Good evening RAMFAM! This is your proud Parkside principal, Brian Briggs.
We’ve had a great week here at Parkside and here are just a few highlights:
· We had a great Freshman Transition Day for our Parkside High Class of 2029! Our new class of RAMFAM were able to learn about the expectations set forth for them from their principal, enjoy team building activities both in Andy’s Hall (our gymnasium) and outside, get tours of the building from our RAMbassadors, get their laptop and get logged in for the first time, tie dye their own t-shirt that they keep that reminds them that their legacy is just starting to load, go to all of their classes so they have a better idea of where each class is, and have their PHS Class of 2029 class picture taken. Thank you to our RAMtastic RAMbassadors for all their help with welcoming our new RAMFAM!
· On September 2nd, 1975, Mr. Tony Sarbanes, first principal of Parkside High School, opened the doors of Parkside for the first time ever to students. Today, September 2nd, 2025, 50 years to that day, Mr. Tony Sarbanes stopped by Parkside High School to welcome the Parkside High Class of 2029 and ring in the 50th year for Parkside. Mr. Sarbanes was able to visit a classroom, and stop by the Parkside Auditorium (which wasn't completed on the 1st day of classes in September 1975) to see the picture of former Wicomico County Public Schools superintendent Royd A. Mahaffey who named Mr. Sarbanes as the first principal of Parkside and also why we are RAMs. Parkside High School owes its legacy of pride, tradition, and excellence to its strong beginnings in the 1970s with Mr. Sarbanes. We are fortunate to be able to have Mr. Sarbanes still a vital member of the RAMFAM and always checking in on things. Mr. Sarbanes is a perfect example of Once A RAM, Always A RAM! Thank you again Mr. Sarbanes for stopping by and welcoming our new class! We appreciate you!
· Best Senior Sunrise ever for PHS! The Parkside High Class of 2026 cane out in full force this morning to celebrate the beginning of their final and senior year here at Parkside! We are so proud of this class and all its accomplishments! The Parkside High Class of 2026 will certainly leave a tremendous legacy!
· The RAMFAM took over Delmar Friday night for our first varsity football game of the season. I expected to see some RAMFAM there but didn’t expect to see the entire visitor side bleachers full (and the fence around our side) of Parkside families, parents, grandparents, friends, current students, current student athletes (who traveled to the game from their own games in Salisbury and Easton), and PHS alum! It definitely didn’t feel like we were the AWAY team and our football team and fans brought it for the entire game! We need to take this momentum and FILL COUNTY STADIUM THIS FRIDAY NIGHT!!! The game starts at 6 PM and you will be there to not only support Parkside and the football team, you will also be supporting our Parkside Marching RAMS and our Parkside Cheerleaders. I want to see the large HOME stands full this Friday night and I know the RAMFAM will rise to that challenge!
· The Parkside Marching RAMS were working hard yesterday on final preparations for their first live performance of their 2025 show this coming Friday night at County Stadium. The home football game will start at 6 PM with our amazing band playing the National Anthem just prior to kick off and will then do their show at halftime. We can not wait to see it! They have worked so hard this summer and early fall and we are so very proud of each and every one of them! Thank you also to Mr. Jon Adams and your staff for your tremendous leadership!
· Most sports teams have had their first match with plenty of wins and all teams will be active this week.
Important dates upcoming:
· September 11th – Senior Application Night
· September 12th – First home varsity football game of the year. Come on out to County Stadium to support our football team, Marching RAMS, and our cheerleaders!
· September 25th – Homecoming Pep Rally during 5th period
· September 25th – Homecoming Football Game
· September 26th – Senior Portraits in Auditorium
· September 27th – Homecoming Dance
· October 2nd – School Picture Day
· October 17th – MSEA Convention – Schools Closed (school office open)
· October 27th – Parent/Teacher Visitations
· October 30th – End of 1st marking term
· October 31st – PD day for staff, schools closed for students
Testing Updates:
· The evidence of learning timeline lists the currently planned dates of mandated state and local testing. This can be found on the parent quick links page on the WCPS website and is also linked below.
https://www.wicomicoschools.org/page/evidence-of-learning-timeline
· PSAT Information for 9th and 11th grade families:
The Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) will be administered in person at Parkside High School on Wednesday, October 22nd for any 9th grade student who wishes to experience taking a College Board test or for any 11th grade student who wishes to try to qualify for a National Merit Scholarship. Those 9th and 11th grade students who wish to take the test will need to pay the $18 fee through the new payment program LiNQ between September 10th and October 3rd. All 10th graders are automatically signed up to take the test, additional information will be coming to 10th grade families in the weeks ahead.
