In this issue:
- Teacher Feature: An Interview with City Springs' Anthony Patterson
- Frederick Elementary, Bon Secours Community Works, and It Works Learning Empower School Parents
- YRP, Mid-Govans Community Association, Govans Elementary and Loyola University Students Beautify Dewees Park
- HHA Students Excel in Chess, Athletics and Service
- Weinberg Foundation and Constellation Support Wolfe Street Academy Summer Program
- CareFirst Helps City Springs Students Buckle Up For A Bright Future
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Teacher Feature: An Interview with City Springs' Anthony Patterson
By Jon McGill, Academic Director, Baltimore Curriculum Project
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BCP Academic Director Jon McGill recently sat down to talk with Anthony Patterson. Mr. Patterson is in his fourth year as a teacher at City Springs Elementary/Middle School.
Jon McGill: Mr. Patterson, what are you teaching here at City Springs Elementary/Middle School.
Anthony Patterson: I teach U.S. History to the seventh and eighth grades.
JM: Can you tell me a bit about your path to City Springs?
AP: I was finishing my M.A. in 5-12 Education, at Niagara University in Buffalo, New York and considering where to go next. My wife, Brittany, had completed her Ph.D. and we were relocating to Baltimore. As luck would have it, Kelly Maguire [a teacher at City Springs] is from my hometown of Lockport, N.Y. and through mutual friends she suggested I consider teaching at City Springs.
I interviewed with Dr. Richetta and Jon McGill. The school needed a substitute teacher at the time and that’s how I started.
JM: How was that first year?
AP: I had to adjust my style, balancing behavior management with teaching academic content. I realized that our students were eager to learn but not always ready to learn. I had to teach them how to be students.
JM: This is year four for you. You have taught sixth grade and are now teaching seventh and eighth. What’s in store for you over the next three years or so?
AP: I am a man of religious faith and I think there is a plan for me. I like being here at City Springs because I feel there is a good balance that allows me to be innovative; to work on curriculum and skills. My favorite area of U.S. History is in the realm of Black History and I want to design curriculum geared to helping students understand the role of race in our national history.
JM: That is clearly important, since Black History is American History.
AP: I would also like to provide some professional development for Baltimore City teachers in this area. It fits into my plan to pursue a Ph.D. in History with a focus on issues related to Race in America. I am also, since October, working with a small group of students under the acronym of H.I.P: History Igniting Progress. We are looking at these issues and enhancing the students’ knowledge about history.
JM: I know that Dr. Richetta is always looking for ways to provide leadership opportunities for our teachers. I hope those are also in your future at City Springs. You have already provided a positive role model and leadership for our students! Thanks, Mr. Patterson, for all you are doing for our students!
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Frederick Elementary, Bon Secours Community Works, and It Works Learning Empower School Parents
By Sabrina Wiggins, Bon Secours Community Works Community School Coordinator at FES
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When the right resources and support are put in place, Frederick Elementary parents can achieve anything. Thank you, Ms. Spencer for taking advantage of our free monthly workshops that are held at FES. Your hard work and persistence paid off.
About the CNA/GNA Nursing Assistant Program
This program provides Board of Nursing-licensed evening classes. Participants can become licensed CNA/GNA Nursing Assistants in seven weeks. Tuition, books, materials and licenses are included. The program also provides free job placement services.
For over 20 years, It Works Learning Center has trained thousands of graduates and placed them in employment throughout Maryland, especially in Baltimore City.
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YRP, Mid-Govans Community Association, Govans Elementary and Loyola University Maryland Students Beautify Dewees Park
By Sandi McFadden, Strong City Baltimore Community School Coordinator at Govans Elementary
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Govans students designed and created beautiful mosaic tiles for a new Community Garden in Dewees Park during the month of April.
After-school art teacher Sara Moore oversaw the project. Student volunteers from Loyola University Maryland's Public Art course in the
Department of Fine Arts and students from other departments worked one-on-one with Govans students.
During Baltimore City's
Spring Cleanup Day in Dewees Park on April 27, 2019, the Public Art students and over thirty volunteers grouted the tiles. Volunteers also had the opportunity to create their own tiles.
The day brought out several community residents including a group of fire fighters who were just passing by. They stayed to grout tiles for almost two hours.
In addition to the mosaic tile project, Public Art students completed and installed a beautifully crafted sign in the Govans Urban Forest, a small pocket of woodlands located between the CVS Pharmacy and the Govans-Boundary Parish United Methodist Church on York Road. They built an insect hotel and installed colorful bee houses throughout the Forest. They also designed a Tic-Tac-Toe Spinner Panel to educate children about insects, birds, and the environment.
The Community Garden at Dewees Park is being created in honor of Councilman Kenneth Harris, who served on the Baltimore City Council from 1999 - 2017. The garden is a project of the Mid-Govans Community Association in collaboration with Govans Elementary. There will be an official dedication ceremony once the Community Garden is completed.
Helene Perry (Govans Urban Forest Manager), Monica Lapenta (Executive Director and CEO of the
Italian Cultural Center of Maryland), and Sandi McFadden (Strong City Baltimore Community School Coordinator at Govans Elementary) hosted a luncheon for these amazing Public Art Students on May 16, 2019 at the Be a Chef for a Day headquarters on Homeland Avenue. The students worked so hard to complete four major projects in three months. We salute them and their professor Billy Friebele (Assistant Professor of Fine Arts at Loyola University of Maryland).
