Month: May 2021

BCPS to Provide 2021-22 Virtual Information


Baltimore County Public Schools is committed to providing full-time, in-school instruction, five days a week, for all students during the 2021-2022 school year, pending the latest health and safety guidelines.

However, for those families for whom full-time, in-person learning is not an option, BCPS will offer a Virtual Learning Program for students in Kindergarten through Grade 12. The BCPS Virtual Learning Program will provide full-time virtual instruction from BCPS staff, including live (synchronous) instruction and anytime (asynchronous) learning.

Students enrolling in the BCPS Virtual Learning Program will also remain enrolled in their BCPS school. As a BCPS student, they may participate in meals, sports, extracurricular activities, and other opportunities.
Families interested in the Virtual Learning Program are invited to attend a Family Information Session to learn more about the program’s benefits and limitations (such as which classes will be available). No registration is required for the online information sessions, and links for the sessions are provided in this release.

Sessions will be offered:

Wednesday, May 19, from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. — Virtual Learning Program Family Information Session in English

Thursday, May 20, from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. – Virtual Learning Program Family Information Session in Spanish

Thursday, May 20, from 6 – 7 p.m. – Virtual Learning Program Family Information Session – multilingual (The meeting code for this session is BCPSmulti, and participants must use a BCPS student email address to log in. Translators will be available to assist with Arabic, Chinese, Nepali, and Urdu. Other languages available by request to adregier@bcps.org.)

In addition to the information sessions, families can send questions to VLP@bcps.org at any time.

Registration for the Virtual Learning Program will take place from Wednesday, May 19, through Friday, May 28. Families who register for the Virtual Learning Program will be asked to commit for the full school year.

County Agrees in Lifting COVID Restrictions


Baltimore County will join the state of Maryland in lifting all restrictions on indoor and outdoor venues and indoor and outdoor dining effective Saturday, May 15.

Face covering requirements for indoor establishments remain in effect. This means that individuals must continue to wear face masks while inside public spaces, in schools, and in restaurants while not eating or drinking.

While Governor Hogan announced that the statewide indoor mask mandate will lift when 70 percent of adults have received at least a single dose of vaccine, County leaders will consider this measure in the coming days, and may decide to continue the indoor mask mandate in Baltimore County beyond the state’s order.

County Executive Johnny Olszewski released the following statement:

“After a long and difficult year, I am pleased we have reached a point where we feel that it is safe to lift capacity restrictions. A sense of normalcy is returning, and I know we are all anxious to get back to the things we love to do.

At the same time, despite incredible progress in our vaccination efforts, we still have a considerable amount of work ahead to vaccinate more of our residents. We should remember that Marylanders under the age of 12 are not yet eligible for a vaccine. We have a responsibility to keep our children safe. We are currently considering whether to continue the indoor mask mandate in Baltimore County, as we want to be sure that we do not inadvertently put our youngest residents at risk.”

Weber’s Strawberry Festival to be Held in Parkville


Weber’s Farm 5th Annual Strawberry Festival will be held on Saturday, June 5 & Sunday, June 6 at 2526 Proctor Lane in Parkville.

Tickets for entry into the event are now available for purchase. Tickets must be purchased in advance online. Register early, space is limited!
Admission, $6 per person, is required for anyone attending the festival who is 2 years old and older. Under 2 years old are free.

The event will include live music, food trucks, barnyard animals, and other activities.

For more details about the Strawberry Festival and to purchase tickets please visit the Strawberry Festival ticketing page:

Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River to Reopen


The Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River, Inc. will hold its Museum Grand Re-Opening on Saturday, May 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Museum is located at 516 Eastern Blvd. in the heart of Essex.

The event will focus on First Responders Day with tours. Members of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police K9 Unit will be there along with Baltimore County Police Community Relations, the Essex Volunteer Fire Company and Historian Paul Blitz.

For more information, visit the Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River Facebook page.

County Senior Centers Announce Reopening Plans


After a 14-month hiatus amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Baltimore County Department of Aging (BCDA) announced that beginning Monday, May 10, nine of the County’s largest senior centers will host orientations in advance of reopening for limited programming later this year.

All County senior centers have been closed since March 17, 2020, when Governor Hogan closed centers across Maryland to combat the spread of COVID-19.

“We’re thrilled to begin to reopen our senior centers so we can do even more to serve the more than 20,000 residents are members of the county’s 20 senior centers and Senior Box Office,” said Laura D. Riley, Director of the Department of Aging. “This phased reopening will ensure that we can provide a clean and safe environment at our largest centers as we work towards reopening all our centers as quickly and as safely as possible.”

Safety Orientation Required Prior to Reopening
Prior to reopening for limited in-person programming, senior center members will be required to attend an orientation session to learn about new COVID-19 safety protocols and complete annual center registration forms.

