February 23rd Weekly e-Newsletter for the Village of Harper's Choice.
Village Elections are Coming and We Need You!   
 
Throw your hat into the ring and run for the Harper's Choice Village Board! The current two-year terms of office for three Village Board seats expire on April 30, 2017. Village Board members attend one meeting a month where they oversee village finances; they advise and take action on such matters as street and house maintenance; and advocate for changes that will benefit all of Harper's Choice village residents. 

The nomination period runs from March 1 - March 14, 2017.  Information and nomination petitions will be available at Kahler Hall on March 1 and must be returned to Kahler Hall by 5:00 pm on March 14. Information and nomination petitions will also be available for download on our website beginning on March 1.

For more information, contact Village Manager Steve Ingley at 410-730-0770 or via email at manager@harperschoice.org.


Important Information About Summer Programs Available Through HCPSS 
Register at Homewood Center February 22, March 15 and April 19 4:30 - 7:00 pm
Online Registration Available March 1-15 and future dates in April, May.
Your child will bring home in the next Monday folder, a flier with information about summer programs available through HCPSS.  Each summer, the HCPSS presents a number of summer learning opportunities to students entering kindergarten through grade 12.  These programs and classes are open to Howard County residents, as well as out-of-county residents.  Registration for the Summer Institute, which offers programs for acceleration and enrichment is on a first come, first serve basis.  Online registration will be offered March 1-15, April 1-15, and May 1-15.   Onsite registration is also available at Homewood Center February 22, March 15, and April 19 from 4:30 - 7:00 pm

The summer program offers many opportunities for families to apply for reduced tuition, installment plans and scholarships.  Families who are already approved for FARM's should contact Alice Giles in the Summer School office with questions. She can be reached at 410-313-6627.

In addition,the G/T Summer Institutes for Talent Development provide interested students with advanced level instruction and enrichment experiences.  For students entering grades 1-8, registration forms are available at  www.hcpss.org/gt and must be mailed no later than May 1.  For more information about this program, contact LaDonna Norjen at 410-313-7005.

The Summer School Catalog is posted at  www.hcpss.org/summer/

Please note, these programs are separate from the academic intervention program offered through Swansfield Elementary.
Information Sessions for Haiti Global Leadership Program

Want to make a difference and have an amazing experience this summer? Join the Build Haiti Foundation on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Haiti from July 6-15. Information Sessions for the Global Leadership Program in Haiti will be Thursday, Feb. 23 and Thursday, March 30 from 7-8pm at CA Headquarters, 6310 Hillside Court, Columbia.

As a member of the Haiti Global Leadership Program, participants will experience Haitian culture, participate in interactive community leadership activities with Haitian students, and work directly with Haitian youth on strategies for addressing alternative energy, waste management, preventive medicine, vocational training and business initiatives. 

Participants live together in the small village of Camp Coq, outside Columbia's sister city of Cap-Haitien, visit a health clinic, tour the city of Cap-Haitien and visit the capital of Port-au-Prince to learn about the urban challenges Haitian people face. They also help organize a soccer tournament with local youth, enjoy scenic beaches and the historic UNESCO mountaintop Citadelle, visit local markets and restaurants and listen to Creole music. 

For more information, contact BHF president Bob Anantua (
BAnantua@TheBuildHaitiFoundation.org  or 443-285-3956) or David Weeks ( weeks@glenelg.org  or 443-794-4302).
First Tuesday Card Making Classes
 

Join us from 10am-12pm on the first Tuesday of the month for engaging card making workshops!  You will make and take three, theme specific projects each month. $10 per class; fee includes supplies and light refreshments.
 
Advance registration is required. 
Call 410-730-0770, email Melanie, or visit  our  website  to register.
 


Harper's Choice Community Association Recognizes Harper's Choice Middle School's Students of The Month

January 2017

It is an HCMS tradition to recognize some of their outstanding students each month as students of the month.  Each grade level, and their Related Arts and World Language Teams, select two individuals for this distinction. The criteria on which the selection is based for each team are listed below.

6th grade students of the month consistently demonstrate the 3 R's of Respect, Responsibilities, and building Relationships and work hard.  They are chosen for their positive contributions to the school and for being caring, energetic students who are good role models. They have a "can-do" attitude and persevere through obstacles.  These students are polite, courteous and treat others the way they would like to be treated. They are self-motivated and go beyond basic expectations. 

