Today, GCPS celebrates our amazing Substitute Educators—dedicated professionals who step in with flexibility, patience, and care to keep learning moving forward. Thank you for your commitment to our schools and for helping ensure that teaching and learning never miss a beat! 📚
If you're interested in becoming a substitute educator, please be on the lookout for our next sub training, which will take place in January 2026.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐂𝐏𝐒 𝐅𝐘𝟐𝟕 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐲
The Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) FY27 Operating Budget development is underway. Mrs. Ashley Glotfelty, Director of Finance, presented preliminary revenues during the November Board Meeting. The slideshow and other budget development materials are available on our website.
GCPS is committed to transparency throughout the process. As we work to prioritize student success, classroom resources, and the needs of our schools, we encourage families, staff, and community members to stay engaged. Updates, timelines, and documents on the FY27 Budget have been shared on our website at www.gcps.net/page/fy2027-budget-development.
GCPS proudly celebrates the dedicated professionals who keep our schools running smoothly and our students supported every single day. From paraprofessionals, secretaries, and custodians to bus drivers, food service staff, tech teams, and so many others—you are the backbone of our school community.
Thank you for your hard work, your care, and the countless ways you help students succeed. We appreciate you today and every day!
#ESPDay #GCPSMD #GCPSMDProud #ThankYouESP
𝐇𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
The Hickory Environmental Education Center's annual holiday open house will be held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. The public is invited to tour the Nature Hall and view a short program in the planetarium. Light refreshments will be provided. This special event is the only occasion when the facility is open to the general public. Hickory is located at 604 Pride Parkway, Accident, MD 21520. Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Hickory Environmental Education Center at 301-746-8461.
This week, GCPS proudly celebrates our incredible educators, support staff, students, and families who make learning possible every day. Every role matters in helping our students grow, achieve, and thrive.
Join us in thanking the dedicated individuals who keep GCPS moving forward and make our schools vibrant, welcoming places to learn.
#AmericanEducationWeek #GCPSMD #ThankATeacher #PublicSchoolsStrong
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐫. 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐚 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐆𝐂𝐏𝐒
Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) was honored to welcome Dr. Joshua Michael, President of the Maryland State Board of Education, for a visit earlier this week. Dr. Michael spent time at both Crellin Elementary School and Southern Garrett High School, engaging with students and staff and learning more about GCPS’s instructional programs.
At Crellin Elementary, Dr. Michael toured the school, visited classrooms, and spoke with teachers and students in the Environmental Education Laboratory. At Southern Garrett High School, Dr. Michael observed a variety of instructional settings, including a Computer Science class, an eighth-grade math class, and an Algebra II class.
GCPS appreciates Dr. Michael’s time and interest in the district and looks forward to continued collaboration with the Maryland State Board of Education.
During the November 11, 2025, Board Meeting, Dr. Nicole Miller, Chief Academic Officer, and Mrs. Ashley Glotfelty, Director of Finance, presented an update on Weighted Student Funding and proposed FY26 waiver requests. The presentation outlined the district’s progress toward compliance with the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and detailed two specific waiver requests.
Blueprint legislation requires school systems to allocate a minimum percentage of funds at the school level—either 75% or 100%, depending on the category—across areas such as compensatory education, multilingual learners, special education, pre-kindergarten, and concentration of poverty.
Following an analysis supported by the Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB) and APA Consulting, GCPS has established a strong compliance baseline and continues refining financial coding structures to ensure full alignment with reporting expectations.
The presentation is available for review at https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/garrett/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=DJUFHY3F2D30. GCPS invites parents, staff, and community members to share feedback on the proposed waiver requests from November 12–21, 2025, through the following online form, https://forms.gle/v2cukFeXy9MVfjr16, which is also embedded in the presentation.
In addition, two in-person opportunities for feedback will be available during Coffee with the Superintendent events:
• Tuesday, November 18, 2025 – Dennett Road Educational Complex, Community Room at 8:15 a.m.
• Friday, November 21, 2025 – Northern Middle School, Community Room at 8:15 a.m.
For more information about the waiver process, please visit www.gcps.net.
𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓, 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
The Garrett County Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at Northern Middle School in the cafeteria. The meeting is open to the public and will be live-streamed for public review via https://youtube.com/live/jXhDnIrtsKM?feature=share.
Public comment for the September Board Meeting will begin at 3:00 p.m., after which time the Board will go into executive session until 5:30 p.m. to discuss personnel topics, a negotiations topic, and a legal matter. The Board of Education will reconvene for the public session from 6:00 p.m. to 7:10 p.m. in the cafeteria. Time is set aside during the public session for the hearing of constituents at approximately 6:45 p.m. Please note, this time is approximate, and public comment may be adjusted based on the timing of the presentations.
