📣 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐬! 𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐊 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 📣
Applications for Kindergarten and Pre-K (ages 3 & 4) for the 2026–27 school year open on February 9, 2026, at 8:00 a.m.* Learn more about each program by visiting https://www.gcps.net/o/gcps/page/student-enrollment and selecting your desired program. 🌐
*𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒐𝒏 𝑭𝒆𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒔𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑰𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝟐- 𝒐𝒓 𝟑-𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒚, 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒕 𝟏𝟎:𝟎𝟎 𝒂.𝒎. 𝒐𝒓 𝟏𝟏:𝟎𝟎 𝒂.𝒎., 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒚.
Follow along over the next week, and we will take a closer look at each program. If you have questions about a program or desire school-specific questions, please reach out to your local school's office or the Office of Elementary Education at 301-334-8927. 📲
Your child’s learning journey starts here, in GCPS! 📖
𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝟏/𝟑𝟎/𝟐𝟔
Garrett County Public Schools will open two (2) hours late on Friday, January 30, 2026.
𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐲 – 𝟏/𝟑𝟎/𝟐𝟔
Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) is preparing for the possibility of a Virtual Learning Day on Friday, January 30, 2026. All necessary learning materials will be sent home with students today, Wednesday, January 28, 2026. No decision has been made at this time. A message will be sent through our regular media outlets and school system alerts no later than 6:00 a.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026, regarding whether a virtual learning day will be implemented.
In reviewing the extended forecast, students may be sent home prepared for the possibility of virtual learning daily.
Full details of the 2025-26 GCPS Virtual Learning Plan are available on the homepage of our website, www.gcps.net.
𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓-𝟐𝟔 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞-𝐮𝐩 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐝
The Maryland State Board of Education approved the Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) request to use Monday, February 16th, Presidents’ Day, and Monday, April 6th, Easter Monday, as make-up days. Additionally, as pre-approved on the GCPS 2025-26 Calendar, Friday, June 5th, will be used as a make-up day.
Should any additional traditional inclement weather days occur, those make-up days will be added to the end of the school year. For up-to-date information on the GCPS calendar, please visit www.gcps.net/calendars.
𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
Garrett County Public Schools will conduct a Virtual Learning Day (with live instruction) on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. Schools will be closed for in-person learning.
A decision about Tuesday’s afternoon and evening activities will be made by midday on January 27, 2026.
𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 - 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
Garrett County Public Schools will conduct a Virtual Learning Day (with live instruction for the morning) on Monday, January 26, 2026. Since this day was scheduled as a 3-hour early student dismissal, students will only be involved in morning instruction. Teachers will complete their scheduled professional development for the afternoon. All afternoon and evening activities are canceled. Liberal leave is in effect for employees.
All Garrett County Public Schools’ activities for Saturday, January 24th, must conclude by 4:00 pm. All activities scheduled for Sunday, January 25th, are canceled. All GCPS facilities will close at 4 pm on Saturday and remain closed on Sunday.
Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) has used three traditional inclement weather days, as required by the State. Virtual Learning Days could not be used until this occurred. Since we met this criterion, GCPS is preparing for the possibility of a Virtual Learning Day on Monday, January 26, 2026. All necessary learning materials will be sent home with students today, Friday, January 23, 2026. No decision has been made at this time. A message will be sent through our regular media outlets and school system alerts no later than 6:00 a.m. on Monday, January 26, 2026, regarding whether a virtual learning day will be implemented.
As established on the Approved 2025-26 GCPS Calendar, a three-hour early dismissal is planned for Monday, January 26, 2026. This Professional Day provides an opportunity for teachers to bring closure to the first semester/2nd grading term. This day no longer floats as it did in prior years. If GCPS shifts to a virtual learning day on Monday, the three-hour early dismissal will occur, and students should follow the schedule provided by their school.
Due to the potential impact of this system, plans are in place to utilize additional Virtual Learning Days, if needed. Full details of the 2025-26 GCPS Virtual Learning Plan are available on the homepage of our website, www.gcps.net.
𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐉𝐫. 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏/𝟏𝟗/𝟐𝟔
Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2026, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Both schools and offices will be closed. GCPS is scheduled to reopen on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. For full calendar details, please visit www.gcps.net/calendars.
𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐂𝐏𝐒 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔-𝟐𝟕 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫
During the January 13, 2026, Board Meeting, the proposed Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) 2026-27 school calendar, developed by the GCPS Calendar Committee, was approved. It is now available on the Public Relations page of our website: www.gcps.net/public-relations, under the GCPS Calendars tab. The Calendar Committee, which consisted of parents, staff, administrators, and a Board member, met in November & December 2025, and January 2026.
The approved calendar features a pre-Labor Day start, with students returning to school on August 31, 2026, and the school tentatively concluding on June 3, 2027. Professional development days are scheduled throughout the year. The 91st day of school is scheduled for January 28, 2027. Students will be dismissed three hours early on this day. The day will NOT move (or “float”) as it has in the past.
Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held once, on February 1, 2027, tentatively planned to occur from 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. All major holidays are also school holidays. Additional holidays include October 9, 2026 (Autumn Glory Friday), November 3, 2026 (Election Day), November 30, 2026 (Thanksgiving Monday), and March 29, 2027 (Easter Monday).
Three make-up days are scheduled during the school year to account for potential inclement weather: February 15, March 29, and June 4, 2027. These make-up dates are marked with snowflakes on the calendar and will be used in numerical order as possible make-up days. Since it's impossible to predict inclement weather days or emergency system-wide closings, it is recommended that vacations not be scheduled until at least after June 11th to avoid any scheduling conflicts. If additional days are needed, the school year will be extended to meet the state requirement of 180 days.
𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬, 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡, 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬.
This bacterium is found in the nose, throat, and mouth of an infected person and can be easily spread. Pertussis can occur at any age, but it often causes serious problems in babies, and is usually milder in older children and adults. Children who are too young to be fully vaccinated and those who have not received all their vaccinations are at the highest risk for severe illness and complications. Complications of pertussis can include pneumonia (infection of the lungs), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), seizures, and other physical and medical outcomes associated with a severe cough.
𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧-𝐭𝐨-𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
Pertussis is spread to others by direct, close contact with secretions from the nose, throat, and mouth of an infected person. Droplets from a cough or a sneeze can spread the disease to others. A person with pertussis may be contagious for as long as 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after symptoms begin (if untreated). Anyone with pertussis should not attend childcare, school, work, or other public places until they have completed 5 days of an appropriate antibiotic treatment.
𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞:
🔹Low fever
🔹Runny nose
🔹Cough that is mild at first, then severe with times of deep, rapid coughing and a crowing or high-pitched “whoop”. The cough often worsens at night.
🔹Vomiting after coughing
Symptoms occur within 5 to 21 days (usually 7 to 10 days) after someone has been exposed to an infected person.
𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
People who think they may have pertussis should see a doctor or their local health department to find out if they need to be tested. The preferred method of testing is to swab the back of the nose for culture or other special pertussis testing.
𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.
Pertussis is treated with an antibiotic, and if treated soon enough, the antibiotic may decrease the contagiousness and severity of the disease.
𝐀 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝/𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬.
People in close contact may include:
🔹Persons who live in the same house;
🔹Persons who have contact with mouth or nose secretions, such as through a cough or sneeze, or sharing food and eating utensils;
🔹Persons who have done medical treatments such as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or intubation; or
🔹Close contacts in child and daycare settings, schools, work, or extracurricular activities.
𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞.
Every child should get the pertussis vaccine at 2, 4, 6, and 15 to 18 months of age, and another dose at 4 to 6 years of age. A single dose of pertussis-containing vaccine (Tdap) is recommended for adolescents ages 11 to 18, and for adults 19-64 who received their last Td booster greater than or equal to10 years ago. The Tdap vaccine is especially recommended for all healthcare workers and adults in close contact with infants. Age-appropriate vaccination is required for enrollment in Maryland childcare institutions and schools. For additional information about the pertussis vaccine, please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/
UPDATE 12/16/2026:
Based on information received from the Maryland State Board and the State Superintendent, calendar modification requests will not be accepted until the January State Board Meeting of the current school year. This makes Presidents’ Day the earliest holiday on which a local school system may request the State Board for schools to be open on a holiday due to inclement weather. The State Board and the State Superintendent of Schools strongly recommended that local school systems refrain from designating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day as an inclement weather recovery day in their school calendars, as noted in the previously proposed 2026-27 calendar linked above. The calendar committee reconvened on December 15, 2025, to discuss this change. As a result, the committee determined that community input was necessary to finalize the proposed calendar, particularly regarding the placement of built-in snow make-up days and the graduation date. Once the survey closes, the calendar committee will reconvene to propose an updated calendar at the January 13, 2026, Board meeting.
