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School System Meets Requirements for Adequate Yearly Progress

The Howard County Public School System is one of four school systems in Maryland to meet the requirements for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for 2005 according to an announcement by State Superintendent Nancy Grasmick last week. Data were posted on the Maryland State Department of Education website, www.mdreportcard.org, on Friday, February 17, regarding the AYP status of Maryland’s 24 school systems. As a result, the school system was not identified for system improvement.

"We are very proud of this accomplishment. It takes the collective efforts of many for a school system to realize this measure of success," said Howard Superintendent Sydney Cousin.

The accountability system under the federal No Child Left Behind Act requires individual schools and school systems to meet Adequate Yearly Progress requirements defined by each state. A school system is identified for system improvement if the school system misses an annual target in the same reported area at the elementary, middle and high school levels for two consecutive years.

All Howard County public elementary, middle, and high schools also met AYP in 2005. School officials learned last month that an appeal of the preliminary AYP status of Hammond High School was granted by the Maryland State Department of Education.

In November 2005, MSDE granted appeals of the 2005 AYP status of four other Howard County schools -- Phelps Luck Elementary, Cradlerock School, Patuxent Valley Middle and Wilde Lake Middle.

Cousin noted that the bar is raised every year, making it increasingly difficult for schools and school systems to meet the targets for Adequate Yearly Progress.

"While meeting the targets is important, our goal is to ensure the academic success of each child. When that happens, we won’t have to worry about how high the bar is raised. We’ll be there," he said.

School Board Offers Coffee and Conversation to Community

The Board of Education of Howard County regularly holds “Coffee & Conversation” sessions at schools throughout the county. These meetings provide citizens with an opportunity to share a cup of coffee and chat informally with Board members. The meetings are held in various regions of the county but interested persons from throughout the county are invited to attend any or all of the meetings. The next “Coffee & Conversation” session with the Board of Education will be held:

Saturday, March 18, 9:30 - 11 a.m.
Media Center at Ilchester Elementary School
4981 Ilchester Road in Ellicott City
  

Atholton High School's Future Educators of America Receive Literacy Grant

The Atholton High School’s Future Educators of America (FEA) have received a Literacy Grant from the National Education Association. The grant will help to fund a children’s library at The Harriet Tubman Head Start Center, 8405 Harriett Tubman Road in Columbia, next to Atholton High School. The children’s library is organized, supervised and expanded by the student members of Future Educators of America and the Spanish National Honor Society at Atholton. The children from the Head Start program will have library every Thursday at 2 p.m. The grand opening of the children’s library will be Thursday, Feb. 23, 2006, at 1:45 p.m.

For more information, contact Mary Brzezinski at 410-313-7328.

Students Test their Knowledge of African American History at Howard County Black Saga Competition

The first Howard County Black Saga Competition, an academic contest on African American history that will involve middle schools from across the county, will be held on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2006, at Cradlerock School, 6700 Cradlerock Way in Columbia. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the contest will conclude with an awards ceremony at 12 p.m.

After working to enhance their knowledge of the African American experience for many months, teams from Cradlerock School, Folly Quarter Middle, Oakland Mills Middle, Patapsco Middle, and Wilde Lake Middle, will compete against each other. All of these teams will then move forward to the state competition in March, where they will compete against students from other school systems. Program founder and author Dr. Charles Christian will host the local event, and Superintendent Dr. Sydney Cousin will speak.

The district coordinator for the Black Saga Competition is Dr. Mark Stout, Curriculum Coordinator, Secondary Social Studies, for the Howard County Public School System.

For more information, call 410-313-6622.

Board of Education to Meet in Closed Session

The Howard County Board of Education will meet in closed session on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2006, at 6 p.m. at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

Gifted and Talented Testing

Gifted and Talented testing for non-public school students (grades 5 - 7) who plan to enter Howard County middle schools in August 2006, will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2006, from 9 - 10:30 a.m. at Faulkner Ridge Center, 10598 Marble Faun Court in Columbia. Registration materials can be obtained from middle school guidance offices, or parents may call the Gifted and Talented office at 410-313-6800. Deadline for registration is April 28, 2006.

Registration for New Students and Students Entering Kindergarten

Registration for new students or students entering public school kindergarten in August 2006, will be held in all Howard County public elementary schools Monday through Friday, March 13 - 17, 2006, between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and other times as determined by individual schools.

Kindergarten is mandatory in Maryland. State law requires that children entering kindergarten in the fall of 2006 must be 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2006. Children entering first grade in the fall of 2006 must be six (6) years old on or before Sep. 30, 2006. Parents or legal guardians are to register students at the school currently serving the address at which the child's parent or guardian resides. Parents of children born outside of the US, and/or for whom English is not the primary language spoken in the home, should contact the Office of International Student Services at 410-313-7101 for registration. Parents may call the Public Information Office at 410-313-6682, or they may check the "School Locator" via the school system website, www.hcpss.org, for information on which school serves their residence.

The parent or guardian must present the following information at the time of registration:

• the child's birth certificate
• an authorized record of immunizations
• proof of residency in the form of a lease, a deed, or house contract and a utility bill
• photo ID of the parent/guardian

Driver’s licenses and voter registration cards will not be accepted as proof of residence. State law prohibits a child from attending school for even one day unless proof of immunization has been provided. Immunization and health forms will be available at each elementary school at the time of registration.

Eggspectation, Lisbon Elementary School Form Partnership

Eggspectation Restaurant in Ellicott City, Maryland, and Lisbon Elementary School have formalized an educational partnership that will focus on rewarding the outstanding efforts of the school’s staff, students and parent volunteers. Both Eggspectation and Lisbon Elementary School foresee the partnership broadening and enriching the learning environment for students and teachers.

