Worcester County
Public Schools
BUCKINGHAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
A National Title I Distinguished School
Staff, Students, Parents, Community "Together For Success!"
ABOUT BUCKINGHAM ELEMENTARY
Welcome
Buckingham Elementary School is located in the town of Berlin, approximately 10 miles west of Ocean City in Worcester County, Maryland. As a neighborhood school, Buckingham Elementary serves 550 students in grades Pre-K through 4.
Buckingham Elementary is situated in a Fine Arts District and integrates all forms of the arts across its curriculum. Students at BES have access to a wealth of technology and digital resources as part of our 1:1 district initiative, where each student has access to their own iPad to use during the school day. Buckingham Elementary School has been recognized by the Maryland State Department of Education as a Positive Behaviors and Supports Exemplar/Gold School. In 2017 Buckingham was selected as a National Title I Distinguished School. BES was also named a 2018 Maryland Green School through developing sustainable practices.
We place a high focus on teaching respect and building character in all our students. At BES, we believe that the staff, students, parents and community have come "Together for Success!"
Our Mission
The mission of Buckingham Elementary School is to build a safe, student-centered, environment in which our diverse family of learners develops relationships, meets high expectations, and is prepared to be a productive citizen in an ever-changing world.
Positive Behavioral Interventions School
Improving student academic and behavior outcomes is about ensuring all students have access to the most effective and accurately implemented instructional and behavioral practices and interventions possible. PBIS is a decision making framework that guides selection, integration, and implementation of the best evidence-based academic and behavioral practices for improving important academic and behavior outcomes for all students. (www.pbis.org)
2022-2023 WCPS Annual Report
Technology Highlights
1:1 Student iPads
1:1 Teacher Macbook Airs and iPads
i-Ready Diagnostic Program
Clever Single Sign-on for Students
Class Dojo School-wide for Parent Communication
School Based Technology Coach
OPAC Online Media Center
Schoology Online Learning System
Office 365 Suite for all Students
Origo Mathematics program
Teach TCI Online Social Studies/Science Curriculum
PowerSchool Student Information System
and More...
A National Title I Distinguished School
Buckingham Elementary School has been recognized as a National Title I Distinguished School for our superior Title I program! Only 2 schools a year from each state (100 total) receive this distinction out of 47,600 Title I schools in the US. This recognition is a testament to the hard work of all our students and staff at BES.
Distinguished Title I schools are selected for their innovative programs that lead to positive and successful student academic achievement outcomes. Our partnerships with our parents and community to bring everyone together in the school decision making process is part of the key to our students and schools success.
Schools are selected by their State Education Agency and must qualify under one of the following categories:
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Category 1: Exceptional student performance for two or more consecutive years
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Category 2: Closing the achievement gap between student groups
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Category 3: Excellence in serving special populations of students (e.g. homeless, migrant, English learners, etc.)
This is Buckingham Elementary's first National Distinguished Award, and we would like to thank our entire community for making this achievement possible. As our motto states our Staff, Students, Parents, and Community have once again come "Together For Success!"
A Proud Professional Development School
The mission of the RPDS is to provide a learning community to improve practice and enhance student achievement in Pre-K-12 public schools. The RPDS provides professional development for classroom teachers and Salisbury University faculty. The Seidel School of Education and Professional Studies partners with seven counties to provide preparation for prospective teachers enrolled in early childhood, elementary, secondary and K-12 programs in physical education, music, ESOL and TESOL at Salisbury University. (www.salisbury.edu/pds)
School Improvement Process
Buckingham Elementary uses a School Improvement Model for strategic growth. In order to accomplish long-term sustainable improvements, WCPS expects school improvement teams to conduct well-designed improvement plans. With careful planning and systems for cultivating collaboration, school improvement plans are written to raise student achievement and create a framework for change. By following the steps outlined, schools will be managing improvement projects like other organizations, having clear procedures to help produce success.
Forward View 2022 - WCPS Strategic Plan
Preparing Students for Careers & Higher Education
Worcester County Public Schools is committed to ensuring that every student graduates with the skills necessary to successfully enter higher education or the global workforce.
Foward View 2022 is WCPS' Strategic plan to enable students to realize their own personal success. The focus areas, goals and strategies within this plan have been carefully designed from input gathered from all of our stakeholders. It is our belief that Forward View 2022 will keep our school system on course for greatness well into the future.
BES Rated 4 Star School on Maryland School Report Card!
Our school recently received its School Report Card from the Maryland State Department of Education. The Report Card summarizes how our school performed on the new Maryland Accountability System, which is a part of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA.
The results reflect school performance in multiple areas, including academic achievement, academic progress, school quality and student success measures. Buckingham Elementary School is a proud four-star school!
The School Report Card is an important snapshot of how our school is performing. While it shows areas in which we are doing well, we also are able to see those areas in which we need to continue to grow and improve. We hope this new accountability measure will add to our school community discussion about our continued efforts to improve. The data on the Report Card is both informative and empowering, and will help us ask questions, find answers, make decisions, and ultimately act for the betterment of our school and the students it serves.
You can find the full Buckingham Elementary School Report Card by clicking on the image of the stars. For more detailed information visit the new Maryland Report Card website: MDReportCard.org
Blueprint for Maryland's Future
The Blueprint is a landmark piece of legislation passed in 2021, which includes comprehensive changes to Maryland’s early childhood and public schools. Increasing education funding by $3.8 billion each year over the next 10 years, the Blueprint will enrich student experiences, accelerate student outcomes and improve the overall quality of education in Maryland.
The legislation took effect on July 1, 2020, and has five major policy areas: Early Childhood Education, High-Quality and Diverse Teachers and Leaders, College and Career Readiness (CCR) Pathways – including Career and Technical Education, More Resources to Ensure All Students are Successful, and Governance and Accountability.
Worcester County Public Schools (WCPS) is currently developing its implementation plan for the above mentioned areas. As this work continues, we will be communicating and working collaboratively with our teachers, students, families, and community to bring the Blueprint into vibrant life for the young people of Worcester County. Click the image to learn more.
Buckingham Elementary Receives Maryland Green School Certification!
Buckingham is going Green! Through the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE), we have earned our Maryland Green Schools Certification. BES began its work toward earning it Green Schools Certification in 2016. This certification empowers youth to make a difference and do their part to encourage sustainability, reduce environmental impact, and foster environmental literacy.
As part of our Green Schools plan, BES began constructed an Outdoor Classroom in our courtyard to meet the diverse needs of our growing population and help countless students for years to come. The Outdoor Classroom will allow different styles of learning to be brought to the forefront and promote environmental literacy.
Outcomes from this outdoor space will include hands-on, inquiry-based learning in a creative and engaging setting. Through group problem-solving activities, students embrace the learning process as well as think outside the box to devise new solutions. The Outdoor Classroom is also especially important for children living with trauma and learning disabilities, as they can benefit greatly from the rewarding responsibility of caring for plants and animals. Our community partners such as Maryland Coastal Bays Program, The Art League of Ocean City, and Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore have shown their support and commitment to this project. Role models from these community partners allow a team-teaching approach, offering exciting new lessons and collaborations. Together we will continue to forge the relationship between school, community, and the environment, helping our students to feel connected and invested.
If you are interested in volunteering with our green schools effort, please contact the school at 410-632-5300. Some of our volunteer opportunities include...
Outdoor Classroom Construction - Art - Gardening - Maintenance - Celebration Plans - Data Collection
Materials - Waste Free Wednesdays - Environmental Lessons - Committees - Surveys - and More