As students across Talbot County return to school on Monday, Aug. 25, Talbot County Public Schools, Talbot Thrive and the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office are reminding drivers to stay alert, obey traffic laws, and prioritize safety around school zones and buses. With increased foot, bicycle, and bus traffic, residents are urged to plan extra time and use caution on the roads.

“We are thrilled to welcome students back to our classrooms and school communities,” said Dr. Sharon Pepukayi, Superintendent of Talbot County Public Schools. “As we start a new school year, it’s essential that drivers across the county remain alert, reduce speeds in school zones, and give school buses and crossing students the right-of-way. Together, we can create a safe environment where every student feels secure on their way to and from school.”

Law Enforcement Focused on School Zone Safety

The Talbot County Sheriff’s Office and law enforcement in Easton and St. Michael’s will increase patrols in school zones, focusing on violations such as speeding, distracted driving, and illegal school bus passing. Officers remind drivers that ignoring school zone and bus safety laws not only puts children at risk—but also carries serious penalties.

“Our top priority is the safety of Talbot County’s children,” said Sheriff Joe Gamble. “We’ll be out enforcing traffic laws and making sure that drivers understand their responsibilities when it comes to school bus stops and pedestrian safety. Slow down, stay alert, and help us protect our students.”

Know the School Bus Safety Laws

Maryland law requires:

• Stopping at least 20 feet away from a school bus when its stop arm is extended and red lights are flashing.

• Not passing the bus from any direction while it’s stopped unless the roadway is divided by a physical median.

• Waiting until the stop arm is retracted and lights are off before proceeding.

Violations carry:

• For bus violations, a fine of up to $570 and 3 points on a driver’s license if cited by law enforcement.

Speeding in a School Zone

Speeding in a school zone can carry fines of $40 per offense for those captured by speed cameras.

“Keeping our children safe on the way to and from school takes all of us,” said Brian LeCates, Director of Talbot County Emergency Services. “When drivers pay attention in school zones and at bus stops, it helps prevent emergencies before they happen. Together as a community, we can make sure every student starts and ends their day safely.”

Talbot Thrive’s Rolling Rodeo: Teaching Safety Skills

This fall, Talbot Thrive, a local organization dedicated to safer roads for all users, will launch their 2025-2026 Rolling Rodeo Program—a hands-on bicycle and pedestrian safety program designed to teach children how to safely ride and walk in their neighborhoods. The program includes helmet fittings, road safety education, and obstacle courses for young cyclists.

The first Rolling Rodeo will take place on Saturday, October 19, at Easton Elementary School, in conjunction with the Talbot County Resource Fair.

“We want every child in Talbot County to walk and ride to school safely and confidently,” said Heather Grant, Executive Director of Talbot Thrive. “That means knowing how to obey traffic signs and signals, watching for cars, and always wearing a helmet when biking. The Rolling Rodeo is a fun, interactive way to help students build those essential safety skills.”

Stay Informed

Families are encouraged to attend the October 19 event to learn more about bicycle and pedestrian safety and to access free educational resources.

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For updates, visit TalbotThrive.org/RollingRodeo, Talbot County Public Schools at https://www.tcps.k12.md.us/ and the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office at https://talbotsheriff.org .

Download the PDF MDOT Brochure on Bus Safety

The Gunston School’s signature fundraising event, the Bull & Oyster Roast, will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2025 from 5-9 p.m. on the school’s waterfront campus, overlooking the Corsica River. The evening includes delicious food provided by Phat Daddy’s BBQ and Superior OysterShuckers as well as a beer truck, wine pull, and signature cocktail.

Now in its 10th year, the Bull & Oyster Roast features an online silent auction, a live auction, and a “Stop the Auction and Raise the Paddle” portion which raises dedicated funds for a specific cause each year. For 2025, Gunston is asking the community to Raise the Paddle to support a major campus technology upgrade, including a comprehensive overhaul of our network infrastructure to ensure fast, secure, and seamless connectivity across campus, as well as upgrades to classroom technology. These upgrades are essential to supporting student learning, classroom technology, campus safety systems, and daily operations.

