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March 2008 News Releases
March 31, 2008 (#2007-153)
Fourth Annual Howard County History Day Competition a Success
The Office of Secondary Social Studies for the Howard County Public School System sponsored its fourth annual History Day Competition on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at Reservoir High School. This year's event including 158 project entries presented by 239 students, representing 16 middle schools, six high schools, and one home school. More than 90 teachers, student teachers, Central Office staff, Board of Education members, business partners and community members volunteered to serve as judges or event coordinators.
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 Conflict and Compromise 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 website. HCPSS awarded 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in each category. A list of winners at both the junior and senior levels is attached. The top two winners in each category from the Howard County regional contest will advance to the state contest, to be held April 26, 2008, at University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Our Howard County History Day Teacher of the Year will also be honored at the state competition.
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 Maryland History Day, contact Judy Dobbs at 410-685-4185 or visit the state web site at www.mdhc.org. To learn more about the national competitions, visit the official National History Day web site at www.nationalhistoryday.org.
Howard County History Day 2008 Official Winners
Please note that first and second place winners will represent Howard County at the state competition.
Senior Individual Exhibits
2nd:
The Indian Removal Policy of the 1800s
Timothy Higgins,
River Hill High School
1st:
Bleeding Kansas: The Fight for Freedom
Emily Watts,
Centennial High School
Senior Group Exhibits
2nd:
Rwandan Genocide
Hanna Christianson and Dan Lesko,
Wilde Lake High School
1st:
Classical Greek Warfare and Diplomacy
Quint Frauman and Neal Rivera,
Wilde Lake High School
Senior Individual Documentaries
2nd:
Conflict and Compromise: King Sejong the Great
Melissa Lee,
Reservoir High School
1st:
Brown v. the Board of Education
Clare Skelly,
River Hill High School
Senior Group Documentaries
2nd:
Adam, Eve, and the Chimpanzee
Yajaira Berna and Jemini Patel,
Reservoir High School
1st:
Japanese Internment
Ryan Mann, Brian Nemsick, and Joseph Opeda,
Wilde Lake High School
Senior Individual Performances
2nd:
Steinbeck and the Prize: The Story of the 1962 Nobel Prize for Literature
Brian Tich,
Marriotts Ridge High School
1st:
A Bloomer Wearing Bloomers
Elizabeth Hughes,
Marriotts Ridge High School
Senior Group Performances
2nd:
The Big Picture
Jenna Antoniades and Victoria Edwards,
Reservoir High School
1st:
Lincoln's Suspension of Habeas Corpus in Maryland
Mike Lazaris, Olivia Medoff, and Nathan Pascale,
Wilde Lake High School
Senior Papers
2nd:
School Safety v. Student Privacy: Establishing a Fair Compromise
Dillon Hagius,
Atholton High School
1st:
A Compromise with Time: Change in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Ping Teresa Yeh,
Centennial High School
Senior Web Pages
1st:
The Bahi'a Faith
Alex Kolodner, Niranjan Murali, and Danny Solow,
Wilde Lake High School
Junior Individual Exhibits
3rd:
Newsboy Strike
Sarah Vogel,
Cradlerock School
2nd:
The Jay Treaty
Kelsey Armstrong,
Elkridge Landing Middle School
1st:
The Persian Gulf War
Sarah Niezelski,
Ellicott Mills Middle School
Junior Group Exhibits
3rd:
The Price of Security
Rachel Cary and Stephanie Foster,
Mayfield Woods Middle School
2nd:
What Caused Pearl Harbor?
