The Audit Committee of the Board of Education will hold its quarterly meeting at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 5, 2007. The meeting will take place in Board Room B at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.
Phelps Luck Elementary School, 5370 Oldstone Court in Columbia, will welcome a number of distinguished guests to their third annual Simulated Congressional Hearings on Friday, June 1. Among the guests will be State Superintendent of Schools Nancy Grasmick, who will join the activities at 11 a.m.
The Simulated Congressional Hearings are the culminating activity for “We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution,” an authentic, performance-based assessment where students demonstrate their understanding of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. During the hearings, students assume the role of constitutional experts. Students will present prepared oral statements before a panel of judges, usually adults from the community. Following the formal presentations, students respond to follow-up questions from a panel of judges, which further demonstrate the depth of their understanding of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Events at Phelps Luck will begin on Friday at 8:30 a.m. with a breakfast for the judges and an opening ceremony at 9:15 a.m. The hearings begin at 10:30 and conclude at 12:30 p.m. The discussion with the judges follows lunch at 1:20 p.m. The program concludes at 2 p.m.
Since the inception of the “We the People” program in 1987, more than 26 million students and 82 thousand educators have participated in this innovative course of study. The program enjoys the active participation of members of Congress, as well as support from professional, business, and community organizations across the nation.
The Howard County Board of Education will hold a regularly scheduled meeting at 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 14, 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.
The Feasibility Study will be presented during the evening session. In addition, the Board will hold public hearings on Policy 4111, School Health Services and Policy 3131, Publications/Communications.
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.
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
15, 2007
(#2006-163)Conference Reaches Potential Student Leaders
“Everyday Heroes” is the theme of a leadership
conference for elementary students being held on
Thursday, May 24, from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the
Gathering Place in Clarksville. This is the fourth year
that Howard County’s school counselors have sponsored
the Peer Leadership Conference for young student
leaders. The event is designed to help potential student
leaders realize and understand the positive influence
they can have on classmates and within their school
community.
Approximately 500 students from 29 elementary schools
across Howard County will be attending with their school
counselors. Student participants are selected based on
their active involvement with various school groups
and/or committees such as peer mediation, safety
patrols, peer mentoring, student government, and
Students For Safe Schools.
The conference is organized like a professional event
with business-like packets, a keynote speaker, breakout
sessions, lunch break, and a closing session that
includes a power point presentation highlighting each
school’s leadership participants. Guest presenters and
system employees will share information on important
topics such as being of strong character, goal setting,
resistance skills, and peaceful conflict resolution
strategies.
May
15, 2007
(#2006-162)Board of Education to Adopt Budgets and Hold Regular
Meeting
The Howard County Board of Education will meet at 3
p.m. on Thursday, May 24, 2007, to adopt its FY 2008
Operating and Capital Budgets and the FY 09-13 Capital
Improvement Program. The meeting will take place 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. 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.
May
15, 2007
(#2006-161)Outstanding School Staff to Ride to School in Style,
Thanks to New Partnership with Magnum Limo
Three winners of the Howard County Public School
System “In Honor of Excellence” awards will enjoy
luxurious transport for a day, thanks to a new
partnership with local limousine service Magnum Limo.
The partnership will be formalized prior to the awards
ceremony to be held at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May
15,2007, at the Jim Rouse Theater at Wilde Lake High
School, 5460 Trumpeter Road in Columbia.
The partnership with Magnum Limo is intended to offer
recognition for the pivotal role of non-teaching staff
in the overall operation of the school system. Each
year, winners of the school system’s Distinguished
Assistant Award, Excellence Award for Custodial and
Grounds Services, and Office Professional Recognition
Award will be offered a round trip limousine ride
between their home and school.
This year’s honorees include Stewart Custis,
custodian at West Friendship Elementary School, Kathy
Hanks, principal's secretary at Wilde Lake High School,
and Laura Weir, instructional assistant at Fulton
Elementary School.
