FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * SMALL FRANK H   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol SANDY SPRING BANCORP INC [SASR] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Executive Vice President of th (Last) (First) (Middle) SMALL, FRANK H., 17801 GEORGIA AVENUE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 12/15/2004 (Street) OLNEY, MD 20850 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock               2,897 I 401K Common Stock               74 I By Wife Common Stock               147 I Employee Stock Purchase Plan

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Stock Options (Right to buy)

$ 11.09

12/18/1996

12/18/2006

Common Stock

2,250

2,250

D

Stock Options (Right to buy)

$ 12.33

12/20/1995

12/20/2005

Common Stock

3,000

3,000

D

Stock Options (Right to buy)

$ 14.54

12/13/2000

12/13/2010

Common Stock

12,001

12,001

D

Stock Options (Right to buy)

$ 16.42

12/17/1997

12/17/2007

Common Stock

4,500

4,500

D

Stock Options (Right to buy)

$ 17.21

12/15/1999

12/15/2009

Common Stock

6,750

6,750

D

Stock Options (Right to buy)

$ 20.33

12/16/1998

12/16/2008

Common Stock

2,250

2,250

D

Stock Options (Right to buy)

$ 31.25

12/11/2002

12/11/2012

Common Stock

8,350

8,350

D

Stock Options (Right to buy)

$ 32.25

12/21/2001

12/21/2011

Common Stock

6,400

6,400

D

Stock Options (Right to buy)

$ 38

12/15/2004

A

11,250

12/15/2004

12/15/2014

Common Stock

11,250

$ 0

11,250

D

Stock Options (Right to buy)

$ 38.91

12/17/2003

12/17/2013

Common Stock

10,325

10,325

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
SMALL FRANK H SMALL, FRANK H. 17801 GEORGIA AVENUE OLNEY, MD 20850			Executive Vice President of th

Signatures

/s/ Theresa A. Cornish by POA		12/17/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

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