“These upgrades are essential to supporting student learning, classroom technology, campus safety systems, and daily operations,” explains Head of School John Lewis. “And with the community’s help, we can make them a reality.”

The online silent auction runs the week before the event, giving the entire Gunston community a chance to bid on an array of fantastic vacations and fun experiences, golf outings, professional photography sessions, artwork, and more. This year’s live auction will be in person and includes a handful of big ticket items such as vacation packages and catered cruises with more details to be announced soon.

The online silent auction runs from October 13-19, giving the entire Gunston community a chance to bid on an array of fantastic vacations and fun experiences, golf outings, professional photography sessions, artwork, and more.

“Buy event tickets, buy raffle tickets, you can donate wine–there are many different ways to support the school,” explains Bull & Oyster Roast Co-Chair Melanie McMahan, P’27’28. “We are in need of auction items for both the live and silent portion,” “Vacation getaways, airline miles, or hotel points. Other donations could include VIP or behind-the-scenes experiences, sports memorabilia, event tickets, lessons—things like that. We also welcome gift certificates from local businesses.”

“This is also a wonderful sponsorship opportunity,” explains Gunston Parents Association President Ildi Watkins, P’26’28. “Please consider an individual or corporate sponsorship, as your generosity underwrites this event and makes it possible to raise the funds our students need.”

Tickets are on sale now at gunston.org/bullroast25 with early-bird pricing at $85 per person until August 31, $95 from Sept. 1-30, and $110 per person from Oct. 1-18. Tickets for alumni as well as former faculty and staff, and guests of current faculty and staff are $80. Attendees must be 21 years of age or older.

Sponsorships for the Bull & Oyster Roast range from $150 up to $5,000 with a price point for every budget. Additionally, there is an option to become a Heron Hero, which combines the sponsorship benefits of all three Gunston fundraising events, the Bull & Oyster Roast on October 19, the Heron Pickleball Tournament on April 18 2026, and the Golfing fore Gunston on May 1, 2026.

This year’s supporters include Bull’s Eye Sponsor Fred Frederick Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Easton (Janell & Jeffrey Frederick, P’23’25), Precision Contactors (Lesley & Tim Faff, P’23’26’29), and What’s Up? Magazine; Oyster Sponsor Eastern Shore Vacation Rentals (Bryan Trautman, P’23’27); BBQ Sponsors Paul T. Ewing (Pam & Charlie Andrews, P’26), McCallister, Detar, Showalter & Walker (Adele & Ryan Showalter, P’25’27 and Melissa & Doug Walker, P’25’27) and ShoreGate Partners (Chesley & Justin Nonemaker, P’27’29); Pearl Sponsors PepUp (Melanie & Nash McMahan, P’27’28), Fleetwood Insurance Group (Creg Fleetwood, P’29), The Law Offices of Parker Counts  (Lee Gordon, P’28’29) and Molly’s Place (Nick & Katie Shajwani, P’26); Pit Beef Sponsors Dr. Laurie & John Lewis, The Shifrin Family, P’21’21, Wye Mills Mechanical, LLC (Marie & Stephen Thomas), The Malone Family, P’28 and Smithey Law Group (Joyce Smithey, P’26); and Shore Sponsor Fit Flock and Wrench & Socket (Tim & Beth Lavery, P’26).

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

With the 2025-26 school year starting next week in some counties, Maryland’s two top education leaders had a message for local school officials: Follow state law.

The calm, but stern warning came Wednesday during a back-to-school news conference in Baltimore with State Superintendent Carey Wright and state Board of Education President Joshua Michael. Neither named specific school districts, but when reporters asked about administrative and policy changes related to diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Calvert and Somerset counties, they did not hesitate to answer.