Topics excluded from Public Comment include:
• Individual personnel issues
• Comments identifying individual students or staff members
• Matters that are on appeal or may be appealed or have been appealed.
• Topics for which the Board schedules formal public hearings
• Advertising or solicitation for products and/or services
The agenda for the Public Session can be accessed at BoardDocs - https://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/garrett/Board.nsf/Public. The agenda is not considered final until the Board takes action to accept it at the start of each meeting.
Part or all of the meeting may be closed pursuant to the General Provision §3-305 of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
Please join us for the Broad Ford Broadway Bobcats' theatrical debut! Winnie the Pooh, Kids, is a whimsical tale that takes place in the Hundred Acre Wood. Winnie the Pooh is, once again, in search of honey. Along the way, he meets his pals, Tigger, Piglet, Rabbit, and Owl, but soon discovers that Christopher Robin has been captured by the mysterious Backson! As they prepare for a rescue operation, the animals learn about teamwork, friendship, and, of course... sharing snacks!
All shows will be conducted at the Garrett College Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $5 (plus processing fees) for all ages.
Click a showtime link below to purchase tickets.
Shows:
𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟏, 𝟕:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌 - https://performingartscenteratgarrettc.ticketspice.com/winnie-the-pooh-kids
𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟐, 𝟕:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌 - https://performingartscenteratgarrettc.ticketspice.com/winnie-the-pooh-kids2
𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟑, 𝟐:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌 - https://performingartscenteratgarrettc.ticketspice.com/winnie-the-pooh-kids-112325
For additional information, please contact Mrs. Annalea Burgess, Director Broad Ford Broadway Bobcats Theater Program, via email at annalea.burgess@gcps.net.
Dr. Brenda McCartney, Superintendent of Schools, will hold two “Coffee with the Superintendent” opportunities for parents, guardians, and community members in November. The first Coffee with the Superintendent is scheduled for Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at the Dennett Road Educational Complex in the Community Room, and the second is scheduled for Friday, November 21, 2025, at Northern Middle School in the Community Room. Both meetings will be held from 8:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Coffee with the Superintendent is a way for parents, guardians, and community members to share ideas, ask questions, and discuss the future of the school district in a relaxed, informal setting. During the November sessions, the Superintendent will be available to listen, answer questions, and gather community feedback on the school system’s Weighted Student Funding Waivers, which will be discussed at the November Board of Education meeting.
These events are open to all parents, guardians, and community members interested in Garrett County Public Schools.
Thank you for your service. ❤️🤍💙
#VeteransDay #ThankYouVeterans #GCPSMDProud
Garrett County Public Schools proudly recognizes our dedicated school psychologists for the vital role they play in supporting the academic, social, emotional, and mental well-being of our students. 💙
Their expertise helps create safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments where every student can thrive.
This year's theme, "Finding Your Path," reflects the ways that school psychologists help students, families, and school communities set and achieve their goals.
Please join us in thanking our GCPS school psychologists for all they do to make a difference—every day, in every school! 👏💫
#SchoolPsychWeek #ThankYouSchoolPsychologists #GCPSMDProud
UPDATE: 11/6/25 at 12:40 p.m. The power has been restored at all locations. Phones are now operating.
𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬
There is a power outage affecting the Northern Garrett Educational Campus (Northern Middle, Northern High, and Hickory), and Accident Elementary. Lunch is being served. Phone service is out at each location. Anyone with an immediate need may contact 301-334-8901, and a message will be relayed to the appropriate school.
𝐌𝐒𝐃𝐄 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒-𝟐𝟓 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐂𝐏𝐒
The Maryland State Department of Education released the Maryland School Report Card. The report card
contains data for every school in the state. GCPS, along with the rest of the state, has experienced a slight change in its star ratings.
Schools earn between one and five stars based on the percentage of points earned across a series of indicators. These scores reflect school performance on multiple components. For elementary and middle schools, the system includes Academic Achievement, Academic Progress, Progress in Achieving English Language Proficiency, and School Quality and Student Success. For high schools, the system includes Academic Achievement, Graduation Rate, Progress in English Language Proficiency, Graduation Rates, and School Quality and Student Success. Achieving English language proficiency was not factored into GCPS scoring due to the minimal population of multilingual learners within GCPS.
GCPS has achieved the following results for the 2024-25 school year: five (5) four-star schools – Accident Elementary, Crellin Elementary, Friendsville Elementary, Grantsville Elementary, and Northern High; and six (6) three-star schools – Broad Ford School, Northern Middle, Route 40 Elementary, Southern High, Swan Meadow School, and Yough Glades Elementary. GCPS averaged 3.45 stars across all eleven schools, slightly above the state average of 3.35 stars. Of note, six of the GCPS schools were just shy of moving up to the next star rating, with four percentage points or less separating them from it.
