{{Short description|Public school district in Maryland, US}} {{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox school district | name = Wicomico County Public Schools | address = 2424 Northgate Drive Suite 100 | city = Salisbury | state = Maryland | county = Wicomico | zipcode = 21801 | country = United States of America | coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|||dim:250_region:US-_type:edu|name=District office|display=inline,title}} --> | type = Public | grades = PreK-12 | established = {{Start date and age|1868}} | superintendent = Dr. Micah Stauffer | asst_superintendents = {{unbulleted list|Dr. Frederick Briggs|Kimberly Miles|Dr. Brian Raygor}} | school_board = {{unbulleted list|Susan W. Beauchamp|Allen C. Brown, Sr.|Dr. Bonnie H. Ennis|Kristin Hazel|N. Eugene "Gene"{{wbr}} {{nobr|Malone Jr.}}|John Palmer|David A. Plotts}} | president = N. Eugene "Gene"{{wbr}} {{nobr|Malone Jr.}} | vice-president = David A. Plotts | accreditations = <!-- or | accreditation = --> | schools = 24 | budget = $304 Million<ref name="budget">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wcboe.org/cms/lib/MD50000151/Centricity/Domain/2450/FINAL%20FY%202023%20Budget%20Approved.pdf|title=Wicomico County Public Schools FY2023 Budget|access-date=November 24, 2022}}</ref> | us_nces_district_id = {{NCES District ID|2400690|district_name=Wicomico County Public Schools|access_date=February 8, 2018}} | students = 14,889 | teachers = 1,108 | staff = 1,218 | conference = Bayside Conference | colors = <!-- or | colours = --> | website = {{URL|www.wicomicoschools.org}} }}
'''Wicomico County Public Schools''' is the public school district for Wicomico County, Maryland. WCPS has 24 schools, consisting of 16 elementary, 1 elementary/middle, 3 middle, 1 middle/high, and 3 high schools.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date= |title=Wicomico County Public Schools Annual Report 2019-2020 |url=https://www.wcboe.org//cms/lib/MD50000151/Centricity/Domain/2520/Achieve%205.0%20-%20Final.pdf |access-date=August 13, 2022}}</ref>
The district has over 15,000 students and close to 1,300 teachers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Wicomico Public Schools |url=https://www.wicomicoschools.org/page/about-wicomico-public-schools |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=Wicomico County Public Schools}}</ref> It is the largest school district on the Eastern Shore.
==Demographics== Ethnic composition of the district in 2020 was 44% Caucasian, 37% African American, 11% Hispanic/Latino, 3% Asian, 8% two races.<ref name=":0" /> As of 2020, the 4-year adjusted cohort graduation rate was 83.93%.<ref name=":0" />
==Board of education== The Wicomico County Board of Education was previously appointed by the governor of Maryland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wcboe.org/leadership/board_of_education/november_8__2016_referendum_on_school_board|title=November 8, 2016 Referendum on School Board - Wicomico Coun...|website=www.wcboe.org|language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-18}}</ref> Beginning with the November 2018 election, the board transitioned to fully elected. It has one member elected from each of the five council districts, plus two elected at-large, in a non-partisan manner.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://elections.state.md.us/elections/2018/primary_candidates/gen_cand_lists_2018_1__by_county_23.html|title=2018 Candidate Listing|last=Elections|first=Maryland State Board of|website=elections.state.md.us|language=en|access-date=2018-03-18}}</ref>
