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Starting in the 2018-2019 school year, all teachers and students in grades 5-11 had the opportunity to take the Maryland School Survey. The survey collects important information about relationships, engagement, the school environment, and safety. School leaders use results to learn about and improve the school community.

Maryland School Survey Frequently Asked Questions

All questions and concerns regarding the Maryland School Survey should first be addressed with the Local Accountability Coordinator (LAC) in your district. If additional information is needed or to report a concern, please contact the survey administrator at survey.msde@maryland.gov.

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Starting in the 2018-2019 school year, all teachers and students in grades 5-11 had the opportunity to take the Maryland School Survey. The survey collects important information about relationships, engagement, the school environment, and safety. School leaders use results to learn about and improve the school community.

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Attention SMMHS Students and Staff!!

We would like to recognize faculty and staff at SMMHS for going above and beyond to make the most of this school year so far!

If you are a student and you would like to nominate a staff member here at SMMHS, please fill out the attached Super Saint Shout-Out Form! We will make sure they know how much they are appreciated!

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SMMHS's Food Pantry is up and running. Please see Mrs. Kerr for more info. rkerr@talbotschools.org

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Visit the link below for info on the new Service Learning requirements!

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TCPS Service Learning Program

*Independent Service Learning/Volunteer hours cannot begin until after the first day of 6th grade.
NEW Service Learning/Volunteer Form Service Learning Brochure Service Learning Plan
Each year, Talbot County Public Schools submits its annual Service-Learning (SL) Plan to the Maryland State Department of Education.This plan is approved by the State Superintendent of Schools, once all recommendations have been addressed.This summer, TCPS decided to modify its Service-Learning Plan to bring it more in line with other systems across the state. By providing the pre-dominance of hours through participation in classroom SL activities, this leaves only one hour for students to use on a Service-Learning project of his/her choosing. Students who have not participated in classroom-based SL projects in previous years will be required to earn those missed hours through independent Service-Learning projects, until s/he has caught up (see TCPS Service Learning Plan on the TCPS homepage...click on Departments-Curriculum-Service Learning).

We recognize that this may have an impact on our local organizations who rely heavily upon our student volunteers.To address this very important issue, TCPS has decided to meet with many of these organizations, as well as parent groups and the Chamber of Commerce. We hope to further explain the need to slightly modify some of these experiences, in order for students to be able to count them as true Service-Learning projects.

Starting next school year, TCPS will record students' hours in two ways: 1) Service-Learning hours earned inside of the classroom AND independent Service-Learning projects that have been pre-approved as such will continue to be recorded on students' report cards; 2) Volunteer hours that do not meet the graduation standard for Service-Learning will be captured as Service to the Community.Both classifications of hours will be readily available to students and parents in the same information system that is currently in use.Please use the Service Learning Validation Form.

It is our sincere hope that students will continue to serve our community in a variety of ways. It is one of life's most important endeavors. Thank you for encouraging our young people to do so. If you have any questions, please feel free to call or write to me. We value your input as a team member.

"I do not know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve."

--Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Prize winner

Maryland is proud to be the first (and only) state in the country to require Service-Learning hours as a condition for high school graduation.
Service-learning is...
Service-learning is a teaching method that combines meaningful service to the community with curriculum-based learning.

By engaging in service-learning experiences, students apply the knowledge and skills they learn in the classroom to real-world problems.

These experiential education projects bring learning to life and help students understand the relevance of the material they are studying.
ALL service-learning projects MUST be pre-approved by the school SL Coordinator!
Volunteerism:
Volunteers engage in service for a variety of personal reasons. They do not necessarily link their service to academic studies nor do they receive academic credit for their efforts.

Community Service:
People engaging in community service do so for a variety of reasons. This is a broad term that can encompass court ordered, stipended or volunteer service. It also does not necessarily link to academic studies.

Work Study Internship:
Student interns frequently work at for-profit business to benefit the financial standing of that business. They are not necessarily working to improve their communities through these internship experiences. There can be overlap between work study internships and service-learning. Students are engaged in service-learning if through their internship experiences they work to improve the health or welfare of their community while linking this to their academic studies.

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Independent Service Learning/Volunteer hours cannot begin until after the first day of 6th grade. NEW Service Learning/Volunteer Form Service Learning Brochure Service Learning Plan Each year, Talbot County Public Schools submits its annual Service-Learning (SL) Plan to the Maryland State Department of Education.This plan is approved by the State Superintendent of Schools, once all recommendations have been addressed.This summer, TCPS decided to modify its Service-Learning Plan to bring it more in line with other systems across the state.