Additionally, GCPS demonstrated notable growth on the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA), achieving significant gains across grade levels.
• Grade 8 MISA proficiency increased by 8.6% from the 2023–2024 to the 2024–2025 school year.
• High School Life Science MISA proficiency increased by 13.2% during the same period.
These results recently earned GCPS state recognition from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) for outpacing the state average in proficiency growth, reflecting the district’s continued commitment to excellence in science instruction and student achievement.
“We are proud of the dedication our educators, students, and families have shown in achieving meaningful progress in student learning,” said Dr. Nicole Miller, GCPS Chief Academic Officer. “However, we recognize that there is more work ahead. We remain focused on strengthening instruction, supporting every learner, and building on our successes to ensure excellence across all schools."
This is the sixth year for MD School Report Cards and the star ratings system. To view statewide, county, or school-specific data, please visit the Maryland Report Card: https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/.
UPDATE: Reservations for this show are now full. Please look for additional opportunities in the future to see the light show.
𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟏𝟏/𝟏𝟒/𝟐𝟓 𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐦
A light show set to the music of Pink Floyd will be presented at the Hickory Environmental Education Center planetarium on Friday, November 14, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. There is no admission fee, but donations are greatly appreciated and will be used to support Hickory. This show is for adults only, and seats must be reserved in advance by emailing Jason Shank at jason.shank@gcps.net. Hickory is part of Garrett County Public Schools. Drugs, alcohol, and tobacco are prohibited on school grounds.
The Garrett County Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at Northern Middle School in the cafeteria. The meeting is open to the public and will be live-streamed for public review.
Public comment for the September Board Meeting will begin at 3:00 p.m., after which time the Board will go into executive session until 5:30 p.m. to discuss personnel topics, a negotiations topic, and a legal matter. The Board of Education will reconvene for the public session from 6:00 p.m. to 7:10 p.m. in the cafeteria. Time is set aside during the public session for the hearing of constituents at approximately 6:45 p.m. Please note, this time is approximate, and public comment may be adjusted based on the timing of the presentations.
Topics excluded from Public Comment include:
• Individual personnel issues
• Comments identifying individual students or staff members
• Matters that are on appeal or may be appealed or have been appealed.
• Topics for which the Board schedules formal public hearings
• Advertising or solicitation for products and/or services
The agenda for the Public Session can be accessed at BoardDocs - https://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/garrett/Board.nsf/Public. The agenda is not considered final until the Board takes action to accept it at the start of each meeting.
Part or all of the meeting may be closed pursuant to the General Provision §3-305 of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
COFFEE WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT RETURNS IN NOVEMBER
Dr. Brenda McCartney, Superintendent of Schools, will hold two “Coffee with the Superintendent” opportunities for parents, guardians, and community members in November. The first Coffee with the Superintendent is scheduled for Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at the Dennett Road Educational Complex in the Community Room, and the second is scheduled for Friday, November 21, 2025, at Northern Middle School in the Community Room. Both meetings will be held from 8:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Coffee with the Superintendent is a way for parents, guardians, and community members to share ideas, ask questions, and discuss the future of the school district in a relaxed, informal setting. During the November sessions, the Superintendent will be available to listen, answer questions, and gather community feedback on the school system’s Weighted Student Funding Waivers, which will be discussed at the November Board of Education meeting.
These events are open to all parents, guardians, and community members interested in Garrett County Public Schools.
Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) administrators and members of the Garrett County Board of Education recently toured the renovation site of the future Broad Ford School to observe ongoing progress and receive an update on construction milestones.
During the visit, Mr. Bobby Witt, GCPS Director of System Operations, shared that the renovation project, which will relocate Broad Ford Elementary to the former Southern Middle building, is now approximately 75% complete. Additionally, he noted that sitework outside the building will continue as weather permits, ensuring that key exterior improvements remain on schedule.
Several pieces of new playground equipment have already been installed, with the remaining installations expected to be completed within the next month. Inside the building, finishing work will progress steadily as more areas are sealed from the outside elements, allowing interior crews to advance flooring, painting, tile, and final installations.
Mr. Witt expressed appreciation for the collaboration and progress to date. “It’s exciting to see this project taking shape. The renovated Broad Ford School represents a major investment in the future of our students and our community,” he said.
The visit offered an opportunity for administrators and Board members to see firsthand how the project is advancing toward completion. GCPS will continue to share updates as construction moves closer to its final stages.
Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend! Don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour before you go to bed on Saturday night, November 1st.
