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New episode of “BCPS News” on air on BCPS-TV: S.T.A.T. device, 24 Math Challenge® among show features

March 31, 2014, 2:53 pm
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TOWSON, MD. – A new episode of “BCPS News” is now airing on Comcast Cable Channel 73 and Verizon FiOS Channel 34 in Baltimore County through Sunday, April 13. Hosted by Mary Beth Marsden, a local Emmy Award®-winning broadcaster, the program highlights progress and achievement in Baltimore County Public Schools. In addition to a school profile of Southwest Academy Magnet School for Science and Engineering, the 15-minute episode includes features about:
  • A generous donation from McDonald’s restaurants to BCPS / Maryland Teacher of the Year Sean McComb and Patapsco High School.
  • Celebrating the “One School, One Book” reading initiative at Gunpowder Elementary School.
  • The annual “Trashy Fashion” show at Sparrows Point High School, which challenges students to create wearable fashion using recycled materials.
  • The culinary arts program and students at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology, who recently captured the Maryland ProStart Invitational competition.
  • The laptop/tablet two-in-one device selected for students and teachers to use as part of the Students and Teachers Accessing Tomorrow (S.T.A.T.) 1:1 digital learning initiative.
  • Competition in the recent M&T Bank 24 Math Challenge® among more than 200 BCPS students in Grades 5-8.
  • An inside look at the BCPS Department of Communications and Community Outreach.
BCPS-TV, the school system’s television station, produces a new episode of “BCPS News” every two weeks during the school year. The program airs daily at 12:30 a.m., 5:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. and is available online at www.bcps.org/news/ed_channel and https://vimeo.com/bcps. Since 1983, BCPS-TV has produced original and instructional programming, interactive DVDs, commercial satellite downlinks and live telecasts to serve the informational needs of students, parents, educators and citizens of Baltimore County. The television station also provides opportunities for BCPS students, staff and stakeholders to learn about and gain experience in television and video production. BCPS-TV student interns for the 2013-2014 school year are seniors Megan DiVenti of Perry Hall High School, McKenna Porter of Hereford High School, and Niree Turner of Chesapeake High School. Other original programs airing on the television station include “High School Sports Scene,” “Math Homework Helpers,” “Kid Conversation,” “Student Art Break,” “Student Production Showcase,” “Brain Gain,” “Up Beat,” and “The Chalkboard.” BCPS-TV also records and airs systemwide music and recognition events as well as recorded and live-stream broadcasts of the public meetings of the Baltimore County Board of Education. A viewing schedule for BCPS-TV is available at www.bcps.org/apps/edchannel_schedule/.
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The State of BCPS – Strong, growing stronger : Schools superintendent reviews progress, announces new initiatives

April 2, 2014, 12:30 pm
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TOWSON, MD—Baltimore County Public Schools is strong and making “clear strides” to support globally competitive graduates, Superintendent Dr. S. Dallas Dance said at the second annual State of the Schools luncheon at Martins West in Woodlawn. And he wasn’t the only one saying so. Many of the more than 40,000 responses to a recent BCPS satisfaction survey also expressed support for the school system, Dr. Dance noted during his keynote address Wednesday -- 80 percent of parent responses rated BCPS as effective or highly effective, while 91 percent of parent responses said the same about their children’s school. “That lets us know that parents are largely satisfied with their child’s school and, as a system, we’re doing some things well,” Dr. Dance said. A full report of the survey of students, parents, educators, and others will be released this spring. But if most parents are satisfied with the job the school system is doing, Dr. Dance made it clear there is much more work ahead if BCPS is to achieve its goal of preparing every student to be globally competitive in a 21st century world. “I am humbled by the charge before us – to look at each student and recognize that they deserve what our own sons and daughters deserve: the best education possible,” he said. “And they need this education not next year or five years from now, but now. . . . And not just for some students. Not just for students in certain schools or from certain neighborhoods. Not just for enough students that our test scores or graduation rates remain above average or rise. But for all students. Now.” Last year at his first State of the Schools address, Dr. Dance launched the system’s five-year strategic plan, Blueprint 2.0, and focused on two key initiatives: ensuring that every student has an equitable, effective digital learning environment and that every student has access to learning and becoming proficient in a second language. This year, Dr. Dance reviewed the progress on those and other initiatives of the past year related to the four pillars of Blueprint 2.0 – academics, safety, communications and organizational effectiveness. Calling for continued and vigorous progress, he highlighted a variety of programs and advancements designed to move the school system forward beginning next school year, including:
  • Rollout of the Students and Teachers Accessing Tomorrow (S.T.A.T.) program, including start-up of the system’s 10 Lighthouse elementary schools to pilot the 1:1 digital learning initiative;
  • Piloting a Grade 4 Spanish program in 10 elementary schools that will blend educators with technology to provide a comprehensive learning platform;
  • A proposed equity policy for the school system to ensure equitable access to quality learning opportunities for every child;
  • A boost in pre-school resources focusing on students with special needs and those enrolled in free and reduced-price meals;
  • Implementation of the One Card building access and attendance monitoring systems in every school;
  • A systemwide focus on rigorous learning opportunities for middle school students, such as expanding world languages for Grade 6 students, providing avenues for every Grade 8 student to acquire high school credits, and exploration of a hybrid middle school – high school project.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the state of our schools is strong,” he said. “In every Blueprint 2.0 goal area, we are making clear strides to support globally competitive students.” Dr. Dance announced two additional new initiatives for the coming year. To support high-quality curriculum, instruction and teacher training, BCPS will expand its partnership with Towson University, including efforts like helping to redesign the university’s School of Education and creating a lab school with School of Education faculty. He also announced the launch of the BCPS Parent University, a resource that offers in-person workshops from both BCPS staff and other organizations across the county as well as a wealth of online resources designed to provide practical information and assistance to parents to help students and families succeed. “Parent University is an initiative that reinforces the concept of Team BCPS: the fact that our students will succeed only if we all join together to support them,” Dr. Dance said. The event also celebrated the talents and achievements of Baltimore County’s school students, including performances from the Towson High School Marching Band, Sudbrook Magnet Middle School Choir, Perry Hall High School String Ensemble, BCPS Honors Dance Ensemble, JROTC students and soloists from across the school system. Sharing the podium with Dr. Dance and Board of Education President Lawrence Schmidt were students Karen Chongwa of Windsor Mill Middle School, Luis Fernando Colindres-Rivera of Dundalk High School, Yakov Drumm of Pikesville Middle School, and Aaliyah Powell of Halstead Academy, who spoke about their school experiences. More than 1,000 students, parents, business leaders, government officials and administrators attended the luncheon. Viewers also tuned in via live-stream at www.BCPS.org. The complete archived video can be seen at www.BCPS.org or on BCPS-TV, available on Comcast cable channel 73 or Verizon FiOS channel 34. The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools hosted the event in conjunction with more than 50 business sponsors. AdvancePath Academics, which partners with school systems to deliver educational solutions that work for students at every level of academic achievement, was the presenting sponsor.
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Web feature celebrates Baltimore County Public Schools 2014 graduating seniors: New profile to be posted every school day until May 23

