Monday, March 11, 2024

The best time to register for PreKindergarten and Kindergarten? Right now!

The 2024-2025 school year will begin in late August, but spring is the best time to enroll children in PreKindergarten and Kindergarten. The "Registration and Enrollment" page of the BCPS website provides helpful instructions. In addition, all BCPS elementary schools will be hosting "round-up" events to provide additional support for parents. For more information, please contact the elementary school your child is zoned to attend.

In honor of Women's History Month, BCPS will present a series of profiles of BCPS alumna succeeding in their professions and making a difference in their communities.

Meet Dana (Poist) Sicko, Dulaney High graduate and founder of Gundalow Designs & Gourmet

 As a teenager seeking a part-time job, Dana (Poist) Sicko remembers making daily phone calls to Sports Her Way, a sports equipment store in The Shops at Kenilworth. Eventually they hired her, and she enjoyed working there for two-and-a-half years.

In September 2022, she returned to The Shops at Kenilworth with her own store – Gundalow Gourmet & Designs – a business that seeks to help its customers with “Simplifying life tastefully,” through catering, gourmet foods, home goods, and interior design. (Gundalow is co-owned by Lauren Schien.) Later this month, Gundalow will expand into the vacant space next door.

Read more in a new blog post.

Celebrating the 2024-2025 BCPS Teacher of the Year nominees

Through the Teacher of the Year program, BCPS hopes to elevate the teaching profession, recognize excellence in teaching, and thank all teachers for their skill, knowledge, creativity, and dedication. Each principal has the opportunity to select a Teacher of the Year nominee. In a new blog post, meet all 171 nominees for 2024-2025.

Shining a spotlight on recent honors

Maryland School Nurse of the Year

Deborah Giangrandi, RN, of Woodlawn Middle School, has been named Maryland School Nurse of the Year by the Maryland Association of School Health Nurses.

2024 Latinx Educator of the Year

Edwin Pérez, a Spanish teacher at Parkville High School, has been honored as the 2024 Latinx Educator of the Year by the Latinx Education Collaborative.

Treasurer, Maryland Association of Student Councils

David Arowolo, a Grade 9 student at Eastern Technical High School, was elected treasurer of the Maryland Association of Student Councils. David is Baltimore County Student Councils' student workshop coordinator.

Member, Mental Health Youth Advisory Committee

Fariza Samadova, a Grade 11 student at Western School of Technology and Environmental Science, is one of only 17 youth leaders nationally named to Creative Visions’ inaugural Mental Health Youth Advisory Committee.

2024 Carson Scholars

Twenty-one BCPS students are among the 570 students nationwide named 2024 Carson Scholars by the Carson Scholars Fund. Each of these students will be awarded a $1,000 college scholarship. The students are recognized for their outstanding academic achievement (at least a 3.75 GPA) and humanitarian qualities.

The BCPS students honored as new scholars for 2024 are:

BCPS Film Expo announces poster contest winners

Blen Asaminew, a Grade 8 student at Catonsville Middle School, and Ajit Thapa Magar, a Grade 11 student at Perry Hall High School, have been named the winners of the 2024 BCPS Film Expo Poster Contest.

The winning posters designed by Asaminew and Thapa Magar will be used to promote the Film Expo, and the student artists will receive printed copies of their posters.

This year, BCPS students and staff could cast votes to select the winning posters. More than 570 votes were cast for the 11 finalist poster designs. The 11 finalist posters were chosen by the Film Expo Committee from among 70 submitted designs.

While the poster contest for the Film Expo has concluded, middle and high school students can submit films to the Film Expo until Friday, April 12.

Poster by Blen Asaminew, Grade 8, Catonsville Middle School

Poster by Ajit Thapa Magar, Grade 11, Perry Hall High School

Tedric Bushrod, Grade 12, Randallstown High School

On February 12, Randallstown High School student Tedric Bushrod planned to have a regular day as a student apprentice at Northwest Hospital. Soon the unexpected happened, causing Tedric to employ his classroom-learned techniques to help save a life and inspire others to do the same.



In a rapid response that escalated into a code, Tedric stepped into action alongside licensed doctors and nurses to save a life. He stood out for his knowledge and teamwork according to ICU Charge Nurse Ashley Nichol, "I witnessed Tedric taking charge, swiftly preparing the ambu bag (Bag-Valve Mask) and independently initiating bagging for the patient," she said.

A new blog post by Habiba Lam, Chesapeake High School senior and BCPS communications apprentice tells more of the story.

March episode of "The CTE Show" focuses on carpentry and construction

The March episode of "The CTE Show" highlights the carpentry and construction program at Owings Mills High School, part of the four-year apprenticeship program with Associated Builders and Contractors. Another segment features Johnson Controls, a partner in the school system's P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) program.

Join us for BCPS Curriculum Nights

Discover more about what students are learning

Team BCPS students, parents, caregivers, and stakeholders are invited to participate in the 2024 BCPS Curriculum Nights. These events are opportunities for families to learn about BCPS curriculum and current system efforts to make improvements in English language arts, mathematics, early childhood education, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), and special education. BCPS staff will also discuss what families can expect to see their children learning in the academic priority areas and will provide tips and resources on how to support students at home. Attendees will have an opportunity to view curricular and instructional materials and ask questions. The March 12 session will be livestreamed on the BCPS-TV YouTube channel.

