[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",5988009,"mediaKeyId","5776159-8c3ebb018383c574d26496ed3718dbc7","parentId",5776159,"title","Board sends July 2025 educational facilities master plan to state; district reshuffles Chopticon funds to accelerate other projects","audioSeconds",1144,"startMs",2266000,"endMs",3410000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5776159-8c3ebb018383c574d26496ed3718dbc7&start=2266&end=3410","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5776159-8c3ebb018383c574d26496ed3718dbc7/thumbnail_2266000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5988009/Maryland/Board-sends-July-2025-educational-facilities-master-plan-to-state-district-reshuffles-Chopticon-funds-to-accelerate-other-projects","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5988009-136ff1a474c15a829f366b13a4f25fe4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770700863&Signature=YNUnpZxCQYVQ4sTvxRcFu0-WBnT1AhRq~PJJGLncZ25S6DkZtkcZ5kIIutxhjfVRAK-TzMd~d0NdUmpPa1pHLio28r2QxJf-XFeRzVD2B627lN5j9MgWRBesDNJUlUZu9BYF6PU1oLFfukr~WgsSo7~aWzO~A2zh-dEPnIq5LWVJh2VDCdgoZu-NbuT~V9w7LTDKhCiIy9AV1y8kkiw3FbJLBdQBVAcSdEEI44KVUtCqECH~ytkiaAQNtK5QmWIJxZxVWUb0MxgMRynYC1DlByWSYEj7EMBFj-xtjbK8L5Pjotehy59G2XSta9LflmpnQ4JtlCKgoOdSedn~Sl8aqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","St. Mary's County Public Schools","date","2025-09-12T00:00:00Z","article","The Saint Mary's County Board of Education voted to submit its July 2025 Educational Facilities Master Plan to the state, detailing the district's proposed projects for the 2027-2032 capital-improvement cycle and explaining how multiple funding sources will be combined to deliver work.

Why it matters: the master plan is the channel by which local project requests compete for state funding administered by the Interagency Commission on School Construction (IAC). The board discussed ways to maximize the district's state and grant funds to advance multiple high-priority projects.

Key items presented: the district explained a strategy to advance the Chopticon High School project (asbestos abatement and roof replacement) using $13.5 million in remaining Built to Learn Act funds plus a recently awarded $6.8 million Healthy Schools Fund grant for Chopticon asbestos and roof work. That combination leaves an estimated $2.1 million gap of traditional state CIP funds to complete the state share of Chopticon for FY27, the presentation said.

To take advantage of available state funding this year, district staff said they plan to request the state apply some of the funds that had been destined for Chopticon to expedite other needs. With the additional Healthy Schools funding, the district announced it would advance the Esperanza Middle School HVAC systemic renovation (state request includes $5.6 million for FY27) and accelerate a Leonardtown High School chiller project so the chiller becomes state-eligible rather than being locally funded.

The district also described pursuing a decarbonization grant from the Maryland Energy Administration and other targeted funding streams. Presenters noted that the state's annual rolling average allocation for school construction remains approximately $5,000,000 for the district and that statewide need exceeds available funding.

Board action: a board member moved to approve submission of the July 2025 Educational Facilities Master Plan to the IAC; the motion was seconded and carried.

Context and constraints: presenters warned the board that the IAC is finalizing a new priority-fund scoring system (sometimes referenced as the Nancy K. Kopp/Nancy Popp priority fund replacement for the Healthy Schools Fund) that will score projects based on remaining useful life and other criteria. District staff said the scoring approach shifts the timing toward projects that have reached or exceeded expected life cycles and expressed concern about the risk of waiting until failure to qualify for funding. \"The higher the score you have, which means when they look at the remaining useful life, how long have you gone beyond the time it was supposed to?\" a district planner said during discussion.