April 2, 2014, 12:35 pm
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TOWSON, MD. – Each school day until Friday, May 23, Baltimore County Public Schools will feature the profile of an outstanding graduating senior on its website, www.BCPS.org. A link to the feature will be found among the rotating images on the homepage of the BCPS website and on the student page of the website. The 32 seniors to be profiled were selected by their principals and represent Catonsville, Chesapeake, Dulaney, Dundalk, Eastern Technical, Franklin, George Washington Carver Center, Hereford, Kenwood, Lansdowne, Loch Raven, Milford Mill, New Town, Overlea, Owings Mills, Parkville, Patapsco, Perry Hall, Pikesville , Randallstown, Sollers Point Technical, Sparrows Point, Towson, Western Technical and Woodlawn high schools, as well as the evening high schools at Dundalk, Overlea, Pikesville and Woodlawn, the Saturday high school at Loch Raven, and Battle Monument and Ridge Ruxton schools. The profiles will be posted in random order and include photos, students’ reflections on their high school years and future plans, and testimonials from school staff members. Beginning later this month, short video interviews with the seniors will also be added. The last day of the profile project coincides with the last day of school for seniors.
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Baltimore County Public Schools launches Parent University: Visit the site for course registration and resources

April 2, 2014, 12:36 pm
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TOWSON – The newly-launched Baltimore County Public Schools Parent University is looking for a few hundred mothers, fathers, grandparents and guardians to register for spring workshops. BCPS Parent University – found online at www.bcps.org/ParentU– offers in-person workshops and online print and video resources to empower parents to advance their children’s academic progress, maintain family health and wellness and enrich personal growth. The new initiative was announced by Superintendent S. Dallas Dance at the Baltimore County Public Schools State of the Schools event on April 2. “Our parents care so deeply about the academic progress of their children,” said Dr. Dance. “The BCPS Parent University empowers families to be even more effective supporters, advocates and role models for our students and represents yet another way that Team BCPS is united in its commitment to success for every child.” Parent University workshops are offered across the county and are led by BCPS staff as well as representatives from Team BCPS partners including government agencies, colleges and universities, nonprofits and health institutions. All of the workshops BCPS offers are free, as are most of the workshops offered by its partners; however, low-cost learning opportunities from partners will occasionally be promoted. Advance registration is not always required. Following are a few examples of upcoming workshops:
  • “Parenting Teens with ADHD” on Wednesday, April 9, at 7 p.m. at Deep Creek Middle School, 1000 S. Marlyn Avenue, Essex 21221
  • “Learning Party – Exploring Shapes and Patterns” (a parent/child workshop) on Saturday, April 19, at 10 a.m. at the Rosedale Branch from Baltimore County Public Library, 6105 Kenwood Avenue, Rosedale 21237
  • ““Preparing Young Adults with Disabilities for Independence: Moving Out!” on Thursday, May 1, at 7 p.m. at the BCPS Greenwood Campus, Building E, Towson 21204
  • ““Raising Boys in a Toxic Society” (a workshop for mothers raising sons) on Wednesday, May 28, at 10 a.m. at Deep Creek Middle School, 1000 S. Marlyn Avenue, Essex 21221
  • ““Change Your Language, Change Their Lives” (A presentation about how brain research shows that parents can talk to youth in a way that builds resilience, promotes motivation, and enhances their thinking) on Wednesday, June 25, at 6:30 p.m. Location to be announced.
For more details, to register and to see the complete workshop schedule, parents are encouraged to visit www.bcps.org/ParentU. Additional workshops and print and video resources will continually be added.
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BCPS News Tips: April 5 – 12, 2014: Activities, events and news from Baltimore County Public Schools