Update 12/11/25 3:15 pm:
Based on information received from the Maryland State Board and the State Superintendent, it will not be possible to use Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a make-up day for inclement weather, as noted in the proposed 2026-27 calendar. The Calendar Committee will reconvene, and a revised proposed calendar will be posted soon.
GCPS is Now Accepting Feedback for the Proposed 2026-27 School Calendar
Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) is collecting feedback on the proposed 2026-27 school year calendar. The feedback collected will be provided to the Garrett County Board of Education (GCBOE) members. The calendar and feedback form may be found under the "Calendars" tab on the Public Relations page of the website: www.gcps.net/calendars.
For the 2026-27 calendar, the Calendar Committee has recommended a pre-Labor Day start of August 31, 2026, with a scheduled end date of June 3, 2027. There are nine (9) Professional Development Days built into the calendar, one per month beginning in September and running through May. There are three make-up days built into the calendar, but if necessary, additional days will be added at the end of the school year. Of note, MD Statute §7–103.2 requires school systems to utilize the make-up days built into the calendar before implementing Virtual Learning. Therefore, based on the proposed calendar, GCPS must have three (3) traditional inclement weather days before a virtual learning day may be implemented.
Additionally, the Calendar Committee recommends adopting a standard practice for determining whether the annual school calendar will begin before or after Labor Day. Under this recommendation, September 5th will serve as the official marker:
• If Labor Day falls before September 5th, the committee will create a post–Labor Day calendar.
• If Labor Day falls on or after September 5th, the committee will create a pre–Labor Day calendar.
Please review the calendar in its entirety before providing feedback. All information collected will be shared with the Board and posted to BoardDocs under the January 13, 2026, meeting agenda item. Please use the Google Form to provide feedback on the calendar selections you believe are in students' best interests. Written comments may also be submitted via mail or by email to the following address:
Garrett County Public Schools
Attn: Public Relations Office
770 Dennett Road
Oakland, MD 21550
public.info@gcps.net
Feedback will be accepted through Thursday, January 1, 2026. The Board will review each comment before voting on the calendar at the January 13, 2026, Board Meeting.
This week, GCPS proudly celebrates the strength that comes from honoring every student’s unique abilities, experiences, and perspectives. Inclusive Schools Week is a reminder of our shared commitment to creating welcoming, supportive learning environments where all students feel valued, respected, and empowered to succeed.
Thank you to our students, families, educators, and staff for working together to build classrooms that embrace diversity and foster belonging every day.
Together, we are a stronger, more inclusive community. 🌟
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.
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
To Yough Glades Elementary School Families:
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. The waiver request associated with Yough Glades Elementary School includes Multilingual Learner reporting categories.
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.
Sincerely,
Anne Ross, Principal
The Garrett County Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at the Dennett Road Educational Complex in the Community Room. The meeting is open to the public and will be live-streamed for public review.
Public comment for the October Board Meeting will begin at 4:00 p.m., after which time the Board will go into executive session until 5:40 p.m. to discuss personnel topics. The Board of Education will reconvene for its public session from 6:00 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. Time is set aside during the public session for the hearing of constituents at approximately 7:00 p.m. Please note that 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.
Student progress reports for the first grading period will be released today, Thursday, October 2, 2025. Schools will release the progress reports according to their school-specific policy. Please refer to your student handbook or contact your school office with any questions.
A reminder from GCPS: Parents/Guardians have the option to opt their child out of the Family Life and Human Sexuality objectives included in the Health Education Framework. To support informed decision-making, parents and guardians are encouraged to review the health education instructional materials, which are available at each school. If you have questions about the opt-out process or would like to review the materials, please contact your child’s school directly.
*this was a pre-registered event*