Next steps: with the board's approval, the master plan will be sent to the IAC for review; district staff will continue to pursue grants and coordinate with county funding partners to secure the local share and try to accelerate projects where state and grant timing allows.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","St. Mary's County Public Schools Board of Education Meeting - 09/10/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Saint Mary's County Board of Education approved submission of its July 2025 Educational Facilities Master Plan to the Interagency Commission on School Construction and outlined a plan to use built-to-learn and grant funds to advance Chopticon, Esperanza Middle School and Leonardtown High School projects.","taxTitle","St. Mary's County Public Schools, School Boards, Maryland","taxId",14203,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5988014,"Board approves FY26 comprehensive maintenance plan for school facilities",2593,1094000,3687000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5776159-8c3ebb018383c574d26496ed3718dbc7&start=1094&end=3687","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5776159-8c3ebb018383c574d26496ed3718dbc7/thumbnail_1094000.jpg","/articles/5988014/Maryland/Board-approves-FY26-comprehensive-maintenance-plan-for-school-facilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5988014-9f26a0e03374ebad2a85f59aff40ea97/orig.mp4?Expires=1770700863&Signature=WiV5FORGgRF~EIhyH91A3YJBr16Vjkvtmw1JggsmCf2fq4Ufeia3uUNHrH63m-4DHUqxyfEqN2-iiK83HllzcH7zRY4vg3K~Ki7SvuYpARXABFly7UOMzz2dGROQFBcXaQu94cC4LAnW82wPKzhf2EEK-SvzJRbIyC1uPxsP~uN1s3iubBVm9K4bsmsJywQcLUHZ7duDeoseow-puRXUfhxVnDK6myc1SRRi4UVOfQoFfyWU7eH5rLayYsNRarOiehTpT0NIJ2cf9Tpzx11~MtaeG4rcJ80XhE4iVsLNDbNC7DRPiEMtA7FToZl8GqSkbcpfgjbyTwxUJrMG8rnJfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Saint Mary's County Board of Education voted Wednesday to approve the fiscal year 2026 Comprehensive Maintenance Plan for educational facilities. The plan links daily maintenance work to longer-term capital priorities and will be submitted as required to the Interagency Commission on School Construction.

The CMP maps routine and preventive maintenance tasks across the district's inventory and explains how the maintenance department prioritizes work. \"The purpose of this presentation is to provide an overview of the comprehensive maintenance plan and how it ensures safe, efficient and sustainable facilities for our students and staff,\" the maintenance presenter said during the meeting.

Why it matters: the CMP is the mechanism the district uses to justify maintenance staffing levels and project recommendations that feed the capital program the school system uses to pursue state funding. Approving the CMP is a routine but required step for the district to remain eligible for state facility programs.

Key details: the presentation said the maintenance department comprises 39.85 employees responsible for 31 school facilities, 65 relocatable units and roughly 2,500,000 square feet of space. Work-order volume rose from just over 10,000 in fiscal 2015 to just over 12,000 in fiscal 2025; the department reported the average backlog fell from 46 days in 2015 to 11 days in 2025. The plan ties preventive maintenance to reduced downtime and longer asset life.

The plan documents that the district implemented a new computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), Asset Essentials (Brightly), going live 06/24/2024. Presenters said the platform helped the department schedule preventive work, prioritize requests and extract the data used to build the CMP. \"Brightly is a one-stop shop for what we're able to do,\" the maintenance presenter told the board.

Staffing and workload: the presentation used industry benchmarks (APPA) to estimate staffing needs and concluded the department remained understaffed by an estimated 4.18 full-time equivalents for FY25. The district reported an average maintenance load of about 75,000 square feet per maintenance staff member versus an APPA-recommended 67,000. Presenters also noted two paid student apprentices participating through the local technical center apprenticeship program.

Board action: a board member moved to approve the FY26 CMP as presented; the motion was seconded and carried. The vote was announced as carried with those voting \"aye.\" The board did not record a roll-call tally in the meeting transcript.

Next steps: with board approval the CMP will be used to make project recommendations to the district's capital planning group and to support required submissions to the Interagency Commission on School Construction. Presenters said the plan's life-cycle charts and inspection results will inform capital project proposals and staffing requests in the district's capital planning cycle.","The Saint Mary's County Board of Education voted to approve the fiscal year 2026 Comprehensive Maintenance Plan, which outlines staffing, preventive-maintenance strategies, new asset-management software use and requests for staffing adjustments tied to facility workload.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5987993,"District presents MCAP results; officials cite gains but raise concerns about adaptive assessment",1370,4936000,6306000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5776159-8c3ebb018383c574d26496ed3718dbc7&start=4936&end=6306","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5776159-8c3ebb018383c574d26496ed3718dbc7/thumbnail_4936000.jpg","/articles/5987993/Maryland/District-presents-MCAP-results-officials-cite-gains-but-raise-concerns-about-adaptive-assessment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5987993-9a6ceeabbea1cd3628be14d36512d5db/orig.mp4?Expires=1770700863&Signature=E5TOvfLqPqENggbkw1N2lcm4HZn3krhry6S-pngC-6lgmGblY3QAPoLy4Yv0eQgB9~5nD94BUvv~o0tQjkBef~~3Yq~fgHISQNlJJjgcZGPvmfO7mvI7cHcJoHJgAuI1hW5NS-AVWNtiMnPLELsVz79QYfZXrE7njF4jniXhpaSnQ3Ov28MYMPOI5MsE~BOgI-w~pCqOuqpwPk39wSdqnHQNe7rKdFBYzaY~TkxU7iu4gyfE8Nc35eNl9u5KyyCpcpx-Fqrt84bxxAr46Gppj6cjjbRA6gzxkQO6ovTkNj4cuLjJ78KsC8W1qR07X0LzxrCxm2b7nWKdop0sb7Hx8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District academic leaders presented Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) results Wednesday, noting overall progress but warning that the adaptive state assessment produced anomalous dips in some years and that the Maryland State Department of Education is pursuing a new assessment procurement.

