Garrett County Public Schools

05/08/2026

GCPS is pleased to share the following important information from Partners in Children’s Health regarding the importance of well-child visits and recommended checkup schedules for children.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥-𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫:
Well-child visits help keep your child healthy as they grow. Well-child visits track growth and development, give needed vaccines, and check vision, hearing, and behavior. They are also a time for parents to ask questions and get advice about sleep, nutrition, school, and safety. Finding concerns early helps children get support sooner and stay on track for healthy development. For children under 3-years-old, the recommended visits are outlined in the schedule below. Children 3 years of age and older are recommended to have a well-child visit annually.

𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥-𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞:
Newborn (3-5 days), 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, 24 months, and 30 months.

𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥-𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞:
✔ Growth and development screenings
✔ Recommended immunizations to help protect against serious diseases
✔ Nutrition and wellness guidance
✔ Preventative care and early detection

𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬?
Well-child visits are a great time to ask your child's healthcare provider any questions you may have so you can make an informed decision!

Call your P*P to schedule today!

05/08/2026

𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓-𝟐𝟔 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭

Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) welcomed the 2025–26 Maryland Teachers of the Year for a multi-day retreat designed to provide opportunities for collaboration, professional networking, and exploration of the region’s unique attractions and educational opportunities.

The educators arrived earlier this week on Wednesday and spent several days exploring the region while connecting with fellow teacher leaders from across the state. The retreat concluded following lunch today.

Throughout their visit, participants enjoyed a variety of hosted meals and opportunities to experience many of Garrett County’s unique attractions and points of interest. The retreat highlighted both the natural beauty and strong sense of community that make Garrett County a special place to live, work, and learn.

In addition to exploring the county, the teachers had the opportunity to see several GCPS programs firsthand. Visits and presentations allowed the group to learn more about the district’s commitment to student success through innovative instruction, career and technical education opportunities, community partnerships, and student-centered learning experiences.

GCPS extends its appreciation to the local businesses, organizations, staff members, and community partners who helped make the retreat a memorable experience for the visiting educators. Their support helped showcase the hospitality, educational excellence, and community spirit that define Garrett County.

05/08/2026

Congratulations to Rowan Bender on being named a semifinalist in the “If I Were Mayor, I Would…” essay contest sponsored by the Maryland Municipal League! Rowan’s hard work and achievement exemplify the Bulldog spirit. We're proud to celebrate this outstanding achievement - congratulations, Rowan!

05/08/2026

𝐒𝐆𝐇𝐒 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Students in the seventh grade at Southern Garrett High School (SGHS) recently stepped into the role of library curators through a collaborative project designed to foster literacy, research skills, and student voice.

Working alongside their English teachers and the school media specialist, students researched books based on topics and genres that interested them personally. Throughout the process, students evaluated potential selections by reviewing content, considering age appropriateness, and examining critical reviews before making their final recommendations.

After the selections were approved, the books were purchased using school media funds and added to the library collection.

To commemorate their contributions, each student placed a personalized sticker inside the cover of their selected book. These books will remain a permanent part of the Southern High School library, allowing future students to enjoy and benefit from the curated selections.

The project provided students with a meaningful opportunity to take ownership of their school library while encouraging thoughtful reading choices and a deeper appreciation for literature.

05/08/2026

05/08/2026

𝐆𝐂𝐏𝐒 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) is proud to recognize two educators who recently presented at the Common Ground Conference in Towson, Maryland, sharing innovative instructional practices with educators from across the state.

Mrs. Danielle Hazelwood, Accident Elementary Teacher, and Mrs. Kendra Kerns, Yough Glades Elementary Teacher, collaborated with educators from Somerset County Public Schools to lead a session focused on computational thinking in elementary classrooms. The presentation provided teachers with engaging strategies and hands-on activities designed to strengthen students’ problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking skills.

Participants from school systems across Maryland attended the session to learn ways computational thinking can be integrated into everyday classroom instruction to support student learning and engagement.

