Category: School Notebook

Eastern Tech Senior Named Minds in Motion Scholar-Athlete


MPSSAA announced 18 winners of the Minds in Motion Scholar-Athlete Scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year and one of those winners attends school in Essex.

Gregory Hrica, a senior at Eastern Technical High School, was named one of the winners.

The selection committee met on Friday, May 3 to choose one male and one female from each of the MPSSAA’s nine districts who will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

This 17th annual program has recognized those who have excelled on the playing field and in the classroom. Over $217,000 in scholarships have been awarded to student-athletes since its inception in 2008.

Applicants must be seniors with a minimum 3.25 unweighted overall GPA and have participated in interscholastic athletic activities sponsored by MPSSAA during their high school careers.

Two BCPS Students Place in Library’s Short Horror Story


Baltimore County Public Schools’ students earned second and third places in the Under 21 category of the Baltimore County Public Library’s Tales of the Dead Short Horror Story Contest.

The BCPS student winners are:

• Ella Dengler, a Grade 8 student at Hereford Middle School, who won second place for “Estranged,” about a young woman seeking refuge from a storm at an abandoned, possibly haunted rest stop.

• Maaz Ijaz, a Grade 8 student at Parkville Middle for “Whispers of the Netherrealm: The Haunting of Ravenshade Mansion,” which recounts a young man’s exploration of a haunted mansion.

Baltimore County Public Library challenged writers of all ages to write original horror stories with a “Petrifying Poe” theme.

First, second, and third place winners in the Over 21 and Under 21 categories were selected by a panel of judges including local civic leaders, librarians, and published authors. Criteria for judging included originality, fear factor, quality of writing, and incorporation of the theme.

Dengler and Ijaz will read their stories at a private reception on Friday, October 6, at the library’s Reisterstown Branch. The young winners also receive a prize package including a certificate and gift card.

The Tales of the Dead Short Horror Story Contest started in 2016, inspired by the 1816 ghost story challenge that led to the creation of Frankenstein’s monster and the first modern vampire story.

The contest is held in conjunction with A Toast Among Ghosts, the Foundation for Baltimore County Public Library’s annual Poe-themed outdoor festival. The winning stories will be published on the Foundation’s website later this month.

Community Invited BCPS Budget Meetings


Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers (Yarbrough) will host five “Community Conversations” regarding the development of the BCPS Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget.

Community members are invited to share their ideas on budget priorities and the investments the system should make to provide high-quality public education to every student.

The forums will be held on the following dates and locations:

Thursday, October 12, from 6-7 p.m. Sparrows Point High School—cafeteria, 7400 North Point Rd, Sparrows Point 21219

Tuesday, October 17, from 6-7 p.m. Pikesville High School—cafeteria, 7621 Labyrinth Rd, Pikesville 21208 This meeting will be livestreamed on YouTube.

Wednesday, October 25, from 6-7 p.m. Loch Raven High School—cafeteria, 1212 Cowpens Ave., Towson 21286

Thursday, November 9, from 6-7 p.m. Parkville High School—cafeteria, 2600 Putty Hill Ave., Baltimore 21234

Tuesday, November 14, from 6-7 p.m. Western School of Technology and Environmental Science —cafeteria, 100 W. Kenwood Ave., Catonsville 21228

Work on the operating budget for the next fiscal year typically begins in the summer, with a preliminary budget estimate completed by early fall.

After considering all requests from BCPS offices and reviewing recommendations from schools, executive leadership, and stakeholder groups, the superintendent submits a proposed budget to the Board of Education in January.

The Board holds public hearings to gather comments and feedback from the community, and then works to finalize their budget proposal, which is submitted to the Baltimore County Executive and the County Council.

The Council also holds a public hearing and approves a budget for the county, which includes BCPS.

The Board approves a final budget for BCPS in May. In addition to the Community Conversations in October and November, the community will be able to learn more about the budget process on a soon-to-be launched “Budget 101” website.

Additional opportunities for involvement will include the Board of Education public hearings.