Participate in upcoming Community Conversations with Superintendent Rogers

BCPS Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers invites the Team BCPS community to discuss a variety of important school system-related topics at upcoming Community Conversations. During the events, Dr. Rogers will share information about key priorities for BCPS, hear from Team BCPS community members, and answer questions. The April 3 session will be livestreamed on the BCPS-TV YouTube channel.

Interpreting services available for Curriculum Nights and Community Conversations

Spanish interpretation will be provided at all sessions. Interpreting services for other languages are also available upon request at no cost to participants. Please contact 443-809-1250 as early as possible to request. 

The Baltimore Ravens invite female student athletes to apply to participate in a one-day leadership conference

Female student athletes in Grades 9, 10, and 11 are invited to apply to participate in The Baltimore Ravens' Ninth Annual Leading and Inspiring Females to Thrive (L.I.F.T.) event. The event will take place from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. on Thursday, April 4, at the Under Armour Performance Center in Owings Mills. At the conference, students will explore how they can harness and develop their leadership skills to succeed on and off the field.

Those interested in participating should submit an online application by Friday, March 22.

Register now for BCPS fine arts summer camps

All BCPS fine arts summer enrichment programs are open to students entering Grades 5-12 in the 2024-2025 school year, except for the visual arts summer program, which will accept students entering Grades 3-12. The deadline for applications is Friday, May 17. Bus transportation is available. Fee waivers are available for students who do not have permanent or adequate housing.

While registration is full for the BCPS summer art and musical theatre camps, space is still available in the following:

Register now for the 2024 BCPS/CCBC College Fair

Cohosted by BCPS and the Community College of Baltimore County, this special event connects BCPS students with a wide range of colleges and universities from across the country. Questions? Email collegefair@ccbcmd.edu. Please register in advance for this free event.

Free transportation will be provided from every BCPS high school. Students will need to turn in a field trip form and are advised to speak to their school counselors for details,

Video explores how parents/caregivers can talk to their children about mental health

The U.S. Administration for Children and Families has created a video to help parents/caregivers "know when and how to talk to [their] children about mental health."

Looking for more ideas and information? Please sign up for the Parent University newsletter! It is designed specifically for parents and caregivers and offers ideas, information, resources, and opportunities.

"Self-Portrait" by John Nguyen, Grade 11, Dundalk High School. Work featured in The 2023 Winter Art Exhibition at THE AVENUE at White Marsh.

To see more artwork by BCPS students, teachers, and other members of the BCPS community, please visit the Office of Visual Arts gallery webpage.

mission moment

from The Education Foundation of BCPS

Save the date to attend Let's Play Ball! 2024 – Saturday, June 1

Mark your calendar for a day of fun! On Saturday, June 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Let’s Play Ball! 2024 will take place at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will include

a skills clinic for BCPS Allied Sports students, a local celebrity Home Run Derby; a softball game pitting Team BCPS administrators against Team BCPS educators; and a Vendor Village.

Let's Play Ball! is hosted by The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, Inc., in partnership with The Baseball Warehouse, LLC, League of Dreams, Inc., and supported by BCPS Allied Sports, Jon Lamb Awards and Engraving, Leveling the Playing Field, Media Star Promotions, and the Ed Reed Foundation.    

Sponsorship and volunteer opportunities are available. Learn more in the latest Mission Moment blog post.

A word from Dr. Rogers

March 11, 2024

Dear Reader:

What are you doing this Tuesday and Thursday evening?

On Tuesday, March 12, from 6-7:30 p.m., we invite you to Woodlawn High School for our first Curriculum Night. Join us to learn more about what we are teaching, to view instructional materials, and to explore our plans to improve learning, especially in English language arts, mathematics, early childhood education, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), and special education. 

Then, on Thursday, March 14, from 6-7 p.m., at Owings Mills High School, we will host our first Community Conversation of the year. This is an opportunity for me to share with you the latest on our priorities and initiatives and for me to hear from you on a wide range of topics.

I hope that you can join us for one or both of these events -- and at upcoming Curriculum Nights and Community Conversations. I look forward to seeing you.

We want to hear your voices, and we value your perspectives.

Regards,

Myriam Rogers, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Upcoming Board and advisory group meetings

All are welcome to attend

Joint meeting of Central and Northwest area education advisory councils

Monday, March 11, at 6 p.m.

Meeting details

Topic: “New Superintendent, New Organizational Structure – Where are we now?”

Southwest Area Education Advisory Council meeting

Monday, March 11, at 7 p.m.

Meeting details

Topic: “Risk Management”

Southeast Area Education Advisory Council meeting

Monday, March 18, at 7 p.m.

Sandy Plains Elementary School library, 8330 Kavanagh Rd., Dundalk 21222

Topic: “Food & Nutrition”

Board of Education meeting

Tuesday, March 19, at 6:30 p.m.

BCPS headquarters/Greenwood – Building E, 6901 N. Charles St., Towson 21204

Information about attending and making public comments at meetings can be found on the Board’s website. 

PTA Council of Baltimore County general meeting

Thursday, March 21

Event details