Cecil County Connections

As we enter the final month of the year, the halls are buzzing with festive energy and robust learning! We are incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication our students are demonstrating as they complete projects and turn in all work before the beginning of the winter break. We encourage you to help your student maintain strong attendance and focus throughout December. Every school day counts, and students will be engaged in enriching academic activities right up until the last school day before winter break.

December's cold weather and holiday preparations can sometimes present challenges for our families across a variety of areas. As a supportive and caring community, we want to ensure every family knows where to find assistance to stay warm and receive the help they need during this time. By supporting all of our families with these valuable resources, our students will be able to come to school every day, on time, and ready to learn! The service organizations in this newsletter are available to all Cecil County families and they are ready to help.

The Student Services Department hopes this holiday break provides your family with a much needed opportunity to rest, to recharge, and to enjoy time together. May your homes be filled with joyful moments and laughter, warmth and good company, and you make wonderful memories that last a lifetime. Wishing all of our families the happiest of holidays and a peaceful New Year!

Cecil County Public Schools has partnered with the Kiwanis Club and O'Kleen Cleaners for the 2025 Coats for Kids campaign. Schools have been collecting new and lightly used warm winter coats. All donations are professionally cleaned and returned to schools throughout the county for distribution.

If your child needs a warm coat, please contact your school so that one can be provided. All of Cecil County's children should be warm every winter.

• CCPS is open and in session on Monday, December 22nd, and Tuesday, December 23rd. Both days are early dismissal days for students. Students will be learning every day up through December 23rd. In addition, many schools have additional special events planned. Be sure to check your school newsletter and school website for any additional information about these two instructional days!
• CCPS Winter Break: Wednesday, December 24th - Friday, January 2nd
• School reopens for all students on Monday, January 5, 2026

BrightPath is brought to the families of Cecil County Public Schools through its collaboration with Upper Bay Counselling and the Consortium of Consolidated Community Supports. It is a digital wellness hub that helps students and parents/guardians check in on their mental health and access mental health support and resources. It functions as a 24/7, one-stop-shop, digital-front-door to the wellness tools, tips, and local supports available to our students.

Do you need access to a phone?

AirTalk Wireless offers a federally funded program providing eligible low-income consumers with a free smartphone, unlimited talk and text, high-speed data, and international calling. Click HERE to apply for assistance.

Do You Need Food?

Pantry on the Go, brought to Cecil County by the Maryland Food Bank and Community Schools, will be held on December 11, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. until supplies run out. Bring a bag to the Elkton Community Center (121 Stockton Street) and shop for a large variety of fresh fruit and vegetable options. This free opportunity is open to all members of the public.

Do you need help with Emergency Assistance to Families with Children (EAFC)?

Do You Need Transportation?

Cecil Transit provides low cost transportation to many stops throughout the county. Click the link HERE to find out details for all of the services provided. Check out the links below for information about the stops along each of the four routes:

• Glasgow Connection Route #1 The Glasgow Connection is a fixed route public transportation for all ages servicing the town of Elkton to People's Plaza in Glasgow, DE. The route begins at 5:40AM and ends at 6:20PM, Monday through Friday.
• Cross-County Connection Route #2 The Cross-County Connection is fixed route public transportation for all ages servicing the towns of Elkton, North East, Perryville, The MARC Train, Perry Point V.A., and Cecil College in North East and Elkton. The route begins at 5:30AM and ends at 10:07PM. Monday through Friday with a modified Saturday Schedule. This route was designed to combine the previous Perryville and Mid County Connections.
• Elkton-Newark Connection Route #4 The Elkton - Newark Connection is fixed route transportation for all ages servicing the town of Elkton, Glasgow, DE, Newark Industrial Park, Four Seasons Plaza, Newark Park & Ride, Newark Train Station, Newark Transit Hub and the Rt. 279 corridor including the Elkton Library & Cecil College Elkton Station. This route operates Monday through Friday from 5:50AM to 10:21PM.
• Harford LINK - Teal Line The Teal Line is fixed route transportation for all ages, jointly funded by Cecil Transit and Harford LINK. The route services the towns of Aberdeen, Perryville, Havre de Grace, Perryman, as well as the Hollywood Casino and Great Wolf Lodge. This route operates Monday through Friday from 6:00AM to 8:17PM.

Single rides as low as $1 and up to two children under 46" can ride for free with a fare-paying passenger.

Demand Response transportation must be scheduled directly and are provided on a first come, first served basis.

Are you trying to avoid foreclosure? Help can be found here:

Do You Need Energy Assistance?

The Office of Home Energy Programs (OHEP) provides assistance to income-eligible households to help you stay warm, stay connected, and help pay past due energy bills.

Live For Thomas Foundation

Den 22 is a part of the Live For Thomas Foundation. It is a safe space for ages 12-24 to decompress, receive peer support, and crisis intervention located in downtown North East, Maryland. Check out the calendar below in order to find upcoming events in addition to the regular services at the Den. All services are free of charge and the Den is open to all. You don't have to live in North East to visit the Den!

Hours:

Monday - Friday from 2:45 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

The mission of West Cecil Health Center is to provide personal, accessible, and reliable care for our community.

Commitment to Quality

As a Federally Qualified Health Center, we provide the surrounding communities with affordable and quality healthcare within reach. We currently serve you with full family medicine, behavioral health, women's health, dental, and optometry services. We strive towards becoming the provider of choice for your family. WCHC is a proud Patient-Centered Medical Home, using a team-based approach to ensure quality care, lower costs, and an excellent patient experience. We partner with you and your other providers to tailor care to your needs, building relationships based on respect, trust, confidence, and care.

Affordable Care

No one will be denied access to services due to inability to pay; WCHC offers a sliding fee discount to eligible patients based on household size and income. We also accept most insurances including Medicaid, Medicare, and CHIP.

West Cecil Health Center is accepting new patients for all services.

Do you have children with special health care needs? You may be eligible for additional assistance through this program.

Drug Free Cecil is a network of local coalitions collaborating and partnering to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth and eliminate duplication of efforts in Cecil County. The coalitions’ purpose is to support a youth-led, adult-guided movement to reduce substance abuse in Cecil County.

The Cecil County Health Department works with Christiana Care Elkton Hospital, the Cecil County Neighborhood Youth Panel and several other partners to offer:

• youth tobacco cessation services to help Cecil County youth quit using tobacco/vapes
• adult cessation classes
• vouchers for nicotine replacement therapy

The Cecil Recovery Center offers 24/7 services including overdose risk identification, harm reduction, substance use treatment coordination, recovery planning, and support for friends and family.

Do You Want to Learn How to Start and Maintain a Business?

Take your great idea or talent and learn how to set up your own business by signing up for this program that can teach you the basics of becoming your own boss!

Health Courses for Adults

Self paced courses that will help you learn about a variety of health conditions ranging from nutrition, to diabetes, to cancer and much more.