TCPS Blueprint Buzz

Welcome to the inaugural issue of The TCPS Blueprint Buzz—a newsletter designed to keep our students, staff, families, and community informed with the latest updates with Talbot County Public Schools' progress with Blueprint implementation. Over the past year, we've been hard at work, and this newsletter offers a closer look at some of the local and statewide progress.

Topics include:

• local and statewide progress within each Blueprint Pillar
• monitoring implementation efforts
• resources to learn more about Blueprint Implementation

Click here to access this video in Spanish

New Judy Center for Tilghman Elementary!

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) recently awarded a Judy Center Early Learning Hub Grant to Tilghman Elementary School. TCPS will now have 3 Judy Center sites to serve Tilghman Elementary, Saint Michaels Elementary, and Easton Elementary families. Pictured above is TCPS Superintendent Dr. Sharon Pepukayi and TCPS Board Members visiting the Tilghman Judy Center site earlier this month with Mr. Corey Devaric (Principal of Tilghman Elementary), Ms. Bonnie Callahan (Judy Center Service Coordinator) and Ms. Lori Julian (Tilghman Judy Center Coordinator).

Judy Centers act as comprehensive hubs, offering families within the community opportunities for shared learning experiences in addition to access to services and support related to child development. Each Judy Center is unique to address the specific needs of its local community. TCPS will continue pursuing Judy Center grants each year to expand services to all TCPS elementary school families.The Blueprint for Maryland's Future establishes a goal to increase the number of Judy Centers throughout Maryland from 55 centers in 2020 to 190 centers by 2032.

MSDE released an updated Presentation on Marylands Teacher Workforce on February 25, 2025.

Some key highlights from this presentation are:

• As of October 2024, Maryland had 63,515 public school teachers.
• Teacher vacancies have declined statewide by 17%.
• MSDE is implementing flexible licensure pathways, including reduced reliance on standardized testing for professional credentials.
• Local districts have implemented Grow Your Own initiatives for high school students, educational support personnel, and career changers.

A presentation was shared at the January AIB/MSDE Joint Board Meeting on Teacher Recruitment, Development and Retention. Click here to access this presentation.

The Blueprint for Maryland's Future highlights the necessity to expand upon college and career pathways for students and offer experiences outside of the traditional classroom setting. The Apprenticeship program, overseen by the Maryland Department of Labor, allows high school juniors and seniors to gain hands-on, paid work experience while earning academic credit(s). These experiences provide additional opportunities to connect classroom learning and real-world skills, helping students become more prepared and competitive as they graduate high school.

While TCPS offers a variety of work-based learning opportunities for students, apprenticeships provide a more advanced experience that includes pay and the potential for earning industry-recognized credentials that sets students apart in an increasingly competitive job market. Since 2022-2023, the number of TCPS students participating in an apprenticeship has increased from 1 to 12 students. Upon graduation, some of these students have been hired by their apprenticeship employers.

Our School to Career Specialist, Mr. Tshombe Laughman, has been instrumental in recruiting and matching students to employers. He also assists with the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (AMP) application process to become an approved apprenticeship site. If you are an employer that is interested in more information about apprenticeships, please email Mr. Laughman.

Thank you to all of our community and business partners who provide these experiences to our high school students!

What is a Community School?

A school in Maryland is designated as a community school based on the concentration of poverty level of all of its students. Community schools serve as hubs that bring school staff, families and community partners together to increase wraparound services and improve student outcomes. According to Community Schools Forward, essential practices for successful community schools include the following six pillars: expanded and enriched learning opportunities; rigorous, community-connected instruction; culture of belonging, safety, and care; integrated systems of support; powerful student and family engagement; and collaborative leadership.

What is the impact of a Community School?

During the first year as a community school, a needs assessment is conducted to determine strengths, challenges, and opportunities for growth. Based on these results, an implementation plan is developed during the second year in partnership with community stakeholders, with full implementation beginning the year after. Some of the local programs established as a result of this process with Easton Elementary include free food distribution for families in partnership with CarePacks of Talbot County and Teddy Bear Fresh, as well as additional year-round enrichment programming for students in collaboration with The Avalon Foundation and Talbot Arts Council.

There are 621 community schools throughout Maryland. TCPS currently has 2 community schools, Easton Elementary (Year 3) and Easton Middle (Year 1). In addition to the support of the school community and stakeholders, the Community School Manager plays a crucial role in ensuring successful implementation of community school programming. Read below for upcoming initiatives and planning from each TCPS Community School Manager.

Learn more about statewide Community School Programming in this linked presentation shared at the Maryland State Board of Education Meeting on 12/3/24.

The 2024-2027 TCPS Blueprint Implementation Plan has been fully approved by the AIB.

TCPS has met success criteria for all required components of the 2024-2027 Blueprint Implementation Plan submission. This plan can be found our TCPS website, as well as the AIB's website.

A recent presentation from the AIB outlines more about what is on the horizon in this next phase of implementation.

Hello! My name is Kristen Tilghman and I am the Blueprint Implementation Coordinator for Talbot County Public Schools (TCPS). My role is to ensure initiatives are successfully implemented and aligned with the outcomes set by Maryland’s Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB) and our district strategic plan. This role involves developing detailed implementation plans with clear timelines and metrics, overseeing multiple district projects, and ensuring compliance with state regulations. I work closely with school and community stakeholders, as well as with local education institutions and community partners, to help develop a greater understanding of Blueprint initiatives and to foster collaboration for successful student outcomes.

Thank you for reading our newsletter! Please visit our website linked below for more information on how TCPS and all of Maryland is Transforming and Performing TOGETHER with Blueprint Implementation.

To learn more, visit our TCPS Blueprint website

Submit questions or feedback to blueprint@talbotschools.org