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Talbot Schools Teacher and Support Staff of the Year Finalists

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Each year, Talbot County Public Schools honors teachers and support staff through the Teacher of the Year and Support Staff of the Year Program. This provides the opportunity to recognize outstanding educators who have innovative ideas, focus positive attention on education, and demonstrate superior commitment to students. Any member of the community may nominate teachers or support staff for these prestigious awards.

Five finalists have been selected from the nominations for both Teacher of the Year and Support Staff of the Year. TCPS is pleased to recognize these outstanding educators.

Teacher of the Year Finalists:

Leslie Beveridge

Leslie Beveridge – 1st Grade Teacher, Chapel District Elementary School.

Daniel Brundige

Daniel Brundige – 6th-8th Grade Social Studies and Language Arts Teacher, Easton Middle School.

David Cherry

David Cherry – Mathematics Teacher, Easton High School.

Jennifer Childress

Jennifer Childress – 3rd Grade Teacher, Chapel District Elementary School

Heather Orr

Heather Orr – 2nd Grade Teacher, Easton Elementary School

Support Staff of the Year Finalists:

Tasha Aikens

Tasha Aikens – Instructional Assistant – Special Education, Easton High School.

Theressa Hoskin

Theressa Hoskin – Instructional Assistant – Kindergarten, White Marsh Elementary School.

Tina Morris

Tina Morris -Drop-Out Prevention and Re-engagement Specialist, Student Services.

Susan Redmond

Susan Redmond – Instructional Assistant, Pre-Kindergarten, White Marsh Elementary.

Diane Vodak

Diane Vodak, Instructional Assistant – P3, Easton Elementary-Dobson.

“We received many thoughtful nominations for this year’s Teacher of the Year and Support Staff of the Year Awards,” explained Dr. Kelly Griffith, Superintendent. “The heartfelt testimonies show the dedication of our amazing TCPS team members, and we welcome the opportunity to recognize these outstanding educators!”

The 2020-2021 Teacher of the Year and Support Staff of the year winners will be announced at the annual celebration which will be held at a date yet to be determined due to the closure of schools.

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Administrative Appointments for 2020-2021 School Year

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The Talbot County Board of Education approved new administrative appointments at their March Meeting.

Mrs. Sherry Bowen

Mrs. Sherry Bowen has been appointed Principal of Easton High School.  Mrs. Bowen will replace Mr. Kirk Howie, who has accepted a position in another county for next school year. A graduate of Easton High School, Mrs. Bowen earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Salisbury University. She began her career as a teacher at Chapel District Elementary School in 2003.  Since 2008 she has served in Leadership positions throughout the county, including Assistant Principal at Easton High, and has been Principal of Easton Elementary-Moton since 2017. (effective July 1, 2020)

Mr. Rondell Sorrell

Mr. Rondell Sorrell will join TCPS as Assistant Principal at Easton High School. Mr. Sorrell holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Salisbury University.  Mr. Sorrell has been a Secondary Math Educator for Queen Anne’s County Public Schools since 2002, most recently serving as Math Specialist at Stevensville Middle School.  He is also an Academic Support Math Tutor for Chesapeake College, tutoring students in courses such as Calculus and Statistics. (effective July 1, 2020)

Dr. Lisa Devaric

Dr. Lisa Devaric has been named Principal of Easton Elementary School.  Dr. Devaric has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Towson University, a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Coppin State University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from University of Maryland Eastern Shore. She began working in Talbot County in 1997 as an elementary school teacher having previously worked in Baltimore County Public Schools.  She taught 3rd through 6th grade and served as Assistant Principal before becoming Principal of Easton Elementary-Dobson in 2015. (effective July 1, 2020)

Mrs. Lindsey Higginbottom

Mrs. Lindsey Higginbottom has been promoted to Assistant Principal, Easton Elementary School.  She earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction, Specializing in Administration.  Also a graduate of Easton High School, Mrs. Higginbottom returned to Talbot County in 2014 after teaching in Howard County. She has previously taught 3rd and 5th grades, and then served as a Math Coach, Gifted & Talented Teacher, and Administrative Intern at Chapel District Elementary. Currently she is serving as the Administrative Intern at Easton Elementary–Dobson. (effective immediately)

Mr. John Tomey

Mr. John Tomey will transfer to the position of Assistant Principal, Easton Elementary School.  Mr. Tomey earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Salisbury University.  He came to TCPS in 2019 as Assistant Principal at St. Michaels Elementary School having previously worked as a teacher, Administrative Intern and Dean at Dorchester County Public Schools.Mr. Tomey and Mrs. Higginbottom will join Mrs. Catessa Cain, who will remain at Easton Elementary as Assistant Principal. (effective July 1, 2020)

