Cecil County Connections

The new school year is right around the corner, and Cecil County Public Schools is celebrating with a bang! Mark your calendars because our Back to School Kickoff events begin next week. Bring the family for an evening packed with fun, community resources, and back-to-school essentials to get your students energized for the year ahead. What to Expect:

• Fresh Looks: Get a free, simple hair trims or buzz cuts to get students picture-ready!

• Endless Fun: Free face painting, inflatables, and dance along with a live DJ.

• Interactive Exhibits: Tour a real school bus, check out the Cecil County Library bookmobile, and meet with the Sheriff’s Office for kidprinting.

• Connect & Explore: Meet staff members from your school, collect giveaways, and visit local community vendor tables.

• Tasty Treats: Enjoy free hot dogs, chips, and water (while supplies last), plus Kona Ice will be available for purchase!

All events run from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Check out the flyer below for dates for each feeder group.

Important Reminder: Everyone attending must sign in before entering the event. We can't wait to see you there!

Parenting in today's fast-paced world comes with unique challenges, but you don't have to navigate them alone. Through Cecil County Public School's partnership with The Cook Center for Human Interaction and its resource, ParentGuidance.org, all parents, guardians, and caregivers have access to free, confidential Parent Coaching. This service pairs you with a dedicated cognitive-behavioral coach to support you with challenges such as anxiety, stress, behavior, screen time habits, and communication breakdowns.

What Parent Coaching Includes:

• Personalized Virtual Sessions: Meet weekly or bi-weekly with your dedicated coach to set goals, build confidence, and develop practical strategies tailored to your family's needs.

• 24/7 Messaging Access: Ask questions and receive guidance from your coach whenever difficult parenting moments arise between sessions.

• Actionable Roadmaps: Receive customized tools, assessments, and video resources designed by mental health clinicians to help your home thrive.

Take advantage of this free resource today! You can register and get matched with your personal coach by visiting ParentGuidance.org.

Registration is entirely easy, anonymous, confidential, and HIPPA protected! To see how a coach can help you navigate modern parenting with greater balance, check out this quick video on How to Register for Parent Coaching.

Don't forget that in these dog days of summer, families have free access to over 70 self-paced, on-demand video courses created and led by licensed mental health clinicians. These courses are available 24/7 in both English and Spanish, offering practical tools to help your household thrive during the summer months.

📱 For Families of Older Students (Teens & Tweens)

Featured Course: How Digital Media is Changing Our Children's Mental Health

With the unstructured free time that summer brings, older students frequently spend more hours on smartphones, social media platforms, and gaming consoles. This self-paced course helps parents of middle and high schoolers navigate digital habits, video gaming, and social media pressures. You will learn practical strategies to establish healthy digital boundaries, protect your teen's mental well-being, and foster meaningful conversations about online safety before the new school year begins.

🧘 For Families of Younger Students (Elementary & Early Childhood)

Featured Course: Coping, Healing, and Finding Peace Through Mindfulness

Shifts in daily routine and the lack of a structured school schedule can sometimes lead to heightened anxiety or behavioral challenges in younger children. This engaging course introduces accessible mindfulness and meditation techniques designed for families. Caregivers will gain simple, daily strategies to help young children recognize their feelings, manage big emotions, reduce stress, and build positive emotional resilience during summer break.

How to Access

To stream these video courses or browse the entire catalog of topics—including course options tailored by age bracket (ages 5–10, 11–14, and 15–18), 👉 Visit ParentGuidance.org and click on On-Demand Courses.

You’re not alone—and you don’t have to figure it out by trial and error!

We are thrilled to introduce a game-changing, free resource designed specifically for parents of young children (from birth to age 5): Milestones to Progress: Guiding Your Child from Birth Through the Early School Years, available on-demand at ParentGuidance.org.

Created by licensed child development and mental health experts, this interactive course is packed with practical, bite-sized tools to help you trade daily chaos for cozy calm and prepare your little one to thrive in the classroom.

What You’ll Gain in Milestones to Progress:

• 🧘 Build a Peaceful, Harmonious Home

  Say goodbye to endless power struggles. Learn proven strategies for emotional regulation, positive behavior management, and smooth routines that soothe big feelings and bring genuine tranquility to your family life.

• 🎒 Master the Transition to School

  School readiness is about so much more than ABCs! Discover how to nurture your child's social-emotional skills, independence, and confidence so their first steps into pre-K or kindergarten are filled with excitement instead of anxiety.

• 🗣️ Strengthen Everyday Communication

  Unlock clear, supportive ways to connect with your child, help them express their feelings, and resolve everyday conflicts with patience and understanding.

• 📊 Understand Key Developmental Milestones

  Gain clarity on what to expect as your child grows physically, cognitively, and socially—giving you peace of mind and confidence in their unique journey.

• 🤝 Create Strong Parent-Teacher Connections

  Learn how to build supportive partnerships with your child's future teachers and caregivers, ensuring a unified team behind your child’s success.

Flexible, Free, and Built for Busy Parents

Because parenting happens around the clock, Milestones to Progress is completely self-paced. Watch a quick lesson over your morning coffee or listen during quiet time!

✨ Bring peace to your home and launch your child’s educational journey with confidence. ✨

👉 Click Here to Start the Free Course Today!

