BCPS Partnership Spotlight Newsletter, January 2024

January 2024

Free telehealth therapy available to BCPS high school students through new partnership with Talkspace

BCPS has announced a new partnership with Talkspace, a leading online behavioral healthcare company, to provide free, unlimited telehealth therapy for all BCPS high school students ages 13 and above. More than 32,000 students now have access to high-quality, messaging therapy and evidenced-based mental health resources.

This systemwide program, which began in late December 2023, offers support at a critical time, given that teenagers across the nation are facing rapidly rising rates of stress, anxiety, depression, and thoughts of suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Eligible students interested in therapy can sign up, take a brief assessment specific for teens, and get matched with a dedicated, licensed therapist. Once matched, therapy sessions take place on Talkspace’s secure and encrypted platform, accessible from the teens’ smartphones, tablets, or computers. Teens can communicate with their therapists at any time with an unlimited number of private messages at no cost.

The efficacy of Talkspace’s message-based therapy has been validated by 20+ published studies conducted in partnership with major research institutions, including Columbia University and New York University.

More information on the program , including registration and parental/legal guardian consent, is available online.

Thank you for participating in Team BCPS Day!

Many thanks to our community and business partners who participated in Team BCPS Day 2024. This day, the second Thursday of January, is an annual celebration of BCPS schools, students, teachers, staff, volunteers, and supporters. All BCPS partners and community members were encouraged to wear blue and post photos on social media using the hashtag #BCPSblue. Prizes will be awarded for the best photos.

Advance Business Systems

Baltimore County Delegation

First Financial Federal Credit Union (Video link)

Junior Achievement (JA) of Central Maryland staff and student guests from Ridgely Middle School celebrated Team BCPS Day at JA Finance Park alongside volunteers from USAA and First Financial Federal Credit Union.

JA also used their Team BCPS Day social media posts as an opportunity to recruit additional volunteers for their financial literacy/career readiness programs. Those interested can sign up online.

Profile of elementary social studies coordinator highlights key partnerships that enrich student learning

A new Face of the Week profile of Michael Crispens, elementary social studies coordinator for BCPS, highlights how key partnerships with Junior Achievement (JA) of Central Maryland, First Financial Federal Credit Union, and the Maryland Council on Economic Education are helping transform social studies instruction, especially related to financial literacy and career readiness.

Through the partnership with JA, many BCPS students in Grades 4 and 5 participate in JA BizTown, which combines classroom lessons with a daylong experience in a simulated town. Students, supported by their teachers and volunteers, operate banks, manage restaurants, and vote for mayor. Beginning this school year, BCPS middle school students are experiencing the new JA Finance Park, a simulation where they delve even more deeply into personal finance.

Another aspect of financial literacy education offered by BCPS is the Stock Market Game. Through a partnership with First Financial Federal Credit Union, any BCPS student or school that wants to participate can. Participants receive additional support from the Maryland Council on Economic Education.

Harlem Wizards basketball player encourages BCPS elementary school students to pursue their dreams

Arthur “King Arthur” Lewis of the Harlem Wizards basketball team spoke to Bedford and Featherbed Lane elementary school students at an assembly on January 3. Lewis is from the Baltimore area.

In addtion to demonstrating baskeball tips and tricks, he encouraged the students to pursue their dreams. The visit was coordinated in partnership with the Woodlawn Recreation and Parks Office.

The Harlem Wizards will play the staff of Milford Mill Academy on January 30 in an exhibition game.

Partnership with Towson University yields new student-created podcast episode

Each year, one young woman from each BCPS high school is selected to participate in the Outstanding Young Women's Leadership Program (OYWL) at Towson University. The students are then charged with completing group projects to benefit their schools and communities.

As their project, some OYWL students created a podcast "Mental Health - Let's Talk About It! A podcast by students for students." to raise student awareness about mental health symptoms and warning signs. The podcast also includes personal stories, discussions on coping strategies, and information about available resources in BCPS schools.

"Ravens Sam" encouraged Reisterstown Elementary School students to use their "big voices"

Reisterstown Elementary School welcomed Ravens player Sam Mustipher to the school on December 18. Mustipher, a Reisterstown Elementary School alum, participated in the school's monthly "Conscious Discipline" assembly where he spoke with students about using their "big voices." He gave examples of how he uses his big voice on the football field when protecting the quarterback. He also spoke about the importance of teamwork, noting that the Ravens are a team family just as Reisterstown Elementary is a school family.

"Reisterstown Elementary students eagerly waited to get signatures from Sam on their lunch boxes, shirts, papers, and anything they could find to have a memory from the day," said Principal Candace Brinkley. "Several teachers and staff reminisced about what it was like to have Sam as a student at Reisterstown Elementary, and they were excited to be reunited with him. It was great welcoming Sam back to the place he once called home."

Ravens Sam speaking to Reisterstown Elementary students

Assistant Principal Kaia Stevens, Ravens player Sam Mustipher, and Principal Candace Brinkley

Berkshire Elementary School's partners delivered holiday gifts to students, families

Berkshire Elementary School, like many schools, appreciated the generosity of its partners during the winter holiday season. Community partners – including Dafe Oweh (a Baltimore Ravens player) and The Dafe Oweh Family Fund for Africa, Calvert Hall College, and the Preston Mitchum Foundation – provided gifts for students and their families and even helped deliver them.

