Page 44 - Garrett County 2024/2025 Visitors Guide

PHOTO BY KRISTEN FISCHETTI – HIGHER FOCUS STUDIOS
A SOLID START FOR LOCAL KIDS
Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS, gcps.net) have always excelled with small class sizes — the student-teacher ratio is 12:1, far below the national average of 17:1 — as well as competitive athletics and STEM and career development options.
But Garrett Schools also have shown some
of the strongest learning recoveries since
the pandemic. For example, the Maryland Department of Education’s Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program showed a 34.1% improvement in pass rates for
English proficiency at Northern Garrett High School between 2019 and 2023. Broad Ford Elementary showed a 29.4% improvement in math proficiency over the same period, making it the most improved school in the entire state.
Like every other public school system in Maryland, GCPS is also on the cusp of significant transformation. The Blueprint
for Maryland’s Future, a bill passed by Maryland’s General Assembly in 2021, provides funding to make the state’s schools globally competitive in five areas:
• Early childhood education
• College and career readiness and
pathways
• High-quality and diverse teachers/ leaders
• More resources to ensure all students are successful
• Governance and accountability 42 The Deep Creek Experience
In 2023, GCPS approved an implementation plan with specific measures for each of these five pillars. Among other goals, the school system plans to:
• Expand access to free, high-quality pre-K for all 4-year-olds and eligible 3-year-olds
• Raise pay and improve professional- development opportunities to create and sustain a diverse faculty
• Implement a curriculum starting in pre-K that gets students college- or career-ready by the end of 10th grade. For example, by the 2030- 31 school year, GCPS wants 45%
of its graduates to have earned an industry-recognized credential or completed a registered apprenticeship program.
COLLEGE READINESS AND
STEM SKILLS
As for college readiness, there is a unique perk for Garrett County students: after high school graduation, they are eligible for
the Garrett County Scholarship Program (garrettcollege.edu/garrett-county- scholarship.php), which covers the cost of tuition and fees for a two-year degree from Garrett College (garrettcollege.edu). This perk is also available to students who are certified as home-schooled or who attend
a non-public school operating in Garrett County. (GCPS provides testing services, curriculum reviews and other support to parents who choose to home-school their children.)
Education in STEM fields is a high priority for GCPS, and youth robotics programs
are a major asset that students can take advantage of. Northern and Southern Garrett High School students can join
FIRST Robotics Team 1629 (also known as Garrett Coalition, or GaCo for short), which provides an opportunity to build robots for competition and receive mentorship from STEM professionals. Interested students can learn more about joining GaCo at gcps.net/ Page/2452.
For those who excel in athletics, Garrett’s high schools have many competitive athletic teams, including in wrestling, track and field and basketball.
WORK READINESS
Work readiness is also an important focus for GCPS. In partnership with the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, the school system launched the Work Ethic Diploma Program (visitdeepcreek.com/work- ethic-diploma-program), which places students with one of 39 participating local employers. To qualify for a Work Ethic Diploma, students have to earn a minimum of points in nine different categories,