Magnum Limo (www.magnumlimo.com)
offers luxury limousine and airport transportation
services to customers in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and
Virginia.
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.
May
14, 2007
(#2006-160)Jeffers Hill Elementary School to Hold Dedication
Ceremony for Mosaic Murals
The students of Jeffers Hill Elementary School, their
art teacher, Mr. Luce, and artist Tara Holl will be
recognized by the school, parents, and community in a
dedication ceremony on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, for the
mosaic murals they created. The ceremony will take place
rain or shine, as there are two murals to dedicate, one
that wraps 25 linear feet on the exterior of the
building and the other on the interior of the
auditorium. The theme the students selected for the
murals was the goodness of the garden and the earth. In
keeping with this theme, they collected recycled
materials and found objects to embellish their work.
Continuing in this vein, the music teachers with their
students have planned a musical accompaniment for the
ceremony with handmade instruments of recycled
materials.
The Mural Dedication Ceremony will take place at 4:40
p.m., prior to the start of the school’s Gifted &
Talented and Science Fair, which begins at 5 p.m. The
evening concludes with the chorus concert at 7 p.m. All
are welcome to take part in the fun-filled evening at
the school.
The artwork was produced by the 4th and 5th grade
students during a month-long Artist-In-Residence program
held in January. Artist Tara Holl worked with the
students and has collaborated with many public schools
around the state to create wonderful art installations.
She kicked off the residency with an assembly for the
entire school to explain the project, the nature of
mosaics as an art form, and her work as a professional
artist and educator. The student body was then
challenged to bring in recycled materials that could go
into the mosaic - pieces of broken tiles, dishes, cups,
shells, marbles, and other found or discarded objects of
durable material.
This was all made possible with the help of parent
and staff volunteers in the art classrooms who, in
addition, also installed the finished artwork with
assistance from the Howard County Public School System
Facilities Department. Funding was through the PTA with
a matching grant from the Arts-in-Education Program of
the Maryland State Arts Council. With so many involved,
this project has helped to foster community spirit in
the school and has served as an important reminder that
even our throw-away resources can be reused with
beautiful results.
May
11, 2007
(#2006-159)Board of Education Public Hearing and Work Session
on FY 2008 Operating and Capital Budgets and FY
2009-2013 Capital Improvement Program Canceled
The previously announced Board of Education’s public
hearing and work session on the FY 2008 Operating and
Capital Budgets and the FY 2009-2013 Capital Improvement
Program scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. on Monday, May
14, 2007, have been canceled.
May
4, 2007
(#2006-158)Board of Education to Meet with Equity Council
The Board of Education will meet with the Equity
Council at 5 p.m. on Monday, May 14, 2007, in the
Cafeteria at Homewood Center, 10914 Route 108 in
Ellicott City.
May
4, 2007
(#2006-157)Howard County Students Cook Up a National Award
The Maryland Hospitality Education Foundation (MHEF)
announced today that the high school culinary team from
the Howard County Applications and Research Laboratory
took 5th place at the National ProStart Student
Invitational in Charlotte, North Carolina, on April
21-22.
The National ProStart Student Invitational provided
the stage for 34 teams from across the country to
compete against one another in a team culinary
competition. Each team had one hour to create an
appetizer or salad, an entree and a dessert to be judged
on taste, teamwork, food safety and sanitation, knife
skills, proper cooking techniques and menu difficulty.
Judges were leading industry professionals and
instructors from the top culinary schools in the United
States, including a Certified Master Chef.
This was the third time that the Howard County
Applications and Research Laboratory and instructor
Elaine Heilman have won the Maryland ProStart Student
Invitational and gone on to the national competition.
Team members Crystal Rivera, Kevin Gonsales, Ryan
Meliker, Peter Gallagher and alternate Jason Cohen
created a Maryland, America In Miniature menu that
celebrated Maryland’s diverse population. “These
students amazed me with their self-discipline and work
ethic that is rare in people so young,” stated Heilman.