As we prepare for the return to school, Cecil County Public Schools is excited to partner with ParentGuidance.org to present the August Mental Health Series. Taught by licensed mental health clinicians, these free virtual events offer families practical tools, quick facts, and expert guidance on a wide range of essential topics.

This month’s calendar covers topics every family can benefit from, including managing childhood anxiety, preventing bullying, understanding emotional regulation, and recognizing signs of self-harm or eating disorders. We also offer dedicated sessions designed specifically to empower parents, such as Compassionate Parenting & Self-Compassion (Aug. 18) and Three Parenting Styles (Aug. 25).

🌟 Important August Events:

• Social Media: Protecting Your Child (Tuesday, Aug. 11)

  Navigating the digital world can feel overwhelming for both kids and parents. This timely session provides critical strategies for protecting children from online risks, setting healthy screen-time boundaries, and helping them build a safe, balanced relationship with technology before the school year kicks off.

• Watch Together Event: Suicide Prevention (Wednesday, Aug. 12 @ 8:00 PM ET)

  Join fellow district families for a dedicated community screening of What Parents Need to Know about Suicide Prevention. This session equips parents with crucial insight into warning signs, supportive strategies, and how to foster open, life-saving conversations at home.

• Body Positivity: Nurturing Self-Image (Wednesday, Aug. 19)

  The back-to-school transition often brings increased peer comparison and social pressure. This key webinar delves into actionable ways parents can nurture a healthy self-image in their children, boost self-esteem, and combat negative self-talk.

• Ask a Therapist Live (Tuesday, Aug. 25 @ 8:00 PM ET)

  Got pressing questions about your child's emotional wellness or parenting challenges? Tune in for an interactive, live Q&A session where licensed therapists provide real-time guidance directly to parent questions.

How to Attend

Sessions are offered live every week at 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM ET (with special events at 8:00 PM ET). You can attend as many sessions as you like, or explore the on-demand library at any time!

👉 Register and view the full schedule at: ParentGuidance.org/MHS-Catalog

Take Charge of Your Children's Mental Health with ParentGuidance.org . This video explains how ParentGuidance.org partners with school districts to offer families on-demand courses, expert coaching, and live mental health webinars.

Kids still need nutritious food, even when school is out. Find in person or to-go meal sites statewide serving free nutritious meals to youth 18 and under. It's never been easier to locate a summer meals site near you!

Find summer meal sites by using the interactive map that can be found by clicking the button above. Look for sites listed with To-Go in the name to find summer meals you can take with you, otherwise meals must be consumed where they are served. To search for a location based on specific area, please enter your address or zip code in the search box and select your preferred mile-radius. Summer meal site information is updated nightly.

Connecting with the right help in our community is now easier than ever with the Cecil County Community Resource & Support Locator at cecilcountyhealth.findhelp.com. Powered by the national FindHelp organization and in partnership with the Cecil County Health Department, this tailored local platform connects all county residents directly to free and reduced-cost programs right in our neighborhood. Whether you are looking for long-term health services, family assistance, or immediate crisis support, the portal provides dignified, confidential, and quick access to verified local, state, and national resources.

Key Services Available on the Portal

• Housing & Emergency Shelter: If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness, the portal links directly to local organizations like Meeting Ground, offering emergency shelter, transitional housing, and coordinated entry assistance.

• Mental Health & Behavioral Health Crisis: Quick access to 24/7 support through the Eastern Shore Crisis Resource Helpline, Optum Maryland, and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline ensures assistance is always a call or text away.

• Substance Use & Recovery Support: Find dedicated addiction recovery services, including the Cecil Addiction Treatment Coordination Hotline (CATCH), along with free Overdose Response Training and Narcan distribution through the local health department.

• Family & Children's Care: Browse essential support for growing families, including Cecil County WIC, the Maryland Children’s Health Insurance Program (MCHP), childcare resources, and enrichment activities for youth.

• Health & Practical Assistance: Locate healthcare providers, medical transportation services, vital records assistance, food pantries, and financial aid for utilities or job training.

How to Get Started

Finding help takes just a few clicks. Visit cecilcountyhealth.findhelp.com, enter your ZIP code (or a nearby town), and browse available categories. You can also take the Cecil County Social Needs Assessment directly on the site to help match you with the exact programs that fit your family’s current needs.

Are you looking for practical tools to better understand your child’s emotional world and support their healthy development? We are excited to bring a valuable and free face-to-face experience to families across the county, including: Earleville, Port Deposit, Elkton and North East. The Cecil County Health Department, in collaboration with Community Connecting Us, Deep Roots, CASA of Cecil County, and the Cecil County Department of Community Services, invites all local parents and caregivers to participate in the Circle of Security Parenting Program (COSP).

Registration & Contact Information

This program is open to ALL parents and caregivers in Cecil County.

• How to Register: Scan the QR code on the program flyer to reserve your spot.

• Questions or Direct Registration:

  • Tina Bell, BSN, RN | 📞 410-996-5168 | ✉️ tina.bell@maryland.gov

  • Heather McCauley, CFPS | 📞 443-941-7066 | ✉️ hmccauley@cecilcountymd.gov

Supported by the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission and the Maryland Consortium on Coordinated Community Supports.