April 4, 2014, 6:34 am
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Saturday, April 5
Fourth Annual Kilometers for Kids event to benefit Kids Helping Hopkins program
What: Students and school teams from across Baltimore County will participate in the fourth annual Kilometers for Kids 5-, 2-, and 1-kilometer runs to benefit the Kids Helping Hopkins program. Kids Helping Hopkins is an education program in many Baltimore County schools that provides children of all ages the opportunity to help others through selfless activities and a variety of creative fundraisers, all of which benefits young patients at The Johns Hopkins Children's Center. When: Races start at 8:15 a.m., Saturday, April 5Where: Oregon Ridge Park, 13401 Beaver Dam Rd., Cockeysville 21030Contact: Rebecca Ednie, 410.887.3487
Arbutus Elementary School to host Safety and Health Fair
What: Arbutus Elementary School will hold its first Safety and Health Fair featuring the BCPS Parentmobile, free blood pressure screening, a “Spin-Art Bike,” CPR training, and plenty of hands-on family activities. When: 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, April 5Where: Arbutus Elementary School, 1300 Sulphur Spring Rd., Arbutus 21227Contact: Paula Canaan-Reisz, 410.887.1489
Baltimore County Public Schools teams to compete in Destination ImagiNation state finals
What: Teams from schools across Baltimore County, including Dumbarton Middle, Westchester Elementary, and Lutherville Lab Elementary, will compete in matches of wits and teamwork at the Destination ImagiNation state tournament. Destination ImagiNation encourages teams of learners to have fun, take risks, focus and frame challenges while incorporating STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), the arts and service learning into each challenge.When: 8 a.m. – 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 5 Where: Multiple buildings at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Cir., Catonsville, MD 21250Contact: Sally Gold, sally@marylanddi.org
“Guys and Dolls Jr.” to be performed at Parkville Middle School
What: Students at Parkville Middle will present the play “Guys and Dolls Jr.” for two performances through the weekend. Admission is $5 in advance and $10 at the door. When: 7 p.m. on both Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5Where: Parkville Middle School, 8711 Avondale Rd., Parkville 21234Contact: Sue Miller, 410.887.5250
Tuesday, April 8
Ravens’ Wheelchair Basketball comes to Maiden Choice School
What: The Ravens’ Wheelchair Basketball Team will visit Maiden Choice School to demonstrate basketball moves and invite both the staff and students to play some “round ball” with them. The team was the 2006 Division 3 National Wheelchair Basketball Champions. When: 1:30 – 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 8 Where: Maiden Choice School, 4901 Shelbourne Rd., Arbutus 21227Contact: Toula Sjoberg or Fern Schwartzberg, 410.887.1431
Yum! Catonsville High School to host 20th annual Edible Art Show
What: Catonsville High School will host its 20th annual Edible Art Show with a variety of 100 percent edible artwork on display. Following the judging and awards ceremony, guests are invited to “dig in” and consume the art on display. Members of the community also are invited to submit edible art. When: 5:30 – 8 p.m., Tuesday, April 8. Awards ceremony at 7:15, followed by consumption of the art at 7:45 p.m. Where: Catonsville High School cafeteria, 421 Bloomsbury Ave., Catonsville 21228Contact: Windy Spiridigliozzi, 410.887.0808
BCPS music students to play side-by-side with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
What: Before an audience of 1,300 elementary, middle and high school students, 34 high school musicians will perform alongside members of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) during the Baltimore County Public Schools' annual Side-by-Side concert. The students, all members of the county's high school honors band or orchestra, were selected through a highly competitive audition process. The program will feature “Fantasia & Fugue in C Minor" by Bach, “Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Movement III" by Haydn, and “Finlandia" and “Symphony No. 2 Finale" by Sibelius, and it will be led by BSO Education Conductor Ken Lam, artistic director and conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra. Admission to the concert is free; however, tickets are required due to limited seating. For tickets, please e-mail kstewart@bcps.org.When: 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 8Where: Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore 21201Contact: Karl Stewart, 410.887.4024
Grange Elementary School to host an Olympic-Level STEM Night
What: Grange Elementary School will host an Olympic STEM Night focusing on challenging students and their families to put science, technology, math, and engineering skills to use. With events such as constructing a ski lift chair using K’Nex, reusing stadium materials for a new invention, and building a camera tower with recycled plastic, students will have the opportunity to integrate the interdisciplinary focuses that are so heavily emphasized in the Common Core Curriculum alongside their friends and families. This event culminates a year of Olympic themed activities that have included Grange’s Opening Ceremony in physical education and vocal music. Students have also participated in reading competition and math graphing activities tracking data from the Olympic Games. When: Please contact the school for specific event times Where: Grange Elementary School, 2000 Church Rd., Dundalk 21222Contact: Amanda Boyd,410.887.7043
Wednesday, April 9
Hillcrest Elementary School to host a Bilingual Family Night for non-English speaking families
What: Hillcrest Elementary School will host a Bilingual Family Night for non-English speaking families in the school. The school is partnering with Notre Dame University of Maryland to provide food, translators and childcare for the event. Topics will include basic school information, ways to help children with their school work and resources for learning English. Parents and children will be given take-home resources that include books, fun and useful tools for completing school work and an information booklet for parents.When: 6:20 p.m., Wednesday, April 9Where: Hillcrest Elementary School, 1500 Frederick Rd., Catonsville 21228Contact: Amanda Winpigler, 410.887.0820
Milbrook Elementary School to host a different kind of book fair
What: For the second year in a row, students at Milbrook Elementary School will be treated to a book fair by the “Bookworms,” consisting of volunteers from the Jewish Volunteer Connection. Bookworm volunteers have collected more than 600 books of different genres for children of all ages. Because of their hard work and dedication, each student at Milbrook will have the opportunity to choose two books to keep and add to their home library. Students will select these books during their lunch time, between 11:00-1:00 P.M. When: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Wednesday, April 9 Where: Milbrook Elementary School, 4300 Crest Heights Rd., Pikesville 21215Contact: Jenny Raivel, 410.887.1225
Thursday, April 10
Perry Hall High School to host Prom Dress Bazaar 2014
What: Sponsored by the Teen Ivy Academy at Perry Hall High School, a leadership and college readiness development program for girls, the Prom Dress Bazaar will offer more than 100 girls in the community a new or gently used prom dress, which in many cases might cost a family hundreds of dollars. Formal dresses will be donated by members of Upsilon Epsilon Omega Chapter and community members. When: 6 – 8 p.m., Thursday, April 10 Where: Perry Hall High School, 4601 Ebenezer Rd., Perry Hall 21236Contact: George Roberts, 410.887.5108
BCPS Superintendent Dance to provide closing remarks at 2014 NAPE Professional Development Institute
What: BCPS Superintendent Dallas Dance will deliver the closing speech of the 35th Annual National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) Professional Development Institute in Arlington Virginia. , April 7-10, 2014, at the Doubletree Crystal City in Arlington, VAWhen: 12 p.m., Thursday, April 10 Where: Doubletree Crystal City, 300 Army-Navy Dr., Arlington, VA 22202Contact: Mychael Dickerson, 410.887.5908
Friday, April 11
Catonsville High School students to participate in National Day of Silence
What: Student members of Catonsville High School’s Gay-Straight Alliance Club will participate in a National Day of Silence to show their support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people and to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Participants will not speak for the entire day to show their support and will carry a whiteboard and marker, or paper and pen, so they can communicate and participate in classroom activities. When: All day, Friday, April 11Where: Catonsville High School, 421 Bloomsbury Ave., Catonsville 21228Contact: Molly Kovatch, 410.887.0808
Award winning, nationally-known singer/songwriter Billy Jonas to play at Pleasant Plains Elementary School
What: Nationally-known singer/songwriter Billy Jonas will perform two shows for students at Pleasant Plains Elementary School. Jonas is a unique musician who uses instruments that he fashions from found recycled objects such as buckets, garbage cans and pots and pans. Jonas discusses his mission to help reduce, reuse, and recycle his found objects and turn them into joyful, upbeat, “bangin’ and sangin’” music with a message. His appearance is sponsored by the school and its PTA. When: 9 and 10:15 a.m., Friday, April 11Where: Pleasant Plains Elementary School, 8300 Pleasant Plains Rd., Towson 21286Contact: Tracy Barr, 410.887.3549
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Winners announced in “We Are Team BCPS” art contest: Challenge: Creating notecards to be sent to honored students

