New Northeast Elementary School to be Named by Public


Beginning Tuesday, Dec. 7, with the first of two public surveys, you can have a say in what Baltimore County’s newest elementary school will be called.

For the first survey, Baltimore County Public Schools will invite the public to submit names for the new school, which is currently under construction at the intersection of Rossville Boulevard and Gum Spring Road in White Marsh. Naming nominations will begin on Dec. 7, 2021, and close on Dec. 23, 2021. Nominations are open to all citizens, including BCPS staff, students, parents, and community members, and nominators may submit more than one name.

A second survey from Jan. 4 to Jan. 21, 2022, will ask respondents to choose from among the top most popular names. The top vote-getter will go to BCPS leadership for review and end with Board of Education of Baltimore County approval by February 22, 2022.

A link to the first survey will be available here and will become active on Tuesday, Dec. 7. The first survey also may be accessed by smartphone on Dec. 7 by using the QR Code at the bottom of this release.

“Schools in Baltimore County are more than just wonderful places to learn. They are also centers of their communities and neighborhoods, and their names reflect that,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams. “Northeastern Baltimore County is known for its strong families and amazing schools, and so I am looking forward to seeing plenty of pride and creativity in the names to be put forward for this new school.”

All nominations must meet school system criteria to be eligible for consideration. For example, the Board of Education may name a school after:
• A community, subdivision, or street on which the school is located
• The geographical location of the school
• A significant and distinguishable landmark, which can assist in locating the general area of the school
• A deceased, prominent person who has made an outstanding contribution of service to
Baltimore County, the state of Maryland, or to the United States.

Full criteria are contained in Baltimore County Board of Education Policy and Rule 7520 regarding the naming of a new school.

Police Give Update on Kenwood HS Threats


On Dec. 1, Baltimore County police officers responded to Kenwood High School after becoming aware of a series of threats.

Upon their arrival, the campus was secured, thoroughly searched and deemed safe.

Throughout the day, Baltimore County School Resource Officers remained on campus.

Detectives have since determined the calls originated from out of state.

BCPS to Close Early on Dec. 23 & Two Spring Days


The BCPS Board of Education announced at its board meeting that it has made an adjustment to its school calendar for an early dismissal.

All BCPS schools will be close early on Thursday, Dec. 23, Friday, March 18 & Friday, May 20.

The change was made to give BCPS students and staff an opportunity to take care of their social, emotional mental health and wellness.

There will be no afternoon pre-k and all after school activities will be cancelled on those days. These closures will not impacted the four inclement weather days built into the calendar.

BCPS East Zone Artwork is now on Display


An exhibition of artwork by students in Baltimore County Public Schools’ East Zone is on display online and in the Superintendent’s Gallery at the school system’s Greenwood headquarters in Towson.

The virtual exhibition consists of more than 120 student artworks from 38 East Zone schools, from students in Kindergarten through Grade 12. Twenty-one selected artworks from 16 schools are on display until January 2022 in the Superintendent’s Gallery.

“This is the first student art exhibition in the Superintendent’s Gallery this school year,” said Ryan Twentey, BCPS visual arts coordinator.

“It will be followed by Central and West Zone exhibitions in January and March, respectively. The artworks in this exhibition were completed by students since the start of the 2021-22 school year, and they reflect our students’ creativity, opportunities for personal expression, and eagerness to make artwork with their peers. The power of art continues to carry us through challenging times, and we are so proud of our students for engaging with the creative process to create their masterpieces.”

The Superintendent’s Gallery, opened in April 2021, builds on the long history of student artwork exhibitions at the Greenwood Administration Building, which is located at 6901 N. Charles Street in Towson.

Last Day for New Northeast Elementary Survey


The public has one more day to select from among two options for new boundary lines for elementary schools in northeastern Baltimore County. The deadline for taking the survey here is midnight today, Wednesday, Nov 17.

Survey results are part of the feedback that will be used by the Northeast Area Elementary Boundary Study Committee to choose an option and formulate a recommendation for new attendance boundaries.

The goal of the new boundaries is to relieve overcrowding through additional seats at a new northeast elementary school currently under construction at Rossville Boulevard and Gum Spring Road and a replacement building for Red House Run Elementary School.

The two options were developed by the committee, which has been meeting since September, and shared at a public information session on Nov. 3. The committee’s recommendation will go to BCPS leadership and finally to the Board of Education for action in March 2022.

To learn more about the process and access detailed maps, please visit the Northeast Area Elementary Boundary Study Web site

BCPS Alerts Parents of Bus “Call Outs”


Baltimore County Public Schools sent out an email over the weekend to alert parents of possible “call outs” by BCPS bus drivers and attendants this week.

“We have learned that some Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) bus drivers and bus attendants may organize a ‘call out’ that will impact school bus service next week,” said the email.