Spanish interpretation will be provided at each meeting. Interpreting services for other languages are also available upon request at no cost to participants.

Please contact 443- 809-1250 as early as possible to request. In addition to the budget forums, Team BCPS staff, parents, students, and community members are encouraged to complete the FY 25 Budget Priorities Stakeholder Survey.

“Meet the Superintendent” Events Scheduled


“Meet the Superintendent” events will be held throughout Baltimore County as new BCPS Superintendent Dr. Myriam Yarbrough will share information about key priorities for the upcoming school year, hear from members of the Team BCPS community and answer questions.

Dr. Yarbrough will begin her tenure as BCPS superintendent on July 1, 2023.

The dates and locations of the meetings are as follows:

Thursday, June 15, 6-7 p.m.

*Spanish interpretation will be provided

 New Town High School—Media Center 4931 New Town Blvd.
Owings Mills, MD 21117
Wednesday, June 21, 6-7 p.m.

*Spanish interpretation will be provided

 George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology—Cafeteria 938 York Road
Towson, MD 21204
Thursday, June 22, 6-7 p.m.
*Spanish interpretation will be provided		 Dundalk/Sollers Point Technical High School—Sollers Café 1901 Devale Ave.

Dundalk, MD 21222
Wednesday, July 5, 6-7 p.m.
*Spanish interpretation will be provided		 Catonsville High School—Cafeteria 421 Bloomsbury Ave.

Catonsville, MD 21228
Thursday, July 6, 6-7 p.m. Perry Hall High School—Cafeteria 4601 Ebenezer Rd.

Baltimore, MD 21236
Monday, July 10, 6-7 p.m.

 

*Spanish interpretation will be provided

 Kenwood High School—Cafeteria 501 Stemmers Run Rd.

Essex, MD 21221
Thursday, July 13, 6-7 p.m.

 

*Spanish interpretation will be provided

 Loch Raven High School—Cafeteria 1212 Cowpens Ave.

Towson, MD 21286
Tuesday, July 18. 6-7 p.m.

*Spanish interpretation will be provided

 Randallstown High School—Cafeteria 4000 Offutt Rd.

Randallstown, MD 21133

BCPS to Offer Summer Meals Starting June 20


Baltimore County Public Schools will offer free breakfast and lunch meals through the Summer Food Service Program from Tuesday, June 20, through Friday, August 18.

Meals will be served Monday through Friday, but meal sites will be closed on Tuesday, July 4. All meals
must be consumed on site.
During the Summer Food Service Program, breakfast and lunch meals will be provided at the following
sites and times:

BCPS schools (serving breakfast and lunch)
• Colgate Elementary School, 7735 Gough St. 21224 – 9-9:30 a.m. & 1-1:30 p.m.
• Dundalk High School, 1901 Delvale Ave. 21222 – 7:15-7:45 a.m. & 11:15-11:45 a.m.
• Elmwood Elementary School, 531 Dale Ave. 21206 – 9-9:30 a.m. & 1-1:30 p.m.
• Glyndon Elementary School, 445 Glyndon Dr. 21136 – 8-8:30 a.m. & 12-12:30 p.m.
• Hawthorne Elementary School, 125 Kingston Rd. 21220 – 8-8:30 a.m. & 12-12:30 p.m.
• Hebbville Elementary School, 3335 Washington Ave. 21244 – 8-8:30 a.m. & 1-1:30 p.m.
• Lansdowne Middle School, 2400 Lansdowne Rd. 21227 – 7:15-7:45 a.m. & 11:15-11:45 a.m.
• Middle River Middle School, 800 Middle River Rd. 21220 – 7:15-7:45 a.m. &11:15-11:45 a.m.
• Milbrook Elementary School, 4300 Crest Heights Rd. 21215 – 9-9:30 a.m. & 1-1:30 p.m.
• New Town High School, 4931 New Town Blvd. 21117 – 7:15-7:45 a.m. & 11:15-11:45 a.m.
• Padonia Elementary School, 9834 Greenside Dr. 21030 – 8-8:30 a.m. & 12-12:30 p.m.
• Parkville Middle School, 8711 Avondale Rd. 21234 – 7:15-7:45 a.m. & 11:15-11:45 a.m.
• Pleasant Plains Elem. School, 8300 Pleasant Plains Rd. 21286 – 8-8:30 a.m. & 12-12:30 p.m.
Baltimore County Public Library branches (serving lunch only)
• Arbutus Library, 855 Sulphur Spring Rd. 21227 – 12-1 p.m.
• Essex Library, 1100 Eastern Blvd. 21221 – 12:30-1:30 p.m.
• Lansdowne Library, 500 Third Ave. 21227 – 12:30-1:30 p.m.
• Loch Raven Library, 1046 Taylor Ave. 21286 – 12:30-1:30 p.m.
• North Point Library, 1716 Merrit Blvd. 21222 – 12:30-1:30 p.m.
• Parkville-Carney Library, 9509 Harford Rd. 21234 – 12-1 p.m.
• Randallstown Library, 8604 Liberty Rd. 21133 – 12-1 p.m.
• Reisterstown Library, 21 Cockeys Mill Rd. 21186 – 12-1 p.m.
• Rosedale Library, 6105 Kenwood Ave. 21237 – 12-1 p.m.
• White Marsh Library, 8133 Sandpiper Cir. 21236 – 12-1 p.m.
• Woodlawn Library, 1811 Woodlawn Dr. 21207 – 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Applications Being Accepted For BCPS School Board Seat