April 4, 2014, 12:23 pm
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TOWSON, MD. – Seven Baltimore County Public Schools students have been selected as winners in a We Are Team BCPS art challenge. From a pool of 68 entries, the following winners were selected: Grand prizeAngela Ma, Grade 4, Chapel Hill Elementary SchoolElementary 1st place – Katie Zhu, Grade 4, Jacksonville Elementary School 2nd place – Ryan Choi, Grade 5, Chapel Hill Elementary SchoolMiddle 1st place – Neysa Johnson, Grade 8, Sudbrook Magnet Middle School 2nd place – Kathryn Hall, Grade 8, Parkville Middle SchoolHigh 1st place – Garrett Preston, Grade 12, Towson High School 2nd place – Lili Liao, Grade 12, Perry Hall High School The artwork created by all seven students will be featured on notecards that will be used by BCPS Superintendent Dallas Dance to personally congratulate students who earn statewide, regional, national and international honors. Prizes, provided courtesy of the Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, are $50 for first-place winners, $25 for second-place winners and an e-reader for the grand prize winner. The prizes will be presented and winning students recognized at the May 6 meeting of the Board of Education of Baltimore County to be held at 6901 N. Charles Street in Towson, Building E, at 7 p.m. The We Are Team BCPS campaign is designed to build pride and increase engagement in Baltimore County Public Schools. To learn more, visit www.bcps.org/teamBCPS. The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, Inc. is an independent, 501(c) (3) community-based organization that mobilizes the public, private and corporate will and resources in support of initiatives that are needed to guarantee a world-class public education for all Baltimore County students. For more information, please visit www.educationfoundationbcps.org.
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Washington Post ranks 14 BCPS high schools among most challenging in nation: Annual America’s Most Challenging list gauges academic rigor

April 7, 2014, 9:35 am
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TOWSON, MD. – The national America’s Most Challenging High Schools project has named 14 Baltimore County public schools – more than half of the county’s 24 traditional and magnet high schools – to its list of the nation’s top schools. The list, compiled and published by The Washington Post since 1998, ranks the nation’s most challenging high schools for academic rigor. From more than 22,000 high schools across the nation, the list spotlights 2,025 high schools, representing the top 9 percent of high schools based on total student participation in rigorous coursework and exams. This year’s 14 BCPS schools, which are among 122 Maryland schools on the roster, includes two schools – Chesapeake and Parkville high schools – that were not on last year’s list. The total honor roll includes the following schools:
  • Catonsville High School in Catonsville (ranked 68 in Maryland / 1,112 nationally)
  • Chesapeake High School in Essex (121/2,000)
  • Dulaney High School in Timonium (23/428)
  • Eastern Technical High School in Essex (54/875)
  • Franklin High School in Reisterstown (92/1,586)
  • George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Towson (44/775)
  • Hereford High School in Hereford (36/631)
  • Loch Raven High School in Towson (74/1,295)
  • Owings Mills High School in Owings Mills (117/1,906)
  • Parkville High School in Parkville (115/1,883)
  • Perry Hall High School in Perry Hall (103/1,739)
  • Pikesville High School in Pikesville (39/665)
  • Towson High School in Towson (26/472)
  • Western School of Technology and Environmental Science in Catonsville (43/749)
“These lists reaffirm what we already know – that Baltimore County is home to some of the best high schools to be found anywhere in the nation,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. S. Dallas Dance. “Inclusion on the America’s Most Challenging High Schools roster represents a lot of hard work and dedication on the part of students, teachers, parents, and all of Team BCPS. We can be proud of the work that is going on every day in these schools, and we will work to see that even more of our schools are included next year.” The America’s Most Challenging High Schools list measures a school’s academic rigor by comparing the number of graduates per year with the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or Cambridge tests taken by students at the school. The complete list may be found at http://apps.washingtonpost.com/local/highschoolchallenge/.
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“West Memphis Three” attorney to discuss case with Catonsville High School juvenile justice student

