School System to Host Academies Night

St. Mary’s County Public Schools is accepting online applications for the Academy of Visual and Performing Arts and the STEM Academy for the 2026-2027 school year.

Applications are available at https://www.smcps.org/academics/academies-pathways and will be open until Thursday, April 30. No late applications will be accepted.

Students interested in the Academy of Finance or the Academy of Global and International Studies should contact their current eighth-grade school counselor to register.

To help families explore these opportunities, SMCPS will host an Academies Night on Thursday, April 16, from 5:30 to 7pm at the James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center in Leonardtown.

Representatives from all high school academy programs (AoF, AVPA, GIS, and STEM), as well as the middle school STEM programs (grades 6-8), will be available to answer questions and provide details about each academy’s offerings, curriculum, and benefits.

Prospective students and families are encouraged to attend the event.

For more details, including course offerings, application criteria, eligibility requirements, and frequently asked questions, visit https://www.smcps.org/academics/academies-pathways.

For additional information or assistance, call the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at 301-475-5511, ext. 32104.