LEONARDTOWN, Md. — St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) will accept online applications for the Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (AVPA) 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 from Wednesday, April 1, 2026, through Thursday, April 30, 2026. No late applications will be accepted.
Students interested in the Academy of Finance (AoF) or the Academy of Global and International Studies (GIS) should contact their current 8th-grade school counselor to register.
To help families explore these opportunities, SMCPS will host an Academies Night on Thursday, April 16, 2026, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center. 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 strongly encouraged to attend this informative 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, contact the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at 301-475-5511, ext. 32104.