April 8, 2014, 12:45 pm
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What: Dan Stidham, a defense attorney for the “West Memphis Three” who were accused and convicted in a controversial 1994 trial involving the murder of three young children in West Memphis, Ark., will visit juvenile justice classes at Catonsville High School to present a special seminar for students. The case has gained national and international attention in the past 20 years and is the subject of a forthcoming major motion picture, “The Devil’s Knot,” starring Oscar-winners Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon. When: 9 a.m., Thursday, April 10Where: Catonsville High School 421 Bloomsbury Avenue Catonsville, MD 21228Background: Students in Joel Brusewitz’s juvenile justice elective classes at Catonsville High School have studied extensively the “West Memphis Three” case in recent years. The case involved three men who were tried and convicted as teenagers in 1994 of the 1993 murders of three boys in West Memphis, Ark. The men were released in 2011 due to DNA evidence. At the time, the trial gained significant national and international attention. Mr. Stidham, who defended one of the men and later worked on appeals for all three defendants, later became a judge and appeared in the HBO documentary “Paradise Lost,” a “48 Hours” special, “A Cry for Innocence,” and in the Peter Jackson film “West of Memphis,” all were about the case. He also will be portrayed in the upcoming feature “The Devil’s Knot.”
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BCPS Superintendent Dance to Host Teacher Town Hall: Second of two forums this school year is open to all BCPS teachers

April 8, 2014, 1:58 pm
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What: BCPS Superintendent S. Dallas Dance will host the second of two Teacher Town Hall meetings planned for the current school year. The event, which is open to all teachers, is designed to allow participants to dialog with Dr. Dance and to express viewpoints on education and school-related topics of their choosing. The forum also will be broadcast to the public through live-streaming on BCPS-TV (Comcast Cable Channel 73 and Verizon FiOS Channel 34) and the BCPS web site (http://www.bcps.org/video/liveStream.html). When: Thursday, May 22, 2014, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.Where: Perry Hall Middle School 4300 Ebenezer Road Perry Hall, MD 21236Background: Dr. Dance instituted the teacher town halls because his school visits often do not allow him time to talk with teachers as much as he would like. During the forum, teachers will be able to ask and discuss unscripted and unedited questions. The exchanges will provide Dr. Dance with the opportunity to hear directly from teachers about educational needs and issues. The first Teacher Town Hall was held December 5, 2013, at New Town High School. This second event was rescheduled from its original date and location of Thursday, April 10, at Kenwood High School. The media are welcome to attend the Teacher Town Hall event.
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Board of Education of Baltimore County to Meet on Tuesday, April 22, at Dundalk / Sollers Point High School

April 11, 2014, 11:12 am
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The Board of Education of Baltimore County will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, April 22, 2014, at Dundalk / Sollers Point High School, 1901 Delvale Avenue, Dundalk, Maryland, 21222. The Board’s Building and Contracts Committee will meet at 3:15 p.m. in the school auditorium. The full Board will then convene an open session at approximately 4:15 p.m. to discuss upcoming school board association events, school system and community meetings, and items of interest to Board members. The Board will then meet in closed session. The Board of Education’s annual Spring Recognition Ceremony will be held in the school auditorium from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. The Board will resume its open session at approximately 7 p.m. The school system is committed to accessible communication with its stakeholders. To that end, the Board is holding several meetings in the community to encourage community attendance. Additionally, all Board of Education meetings are live-streamed and can be viewed on the BCPS Web site (www.bcps.org). Directions to Dundalk / Sollers Point High School at 1901 Delvale Avenue in Dundalk are: I-695 (Beltway) to Exit 39 (Merritt Blvd). Turn right onto Holabird Ave; turn left onto Delvale Avenue. The school will be on the left. The public is welcome to attend all open sessions of the Board.
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New episode of “BCPS News” to air on BCPS-TV: Parent University, State of Schools among show features

April 11, 2014, 2:18 pm
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TOWSON, MD. – A new episode of “BCPS News” begins airing on Comcast Cable Channel 73 and Verizon FiOS Channel 34 in Baltimore County on Monday, April 14, and will continue through Sunday, May 4. Hosted by Mary Beth Marsden, a local Emmy Award®-winning broadcaster, the program highlights progress and achievement in Baltimore County Public Schools. In addition to a look at the second annual BCPS State of the Schools event, as well as what guests at the event are looking forward to in the next four years in BCPS schools, the 15-minute episode includes features about:
  • BCPS Parent University, a newly-launched portal on the BCPS website for parents designed to assist them in supporting their children in school. Project Specialist Sue Hahn will discuss the online features of the new parent resource.
  • An effort at Parkville High School to raise awareness of the challenges and abilities of children on the autism spectrum.
  • The donation of a new playground at Dogwood Elementary School, courtesy of Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus.
  • Problem-Solvers at Timber Grove Elementary School, an after-school program for advanced learners in Grade 3 that challenges students to solve problems by designing inventions using only recycled materials.
BCPS-TV, the school system’s television station, produces a new episode of “BCPS News” every two weeks during the school year. The program airs daily at 12:30 a.m., 5:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. and is available online at www.bcps.org/bcpstv/video.html?Program=BN and https://vimeo.com/bcps. Since 1983, BCPS-TV has produced original and instructional programming, interactive DVDs, commercial satellite downlinks and live telecasts to serve the informational needs of students, parents, educators and citizens of Baltimore County. The television station also provides opportunities for BCPS students, staff and stakeholders to learn about and gain experience in television and video production. BCPS-TV student interns for the 2013-2014 school year are seniors Megan DiVenti of Perry Hall High School, McKenna Porter of Hereford High School, and Niree Turner of Chesapeake High School. Other original programs airing on the television station include “High School Sports Scene,” “Math Homework Helpers,” “Kid Conversation,” “Student Art Break,” “Student Production Showcase,” “Brain Gain,” “Up Beat,” and “The Chalkboard.” BCPS-TV also records and airs systemwide music and recognition events as well as recorded and live-stream broadcasts of the public meetings of the Baltimore County Board of Education. A viewing schedule for BCPS-TV is available at www.bcps.org/apps/edchannel_schedule/.
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Parent University workshops to highlight technology, early childhood learning and parent-child communications