“In Maryland we have a state public education system. Local school board leaders who lead local school systems are actually state officials,” Michael said. “They have authority within the state system that Dr. Wright leads to really bring that local context into schools and ensure that the management day to day and the policy set for local school system are done well.

“But at the end of the day, it’s a Maryland public education system. It is not a specific county,” he said.

That was echoed by Wright, who said she meets monthly with local superintendents, when topics include changes to federal government policies on DEI, immigration and other topics.

“As Dr. Michael said, every district is so different, and the local politics are very different, but the state law is not different per district,” she said. “So that’s where we want to make sure that everybody is very clear on what the state law has to say about any issue.”

The Calvert County school board voted in June to remove an anti-racism resolution from its student code of conduct that began with a statement of outrage over the 2020 deaths of “George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, as well as countless other African Americans who have lost their lives as a result of racism and police brutality that persist in our country.”

The board also voted to remove the resolution from the school system’s website and social media platforms, reasoning that the previous board in June 2020 did not vote to add the resolution to the student code. That was done by staff without board directive, board President Jana Post said during the meeting this June.

On Thursday, the five-member board took less than 3 minutes to vote to repeal the school system’s antiracism policy, last revised in February 2024.

“I would like to be sure and make it clear that we have a discrimination policy in place that covers all forms of illegal discrimination,” Post said. “So having a separate antiracism policy is redundant. It sends the message that we are elevating one form of discrimination over all other forms of discrimination.”

In an email Wednesday, Post said the board’s “only comment is that we support the safety of all students and groups any discrimination, as outlined in our current discrimination policy and procedure.”

Last week’s decision will be posted for 30 days for public comment — and Calvert County resident Birgit Sharp has some comments she plans to share.

Sharp, a member of local community group CANDLE (Community Action Network for Democracy Liberties and Equality), and others protested prior to the board’s vote last week.

“It’s really scary to me that this happened,” Sharp said Wednesday. “This is a school [system] with not a lot of people of color. To not have the extra protections … put in there is scary.”

One next step, Sharp said, will be mobilizing residents who may want to run for school board in next year’s election.

Three current board members – Melissa Goshorn, Paul Harrison and Joseph Marchio – won in 2024 with the backing of Project 1776 PAC, a group that pushes for conservative education policies and parental rights in schools.

State Stepped In

Project 1776 also helped Mary Beth Bozman and Matthew Lankford get elected last year to the Somerset County Board of Education. Lankford serves as school board chair.

For the past several months, the board pushed to cut $1 million for librarians from the budget and to remove alleged DEI policies, as first reported by The Baltimore Banner.

But when the school board sought to get rid of Somerset County Public Schools Superintendent Ava Tasker-Mitchell, who is Black, Wright stepped in.

The board tried to get rid of Tasker-Mitchell in June and sought to appoint David Bromwell, who is white and a former superintendent in Dorchester County, as interim superintendent.

The state reinstated Tasker-Mitchell for 60 days, which ended Aug. 5. But in an Aug. 4 letter to Lankford, Wright denied his request to have Tasker-Mitchell “vacate the [Somerset County] property on Aug. 6.”

The state board passed an emergency regulation that went into effect July 23 that allowed Wright to extend Tasker-Mitchell’s reinstatement until Jan. 19 or until a hearing occurs. The regulation was approved by the General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review.

“It is my expectation that Dr. Tasker-Mitchell will report to work on August 6, 2025, and be allowed to exercise her lawful duties as county superintendent,” Wright wrote.

Wright’s letter also warned the school board that violating state law could result in funding being withheld, and noted that “the State Board is authorized to initiate removal of board members for willful neglect of duty.”

Tasker-Mitchell’s picture remains on the school system’s website. A representative with Somerset schools did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

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by William J. Ford, Maryland Matters
August 14, 2025

Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: [email protected].

 The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s Shipyard celebrated the graduation of Seip Family Foundation Shipwright Apprentice Daniel Gutierrez from its state-accredited program last week.

