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Board of Education to Hold Regular Meeting and Public Hearing on Policy 1501, Acceptable Use of Computer Technology

The Howard County Board of Education will hold a regularly scheduled meeting at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 12, 2007, 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 a public hearing on revisions to Policy 1501, Acceptable Use of Computer Technology.

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 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.

Oakland Mills High Holds “Real Deal Dads” Event; Matt Stover to Speak

This Saturday, March 24, 2007, at 8:30 a.m., Oakland Mills High School, 9410 Kilimanjaro Road in Columbia, is hosting an event designed especially for fathers and sons. Featured speaker is Matt Stover of the Baltimore Ravens, who will talk about authentic father and son relationships and what it means to be a “Real Deal Dad.”

Concurrently, Gatorade is sponsoring a “Junior Training Camp” for elementary and middle school aged sons who accompany their fathers. A light breakfast will be provided.

“Our theme for this year is ‘connections’ and this event will help the school connect with fathers, and fathers connect with their sons,” says Oakland Mills Principal Frank Eastham.

The event is free but persons interested in attending are asked to register by contacting Vernette Jackson at 410.313.6945 or vernette_jackson@hcpss.org . Please provide the number of dads, high school sons, elementary/middle school age sons when registering.

Board of Education to Meet with NAACP Education Committee

The Howard County Board of Education will meet with the NAACP Education Committee at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 28, 2007, in Board Room A at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

Gifted and Talented Testing Scheduled

Gifted and Talented testing will be held at Faulkner Ridge Center, 10598 Marble Faun Court in Columbia, on Saturday, May 5, 2007, from 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. for non-public school students (grades 5-7) who plan to enter Howard County Middle schools in August 2007. 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 27, 2007.

School System Forms New Partnership to Promote Healthy Lifestyles

Students at Forest Ridge Elementary School will receive greater encouragement and support for establishing healthy habits and making safe life choices through a new partnership with Chesapeake Physical & Aquatic Therapy (CPAT).

The partnership agreement will be formalized on Thursday, March 22 with an official signing at the Waterside Restaurant in the Sheraton Columbia Hotel.

Under the terms of the agreement, CPAT will offer incentives to reward students who make healthy fitness and lifestyle choices. The organization will also share information on health, physical fitness, and injury prevention with students, teachers, and school staff, and will provide volunteers and other support for fitness related activities at the school such as Field Days and Pep Rallies.

CPAT therapists have also agreed to offer internships for Howard County high school students interested in physical therapy careers, and to mentor student research projects in subjects related to physical therapy, physiology, health, and fitness.

At 8:30 a.m., Jared Goldstein, Co-Founder of Chesapeake Physical & Aquatic Therapy will join Howard County School Board Member Ellen Giles, Forest Ridge Elementary School Principal Allan Olchowski, GT Resource Teacher Julia Lubelczyk, and Partnerships Manager Mary Schiller to sign the formal partnership agreement.

Chesapeake Physical & Aquatic Therapy (www.chesapeakept.com) provides personal, individualized care through a wide spectrum of outpatient services and facilities including skilled manual treatments, state of the art fitness equipment, and warm therapy pools.

The Howard County Public School System’s Partnerships office unites businesses and community organizations with schools to enhance the educational experience. Partnerships benefit schools, businesses, and the entire community by leveraging the resources of all participants. Partners may commit human or financial resources or other support.

FIRN Partners with Howard County Schools to Support English Language Learners

Students from immigrant families will receive English language enrichment, tutoring, and other academic support through an expanded partnership between FIRN, Inc. and seven Howard County Public Schools.

The partnership agreement will be formalized at 3 p.m. on Friday, March 23, in the Board Room at the Howard County Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

Under the terms of the partnership, a Club LEAP (Learning English After-school Program) will be established at each participating school: Bollman Bridge, Bryant Woods, Hollifield Station, Laurel Woods, and Stevens Forest Elementary Schools, as well as at Cradlerock School and Oakland Mills Middle School.

Each program will focus on English language enrichment and offer tutoring to reinforce academic skills in all areas of the school curriculum. FIRN will provide volunteer tutors for Club LEAP, and will establish an ESOL (English as a Second Language) resource library for its volunteers.

Club LEAP helps bring ESOL students into the mainstream more quickly, according to Glenyss Ryan, who coordinates the program for FIRN. “Students receive extra help, above and beyond what they learn in ESOL classes. The small group setting and activities let the students practice English in a way that is comfortable and fun,” she said, noting that language barriers can prevent these students from fully participating in regular classroom activities. Reaching a level of comfort with the language is a prerequisite to achieving success in other areas, according to Lois Mikkila, president of FIRN’s board of directors. “The quicker that students can become proficient in English, the better they can do,” she stressed. “Whether academic success, social success, daily living, or work experiences -- it all comes back to language.”