Dylan Gleadall and Jayden Nagel,
Bonnie Branch Middle School
1st:
Conflict and Compromise Between Labor and Mine Operators: The Anthracite Coal Strike of 1902
Ayushi Aggarwal and Laura Migasiuk,
Murray Hill Middle School
Junior Individual Documentaries
3rd:
Potatoes and Perseverance: The Irish Impact on Baltimore
Kendrick McDonald,
Mayfield Woods Middle School
2nd:
The Aftereffects of the Salt March's Climax
Advait Chauhan,
Patuxent Valley Middle School
1st:
The Armenian Genocide
Ada Schnake,
Mount View Middle School
Junior Group Documentaries
3rd:
Kent State Shootings
Patrick Rasmussen and Alex Richardson,
Dunloggin Middle School
2nd:
Bikini Atoll: Nuclear Summer
Jonathan Geldof and Steven Ward,
Lime Kiln Middle School
1st:
The Bay of Pigs Invasion and Cuban Missile Crisis
Tim Fisher, Michelle Seu, and Alex Wollack,
Lime Kiln Middle School
Junior Individual Performances
3rd:
Slavery in the Great Debate
Jonathan Cohen,
Wilde Lake Middle School
2nd:
Child Labor, Newsies of New York
Abigail Welch,
Dunloggin Middle School
1st:
The Nurse/Putnam Hysteria of 1692
Jillian Dlugos,
Glenwood Middle School
Junior Group Performances
3rd:
Animal Experimentation
Christina Kaminsky, Karen Shollenberger, and Mandy Yard,
Folly Quarter Middle School
2nd:
We Can Do It: Women Fight for Working Rights in WWII
Julie Connor and Erin Patterson,
Murray Hill Middle School
1st:
KKK: The History Under the Hood
Caitlin Cleveland, Erica Heaphy, John Kim, and Drew Miree,
Ellicott Mills Middle School
Junior Papers
3rd:
Red Cloud's War: A Conflict Over the Bozeman Trail
Jessica Zilka,
Murray Hill Middle School
2nd:
The Conflicts and Compromises in the Fight for Women's Suffrage
Rachel Knobel,
Wilde Lake Middle School
1st:
Salem Witch Trials
Nicole Dawson,
Patuxent Valley Middle School
Junior Web Pages
3rd:
The Haymarket Affair
Ethan Simon,
Clarksville Middle School
2nd:
The Patriot Act: A Threat to Freedom
Emily Horton and Corey Lunden,
Ellicott Mills Middle
1st:
The Kuril Island Dispute
Andrew Desrochers,
Glenwood Middle School
Carroll Haddaway History Day Awards
Junior:
The Jay Treaty
Kelsey Armstrong,
Elkridge Landing Middle
Senior: Bleeding Kansas: The Fight for Freedom
Emily Watts,
Centennial High School
Howard County History Day Teacher of the Year
Susan Pennington,
Wilde Lake High School
March 31, 2008 (#2007-152)
Board of Education to Meet with PTA Presidents and Community Advisory Council
The Board of Education will meet with PTA presidents and the Community Advisory Council at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 17, 2008, 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.
March 31, 2008 (#2007-151)
Board of Education to Meet with County Council
The Howard County Board of Education will hold their quarterly meeting with the County Council at 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday, April 16, 2008. The meeting will take place at the George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive in Ellicott City.
March 31, 2008 (#2007-150)
Board of Education to Meet in Closed Session and Hold Regular Meeting
The Board of Education will meet in closed session at 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, 2008, at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.
At 4 p.m., the Board will hold their regularly scheduled meeting in the Board Room at 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 Board's office 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.
March 31, 2008 (#2007-149)
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 Tuesday, April 8, 2008, in ML2, the Lobby conference room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.
March 27, 2008 (#2007-148)
AIT Partners with HCPSS to Provide Scholarships Database
Aspiring college students will find it easier to identify scholarship opportunities through a partnership between Applied Information Technologies, Inc. (AIT) and the Howard County Public School System. The partnership will be formalized with an official signing at the Waterside Restaurant in the Sheraton Columbia Hotel on Monday, March 31, 2008.
Under the terms of the partnership agreement, AIT hosts a database of information about scholarship opportunities available to HCPSS students on the company’s website. AIT also offers internship opportunities to qualified high school students who wish to gain experience in website and database design and development. Scholarship database content is to be supplied by HCPSS, with any needed database upgrades to be handled by student interns under supervision by AIT mentors.
At 8:30 a.m., Don Schindhelm, Senior Vice President, Applied Information Technologies, Inc., will join Janet Siddiqui, Member, Howard County Board of Education, Lisa Boarman, Facilitator, School Counseling and Guidance, Karen Kawahara, Resource Counselor, and Joan Fox of the Partnerships Office to sign the formal partnership agreement.
A pioneer in database website technology, Applied Information Technologies, Inc. (AIT) (www.ait-inc.com) designs, develops, and implements interactive database websites for the Internet. AIT’s core competencies include relational database management systems, IntraNet/Internet Web connectivity, UNIX administration, and database website training.
The Howard County Public School System’s Partnerships Office (www.hcpss.org/aboutus/partnership) 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.
March 19, 2008 (#2007-147)
Hammond High School Celebrates Culture Fest 2008
Hammond High School's International Club will sponsor its first annual Culture Fest on Wednesday, April 2, 2008 from 1:20 to 4 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. Culture Fest will spotlight the diversity of Hammond's student population through displays and exhibits that represent the school's many cultures. The event is open to the public.