“Opportunities like this showcase the expertise and leadership of our educators,” said Mrs. Amy Warnick, Supervisor of Secondary Instruction. “We are proud of Mrs. Hazelwood and Mrs. Kerns for representing Garrett County Public Schools and contributing to meaningful professional learning opportunities for teachers across Maryland.”

The collaborative presentation reflects GCPS’s continued commitment to innovative teaching practices, professional growth, and preparing students with the skills needed for future success.

05/07/2026

𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐃 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

On May 2, 2026, a talented delegation of 8th-grade students from Northern Middle School represented Garrett County Public Schools at the Maryland History Day state competition, held at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).

Northern Middle School is proud to announce that several students earned top honors for their rigorous historical research and creative presentations, competing against the finest young historians from across the state. State qualifiers included:
• 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞: Cash VanSickle
• 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞: Jolene Engle & Madison Riley; Elodie Morel & Raina Schrock
• 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐱𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭: Lawson Call; Corinna Eller
• 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐄𝐱𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭: Brooklyn Kroll & Maci McCroskey; Gwen Kostovick & Brystol Marsh

Three students received prestigious special awards for excellence in specific areas of historical inquiry:
• 𝐋𝐚𝐰𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 received the 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐄. 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐌 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 for his exhibit, "The Wonderful World Wide Web: This is for Everyone." Sponsored by the National Cryptologic Foundation, this award includes a cash prize of up to $500.
• 𝐆𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐧 𝐊𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡 were honored with the 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞 for their exhibit on "Alexander Hamilton." Sponsored by George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the award included a cash prize and a commemorative bust of the first President.

The success of the program is bolstered by an outstanding educator, Mrs. Amanda Wilburn, U.S. History teacher, who was named the 2026 Garrett County History Day Teacher of the Year. Her dedication to her students’ success and historical literacy has been instrumental in the program's growth.

Maryland History Day is a long-term research project that serves as a cornerstone of the 8th-grade curriculum at Northern Middle School. While the project provides vital research experience for all students, those in the Honors Gifted and Talented course go above and beyond to compete at the school, county, and state levels.

"We are extremely proud of these students' hard work," noted a competition judge. "These research projects represent an accelerated learning opportunity where students demonstrate mastery in digital, information, and historical literacies while exploring their personal interests in the humanities."

05/07/2026

05/07/2026

Grantsville Families with children ages birth to five years old, check out this unique opportunity from The Grantsville Elementary Judy Center Early Learning Hub! Registration is now open.

🌱🐾 Bulldogs Get Their Paws Dirty! 🐾🌱
Join us for a fun, hands-on family gardening night!
Bring the kids and get ready to dig in, plant, and grow together!
📅 May 20, 2026
⏰ 5:30–7:00 PM
📍 Grantsville Elementary School Cafeteria
👨‍🌾 Special guest Ashley Bodkins (University of MD Extension) and master gardeners will lead fun activities with seeds and soil!
🌱 Each family will take home:
• A grow bag with a tomato plant 🍅
• A seed snail 🐌
• A rain gauge 🌧️
Open to families with children Birth–5th grade in the Grantsville School District
⚠️ Limited spots available!
📝 Registration opens May 6 at 5:00 PM
👉 Sign up here: https://forms.gle/gaVdKTgA8MdNJ7NX8
📞 Need help registering? Call/Text:
Rhonda: 240-321-2159
Dana: 301-895-5173 ext. 2923
Let’s get a little messy and grow something amazing together! 🌻💚

05/07/2026

05/06/2026

𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝

Join Southern Garrett High School for its first Marching Band Clinic on Monday, May 11, 2026, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., in the band room. Southern High and Broad Ford students currently in 6th through 11th grades are welcome to participate. This is a great opportunity to check out what marching band is all about--winds, percussion, keyboards, and color guard!.

Please contact Mr. Shaw at [email protected] with any questions. If you are interested in this opportunity, but are unable to attend, a second clinic will be offered on May 26, 2026, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.