FIRN has been working with schools throughout the county to support ESOL students for several years, according to Diane Martin, Director of Student, Family, and Community Services for the school system. The organization’s involvement has also helped to facilitate communication between the school and the parents. As Laurel Conran, an ESOL teacher at Bollman Bridge Elementary, explained, “It is important that parents feel like they are part of the school community. Language can be a barrier, but working with FIRN has helped us build a partnership between the school and the home.”

Club LEAP strengthens the larger community as well, according to Roy Applebee, executive director of FIRN. “All teaching is done by community volunteers. By bringing other folks into contact with the immigrant population, the program develops mutual understanding and compassion, and helps to link the entire community more closely together.”

Roy Appletree, Lois Mikkila, and Glenyss Ryan from FIRN will join Howard County School Board Members Sandra French, Larry Cohen, Ellen Giles, and Patricia Gordon, Superintendent Sydney Cousin, and Diane Martin for the official signing ceremony.

FIRN (www.firnonline.org) assists recent immigrants in the process of becoming Americans. In addition to tutoring, FIRN’s services include job placement, immigration counseling, housing assistance, interpreting, and translations.

The Howard County Public School System’s Partnerships office unites businesses and community organizations with schools to enhance the educational experience. Partnerships benefit schools, businesses, and the entire community by leveraging the resources of all participants. Partners may commit human or financial resources or other support.

Board of Education to Hold Closed Meeting

The Howard County Board of Education will hold a closed meeting at 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, 2007, at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

School System Cable Programming Now Available to Verizon Customers

The Howard County Public School System’s cable programming is now available to Verizon customers on Verizon Cable Channel 42. HCPSS will also continue to broadcast on Comcast Cable Channel 72. All programming originating from the school system will be identical on both Verizon Channel 42 and Comcast Channel 72.

Howard County History Day Competition is a Huge Success

The Office of Secondary Social Studies for the Howard County Public School System sponsored its third annual History Day Competition on Saturday, March 10, 2007, at Reservoir High School. This year’s event was the largest by far, including 209 project entries presented by 346 students representing 16 middle and 9 high schools. Over 70 teachers, Central Office staff, Board of Education members, business partners and community members volunteered to serve as judges to evaluate student entries.

The county History Day program is a collaborative effort among classroom Social Studies teachers, Gifted & Talented resource teachers, media specialists, Central Office support staff, libraries, colleges, universities, and local historical institutions. Students, grades 6-12, worked for many months conducting historical research on a self-selected topic that related to this year’s National History Day theme of Triumph and Tragedy in History. A research question guided students to explore and interpret both primary and secondary resources. After gathering data and research, students analyzed the information, drew conclusions and began creation of the History Day project entry to submit for review at the local school level prior to entering the countywide competition.

Students presented entries in five categories: Exhibit, Performance, Multimedia Documentary, Research Paper and Web Site. HCPSS awarded 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in each category. A list of winners is below. The top two winners in each category from the Howard County regional contest will advance to the state contest, to be held April 28, 2007, at University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

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 Judy Dobbs at (410) 685-4185 or visit the official National History Day web site at www.nationalhistoryday.org.


Howard County History Day 2007 Official Winners

Please note that first and second place winners will represent Howard County at the state competition.

Junior Individual Exhibits

1. “Roosevelt’s New Deal: American Triumph of Tragic Folly,” Emily Wong, Folly Quarter Middle School
2. “John Brown: A Tragic Triumph,” Andrew Gadone, Mount View Middle School
3. “The Orphan Train,” Alison Jirak, Lime Kiln Middle School

Junior Group Exhibits

1. “Malaria during the Vietnam War,” Julia Mason, Shannon McKay, and Rebecca Widstrom, Cradlerock School
2. “The Life and Times of John F. Kennedy,” Austin Gabel and Samantha Stull, Folly Quarter Middle School
3. “Iwo Jima,” Sean Madden and Carlos Ramirez, Glenwood Middle School

Junior Individual Documentaries

1. “The Women’s Suffrage Movement,” Taylor Lim, Lime Kiln Middle School
2. “Hurricane Agnes: Flood of 1972,” Taylor Gable, Bonnie Branch Middle School
3. “Helen Keller,” Delaney Jordan, Glenwood Middle

Junior Group Documentaries

1. “Jackie Robinson: A Pioneer For a People,” David Friedman, Jake Miller, and Tim Reagan, Bonnie Branch Middle School
2. “Pompeii and the Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius,” Betsy Fu and Hunter McDonough, Folly Quarter Middle School
3. “The Spanish Flu,” Kelly Dornan and Parker James, Glenwood Middle School

