https://chestertownspy.org Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown Wed, 16 Apr 2025 02:34:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://chestertownspy.org/2025/04/16/nonprofits-report-calls-for-broad-based-approach-to-improving-reading-scores/ https://chestertownspy.org/2025/04/16/nonprofits-report-calls-for-broad-based-approach-to-improving-reading-scores/#respond Wed, 16 Apr 2025 13:00:33 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/?p=183635   Alice Tickler tries to stay positive when it comes to educating young children, but the longtime teacher admits there are some things that can make it hard — and it’s not anything the students do. Things like the legislature’s failure to fund a training program, specifically for reading and math teachers. As a teacher […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2025/04/16/nonprofits-report-calls-for-broad-based-approach-to-improving-reading-scores/feed/ 0 https://chestertownspy.org/2025/04/01/maryland-faces-418-million-catastrophic-loss-in-pandemic-era-relief-funds/ https://chestertownspy.org/2025/04/01/maryland-faces-418-million-catastrophic-loss-in-pandemic-era-relief-funds/#respond Tue, 01 Apr 2025 12:00:04 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2025/04/01/maryland-faces-418-million-catastrophic-loss-in-pandemic-era-relief-funds/ The U.S. Department of Education told states Friday that it was canceling previous approvals to spend down remaining COVID-19 recovery funds, a change that could mean $418 million to the Maryland Department of Education. The change was announced in a letter from U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon that was dated Friday at 5 p.m., and […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2025/04/01/maryland-faces-418-million-catastrophic-loss-in-pandemic-era-relief-funds/feed/ 0 https://chestertownspy.org/2025/03/22/md-senate-panels-vote-on-blueprint-bill-straddles-house-administration-versions/ https://chestertownspy.org/2025/03/22/md-senate-panels-vote-on-blueprint-bill-straddles-house-administration-versions/#respond Sat, 22 Mar 2025 17:38:26 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2025/03/22/md-senate-panels-vote-on-blueprint-bill-straddles-house-administration-versions/ A Senate committee advanced parts of Maryland’s sweeping education reform plan Friday, splitting the difference between versions of the bill advanced by the House and the Moore administration and setting up a showdown in the waning days of the legislature. The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee approved a four-year pause in the start of funding […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2025/03/22/md-senate-panels-vote-on-blueprint-bill-straddles-house-administration-versions/feed/ 0 https://chestertownspy.org/2025/03/13/house-approves-blueprint-education-bill-that-rejects-most-cuts-proposed-by-governor/ https://chestertownspy.org/2025/03/13/house-approves-blueprint-education-bill-that-rejects-most-cuts-proposed-by-governor/#respond Thu, 13 Mar 2025 10:00:21 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2025/03/13/house-approves-blueprint-education-bill-that-rejects-most-cuts-proposed-by-governor/ As expected, the House of Delegates approved an amended, comprehensive education plan Tuesday night that rejected cuts proposed by Gov. Wes Moore (D). The 100-39 party-line vote sets up a potential showdown with the Senate over the Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act. Senate leaders have indicated that, in the face of a projected $3 […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2025/03/13/house-approves-blueprint-education-bill-that-rejects-most-cuts-proposed-by-governor/feed/ 0 https://chestertownspy.org/2025/02/06/high-priority-kcps-seeking-community-support-for-hb0736/ https://chestertownspy.org/2025/02/06/high-priority-kcps-seeking-community-support-for-hb0736/#respond Thu, 06 Feb 2025 14:32:26 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/?p=182319 Kent County Public Schools is asking everyone to support its efforts to seek more money from the state to build a new Kent County Middle School. There is a bill being heard in the Maryland General Assembly that would do this and KCPS needs the community’s help getting it passed! There are three ways you […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2025/02/06/high-priority-kcps-seeking-community-support-for-hb0736/feed/ 0 https://chestertownspy.org/2025/01/23/governors-education-bill-slows-growth-of-per-pupil-funding-worrying-advocates/ https://chestertownspy.org/2025/01/23/governors-education-bill-slows-growth-of-per-pupil-funding-worrying-advocates/#respond Thu, 23 Jan 2025 11:00:36 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2025/01/23/governors-education-bill-slows-growth-of-per-pupil-funding-worrying-advocates/ A comprehensive education bill unveiled Wednesday by the Moore administration would slow the growth of per pupil spending beginning next year and continuing for the next eight years, raising concerns among advocates and lawmakers. The reductions begin in fiscal 2026, when the per pupil “foundation” funding was scheduled to grow from $8,789 per student to […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2025/01/23/governors-education-bill-slows-growth-of-per-pupil-funding-worrying-advocates/feed/ 0 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/09/24/mid-shore-education-a-chat-with-gunstons-john-lewis-on-ai-in-the-classroom-centreville-and-growth/ https://chestertownspy.org/2024/09/24/mid-shore-education-a-chat-with-gunstons-john-lewis-on-ai-in-the-classroom-centreville-and-growth/#respond Tue, 24 Sep 2024 15:39:01 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/09/24/mid-shore-education-a-chat-with-gunstons-john-lewis-on-ai-in-the-classroom-centreville-and-growth/ Giving credit where