March 19, 2008 (#2007-146)
Board of Education to Hold Regular Meeting
The Howard County Board of Education will hold a regularly scheduled meeting at 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 27, 2008, 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. To sign up to speak at Public Forum, contact the Board's office 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.
March 19, 2008 (#2007-145)
Phelps Luck Elementary Students to Start Good Savings Habits through Partnership with Sandy Spring Bank
Students at Phelps Luck Elementary School will soon be able to apply math skills learned in the classroom to practical, personal advantage. A new partnership between the school and locally-based Sandy Spring Bank will teach students the importance of personal financial planning while helping them gain an appreciation for how mathematics are used in daily life. The partnership will be formalized with an official signing at the Waterside Restaurant in the Sheraton Columbia Hotel on Thursday, March 27, 2008.
Under the terms of the partnership agreement, the bank will create a school-based, deposit-only bank for Phelps Luck students. Bank representatives will train fifth grade students as tellers and will assist with a weekly banking day. Student tellers will also tour a Sandy Spring Bank branch to learn how a real bank operates.
Sandy Spring Bank will also offer to work with school staff to teach math skills related to money, decimals, and fractions, and will share information with students about careers in the banking field during Career Days and at other venues as appropriate.
At 8:30 a.m., Maureen Jesuorobo, Assistant Vice President and Community Office Manager, Sandy Spring Bank will join Ellen Flynn Giles, Vice Chairman, Howard County Board of Education, Michelle Leader, Assistant Principal, Phelps Luck Elementary School, and Joan Fox of the Partnerships Office to sign the official partnership agreement.
Sandy Spring Bank (www.sandyspringbank.com) is an active and enthusiastic supporter of its local communities. Beyond sponsoring in-school banking programs, the company also coordinates community celebrations, rebuilds low income homes, and supports a variety of other programs in its mission to make each community a better place to live, work, and raise a family.
The Howard County Public School System’s Partnerships Office (www.hcpss.org/aboutus/partnership) 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.
March 18, 2008 (#2007-144)
Display of Proposed Instructional Textbook
The textbook, Child and Adolescent Development 2008 Edition, recommended for use for the first time in the Howard County public schools, is on display in the lobby at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City. The textbook is on display Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., through April 7, 2008, excluding March 21 - 24.
Community members are welcome to review the textbook and complete the form which is available. Any questions should be directed to 410-313-5634.
March 13, 2008 (#2007-143)
Students Explore Conflict and Compromise in History at Howard County History Day Contest
Howard County History Day, an annual competition that involves teachers and students from middle and high schools throughout this area, will be held on March 29, 2008. Reservoir High School in Fulton will host the district competition, the theme of which is "Conflict and Compromise in History."
After working on their entries for many months, competitors qualified for the district contest by performing 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 Saturday, April 26, 2008, at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
National History Day is the nation's leading program for history education in the schools. 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 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
March 10, 2008 (#2007-142)
Boy Scouts of America Partnership to Focus on Challenging Outdoor Personal Experiences
Students from Centennial and Wilde Lake High schools will be challenged to develop teamwork, leadership, problem solving, and other essential life skills during an exciting series of outdoor group activities, thanks to a new partnership with the Baltimore Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The partnership will be formalized with an official signing at the Waterside Restaurant in the Sheraton Columbia Hotel on Friday, March 14, 2008.
The partnership will offer high school students the opportunity to participate in a Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience (C.O.P.E.), a program that develops seven key skills (teamwork, leadership, decision-making, problem solving, communications, trust, and self-esteem) through a variety of fitness, teamwork, and character building activities. C.O.P.E. comprises a combination of physical and mental challenges through which participants can gain insight into their own and others’ abilities, often resulting in enhanced confidence and self-esteem.
At 8:30 a.m., Harold Teller, District Director, Boy Scouts of America, Baltimore Area Council will join Diane Mikulis and Patricia Gordon, Howard County Board of Education Members, Scott Pfeiffer, Principal, Centennial High School, Restia Whitaker, Principal, Wilde Lake High School, and Mary Schiller, Manager of the Partnerships Office to sign the formal partnership agreement.
The Howard County Public School System’s Partnerships Office (www.hcpss.org/aboutus/partnership) 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.
March 5, 2008 (#2007-141)
Board of Education to Meet with Student Leaders, Hold Regular Meeting and Public Hearings
The Howard County Board of Education will hold a luncheon meeting with student leaders at 12 p.m. on Thursday, March 13, 2008, in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.
The Board will hold a regularly scheduled meeting at 4 p.m. at 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.
