the BOE.

Interested sophomores and juniors should contact their Student Government Association (SGA) advisors for a nomination packet or visit https://www.fcps.org/boe/student-board-member-election.

Check out the FCPS Earth and Space Science Lab for interesting and informational shows for students! The next show is scheduled for October 18.

Tickets to shows are available online at https://edu.fcps.org/essl/home.

FCPS observes National Recovery Month during September by participating in Frederick County Goes Purple (FCGP)! We are asking everyone to wear purple on Friday in support of the campaign.

FCGP is a massive grassroots call-to-action campaign to unify our Frederick County community and reduce substance-related deaths and overdoses. The entire community is encouraged to Go Purple by wearing purple this Friday to bring awareness and understanding of mental health and substance use disorders, and to celebrate those living in recovery.

For additional information about additional Frederick County Goes Purple events visit their website at www.frederickcountygoespurple.com.

We are seeking nominations for the annual Veteran in Education Service Award to honor an FCPS employee who has served our nation in the armed forces and has provided exemplary service to FCPS and the community. Any community member, FCPS student, former student, student’s parent, or FCPS employee may nominate an individual.

For additional information about the Award and to access nomination materials, please visit https://www.fcps.org/.../veteran-in-education-service-award.

All application materials must be submitted in one electronic file to Service.Award@fcps.org, by Friday, September 27 at 3 p.m. All nominees and the award recipient will be recognized at the annual Veterans Day Celebration on November 7.

FCPS wishes to thank Woodsboro Bank for their support of this Award and congratulates last year’s recipient, Earl Gibson, HVAC Technician at UHS.

FCPS is planning a redistricting study in preparation for the opening of a replacement Valley Elementary School for the 2025-26 school year.

The purpose of the redistricting study is to balance enrollments at Valley Elementary and Brunswick Elementary schools. The new Valley Elementary is being built next to the existing school with a state-rated capacity of 745 students. If boundaries are not changed, Valley is projected to open at 73% capacity.

Brunswick Elementary has a state-rated capacity of 702 students and is operating at 112% capacity.

The redistricting study will be led by consultant CropperGIS and FCPS facilities planning staff. FCPS will collect data, evaluate options, engage the school communities and present an option to the Board of Education in accordance with Board of Education Policy 200. The public will have several opportunities to provide feedback.

Like many school districts across the country, FCPS is facing a shortage of bus drivers. This shortage means that about 20 or more bus routes are being covered by a small number of substitute drivers, Transportation office staff, or other drivers who are filling in. While we have managed to cover these routes, it has affected pickup and drop-off times for students.

Using substitutes and office staff can cause delays, in addition to usual factors like traffic. To keep you informed about any delays, our Transportation department updates a bus status board, which you can find at this LINK and on the “Transportation” page of our website, www.fcps.org. This board shows the most current information on bus times. If a bus route is canceled due to staff shortages, we will send notifications, and you can also check the status board for updates.

We are actively looking for more bus drivers. If you or someone you know is interested, please apply online at https://www.applitrack.com/fcps/OnlineApp/. Your help in spreading the word is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your patience and support.

FCPS is seeking parent representatives to serve on the District Committee on Assessment. The Committee, which consists of parents, teachers, school administrators, and central office leaders, reviews and makes recommendations about the district’s approach to required assessments across all grade levels.

Over the course of four meetings, the Committee reviews the district assessment system, examining the time, purpose, and value of required assessments in elementary, middle, and high school. FCPS seeks one parent from each level, elementary, middle, and high.

Meeting Dates/Times:

• Tuesday, October 22, 2024 | 3:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
• Thursday, December 12, 2024 | 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
• Tuesday, February 18, 2025 | 3:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 2, 2025 | 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
• Location: Virtual

To express interest, please complete this Form by Friday, September 27, 2024. FCPS staff will contact those interested in early October.

MSDE recently announced updates to the Income Eligibility Guidelines for free and reduced-price school meals.

Additional information on school meals frequently asked questions for 2024-25 can be found here.

Did you know FCPS has a Facebook page for Spanish speaking community members? FCPS Informando has important updates for families. We encourage our community to check it out!

¿Sabía que FCPS tiene una página de Facebook para miembros de la comunidad de habla hispana? FCPS Informando tiene actualizaciones importantes para las familias. ¡Animamos a nuestra comunidad a comprobarlo!

Email: communications@fcps.org

Website: www.fcps.org
Location: 191 South East Street, Frederick, MD, USA
Phone: (301)644-5000
Facebook: www.facebook.com/fcpsmaryland
Twitter: @FCPSMaryland