The Baltimore County School Board Nominating Commission will begin accepting applications for the Board’s one at-large seat for the term beginning 2023 through December 4, 2028.

The composition and selection of the Board of Education of Baltimore County includes both appointed and elected members. Seven members of the school board are elected, while four members of the Board are appointed by the governor. The Baltimore County School Board Nominating Commission has the task of selecting nominees to recommend to the governor for the at-large positions.

“Interested Baltimore County residents are urged to submit applications,” said Commission Chair Cindy Sexton. The candidate interview dates will be determined.

The application is posted on the Baltimore County Public Schools’ website, beginning May 4, 2023, and will be accepted through Thursday, May 18, 2023, until 4 p.m.

Applications, resumes, and two letters of recommendation may be mailed or hand-delivered to the Baltimore County School Board Nominating Commission, c/o Tracy Gover, 6901 North Charles Street, Building A, Towson, MD 21204.

Five BCPS Elementary Schools Receive National Computer Science Education Awards


Five Balitmore County Public Schools were among the inaugural group of 160 schools nationally to receive CS100 Awards from CS is Elementary and CSforAll.

CS100 Awards recognize elementary schools that commit to teaching at least 10 hours per year of computer science to every student in Kindergarten through Grade 5. The BCPS schools were among a subset of honorees to receive “All-In” awards for offering instruction aligned to all state or local standards for computer science education.

The honored BCPS schools are:
Hawthorne Elementary – Michelle Schnell, teacher; Jennifer Burch, acting principal
Hebbville Elementary – Hagit Barrett, teacher; Jordan Filderman, principal
Mays Chapel Elementary – Bethany Berkowitz, teacher; Steve Coco, principal
Oliver Beach Elementary – Kimberly Myers, teacher; Lynne Palmer, principal
Sparks Elementary – Jill Crowley, teacher; Magan Chyko-Leigh, principal

“We are so proud of these schools, teachers, and principals for ensuring that our elementary students
receive a strong foundation in computer science,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams. “Their
transending efforts are sure to be duplicated across the county.”

According to CS is Elementary and CSforAll, less than 6 percent of U.S. high school students take even
one computer science class. “It turns out that computer science is a literacy, and like other literacies, it must be acquired in the elementary grades,” said John Pearce, CS is Elementary executive director. “We
owe every child a solid understanding of coding, robotics, artificial intelligence, data science, and
computational thinking to prepare them for the digital future.”