Snapshot of results: district presenters reported a 57% average proficiency rate in ELA (grades 3-8 and grade 10), which ranked Saint Mary's County seventh of 24 local education agencies. Tenth-grade ELA proficiency was reported at about 70%, roughly 10 percentage points above the state average, district officials said.

Mathematics: presenters said the district's overall math proficiency was about 35% compared with a statewide average of 26.5%, representing nearly a six-percentage-point gain for the district from the prior year. District staff highlighted particularly strong middle-school math results (sixth grade ranked third in the state; seventh grade ranked second), and steady gains in Algebra I proficiency, though they flagged low proficiency among high-school takers on the current Algebra I administration.

Assessment concerns and state response: presenters and board members raised technical concerns about the adaptive test format. District officials said the state superintendent and the State Board of Education convened a technical-advisory review and that the state will issue an RFP this month for a new statewide assessment; the procurement process could take roughly nine months, they said. \"They did find anomalies ... and it was the recommendation for a brand new state assessment,\" a district presenter said, summarizing the state discussion.

Instructional response: the district described immediate instructional next steps: content supervisors and principals are comparing school-year data, principals are developing school improvement plans due Sept. 30, supervisors are holding quarterly data meetings and the district is expanding targeted small-group interventions at elementary schools. Individual student score reports for parents were expected to be delivered to schools the week of the board meeting; the district said buildings have 30 days to send reports home.

Board reaction: board members expressed cautious concern about the assessment results but praised district staff for data-driven interventions. No policy action was taken; presenters said they will continue to share data with the board and refine instructional priorities.

Notes on embargo: presenters said portions of the MCAP dataset (some science and social-studies components) remained embargoed at the time of the presentation and were being used internally by supervisors.","Saint Mary's County Public Schools officials presented MCAP results showing gains in ELA and math relative to state averages, highlighted strong 10th-grade performance, and echoed concerns about the current adaptive assessment. District leaders described next instructional steps and the state's plan to issue an RFP for a new assessment.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5987999,"District launches attendance‑awareness month campaign, outlines multi‑tier supports for chronic absenteeism",1018,3699000,4717000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5776159-8c3ebb018383c574d26496ed3718dbc7&start=3699&end=4717","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5776159-8c3ebb018383c574d26496ed3718dbc7/thumbnail_3699000.jpg","/articles/5987999/Maryland/District-launches-attendanceawareness-month-campaign-outlines-multitier-supports-for-chronic-absenteeism","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5987999-0735dfd7cd58275386c750d35c7deef6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770700863&Signature=AVNAh87Mc0o2UH1b7cAvokDJOF7~SHxVIax8XuuxdJcVMY25GiR6zUSlXMB0WOJsPnJRHd7xJk006vH2~7dFIDzfIvUrsCnDsQs8KHLHkfaGs6IMSc9rE9t94CeFJlh7V5-YY--k65MuWBa1tnRTSCGgRE0cu7qkvi9Yw2KuCjkYNZikbSkaVpc8MURZozD9mDyz1Pr-IinrvT2HIXVykr0tO0uO-Bao~ACTIabWLROtVgOQBoguvM7wBxuK29ZFBmAptkO0zMZLV3Ct2Aok3MztfCu65joUq7uEKya7I0c2FPunYVFtzW~BEAsstxK98WjgPkaL0s0xdUZs5wfMig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The district's student-services team presented its attendance-awareness plan Wednesday, outlining how schools will use multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) and targeted interventions to reduce chronic absenteeism.

Definition and scale: presenters defined chronic absenteeism as missing 10 percent or more of school days (including lawful and unlawful absences) and noted that missing two days per month can equal roughly a full year of missed instruction over time. \"Attendance matters because you matter. Every school day counts,\" the team said in an attendance video shown to the board.

