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Over 300 Students Participate in Howard County History Contest

Howard County’s second annual History Day Competition was held on March 25, 2006, at Marriotts Ridge High School. The theme of this year’s event was, “Taking a Stand in History.” Over 300 students and many of their parents, 50 judges, and many HCPSS staff were in attendance. The Office of Secondary Social Studies, the Office of Advanced Programs, the Maryland Humanities Council, Columbia Gas, and several local businesses sponsor this annual event.

After working on their entries for many months, competitors qualified for the district contest by doing well at contests held at individual schools. The top two winners in each category and division at the district contest will advance to the state contest, to be held April 22, 2006, at Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland.

National History Day is the nation’s leading program for history education in the schools. The program annually engages two million people in 48 states and the District of Columbia. Students research history topics of their choice related to an annual theme and create exhibits, documentaries, performances, and papers, which they may enter in competitions at the district, state, and national levels. Students in grade 6-8 compete in the Junior Division and those in grades 9-12 compete in the Senior Division. National History Day also provides educational services to students and teachers, including a summer internship program, curricular materials, Internet resources, and annual teacher workshops and training institutes.

The district coordinator for Howard County History Day is Dr. Mark Stout, Curriculum Coordinator for Secondary Social Studies, Howard County Public School System. To learn more about Howard County History Day, contact him at 410-313-6622. For more information on National History Day, contact Mark Robinson at 301-314-9739 or visit the official National History Day web site at www.nationalhistoryday.org.

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, April 29
9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Forest Ridge Elementary School
Media Center
9550 Gorman Road
Laurel, MD 20723 (Google map)

Board of Education Meeting and Public Hearings on Policies

The Howard County Board of Education will hold a regularly scheduled meeting at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 27, 2006, in the Board Room at the Department of Education, located at 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. Contact the Executive Assistant to the Board to sign up.

During the evening session, the Board will hold public hearings on the following policies:

• Policy 3431 - Discipline/Code of Conduct
• Policy 3441 - Student Responsibilities and Rights
• Policy 3443 - Student Search and Seizure
• Policy 10200 - Student Representation

The public is encouraged to attend.

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

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 Meet with County Council

The Howard County Board of Education will hold a quarterly meeting with the County Council at 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday, April 5, 2006 in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City. The meeting is open to the public.

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

Board of Education Meets with PTA Presidents and Citizens Advisory Committee

The Board of Education of Howard County will hold a meeting with PTA Presidents and members of the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) to the Board at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 19, 2006, in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

The meeting is an opportunity for members of the PTA and the CAC to discuss issues and concerns with Board members in an informal setting.

Annual Conference Empowers Emerging Student Leaders

The third annual Peer Leadership Conference, sponsored and coordinated by the Howard County elementary school counselors, will be held Thursday, April 6, 2006, at the Applied Physics Lab in Laurel from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Approximately 450 students from 22 elementary schools throughout the county will be attending with their school counselors. Students invited to attend represent various groups including peer mediators, safety patrols, peer mentors, and student government.

The event supports the school system's goal to provide students with a safe and nurturing school environment that values diversity and commonality. The conference theme, "Super Leaders," speaks to the powerful role that individual student leaders can have in ensuring that schools are positive environments for all students.

The breakout sessions, presented by school system staff, focus on many different character education topics, such as resistance skills and conflict resolution. The objective is for students to leave the conference with a better understanding of the importance of their individual roles within their schools and the impact that they as individuals can have on the student body.

The conference is very exciting for students because it is just like a professional conference. They receive conference packets, hear a keynote speaker, attend breakout sessions, have a lunch break, and participate in a closing session that will include a presentation highlighting each schools' leadership group.

Board of Education Meeting and Public Hearing on Recommended Name for New Western Elementary School

The Howard County Board of Education will hold a regularly scheduled meeting at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 6, 2006, in the Board Room at the Department of Education, located at 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. Contact the Executive Assistant to the Board to sign up.

During the evening session, the Board will hold a public hearing on the recommended name of Dayton Oaks for the new western elementary school. The public is encouraged to attend.

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

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 Audit Committee to Meet

The Howard County Board of Education Audit Committee will meet on Tuesday, March 28, 2006, at 1 p.m., in room B-37 at the Applications and Research Laboratory, 10920 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

Board of Education to Meet in Closed Session

The Board of Education will meet in closed session on Thursday, March 23, 2006, at 3 p.m., at the Department of Education 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

School System Seeks Members for 2006 Attendance Area Committee

The Howard County Public School System is seeking individuals interested in serving on the 2006 Attendance Area Committee. The purpose of the committee is to assist school officials in the development and evaluation of school attendance area adjustments. This year's committee will focus on the attendance areas associated with the new northeastern elementary school, scheduled to open in August 2007. The committee also will consider middle school attendance area adjustments in the northeast and western regions of the county. All attendance area changes will be effective for the 2007-08 school year.

