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River Hill High Senior Discovers HIV Virus Inhibitor

Lillian Yu, a senior at River Hill High School in Clarksville, has been named a national semifinalist in the Siemens Math, Science, and Technology Competition. The competition, which recognizes remarkable talent in high school students, is funded by the Siemens Foundation and allows competitors the chance to achieve national recognition.

Yu’s project, Identification of 7SL RNA as a Key Co-Factor for the Antiviral Cytidine Deaminase APOBEC3G, examines the protein APOBEC3G in humans and its ability to effectively inhibit HIV reproduction. She discovered that 7SL RNA acts like a “Trojan Horse” to allow APOBEC3G to enter the HIV virus and inhibit its reproduction. Yu believes these findings could lead to drug treatments for AIDS. The project also has implications for the understanding of human evolution.

Yu completed her project during her mentorship under Dr. Xiaofang Yu at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

Board of Education to Meet in Closed Session

The Howard County Board of Education will meet in closed session at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2006, at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

Board of Education to Hold Regular Meeting and Public Hearings

The Howard County Board of Education will hold a regularly scheduled meeting at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2006, in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

Both the afternoon and the evening session, which convenes 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 public hearings on revisions to the following policies:

• Policy 1311, Procurement of Materials, Supplies, Equipment and Services
• Policy 3611, Confidentiality of Student Records

A public hearing will also be held on the proposed attendance area adjustments for elementary and middle schools for the 2007-2008 school year.

Individuals who wish to testify at a 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 testify at a hearing or to speak at Public Forum, contact the Executive Assistant to the Board at 410-313-7194.

Board of Education to Hold Public Work Session on Attendance Area Adjustments

The Howard County Board of Education will hold a pubic work session on the proposed attendance area adjustments for elementary and middle schools for the 2007-2008 school year on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2006. The work session will begin at 7 p.m. and take place in Room B-37 in the Applications and Research Laboratory Building, 10920 Route 108 in Ellicott City. The public is encouraged to attend and will have an opportunity to leave written comments.

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.

Howard Schools Send Message: No Bullying Allowed!

Like many schools across the country, Howard County public schools plan to recognize October 22 through October 28, 2006, as National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week. The special designation draws attention to an issue of growing concern among educators and parents, and also provides schools with an opportunity to showcase efforts to prevent bullying behavior.

This year Howard County elementary and middle schools launched a student-led campaign to reduce bullying and harassing behaviors that often lead to suspension. “Students for Safe Schools” empowers to students create safe, bully-free schools. A number of activities focus on involving student bystanders, or the “silent majority” estimated to be about 85 percent of the school population.

The initiative grew out of recommendations from an Anti-bullying Task Force convened by Howard County Superintendent Sydney Cousin in 2005.

“We believe that children have a fundamental right to feel safe in school. Bullying is a problem that creates a climate of fear and anxiety,” says Dr. Cousin. “As adults, we have an obligation to send a message to students that this type of behavior will not be tolerated. If left unchallenged, it will only get worse.”

Among other things, the task force recommended that all School Improvement Plans include strategies and activities to address the school system’s safe schools goal, which includes prevention activities. Schools have received a resource manual, Creating a Bully-free School, to guide them in implementing or enhancing their strategies for preventing bullying and harassing behaviors.

Additionally, bullying has been the topic of training sessions for school psychologists, nurses, pupil personnel workers and guidance counselors. The sessions include information on the scope and impact of bullying and how to set up school-wide, group and individual interventions to eliminate bullying behaviors.

In compliance with the Safe Schools Act of 2005, the Howard County Public School System submitted 177 incident reports for 2005-2006 school year; 171 of the reports were confirmed cases of bullying. The Safe Schools Act requires schools to collect information on incidents of harassment and intimidation (bullying) against students, take corrective action, and then report the data to the Maryland State Department of Education. School officials speculate that the number of reported incidents may increase initially as awareness increases and students become less fearful about reporting bullying behavior.

National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week is sponsored by the PACER Center and cosponsored by the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education, National Education Association and National PTA.

Board of Education to Meet in Closed Session, Hold Regular Meeting and Public Hearing

The Howard County Board of Education will meet in closed session at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2006 at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

Beginning at 4 p.m., the Board will hold a regularly scheduled meeting in Room B-37 in the Applications and Research Laboratory Building, 10920 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

Both the afternoon and the evening session, which convenes 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 the naming of the new Northeastern Elementary School. 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.

Following the public hearing, Joel Gallihue, manager of school planning, will present proposed attendance area adjustments for elementary and middle schools for the 2006-2007 school year.

To sign up to testify at the hearing or to speak at Public Forum, 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.

Eighth Graders Have a Blast on Rocket Day

On Oct. 23, 2006, the entire eighth grade at Patuxent Valley Middle School, 9151 Vollmerhausen Road in Jessup, will take to the fields behind their school to launch the Super Six rockets they built as part of their study of forces and motion in science. Billed as the school’s second annual Rocket Day, the event gives students a hands-on experience that reinforces the work they have done in class. The launches will take place between 9 and 11:45 a.m. and between 12:45 and 2 p.m.

The students will also view the movie October Sky, the true story of Homer Hickum and his “Rocket Boys” who defied the odds in their West Virginia town and won a national science competition with their rocket experiments. Hickum later went on to work for NASA.