Interventions and structure: the district described a three-tier approach. Tier 1 (universal) includes schoolwide attendance messaging, celebration of good attendance, consistent expectations and district spirit weeks. Tier 2 (targeted) includes counseling groups, morning connection activities (examples cited at Duke Elementary), regular attendance meetings and check-in/check-out mentoring. Tier 3 (intensive) includes wraparound services, individualized attendance plans, referrals to the interagency committee on school attendance and family visits.

Local activities: the district plans a September attendance spirit week tied to the county fair, continuing a February spirit-week pilot. The district highlighted a mascot, \"Sam the attendance dog,\" and said the countywide effort will encourage schools to reinforce attendance early in the year.

Resources and supports: presenters reminded families that every school has a full-time nurse and that school-based health centers are available. They encouraged parents to schedule routine medical appointments outside the school day when possible and to contact school staff if a child shows anxiety about attending.

Implementation and measurement: presenters said schools monitor attendance data and convene MTSS teams monthly; district staff also cited quarterly data meetings, universal screening pilots and targeted small-group instruction at some elementary schools as related supports.

No board action was required for the informational presentation; presenters asked the board to support continued school-level outreach and data-driven interventions.","Student services presented attendance‑awareness initiatives, defined chronic absenteeism and described multi‑tiered supports (MTSS), school spirit activities, check‑in/check‑out programs, school‑level teams and referrals for intensive cases.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5988005,"District opens redistricting community engagement, schedules multi‑region forums and county survey",492,505000,997000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5776159-8c3ebb018383c574d26496ed3718dbc7&start=505&end=997","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5776159-8c3ebb018383c574d26496ed3718dbc7/thumbnail_505000.jpg","/articles/5988005/Maryland/District-opens-redistricting-community-engagement-schedules-multiregion-forums-and-county-survey","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5988005-0258cb5e83edd45de77de3cb6394a364/orig.mp4?Expires=1770700863&Signature=PoIAP4aB5hfEXzzuv5m0~tvlC0XJFLaFrW06YRKn6rKyG3e3UCT7JgbygzjRtYIan96fziqilpUYhP-591C3iJSVHOkZxirfAp8hB2VqhtTaXJBHYYxYnQ7sHTNk3Bmdq2UixqIwNUDie5PcKw1Axi8fauaZeWU0Djnb9CsuLP8b6ldRQOKOPl~6Uw4HhwEddpCyFa4Q78klQRl1iDAiqWKJMmPCQfF4USm~9vUjRzOrKExIKCyr52yI-CCOHA8Dv7Fyjfj58GOXYBguCWv1BbTVSz8mPisJmq3bQrU6yTGc0gsTPdqTGOgQhiAMRUAxOmXHGf7P8nQ1kXpWsSmH~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Saint Mary's County Public Schools opened a community engagement process Wednesday to begin redistricting work for school boundaries. The district said it has contracted a consultant to facilitate public forums and will collect countywide input before any boundary changes are proposed to the board.

What the district announced: the first community forum is scheduled at the James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center; registration opened the week of the meeting and the district reported about 140 registrations shortly after posting. The district said it will hold additional forums in southern, central and northern parts of the county and will videotape the sessions for later viewing; the meetings will not be live-streamed.

Timing and scope: district staff stressed that no students will be moved for the 2025-26 school year and that any boundary changes would be considered for the 2026-27 school year. The district said a countywide survey will be sent after the consultant's initial engagements to gather broader input beyond forum attendees.

Public process and official information: staff urged residents to rely on official district communications rather than social media and provided the dedicated web page for authoritative materials: smcps.org/redistricting. \"This is the part where we really start gathering input from people, not on Facebook, but directly to us,\" a presenter said.

Format notes: the superintendent said the first forum will be an informational and interactive session led by the consultant and is not equivalent to a board meeting public hearing; the format will differ from a formal public-comment hearing at a board meeting.

Next steps: the district will continue to publicize forums, post materials and share videotaped content; the board will receive regular updates as community engagement continues.","Superintendent announced the start of community engagement for school redistricting, with a consultant-led series of forums, video capture of sessions, an online registration and a countywide survey to gather input before the board considers changes in spring 2026.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board sends July 2025 educational facilities master plan to state; district reshuffles Chopticon funds to accelerate other projects

Board approves FY26 comprehensive maintenance plan for school facilities

District presents MCAP results; officials cite gains but raise concerns about adaptive assessment

District launches attendance‑awareness month campaign, outlines multi‑tier supports for chronic absenteeism

District opens redistricting community engagement, schedules multi‑region forums and county survey