Thursday, May 23, 2013
A group of mentoring volunteers with the Functional Academic Learning Support program have collectively been named the school's Students of the Week.
A group of students have been recognized as Patapsco High School and Center of the Arts Students of the Week. In a slight change from the usual individual student format, nine students have been given the honor by Functional Academic Learning Support teacher Beth Gray in recognition of their selfless and generous support of some of their fellow students. Receiving the award are juniors Heather Bailowich, Megan Locklear, Brittany Gensler and Autumn Wile and seniors Corey Devor, Daisy Amey, Brian Folk, Kodie Duncan and Sam Nash. The honored students have volunteered their time with the FALS department over the past school year, according to Gray. "They have mentored FALS students and fostered positive peer relationships with them, …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Sean McComb was declared the winner at a Monday afternoon ceremony at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Towson.
Baltimore County Public Schools honored Patapsco High School English teacher Sean McComb was honored as the 2013-2014 teacher of the year Monday afternoon. "Sean McComb is a dynamic and creative educator who is an inspiration to both his students and his colleagues," Superintendent Dallas Dance said in a news release. "He used his teachers and education to rescue him from a difficult childhood, and now helps his own students to, in his words, 'achieve, awaken and ascend' We congratulate him and all of our 115 nominated teachers and finalists." McComb, a seven-year educator who also serves as an Advancement Via Individual Determination coordinator, was one of four teachers nominated for the award, according to the release. The win makes him…
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
The Baltimore County Public Schools calendar had initially listed the closing date as June 18.
Baltimore County Public Schools announced Tuesday that the last day of classes is June 14. The originial schedule for the school system called for an end date of June 18, according to a news release. But the system is ending the school year early because of the limited number of emergency days off. The last three days of school will be full days under the new schedule, the release states. Under the previous one, the last three days were slated to be half-days.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Terri Grimes will be honored May 9 by the Education Support Professionals of Baltimore County.
Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts para-educator Terri Grimes has been named Para-Educator of the Year by the Education Support Professionals of Baltimore County. After being presented with flowers and balloons when the announcement of her selection was made, Grimes will receive her award at the education support organization's 52nd annual recognition and retirement dinner set for May 9, at Martin's East. Congratulations!
Monday, April 15, 2013
The Baltimore County executive praises county employees but asks employees to "stay the course" because the proposed budget contains no cost of living salary increases.
UPDATED (10:29 a.m.)—Baltimore County residents will not have to dig deeper for local taxes again this year under a budget proposed by County Executive Kevin Kamenetz. Kamenetz is expected to introduce his third county budget to the Baltimore County Council at 10 a.m. The proposed $2.8 billion operating budget will contain no increases in property or income taxes for the budget year that begins July 1. The county has not raised property taxes in 25 years. The county income tax rate has not been raised in 21 years. The council's Spending Affordabillity committee in January set the limit for ongoing costs subject to spending guidelines at $1.675 billion. Kamenetz said Monday that his plan meets the revised spending guideline. Kamenetz's …
Monday, April 1, 2013
The bill, introduced last month, has come under fire for being unconstitutional.
A bill restricting protests near schools in Baltimore County will not get a hearing or a vote later this month. Councilman Todd Huff said Monday that he will withdraw the bill that bars protests within 300 feet of a school and prohibits protests within one hour before or after school starts and ends. It would have also been illegal to block or prevent the use of public streets, sidewalks or other spaces while protesting. Violators would be subject to a fine of $1,000 or up to a 90-day jail sentence or possibly both. The bill has been criticized since it was introduced two weeks ago. Huff was not available for an interview following a Monday evening Baltimore County Council meeting but confirmed he would withdraw the bill. "I'm pulling the …
Friday, March 29, 2013
Arne Duncan will speak to interested parties at Loch Raven High School in April.
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan's school safety town hall, which will emphasize gun control, has been scheduled. Baltimore County Superintendent Dallas Dance announced the visit earlier this month, noting that gun control is a topic Duncan is passionate about. "Today, looking into the eyes of parents who have lost children due to gun violence, I am more committed than ever, and the President is, too," Duncan wrote in a Jan. 16 post on the U.S. Department of Education blog. "Those parents’ unimaginable heartbreak and extraordinary strength must motivate us to act. Now is the time. Our children, families, educators, communities and our country deserve better. We can’t let them down." The event is scheduled for April 10, from 6 to 7:45 p…
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
The sophomore was honored for her participation in school activities and her strong work ethic.
Sophomore Danielle Goins is the Student of the Week at Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts for the week ending March 22. Goins was nominated for the honor by social studies teachers Sarah McComb and Steve Dorfman and English and AVID teacher Sean McComb. The educators nominated Goins for the honor based upon her broad participation in many school activities (including volleyball, lacrosse, Great Expectations show choir, concert choir, Future Educators of America and AVID), as well as her dedicated work ethic and friendly personality. While volunteering with Goins recently to serve meals to homeless people, Sean McComb said the outstanding student treated "all the guests with a warm smile, kindness and respect." Sarah McComb …
Monday, March 25, 2013
The list, which ranks schools in need of air conditioning primarily by age, was released last September.
A priority list ranking the order in which county schools in need of air conditioning would get serviced could see some shake-ups. "Our initial air conditioning list was determined based on age, which was shared with the county earlier," said Superintendent Dallas Dance, in an email statement to Patch. "However, I also shared that as we begin to develop the 10-yr [sic] capital plan, that will drive all capital projects including air, there will be additional factors that are used to determine the order of capital projects." Currently, approximately 40 percent of public schools in Baltimore County are not fully air conditioned. Officials have largely blamed this issue on the school system overseeing one of the oldest stocks of schools in …
Heavy, wet snow fell in the Baltimore area early Monday morning, causing school closings.
Schools are closed Monday in Baltimore County. Citing inclement weather, school officials announced that classes were closed, after initially declaring a two-hour delay on the Baltimore County Public Schools website early Monday morning. Harford County Public Schools are also closed Monday. Baltimore City Public Schools are on spring break. Stay with Patch for updates.
Nancy Saks
12:45 pm on Friday, May 3, 2013
All school in the country have the same number of school days. The superintendent does not decide this and parents will not be able to change it. Teachers look forward to summer because their job is extremely stressful and they work many 10 - 12 hour days and on the weekends. They are exhausted by this time of year and need a break. more ›