Upcoming Events in Wicomico Schools

Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 1:30 p.m.

Monthly Meeting of Wicomico County Board of Education

Board of Education Auditorium

The October meeting of the Wicomico County Board of Education will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14 in the Board of Education auditorium. The agenda will be posted atwww.wcboe.org; click on the BoardDocs box (left side of home page) to view the agenda. 410-677-4561

Wednesday, Oct. 15

ReadiStep (8^th grade) and PSAT testing (all Wicomico students in grade 10, and any students in grades 9 and 11 who have signed up through the guidance office) in Wicomico secondary schools

Wednesday, Oct. 15

Superintendent’s Open Door Session

Board of Education Building

Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen will hold a Superintendent’s Open Door Session from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15 in the Administrative Conference Room of the Board of Education Building, Mt. Hermon Road and Long Avenue, Salisbury.  Open Door Sessions will be held throughout the 2014-2015 school year to provide the opportunity for people to meet one-on-one with the superintendent. People may express concerns, offer comment, or ask questions on any issue involving Wicomico schools. No appointment is needed. Each visitor will have approximately 15 minutes to meet with the superintendent. Follow-up sessions will be held if there are more visitors than there is time on the scheduled night. Open Door Sessions are also scheduled for 4-6 p.m. Nov. 19, Dec. 17, Jan. 21, Feb. 18, March 18, April 15 and May 20. 410-677-4495

Friday, Oct. 17

Schools closed for the Maryland State Education Association Convention. The Central office and school offices will be open.

Tuesday, Oct. 21

Free Walk-In Clinic for Kindergarten and Seventh-Grade Students Still Needing to Meet New MD Immunization Requirements

Wicomico County Health Department, West Carroll Street, Salisbury

To assist parents/guardians in ensuring that their child meets the new Maryland immunization requirements for students entering kindergarten and 7^th grade, the Wicomico County Health Department will hold a walk-in clinic from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21 at the Health Department, 300 W. Carroll St., Salisbury. The new required immunizations for students in kindergarten and grade 7 will be administered free of charge. The parent/guardian must bring in the student’s most up-to-date shot record, which may be obtained from the child’s physician or a school nurse.

Maryland immunization requirements changed for the 2014-2015 school year. All Maryland students entering the 7^th grade must receive a booster Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis/whooping cough) and MCV4 (meningococcal) vaccine. Maryland students entering kindergarten must receive a second dose of varicella (Chicken pox) vaccine. Wicomico schools sent letters to parents/guardians of any students in kindergarten or 7^th grade for whom proof had not yet been provided to the school of the student meeting Maryland’s new immunization requirements. Approximately 2,200 Wicomico kindergarten and 7^th grade students must meet the new requirements by Oct. 31, and for about 400 students, proof of meeting the new immunization requirements had not yet been provided to the school.

Thursday, Oct. 23

Adult Agency Meet & Greet for Families of Students with Developmental Disabilities

Wicomico High School Media Center

On Thursday, Oct. 23 the Office of Special Education will host an Adult Agency Meet & Greet for families of students with Developmental Disabilities. The Meet & Greet will be held in the media center at Wicomico High from 9-11 a.m. Local adult agencies will provide information to support families as they assist students to develop plans for after high school.  Students will select an agency in the year they exit high school for training and supported/integrated employment. All participants should enter the building in the main entrance on Long Avenue.  Students and teachers from Parkside and James M. Bennett High will be provided transportation for this important transition activity. For more information please contact Barbara Bell, the Transition Specialist, at 410-677-4430.

Friday, Oct. 24

Countywide casual day to support the WCEA College Scholarship Fund

All Wicomico schools and offices

Saturday, Oct. 25

ACT administration for students registered by Sept. 19

Tuesday, Oct. 28

End of 1^st marking period

Monday, Nov. 3

Professional Day

Schools closed for students

Tuesday, Nov. 4

Election Day

Schools and Central Office closed

Thursday, Nov. 6

Deadline to register for Dec. 6 SAT administration. Juniors and seniors should visit the guidance office for information.

Friday, Nov. 7

Report card distribution for 1^st marking period

Friday, Nov. 7

Deadline to register for Dec. 13 ACT administration. Juniors and seniors should visit the guidance office for information.

Friday, Nov. 7

Countywide casual day to support WBOC’s Bless Our Children Campaign

All Wicomico schools and offices

Saturday, Nov. 8

SAT administration for students who registered by Oct. 9

Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m.