Gutierrez took a break from his on-going work readying 1909 crab dredger Old Point for a return to the water to receive his official certification and congratulations from an enthusiastic crowd of staff, friends, and state officials.

“I’m extremely grateful to Daniel for his commitment to this program these past two years,” CBMM’s Vessel Conservation Manager Sam Hilgartner said. “He came here and dove in with both feet determined to get the most out of this experience. He’s worked hard, and he’s embraced being part of this community. As he graduates, I’m more than confident in his ability to carry on this tradition in the legacy of the CBMM Shipwright Apprentice Program.”

A Houston native, Gutierrez had spent several years lifeguarding on the beach in Galveston, Texas, when he decided to pursue a career in boatbuilding. He completed Cape Fear Community College’s Wooden Boat Building program before arriving at CBMM in August 2023 on a recommendation from his instructor Walter Atkins, who has recently joined CBMM’s Shipyard crew.

Gutierrez knew he was in the right place when he was asked to jump right in assisting on repairs for skipjack Rosie Parks. He spent his early weeks working on the historic vessels portside planking, deck boards, and sheer clamp, and since then, he’s continued his education while working on most of the vessels in CBMM’s fleet.

“It’s been really great,” Gutierrez said. “It’s kind of crazy to look back and see the progress I’ve made. You don’t really notice it day-to-day, but there’s so much that I’ve gotten to learn here.”

CBMM’s Shipwright Apprentice program is unique in its scope and ambition as the nation’s only state-certified apprentice program in the trade of traditional wooden boat building and maintenance. Gutierrez has completed 4,000 hours of hands-on experience, plus additional skill development training, to prepare him to take on an entry-level shipwright position.

For Gutierrez, CBMM’s Shipyard has provided the right atmosphere to grow his skills and confidence. He’s learned under Hilgartner, Shipyard Educator Steve Garrand, Floating Fleet Shipwright Alex Bell, and other talented shipwrights on the CBMM team. Lately, he’s tried to pass those lessons along to first-year apprentices Caden Lewis and Austin Benshoff while working together on Old Point.

“Being here, you appreciate the ability to make mistakes,” Gutierrez said. “All the people you’re learning from, they’ve been there, and they understand that it happens. You’re never too stressed because they have patience and want you to get it right.”

Along the way, Gutierrez has discovered a passion for life on the Eastern Shore far from home. He’s bought two different boats through CBMM’s Charity Boat Donation Program, spent weekends surfing at area beaches, traversed trails with his dog Goobie, honed his skills as a fisherman on local waterways, and even logged time last fall dredging oysters with Capt. Ed Farley aboard skipjack HM Krentz.

“The culture of the Chesapeake is interesting to me,” Gutierrez said. “I really like it over here. I’ve tried to do as much exploring as I can.”

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CBMM’s Shipwright Apprentice Program will continue to pass on these traditional skills to the next generation of Chesapeake shipwrights and grow its unique impact in the local workforce with the addition of two more Shipwright Apprentices later this year. Learn more about career opportunities in CBMM’s Shipyard, including current openings for experienced shipwrights, at cbmm.org/Careers.

Joined by a room full of beaming parents, The Foundation of HOPE celebrated the 2025 cohort of its  Economic Development and Empowerment Program on the evening of June 4th.  This was the Foundation’s 8th cohort, and its largest to date, with 18 girls completing the program.  The Foundation has partnered with Easton Middle School since its inception, and this year, they began a new partnership with St. Michaels Middle High School.

During the 16-week Economic Development and Empowerment Program, middle school girls learn about a variety of topics, including low self-esteem, bullying, social media, workforce development, economic and community development, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and more.  At the end of the course, the girls are tasked with creating a vision board, detailing their goals for the future.  They are encouraged to dream big.

At the ceremony on June 4th, each girl presented her vision board, completing her final project and receiving her certificate of completion.  At the end of the ceremony, Foundation of HOPE founder Keasha Haythe sent the students off with a touching speech, ending on these uplifting words:

“Girls, go out and have an amazing summer.  Make memories with family and friends.  Know that you have a purpose and destiny in this world.  Always believe in yourself, because I will always believe in you.  Go be great!”