Attendance Area Committee members must be at least 21 years old and be residents of Howard County. Committee members will be selected through an interview process.

Persons interested in serving on the Attendance Area Committee should send a letter of interest, including any background, skills, or experience that would make them a good candidate for membership on the committee. Letters of interest should be sent by March 31, 2006 to:

David Drown
Howard County Public School System
10910 Route 108
Ellicott City, MD 21042

State Superintendent Celebrates Clarksville Middle’s Blue Ribbon Status

State Superintendent of Schools Nancy S. Grasmick will visit Clarksville Middle School, 6535 S. Trotter Road in Clarksville, on Monday, March 27 from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., to celebrate the school’s selection as a 2005 Maryland Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Howard County school officials learned on November 2, 2005, that Clarksville was one of six public schools selected as 2005 Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence.

The names of the six schools have been submitted to the U.S. Secretary of Education for the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. The schools were selected by the Maryland State Department of Education on the basis of rigorous state and national requirements for high achievement and dramatic improvement.

Attending the program on Monday will be Howard County Superintendent Sydney Cousin, members of the Board of Education, and other local elected officials.

Gifted and Talented Education Program Orientations to be Held for Parents of Middle School Age Students

Gifted and Talented Program Orientations will be held at all Howard County Public School System middle schools for parents of middle school age students. Parents will become familiar with all of the curricular components of the Middle School Gifted Education Program and the expectations for participating students. The schedule for the orientations is attached.

For more information, call Penny Zimring, Instructional Facilitator, Gifted and Talented Education Program at 410-313-6670.

Long Reach Wins Maryland State Robotics Challenge

A team of three Long Reach High School seniors took first place in the Maryland State Robotics Challenge sponsored by the Baltimore Museum of Industry and the Technology Education Association of Maryland on March 4. Matt Hoffman, Johnna Esposito, and Vandan Desai, AKA Team Finding Io, won in the autonomous robot category.

The competition required teams of up to three students to design, develop and test a robot that could withstand a "Mars Landing," simulated by a six inch drop. There were two categories of competition. The robot could be remote controlled using a camera mechanism or it could be an autonomous (self operating) robot, which had to traverse a 14 foot obstacle course of "Red Planet" debris to find and touch a targeted rock. The competition included a written report, an oral report, a performance demonstration, and an evaluation of construction quality.

Team JAS of Long Reach, with members Jessica Penenburgh, Stephanie Spring and Arpen Jhaveri, placed fourth in the competition for autonomous robot. Robert Hawthorne, a technology education teacher at Long Reach, served as sponsor for the teams. Scott Klein of Northrup Grumman Electronic Systems mentored the teams.

The teams were self-funded. They constructed their competition robots from scavenged parts from materials used in prior years by former engineering design students and they purchased materials and built their own practice course at the school.

2006 Graduation Dates Announced

The Howard County Public School System released the graduation schedule for high schools today, following the commitment of the dates by Merriweather Post Pavilion, the venue for local commencements. The dates are as follow:

Tuesday, May 30

• 9:30 a.m. River Hill High School
• 1:00 p.m. Reservoir High School
• 4:30 p.m. Hammond High School
• 8:00 p.m. Glenelg High School

Wednesday, May 31

• 9:30 a.m. Oakland Mills High School
• 1:00 p.m. Long Reach High School
• 4:30 p.m. Howard High School
• 8:00 p.m. Mt. Hebron High School

Thursday, June 1

• 9:30 a.m. Centennial High School
• 10:00 a.m. Cedar Lane School (at Cedar Lane School)
• 1:00 p.m. Atholton High School
• 4:30 p.m. Wilde Lake High School

Graduations will not be held on Thursday evening or Friday this year due to the Jewish holy day of Shavuot. All commencement ceremonies, except those for Cedar Lane School, will be held at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Students Explore "Taking a Stand in History" in County History Contest

Howard County History Day, a competition which annually involves teachers and students throughout the area, will be held on March 25, 2006. Marriotts Ridge High School in Marriottsville will host the district competition. This year's theme is “Taking a Stand in History: People, Ideas, Events.”