Their Italian influenced appetizer was Lump Crabmeat
Stuffed Ravioli and Maryland Rockfish Fingers with an
Edamame Succotash served in a Dijon Scented Marinara
Sauce. This was followed by Glazed Pork Tenderloin with
Apple Stuffing; Okra, Julienne Carrots and Celery, a
Fluffy Potato Pancake Served on a Bed of Seasoned
Mustard Greens and Finished with a Grain Mustard Studded
Pork Demi-Glaze, showcasing African American cuisine.
The menu finished with a dessert of Hispanic flair that
included a Cream-filled Chocolate Empanada served with a
Warm Fresh Berry Compote and Sabayon Sauce and Garnished
with Toasted Pistachio Nuts. Marc Dixon, chef from Cafe
de Paris in Columbia, Maryland, was the team’s mentor
who helped the students with menu development and
preparation techniques.
For placing 5th in the nation, each student on the
team will receive a $500 scholarship from Coca-Cola
along with a gift bag worth over $300 in culinary tools
and materials that included an autographed copy of
Baking Fundamentals by Chef Noble Masi, CEPC, CMB, CHE
from the American Culinary Federation. This is in
addition to the thousands of dollars in scholarships
awarded to them for finishing first at the state
competition. Mrs. Mary Day, Principal of the Howard
County Applications and Research Laboratory, said that
“it was wonderful to see students from three different
schools come together under the leadership of an
outstanding teacher. Placing 5th in the Nation shows the
caliber of students that Howard County is producing.”
The Howard County Applications and Research Laboratory
will also be awarded a $400 stipend for Ms. Heilman to
use in her ProStart program.
The ProStart program is a high school culinary and
hospitality management curriculum that also requires 400
hours of paid industry work experience in order to
receive a ProStart National Certificate of Achievement.
Students completing the ProStart program are qualified
to enter the workforce in positions above entry level
and are on a fast track to management careers. ProStart
is endorsed by the Maryland State Department of
Education and also prepares students for post-secondary
education at culinary schools and hospitality management
programs.
The Maryland Hospitality Education Foundation (MHEF)
is a nonprofit organization that works with the
Restaurant Association of Maryland to educate the
hospitality workforce of Maryland. MHEF offers
certifications in food safety and responsible alcohol
service along with server and hospitality management
training. MHEF also supports the 50 schools in Maryland
using the ProStart program, a culinary and hospitality
management curriculum for high school students that is
endorsed by the Maryland State Department of Education.
MHEF raised the money necessary to pay all expenses for
the team to travel to Charlotte, NC. More information on
MHEF can be found at
www.mhef.org.
May
3, 2007
(#2006-156)Board of Education to Hold Two Closed Meetings
The Howard County Board of Education will hold two
closed meetings at the Department of Education, 10910
Route 108 in Ellicott City. The first meeting will begin
at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9, 2007. The second meeting
will begin at 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, 2007.
May
1, 2007
(#2006-155)Board of Education Public Hearing and Work Session
on FY 2008 Operating and Capital Budgets and FY 2009 -
2013 Capital Improvement Program Rescheduled
The previously announced Howard County Board of
Education’s public hearing and work session on the FY
2008 Operating and Capital budgets and the FY 2009 -
2013 Capital Improvement Program has been rescheduled.
The hearing and work session, originally scheduled to
take place on May 10, 2007, will take place at 7 p.m. on
Monday, May 14, 2007, in the Board Room at the
Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott
City.
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, 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.
May
1, 2007
(#2006-154)Howard County Students Advance to National History
Day Competition
Fifteen Howard County students will advance to the
National History Day Competition after winning first or
second place at the Statewide Maryland History Day
Competition on April 28, 2007. These students have
already won competitions at the school and county level,
and were competing against hundreds of students from 12
other school systems across the state. In addition to
the students who are moving on the Nationals, ten Howard
County students were winners in a special pilot category
for websites, and seven won special prizes.