Beginning Monday, May 10, individuals can register for these orientation sessions by calling 410-887-2040 or going online at www.baltimorecountymd.gov/aging to sign-up.

Following completion of orientation by a significant number of members, the County will begin to offer in-person programming, which is currently expected to begin in July. Due to distancing and capacity requirements, Baltimore County will begin with the nine largest senior centers, including four in eastern Baltimore County.

Ateaze Senior Center, 7401 Holabird Avenue, Dundalk, MD 21222, 410-887-7233, ateazesc@baltimorecountymd.gov

Essex Senior Center, 600 Dorsey Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21221, 410-887-0267, essexsc@baltimorecountymd.gov

Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21234, 410-887-5338, parkvillesc@baltimorecountymd.gov

Seven Oaks Senior Center, 9210 Seven Courts Drive, Perry Hall, MD 21236, 410-887-5192, sevenoakssc@baltimorecountymd.gov
The County’s remaining eleven senior centers will reopen following state expansion of capacity limits, additional Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance, and state and local Department of Health approval.

Virtual Programs to Continue
Due to physical distancing restrictions, programs with high attendance will continue to be offered virtually. Virtual programs will continue to be publicized in the senior center monthly newsletters and on the Department of Aging’s website at www.baltimorecountymd.gov/seniorcenters.

Senior Food Distribution Program Expanded

Until the Eating Together program resumes, BCDA will continue to provide a weekly bulk food program for seniors, and it is now expanding to 9 sites: Ateaze, Bykota, Catonsville, Cockeysville, Essex, Liberty, Parkville, Reisterstown and Seven Oaks senior centers. One member per household can register online at www.baltimorecountymd.gov/aging or call 410-887-2040 on Mondays between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. to reserve a food kit. Each “kit” includes canned goods, fruits and vegetables, dairy products and a small chicken. Food distributions will occur on Wednesdays.

Questions and Information Requests

Questions about the phased opening of our senior centers can be directed to Jill Hall, Chief, Senior Centers and Community Services Division, at 410-887-3424 or jphall@baltimorecountymd.gov

Nottingham Driver Arrested in I-95 Police Crash


Maryland State Police arrested and charged a suspected impaired driver who hit a state police vehicle and fled the scene on May 5 on I-95 in Baltimore County.

The accused is identified as Gasper Botteon, 45 of Nottingham. Botteon is charged with driving under the influence, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, and other traffic charges related to the hit and run.

Botteon was driving a white box truck and was the sole occupant of the vehicle. He was uninjured in the incident.

Shortly after 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, a Maryland State Trooper from the JFK Memorial Highway Barrack in his marked patrol vehicle at the 64.4-mile marker on I-95, was conducting a crash investigation. While he was working inside of his vehicle, a white box truck struck the driver’s side of his vehicle and ripped off the door. The box truck continued traveling northbound on I-95 in Rosedale. The trooper was not injured.

A lookout for the box truck was immediately broadcast to all law enforcement in the area. Troopers from the Bel Air Barrack located the vehicle and the driver shortly after 6:15 p.m. northbound on Route 24 at Bel Air S. Parkway in Belair.

The driver, later identified as Botteon, showed signs of suspected impairment. He was subsequently arrested on scene without incident and transported to the JFK Memorial Highway Barrack for processing.

The investigation is continuing.

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BCPS Teacher Honored for Stock Market Game


Gerri Otto, a social studies resource teacher for Baltimore County Public Schools, was honored with the Elementary School Teacher Award during the eighth annual Maryland Financial Education and Capability Awards ceremony, held virtually on May 5.

The awards program is presented by the CASH (Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope) Campaign of Maryland, Maryland Council on Economic Education, and Maryland State Department of Education.

Otto, who is a resident of eastern Baltimore County. was recognized for bringing the Stock Market Game to many BCPS schools and for co-writing K-3 curriculum for personal finance to be implemented countywide. Seventeen elementary, middle, and high schools are participating in the Stock Market Game this school year. The personal finance curriculum was used during the 2020-2021 school year for Grade 3. BCPS intends to pilot the curriculum for Kindergarten to Grade 2 during the 2021-2022 school year. Topics covered by the curriculum include economic wants and needs, goods and services, savings and spending, resources, decision making, markets, income, jobs, opportunity cost, spending plans, and charitable donations.

For her honor, Otto receives a $1,000 financial award made possible by the Maryland Society of Accounting and Tax Professionals and the Woodside Foundation. CSX was the title sponsor of the virtual event with SECU as the presenting sponsor.

Because no ceremony was held last year (due to COVID-19), the 2020 winners who were announced last year also were honored during this year’s virtual event. Among them was 2020 Elementary School Teacher Award winner Florence Falatko of Cromwell Valley Elementary Magnet School.