Junior Historical Papers

1. “The Irish Potato Famine,” Anneliese Faustino, Glenwood Middle School
2. “The Construction of the Panama Canal: An American Triumph and Columbian/Panamanian Tragedy,” Cameron Pritchett, Patuxent Valley Middle School

Junior Individual Performances

1. “Brother Can You Spare a Dime,” Ib Jegede, Elkridge Landing Middle School
2. “The Pain, The Discrimination, The Titanic,” Molly Shockey, Elkridge Landing Middle School
3. “The Hindenburg,” Maxwell Weinberg, Cradlerock School

Junior Group Performances

1. “From the Tragic Burning of DC to the Triumphant Battle of Baltimore,” Shayne Kress and Travis Peed, Elkridge Landing Middle School
2. “The Hindenburg and Its Theories,” Frances Becknell and Heather Mongilio, Ellicott Mills Middle School
3. “Back in the Day,” Jordan Johnson and McKenzie Fields, Wilde Lake Middle School

Junior Individual Web Page

1. “The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution,” Tommy Zhang, Lime Kiln Middle School
2. “Cuban Missile Crisis: Thirteen Days that Changed the World”, Zak Grissom, Elkridge Landing Middle School
3. “Iwo Jima: The United States Triumph over Japan in WWII,” Eli Kelehan, Elkridge Landing Middle School

Junior Group Web Page

1. “The Nanking Massacre” by Hyungi Kim, Dominique Hoskin, Kris Keochinda, and Simei Zhaoc from Ellicott Mills Middle
2. “The Surrender of Japan” by Aaron David, Alex Lo, and Zehao Sui from Ellicott Mills Middle
3. “John F. Kennedy from Start to Finish” by Nicole Grabowski and Frankie Yoncha from Elkridge Landing Middle

Senior Individual Exhibits

1. “Elite Institution to Stabilized Ruin,” Katherine McAfee, Centennial High School
2. “The Chinese Cultural Revolution,” Ran Yan, Reservoir High School
3. “The Tragedy of Chernoble,” Agne Pakalniskyte, Howard High School

Senior Group Exhibits

1. (tie): “Tragedy in Every Cup: The Tragic Consequences of the Coffee Crisis,” Samantha Rocco and Trevor Stough, Reservoir High School
1. (tie): “The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis,” Daniel Brennan, Kevin Li, and Joey Zara, Reservoir High School
3. “Stalingrad and the Clash of the Titans,” Austin Brown, Peter Bulka, and Seth Fawcett, Wilde Lake High School

Senior Individual Documentaries

1. “Uncovering Deep Throat: Mark Felt and the Watergate Scandal,”
Jonah Eaton, Reservoir High School
2. “The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill,” Brandon Sinclair, Wilde Lake High School

Senior Group Documentaries

1. “McCarthyism: An American Tragedy,” Sohrab Hajarian, Richard Heil, and Matt Keels, Wilde Lake High
2. “The Fast Food Industry: Serving the Community or Eating Up America?” Kelly Klein and Vy Nguyen, Reservoir High
3. “The Rape of Nanking,” Doug Freeman and Garth Taylor, Reservoir High

Senior Historical Papers

1. “Overcoming the Great Persecutions of the Christians: The Triumph of the Edict of Milan,” by Daniel Choi, Atholton High
2. “Navajo Code Talkers,” Shreyah Patel, Reservoir High
3. “Gandhi’s Humanity,” Teresa Yeh, Centennial High

Senior Individual Performances

1. “A Silent Stand: The Life and Times of Marian Anderson,” Courtney Miller, Marriotts Ridge High School
2. “Lucy Stone: Speaking for Equality,” Wendy Zhang, Marriotts Ridge High School
3. “The Irony of Discovery,” Kara Shockey, Howard High School

Senior Group Performances

1. “The Wright Brothers: Flying the Wright Way,” Laura Chilcoat and Shuna Gao, Marriotts Ridge High School
2. “Battle of Little Big Horn,” Mariam Oguynsanya and Taylor Washington, Reservoir High School
3. “Julius Caesar,” Anna Dixon, Micaela Galosky, and Alexis Rukenbrod, Reservoir High School

Senior Individual Web Page

1. “The Creation of the State of Israel,” Aminah Zaghab, Resevoir High School

Special Award: Carroll Haddaway American History Awards

Junior Level -- Individual Performance
“Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? The Great Depression,” Ib Jegede
Elkridge Landing Middle School

Senior Level -- Individual Documentary
“Uncovering Deep Throat: Mark Felt and the Watergate Scandal,” Jonah Eaton
Reservoir High School

Atholton High School to Celebrate 40th Anniversary

Atholton High School invites alumni, past and present staff, and community to celebrate its 40th anniversary with a Dinner Gala, themed “40 Years of Excellence”. The event will include dinner and dancing, cash bar, and celebratory activities on April 14, 2007, from 7 - 11 p.m., at the Sheraton on the Lakefront in Columbia.