After working on their entries for many months, competitors qualified for the district contest by doing well at contests held at individual schools. The top two winners in each category and division at the district contest will advance to the state contest, to be held April 22, 2006 at Montgomery College in Rockville.

National History Day is the nation’s leading program for history education. The program annually engages 2 million people in 48 states and the District of Columbia. Students research history topics of their choice related to an annual theme and create exhibits, documentaries, performances, and papers, which they may enter in competitions at the district, state, and national levels. Students in grade 6-8 compete in the Junior Division and those in grades 9-12 compete in the Senior Division. National History Day also provides educational services to students and teachers, including a summer internship program, curricular materials, Internet resources, and annual teacher workshops and training institutes.

The district coordinator for Howard County History Day is Mark Stout, Curriculum Coordinator for Secondary Social Studies, Howard County Public School System. To learn more about Howard County History Day, contact him at 410-313-6622. For more information on National History Day, contact Mark Robinson at 301-314-9739 or visit the official National History Day web site a http://www.nationalhistoryday.org

Board of Education to Meet in Closed Session

The Board of Education of Howard County will meet in closed session at 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 9, 2006, at the Department of Education 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

Howard High Sponsors County Military Academy Night

If your child is considering applying to a U.S. military academy or if you’re just interested in learning more about the academies, this is the program for you.

Howard County Military Academy Night
Howard High School
April 5, 2006, 7 - 9 p.m.

You’ll get information about:

• The type of student the academies are looking for
• Admissions criteria
• Available programs and opportunities
• A typical day at an academy
• How to prepare for the academies
• How to receive a nomination to the academies

In attendance will be representatives from:

• West Point Military Academy
• The Naval Academy
• The Air Force Academy
• The Coast Guard Academy
• The Merchant Marine Academy
• The Offices of Senator Sarbanes, Senator Mikulski and Congressman Cardin

Howard County Military Academy Night is sponsored by Howard High School. For additional information contact Counselor Al Silberman at 410-313-2871.

County Hosts State Multicultural Education Conference

Nearly 450 educators, community members, and students from across the state are expected to attend the annual spring conference of the Maryland Multicultural Coalition on Saturday, March 25, 2006 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The conference, which is co-hosted by the Coalition and the Howard County Public School System, will take place at Reservoir High School, 11550 Scaggsville Road in Fulton, Maryland.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Cultural Proficiency: Knowing the Learner.” Over 30 presenters from across Maryland will conduct 90-minute workshops on one of four conference topics:

• Strategies for Eliminating the Achievement Gaps/No Child Left Behind
• Positive School Climate
• Parent/Community Involvement
• Education that is Multicultural in High School and Beyond

Live student artwork, salsa music, jazz, and Korean drummer music will enhance the multicultural experience for participants. For information, contact Maryland Multicultural Coalition President Bonnie Brownell at 410-313-7009 or Committee Chair Debbie Misiag at 410-313-5363.

Howard County Science Fair Winners for 2006

More than 400 middle and high school students participated in the 2006 Howard County Mathematics, Science and Technology Fair held at Long Reach High School on February 24 and 25, 2006.

• List of High School Winners (pdf)
• List of Middle School Winners (pdf)

For more information, call the Office of Secondary Science at 410-313-6615.

School Board to Meet with Student Leaders and Hold Regular Meeting

The Board of Education of Howard County will hold a luncheon meeting with student leaders at 12 p.m. on Thursday, March 23, 2006 in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

At 4 p.m., the Board will begin their regularly scheduled meeting in the Board Room. 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. Contact the Executive Assistant to the Board to sign up.

For further information, contact the Executive Assistant to the Board at 410-313-7194 or the Public Information Office at 410-313-6682.

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 Hearing on Revised Policy 9521, Wellness Through Nutrition and Physical Activity

The Board of Education will hold a public hearing on revised Policy 9521, Wellness Through Nutrition and Physical Activity, at 7:30 p.m. during the evening session of the regular Board meeting on Thursday, March 9, 2006. The hearing will take place in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City. The public is encouraged to attend.

The revised policy may be viewed under Policies and Guidelines on the school system’s website www.hcpss.org.

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

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 Meet with Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee and School Health Council

The Howard County Board of Education will meet with the Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee at 7 p.m., and the School Health Council at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 16, 2006 in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

Board of Education to Hold Meeting March 9

The Howard County Board of Education will hold a regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, March 9, 2006 at 4 p.m. 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. Contact the Executive Assistant to the Board to sign up.

For further information, contact the Executive Assistant to the Board at 410-313-7194 or the Public Information Office at 410-313-6682.

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.