2015 Teacher of the Year Candidates Named

Somerset County Public Schools is in its 28th year of participation in the state Teacher of the Year (TOY) Contest. Each year schools are asked to choose their respective Teacher of the Year. Those individuals compete on a local level. An Elementary Teacher of the Year and a Secondary Teacher of the Year are chosen after the process. From those two, a county TOY is name to represent the school system on the state level. This year's nominees are, as usual, strong educators who make a significant difference in the lives of their students. They are Jeremy Holland, art teacher at Crisfield Academy and High School; Vestina Davis, social studies teacher at Washington Academy and High School; Jeff Hale, special education teacher at J.M. Tawes Technology and Career School; Susan Finlayson, Grade 2 teacher at Woodson Elementary School; Tania Cunningham-Smith, special education teacher at Somerset Intermediate School, Debbie Whitney, Kindergarten teacher at Princess Anne Elementary School; and Melodi Power, media specialist at Greenwood Elementary School. The Elementary, Secondary and overall Teachers of the Year will be announced at the school system's annual gala on March 20 at the Henson Center at UMES.

PARENT MEETING AT GREENWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL-6:00 PM FEBRUARY 12 TO DISCUSS CAPACITY ISSUE AT PAE

Somerset County Public Schools officials will hold a public meeting at 6:00 PM on Thursday February 12, 2015, in the cafeteria at Greenwood Elementary School. Parents from Greenwood and Princess Anne Elementary are encouraged to attend. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss capacity issues which include overcrowding conditions at PAE and the potential changes that may take place for the coming school year 2015-2016. Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Tom Davis said, "I hope many parents will attend and no decision has been made on how the capacity issue will be addressed. We need parent knowledge and input." To date a joint staff meeting with the two schools and a follow up survey have been conducted. At the meeting on Thursday, information will be shared. Input will be sought. Subsequent to the meeting a parent survey will be placed online. A paper and pencil survey will be available to parents at the meeting for parents who did not have online access. A joint staff meeting will be held on March 5 to discuss survey results and a joint parent meeting will be held sometime between March 10 and March 12 to discuss parent surveys results. Mr. Davis indicated that the goal is to share recommendations with the Board at its monthly meeting on March 17 for study purposes and then to hear from the Board as to their decision at their meeting on April 21.

Career Fair to be Held at JM. Tawes-Students in Grades 10-12 to Attend

Students in grades 10 through 12 will participate in a career fair to be held tomorrow February 12 at J.M. Tawes Technology and Career Center from 8:00 AM-12:00 PM. Representatives from several agencies, companies and branches of the military will be on hand to speak to students as they plan their futures.