Dear Parents, Guardians, and School Community,

We are excited to kick off our Teacher Appreciation Wreath Fundraiser to honor and support our amazing teachers and staff at St. Michaels Middle High School!

You can support our efforts to celebrate our staff while decorating your home for the holidays—or sending fresh, beautiful greenery as gifts to friends and family across the country.

How to Support:

1. Visit GiftItForward.com.

2. Enter our fundraising code: STMICHMD001

A portion of every purchase goes directly toward funding our Teacher Appreciation initiatives and showing our educators how much they mean to our community. Thank you for helping us give back to our teachers! Orders are taken until mid December. 

⚽ Varsity Soccer Friday and Important Event Entry Information

Fans attending Friday’s varsity soccer game at SMMHS should plan to arrive early. As part of the TCPS weapons detection pilot, all spectators will pass through the weapons detection system before entering the event.

To help keep the line moving:
• Have items out and ready to move through the detection system (i.e., stadium seats, umbrellas, eyeglass cases, and Altoids cans in particular)
• Students may not bring backpacks, book bags, or large bags.
• Adult bags are permitted but are subject to inspection. Clear stadium bags are preferred.
• Be prepared to follow directions from event staff and security personnel.
• Ticketing is CASHLESS. GoFan ticketing will take place after weapons screening.

Student Attendance & Participation
• Middle school students in 6th and 7th grade must be accompanied by a parent/guardian for the duration of the event.
• 8th grade students may attend events without a parent/guardian as long as they follow all event rules and expectations.
• All middle and high school students attending extracurricular events must meet TCPS extracurricular activity participation requirements.
• Students must attend school on the day of the event.
• Students may have no more than three class tardies during the week prior to the event.

Thank you for arriving prepared, following expectations, and helping us make the entry process as smooth as possible. Go Saints!

Check out the latest Saints Scoop
https://app.smore.com/n/awt5h

Click the Link for the Back-to-School Prep Saints Scoop.
https://app.smore.com/n/a56z8t

📣 SMMHS Open House — Thursday, August 20th!

We are excited to welcome our families and students to SMMHS Open House this Thursday! This is a great opportunity for students to get ready for the new school year, pick up important items, and meet their teachers.

🕘 Middle School: 9:00–10:00 AM
🕙 High School: 10:00–11:00 AM

During Open House, students will be able to:

📚 Pick up their schedules
🚶 Walk through their class schedules and locate classrooms
👋 Meet their teachers
💻 Pick up their school-issued devices and bags from the Media Center

📱 Middle School Families: Students in grades 6–8 who are issued a Yondr Pouch will have their pouches ready and placed inside their school-issued iPad case.

🚗 Parking & Entrance: Families should park on the side of the building by the YMCA and enter through the Auditorium doors. Please do not occupy YMCA parking.

We look forward to seeing everyone and getting the school year off to a great start! 💙

TCPS to Pilot Weapons Detection Screening at Fall Athletic Events

Talbot County Public Schools is committed to providing a safe, secure, and welcoming environment for all students, staff, families, and community members attending school events.

Beginning with the 2026 fall athletic season, TCPS will implement a weapons detection screening pilot at all home varsity football games at Easton High School and all varsity soccer games at St. Michaels Middle High School.

As part of this enhanced safety measure, all spectators will be subject to security screening prior to entering the venue. By entering, guests consent to the screening process, which includes passing through a walk-through weapons detection system. If the system identifies an item requiring additional review, a handheld security wand may be used as a secondary screening measure.

The screening process will be in effect for the first home event on Friday, August 21. It has been designed to be quick, efficient, and respectful while helping to ensure the safety of everyone attending our events. Student spectators are not permitted to bring backpacks, book bags, or other large bags into the venue. Bags carried by adult spectators are permitted but are subject to security screening and inspection. 

“We are committed to creating an environment where students can compete, families can cheer, and our community can gather with confidence,” said Dr. Sharon Pepukayi, TCPS Superintendent. “These proactive measures reflect our ongoing commitment to school safety while maintaining a positive experience for everyone attending our athletic events.”

To help expedite entry, spectators are encouraged to:

·      Arrive early to allow time for screening.
·      Limit the number of personal items brought into the venue 
·      Follow directions provided by event staff and security personnel.
·      Inform staff of medical devices or medically necessary items that may require accommodation.

TCPS appreciates the patience and cooperation of our families and community as we implement this pilot. Working together, we can continue to provide safe and enjoyable experiences for everyone who attends our school events.

For additional information regarding event entry procedures, please contact Sherry Spurry, Coordinator of School Safety and Security, at the Talbot County Education Center at (410) 822-0330 or sherry.spurry@talbotschools.org.

What’s the best way to hold on to a piece of summer AND support our teachers? 🍿❤️🖤

Grab some Fisher’s Popcorn and help us raise funds for Teacher Appreciation!