Monthly Meeting of Wicomico County Board of Education

Board of Education Auditorium

The November meeting of the Wicomico County Board of Education will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11 in the Board of Education auditorium. The agenda will be posted atwww.wcboe.org; click on the BoardDocs box (left side of home page) to view the agenda. 410-677-4561

Friday, Nov. 14

Classics for a Cause Concert: Youth Supporting the Arts

(A Benefit Concert for the SWAC Instrument Barn and Other Arts Initiatives)

Asbury United Methodist Church, Salisbury

Talented pianists Amy Vennos and Peter Lim, both students at James M. Bennett High, will headline this year’s Classics for a Cause Concert: Youth Supporting the Arts on Friday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary of Asbury United Methodist Church in Salisbury. Joining senior Vennos and sophomore Lim on the program will be Gia Bautista, an eighth-grader at Wicomico Middle School, who will represent the next generation of student musicians with an interlude. There will be a dessert reception with the artists after the concert.

Classics for a Cause is a fund-raiser for the Salisbury Wicomico Arts Council’s Instrument Barn, which provides instruments to students who might not otherwise be able to play. This year’s concert will also help fund Arts Council initiatives including grants to schools and musical groups in the community.

Tickets are $10 adults, $8 for SWAC members/seniors/veterans, $5 students, and free for children under 5. Bring your gently used instrument to donate at the concert and your admission is free. Tickets are available at www.GetSWAC.org, 410-543-2787, or at the door that night. Tickets may also be purchased at the SWAC office at 104A Poplar Hill Ave., Salisbury, or by mail to SWAC, PO Box 884, Salisbury MD 21803.

Saturday, Nov. 15, 8:30 a.m.- 1 p.m.

Free Family Involvement Conference

“Making Stronger Connections:  Family, Schools & Community”

James M. Bennett High School

A free Family Involvement Conference, “Making Stronger Connections: Family, Schools & Community,” will be held at Parkside High School in Salisbury on Saturday, Nov. 15. The conference will run from 8:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and kicks off American Education Week (Nov 17 – 21) in Wicomico County Public Schools. 

The conference begins with breakfast and an opportunity for parents to make connections with community agencies who will be staffing tables, distributing resources, and answering questions.  This free conference will have workshops on topics such as STEM, arts in the classroom, positive behavior strategies, and College and Career overview – a choice of more than 30 workshops in all.  New this year is a 90-minute workshop on Financial Wellness and an overview of the computer program Naviance, a key resource for helping students to match their skills and interest with a career and college. 

Free child care will be provided for ages 2-5, and youth activities are available for ages 6-14(registration is required). Parents and guardians will have the opportunity to win door prizes donated by community businesses that support our students’ success.

Visit www.wcboe.org and click on Family Involvement Conference.  Parents can register for the conference online at https://www.wcboe.org/sites/family_involvement_conference/ or by completing a registration form and returning it to the student’s school. Registration forms will be sent home with every elementary and middle school student by Oct 11.  Parents of high school students may download a form from the website, request a form from their school, or call Faye Wilson 410-677-4529.

For questions or additional information, please contact:

Maria Curtis 410-677-5918, macurtis@wcboe.org

Beth Sheller 410-677-5813, msheller@wcboe.org

Faye Wilson 410-677-4529, fwilson@wcboe.org

Nov. 17-21

American Education Week in Wicomico Schools

Tuesday, Nov. 18

Board of Education Awards & Recognitions Night

Wicomico High School Auditorium

The first Wicomico County Board of Education Awards & Recognitions Night of the 2014-2015 school year will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18 in the Wicomico High School Auditorium in Salisbury. For information please contact 410-677-4465 or tsahler@wcboe.org.

Wednesday, Nov. 19

Superintendent’s Open Door Session

Board of Education Building

Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen will hold a Superintendent’s Open Door Session from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19 in the Administrative Conference Room of the Board of Education Building, Mt. Hermon Road and Long Avenue, Salisbury.  Open Door Sessions will be held throughout the 2014-2015 school year to provide the opportunity for people to meet one-on-one with the superintendent. People may express concerns, offer comment, or ask questions on any issue involving Wicomico schools. No appointment is needed. Each visitor will have approximately 15 minutes to meet with the superintendent. Follow-up sessions will be held if there are more visitors than there is time on the scheduled night. Open Door Sessions are also scheduled for 4-6 p.m. Dec. 17, Jan. 21, Feb. 18, March 18, April 15 and May 20. 410-677-4495

Nov. 26-28

Thanksgiving Holiday

Schools and Central Office closed

Friday, Dec. 5

Mid-term progress reports sent home

And looking way ahead on the calendar …

Saturday, March 7: 3^rd annual Maryland Eastern Shore Regional Spelling Bee at University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 10 a.m.

Saturday, March 21: Destination Imagination Eastern Region Tournament, Salisbury Middle School