Summer Update

Website: https://education.fcps.org/myes/
Location: 429 Main Street, Myersville, MD, USA
Phone: 227-203-1500

Be sure to check out our MYES Back-to-School Information document! This one-stop resource includes important information from classroom teachers, specials teachers, intervention team, and school counselor, along with helpful links to the Family Handbook, Student Code of Conduct, PTA, school supply lists, transportation information, and more.

We encourage all families to take a few minutes to explore the links and information as we get ready for a fantastic 2026–2027 school year!

Monday, September 7

Schools Closed for Labor Day

Friday, September 18

Two Hour Early Dismissal

Monday, September 21

Schools Closed for Yom Kippur

Friday, September 25

3.5 Hour Early Dismissal

Tuesday, September 29

Fall Picture Day

We have been holding multiple safety drills which are required to be held by the state within the first few weeks of school. Safety drills will continue throughout the school year in accordance with state law. More information can be found on our FCPS Safety and Emergency Management Page, linked here.

The school health staff would like to welcome you to the new school year.

My name is Lauren Smith, and I am the registered nurse (RN) for your student’s school. I work alongside Kate Troxler, a Health Room Technician (HRT), who is a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Certified Medication Technician (CMT).We are dedicated to ensuring your student's well-being throughout the school year. While I may not be in the building every day when students are present, Kate or another member of the school team will be there. We are committed to providing your student(s) with the quality care they deserve.

The Frederick County Health Department (FCHD) operates the School Health Program (SHP), and we are FCHD employees. My responsibilities include health care services, health assessments, health education and health counseling, hearing and vision screenings, and monitoring and preventing the spread of communicable diseases in the school setting. I work closely with the school administrators, school staff, faculty, health care providers, and, most importantly, parents/guardians like you. Together, we develop a plan of care for students with special needs so we can take care of their medical needs while attending school. In addition, I train school staff on the health needs of students with chronic health conditions and ensure that medications and treatments are safely administered during the school day.

If your student requires medication or medical treatment during the school day, their health care provider must complete a medication or treatment form(s), which are located on the Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) website, https://www.fcps.org/academics/health-services, or from the health room.

If your student requires medication or treatments to access their education, the SHP must follow certain Maryland Laws and Regulations (The Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 10.27.11 and 13.05.05.08, http://mdrules.elaws.us/comar/10.27.11 and http://mdrules.elaws.us/comar/13a.05.05.08 ). These regulations require the school nurse to obtain a health history and complete a nursing assessment of your student. You will receive a copy of a health history form to complete; this form is not just a requirement but an important tool for understanding your student's health needs. Your input is invaluable, and we urge you to complete it and return it to the health room as soon as possible.

After I review your student's health history, I may need to speak with you to discuss the information you have provided. Once I have a complete understanding of your student’s health history, I will meet with them for about 10 minutes to complete a nursing assessment. This nursing assessment is the second step to providing your student with the highest level of care and safety while in school, and it must be completed before I can train and delegate certain nursing tasks to an HRT or school staff.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the care we provide, we want you to know that we are always available by phone; please feel free to call us anytime at 227-203-1509. We are here to support you and your student and look forward to a happy and healthy school year!

Starting this year, for all students and all grade levels, students may not use cell phones, smart watches, or other personal communication devices “bell to bell.” FCPS will follow an off and away model, where students must keep their devices out of sight and use while in school.

This change is a result of recent legislation passed during the 2026 Maryland General Assembly. The Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act requires all Maryland public school systems to implement policies governing the use of personal communication devices beginning with the 2027-28 school year. In support of a smooth transition, the FCPS Board of Education requested we begin implementing these expectations during the 2026-27 school year.

As a result, FCPS has updated Personal Mobile Device, Regulation 118-01 to reflect these expectations. This regulation is also aligned with the FCPS Student Code of Conduct . Exceptions may be made as outlined in Regulation 118-01, including for documented medical needs or approved accommodations.

We recognize this will be a significant adjustment for some students, in particular students at the high school level. Across the country, schools have reported many benefits when personal devices were removed from the classroom, including:

• Students being more engaged in class.
• Students being more connected to one another.
• Students being less distracted during their studies.

Parents/Guardians are encouraged to discuss digital device expectations and review the FCPS Student Code of Conduct with students prior to the start of the 2026-2027 school year.