Visitors are asked to check in at main office for a visitor badge before proceeding to the field behind the school.

Thursday is “Walk Your Child To School Day” at Pointers Run Elementary School

Pointers Run Elementary School will hold its first “Walk Your Child to School Day” on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2006, from 8:45 - 10 a.m. The event promotes walking for fitness, safe walking skills, concern for the environment and encourages community and family involvement. The Pointers Run PTA is encouraging all students and parents to participate by walking on designated walkways leading to the school.

Families are directed to use neighborhood sidewalks and pathways and the pedestrian crosswalks at Summer Sunrise Drive and Great Star Drive and at Western Star Run and Great Star Drive, where crossing guards will be stationed. “Park and Walk” locations have been arranged at the River Hill Pool and Community Center parking lot and along Western Star Run. Families can drive, park and then walk together to the school along safe routes.

Special accommodations have been made for bus and car riders, who will be greeted upon their arrival at the school and then escorted on a supervised walk. Walkers will be greeted with balloons, music, water bottles and stickers upon arrival at the school. A reception for parents and community partners will be held in the cafeteria beginning at 9:15 a.m.

Pointers Run Elementary School business partners supporting the event include Culligan, River Hill Giant, Chicken Out Rotisserie, Hershey Ice Cream, Astor Real Estate and Maryland Cooperative Extension.

Atholton Alumni Plan 40th Anniversary Celebration

In celebration of Atholton High School’s 40th Anniversary, Atholton alumni are sponsoring a special homecoming event on Friday, Nov. 3, 2006. All alumni and their families are invited to join the Atholton High Raiders for an open house and school tour at 5 p.m. A tailgate buffet is scheduled from 5:30 to 7 p.m., followed by the varsity football game, under the lights, when the Raiders take on the Hammond Bears.

Tickets for the tailgate buffet are by advanced purchase only. The cost of $20 includes buffet and a game admission ticket. Children under age eight are free when accompanied by a paying adult.

For general information about anniversary events, contact Atholton High School at 410-313-7065 or Bonnie Luepkes at bonnie_luepkes@hcpss.org. For reservation information, contact Liz Gates at elizabeth_gates@hcpss.org.

Atholton High School is located at 6520 Freetown Road in Columbia.

Board of Education Closed Meeting Cancelled

The previously announced closed meeting of the Board of Education scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2006, at Faulkner Ridge Center, has been cancelled.

Board of Education to Meet with ARC and Conexiones

The Board of Education will hold a community meeting with ARC of Howard County at 7 p.m., and Conexiones, an advocate group for Hispanic students, at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2006. The meetings will take place in ML-2 (Lobby Conference Room), at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

Board of Education to Hold Closed Meeting and Meet with PTA Presidents and Citizens Advisory Committee

The Board of Education will meet in closed session at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2006, at Faulkner Ridge Center, 10598 Marble Faun Court in Columbia.

At 7:30 p.m., the Board will meet with PTA presidents and the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) in the Susquehanna Room at Faulkner Ridge Center. 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.

Atholton High JROTC Cadets Selected for Leadership Symposium

A team of four JROTC cadets from Atholton High School is one of only 36 chosen to attend the second annual George C. Marshall Junior ROTC Leadership Symposium on the campuses of Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va., from October 12 through 14. The 144 team members participating in symposium activities will represent almost 277,000 students presently enrolled in 1,645 JROTC units throughout the United States and overseas where U.S. military are stationed. Considering the numbers, cadets selected are truly the cream of the crop.

The Atholton JROTC team includes Daniel Bankman, Kathleen Harrelson, Shaily Patel and Katie Quail. Their accomplishments are impressive and include participation in school and community organizations such as the American Red Cross, Leadership U, the National Honor Society, varsity sports teams and the JROTC drill team. They have excelled scholastically while being involved in these extracurricular activities.

The United States Army Cadet Command in Virginia will host the event with the George C. Marshall Foundation in Lexington. The theme of this year’s symposium is “The George C. Marshall Principles of Leadership -- How They Apply to My JROTC Unit, School, Community and Life.” George C. Marshall, the symposium’s namesake, was the top cadet leader at VMI during his senior year and began his distinguished Army career after being commissioned a second lieutenant in 1902. He served in both world wars, most notably as Chief of Staff of the Army in World War II. After the war he served as Secretary of State and then Secretary of Defense during the Korean War. He is perhaps best known for developing the Marshall Plan, which ensured the economic recovery of war-devastated Europe. For this work, Marshall became the first career soldier to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Symposium organizers use his selfless service and leadership as an example for participating cadets.

Because there were so few slots available for the symposium, JROTC instructors nominated only those cadets who went above and beyond school and program requirements for excellence in leadership and community service. Besides hearing from prominent leaders during interactive presentations which sometimes put them in leadership roles, participants will tour several local attractions. Each will earn one college credit hour in leadership and community service.

JROTC has a mission to motivate young people to be better citizens by teaching leadership skills and encouraging community service. It is not a recruiting tool for the Army and is open to all students in high schools that have a program.

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, Oct. 11, 2006, in the Tyson Room at the George Howard Building, 3430 Courthouse Drive in Ellicott City.

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