Ticket prices are $55/person or $100/couple. Seating is limited. For tickets or more information, contact Elizabeth Dooley, Elizabeth Gates or Bonnie Luepkes at 410-313-7065. Any of these individuals may also be reached by e-mail using the following format: firstname_lastname@hcpss.org.

Siddiqui Joins Board of Education on March 8

The oath of office will be administered to newly confirmed Board of Education Member Janet Siddiqui, M.D., at 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 8, immediately preceding the Board of Education meeting. Dr. Siddiqui was appointed by County Executive Ken Ulman in January to fill the seat vacated by Mary Kay Sigaty, who left her position on the Board after being elected to the County Council. Siddiqui’s appointment was confirmed by the County Council on March 5.

Before the swearing in, the Board will hold a reception for Dr. Siddiqui beginning
at 3:30 p.m.

Board of Education to Meet with Student Leaders and Hold Regular Meeting

The Howard County Board of Education will hold a luncheon meeting with student leaders at 12 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, 2007, in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

At 4 p.m., the Board will hold a regularly scheduled meeting in the same location. 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. To sign up 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.

Board of Education to Meet with Conexiones and Special Learners Organizations

On March 19, 2007, the Board of Education will meet with Conexiones, an advocate group for Hispanic students, at 7 p.m. and with special learners organizations at 8 p.m., in the Chesapeake Room at Faulkner Ridge Center, 10598 Marble Faun Court in Columbia.

Burleigh Manor Middle to be Honored by State Superintendent

Who:

State Superintendent of Schools Nancy S. Grasmick
Howard County Superintendent Sydney Cousin
Burleigh Manor Principal Steve Gibson
Centennial High School Principal Scott Pfeifer
Howard County Board of Education Member Sandra French
Howard County Board of Education Member  Larry Cohen
HCPSS Administrator Robert Glascock
HCPSS Administrator Clarissa Evans
Ron Kenjorski, Joe Corbi’s Pizza (a Blue Ribbon Schools partner)
Linda Fredeking, Coldwell Banker (a Blue Ribbon Schools partner)

What:

Burleigh Manor Middle School, a 2007 Maryland Blue Ribbon School, will be honored by the State Superintendent as part of her Tour of Excellence. The school has a remarkable record of high student achievement, ranking in the top 10 percent of all middle schools in Maryland. A school-wide pizza party, with pizzas supplied by Blue Ribbon Schools’ partner Joe Corbi’s Pizza, will honor the teachers and students. Note: the Assembly honoring the students will be held in the auditorium of neighboring Centennial High School.

When:

Monday, March 5
9-10:30 a.m.

Where:

Centennial High School
4300 Centennial Lane
Ellicott City, MD 21042
410-313-2856

2007 Commencement Schedule Released

Superintendent Sydney Cousin announced today the commencement dates and times for Howard County’s Class of 2007. In doing so Dr. Cousin expressed thanks to the staff at Merriweather Post Pavilion, the site of the high school graduation ceremonies, and County Executive Ken Ulman.

“We are very grateful for the support we received from the County Executive and Jean Parker at Merriweather to lock in these dates much earlier than in past years. The earlier notice is extremely helpful to our schools and to all the families who need to make plans,” said Dr. Cousin.

The commencement schedule for 2007 is as follows.

Friday, May 25

11:30 a.m. - River Hill High School
03:00 p.m. - Reservoir High School
05:30 p.m. - Howard High School

Tuesday, May 29

08:30 a.m. - Wilde Lake High School
11:30 a.m. - Hammond High School
02:30 p.m. - Centennial High School
05:30 p.m. - Long Reach High School
08:30 p.m. - Mt. Hebron High School

Wednesday, May 30

10:00 a.m. - Cedar Lane School at Cedar Lane

Thursday, May 31

08:00 a.m. - Atholton High School
10:30 a.m. - Oakland Mills High School
01:00 p.m. - Glenelg High School

Howard County Science Fair Winners for 2007

More than 450 middle and high school students participated in the 2007 Howard County Mathematics, Science and Technology Fair held at Marriotts Ridge High School on Feb. 23 and 24, 2007. Below is the information about the winners.

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