Mrs. Kristen Mooney

Mrs. Kristen Mooney has been appointed School Manager for Easton Elementary School.  Mrs. Mooney has a Bachelor of Science in Business from Salisbury University and is a former business owner.  She has worked for Talbot County Public Schools since 2014 as an Instructional Assistant, Volunteer Coordinator and Office Manager. (effective July 1, 2020)

Mrs. Amy Palmer

Mrs. Amy Palmer has been assigned to the position of Administrative Intern at Chapel District Elementary. Ms. Palmer holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Penn State University, a Bachelors in Elementary Education from East Stroudsburg University, a Master’s in Education in Curriculum & Instruction.  Mrs. Palmer taught grades 3-5 at St. Michaels Elementary School from 2008 – 2018.  Since that time, she has served as a TCPS Literacy Coach. (effective immediately)

“I am very proud of our TCPS leadership team members who are stepping into new roles, which will only strengthen our overall organization,” said Dr. Kelly Griffith, Superintendent.  “They are well prepared to continue our efforts toward building a culture focused on learning for ALL students, while engaging staff in the process. I am also very excited to have Mr. Sorrell join our team,” she added “as he brings extensive experience that will complement our current expertise.”

For more information about Talbot County Public Schools go to www.talbotschools.org

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Talbot Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here

Talbot Schools Ready for Remote Instruction

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Talbot teachers are readying to teach students remotely as Maryland extends its school closures until at least April 24 to help limit the spread of COVID-19.

State officials initially had ordered schools closed for two weeks beginning March 16; that closure was extended Wednesday until April 24 with the possibility of additional extensions depending on the status of the pandemic.

The Talbot County Board of Education heard an update on the school system’s response during its regular Wednesday night meeting, held by video conference to maintain social distancing.

Kelly Griffith, Talbot’s school superintendent, said the initial closure was announced Thursday, March 12, and staff worked very quickly to get “everything ready for every student to go home with their laptops, grade six through 12, laptops and chargers, and work downloaded.”

Kelly Griffith, Talbot school superintendent

The school system also was able to make learning packets for reading, writing and math for all students to take home on Friday, March 13, the last day schools were open, she said.

Staffers at Easton Elementary School Moton packed up their classrooms and that weekend workers finished moving all of Moton into the new elementary school building.

Griffith said the initial closure called for schools to be closed for cleaning and sanitizing, setting up meals for students, and preparing shelters for emergency and hospital workers.

The school system has been providing meals to children, initially breakfast and lunch and now breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack.

The first day, 40 children were served; almost 700 are now being served on weekdays with CarePacks providing weekend meals.

“Schools have been closed for only eight days, it seems like it’s been a lot longer,” Griffith said.

With an extended closure, the schools now must meet the goal of continuity of learning and have been working on professional development and getting teachers to work on lessons to continue working on the standards of learning, she said.

With 1-to-1 capability in Talbot schools, staff also have gathered the school system’s iPads and have assigned those to every single student, Griffith said. Talbot schools “will be mobilizing those iPads sometime next week with chargers to our children.”

Helga Einhorn, assistant superintendent for instruction, said the school system’s curriculum staff has been meeting virtually with colleagues across state and with specialists from the state education department to identify challenges, best practices, and resources.

Helga Einhorn, assistant superintendent for instruction

Schools are planning for continuity of learning — “the delivery of standards through assignments and activities to our students during a period of absence from our traditional instructional process in our schools,” she said.

Curriculum staff have been assessing what has been taught and the key learning to focus on in the fourth quarter to ensure students are ready for the next grade level or for graduation.

Contingency plans also are being developed for students who do not have access or who do not have reliable access to the internet, she said.

Griffith said parents will begin getting information on a daily basis “after this Friday to let them know where we are in our planning stages.”

“We want to thank our parents for being very patient and understanding during this time, but we also want to remind people that it is important to adhere to the social distancing … and trying to telecommute as much as possible,” she said.

She also noted the work of the school system’s custodial staff “for coming to work every day to clean and sanitize our buildings” and food service company Sodexo, which has “been amazing in getting food out to our students.

Griffith also thanked all the volunteers who have assisted in the meal distribution.

“It has really been a team effort and I’m really proud of the Talbot County public school team ….,” she said.