When the girls are ready to graduate from high school, their participation in the program renders them eligible to apply for a Foundation of HOPE scholarship to help offset the costs of college or training in the trade of their choice.  To date, the Foundation has granted 6 scholarships to former program participants, including 3 students from their 3rd cohort, which graduated from high school this year.  Congratulations to Leilani Brooks, Sa’Mauria Ennels and Isabella Barerra.

The Foundation of HOPE helps young girls and women lead productive lives in their communities by providing cultural, social, and educational development.  The Foundation relies on the generous financial support of local individuals, businesses, and foundations to help local girls become the leaders of tomorrow, and to fund the HOPE Scholar scholarship program.  The organization will soon be breaking ground on the HOPE Center, to be located on Washington Street in Easton.  Once completed, the HOPE Center will house the Economic Development and Empowerment Program, additional programming for girls and other neighbors, along with a community gathering space.

 To learn more about the Economic Development and Empowerment Program, the HOPE Center, and how you can help, visit foundationofhopemaryland.org or contact Keasha Haythe at [email protected].

Join Chesapeake Forum on August 19th for the 2025 Fall Preview Part at the Academy Art Museum in Easton from 3:30-5:30.  Enjoy light refreshments and hors d’oeuvres while getting a first-hand look at new courses.  Tickets are $16.00 and registration is required at https://chesapeakeforum.org

There are nearly 30 classes to choose from and many new presenters.  Courses range from the practical to the philosophical, plus local history, current events, field trips, literature and cooking to name a few. To see a full list of Fall classes, please visit https://chesapeakeforum.org.  Registration begins on August 20th. 

Chesapeake Forum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing lifelong learning opportunities to residents of the Eastern Shore. To receive Chesapeake Forum’s newsletter, please send your name and contact information to [email protected].

The Gunston School is proud to announce that 34 of its students have been recognized by the College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) Program for their outstanding performance on college-level AP exams during the 2024 testing cycle. In addition to these remarkable student accomplishments, Gunston was also selected as a pilot school for the College Board’s AP Cybersecurity program, a new course being developed as part of the College Board’s Career Kickstart initiative.

AP Cybersecurity is designed to introduce high school students to foundational concepts in digital security and prepare them for emerging careers in the cybersecurity field. While any high school may teach cybersecurity, AP Cybersecurity is currently in a limited-access pilot phase and will not be available nationally until the 2026–2027 academic year. Gunston will begin offering the course during the 2025–2026 school year as part of this exclusive early-access cohort, adding to their already extensive offering of AP courses.

As a pilot school, Gunston will receive direct support and curriculum resources from leading industry partners including Cisco, CYBER.ORG, and Paradigm Cyber Ventures. Participating students will also have the opportunity to receive vouchers for CompTIA certification exam preparation and fees—an industry-recognized credential in the cybersecurity field.

Each fall, the College Board recognizes high-achieving students across the nation with AP Scholar Awards. These accolades are granted to students who have demonstrated exceptional success across multiple AP subject areas and include:

AP Scholar with Distinction is awarded to students who earn an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. The following students were recognized: Lily Brantner, Emery Day, Elena Fraser, Brayden Hamm, Trevor Janssen, Jameson (Conner) Joyce,  Justin McCubbin, Elijah Moore, Margaret Randolph and Lucas Watkins.

AP Scholar with Honor is granted to students who earn an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more exams. The following students were recognized: Kate Andrews, Annabelle Baker, Jed Cohen, Victoria MacGlashan, Vee McCluskey, Isla McCollum, Robert (Ethan) McWilliams and Eamon Schopfer.

