The school has an enrollment of more than 1,800, with an ethnic makeup reflecting the community: 41% Caucasian, 35% African American, 3.4% Asian, 13% Hispanic, and 1% other.

Many of the families are employed by NAS Patuxent River, government contractors, St. Mary's College of Maryland, and others involved in the area's traditional agricultural and water-related businesses.

On March 20, 2018, 17-year-old student Austin Rollins opened fire in a hallway at the school with a 9mm Glock handgun,[1] fatally wounding 16-year-old student Jaelynn Willey before exchanging fire with school resource officer Blaine Gaskill, who had responded to the scene.

Gaskill, 34, was a six-year veteran of the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office trained in special weapons and tactics.

[7][4] The gun Rollins used was legally owned by his father according to the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office.