== List of Schools == The following are statistics from the FY 2024 Educational Facilities Master Plan - Facilities Inventory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FY 2024 Educational Facilities Master Plan - Wicomico County Public Schools |url=https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/3724/WCPS/3245051/FY_2024_Educational_Facilities_Master_Plan.pdf |access-date=July 30, 2023 |website=www.wicomicoschools.org |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Elementary === {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ !School name !City or Community !Grades !Opening Date !Students !State Capacity !Square Footage |- |Beaver Run Elementary |Salisbury |PK - 2 |2022 |652 |664 |98,193 |- |Chipman Elementary |Salisbury |PK - 1 |1986 |262 |384 |40,752 |- |Delmar Elementary |Delmar |PK - 4 |1978 |858 |683 |76,645 |- |East Salisbury Elementary |Salisbury |3 - 5 |1942 |421 |424 |61,889 |- |Fruitland Primary Elementary |Fruitland |PK - 2 |1955 |441 |474 |56,308 |- |Fruitland Intermediate Elementary |Fruitland |3 - 5 |1937 |393 |378 |43,712 |- |Glen Avenue Elementary |Salisbury |2 - 5 |1964 |397 |470 |55,068 |- |North Salisbury Elementary |Salisbury |3 - 5 |2006 |505 |506 |76,999 |- |Northwestern Elementary |Mardela Springs |PK - 5 |1966 |341 |251 |26,800 |- |Pemberton Elementary |Salisbury |PK - 5 |2001 |529 |523 |73,917 |- |Pinehurst Elementary |Salisbury |PK - 5 |1937 |486 |467 |76,224 |- |Prince Street Elementary |Salisbury |PK - 5 |2008 |854 |616 |73,830 |- |West Salisbury Elementary |Salisbury |PK - 2 |2018 |346 |352 |60,833 |- |Westside Primary Elementary |Quantico |PK - 1 |1956 |192 |199 |20,569 |- |Westside Intermediate Elementary |Quantico |2 - 5 |1999 |343 |414 |54,797 |- |Willards Elementary |Willards |PK - 3 |2003 |309 |362 |51,247 |}
Delmar Elementary was previously until grade 6, but changed to being up to grade 5 in 2000 upon the opening of the new Delmar Middle School/Delmar High School complex of the Delmar School District. Residents of Delmar, Maryland may attend the Delmar, Delaware schools or they may attend Wicomico Middle School.<ref>{{cite news|title=Board of Ed finalizes redistricting|newspaper=The Daily Times|place=Salisbury, Maryland|date=1999-04-07|page=7}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80041882/ Clipping] from Newspapers.com.</ref>
=== Middle === {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ !School name !City or Community !Grades !Opening Date !Students !State Capacity !Square Footage |- |Bennett Middle School |Fruitland |6 - 8 |2015 |906 |1,114 |161,304 |- |Pittsville Elementary / Middle School |Pittsville |4 - 8 |1956 |329 |505 |79,335 |- |Salisbury Middle School |Salisbury |6 - 8 |1999 |873 |999 |143,519 |- |Wicomico Middle School |Salisbury |6 - 8 |1931 |819 |914 |135,750 |}
In the late 1990s there was a movement to have Salisbury Middle School named after Charles Chipman, an African-American teacher who worked at Wicomico County schools.<ref>{{cite news|last=Stump|first=Brice|title=Who was Charles Chipman?|newspaper=The Daily Times|place=Salisbury, Maryland|date=1998-01-13|pages=11, 12}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78169379/a-biographical-article-with-details-on-a/ Clipping of first page] and [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79336245/for-west-cape-may-and-salisbury-md-scho/ of second page at] Newspapers.com</ref> He originated from New Jersey.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dr. Charles H. Chipman Is Outstanding Man|newspaper=The Daily Times|location=Salisbury, Maryland|date=1981-02-23|page=6}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78170440/article-discussing-charles-chipman-had/ Clipping at] Newspapers.com</ref>
=== High === {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ !School name !City or Community !Grades !Opening Date !Students !State Capacity !Square Footage |- |James M. Bennett High School |Salisbury |9 - 12 |2010 |1,343 |1,496 |247,202 |- |Mardela Middle & High School |Mardela Springs |6 - 12 |1937 |691 |616 |87,633 |- |Parkside High School |Salisbury |9 - 12 |1975 |1,160 |944 |277,724 |- |Wicomico High School |Salisbury |9 - 12 |1954 |1,325 |1,215 |195,941 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website|https://www.wicomicoschools.org/}} {{School Districts in the State of Maryland}}
Category:School districts in Maryland Category:Education in Wicomico County, Maryland Category:Education in Sussex County, Delaware<!--As per the inter-district agreement with Delmar School District related to Delmar, Delaware students attending Delmar Elementary in Delmar, Maryland-->