“We want to make you aware of the possibility of disruption to transportation services for BCPS students so you are prepared to provide a different form of transportation for your child if there are any interruptions or delays.”

BCPS advises car riders to arrive at schools earlier as drop offs could see longer lines if there is a disruption with bus service.

BCPS and Baltimore County Government announced a plan last week to help hire additional bus drivers.

BCPS to Close Schools on Wednesday, Nov. 24


Baltimore County Public Schools announced it is closing all schools and offices on Wednesday, Nov 24.

Schools and offices will now be closed from Wednesday, Nov. 24 through Friday, Nov. 26. Schools and offices will reopen Monday, Nov. 29.

BCPS Superintendent Dr. Darryl Williams released a statement about the closure.

“BCPS staff have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to ensure the safety of students and provide high-quality instruction, meals and support. In recognition of their tremendous efforts, and with support of the Board of Education, we will close all schools and offices on Wednesday, November 24, 2021.”

Elementary School conferences, currently scheduled for November 23 and/or November 24 will be adjusted as follows:

Monday, November 22

Preschool-3 and Pre-K Conference Day – No Preschool-3 or Pre-K sessions – Elementary, Middle, and High Schools in Session Full Day – Teachers on Duty

Tuesday, November 23

Preschool-3 and Pre-K Conference Day and Elementary Conference Day – No Preschool-3 or Pre-K sessions and Schools Closed for Elementary Students – Middle and High Schools in Session Full Day – Teachers on Duty

Wednesday, November 24

Schools and Offices Closed

New Northeast Area Middle School Design Revealed


Julie Henn, Vice Chair of the Baltimore County Board of Education, released a statement and the design of the new Northeast Area Middle School.

“Tonight the Board received a presentation on the design of the new school by Moseley Architects.
The new 1,410 seat school located at the Nottingham Park site will feature a Magnet Academy of Health Science program as well as a Regional Special Education program,” Henn said.

“Construction should begin by Summer 2022. The school is tentatively scheduled to open in September 2024.”

The new northeast middle school in Rosedale was approved at Nottingham Park on King Avenue in 2017 and but have seen delays over the last few years..

The Presentations to the Board are listed below:
Presentation (slides):
Presentation (video):

County Announces Plan to Add Bus Drivers


Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski and Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Darryl Williams announced a plan to boost recruitment and retention of school bus drivers amid a nationwide shortage of bus drivers.

“I know Baltimore County families are relieved to have their children back in school buildings full time this year, but they also deserve to know that there is a safe, reliable way for their kids to travel to and from school,” Olszewski said. “The steps we’re taking in partnership with the school system help ensure we continue to provide this critical service in communities across Baltimore County.”

“BCPS is pleased to provide incentives and increased compensation for our staff who engage in mission critical work like transporting our students to and from school, providing nutritious meals and ensuring our facilities are prepared to receive students and staff every day,” Superintendent Darryl Williams said. “This would not be possible without the support of our Board of Education and the county government and we are grateful for their collaboration and commitment to Team BCPS.”

Under the plan, BCPS will provide recruitment and retention incentives to all AFCME employees, including bus drivers.  These incentives include:

$250 sign-on bonus
$250 employee referral incentive
$50 monthly attendance reward for on-time attendance every day
Retention bonus of up to $1,000

As a result of the bus driver shortage, drivers have been taking on additional routes during their standby time. BCPS will use funding from the American Rescue Plan to provide drivers with shift differential pay of $2 per hour.

In addition, Baltimore County government will use ARP funding to cover the costs of fingerprinting for bus driver and attendant applicants – a cost that was previously passed on to potential employees and could cost as much as $100.

The County will also cover the costs of physical exams and drug testing required by the Maryland Department of Transportation, as well as the cost of sleep apnea testing for designated candidates. Physical exam and drug testing fees can range from $160 to $220, and sleep apnea testing costs an average of $1,151 per test.

In addition, the County has facilitated an expansion of the list of eligible medical providers to provide pre-employment physicals. The expansion should reduce a backlog that has caused long wait times for applicants awaiting a physical.

Dundalk Community Cuts Ribbon to New Colgate School


BCPS Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, members of the Board of Education of Baltimore County and elected officials from the state and county gathered in Dundalk for a ribbon cutting of the new Colgate Elementary School building at 7735 Gough St.

A new replacement school was constructed at the site of the existing Colgate Elementary School, which was originally built in 1924.

The $46 million replacement school preserves the history and location of the original school but nearly doubles the learning space through a modern, state-of-the-art multi-story design. Featuring a “green” rooftop classroom garden and a technology-rich media center, the 530-seat school is designed for 21st century learning even as it honors the community and traditions that have nurtured generations of children.

The old school building was demolished and construction for the new school started in 2019.

Colgate students were sent to the Rosedale Center for two years and construction was completed.

The Dundalk community celebrated its second new school in the community within the last three weeks as Berkshire held a ribbon cutting on Oct. 20.