The delivery crew: Dafe Oweh (of the Baltimore Ravens and Larisa Miller of DOFFA; Calvert Hall Principal Marc Parsi, band director and band members; and Berkshire Elementary's CARE liaison, assistant principal, principal, and community school facilitator

Berkshire Elementary School Principal Cheryl Brooks and Preston Mitchum Jr. of the Preston Mitchum Jr. Foundation

Baltimore County Circuit Court, volunteer attorneys support high school mock trial teams

From January through March, 10 BCPS high schools are among the 23 local high schools participating in the Baltimore County/Harford County mock trial competition. Participating BCPS high schools are Dulaney, Eastern Technical, Franklin, Milford Mill Academy, New Town, Patapsco, Perry Hall, Pikesville, Woodlawn, and Towson.

Multiple partnerships make this initiative possible. Baltimore County Circuit Court provides judges and courtrooms. Maryland Youth & the Law (MYLAW) coordinates the statewide competition and helps BCPS secure attorney scorers who volunteer their time and expertise. In addition, each high school team has a volunteer attorney coach. Attorneys interested in supporting the program can contact MYLAW or Dani Biancolli, coordinator of BCPS high school social studies (dbiancolli@bcps.org).

"Last year, between 100-120 volunteers were involved in supporting the program," said Biancolli. "The judges often compliment the students for being so well prepared, and the judges and attorney scorers take a great deal of time, post-trial, to give the students feedback. Our students clearly grow in expertise throughout the competitive season; the length of trials grows from an average 45 minutes in January to 1.5 hours in March."

The Eastern Technical High School mock trial team, in early December, won a practice round against Dulaney High School. Eastern Tech's team is led by social studies teacher Brian Desmond and advised by Raquel Flynn, an attorney with Venable LLP and an Eastern Tech graduate. Dulaney High's team is led by mathematics teacher Scott Conwell and advised by Jeffrey Dier, an attorney with the Law Office of Shelton Skolnick.

Cockeysville Middle School students spend a day exploring careers with STEM professionals

Held on National STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Day, Cockeysville Middle School's STEM Day was produced in partnership with the Maryland STEM Festival initiative. On November 8, Cockeysville Middle students spent the day learning from area professionals and participating in hands-on activities.

Presenters included a DNA scientist, a systems engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense, a forensic scientist with Baltimore City Police Department, the director of data science for a video game company, and an architect and principal of technical services projects for Northrop Grumman.

A blog post describes the day's activities and impact.

Students learn about being an architect from Kezia Black.

Students use straws to build structures around Ms. Denton, world languages chair.

Career and technical education programs seek partners and professionals

Across the county, schools at every level are looking for businesses and professionals to support their career and technical education programs. They are looking for career day speakers, competition judges, robotics volunteers, internship mentors, mock interviewers, and more.

A list of what individual schools seek can be found online. To participate, please contact the person listed or contact Alicia Fales, career and technical education supervisor, at afales@bcps.org or 443-809-8921.

January career and technical education show highlights student apprenticeships with BCPS Department of Transportation

The January episode of BCPS-TV's "The CTE Show" highlights the automotive service program at Western School of Technology and Environmental Science and apprenticeship opportunities for students to work in the BCPS Department of Transportation. The magnet automotive service program is also offered at Milford Mill Academy and Sollers Point Technical High School.

A message from Dr. Rogers

Dear Reader:

Earlier this month, I presented a $2.58 billion operating budget proposal for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. The budget reflects the work of the school system to fast forward student achievement and represents a modest $42.3 million increase (2.2 percent) over the current FY 2024 general fund budget.

Highlights from the proposed FY 2025 operating budget include supporting:

Reduced class sizes in Grades 3-5.
Expansion of full-day PreKindergarten programs.
Compensation enhancements for all staff.
Special education Individualized Education Program (IEP) chairpersons in elementary schools.
An elementary math lead teachers pilot.
Additional special education, ESOL, staff development, and special area teachers.
New English Language Learner and secondary English language arts curriculum.
Expansion of community schools.
Virtual academy teachers.
Student safety assistants and additional athletic trainers.

The full FY 2025 proposed budget is posted online, and the Board is scheduled to adopt the budget at its Tuesday, February 27, meeting at 6:30 p.m. This budget then must be approved by the county executive and Baltimore County Council.

To learn more, watch the budget presentation, view the presentation slides, or read "Budget Investments at a Glance" online.

In partnership,

Myriam Rogers, Ed.D.

Superintendent

PTA Council of Baltimore County

Dear Reader:

I was thrilled to be invited by Asia Sweets, a senior community school facilitator, to present to BCPS community school facilitators at their January 18 professional development session. The PTA Council’s “Best Practices” workshop I presented was “The Value of PTAs in Community Schools.” The goal was to help community school facilitators increase parent participation and voice.

I shared the following:

Overview of PTA (national, state, council, local unit) highlighting that National PTA is the oldest and largest child advocacy association in the country and a legislative powerhouse on Capitol Hill.
PTA’s historical achievements include advocating for public school Kindergarten, child labor laws, and the federal school lunch program.
Details on starting, restarting, strengthening, and sustaining a unit.
New PTA units started at BCPS community schools over the past few years.
With its focus on “every child. one voice” (the PTA motto) and supporting the whole child and their family, PTA Council’s long-term advocacy for the community school strategy.
National PTA Standards for Family-School Partnerships and information on the amazing resources (in English and Spanish) of National PTA’s Center for Family Engagement.
The benefits of PTA over “unaffiliated parent groups” – support, training, resources, oversight, comprehensive and reasonable insurance, and member benefits.