🛒 Order here: Fisher’s Popcorn Fundraiser

At checkout, enter SMMHS26 so our school gets the credit!

📅 Code expires September 30, 2026.

Let’s go ALL IN for our teachers! 🍿❤️🖤

TCPS free Summer meal pick-up is today (Thursday, 8/13/26) from 3-6 p.m. inside the cafeteria at Easton Elementary School.

Dear TCPS Families,

As we approach the beginning of the school year, we want to inform you of some important revisions to our Student Attendance Administrative Regulation 10.2 to comply with Maryland Law. These changes were also presented at the June Board of Education meeting.

1 - TCPS will no longer have an internal code or approval process for family vacations. In accordance with Maryland Law (COMAR 13A.08.01.03-.04), these absences can only be coded as unexcused.

2 - The state has instituted a new absence code for students participating in civic engagement. These absences will be excused with prior authorization by school administration.

3 - TCPS will no longer count six tardies as one unexcused absence. This practice inflated student absenteeism and was not equitable, since a tardy could range from a few minutes to over an hour per Maryland law.

4 - The state does not recognize tardies as excused or unexcused, so we will not code those as such. They will simply be coded as a tardy.

5 - If a student has a chronic illness, absences will no longer be classified as CHIPS (Chronic Health Impairment for Students). Families will need to talk to their school counselor and complete the Home/Hospital process for intermittent services. This will ensure that students suffering from chronic health issues continue to receive educational services.

Please carefully review the updated Student Attendance Administrative Regulation linked here: Policy Code 10.2 AR.

While Maryland Law necessitates these revisions, we also believe these practices are in the best interest of our students. Thank you for your support!

Sharon Pepukayi, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

We are teaming up with the Talbot County Free Library again this year for Popsicles in the Park! Join us for stories, activities, free books, and fun! Enjoy ice-cold popsicles while Dr. Pepukayi reads a story! We will be at Idlewild Park in Easton on today (8/11/26) from 5-6:30 p.m.

🍎 Help Us Welcome Back Our Teachers!

Help us kick off the new school year by showing our SMMHS teachers some love! If you’d like to donate snacks, drinks, or breakfast items, please sign up below.

Sign Up Here

Thank you for helping us welcome our teachers back

Middle school sports are offered through the Family YMCA. Fall sports include field hockey, boys' soccer, girls' soccer, and girls' volleyball.

Please see the attached flyer for tryout dates, times, locations, and registration information. For questions or to register, please contact the YMCA directly.

Talbot County Board of Education Meetings - August 2026
Work Session - Monday, August 10 at 5:30 p.m.
Regular Meeting - Wednesday, August 12 at 7:00 p.m.

NOTE: Regular Meetings of the Board will be held on the second Wednesday of the month effective in August, 2026. Work Session Meetings will be held on the Monday before the Regular Meeting. All meetings will begin promptly at 5:30 pm.

All Talbot County Board of Education Meetings are held at the Talbot County Education Center, 12 Magnolia Street, Easton, MD 21601. Open meetings are held in Conference Room #1. The Talbot County Board of Education holds monthly Work Session Meetings, as indicated under the “Upcoming Meetings” section on the right side of the TCPS Diligent Community Home Page linked below. Work Session meetings begin at 5:30 p.m., on the dates indicated. The public may livestream meetings by choosing the video “Livestream” camera icon. Video coverage of past meetings can be viewed by selecting the video camera icon next to the correct meeting date under the “Recent Meetings” category on the right side of the page.

The Talbot County Board of Education holds Regular Board Meetings on a monthly basis at the Talbot County Education Center. The Board begins Regular Monthly Meetings at 5:30 p.m., only for the purpose of voting to close the meeting pursuant to the State Government article (Section 3-305 (b)) (1) (to discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation, or performance evaluation of appointees, employees, or officials over whom this public body has jurisdiction; any other personnel matter that affects one or more specific individuals to discuss the superintendent contract; and (Section 3-305 (b)) (7) and (8), to consult with counsel to obtain legal advice on legal matters and consult with staff, consultants, or other individuals about pending or potential litigation).

The open portion of the Regular Board Meeting begins at approximately 7:00 p.m. The public may attend in person or view the meeting via livestream by choosing the “Livestream” video camera icon on the TCPS Diligent Community Home page. Video coverage of past meetings may be accessed by selecting the video camera icon next to the proper meeting date under the “Recent Meetings” category. Requests to speak at a Regular Board Meeting may be submitted online, prior to the start time of the regular Board meeting, using the following link: https://tcpsk12.community.diligentoneplatform.com/portal/

For more information about the Talbot County Board of Education, please contact Faith M. Brundige, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent, by emailing: Faith.Brundige@TalbotSchools.org.