PEP Family Resiliency Program

The PEP Family Resiliency Program is a free eight-week online program for Dorchester County Public Schools parents and caregivers of children ages 5–18.

Discover strategies to support your child’s mental health and school success. Meet and talk with other parents for support and to share ideas.

Topics include:

Helping your child manage change & transitions

Raising more motivated and cooperative kids

Understanding and supporting children's mental health needs

When to set limits and when to let go

Responding to your child's strong emotions

Participants who complete at least five classes and the evaluation receive a $50 gift card.

Register for an online group today:

Tuesdays, starting March 5, 7-8:30 p.m. (English)

Sundays, starting March 10, 7-8:30 p.m. (English)

Martes, a partir del 5 de marzo, 7-8:30 p.m. (en español)

Register online: tinyurl.com/mv7s9svf

For more information, contact Shay Lewis-Sisco, shayspeaks1@gmail.com, 443-440-5370 or Bianca Soto Gomez (Hablo español), biancaesoto43@gmail.com, 410-513-9648.

The Parent Encouragement Program (PEPparent.org) is a nonprofit organization working to build strong, harmonious family relationships through parenting education, skills training and support.

Learner’s permit testing

DCPS is now offering MVA learner's permit testing.

• Must be a DCPS student
• Must be at least 15 years and 9 months old
• Test is free; $50 fee when student applies for permit at MVA
• Only 40 slots available, first come, first served

$2,500 scholarships available

Mountaire Farms, the country’s fourth largest chicken processer, has dozens of $2,500 scholarships available for the children and grandchildren of employees, poultry growers, and grain producers. The application is now open and the deadline to apply is March 4. 

To be eligible, a student’s parent or grandparent must be employed by Mountaire Farms, or grow broilers, breeders, or grain (10,000-bushel minimum) for Mountaire. Applicants must enroll as a full-time college student carrying a minimum of 12 credits per semester in the current school year.

Successful applicants must be involved in extracurricular activities at school and in their community. Preference will be given to an industry-related course of study. A copy of the student’s transcript must be attached to the application.

Students can apply for the annual Mountaire Scholarship online at mountaire.com/mountaire-cares/scholarships/

The company will be announcing scholarship winners in April and hosting events for the winners and their families this summer.

FAFSA deadline extended

The Maryland Higher Education Commission has extended the Maryland financial aid deadline to submit the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as FAFSA, to June 1, 2024. To support the application process, the commission launched a new webpage that will help Maryland students apply for federal and state financial aid for the upcoming 2024-2025 academic year.

Students are encouraged to visit the website now to learn more about how to prepare to apply using the FAFSA form and to sign up for a FSA ID by creating a username and password at studentaid.gov.

While students will have until June 1 to file their FAFSA and qualify for Maryland scholarships, they are encouraged to file by March 1 if they want to be notified of their eligibility April 15.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the impact of the updated FAFSA projects an increase of 7,398 in Maryland Pell recipients, increasing the number of maximum Pell recipients in the state to 20,310 students. Across the U.S., the new form is expected to help 610,000 new students from need-based backgrounds receive Federal Pell Grants.

Eagles’ Music Boosters

The North Dorchester Music Boosters released the following statement on Jan. 9:

“Attention parents and friends of the Music Boosters. We are looking for help at our next fundraising opportunity, running the concessions before and during the upcoming spring musical dates and times. We need three or four volunteers for each performance, to help with fixing and selling beverages and food items.

“The Spring Musical is ‘Mean Girls’ (teen version). Performances are Feb. 29 at 7 p.m. and March 1 at 7 p.m., March 2 at noon and 7 p.m., and March 3 at 2 p.m.”

Anyone interested is asked to comment on the Boosters’ Facebook post. They will be sent a link to the Google form to sign up.

Gentlemen’s Club

The Dorchester County Gentlemen’s Club is open to the young gentlemen of North Dorchester High and Middle Schools, Cambridge-South Dorchester High and Mace’s Lane Middle School. The club meets every Wednesday afternoon from 3:15-4:15 p.m., virtually, for now. The club provides young men with cultural and leadership opportunities, activities not offered in home or classroom settings such as guest speakers, field trips, etc. and works to reinforce practical lessons taught at home and school. To find out more and the Google Meet codes for the first meeting, contact Mr. Tucker (tuckerl@dcpsmd.org) or Mr. Lovett (lovettd@dcpsmd.org).

Dorchester County Public Schools

Access documents, news updates, and emergency notifications, from your pocket with Dorchester County Public Schools’ new app. Download for Android bit.ly/3LIXLP9

Download for iPhone apple.co/3rH4Rgr.