During the evening session, the Board will hold public hearings on the following policies:
- Policy 7070, Promotion of Certificated Personnel
- Policy 4090, Debt Management
- Policy 4100, Investments
- Policy 5220, Criteria for Selecting School Bus Contractors
- Policy 5230, School Bus Contractors, Bus Operators, and Assistants
- Policy 10040, Charter Schools
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. Pre-registration will take place during business hours up to the close of business on the last working day before the hearings.
To sign up to testify at a hearing or to speak at Public Forum, contact the Board’s office 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.
March 4, 2008 (#2007-140)
Continental Societies, Inc. to Partner with Cradlerock School
Students at Cradlerock School will benefit from extra academic activities and support offered through a new partnership with the Columbia Chapter of Continental Societies, Inc. The partnership will be formalized with an official signing at the Waterside Restaurant in the Sheraton Columbia Hotel on Tuesday, March 11, 2008.
Under the terms of the partnership, Continental Society agrees to sponsor a variety of student projects and activities relating health, education, employment, recreation, and the arts. Society members will participate in tutoring, special workshops, and other activities to assist students who need extra academic support. The organization will also donate funds for the purchase of school supplies.
Cradlerock School will provide speakers and facilitators for Continental Society educational events and activities. In addition, the school principal will serve on the “First Books” Advisory Board for Howard County.
At 8:30 a.m., E. Ardene Henson, President of the Columbia, Maryland Chapter of Continental Societies, Inc. will join Ellen Flynn Giles, Vice Chairman, Howard County Board of Education, Jason McCoy, Principal, Cradlerock School, and Mary Schiller, Manager of the Partnerships Office to sign the formal partnership agreement.
The mission of Continental Societies, Inc. (www.continentalsocietiesinc.org) is to create environments within our communities that empower children to have access to quality and appropriate opportunities to reach their optimal potential.
The Howard County Public School System’s Partnerships Office (www.hcpss.org/aboutus/partnership) 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.
March 4, 2008 (#2007-139)
Howard County Debaters Taste Victory
Competitive debate is just catching on in most Howard County high schools. But already the county is building a fierce reputation, as champions bring home honors from debate tournaments throughout the state and region.
Last week, Howard High School debaters proved their mettle at a regional tournament held at Lake Clifton High School in Baltimore. The school’s Junior Varsity team, Catherine Thompson and Josh Manley, took first place among 40 teams from around the state. Jordan Fink, also from Howard, teamed with Michael Lo from Centennial High to take second place. Catherine also earned top honors as individual speaker at the event, with Josh placing fourth, and Emily Scheerer, another Howard competitor, placing fifth.
Wilde Lake High School has a well established debate program led by teacher Kelli Midgley-Biggs. In the realm of Lincoln Douglas (one-on-one) debate, the school clearly dominates the regional field, claiming the number one ranked debater Brady Daniller as well as several other regionally ranked competitors.
Centennial High is a recent arrival on the debate scene, with a program established less than two years ago. Yet Centennial’s team of Dan Li and Jonathan Kowarski placed first in the novice category against teams from Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania at a regional tournament at Pennsbury High School in Pennsylvania.
A great deal of credit for these recent HCPSS debate successes is due to educational partner Capitol Debate, a local non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and sustaining academic debate programs. Ron Bratt, Capitol Debate’s founder and CEO, is a 25-year veteran in the world of competitive debate and established an award-winning debate program at Catholic University. Capitol Debate has worked with several Howard County high schools to build competitive debate teams. This year, Capitol Debate sponsored sixteen HCPSS students for travel to debate tournaments in North Carolina, Chicago, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Atlanta.
March 3, 2008 (#2007-138)
Board of Education to Meet with County Council
The Howard County Board of Education will meet with the County Council regarding the FY 2009 Capital Budget request at 6:30 p.m., on Monday, March 10, 2008. The meeting will take place in the Tyson Room at the George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive in Ellicott City.
March 3, 2008 (#2007-137)
Board of Education Audit Committee to Hold Quarterly Meeting
The Audit Committee of the Board of Education will hold its quarterly meeting at 2:30 p.m., on Monday, March 10, 2008, in ML-2, the lobby conference room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.
March 3, 2008 (#2007-136)
Board of Education to Meet with Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee and Howard County Education Association
The Howard County Board of Education will meet with the Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee at 7 p.m., on Tuesday, March 4, 2008. At 8 p.m., the Board will meet with the Howard County Education Association. Both meetings will take place in Board Room B at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.
March 3, 2008 (#2007-135)
Board of Education to Hold Closed Meeting
The Board of Education will meet in closed session at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5, 2008, at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City. |
