Monday, December 18, 2023

"The Legacy of Teaching"

Three generations of one family have taught at Holabird Middle School

Despina Garcia, who has taught for 21 years, was inspired to teach by her father's tenure as a teacher at Holabird Middle School. Now she and her son, James Garcia, a second-year teacher, are both continuing her father's legacy at the school.

Promoting composting at Western School of Technology and Environmental Science

In a new blog post, Evelyn Sangree, a student at Western School of Technology and Environmental Science, writes about her research into composting systems in schools and piloting a system at her school with the support of Western Tech's principal, Jewell Ralph, environmental tech teacher Mark Kather, the school's cafeteria staff, the school's Green Club, and student volunteers.

Team BCPS Day is coming! Prepare to wear blue on Thursday, January 11

Soon after winter break, BCPS will invite the entire community to participate in Team BCPS Day, an annual celebration of its schools, students, teachers, staff, volunteers, and supporters.

On Team BCPS Day 2024, Thursday, January 11, all community members are encouraged to wear blue and post photos on social media using the hashtag #BCPSblue. Prizes will be awarded for the best photos.

Faculty, staff, and retirees invited to submit artwork for BCPS Makes Art! exhibition

The BCPS Makes Art! exhibition gives employees of the school system an opportunity and space to display their unique art skills. The art submission form for BCPS Makes Art! is open through Friday, January 12, for all BCPS faculty and staff, including retirees. Further details are provided in the art submission form. 

This year, the BCPS Makes Art! exhibition and reception will be held at the Towson University StarTUp (307 Washington Avenue, Towson 21204). All artwork submitted will be included in the BCPS Makes Art! virtual exhibition. Only selected artwork will be displayed at the Towson University StarTUp. Space is limited, and there will be a random selection process. The art office will notify staff members of selected artworks.

Applications open for the 2024-2025 Baltimore County Student Member of the Board of Education

The Student Member of the Board application for 2024-2025 is now available. The deadline to submit applications is Monday, January 8, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Applications received after the deadline and incomplete applications will not be considered. Students are advised to carefully review the application instructions and timeline as well as the Student Member of the Board position description and frequently asked questions before applying. Only BCPS students who are current sophomores or juniors and have a principal nomination are eligible to apply.

Reminisce with us as #BCPSWrapped kicks off on Monday, December 18!

Beginning on Monday, December 18, the BCPS community is invited to share highlights and memories of 2023 using #BCPSWrapped on social media.

Follow along with us on Facebook, X/Twitter, and Instagram as we take a walk down memory lane.

The #BCPSWrapped campaign will conclude as we count down to the new year with the Top 5 BCPS blog posts of 2023, beginning on December 27!

Calendar notes!

Friday, December 22 – Half day asynchronous learning for all students. Students will not report to school buildings. Schools and offices close 3 hours early, and winter break begins at the end of the half day.

Tuesday, January 2 – Schools and offices reopen.

special education corner

Parents/caregivers – please join us for Family Support Wednesdays

Focused on families with young children with developmental delays

Every Wednesday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., the BCPS Department of Special Education welcomes families to participate in Family Support Wednesdays. These Google Meet sessions are an opportunity to find support, connection, and information designed for just parents of young children (birth to age 5) with developmental delays. On the last Wednesday of each month, a special session will be held from 2-2:45 p.m. specifically for caregivers of micro-preemies and children with special health care needs.

Please share feedback on the BCPS and Title I Systemwide Engagement Plan.

Family engagement is an important touchstone for BCPS. Please review the BCPS and Title I Systemwide Family Engagement Plan and then share your feedback through an online survey.  

Here for It – Attendance campaign tip of the week

While attendance at schools may be hard to maintain throughout the year, during the cold, winter months, attendance rates drop even more than usual. There seem to be even more barriers to getting to school on time in the winter such as the weather, holiday plans, and sickness. However, even during the winter months, active learning and instruction is still happening in classrooms, and it is important for students to be present at school.

Here are some tips on how to keep up good attendance even in the upcoming, winter months:

• Have a back-up plan for getting to school. 

• Do your best to keep your child healthy. Dress your child warmly in the cold weather, and encourage your child to wash their hands regularly. 

• Learn your school's policy on how sick is too sick to send your child to school. Certain symptoms, such as fever, are reasons to keep your child at home.

• Ensure that your child goes to bed at a reasonable time. Sometimes during the holiday season, students stay up later even on school nights to participate in celebrations. Prioritize a way for your child to go to bed at a reasonable time so that they can make it to school on time the next day. 

