Our School
History
Milton Michael Somers presided as principal of La Plata High School from 1927 until 1964. He was the first and only person in Charles County to have a school named in his honor while he was still living.
Somers was born in Crisfield, Maryland on Sept. 24, 1898. After attending Western Maryland College, Somers studied law at the National University Law School and received his law degree in 1924. His first principalship was at Surrattsville High School.
When the new La Plata High School opened its doors in 1927, Somers was appointed principal of the school. In the beginning of his career as principal, Somers also taught subjects, such as, algebra, geometry and Problems in American Democracy. While at La Plata, Somers saw the school grow from 224 students and five teachers in 1927 to more than 1,700 students and a faculty of 67 in 1964. He also organized the school's PTA, which provided free milk for students, books for the library, first aid supplies and many other miscellaneous items not supplied by the Board of Education at the time. The PTA fundraisers were extremely popular in the community, especially the annual Oyster-Chicken Salad Supper that citizens from all over Charles County flocked to La Plata to attend.
Somers also helped start the Charles County Community College, now the College of Southern Maryland. The college saw its inception in La Plata High School, where classes were held. Additionally, Somers helped the PTA raise scholarships so students could attend the new school.
Upon his retirement from principal of La Plata High School in 1964, Somers opened his own law practice, an idea that he had abandoned when he began his principalship. Somers continued to serve the community through his law practice and his volunteer work in education until his death in 1975. During this period, he served as a Board of Education member and president, as well as home-taught students.
Milton M. Somers Middle School opened in 1964 in what is now the county government building. At the time La Plata High School was housed in the current Somers building. When the current La Plata High School was built in 1979, Somers moved into the building it occupies now on Willow Lane.
Source: Document written by Kathryn Cochrane Newcomb, 1981.
Mission
Our mission is to educate and prepare ALL of our students to be successful and productive citizens in the 21st century global society. In today’s world, our students will need a post-secondary education in order to be globally competitive. We strive to ensure our students are able to think critically, problem solve, work in teams, use technology, be self-directed, and demonstrate good citizenship and community service while obtaining multiple literacies so that our students are ready for success at the post-secondary level and beyond. We are committed to developing a “College & Career Ready” culture at Milton M. Somers Middle School in order to support each student’s individual dreams and future goals.
Vision
Every day, every student will access a highly rigorous educational program instructionally aligned to the Maryland College & Career Ready Standards (CCRS) through high quality instruction provided by outstanding and prepared educators who are ready to receive the support they need to implement the standards in their classrooms to ensure students are college and career ready.
We believe in…
- Achieving excellence in all we do
- Developing each student’s unique gifts
- Engaging students in relevant, experiential, and personalized learning
- Cultivating creative problem solving, critical thinking, and innovation
- Promoting integrity, civility, and global citizenship
- Enriching learning by honoring our diversity
- Fostering a culture of collaboration, trust, and shared responsibility through open and honest communication among all stake-holders, including staff, students, parents, and community members
- Working in partnership to remove barriers to success
- The power of positive relationships, and
- The ability for individuals to be the difference in the lives of students