Relay Elementary Educator Named BCPS Teacher of the Year


Beverly Folkoff, a special education teacher of children in Grades 3-5 at Relay Elementary School in Halethorpe, was named the 2023-24 Teacher of the Year for Baltimore County Public Schools during a gala celebration not only of the county’s more than 9,000 classroom educators but also of its school administrators, staff, and community supporters.

Also honored during the event at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Towson were the 2023-24 BCPS Principal of the Year, Brian Powell of Kenwood High School, and 2023-24 Assistant Principal of the Year, Nicole Bridges of Towson High School.

The annual honors were the final highlights of the school system’s first “Champions for Children” celebration, which also saw recognitions for the school system’s “Rising Star” Teacher of the Year, Transportation Champion, Business Partner Champion, and other superlative school employees and supporters.

“Baltimore County Public Schools is blessed to have so many exemplary educators like Beverly Folkoff serving our children, but we are also fortunate to have strong leadership by our school administrators like Brian Powell and Nicole Bridges and throughout our organization, all dedicated to providing the very best educational experiences and opportunities for each child in our schools,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams.

“Congratulations to all those who we recognized and celebrated today at our Champions for Children gala. We cannot thank them enough for the talent and dedication they bring every day to the mission of serving our
students.”

Folkoff, the BCPS Elementary School Teacher of the Year, was among three finalists from across the county who were honored by Dr. Williams, Board of Education of Baltimore County Chair Jane Lichter, and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski.

Also congratulated were finalists Talven Pearsell, a mathematics teacher at Sudbrook Magnet Middle School and Baltimore County’s Middle School Teacher of the Year, and Abigail Karey, a special education
teacher at Maiden Choice School in Catonsville and the BCPS High School Teacher of the Year.

A teacher for 16 years, half of them at Relay Elementary, Folkoff teaches students in the Functional Academic Learning Support program, or FALS, at Relay. A graduate of Towson University (B.S. degree in early childhood special education) and the University of Virginia (master’s degree in curriculum and instruction), Folkoff “wanted anything but to become an educator” until a high school internship in a self-contained kindergarten classroom convinced her of her lifelong calling. “I fell in love,” she says, “with the students, with the challenges, the creativity the job required, the collaboration, problem-solving. . . . I wanted to go to work as excited as I was to go to that internship.”

The BCPS Teacher of the Year was chosen by a committee composed of BCPS administrators, staff, students, TABCO representation, and the 2022-23 BCPS Teacher of the Year, Alicia Amaral Freeman. This year, there were Teacher of the Year nominations from a record 169 of Baltimore County’s 178 schools, centers, and programs.

The 2023-24 BCPS Teacher of the Year program is supported by a generous array of education partners, including The Education Foundation of BCPS, Inc., First Financial Federal Credit Union, Flowers & Fancies, NTA Life, and the Padonia Park Club.

The BCPS Teacher of the Year will represent the school system and its more than 9,000 professional educators in the Maryland state Teacher of the Year program. Powell and Bridges stood out among strong slates of finalists for school administrator honors. Joining Powell as finalists for Principal of the Year were Andrea Derrien of The Chatsworth School and Kalisha Miller of Pikesville Middle School. Assistant Principal of the Year finalists, in addition to Bridges, were Anthony Schultz of Westowne Elementary School and Jodi Pasquale of General John Stricker Middle School.

Both Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year were chosen after asking BCPS students and their families, staff, and the public for nominations, which were then considered by the staff and leadership of the Education Foundation of Baltimore County, Inc. In all, BCPS received 1,043 nominations for Principal of the Year and 791 for Assistant Principal of the Year. BCPS also celebrated seven new “Champions for Children” at the event who were selected by BCPS administrators and staff, employee union representatives, and other members of the BCPS community. Also honored at Wednesday’s gala were:

• Rising Star Teacher of the Year – Lauren Deardorff, English language arts teacher, Chesapeake High School
• Supervisory Leader of the Year – Denise Saulsbury, supervisor, Academic Programs and Options
• Supporting Services Employee of the Year – Joanna Crandall-Sick, paraeducator, Relay Elementary School
• Transportation Champion – Engr Johnson, dispatcher
• AFSCME Employee of the Year – Vance Scovens, building operations supervisor, Hillcrest Elementary School
• Volunteer Champion – Ramona Basilio, PTA Council of Baltimore County, Deer Park Magnet Middle School
• Business Partner Champion – Scott Dorsey, Chair and CEO, Merritt Construction Service

BCPS Students Named to All-County Honors Dance Ensemble


Thirty-two high school students and 30 middle school students have been selected to
participate in the Baltimore County Public Schools 2022-2023 All-County Honors Dance Ensemble.

