CAMBRIDGE — Twenty-eight years ago, Choptank Elementary’s new Principal Laretha Payton began her education career as a kindergarten teacher in Fayetteville, North Carolina. While she has had successful forays into both middle and high schools, she is happy to be back in an elementary school where it all began, an announcement from the Dorchester County Board of Education (DCPS) said last week.

Joining DCPS in 2017, Ms. Payton first taught at Mace’s Lane Middle School and for the last two years has been an assistant principal at Cambridge-South Dorchester High.

Her educational philosophy? “I believe that all students can learn, when given equal and equitable opportunities,” she said. Going forward, Ms. Payton says she looks forward to continuing to lead the Choptank Elementary community “in providing the best learning environment for Choptank students.”

Choptank Elementary School is a PK–5 school located on the grounds of the Edith M. Jolley Educational Center on Maces Lane in Cambridge. The campus is shared with Mace’s Lane Middle School.

“At Choptank School, learning is the expectation for all,” a statement on the school’s website says. “To further our learning, Choptank Elementary is also a Professional Development School working in collaboration with Salisbury University. In the role of Professional Development School, students majoring in education are assigned to experienced teachers at Choptank to continue their teacher training. As a result of this partnership, our staff and student learning benefit greatly.”

Choptank School is also proud to be a state-adopted Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. school.
“A big welcome to the newest hummingbird, Ms. Laretha Payton!” the statement said.