April 11, 2014, 2:28 pm
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TOWSON, MD. – The new Baltimore County Public Schools Parent University offers in-person workshops and online resources to support parents in nurturing their children’s and family’s success. Parents and community members are encouraged to register now for some upcoming Parent University events likely to be popular. All of the following events are offered free of charge. Parent Portal Forum: The BCPS Department of Technology Wants to Hear From You! Wednesday, April 23, 2014 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Baltimore County Public Schools Offices 9611 Pulaski Park Drive, Suite 307 Baltimore, MD 21220 OR Monday, April 28, 2014 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Franklin Elementary School 33 Cockeysmill Road Reisterstown, MD 21136 (More dates will be scheduled soon in other areas of the county.) Team BCPS is creating a new Web portal for parents who have students in Baltimore County Public Schools. The Department of Technology invites parents to see a prescreening of the portal and to share their ideas on how to make it easier to use technology to stay in touch with children’s academic performance and communicate more actively with teachers. Sponsored by the BCPS Department of Technology. Register at BCPS One - Parent Portal.School Readiness Make-and-Take Workshop Friday, April 25, 2014 1:00 p.m. –3:00 p.m. Campfield Early Learning Center 6834 Alter Street Baltimore, MD 21207 Parents of children from 18 months to four years old are invited to a fun and interactive make-and-take workshop to learn more about helping their children develop school readiness skills. Sponsored by the BCPS Resource Center for Families and Schools at Campfield Early Learning Center. Register by calling 410-887-1266. Change Your Language, Change Their Lives: What you say to your children matters, more than you ever knew! Wednesday, June, 25, 2014 6:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. Cockeysville Public Library Branch 9833 Greenside Drive Cockeysville, MD 21030 Brain research reveals how the specific language used by adults who teach, mentor, counsel and parent youth has a much more profound effect on child development than previously realized. Presenter Frank Kros will share the four powerful “Languages of the Brain” that parents and others can use to help build resilience, motivation, and creative and flexible thinking in children. Kros, a popular speaker, is a career child advocate who is president of The Upside Down Organization and executive vice president of The Children’s Guild. Sponsored by the BCPS Office of Family and Community Engagement. Register at http://parentu101.eventbrite.com. To learn more about the BCPS Parent University and to see the complete workshop schedule, parents are encouraged to visit www.bcps.org/ParentU. Parent University workshops are offered across the county and are led by BCPS staff as well as representatives from Team BCPS partners. All of the workshops BCPS offers are free, as are most of the workshops offered by its partners; however, low-cost learning opportunities from partners will occasionally be promoted.
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BCPS Supt. Dance applauds County Executive for budget vision : Digital conversion fully funded in first year

April 15, 2014, 8:31 am
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TOWSON, MD. – The budget proposal for Baltimore County Public Schools outlined Tuesday by County Executive Kevin Kamenetz is a courageous and visionary allocation of the county's fiscal resources, according to BCPS Superintendent Dallas Dance. "The health and prosperity of a community is directly linked to that of its schools, and County Executive Kamenetz gets that," Dr. Dance said. "Baltimore County Public Schools enjoys the national reputation it has thanks to the commitment and foresight of our elected leaders like Mr. Kamenetz. Simply put, the future growth of this or any community is best achieved through the growth and health of its public schools." Dr. Dance's comments came following the County Executive’s presentation of the fiscal year 2015 operating budget proposal for Baltimore County, which contains most of the $1.38 billion requested by the school system. Left intact in the County Executive’s proposal was $2.05 million for implementation of the first year of the school system’s instructional digital conversion known as Students and Teachers Accessing Tomorrow (S.T.A.T.) as well as $4 million for acceleration of a program providing wireless connections to every BCPS classroom. Dr. Dance had structured the school system's budget request around a growing enrollment as well as building a 21st century learning environment into each classroom, including increased rigor and measures to eliminate achievement gaps. "This was a bold budget request, and the County Executive deserves credit for being bold as well. He has embraced the changes we need to make – planning for more than 5,000 new students projected to arrive in the next decade and for the 21st century learning environment those students – and the ones learning in our classroom today – will need." New funding also was requested for pre-kindergarten expansion, additional staff to support homeless and special education transportation, and start-up costs for a new planned elementary school in the county's northwest area. The Executive's budget now goes before the Baltimore County Council for study and approval before it takes effect July 1.
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BCPS receives waiver for four days lost to winter weather: State approval means final school day would be Monday, June 16