AP Scholar is awarded to students who score 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams. The following students were recognized: Alexander (Alex) Bent, Allison Davis, Alex Elfenbein, Lennox Franks, Adit Gupta, Grace Hanlon, Eleonor Hubbert, Logan Kille, Sydney Kim, Louise Mulock, Alivia Runz, Evelyn Russ, Katherine Seybert, Zachary Steinberg, Mia Walker and Lily Weny.

“Academic rigor is a core value at Gunston,” explains Head of School John Lewis, “and our AP Scholars are to be congratulated for their achievement on these challenging national exams. Let me also acknowledge the remarkable faculty who guided students through these college-level courses, and supported our culture of high expectations. Having taught many of these students personally, I can attest that they are deeply dedicated to their studies, and are superbly prepared for college and beyond! Meanwhile, the AP Cybersecurity course represents an exciting frontier in high school education—one that empowers students to engage with real-world issues while preparing for future academic and professional success. Only a few schools nationwide were accepted into this program, and it’s a testament to the strength of our computer science curriculum.”

 

 

 

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Founded in 1911 and currently enrolling 256 students, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

Critchlow Adkins Children’s Centers is proud to welcome Drew Carroll and Jim Dugan to its Board of Directors. Both bring a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to supporting children and families on Maryland’s Mid-Shore.

Drew Carroll, a retired attorney and dedicated community volunteer, lives in Easton with his wife, Cherie. Originally from Alexandria, VA, Drew earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and his law degree from the University of Richmond. He has held leadership roles with the Rotary Club, YMCA, and Alexandria Little League. Drew has a strong interest in child welfare and education and looks forward to supporting CACC’s before- and after-school programs and literacy initiatives.

Jim Dugan brings more than 40 years of experience in finance and investment management. Jim retired from Brown Advisory in Baltimore where he was a partner and portfolio manager specializing in serving charitable and governmental organizations.  He has served on numerous non-profit and faith-based finance committees.  Jim and his wife, Linda have been part of the Easton community for the last 10 years and are enthusiastic about supporting Critchlow’s mission.

“We are thrilled to welcome Drew and Jim to the Board,” said Cristy Morrell, Executive Director of CACC. “Drew’s background in law and community service, combined with Jim’s deep financial expertise and nonprofit experience, will bring tremendous value to our organization. Most importantly, they both share a genuine passion for supporting young learners and strengthening families in our community.”

CACC also expresses its heartfelt gratitude to Kay Perkins and Ellen Bodorff, who are stepping down from the Board after six years of dedicated service. Both served on the Development Committee and played important roles in advancing the organization’s fundraising efforts.

“It’s always hard to say goodbye to amazing board members,” Morrell added. “Kay and Ellen’s guidance and wisdom have been invaluable to our programs and to the children and families we serve.”

In addition to welcoming new members, Critchlow Adkins is pleased to announce Dru Haines as the newly elected Board Chair. After three years of dedicated service, Dru brings her energy and passion to this leadership role. Julie Crocker, who previously served as Chair, will continue her impactful service as Vice Chair.

Continuing in their leadership roles are:

• Becky Peter, Treasurer
• Brie Wooden, Secretary
• Tom Reynolds, Member-at-Large

“We’re incredibly grateful for the leadership and continuity our Board provides,” said Morrell. “Each member plays a vital role in helping us grow stronger and better serve local families.”

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About Critchlow Adkins Children’s Centers
Critchlow Adkins Children’s Centers is a nonprofit 501c3 providing year-round preschool, before- and after-school care, and summer camp programs at five sites across Talbot County.

Critchlow Adkins provides high quality, accredited, financially accessible childcare for children and their families in a nurturing, diverse, safe, and enriching environment.  Founded in 1970, and celebrating their 55th year, Critchlow Adkins has cared for and educated four generations of children in Talbot County and across the Mid-Shore.  

Thanks to the generous support of individuals, businesses, and foundations, CACC is able to offer tuition assistance and enrichment programs that help every child learn, grow, and thrive. To learn more about, make a donation, or enroll your child, please visit: www.cacckids.org or call 410-822-8061.