Pizza with Santa will be held on Sat, Dec. 16 from 11am - 1pm at Kahler Hall. This holiday tradition is especially for Harper's Choice residents. Space is limited. The event is free, but tickets are required. Tickets are available now at Kahler Hall.

Guests will enjoy pizza, face painting, and hearing Santa read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.' We will be showing The Polar Express starting at 11:30am in the Ballroom. Bring your camera and enjoy a special family photo opportunity with Santa!

We encourage attendees to bring one non-perishable food item per ticket on December 16. Donations will be given to the Howard County Food Bank.

Gingerbread House Workshop 

Wisdom from Incarcerated Women: "The Consequences of Bad Choices"
With "Faces" author Betty May
Monday, Dec. 11, 7pm
Free
May will discuss "Faces," a play that is based on the women she met in prison that were sentenced to life behind bars. She will describe their lives, what awaits people in prison, and the difficulties they face upon their release. Finally, she will offer hope in the form of advice and warnings from the incarcerated women, and increasingly popular alternatives to violence.

Due to the serious nature of this content, this program is not appropriate for young children. Parental discretion advised.
 

For a complete listing of monthly presentations, click here. 

Wilde Reading Series
Tuesday, Dec. 12, 7-8:30pm
Featured Authors: Alan King and Doritt Carroll
Columbia Art Center presents a free literary reading series featuring local poets and authors, as well as an open mic for interested audience members. No registration is necessary. (Note: Open mic presenters are asked to keep their readings to five minutes or less.) 

Learn more about the authors here. 

Home Energy Audits

A good first step to reducing home energy costs is to pinpoint any problem areas. BGE and Pepco both offer home energy audit programs at discounted rates.Their Home Performance with Energy Star programs offer comprehensive energy audits for $100,an estimated $400 value. The audit report will recommend specific upgrades as well as estimates for their cost and payback period. 

In addition to the audit results, customers can realize immediate savings with free LED light bulbs, water heater pipe wraps, showerhead adapters, faucet aerators and power strips. These can be installed the day of the audit with the homeowners permission. All contractors are vetted and approved by the utility companies.

To learn more and sign up directly through the utility companies, use these links for the BGE and Pepco home energy audit programs.

If you want even more personalized service, you can talk to a third-party energy coach who will help you navigate the process:

Retrofit Baltimore (part of the non-profit group Civic Works) offers this service by calling 410-929-6139 or emailing [email protected] and Pepco also offers an energy coach by calling 443-718-4860 or emailing [email protected].

December 13

7 PM - 9 PM

Holidays spent with family members who feel toxic can be emotionally draining and even perhaps re-traumatizing. This roundtable discussion, presented by HopeWorks, will be a space to explore tools and tactics for having tough conversations with difficult family members and for caring for yourself during these challenging moments. Join the conversation on December 13, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at 9770 Patuxent Woods Drive, Suite 300. For more information and to register, please visit HopeWorks website.

Saturday, December 9, 5:30 and 7:15 pm

and Sunday, December 10, 4:30 and 6:00 pm 

You're invited to come and watch our beautiful Clara in the classical tale of a young girl whose doll comes to life on Christmas Eve and takes her on a magical journey to meet the Nutcracker Prince. A fantasy world awaits her where the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Arabian, Chinese and Russian Dancers, the Harlequins, the Mouse King and Queen, and many more will enchant audiences of all ages!  

 

Come experience this holiday tradition and prepare to be whisked away by the talents of our competitive and recreational figure skaters.  Regional and Sectional United States Figure Skating qualifying competitors will perform and delight you.  

 

Tickets are on sale now at our website www.columbiafsc.com  ($15 for ages 3 and up, children under age 3 are free; $40 reserved seating to avoid the lines and sit center ice).

 

For tickets and more information, please visit the Club's website: www.columbiafsc.com. Connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Columbiafsc/) for updates and highlights as the show preparations are underway.

The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) invites citizens to take an active role in developing the 2019-2020 Academic Calendar as members of the Calendar Planning Committee. Members of this committee attend six meetings starting in January 2018 to make recommendations to the interim superintendent regarding the HCPSS academic calendar for the 2019-2020 school year. Meetings are 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. on January 10, 18, 24 and 31, and February 7 and 12, 2018. Meetings are held in Boardroom B at the Department of Education, 10910 Clarksville Pike in Ellicott City.