credit is due, it was John Lewis, the Head of School at The Gunston School, who gave the Spy the first idea that Artificial intelligence was a real thing almost two years ago. Joined by graduating senior Damian Rene in early 2023, John outlined how AI was starting to appear in the […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2024/09/24/mid-shore-education-a-chat-with-gunstons-john-lewis-on-ai-in-the-classroom-centreville-and-growth/feed/ 0 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/09/23/spy-survey-summary-on-learning-for-a-lifetime-on-the-mid-shore/ https://chestertownspy.org/2024/09/23/spy-survey-summary-on-learning-for-a-lifetime-on-the-mid-shore/#respond Mon, 23 Sep 2024 20:54:55 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/09/23/spy-survey-summary-on-learning-for-a-lifetime-on-the-mid-shore/ Every year, the Spy selects one nonprofit organization or school on the Mid-Shore that we admire, then we reach out to our 8,000 daily subscribers with a survey designed to inform all of us about a particular issue or initiative. Recently, as a Spy reader, you were invited to participate in a survey about lifelong […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2024/09/23/spy-survey-summary-on-learning-for-a-lifetime-on-the-mid-shore/feed/ 0 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/08/22/as-school-year-begins-education-reform-plan-faces-a-reckoning/ https://chestertownspy.org/2024/08/22/as-school-year-begins-education-reform-plan-faces-a-reckoning/#comments Thu, 22 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/08/22/as-school-year-begins-education-reform-plan-faces-a-reckoning/ When Maryland public schools welcome nearly 890,000 students back to classes in the coming days, it will also be the beginning of year three of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the state’s sweeping education reform plan. But the plan’s future is suddenly up in the air, as state and local lawmakers are raising new concerns […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2024/08/22/as-school-year-begins-education-reform-plan-faces-a-reckoning/feed/ 1 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/08/12/bay-climate-adaptation-the-tnc-guide-in-finding-the-money-for-major-infrastructure-change/ https://chestertownspy.org/2024/08/12/bay-climate-adaptation-the-tnc-guide-in-finding-the-money-for-major-infrastructure-change/#respond Mon, 12 Aug 2024 15:07:39 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/08/12/bay-climate-adaptation-the-tnc-guide-in-finding-the-money-for-major-infrastructure-change/ A few months ago, The Nature Conservancy released a report that could solve one of the major obstacles facing climate adaptation: finding the money to do things. Many towns, particularly on the Eastern Shore, are facing an increasingly long list of infrastructure projects, but funding those expensive undertakings has become harder. That’s where TNC’s report, […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2024/08/12/bay-climate-adaptation-the-tnc-guide-in-finding-the-money-for-major-infrastructure-change/feed/ 0 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/08/01/marylands-pre-k-expansion-plan-proves-to-be-unpopular-with-child-care-providers/ https://chestertownspy.org/2024/08/01/marylands-pre-k-expansion-plan-proves-to-be-unpopular-with-child-care-providers/#comments Thu, 01 Aug 2024 13:00:53 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/08/01/marylands-pre-k-expansion-plan-proves-to-be-unpopular-with-child-care-providers/ Maryland is counting on private child care providers to take part as the state expands its pre-K program — but many providers don’t plan on becoming involved. In a survey of the state’s childcare providers conducted this spring by the Local News Network, only 12.9% of respondents said they plan to or were already involved […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2024/08/01/marylands-pre-k-expansion-plan-proves-to-be-unpopular-with-child-care-providers/feed/ 1 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/06/03/blueprint-blues-mid-shore-and-state-school-leaders-cite-school-reform-plans-progress-and-problems/ https://chestertownspy.org/2024/06/03/blueprint-blues-mid-shore-and-state-school-leaders-cite-school-reform-plans-progress-and-problems/#respond Mon, 03 Jun 2024 14:13:15 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/06/03/blueprint-blues-mid-shore-and-state-school-leaders-cite-school-reform-plans-progress-and-problems/ Maryland public school students are approaching their summer vacations, but some school officials won’t get the same break, as they continue plugging away on the state’s huge education reform plan. School officials from the state’s 24 districts filed updated documents last month detailing their progress on, and problems with, the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. The […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2024/06/03/blueprint-blues-mid-shore-and-state-school-leaders-cite-school-reform-plans-progress-and-problems/feed/ 0 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/05/13/washington-college-receives-15-million-for-new-school-focusing-on-interdisciplinary-approach-to-global-business-2/ https://chestertownspy.org/2024/05/13/washington-college-receives-15-million-for-new-school-focusing-on-interdisciplinary-approach-to-global-business-2/#respond Mon, 13 May 2024 10:00:26 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/05/13/washington-college-receives-15-million-for-new-school-focusing-on-interdisciplinary-approach-to-global-business-2/ Washington College announced today the largest individual donation in the College’s 242-year history: a $15 million gift from Elizabeth (Beth) Warehime which will enable the launch of The Warehime School of Global Business, Economics, and Social Impact — a new