student grinding a car door

Applications for select CTE programs to reopen for a limited time

Charles County Public Schools

March 28, 2025

Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway applications for the Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute, Automotive Technology, CASE: Natural Resources, Collision Repair, Dance, Theatre, and Interactive Media will reopen on Tuesday, April 1, for current Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students to fill limited spots in each class cohort.

The applications open at 3:30 p.m., April 1, and close at 5 p.m., Friday, April 11. 
Note: The application will not “be live” until 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 1.

Shortcut to applications

Students and their parents can contact their career advisor for high school or career coaches in middle school to learn more about timelines and the application process.

Who can apply?

  • Current CCPS sophomores can apply for the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute.

  • Current CCPS freshmen can apply for the dance, theatre, CASE, automotive technology and collision repair programs.

  • Current eighth-grade students can apply for the dance, theatre and interactive media production programs.

The programs, application links

  • Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI) — Open to current CCPS high school sophomores. View a showcase on the MFRI program to learn more. The program is open to students of all CCPS high schools with the courses taught at the Southern Maryland Regional Training Center in La Plata. To apply to MFRI, click here.  

  • Automotive Technology — The program is reopening for current CCPS high school freshmen. The program is housed at North Point High School, and if a student is accepted, they will attend North Point full time.  Learn more about the auto tech program. To apply to the auto tech program, click here.

  • CASE: Natural Resources — Open for current CCPS high school freshmen. If accepted, the student will attend Maurice J. McDonough High School full time where the CASE program is located. Learn more about the CASE program. To apply to the CASE program, click here.

  • Collision Repair — The program is reopening for current CCPS high school freshmen. If accepted, the student will attend North Point High School fulltime where the program is housed. Learn more about the collision repair program. To apply to the collision repair program, click here.

  • Dance — The program reopens for current CCPS eighth-grade students and high school freshmen.  If accepted, the student will attend Maurice J. McDonough High School full time where the program is located. Learn more about the dance program. To apply to the dance program, click here. 

  • Interactive Media Production — The program is reopening to current eighth graders.  If accepted, the student will attend Maurice J. McDonough High School full time where the program is housed. Learn more about the interactive media production program. To apply to the interactive media production program, click here.

  • Theatre — The program reopens for current CCPS eighth-grade students and high school freshmen. If accepted, the student will attend Maurice J. McDonough High School full time where the program is centralized. Find out more about the theatre program. To apply to the theatre program, click here.

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 38 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).