BCP and Govans Elementary would like to thank the following individuals and partners for supporting these projects: Marie McSweeney Anderson (Assistant Director for the
Loyola University Maryland York Road Initiative), Figiel-Miller (Assistant Director for Service-Learning,
Loyola University Maryland Center for Community Service and Justice), Billy Friebele, Monica Lapenta, Sara Moore, Sandi McFadden, Helene Perry,
York Road Partnership, the fire fighters from the Coldspring Lane fire station, and all of the student volunteers from Loyola University Maryland and the community.
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HHA Students Excel in Chess, Athletics and Service
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Kiwanis Builders Club
Shannon Joslin, Child Life Manager at the Children's Hospital, visited the school and expressed her gratitude to HHA for being so generous and giving.
Colorful band aids with cartoon characters were given to children who are spending an extended period of time in the hospital.
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Chess Team Places Second in BKCL Citywide Tournament
Congratulations to HHA’s chess team for placing second in the Baltimore Kids Chess League's (BKCL) citywide middle school/high school tournament on April 27, 2019.
The HHA chess club, which includes elementary and middle school students, meets weekly from 2:40pm - 4:30pm throughout the school year. Coach Julie Gochar is proud of her team!
Learn more about BKCL at:
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Girls on the Run 5K
Congratulations to the Girls on the Run (GOTR) team for completing the GOTR 5K in Druid Hill Park on April 28, 2019.
The team had fun throughout the season, building strength and character with lessons focusing on a variety of topics including friendship, feelings, health
and gratitude.
We are so proud of all of our strong girls! Thank you
to Coach Sara, Coach Amanda, Coach Liz and Coach Reza.
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Weinberg Foundation and Constellation Support Wolfe Street Academy Summer Program
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The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation and Constellation have awarded BCP generous grants of $30,000 and $5,000 respectively to support Wolfe Street Academy's (WSA) 2019 Summer Program.
The goal of the summer program is to reduce summer learning loss and to provide students with enriching experiential learning opportunities.
The program will serve 80 students in grades K-5 for four weeks during July 2019.
Highly-qualified teachers will provide reading, writing, and math instruction, as well as a variety of enrichment activities. Students have the opportunity to develop computer skills and learn coding. Code in the Schools will provide free professional development to the academic staff on how to incorporate online lessons from www.code.org into their academic sessions.
Enrichment offerings will include STEM/Sailing instruction with the
Downtown Sailing Center, Fine Arts, and Cooking/Nutrition. Kindergarten and first grade students will also learn about horticulture. The Downtown Sailing Center has provided an after school STEM/Sailing club for WSA students since 2015. Students split their time between hands-on STEM experiences in the classroom and sailing experiences in the harbor. These grants will allow WSA to extend this program into the summer.
Last summer the program introduced free yoga and Zumba classes, in response to parent requests, and will continue the classes this summer. Families will also participate in
Family Day. Last year
Family Day took place at the Gunpowder Falls State Park Hammerman Area Beach.
BCP and WSA would like to thank the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation and Constellation for making this program possible.
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CareFirst Helps City Springs Students Buckle Up For A Bright Future
Learn how CareFirst’s support for this Baltimore school is making a big impact
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In East Baltimore, it is hard to miss all of the purple surrounding City Springs Elementary/Middle School. Three sets of double doors at the main entrance, murals covering the brick façade, 700 students all in purple polos, and of course, that vibrant AstroTurf athletic complex, recognizable to anyone who has passed by.
But City Springs’ students and staff would be the first ones to remind you of their motto: “It’s not a color. It’s an attitude!”
It was that attitude – which allows students to experience the joy of learning and recognizes that the investment we place in young people is paramount to our shared future success – that forged a partnership between CareFirst and City Springs in 2012.
“As a major business headquartered in Baltimore, we sought to identify a meaningful way to support a local school,” said Maria Harris Tildon, CareFirst Executive Vice President of Marketing, Communications and External Affairs. “We were excited to be connected to City Springs – a neighbor to our Canton offices – where we work closely to identify and fill gaps critical to the success of students and teachers.”
The partnership with City Springs includes on-going volunteer opportunities for CareFirst associates, many of whom participate in school beautification events, one-on-one mentoring, and the collection and donation of educational books and clothing essentials. It also includes financial assistance for additional resources and expanded programming.
Most recently, CareFirst provided a $17,000 grant to City Springs that allowed the school to purchase a 15-passenger van in December 2018.
These funds were in addition to $25,000 the school received during an episode of
The Ellen Show
in late-2017. The episode featured City Springs teacher Wyatt Oroke and his inspiring work on behalf of his students, who surprised him via video conference for the announcement of the gift.
The van made more than 20 trips in the beginning of 2019, taking students to universities, theatrical productions and other culturally enriching events they may not have otherwise had the opportunity to attend.
Over the lifetime of the partnership with City Springs, CareFirst has offered support for a variety of resources, continuously collaborating with school staff and City Springs Principal Rhonda Richetta to determine what would make the greatest impact for students.
“That has included support for initiatives such as restorative justice training to lower suspension rates, providing iPads to improve test-taking aptitude, and continuous mentoring and empowerment through programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters’ ‘Bigs in Schools’ and Girls on the Run,” Tildon said.
And seven years later, CareFirst has contributed more than $450,000 to programs and resources benefiting more than 4,000 students who have attended City Springs over that time.
With 450 miles already on the odometer and many more trips to come, it shouldn’t surprise anyone to see the school’s new van coated in City Springs purple, taking eager students to new and exciting opportunities in Baltimore and beyond.
BCP and City Springs would like to thank CareFirst for all they do to support our students!
CLICK HERE
to watch a video of City Springs Principal Rhonda Richetta on the school's recent purchase of a 15-passenger van.
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Baltimore Curriculum Project | 410.675.7000 | [email protected] | www.baltimorecp.org
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