Aklile Robi
Rodolfo Perez Ramos

7th grade students of the month exhibit great work habits, participate in class discussions, and have a desire to do their best on the tasks that they are given in their classes. These students are polite, respectful and helpful to others. They are also responsible and positive role models for their peers.

Hira Khan
Ram Vasani

8th grade students of the month go above and beyond showing the 3 R's everyday! They are students who go through their day building positive relationships, showing responsibility, and are always respectful.

Jiaxin Zhang
Malakai Loman

Related Arts students of the month are individuals who go above and beyond in demonstrating  Harper's  Choice  MiddleSchool's three R's .  They set the example by being leaders in the classroom with the quality of their assignments and working cooperatively and in a positive manner with their classmates.  They are role models for every student in the school.

Wilber Lopez Rodriguez
Rebecca Nason

World Language students of the month participate actively and volunteer frequently in class using the target language (French or Spanish). They are students who demonstrate respect, responsibility, and an eagerness to learn. These individuals maintain positive relationships with their teachers and peers. We appreciate their contributions in helping to make our class a positive language-learning environment. Merci! ¡Gracias!

Tyler Moody
Jason Wisdom
COVENANT CORNER

Although yard waste collection won't officially resume until April 1, residents can recycle leaves and other yard waste items (such as those spiky gumballs from the street "Sweet Gum" trees) in the green bin provided by the County for food scraps, in paper bags, or open trash cans and place them out curbside on your recycling day. And with this good weather we are having, you can get a jump on your winter cleanup!


TRASH AND RECYCLING REMINDERS
Some households have three or more trash and recycling containers that must be stored between collection days. As a general rule, recycling bins, trash cans and other bulk items must be stored out of view from the street and neighboring properties, with the best location being in a garage or carport. If that is not an option, bins may be stored neatly at the side or rear of the home, should have tight-fitting lids and not be overflowing. Landscape screening may also be used to shield cans from view. Put your cans out curbside for pick-up no earlier than 6 p.m. the evening prior to your collection day, and they should be promptly removed from view that same evening.
In TH communities with common area collection, it is even more important to remove your items the evening after the cans have been emptied. Placing items out in plastic bags is strongly discouraged and can result in rodent or pest infestations.

BULK ITEM & SCRAP METAL COLLECTION
If you have large items taking up space in your home that really need to go to the landfill, don't pay to have them hauled away. Call the County or go online to schedule a bulk item pick-up, curbside, in front of your home. Up to four items per household per collection, any items too large to be collected by two workers will be tagged and left for the homeowner to remove. For a list of items that will not be collected or to schedule a pick-up, call 410-313-6444 or visit HowardCountyBulkPickup.org
Swansfield Elementary Announcements 
Tuesday March 7: Hearing and Vision Clinic
Thursday - Friday, March 9 and 10: 
Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences.  Early Dismissal for students at 12:10 pm
Friday March 10: PTA Game Night, 6:30 - 8:30 pm  


Longfellow Elementary Announcements 
  Family Fitness Night
Save the Date!!  Mark your calendars for a free Family Fitness Night at Longfellow on Tuesday, March 7th from 6 to 8 pm. Fun for the whole family!  Fitness stations will include Zumba, karate, yoga, a dance party and parent nutrition workshop. Look forward to seeing you there! Please use this link to register:   http://bit.ly/LongfellowFFN  If you have questions, please contact Susan McHale at 410-313-6882.  
Have you visited us on Facebook lately?
 
Please join us on Facebook for up-to-date information about what's happening in and around the Harper's Choice Community.

Architectural Committee Meetings

Changes made to the exterior of homes in Harper's Choice require approval of the Village Architectural Committee (AC).
 
The AC will meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month at 7:30 PM to review applications. 

The deadline to submit applications for approval is two weeks prior to the next meeting date.
Village Board Meetings

The next meeting of the Village Board is scheduled for March 7th at 7PM. Approved Agendas and Meeting Minutes are/will be available on our website.
Keeping You Informed
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* Term expires 4/30/17
** Term expires 4/30/18

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