school aimed at fostering a unique interdisciplinary approach to business education. With the goal of transforming business […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2024/05/13/washington-college-receives-15-million-for-new-school-focusing-on-interdisciplinary-approach-to-global-business-2/feed/ 0 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/05/13/washington-college-receives-15-million-for-new-school-focusing-on-interdisciplinary-approach-to-global-business/ https://chestertownspy.org/2024/05/13/washington-college-receives-15-million-for-new-school-focusing-on-interdisciplinary-approach-to-global-business/#respond Mon, 13 May 2024 10:00:13 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/05/13/washington-college-receives-15-million-for-new-school-focusing-on-interdisciplinary-approach-to-global-business/ Washington College announced today the largest individual donation in the College’s 242-year history: a $15 million gift from Elizabeth (Beth) Warehime which will enable the launch of The Warehime School of Global Business, Economics, and Social Impact — a new school aimed at fostering a unique interdisciplinary approach to business education. With the goal of transforming business […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2024/05/13/washington-college-receives-15-million-for-new-school-focusing-on-interdisciplinary-approach-to-global-business/feed/ 0 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/05/07/in-memoriam-professor-frank-creegan/ https://chestertownspy.org/2024/05/07/in-memoriam-professor-frank-creegan/#comments Tue, 07 May 2024 12:53:07 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/05/07/in-memoriam-professor-frank-creegan/ Frank J. Creegan, 84, of Chestertown, MD, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at The Barnett Hospice Center in Centreville, MD.    Frank was born December 16, 1939, in Lowell, MA, the second child of the late Mary Cecilia McDonald Creegan and Thomas Alexander Creegan. He attended Keith Academy, in Lowell, and graduated with […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2024/05/07/in-memoriam-professor-frank-creegan/feed/ 1 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/04/30/marylands-school-superintendent-announces-accountability-task-force/ https://chestertownspy.org/2024/04/30/marylands-school-superintendent-announces-accountability-task-force/#comments Tue, 30 Apr 2024 13:39:48 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/04/30/marylands-school-superintendent-announces-accountability-task-force/ Five days after the Maryland State Board of Education unanimously voted to appoint Carey Wright as the state’s permanent superintendent of schools, she held a news conference on Monday to announce the creation of a task force to assess academic achievement. Wright said members of this group will include local superintendents, principals and higher education representatives to […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2024/04/30/marylands-school-superintendent-announces-accountability-task-force/feed/ 3 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/04/01/maryland-blueprint-implementation-in-dorchester-county/ Mon, 01 Apr 2024 13:49:24 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/04/01/maryland-blueprint-implantation-in-dorchester-county/ “Transforming our public schools will require nothing less than rethinking and redesigning the policies in place now to create something that works much better for all students.” That statement comes from the initial implementation plan for the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a set of policies and funding intended to transform Maryland’s education system from early […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2024/03/29/blueprint-implementation-continues-new-plans-reveal-ongoing-challenges-for-schools/ Fri, 29 Mar 2024 13:07:08 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/03/29/blueprint-implementation-continues-new-plans-reveal-ongoing-challenges-for-schools/ When Maryland’s public school leaders submitted their first Blueprint for Maryland’s Future documents to state officials last year, part of the requirements were to identify any challenges they’d face meeting the mission of the education reform plan. These included hiring and retaining qualified teachers, expansion of prekindergarten to include 3- and 4-year-old children and incorporating […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2024/03/18/deadline-today-support-appeal-to-state-for-middle-school-cost-share-alteration/ https://chestertownspy.org/2024/03/18/deadline-today-support-appeal-to-state-for-middle-school-cost-share-alteration/#comments Mon, 18 Mar 2024 13:53:57 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/?p=175079 Today, Monday, March 18, is the last day to contact the Maryland General Assembly to send a letter of support for the bill requesting the State alter its School Construction Local Cost Share for the much-needed new Middle School in Chestertown, and we have a way to help you (see below).The new structure would be […]]]> https://chestertownspy.org/2024/03/18/deadline-today-support-appeal-to-state-for-middle-school-cost-share-alteration/feed/ 2 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/03/14/chesapeake-forums-new-era-of-lifelong-learning-with-james-adams-and-claudia-dziobek/ Thu, 14 Mar 2024 14:41:39 +0000 https://chestertownspy.org/2024/03/14/chesapeake-forums-new-era-of-lifelong-learning-with-james-adams-and-claudia-dziobek/ In 2019, when the Chesapeake Forum (then the Academy for Lifelong Learning) left its home base of 15 years, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, to chart a new future, it was reasonable for the leadership team at the time to worry about its prospects. While for many years, the ALL has proven to be successful in […]]]>