Category: School Notebook

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.

BCPS students named 2023 YoungArts Award


Ten Baltimore County Public Schools students have been named 2023 YoungArts winners.

Two of the 10 – singer/songwriter Sophia Bryter and photographer Britney Simbana-J, both students at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology – earned finalist honors, the highest award level.

The remaining eight BCPS students honored were recognized with merit awards. Those students are:
• Joshua Bowden, voice/classical: tenor, Carver Center
• Iyana Brumfield, dance/modern-contemporary, Carver Center
• Nia Simone Clark, visual arts, Carver Center
• Hahmini Lewis, visual arts, Carver Center
• Runa Matsushita, classical music/violin, Towson High School
• Victoire Polsky, film/experimental, Carver Center
• Camryn Sydnor, photography, Carver Center
• Isabela Vallar, visual arts, Carver Center

Nationally, 702 accomplished young visual, literary, and performing artists were named YoungArts winners.

As finalists, Bryter and Simbana-J will be invited to participate in National YoungArts Week in January 2023 and to learn from notable artists such as architect Germane Barnes, author Richard Blanco, actor and playwright Taylor Mac, jazz alto saxophonist Charles McPherson, costume designer Machine Dazzle
actor BD Wong.

In addition, Bryter and Simbana-J’s work will be further evaluated and eligible to earn prizes ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.

If they attend National YoungArts Week and meet eligibility requirements, they also will be considered for nomination to the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.

As merit winners, the other eight BCPS students will receive cash awards of $100.

All winners become part of a professional network of over 20,000 alumni artists and are eligible to
participate in YoungArts’ regional programs, including YoungArts Miami in February, YoungArts Los Angeles in March, and YoungArts New York in April.
Quoted in a YoungArts press release, Artistic Director Lauren Snelling said,

“Every year we are inspired
anew by the talent, dedication, and creativity of extraordinary early career artists. YoungArts is proud to
support artists at critical junctures throughout their lives, and we look forward to providing community and professional and creative development opportunities that will empower the 2023 award winners as they embark on exciting careers in the arts. Now more than ever, it is essential to support artists so that their voices can be heard long into the future.”

Past YoungArts award winners include contemporary artists Daniel Arsham, Grammy award-winning trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard, dancer/choreographer Camille A. Brown, Golden Globe- winning actor Timothée Chalamet, Academy Award-winning actress and producer Viola Davis, former
National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, singer-songwriter Judith Hill, violinist Jennifer Koh, Academy Award-winning screenwriter and playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney, Grammy Award-winning actor Andrew Rannells, dancer/artistic director Desmond Richardson, model/actress/activist Hunter Schafer, and portrait painter Kehinde Wiley.

Watershed Public Charter School Honored


Watershed Public Charter School has been awarded a $10,000 grant from Teach For
America Baltimore’s Courtney Cass Catalyst Fund.

The grant fund was created by Teach For America Baltimore to honor the legacy of its former executive
director, Courtney Cass, and support Teach For America Baltimore alumni as they create innovations to
support students’ academic success.

Watershed Assistant Principal Rachel Mejibovsky, a Teach For America Baltimore alum, developed and
submitted the grant application on behalf of the school. The funds will be used to purchase the socialemotional curriculum Move This World and to cover the cost of training, parental resources, and related
materials for the next three school years as Watershed expands from an elementary school to an
elementary-middle school. The social-emotional curriculum is expected to impact nearly 400 students
enrolled in Kindergarten through Grade 8.

In writing to Mejibovsky about the grant award, Normandi Amprey, Teach For America Baltimore’s
executive director, described Mejibovsky’s proposal as “catalyzing” and “poised to make an impact in
Baltimore.”

“Winning this grant award will help Watershed continue to strengthen our curriculum and enhance
student progress,” said Watershed Principal Lori Widney. “Social-emotional learning is incredibly
important to student growth. Watershed is excited to use this program to connect students, teachers,
and families with actionable steps to manage emotions and peer conflict. This grant will help us add to
our project-based, environmental, arts-integrated curriculum and enhance our ability to teach the whole
child. Ms. Mejibovsky’s previous experience with Teach For America has been a wonderful community
partnership that continues to support the education of Baltimore County students.”

In her application, Mejibovsky noted that, as Baltimore County’s only public charter school, Watershed
currently serves 287 students from 20 different ZIP codes, and that therefore the school has a singular
opportunity to reach the larger community.

A native of Iowa, Mejibovsky began her teaching career as a 2011 Teach For America corps member at
REACH! Partnership School in Baltimore City. She has worked in both public and private schools in the
Baltimore area, serving as a K-8 teacher, coach, and assistant principal. Her experience with curriculum
writing and cross-disciplinary instruction brought her to Watershed Public Charter School in 2021. She
holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Central College and a master’s degree in
educational studies and administration from Johns Hopkins University

Police Give Update on Towson High Threats


As families prepare for the work/school week, the Baltimore County Police Department would like to provide a brief update to the community on school safety and the recent threats at Towson High School. There will be an increased police presence in and around Towson High School this week.

As the investigation into this matter remains ongoing, the Baltimore County Police Department would ask families to speak with their children about school safety and any concerns they may have. Please assure student(s) that many people are working to keep their school safe. School Resource Officers are available during the school day should students have concerns they would like to discuss.

Meanwhile, parents can stay connected throughout the day by signing up for emergency notifications and following the Baltimore County Police Department on social media.

The Baltimore County Police Department looks forward to continuing this conversation with the community in person later this week.

Police Report Assault Case at Loch Raven High School


Detectives with the Baltimore County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit responded to Loch Raven High School on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at approximately 3 p.m.to investigate a reported assault.

Preliminarily, this appears to be an isolated incident involving individuals known to one another. As this remains an ongoing investigation, BCoPD is working closely with our partners within Baltimore County Public Schools to ensure student safety.

A School Resource Officer is available should students have information they would like to share.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call SVU detectives at 410-887-2223.