Through the partnership, staff from Eggspectation will speak to students about restaurant careers and management. The restaurant’s private event room will be available to the school principal for School Improvement Team meetings, and the restaurant will provide an annual faculty appreciation event. In addition, Eggspectation will provide Lisbon Elementary School principal with “free child’s meal” cards and gift certificates.

The partnership was formalized on Jan. 27, 2006 in the event room at Eggspectation. In attendance for the partnership signing were Lisbon Elementary School Principal Kim Pratesi, who has since been named principal of the new Western Elementary School, and Eggspectation Proprietor Mike Wilson, along with Board of Education members Patricia Gordon and Mary Kay Sigaty.

Board of Education to Hold Meeting to Adopt Budgets

The Howard County Board of Education will meet at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2006, to adopt its budget request for the FY 2007 Operating and Capital Budgets, and the FY 2008 - 2012 Capital Improvement Program. The meeting is open to the public and will take place in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

For more information, contact the Executive Assistant to the Board at 410-313-7194.

Board of Education to Hold Regular Meeting and Public Hearing on Proposed Policy 1931, Undesignated Fund Balance Reserve

The Howard County Board of Education will hold a regularly scheduled meeting at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2006, in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

Both the afternoon and the evening session, which begins at 7:30 p.m., will begin with a “Public Forum,” when members of the public may address the Board on any topic other than those for which a formal public hearing process exists. Advanced sign up is preferred.

During the evening session, the Board will hold a public hearing on Proposed Policy 1931, Undesignated Fund Balance Reserve.

Individuals who wish to testify at the hearing are asked to limit their presentation to three minutes and to provide 15 written copies of their testimony at the time of the hearing.

To sign up to speak at “Public Forum” or to testify at the hearing, contact the Executive Assistant to the Board at 410-313-7194. The Board encourages the participation of the public.

Individuals who would like to request a sign language interpreter for any meeting of the Board of Education may contact Colleen Rice, Interpreter Scheduler, at 410-313-7046. A two week advanced notice is preferred.

Board of Education to Hold Public Work Session on Proposed FY 2007 Operating Budget on Feb. 21, 2006

The Howard County Board of Education will hold a public work session on the Superintendent’s Proposed FY 2007 Operating Budget from 1 - 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2006 in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

Individuals who would like to request a sign language interpreter for any meeting of the Board of Education may contact Colleen Rice, Interpreter Scheduler, at 410-313-7046. A two week advanced notice is preferred.

For more information, contact the Executive Assistant to the Board at 410-313-7194.

Board of Education to Hold Public Work Session on Proposed FY 2007 Operating Budget on Feb. 16, 2006

The Howard County Board of Education will hold a public work session on the Superintendent’s Proposed FY 2007 Operating Budget from at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 16, 2006 in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

Individuals who would like to request a sign language interpreter for any meeting of the Board of Education may contact Colleen Rice, Interpreter Scheduler, at 410-313-7046. A two week advanced notice is preferred.

For more information, contact the Executive Assistant to the Board at 410-313-7194.

Board of Education to Hold Public Work Session on Proposed FY 2007 Operating Budget on Feb. 14, 2006

The Howard County Board of Education will hold a public work session on the Superintendent’s Proposed FY 2007 Operating Budget from 1 - 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2006, in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

Individuals who would like to request a sign language interpreter for any meeting of the Board of Education may contact Colleen Rice, Interpreter Scheduler, at 410-313-7046. A two week advanced notice is preferred.

For more information, contact the Executive Assistant to the Board at 410-313-7194.

Howard County Public School System Student Finalist in Talent Search by Intel Corporation

The Secondary Science Department is proud to announce that Jeffrey Chunlong Xing of River Hill High School has been chosen as one of the top 40 finalists in the Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS) for his project: A Novel Single Nucleotide Polymorphism, T105G, in Intron 9 of the PIK3CA Gene Protects Against Follicular Thyroid Cancer. The Intel STS is America’s oldest, most highly regarded pre-college science competition and heir to more that six decades of science excellence. His initial status of Semifinalist qualifies him for a $1,000 award by Intel. In addition, Intel will provide $1,000 to River Hill High school.

This year’s 300 semifinalists were selected form 1,558 entrants representing 486 high schools in 44 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and an overseas school. Jeffrey is among the elite few chosen as one of the top 40 finalists from this group. As a finalist, he will be among the students who will take an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to attend the Intel Science Talent Institute. There they will participate in final judging and compete for college scholarships totaling more than $500,000. Winners will be selected based on rigorous judging sessions and announced at a black-tie banquet on March 14, 2006.

Howard County School System to Sponsor 2006 Mathematics, Science and Technology Fair

Long Reach High School, 6101 Old Dobbin Lane in Columbia, will serve as the site of the 2006 Howard County Mathematics, Science and Technology Fair on Friday, Feb. 24, and Saturday, Feb. 25, 2006. The fair is an opportunity for students to compete in many categories of Science, Math and Technology and showcases the school system’s science programs.

Judging for middle school projects will occur on Friday, Feb. 24, 2006, from 6 - 8:30 p.m. Judging for high school projects will take place on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2006, from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. A public Open House is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 25 from 3 - 4:15 p.m. and will be followed by an Awards Ceremony from 4:30 - 6 p.m. in the Long Reach High School auditorium.

In the event of cancellation due to inclement weather, the fair will be held the following week, Friday, March 3 and Saturday, March 4 at Long Reach High School.

Local winners will advance to the Baltimore Science Fair to be held Saturday, March 25, and Sunday, March 26, 2006, at Towson University. Winners from the Baltimore Science fair will compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair, May 7 - 13, 2006, in Indianapolis, Indiana.