May 24, 2006
(#2005-143)State Superintendent to Keynote Mock Congressional
Hearing at Thunder Hill Elementary School
State Superintendent of Schools Nancy S. Grasmick will be the
keynote speaker this year for the Simulated Congressional
Hearing taking place at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 25, 2006, at
Thunder Hill Elementary School, 9357 Mellenbrook Road in
Columbia.
The Hearing is part of a Howard County-wide program known as
“We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution.” A number of
Howard County elementary schools are involved in the program
over the course of several weeks. The program, designed for
fifth graders, puts an important spotlight on the U.S. system of
government.
May 24, 2006
(#2005-142)Board of Education Meeting to be Held June 8
The Howard County Board of Education will hold a regularly
scheduled meeting on Thursday, June 8, 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 start 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.
May 18, 2006
(#2005-141)Board of Education to Hold Closed Meeting on May 23
The Howard County Board of Education will meet in closed
session on Tuesday, May 23, 2006, at 7 p.m. to discuss
negotiations. The meeting will take place at the Department of
Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.
May 18, 2006
(#2005-140)Board of Education Meeting Scheduled for May 26
Canceled
The Board of Education meeting scheduled for Friday, May 26,
2006, to approve the Board’s FY 2007 Operating and Capital
Budgets has been canceled. The Board will adopt its FY 2007
Operating and Capital Budgets during the regularly scheduled
meeting on Thursday, May 25, 2006. The meeting will begin at 4
p.m., and the budget adoption will be the last item on the
agenda. There will not be an evening session.
May 18, 2006
(#2005-139)School System Forms Technology Advisory Committee
Howard County Public School System officials are establishing
a community advisory committee to the Department of Instruction
and Business Technology and Office of Media and Educational
Technologies. An organization meeting is scheduled for June 14,
2006, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., in the Chesapeake Room at the
Faulkner Ridge Center, 10598 Marble Faun Court in Columbia.
Participants will provide input regarding the purpose and
function of the proposed committee. Interested citizens can
register to attend by calling 410-313-7011 or sending an email
to
denise_murphy@hcpss.org.
May 17, 2006
(#2005-138)Board of Education to Hold Public Work Session to
Set Category Totals for the FY 2007 Operating Budget
The Board of Education of Howard County will hold a public
work session at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 18, 2006, to set
category totals for the FY 2007 Operating Budget. The work
session will take place in the Board Room at the Department of
Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.
May 15, 2006
(#2005-137)Helping Hands Program Renews Partnership with School
System
Since the early 1990s, the Helping Hands Enrichment and
Leadership Foundation, Inc. and the Howard County Public Schools
System (HCPSS) have enjoyed a very productive and beneficial
partnership. Helping Hands has touched the lives of hundreds of
Howard County students through their Saturday morning and summer
programs.
On Thursday, May 11, 2006, at 8:30 a.m., Helping Hands and
HCPSS renewed and re-signed their partnership agreement at the
Waterside Restaurant in the Columbia Sheraton. The vision of the
updated partnership is to enrich the development of academic
skills, cultural awareness, and self-appreciation of students at
Running Brook Elementary School, Swansfield Elementary School,
Phelps Luck Elementary School, and Cradlerock School. Helping
Hands will work closely with each school to align their Saturday
morning curriculum with school-specific needs. The program also
encourages parent participation through on-going progress
reports, open houses, and other events.
Helping Hands founder Ionnie Butler and Board of Director
members Melvina Brown, Pat Dodson, and Carol Leal attended the
signing for Helping Hands. Representing Howard County Public
Schools were Board of Education members Patricia Gordon and Mary
Kay Sigaty, HCPSS Chief of Staff Mamie Perkins, and HCPSS
Director of Student Family and Community Services Diane Martin.
May 5, 2006
(#2005-136)School System Offers Career Academies Summer Camp
The Howard County Public School System’s Career and
Technology Education Office is offering an exciting week-long
opportunity to current seventh and eighth graders. The Career
Academies Summer Camp will be held from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., June
19 through June 23, 2006, at the Applications and Research
Laboratory, 10920 Route 108, in Ellicott City.
The Career Academies Summer Camp is geared to current 7th and
8th grade students who are interested in learning more about
careers in technology. Students will have an opportunity to
participate in activities to help them understand how these
career areas relate to their own interests. Students will
explore career cluster areas offered through the Career
Academies, including Biotechnology and Health Services,
Multimedia Arts and Technology, Architecture and Engineering,
Energy, Power & Transportation, Business and Entrepreneurship,
and Culinary Arts. Howard County Public School teachers will
staff the camp. Each day, students rotate to a different cluster
area and work on a hands-on team project where they create a
product to take home.
The cost of camp is $75. Enrollment is limited to 125
students on a first come, first served basis. Students will
receive a Career Academies Camp T-shirt and a Certificate of
Participation.
Applications were distributed to all current 7th and 8th
graders through their middle schools after spring break.
Applications are also available from middle school counselors
and team leaders.
For more information, contact Nancy Ralls, Career and
Technology Education Office 410-313-6629.
May 5, 2006
(#2005-135)Academy of Finance Senior Wins Top Award
Howard County Career Academy Senior, Sagar Gupta, is the
recipient of the prestigious Citigroup Academy of Finance
Scholarship of $20,000. Only 20 students nationwide receive this
top honor. In addition to the scholarship, Sagar will be paired
with a Citigroup mentor and will be provided with a summer
internship at one of the Citigroup subsidiaries worldwide.
Internships will be available upon completion of his freshman
year of college, and will be offered in subsequent years.
As a student in the Academy of Finance, Sagar has served both
as President of the Academy of Finance Student Advisory Board as
well as the State President of the Maryland Future Business
Leaders of America (FBLA). Sagar will attend University of
California, Berkeley, in the Fall of 2006 as a
business/economics major.
Special recognition and appreciation is given to both Ms.
Teresa Waters, Sagar’s FBLA Advisor and mentor at River Hill
High School and Mr. Rod Pratesi, Sagar’s Academy of Finance
teacher at the Applications and Research Lab.
With this award, Sagar joins an elite group of outstanding
Cititgroup scholarship winners from River Hill High School.
Previous winners include: Vivian Si (2002) who is graduating
from MIT, Neikelle Moore (2003) who is attending University of
Pennsylvania, Christopher Mak (2004) who is attending University
of Maryland and Aditya Yerramilli (2005) who is attending
University of Maryland.
For more information about the Academy of Finance and other
Career Academies, please contact: Sharon Kramer, Instructional
Facilitator, at 410-313-6797 or
skramer@hcpss.org.
May 3, 2006
(#2005-134)Board of Education to Meet to Adopt Budgets
The Howard County Board of Education will meet at 9 a.m. on
Friday, May 26, 2006, to adopt the FY 2007 Operating and Capital
Budgets and the FY 2008 - 2012 Capital Improvement Program. The
meeting will take place in the Board Room at the Department of
Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.
May 3, 2006
(#2005-133)Board of Education Meeting to be Held May 25
The Howard County Board of Education will hold a regularly
scheduled meeting on Thursday, May 25, 2006, at 4 p.m. in the
Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in
Ellicott City. There will not be an evening session.
The meeting 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.