“As an organization focused on supporting the education community, the Maryland Council on Economic Education is proud to celebrate the educators who are being recognized this year for their excellence and innovation in teaching critical personal finance skills,” said Julie Weaver, executive director of the Maryland Council on Economic Education. “This has been a year like no other, and the economic impact of the pandemic has shown us the importance of financial preparedness for families and communities. We applaud these teachers for impacting not only their students, but in many cases their students’ families as well.”

Selected BCPS High Schools to Offer COVID Vaccines


Baltimore County Public Schools and the Baltimore County Department of Health will offer COVID-19 vaccine clinics for BCPS high school students aged 16 and above, their family members, and interested school staff. Vaccines will be offered as early as Monday, May 10, at high schools with school-based wellness centers, and as early as Wednesday, May 19, at other selected BCPS high schools.

Online registration will be required, and the vaccine offered will be the two-dose Pfizer BioNTech. There is no charge for the COVID-19 vaccine. Schools will provide their registration link, and families and staff can reach out to the school nurse with any questions.

“We are so pleased that, through our ongoing partnership with the Baltimore County Department of Health, we are able to offer convenient access to vaccines for our older students, their families, and school staff,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams. “Getting the vaccine is a free and easy way to help protect your own health and the health of the community.”

Clinic schedule for BCPS high schools with school-based wellness centers
Please note that each clinic location will only serve students, their families, and staff affiliated with the school unless otherwise noted. These vaccine clinics will be open from 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Chesapeake High/ first doses: May 10, 13 / second doses: June 1, 3
Dundalk High/ first doses: May 11, 12, 14 / second doses: June 1, 2, 4
Kenwood High/ first doses: May 10, 12, 13 / second doses: June 2, 4
Owings Mills High/ first doses: May 17, 19, 20 / second doses: June 7, 9, 10
Parkville High (also serving students from Loch Raven High for first doses on May 19 & second doses on June 9)/ first doses: May 18, 19, 21 / second doses: June 8, 9, 11
Lansdowne High/ first doses: May 24, 26, 28 / second doses: June 14, 16, 17
Woodlawn High/ first doses: May 25, 26, 28 / second doses: June 15, 16, 18

Clinic schedule for other selected BCPS high schools
Please note that each clinic location will only serve students and their families affiliated with the school unless otherwise noted. (For example, the Towson High School location will also serve Loch Raven High School.) Students who attend Catonsville Alternative School, Eastern Technical High School, George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology, Rosedale Center, and Western School of Technology will receive links to sign up for vaccines at their home/zone school.
School (other schools served)/first and second vaccine dates/clinic hours
Catonsville High/ May 26 & June 16/ from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Dulaney High/ May 26 & June 16/ from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Franklin High/ May 19 & June 9/ from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Hereford High/ May 19 & June 9/ from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Milford Mill Academy (also serving students from Randallstown High) /May 26 & June 16/ from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
New Town (also serving students from Randallstown High)/ May 26 & June 16/ from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Overlea High/ May 26 & June 16/ from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Patapsco High/ May 19 & June 9/ from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Perry Hall High/ May 26 & June 16/ from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Pikesville High/ May 19 & June 9/ from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Sparrows Point High/ May 19 & June 9/ from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Towson High (also serving students from Loch Raven High)/ May 19 & June 9/ from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Annapolis Police Officer (Carney Resident) Charged in Theft Scheme


Gerrard Lamont Williams Jr., 36, of the unit block of Wildberry Court in Carney was arrested on May 5 and charged with felony theft scheme.

Williams is a Police Officer with the Annapolis Police Department.

An investigation by detectives revealed that Williams worked secondary employment at the Wal-Mart located in the 3600 block of Washington Boulevard in Arbutus.

During his shift, between the dates of February 8, 2021- March 30, 2021, Williams is accused of stealing approximately $3643.59 from the business. The items stolen include:

· Flat screen televisions

· Window air conditioners

· Baby products

· Food/Beverages

· Hygiene products

· Clothing

· Household goods

· Dog food/Care items

· Bedding

Williams was taken into custody at his residence after a warrant was issued for his arrest on April 27, 2021. Williams has since been released on his own recognizance.

The Annapolis Police Department has fully cooperated with Baltimore County Police Department during this investigation.

Partial Human Remains Found in Dundalk Water


Baltimore County homicide detectives responded to the Peninsula Expressway Bridge in Dundalk after fishermen discovered partial human remains in the water and called 911 in the early morning hours of Tuesday, May 5.

Dive teams spent much of the day searching the waterway for additional remains; detectives continue to actively investigate this case.

If you have any information on the identity of the victim or the circumstances surrounding their death, please call Baltimore County Police at 410-307-2020.