More than 300 coats were collected and delivered to the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building earlier this month. Thanks to the Charles County School Bus Contractors Association’s coat drive and others held by community organizations, Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students in need of a coat will not feel winter’s chill.

“These coats are not just going to sit in a warehouse and not get used,” Jessica Gray, a pupil personnel worker (PPW) who was selecting coats for Billingsley Elementary School and Matthew Henson Middle School, said. “These coats will all go to students who will use them.”

CCPS community school coordinators and PPWs came to Starkey Oct. 21 with a list of students and their sizes. Some even keep in mind favorite colors and personal fashion preferences of their students while sifting through the boxes of coats organized by size and style.

Among the bus contractors who ran the coat drive were Koch Trucking Inc., D&J Buses and H&H Bus Service.

Other community organizations have also donated coats to CCPS for distribution among students including Southern Maryland Chain Chapter, The Links Inc., and the Knights of Columbus of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Newport.

Linda Stocks, CCPS supervising PPW, said right now, the school system needs toiletries for students. Toiletries are often available at schools for students in need of personal hygiene items.

For more information about how to help CCPS students, contact Stocks at lstocks@ccboe.com. Learn more about PPWs at https://www.ccboe.com/departments/student-services/staff/pupil-personnel-workers.

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 28,162 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 39 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Mike Blanchard, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.  CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).