Students presented entries in five categories:
exhibit, performance, multimedia documentary, research
paper and website. A list of winners in all categories
and those winning special prizes are attached. In
addition to the students, Linda Scrivener, gifted and
talented resources teacher at Elkridge Landing Middle
School, won the Howard County History Day Teacher of the
Year award. The National History Day Competition will be
held at the University of Maryland, College Park from
June 10-14, 2007.
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.
Maryland History Day 2007 Official Winners from HCPSS
Junior Individual Exhibits
1st Place: “Roosevelt’s New Deal: American
Triumph of Tragic Folly,” Emily Wong, Folly
Quarter Middle School; Teacher, Beth Pierson
2nd Place: “John Brown: A Tragic Triumph,”
Andrew Gadone, Mount View Middle School;
Teacher, Lorraine Quinn
Junior Group Documentaries
1st Place: “Jackie Robinson: A Pioneer For a
People,” David Friedman, Jake Miller, and Tim
Reagan, Bonnie Branch Middle School; Teachers,
Janine Sharbaugh and Kelly Clark
Junior Historical Papers
1st Place: “The Construction of the Panama
Canal: An American Triumph and
Columbian/Panamanian Tragedy,” Cameron
Pritchett, Patuxent Valley Middle School;
Teacher, Ed Esbrandt
2nd Place: “The Irish Potato Famine,”
Anneliese Faustino, Glenwood Middle School;
Teachers, Kelly Storr and David Ebbe
Junior Group Performances
1st Place: “From the Tragic Burning of DC to
the Triumphant Battle of Baltimore,” Shayne
Kress and Travis Peed, Elkridge Landing Middle
School; Teacher Ben Ruble
Senior Individual Exhibits
2nd Place: “Elite Institution to Stabilized
Ruin,” Katherine McAfee, Centennial High School;
Teacher Michelle Bagley
Senior Group Documentaries
1st Place: “McCarthyism: An American
Tragedy,” Sohrab Hajarian, Richard Heil, and
Matt Keels, Wilde Lake High; Teacher, Susan
Pennington
Senior Group Performances
2nd Place: “The Triumph of Little Big Horn;
The Tragedy of Wounded Knee,” Mariam Oguynsanya
and Taylor Washington, Reservoir High School;
Teacher Susannah Greenberg
Official Maryland History Day Winners Website
Category 2007
Junior Group Web Site
1st Place: “The Nanking Tragedy,” Dominique
Hoskins, Kris Keochinda, Hyungi Kim, Simei Zhao,
Ellicott Mills Middle School; Teacher, Toni
Richardson
2nd Place: “The Surrender of Japan,” Aaron
David, Alex Lo, Zehao Sui, Ellicott Mills Middle
School; Teacher, Toni Richardson
Junior Individual Web Site
1st Place: “The Cuban Missile Crisis: 13
Days,” Zachary Grissom, Elkridge Landing Middle
School; Teacher, Geordie Paulus
2nd Place: “The Great Proletarian Cultural
Revlolution,” Thomas Zhang, Lime Kiln Middle
School; Teacher, Angela Johnson
Official Maryland History Day Winners Special Prizes
2007
Historic Preservation Award from the Maryland
Historical Trust
“Elite Institution to Stabilized Ruin,”
Katherine McAfee, Centennial High School;
Teacher Michelle Bagley
Military History Award from the Maryland Military
Museum
“The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis,”
Daniel Brennan, Kevin Li, Joey Sara, Reservoir
High School; Teacher, Susannah Greenberg
Military History Award from the Historical
Miniatures Gaming Society
“Malaria during the Vietnam War,” Julia
Mason, Shannon McKay, and Rebecca Widstrom,
Cradlerock School; Teacher, Lydia Miller