The ensemble will rehearse weekly at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology
throughout the winter and spring. The culminating event for the ensemble will be a gala concert
performance on Monday, June 12, at 7 p.m. at Carver Center.

“A total of 100 students – 50 high school students and 50 middle school students – were nominated by
their teachers to audition for the honors ensemble,” said Darryl Pilate, BCPS dance and theatre resource
teacher. “The adjudicators were impressed by all of the students’ technical and professional skills. The
students accepted for the All-County Honors Dance Ensemble demonstrated not only their technical
ability but also the ability to think ‘on their feet’ and be expressive through the art form while applying
feedback.”

The members of the 2022-2023 All-County Honors Dance Ensemble are:

HIGH SCHOOL MEMBERS
Franklin High School
Trinity Hicks

George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology
Olivia Anderson; Camila Abrego Argueta; Isabel Armstrong; Annelese Atkinson; Simone Brown; Dante
Campbell; Melody Cole; Jada Daniels; Jaia Dinkins; Jadin Holiday; Sharon Kasibante; Ja’Zara Lane; Devin
Nichelson; Shoshana Paley; Madisyn Rice- Evans; Makenzie Smith; Jase Woolcock

Lansdowne High School
Sa’Ni Betts; Giulia Mendes

Milford Mill Academy
Toimar Allen; Melaya Barker; Jahnai James; Zyaire McMillan; Kyla Randall

Owings Mills High School
Shayla Johnson

Parkville High School
Lyndsey Hoxter; Ariel Parker
Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts
Zarrah Allen; Madison Cosden; Aashyah de Vries; Armani Woods

MIDDLE SCHOOL MEMBERS
Deep Creek Middle School
Malia Terry

Deer Park Magnet Middle School
Morgan Clinton; Kendall Davison; Nyiemah Gibbs

Franklin Middle School
Madison Beyer; Elon Bryant; La’Nae Coldin; Bailey Ferrel; Masio Pearson; Jada Sellers

Loch Raven Technical Academy
Joshua Nichols

Middle River Middle School
Madison Cooper; Arianna Hunt; Makayla Ortiz

Pikesville Middle School
London Bailey; Maya Chase; Sophee Fields; Larae Jones; Cydney Polk; Kayden Sorrell

Southwest Academy
Kaleb Jenson; Makyli Williams

Sudbrook Magnet Middle School
Solae Beaman; Shabraya Dennis; Claire Jabaji; Timara Keyes; Ibunkun Ojemuyiwa; Nylah Queen; Jaelyn
Sabb

BCPS Celebrates Local Athletic Champions


–Dundalk High School football made it to the State Semifinals-

Baltimore County Public Schools celebrates its high school athletic teams and individual student athletes recognized as state and regional champions during the 2022 fall season.

The following eastern Baltimore County teams were honored:

State Runners-up

Cheerleading 4A – Perry Hall High School

Regional Champions

Boys Soccer 2A North – Sparrows Point High School

Football 3A/4A North – Dundalk High School

Football 3A/4A North – Perry Hall High School

Girls Soccer 2A North – Sparrows Point High School

“I’d like to congratulate all of our student athletes on a successful fall season,” said BCPS Superintendent

Dr. Darryl L. Williams. “Their participation helps them develop skills that improve their performance both on and off the field. I’d like to express my gratitude to their coaches, trainers, physical education teachers and families for their tremendous support.”

“It is wonderful to see so many of our student athletes perform at a high level,” said Michael Sye, BCPS coordinator of athletics. “We are so proud of their determination, teamwork, and work ethic.