Dear CSPES Families,
This morning, during arrival, I observed several situations in the car line that were concerning. I saw a vehicle cut in front of others who had followed the proper route all the way down before turning back toward the school. I also witnessed an illegal U-turn and several instances where families who were following the established process were cut in front of.
I addressed what I saw at the time, but I left feeling discouraged. As a school community, we have shared the car line procedures many times because they are designed to keep everyone safe and ensure that the process is fair for all families.
If you value the work we are doing at our school and the kind of community we are trying to build—one where people treat each other with respect—then it is important that we all follow the established guidelines.
Please remember the expectation:
At arrival and dismissal, all vehicles must proceed all the way down the designated route, make the turn, and then pull back up toward the school. When a driver pulls directly into the line simply because there is space for one car, it cuts in front of families who have followed the proper procedure.
These rules are not about convenience—they are about safety, fairness, and respect for one another. When everyone follows the process, the line moves efficiently and safely for all.
I would also like to address something else I have recently become aware of. Over the past few days, I have seen several posts circulating in grade-level Facebook groups that imply negative things about the school or our teachers. I want to be very clear: it is never appropriate to discuss teachers in this way on social media. Posts asking questions such as “Is anyone else having this issue?” often do nothing more than create unnecessary concern and discontent within the community.
At the same time, I want to share an example of what does help. One parent—whom I greatly appreciate—reached out to me directly to ask for clarification about something she had heard. Instead of contributing to negativity online, she went straight to someone who could actually address the concern. Because of that conversation, I was able to speak with the teachers involved, gain additional insight, and set clear expectations moving forward.
The specific concern related to teachers occasionally pulling students during lunch to provide extra academic support. While I do not believe lunch should be taken away on a daily basis, I want families to understand the heart behind why teachers sometimes do this. Our teachers care deeply about their students and want to make sure every child reaches their full potential. When they see a student struggling with a concept, many of them voluntarily give up their own break time to sit with that student, reteach the skill, and ensure that the child does not fall behind. These moments are not about punishment—they are about support, encouragement, and a commitment to student success.
This level of dedication speaks volumes about the educators we have at CSPES. I can confidently say that this type of commitment is not something you would find in every school. Our teachers consistently go above and beyond because they believe in their students and want to see them succeed. It is important that our teachers feel supported in these efforts. When educators feel valued and supported by the community, it strengthens their ability and motivation to continue going above and beyond for our students.
Moving forward, I have asked teachers to obtain parent permission if they plan to work with a student during lunch.
If you ever have a concern about something happening at school, I ask that you please contact me directly. When concerns are brought to someone who can actually address them, solutions can be found. Spreading frustration online, however, does not resolve issues and often harms the positive community we are all working to build.
Thank you to the many families who continue to support our school, our teachers, and one another. Your partnership makes CSPES the strong community that it is.
Warmly,
Dr. Tabatha Camacho
Principal
Chesapeake Science Point Elementary School
For details and a complete agenda, go to the AACPS News Release page at https://www.aacps.org/article/2733804.
#BelongGrowSucceed #AACPSFamily #OurStory
The 2026 MSDE Special Education Parent Survey will be available on or about Monday, March 2, 2026, for parents and guardians of AACPS students with lEPs.
Please watch for mailed surveys and emails from MSDE or AACPS.
Visit the AACPS website for more information when the survey opens.
4:55 p.m., 2/23/26: All Anne Arundel County Public Schools and offices will open on time and operate on normal schedules on Tuesday, February 24. Families, students, and employees should prepare for cold temperatures tomorrow morning and allow additional time to safely travel to and from schools, offices, and bus stops.
Any change in the status of school district operations for February 24 will be announced on Tuesday morning through normal channels.
7:45 p.m., 2/22/26: Due to expected worsening adverse weather and travel conditions overnight, all AACPS schools will operate virtually on Monday, February 23. Students will engage in real-time virtual instruction with their teachers. Please note that both the start times and length of the virtual learning day have changed to align them with the length of the in-person school day. Schools will begin instruction at 8:30 or 8:45 a.m., as listed on schedules that can be found at www.aacps.org/studentschedules or www.aacps.org/stayconnected.
With the exception of Unit III Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance personnel, AACPS employees should work remotely on February 23. Unit III Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance personnel must follow the terms of their negotiated agreement and report to work locations as required. Additional guidance regarding reporting requirements will be communicated to impacted employees.
Any additional changes to the status of school district operations for Monday, February 23, will be announced Monday morning.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools is monitoring the weather forecast for potential inclement weather Sunday into Monday. As a reminder, our school district has used all three of the inclement weather days built into the calendar. Should another inclement weather day be needed on Monday or any other future day, it is our intention to switch to virtual learning instructional schedules. This would avoid adding a day to the end of the school year.
Students are being reminded today to take their assigned devices home with them and keep them charged through the weekend.
Virtual learning schedules, which have been updated since the last storm, can be found at www.aacps.org/studentschedules.
The Board of Education of Anne Arundel County tonight unanimously voted to reappoint Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell to a second four-year term leading the fourth largest school district in Maryland.
For more information, go to the AACPS News Release page at https://www.aacps.org/article/2716521.
#BelongGrowSucceed #AACPSFamily #OurStory
To see the list of finalists, go to the AACPS News Release page at https://www.aacps.org/article/2716273.
#BelongGrowSucceed #AACPSFamily #OurStory
The monetary awards are given each spring in honor of Ms. Antwine, a Navy veteran who served on the Board of Education from 2018 until her death in 2021, to AACPS students who have made a similar commitment by enlisting to serve in the United States military upon graduation. They assist awardees with initial expenses related to enlisting, including uniforms and basic training supplies, and aim to remove financial barriers to military service.
Applications for this year’s award can be found online at www.aacps.org/serviceaward. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. on April 17, 202
For more information on the meeting, go to the AACPS news release page at https://www.aacps.org/article/2707435.
Thank you!
As we begin planning for the upcoming school year, we are asking families to please complete the form below only if your child will NOT be returning next year.
Withdrawal paperwork requires processing time, and in order to ensure everything is completed accurately and in a timely manner, we must receive this information as soon as possible. This allows us to plan staffing, classroom placements, and resources appropriately for all students.
For our current 5th and 6th grade families:
Students will automatically be promoted to the middle school. If your child will be continuing at a Chesapeake Science Point school, you do not need to complete this form. The form is only necessary if your child will be leaving the Chesapeake Science Point system entirely.
For our Pre-K families:
You do not need to complete this form at this time. We understand many of you are awaiting the lottery results, which will be released on the afternoon of the 20th. If your child does not receive or accept a seat, more information regarding next steps will be shared.
If your child will be returning, there is no action needed at this time.
If your child will NOT be returning, please complete the form at your earliest convenience using the link below:
👉 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScgtWLOp5VNAqgbvxQRN0TrmaQMp90s-QRYranp7BRxLJ95Ig/viewform?usp=publish-editor
Thank you for your continued partnership and for being a valued part of the CSPES community.
Warm regards,
Dr. Camacho
Principal, Chesapeake Science Point Elementary
Please prepare to have your student picked up before 12:30 pm today.
If you are planning to request an early pick up for an example an appointment please be at school before 11:45.
Enrichment families- 4 pm pick up is at 2 and 6 pm pick is at 4 pm