April 23, 2014, 8:45 am
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TOWSON, MD. – Baltimore County Public Schools have received a waiver for four days lost to inclement winter weather from the Maryland State Department of Education, which would move the school system’s final school day for students to Monday, June 16. BCPS Superintendent Dallas Dance announced the state’s decision during the April 22 meeting of the Board of Education of Baltimore County. Based on the waivers granted by the state, Dr. Dance will recommend to the Board that the final day for students be Monday, June 16. “We are appreciative for the approval of these four days from State Superintendent Lillian Lowery and for the state’s flexibility during what has been an unusually difficult winter for schools,” said Dr. Dance. “It is important to make up as much of the lost time as we can, and Dr. Lowery and the state have been great partners in ensuring that we can do that.” The current 2013-2014 school calendar has Tuesday, June 17, as the final day for students. During its Tuesday, May 6, 2014, meeting, the board is expected to vote on changing the final day to Monday, June 16. Baltimore County Public Schools was closed for nine school days during the winter of 2014 due to inclement weather. The school system annually sets aside seven days to use for snow or other inclement weather. In order to help make up days, the system used Monday, March 31 – which had been set aside as a day off for students and a professional development day for teachers – as a regular school day.
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BCPS superintendent to host two spring Student Town Halls for high, middle school students : Both events Thursday at Woodlawn High held to hear students’ views

April 23, 2014, 11:30 am
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What: BCPS Superintendent Dr. Dallas Dance will hold his second annual spring Student Town Halls on Thursday, April 24, in separate events for both high school students in the morning and middle school students in the afternoon. Each town hall will allow students to express their viewpoints on education and school-related topics of their choosing. In addition, both meetings will be available throughout county high and middle schools and to the public through live-streaming on BCPS-TV (Comcast Cable Channel 73 and Verizon FiOS Channel 34 in Baltimore County) and the BCPS website, http://www.bcps.org/video/liveStream.html. When: Both town hall meetings will be held on Thursday, April 24, 2014. The high school town hall is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by the middle school town hall scheduled for 12:15 p.m.Where: Woodlawn High School 1801 Woodlawn Drive Woodlawn, MD 21207Background: During the town hall meetings, students will ask and discuss unscripted and unedited questions. The exchanges will provide Dr. Dance with the opportunity to learn from students about how best to address their educational needs and issues. A diverse group of students to participate in the high school town hall has been selected by high school principals from the western half of Baltimore County. Participating students will represent Catonsville, Dulaney, Franklin, Hereford, Lansdowne, Milford Mill Academy, New Town, Owings Mills Pikesville, Randallstown, Western, and Woodlawn high schools. For the middle school town hall, students also have been selected from schools on the county’s western side. Participating students will represent Arbutus, Catonsville, Cockeysville, Deer Park Magnet, Franklin, Hereford, Lansdowne, Old Court, Pikesville, Southwest Academy, Sudbrook Magnet, Windsor Mill, and Woodlawn middle schools. Students representing the eastern side of the county attended the fall Student Town Halls in December. Other students from across Baltimore County also will be able to watch the events, at the discretion of their principals, through a live-stream of the event on BCPS-TV. The media are welcome to attend either or both of the spring Student Town Hall events.
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Finalists named for 2014-15 Baltimore County Principal of the Year: Winner to be announced during May 5 ceremony

April 24, 2014, 6:24 am
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TOWSON, MD. – Five Baltimore County Public Schools principals have been named finalists for the school system’s annual Principal of the Year award for 2014-2015. “Our Principal of the Year program, now in its second year, allows us to highlight the leadership, vision, and innovation these educators bring to their schools every day for our students and teachers,” said Superintendent Dr. S. Dallas Dance. “Being a principal is one of the most challenging and important jobs in the school system, and these five finalists exemplify the commitment BCPS has to ensuring that our schools are led with integrity, dedication, and talent.” The finalists are:
  • Doug Elmendorf, principal of Chase Elementary School.
  • Pat Goldys, principal of Norwood Elementary School.
  • Andrew Last, principal of Hereford High School.
  • Barbara McLennan, principal of Dundalk Elementary School.
  • Sam Mustipher, principal of New Town High School.
From among the five finalists, one outstanding school leader will be named Baltimore County’s Principal of the Year during a 4:30 p.m. ceremony on Monday, May 5, at Loch Raven High School, 1212 Cowpens Avenue, Towson. The ceremony also will include the announcement of the 2014-15 BCPS Teacher of the Year. The Principal of the Year finalists were selected by a panel of judges representing stakeholders from across the BCPS school community.
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Patapsco High teacher receives Fulbright Award: Sherri Fisher to study in Finland

April 24, 2014, 7:58 am
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TOWSON, MD. – Sherri Fisher, visual arts department chair at Patapsco High School & Center for the Arts, has been named one of 43 U.S. citizens to receive a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching grant from the United States Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Fisher, a resident of the Charles Village neighborhood in Baltimore City, will use the funds to conduct research in Finland from April to June 2015. Her interest is in examining teacher/student communication in highly effective classrooms, particularly the exchanges between average to below average performing students and their teachers. The goal of her arts-based research is to identify strategies and critical moments that improve the engagement of the middle-of-the-road student. During her eight years of teaching, Fisher has been commended on her teaching at both the district and state levels, and Patapsco has been named by the Kennedy Center and the College Board for excellence in arts integration. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Purchase College SUNY and a master’s degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Fisher serves as the Eastern Region Secondary Representative for the National Art Education Association and has presented at many national conferences on the aesthetic values of high school students as well as on classroom culture. In 2011, she traveled throughout Peru as part of a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad program sponsored by Morgan State University. “I could not be happier for Sherri,” said Patapsco Principal Craig Reed. “She is truly deserving of this fantastic honor and opportunity. She is an amazing teacher who really has a gift for bringing out the best in her students.” The Fulbright Program is the flagship international exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has given approximately 325,400 students, scholars, teachers, artists and scientists the opportunity to student -teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.
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BCPS launches English language arts curriculum aligned with Md. standards, digital conversion: Curriculum shaped by teacher input and feedback