For more information on the PSAT/NMSQT you can visit the College Board website. If you have questions, please email Marla Schmidt, Parkside High School’s test coordinator at mschmidt@mywcps.org
LiNQ Connect Flyer - How to Pay School Fees in LINQ Connect.pdf - Google Drive
Updates/Reminders:
· Here is our Parkside Bus Serving List for the 25-26 school year. Please see this for our bus numbers, their routes, and their bus drivers (along with contact information). You can also search for bus number by using this search function https://webquery-wicomico-md.etstack.io/#/home
· The lowest price of the season on yearbooks runs through this Friday the 12th. See flyer below for more information.
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· Senior Application Night - We hope PHS seniors interested in applying to college along with their parents/caregivers will attend Senior Application Night on Thursday, September 11th at Parkside High School (1015 Beaglin Park Drive; Salisbury, Maryland 21804) from 5:30 -8:30 p.m. This opportunity will provide expert advice and help you navigate the college application process!
· If you are a senior and need to have your senior portraits done, Lifetouch will have a session here at Parkside on September 26th. See flyer below for more information.
· School picture day will be October 2nd. See this flyer for more information:
· There have been changes with regards to dance criteria, with the newest change regarding attendance. Please look over the new dance criteria for high school.
HIGH SCHOOL DANCE CRITERIA
Wicomico County Public Schools
The following criteria apply to all high school students attending school dances:
1. GPA
o Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0, as required by county policy.
2. Conduct
o Students must not have served any Out-of-School Suspensions (OSS) during the current semester.
o Any student excluded based on cumulative OSS days per county policy will not be eligible to attend.
3. Attendance
o Students must have no more than 2 unexcused absences in the 45 days leading up to the dance.
o For the first dance of the school year, attendance is evaluated from the first day of school.
4. Guests
o Guests must be under the age of 21.
o Guests must be in good standing with their current school or employer.
o A guest form, to be used by all schools, will be required for verification.
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· Parkside CTE believes strongly in the safety and security of its students and staff. Here are some important reminders concerning firearms, weapons, cell phones, and social media.
Firearms and Weapons
Possession of any firearm, other weapon, or look-like weapons (e.g., pellet guns, BB guns, water guns, water pellet guns) by a student on school property, including in vehicles parked on school property, is strictly forbidden.
The school system’s prohibition on carrying or possessing a weapon on school property applies to loaded and unloaded weapons. This prohibition applies to weapons contained within automobiles.
It is a serious offense for students to possess any rifle, gun, knife, or deadly weapon of any kind on any school property in Maryland. Offenders face criminal penalties and severe consequences up to and including expulsion. The Code of Conduct will be applied in all situations involving violations.
Cell Phones and Social Media
Students may not use their cell phone during class without teacher permission. Phones shall be turned off during class time unless the student is given specific permission to use it by the teacher of the class of which it is being used.
Restrictions on cell phone usage: Students are prohibited from using their cell phone to cheat or plagiarize, to bully or haze others, to disrupt the learning environment, the view pornographic, vulgar, or inappropriate content, to post derogatory content on social media sites, to make video recordings at school, without teacher permission or school authorization; or take unsolicited or unwelcome photographs of students, staff, or facilities.
Students who inappropriately use their cell phone at school will be subject to discipline as stipulated in the Student Code of Conduct. Additionally, students may lose their privilege of using their cell phone at school for a length of time to be determined by the school administrators.
Thank you again RAMFAM for all you do! I am so proud to work with so many great students, families, and staff.
Thanks,
Brian