Additional information about our updated personal mobile device guidelines, including a frequently asked questions (FAQ) list can be found at https://www.fcps.org/cellphone

Please take advantage of the options to prepay your student's meal accounts. The student's name and ID number are required to set up your account on LINQ Connect.

Prepayment of meals protects against forgotten or lost money and allows students to move through the serving lines more quickly. Parents with multiple children in the school system can also go to LINQ Connect to transfer money between sibling's accounts.

Parents can also send cash or a check to their child’s school cafeteria to pay for school meals. Parents can indicate “Meals Only” on the check if they prefer their child not purchase a la carte items. When a check is received indicating “Meals Only,” a notation will be made on the child’s account to alert the food services staff.

Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS), Food and Nutrition Services announces participation in the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program for school year 2026-2027.

Free and reduced-price meal benefits are available at all Frederick County Public Schools. Online applications for the 2026-2027 school year are available at https://linqconnect.com.

We encourage families who think they qualify or are unsure if they qualify to complete the free and reduced-price meal benefits application (MBA), to determine your child’s eligibility. Eligibility for free or reduced-price meals is based on the following annual income eligibility guidelines effective from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.

Find the all the information including the income eligibility guideline chart here.

IMPORTANT: Families must be approved each new school year. Even if your student has been approved every previous school year, please contact the FNS office to verify current meal benefit status. Last year’s benefits only carry over for the first 30 school days. Without a 2026-2027 meal benefits approval, your student(s) will have to pay for meals starting Thursday, October, 1st.

 If you received a 2026-2027 NOTICE TO HOUSEHOLDS OF MEAL BENEFIT APPROVAL or NOTICE OF DIRECT CERTIFICATION Email or Letter, do NOT complete an application. IMPORTANT: Contact the FNS Office to verify 2026-2027 Meal Benefits status of any children in your household NOT listed on letter.

 If any children in your household receive SNAP or TCA BENEFITS, do NOT complete an application. IMPORTANT: Contact the FNS office by phone or email to verify 2026-2027 meal benefit status.

To join the PTA (which gives you the right to vote at meetings as well as helping to support the events we have during the year) you can go to our web page at this link FORMS | Myersville ES. There is a form to fill out and an option to pay the $10.00 per member fee.

If you have any questions please reach out to us at myersvillepta@gmail.com.

We have had some requests to re-open the spiritwear store. So if you missed ordering your MYES gear for this year, now is your chance to show that Mustang pride! The store is now open and will close on September 15.

The PTA will contact you when the orders are ready for pick-up.

Interested in volunteering this school year? FCPS has launched a new volunteer registration process that combines the required training and application into one convenient online experience. There is no separate training platform or additional account to create.

Before beginning, please note that the required training video must be viewed in its entirety before the application becomes available. The training takes approximately 25 minutes in English and 31 minutes in Spanish.

Apply today:

• English Volunteer Application

• Spanish Volunteer Application

Once approved, contact the school to learn more about volunteer opportunities.

Questions? Contact the FCPS Volunteer Center at FCPSVolunteers@fcps.org or visit the FCPS Volunteer Webpage for additional information.

Maryland Law requires that a written excuse be provided each time that your child is absent. The excuse should include the date of the absence, your child’s first and last name, and the reason for the absence. Please either send in a handwritten note or you can email MYES.Attendance@fcps.org.

Absences considered lawful and therefore excused, as described in the Public School Laws and Code of Bylaws of the Maryland State Board of Education, are:

• Illness of the student

• Death in the immediate family

• Court summons

• Hazardous weather condition

• Work or activity accepted by the school authorities

• Observance of religious holiday up to 3 days

• State emergency

• Suspension

• Lack of authorized transportation

• Health exclusion

• Other emergency (judgment of Superintendent or designee)

FCPS attendance policies will be fully implemented and parent notification will be sent for any student who is on track to becoming or is already deemed chronically absent or tardy. Notification will begin at 5 days and when a student accumulates 10 or more absences within the school year. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent or more of school days due to absence for any reason- both lawful and unlawful. This amounts to 18 absences total in a single school year.

Myersville Elementary is a place where students and staff are engaged learners. They feel safe to take risks and all contributions are valued. Here we have fun while we learn in our school community.