April 24, 2014, 8:57 am
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TOWSON, MD. – Baltimore County Public Schools has launched a home-grown elementary English language arts curriculum this year that meets more rigorous state standards and that also adapts to the school system’s move to digital instruction in the classroom. “Our curriculum will be our own, developed and implemented by BCPS teachers, administrators, and Curriculum and Instruction staff,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Dallas Dance. “We are grateful for the tremendous work of those teachers and educators who wrote this curriculum and provided valuable feedback about how best to meet the rigorous new expectations of the state as we prepare children with the 21st century skills they need.” A report to the Board of Education of Baltimore County on April 22 detailed the process for creating a responsive curriculum and a framework to guide instruction in upcoming years. The project’s first phase began during the 2012-13 school year with the assistance of the Washington-based firm edCount. “Our teachers built upon the prototypes provided to us during the first phase of the project. During the project’s next phase, BCPS teachers and curriculum staff developed curriculum and digital resources specific to the needs of our students,” said Verletta White, BCPS chief academic officer. “We are proud of our teachers’ accomplishments and will continue to work with them to amplify and extend curriculum resources as we all work together to meet 21st century literacy demands.” The curriculum reflects the instructional shifts required by the Maryland College and Career Ready Standards for language arts and literacy, including an emphasis on explanatory writing, a balance between literature and non-fiction, and texts and academic vocabulary that increase in complexity as students advance. The curriculum includes six units per grade in Grades 1-5, with two to three performance-based assessments per unit. Each of the units and the assessments are compatible with the Students and Teachers Accessing Tomorrow (S.T.A.T.) initiative, the school system’s move to a 1:1 digital classroom. While implementing the revised curriculum, BCPS is allowing for extensive opportunities for professional development, including face-to-face and webinar options for learning about the new standards, as well as curriculum resources. Next school year, professional development will also include site visits with teaching teams. “Teachers still need professional development in regards to grading work and giving feedback, differentiation, and unpacking the standards,” said Christina Davis, a Grade 3 teacher at Glyndon Elementary School. “We are confident BCPS will provide us with those opportunities.” According to principals and teachers who worked on developing the BCPS curriculum, the benefits include an increase in student reading and writing, problem-based learning tasks, and increased academic rigor. “The curriculum has been written to support the standards, and each lesson has a specific focus,” said Karen Harris, principal of Fort Garrison Elementary School. “As a result, there is a wonderful wealth and variety of materials that are now in each school to support student success in reading and language arts, and they are differentiated to provide support for small group instruction.” Added Sharon Fischer, a teacher at Kingsville Elementary School, “As the new curriculum is implemented, students are asking questions and discussing ideas created through reading and discussing a variety of texts. . . . Because of the new structure of lessons, which includes small group reading pathways, students are spending less time listening within whole group lessons and more time actively participating in their reading and writing each and every day. ”
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U.S. News & World Report selects five BCPS schools for “Best High Schools” list : Two earn gold medal status on annual roster

April 25, 2014, 5:48 am
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TOWSON, MD. – Five Baltimore County Public Schools made U.S. News & World Report’s “Best High Schools” list of the top public high schools and two – Eastern Technical and Towson high schools – earned “gold medal” status under the magazine’s system of ranking schools. “Our high schools have earned a permanent spot on many of the annual ‘best’ lists every year, and we can be proud of the job our students and educators do to achieve these recognitions year in and year out,” said Superintendent Dallas Dance. “We can learn a lot from our recognized schools as we work each day to replicate student success wherever we find it to all of our schools and all of our classrooms.” This year’s rankings were culled from data from more than 19,400 public high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Partnering with the American Institutes for Research, the magazine analyzed state reading and math assessment scores, demographic information, college-readiness measurements such as AP tests, and other factors. The magazine published “Best High Schools” lists in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2013. A total of 42 (from among 244) high schools in Maryland made the list of the nation’s top schools, including the following Baltimore County high schools:
  • Eastern Technical High School (ranked seventh in Maryland /270 nationally) (Gold Medal)
  • Towson High School (8/273) (Gold Medal)
  • Western School of Technology and Environmental Science (34/1,324) (Silver Medal)
  • Loch Raven High School (35/1,353) (Silver Medal)
  • Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts (40/1,690) (Silver Medal)
The “Gold Medal” designation means that a school places in the top 500 schools on the survey based on a high degree of student college readiness. A “Silver Medal” means a school is high performing but has a lower degree of student college readiness. The full U.S. News & World Report “Best High Schools” list may be found at www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools.
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BCPS to host fourth annual systemwide Chess Championship: 200 students registered to date

April 25, 2014, 6:18 am
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What: Baltimore County Public Schools will host its fourth annual systemwide Chess Championship. To date, 210 students have registered to participate. When: Saturday, April 26, 2014, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Registration at 8 a.m. Introductory announcements at 9 a.m. First round at 9:15 a.m. Awards presentations between 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.Where: Cockeysville Middle School 10401 Greenside Drive Cockeysville, MD 21030Background: Schools can enter teams of any size from one to five members. There are three tournament divisions: Elementary School, Middle School, and High School. Participating schools include: ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DIVISION Chatsworth Cromwell Essex Fifth District Joppview Orems Gunpowder Shady Springs Sparks Powhatan Timonium Wellwood International Stoneleigh MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION Arbutus Catonsville Cockeysville Crossraods Dumbarton Hereford Lansdowne Loch Raven Old Court Parkville Perry Hall Pine grove Ridgely Sparrows Point Stemmers Run HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION Chesapeake STEM Academy Crossroads Dulaney Dundalk Eastern Technical Franklin Hereford Loch Raven Milford Mill Academy Owings Mills Parkville Pikesville Randallstown Towson Western School of Tech. Woodlawn Official chess rules will be in effect. Trophies will be given for the top three teams and top eight individuals in each division. Only players and directors will be allowed in the tournament area during play. All others must remain in a waiting area.
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