Talbot School Board Will Meet March 25 by Teleconference

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Tonight’s meeting of the Talbot County Board of Education will be conducted entirely via teleconference and there will be no public access to the Talbot County Education Center at 12 Magnolia St., Easton.

Board members will participate via conference call and the public will be able to watch the meeting online. Go to www.tcps.k12.md.us and click the click to view button near the top of the page.

The agenda and related documents for tonight’s meeting also may be accessed on the school board’s website. Major topics for tonight include an update from School Superintendent Kelly Griffith on the school system’s COVID-19 response; an update on HB 1300, the Kirwan/Blueprint Bill; and a presentation from the county’s property tax referendum committee.

Agenda items have been condensed to include only those items that require board action at this time.

The public comment portion of the meeting will not take place; however, the board encourages the public to submit their comments in writing to cgould@talbotschools.org and this information will be distributed to board members.

The school board is scheduled to vote to go into closed session at 5 p.m. with the regular open session to begin at 6 p.m.

Character Really Does Count During a Pandemic: A Chat with Lauren Kay Weber

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It only takes a trip to the local grocery store these days to witness someone’s character or the lack thereof. Just a brief look at the empty paper products aisle in the ACME will show a telltale sign of unmanaged anxiety, causing more than a few of us to lose that moral compass. And as this crisis continues to develop every day, it is increasingly clear that character does indeed count during a pandemic.

That’s why the Spy reached out to Lauren Kay Weber, the new executive director of Character Counts Mid Shore the other day. While Character Counts in well known and respected for their work with public school students, this essential quality can be taught to anyone, regardless of their age.

In our Spy interview, Lauren addresses the role of character in the age of the coronavirus.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. For more information about Character Counts in Talbot County please go here. For Kent County, please go here. 

 

Mid-Shore Kids: Mr. Remesch Shares a Song

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Ray Remesch is not the only teacher that misses his kids during the Covid-19 crisis. But Ray, who teaches music at Tilghman Elementary School, wanted to share with them a song that would remind them of living on fantastic Tilghman Island. Yesterday, he took his guitar and video equipment to record a special love letter to the island and its children. Share with your kids today.

 

 

USM Campuses to Shift to Distance Learning for Rest of Semester, Commencements Canceled

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The University System of Maryland will shift to distance-learning for undergraduate students for the rest of the spring semester and cancel in-person commencement ceremonies, Chancellor Jay A. Perman announced Thursday evening.

On a conference call with the Board of Regents, press and the public, Perman said university presidents had been exploring a shift to long-term remote instruction for weeks and the university campuses will work to provide resources for undergraduate students in need.

“We’re cognizant that we have students who have limited access to computers or to the Internet while off-campus. All of our universities have been united in finding ways to provide these students with laptops, and to arrange free Internet service through various carriers,” Perman said.

University campuses are also working to share technology and platforms to help organize final exams, clinical simulations and lab demonstrations.

“It’s appropriate that each university’s leaders determine what the rest of their semester looks like in terms of remote instruction and assessment,” Perman said.

He delivered the remarks as part of a conference call that became frenzied at times, given the number of participants ― more than five dozen at one point ― who called in.

“We’re out!” someone exclaimed early in the call. As the line became too muffled later, the call was briefly suspended.

Perman underscored that the shift to distance learning was not a break.

“It’s not a respite from the semester. It’s not a party,” he said.

He urged students to follow guidelines on large gatherings and said many were disturbed by coverage showing spring break celebrations in full tilt.

“Many of us were disturbed by it,” Perman said. “I’d like to remind all of us that we follow social distancing and self-isolating guidelines not only for our own health, but for the health of others — for those who are more susceptible to this virus than we may be, and for those who will have more difficulty recovering from it.”

Individual campuses will be releasing detailed plans on how students can retrieve their belongings from dorms and on-campus housing, with a special focus on avoiding large crowds. Universities will also be disinfecting high-touch areas as students move out.

The system is working on a plan for students who aren’t able to come back to get their things personally.

Campuses are also making plans to provide pro-rated refunds for room and board, as well as other campus fees. Federal financial aid packages will not be refunded, Perman said.

There is also a consensus among campus leaders to push back the tuition deposit deadline for the fall semester, which is usually May 1.

At the system’s research universities, employees are working to protect programs and equipment as restrictions are put into place.

“We’re advising that laboratories ramp down their research significantly and continue only those research activities currently in a critical phase, meaning that abandoning them would cause a major or irreversible loss in project viability,” Perman said.

For graduate students and those in professional programs, the system is seeking guidance from accreditation agencies and certification boards about how instruction should move forward.

