August 28, 2025

September

• Talbot Goes Purple

September 1 - Labor Day Holiday, Schools and Offices are Closed

September 12 - Early Dismissal - Teacher In-Service

September 15 - Board of Education Work Session - 5:30 p.m.

September 18 - Board of Education - Regular Meeting - 7:00 p.m.

September 15 - 19 - Arts in Education Week

September 15 - October 15 Hispanic Heritage Month

September 26 - Early Dismissal - Secondary Conferences/Elementary Teacher In-Service

September 27 - Frederick Douglass Day (Talbot County Celebration)

Hello TCPS Families!

We are off to a fantastic start for 2025-2026! As I begin my fourth year, I am more proud than ever to serve as your Superintendent of Schools and lead our district as we continue Transforming and Performing in Every Way! I’ve spent the first few days checking in at all of our schools. Our students have returned excited and ready to learn and grow, and our staff is enthusiastically embracing the opportunity to continue to make a difference in the lives of Talbot County children.

I want to give a special shout-out to the community here at Chapel District Elementary, as we are entering the final phase of the school renovation project. The students, staff, and families have been so flexible and supportive during this challenging time. Our contractor, Whiting-Turner, has worked tirelessly, in partnership with our Operations team, to keep the project moving forward. It hasn’t been easy, but the end result is going to be magnificent!

Thank you all for your patience while we are transitioning to our new “opt-in” procedure for our school buses. This will allow us to have more efficient routes and better driver coverage. At this time, we are still using the "Here Comes The Bus" App, and instructions for how to download and access it are included in this update.

Also linked in this update is the revised Student-Parent handbook for this year. Please carefully review this so that you and your students can be familiar with some of our key policies and regulations.

Schools and offices will be closed on Monday, September 1, for the Labor Day Holiday. I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable long weekend! We'll see you on Tuesday, and remember, it’s always a great day for success at TCPS!

TCPS launched a new user-friendly website and mobile app on July 1, in partnership with Apptegy, an education technology company based in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The new website and app include the same information as our current website, and will also enable real-time communication. The free app for Android and iPhone sends emergency notifications directly to those who download the app and provides consistency with the website.

The technology is designed with both families and school leaders in mind and will hopefully make communication easier and faster. Check out the short video below for a quick introduction to the app that comes with the new platform. You can also find and download the new app now by searching "Talbot County Public Schools" in the app store. If you have any questions, please contact Debbie Gardner, Director of Communications at dgardner@talbotschools.org. You can find more information about Apptegy here: https://www.apptegy.com/

Here Comes the Bus®

Available to parents of Talbot County Public Schools students.

• View the real-time location of your child’s bus
• Access the app from your smartphone, tablet or computer
• Receive push notifications or email alerts
• Send your child to the bus stop at just the right time, every time

How to get started:

1. Download the Here Comes the Bus app* or visit herecomesthebus.com
2. Click the button "Sign Up" button
3. Enter school code 87314 and click “Next” followed by “Confirm”
4. Complete the “User Profile” box
5. Under “My Students,” click “Add.” Enter your child’s last name and student ID number (student ID number can be found in the Power School Parent Portal on the Bus Information page or contact your child’s school)
6. Once you confirm your information, you’re ready to begin using Here Comes the Bus!

*Available at the App Store and Google Play

Here Comes the Bus® is a registered trademark of Synovia

Solutions™ LLC

The Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) is sharing that many families that qualified for the SUNBucks program this summer have not yet used their benefit. Eligible children received $40 in June, July and August for a total of $120 per child for the summer. Benefits expire October 6, 2025.

Join the TCPS Team! We have many certificated and support positions available! Use the link below for more information and to apply!

This guide provides a comprehensive list of behavioral health resources across Queen Anne's, Kent, Caroline, Talbot, and Dorchester counties.

This year TCPS is going “cashless” for tickets for all of our athletic events using GoFan. You can purchase tickets ahead of time online or at the gate using a credit or debit card. GoFan accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate using Apple Pay and Google Pay. Admission to all events at the Easton High and St. Michaels High Stadiums and Gymnasiums is $6 (children 6 and under are free). Cash payment will not be accepted at the gate.

Tickets can be purchased using the following links:

Easton High

St. Michaels Middle High

Join the parents, teachers, and students who have already made the important decision to enroll in SafeTime. The app is designed to both empower us all with a super easy social media integrated tool to alert the proper authorities if we see something suspicious, AND to raise student self-esteem via the creation and exposure to fun, positive messaging.

Safe Schools Maryland - an ANONYMOUS and FREE reporting system available to students, teachers, school staff members, parents, and the general public to report any school or student safety ​concerns, including mental health concerns. Safe Schools Maryland operates twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year. Your anonymous report can be submitted by calling the tip line (1-833-MD-B-SAFE / 1-833-632-7233), completing an online form (below), or downloading the free Safe Schools Maryland app from the App Store or Google Play.​

Shore Legal Access connects Eastern Shore individuals and families in need of legal representation with volunteer attorneys to ensure that justice truly is for all.