Maurice J. McDonough High School

Maurice J. McDonough High School
Location
7165 Marshall Corner Road

Pomfret
,
Maryland
20675

United States

38°33′9″N 77°2′9″W / 38.55250°N 77.03583°W / 38.55250; -77.03583
Information
School typePublic, secondary school
MottoDocere Cognoscere et Excellere (To Teach, To Learn, To Excel)
Founded1977
School district
Charles County Public Schools
Principal
Darnell Russell
Teaching staff
64.00 (FTE)[1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment1230 [1]
Student to teacher ratio
14.17[1]
LanguageEnglish, Spanish, French
CampusRural
ColorsPurple, Orange and White ███
Song"Purple Rain" by Prince
Athletics conference
Southern Maryland Athletic Conference
MascotRams
RivalLa Plata High School
NewspaperThe Rampage
Websitewww.ccboe.com/schools/mcdonough/

Maurice J. McDonough High School is a high school or secondary school in Pomfret, Maryland, United States and is run through the Charles County Public Schools system. It has approximately 1,230 students and 80 employees.

The school, built in 1976,[2] is named for Maurice James McDonough, who was an early educator in Charles County, Maryland.[3]

History

Maurice James McDonough was an Irish immigrant and shop owner who settled in Pomfret prior to the American Revolution. After becoming aware of illiteracy in Charles County, McDonough stipulated that his assets be sold and used to fund education in the county following his death. After his death in 1804, these funds were used to fund teachers across the county.[4] In 1903, these funds were further used to establish the McDonough Institute in La Plata, which became the first high school in Charles County.[4][5] The McDonough Institute closed in 1927 following the opening of La Plata High School.[3]

Maurice J. McDonough High School opened in the late 1970s. In 2014, community members petitioned for renovations to the school,[6] which have occurred in the 2020s.[7]

Demographics

As of 2024, the racial makeup of the school is:[8]

  • 53% African American
  • 26% White
  • 13% Hispanic
  • 6% Two or more races
  • 2% Asian[9]

The school is 51% female and 49% male.[9]

33% of students receive free or reduced lunch, and 11% of students are disabled.[8]

Academics

Advanced Placement programs and extracurricular activities are offered at McDonough.[9]

The U.S. Army is the represented branch for McDonough's JROTC program.[10]

Vocational programs

McDonough, along with North Point High School, hosts Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs available to Charles County students.[11]

The following programs are hosted at McDonough:

  • Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE)[12][13]
  • Dance[12]
  • Interactive Media
  • Theatre[14]

Sports

2A State football champions in 2010, coached by Luke Ethington, as well as state championship wins in 1983, 1985, and 1990.[15]

USBands 2A Maryland State Champions in 2015, coached by Caitlin Dunleavy.[16]

The cheer team won the Class 1A state championship in 2023.[17]

MPSSAA 2A State Softball champions in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998.[18]

Unified track and field champions Division 3 state champions, alongside Thomas Stone High School, at Special Olympics Maryland 2026.[19]

Notable incidents

In September 1988, 78 students were injured following the collapse of bleachers during a back-to-school program.[20][21]

In March 2024, detectives from the Charles County Sheriff's Office and the school resource officer investigated a "fight club" at the school after an assault and robbery occurred in a school bathroom.[22] Two students were arrested and charged with second-degree assault and robbery.[23]

Notable alumni and faculty

Faculty

Alumni

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 "Maurice J. McDonough High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  2. ↑ "About Us". Charles County Board of Education. Archived from the original on September 15, 2008. Retrieved November 1, 2007.
  3. 1 2 "Our School". Maurice J. McDonough High School. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Bowling, Lyold. "The RECORD" (PDF). Charles County Historical Society. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  5. ↑ "CHARLES COUNTY, MARYLAND". Maryland Manual On-Line. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  6. ↑ Bauer-Wolf, Jeremy (October 24, 2014). "McDonough community unites to press for renovations". Southern Maryland News. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  7. ↑ Higgins II, David M. (October 7, 2023). "Dedicated Building Service Team at Maurice J. McDonough High School: A Day in Their Life". Southern Maryland Chronicle. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Maryland School Review: Maurice J. McDonough High School" (PDF). Maryland State Department of Education. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 "Maurice J. McDonough High School". U.S. News and World Report. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  10. ↑ Higgins II, David M. (November 28, 2019). "JROTC students learn about character, leadership". Southern Maryland Chronicle. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Application Window For Career & Technical Education Programs Moves Up A Month This Year". The Bay Net. Charles County Public Schools. October 9, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  12. 1 2 "CTE application opens Nov. 22 for Grades eight and 10". Southern Maryland Online. November 19, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  13. ↑ "CASE CTE Program". Maurice J. McDonough High School. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  14. ↑ Higgins, David (October 14, 2023). "Charles County Public Schools Announces Opening of Application Window for Career and Technical Education Programs". Southern Maryland Chronicle. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
  15. ↑ Hunt, John (December 6, 2010). "McDonough Wins 2-A State Football Championship". The Bay Net. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  16. ↑ Anfenson-Comeau, Jamie (November 13, 2015). "McDonough marching band division 2A state champs". SoMd News. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  17. ↑ "McDonough Rocks The Winter State Cheerleading Finals". TheBayNet. February 16, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
  18. ↑ "MPSSAA Girls' Softball Championships" (PDF). Maryland Public Secondary School Athletic Association. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  19. ↑ Jennings, Jessica (May 16, 2026). "Charles County Schools Win Big At Special Olympics Maryland Unified Track And Field State Competition". The Bay Net. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  20. ↑ Price, Debbie; Reeves, Tracey (September 10, 1988). "BLEACHERS FALL, INJURING 78 MD. STUDENTS". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  21. ↑ West, Peter (September 21, 1988). "Maryland School Officials Seeking Reason for Collapse of Bleachers". Education Week. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  22. ↑ Harris, Christopher. "'Fight club' under investigation at Maryland high school: 2 arrested". Fox 5 DC. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Police Investigating "Fight Clubs" at McDonough High School and Robbery Related to Fight Earnings". Southern Maryland News Net. March 22, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  24. ↑ "Larry Johnson". Ohio State University. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Angela M. Houtz". Pentagon Memorial. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Donta Jones". Huskers. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  27. ↑ "William Kwenkeu". Owl Sports. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  28. ↑ Mason, AJ (August 2, 2017). "McDonough High School graduate Lowery inks basketball deal in Turkey". Southern Maryland News. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  29. ↑ "JAMES MATTHEW (MATT) MORGAN". Maryland Manual On-Line. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  30. ↑ "McDonough graduate is in tune with Pentatonix". Southern Maryland News Net. November 6, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  31. ↑ "A.J. Wallace". ESPN. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
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