Perman said individual campuses are being encouraged to “be creative” in how they celebrate graduates at the end of the semester, and in-person gatherings would be supported after the COVID-19 threat lifts.

Perman took time at the end of the call to thank university employees for working together to address concerns.

“These are uncharted waters,” he said.

By Danielle E. Gaines

Character Counts Mid Shore Releasing Character Lessons During School Closure

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Character Counts Mid Shore is excited to announce that we will be publishing “Character Lessons at Home,” a free daily resource for parents and caregivers during the COVID-19 related school closures. Lessons will be published daily on social media, emailed to subscribers, and on CCMS’ website. In addition to focusing on the Six Pillars of Character, the lesson plans will feature: 

– recommendations on connecting with one’s child,

– coupling character lessons with hard skills like literacy and STEM,

– home-based activities that apply the lesson, and

– optimism-focused ways to better our community from the safety of one’s own home.

“The releasing of daily character lesson plans that can be implemented while school is closed is our way of taking immediate, deliberate, and direct action to continue to address the need for character education by anyone, everywhere, all the time,” says Richard M. Potter, Jr., President of Character Counts Mid Shore’s Board of Directors. 

Character Counts Mid Shore will be working with community leaders in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to be “guest teachers,” providing video content to work in conjunction with the lessons. In doing so, Character Counts Mid Shore aims to serve as a convener of citizens of all ages in Talbot, Dorchester, and Caroline Counties in the connective, crucial work of investing in our communities’ young people.

Lauren Weber, Executive Director of Character Counts Mid Shore shares: “As an organization, we are committed to bringing the message of character, connection, and forward-thinking hope to the forefront during this moment of crisis. Character development is never unnecessary. Indeed, now more than ever, we need to harness the very real benefits of engaging people — regardless of age — in thought and action that is informed by the pillars of good character.”

All are invited to utilize the free Character Lessons at Home, which will be published daily on Facebook (be sure to “like” at facebook.com/charactercountsmidshore), via email subscribe, and on an accumulating list at charactercountsmidshore.com/character-lessons-at-home. To subscribe via email, go to bit.ly/CharacterLessonSubscribe (must be typed exactly as shown).

Character Counts Mid Shore is a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization whose mission is to empower character growth to pave pathways of success for all young people and invest in the vitality of communities. 

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Talbot Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here

CES Closes Offices to Public; Cancels, Postpones Spring Events

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The Washington College Center for Environment and Society offices will be closed to the public for the time being. This includes Semans-Griswold Environmental Hall, the Public Archaeology Lab, and the GIS Lab.

All events scheduled for the Spring 2020 semester have been postponed or cancelled. A full list is below:

CES Talks, scheduled for March 23, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. Cancelled

Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit, scheduled for March 26, 2020 Cancelled

Public Archaeology Lab Open House, scheduled for April 3, 2020 Cancelled

Arbor Day with Dean Norton, scheduled for April 17, 2020 Postponed until 2021 Arbor Day Celebration

ShoreRivers’ State of the Chester, scheduled for April 24, 2020 Moving to a virtual platform. Follow along with ShoreRivers for updates.

C.E.S.’tival, featuring the High and Wides and the Pat McGee Band. Scheduled for April 25, 2020. Postponed. Date is TBD.

Talbot Adding New Pickup Sites Thursday for Free Meals for Kids

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Free breakfast and lunch for children 2 through 18 will be available for pick-up today at Easton Middle School, Easton Elementary-Dobson, St. Michaels Middle High and the St. Michaels Police Department.

Beginning Thursday, March 19, free meals will be distributed for children ages 2 through 18 at the following expanded list of locations: Easton Middle, Easton Elementary-Dobson, the corner of Dover and Aurora Streets in Easton, the Neighborhood Service Center, St. Michaels Middle High, St. Michaels Police Dept., Chapel District Elementary, White Marsh Elementary, and Tilghman Elementary.  This will include breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack. These are drive-by/pick-up sites outdoors.

  • Drive-by or walk-up meal pickup will be at all locations from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday.
  • No names need to be provided.
  • CHILDREN MUST BE PRESENT and must be between the ages of 2 and 18.  Adults cannot accept meals on behalf of children.
  • Children do not have to be eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
  • CarePacks will be delivered to all sites on Fridays to provide weekend meals (while supplies last).  If families are unable to get to one of the sites to pick up CarePacks, please email Ms. Emily Moody at emoody@talbotschools.org to set up a CarePacks delivery for Friday, March 20.
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