Second quarter reminders and resources for families

As we work to increase achievement for all students by providing a variety of pathways to prepare students for college and careers, students who require additional learning at the end of the 2023-2024 school year will need to attend a summer program to help them be successful in the next grade level. Additional information about summer program offerings will be shared with students and families throughout the school year.  

Below are some resources and supports that you and your child should consider accessing throughout the next three marking periods to maximize academic success. Please contact your child's school for a comprehensive list of supports.

• Set up daily or weekly “Parent Digest” notifications from Schoology to monitor your child’s activity in each class. 

• All students and families can access Amira practice for additional opportunities to practice foundational skills.

• The Extended Day Learning Program (EDLP) is a part-time program providing BCPS high school students access to more than 20 BCPS high school courses using the FlexBlend instructional model for credit recovery or advancement. The program meets on campus at one of five centralized locations outside of the traditional school day.

English Language Arts courses available through EDLP include English 9, English 10, English 11, and English 12 BCPS students should contact their school counselor to facilitate co-enrollment in the EDLP. Co-enrolled students and their parents participate immediately in the EDLP virtual orientation to get started. A recommendation is required, but there is no further approval needed unless the student has a 504 or Individualized Education Program.

Save the date for upcoming information sessions on federal student aid for college

BCPS is partnering with the Community College of Baltimore County to offer four opportunities for families to receive information and support about completing the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 

Please RSVP online.

The sessions, all from 6-8 p.m., are scheduled for:

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.

"Snow" by Brayden Simonaitis, Kindergarten, Vincent Farm Elementary 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

2023 | A Year in Review

The latest Mission Moment blog post reviews The Education Foundation's accomplishments in 2023 in fundraising, programs, and advocacy. This includes:

• Hosting three major fundraising events.
• Awarding $30,000 in 21st Century Instructional Initiative grants.
• Awarding $6,000 in Putting Students First grants from the First Financial Federal Credit Union.
• Awarding $21,000 in Team BCPS Clean Green 15: Litter Challenge grants in partnership with Baltimore County government.
• Earning an $80,000 grant from the Baltimore Community Foundation to improve literacy and culture at four community schools.
• Awarding 10 inaugural Little Free Library Read in Color grants.
• Presenting more than $30,000 worth of scholarships to Class of 2023 graduates.
• Serving more than 4,000 educators and 100,000 students through the Exchangeree educator resource centers.

A word from Dr. Rogers (Yarbrough)

December 18, 2023

Dear Reader:

This is the last issue of the BCPS newsletter for 2023.

I want to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a healthy and happy winter break and to thank you for contributing to BCPS successes.

As I have shared, we have a comprehensive strategy for student success that is centered on increasing achievement for all students and providing a variety of pathways to prepare students for college and careers. We have implemented targeted resources and supports for school leadership teams to help them understand and interpret assessment results and refine their improvement plans. We recently reviewed data from the first quarter and are encouraged by the results and by the continued commitment of our school administrators, teachers, and staff to do the necessary work to reverse the trend of declining academic performance.

We have so much to look forward to in 2024!

In partnership,

Myriam Rogers, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Upcoming advisory group and boundary study meetings

All are welcome to attend

Central Area Elementary School Capacity Relief Boundary Study committee meeting

Thursday, January 4, from 6-8:30 p.m. (Snow date: Friday, January 5, from 6-8:30 p.m.)

George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology cafeteria, 938 York Rd., Towson 21204

Study webpage

The Superintendent's FY 2025 Budget Proposal presentation

Monday, January 8, at 9 a.m.

George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology, 938 York Rd., Towson 21204. The presentation will be live-streamed on the BCPS YouTube channel.

Northwest Area Education Advisory Council meeting

Monday, January 8, at 6 p.m.

Meeting details

Topic: “A Community Partner Panel for Bilingual Families”

Southwest Area Education Advisory Council meeting

Monday, January 8, at 7 p.m.

Meeting details

Topic: "AP vs. Honors, SAT vs. CAT, Sports vs. Clubs"

Central Area Education Advisory Committee meeting

Wednesday, January 17, at 7 p.m.

Meeting details

Topic: “Facilities Planning, MYIPAS (Multi-Year Improvement Plan for All Schools), and other issues regarding repairing and updating our schools”

Be on the lookout for the next issue of the newsletter on Tuesday, January 2, 2024!