Lansdowne Middle School receives new STEM Center from Ripken and Exelon foundations | |
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Last Thursday, leaders of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and Exelon Foundation joined with Lansdowne Middle School Principal Ryan Warfel, and other BCPS and community leaders to celebrate the opening of a new STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) Center at the school.
Through a three-year, $3 million project, the Ripken and Exelon foundations will open 81 STEM Centers in six cities, with seven STEM Centers opening in Baltimore this year. The center at Lansdowne Middle is the first of these 81 centers. This opening also marks the 500th STEM Center sponsored by the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, spanning 23 states and serving more than 190,000 youth.
Following an assembly featuring remarks from Major League Baseball Hall-of-Famer Cal Ripken, Jr., and Exelon President and CEO Calvin Butler, Lansdowne Middle students enjoyed STEM demonstrations and exploring the new center.
Each STEM Center receives technology and furniture; customizable tool kits with hands-on games and activities; STEM curricula and educator training; ongoing program and technical support; and the opportunity to participate in the Ripken Foundation National STEM Challenge.
More photos of the event and the new center can be found on Flickr.
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Watch the Champions for Children Celebration live this Thursday, April 18
Join us in celebrating schoolhouse champions and all-star school supporters
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The BCPS Champions for Children Celebration gala will be held this Thursday, April 18 at 4 p.m.! Tune in live as we name the 2024-2025 BCPS Teacher of the Year, Principal of the Year, and Assistant Principal of the Year.
In addition to these schoolhouse champions, the event will also celebrate a variety of other all-star school supporters, including a "Rising Star" Teacher of the Year, Supervisory Leader of the Year, Supporting Services Employee of the Year, Community School Facilitator of the Year, Transportation Champion, AFSCME Employee of the Year, Volunteer Champion, and Business Partner Champion. More information is available in a BCPS news release.
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Families can apply now to participate in BCPS Online Learning Program during 2024-2025 school year | |
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The BCPS Online Learning Program provides a full-time educational environment for students in Grades 4-12. The program offers a full day of synchronous instruction taught by certified BCPS teachers and fulfills school system requirements for promotion and graduation.
The application for the 2024-2025 BCPS Online Learning Program is available on the Department of Academic Programs and Options (DAPO) website. Applications must be submitted by 1 p.m. on May 3. Students must be entering Grades 4-12 in the 2024-2025 school year. Current Virtual Learning Program students do NOT need to re-apply.
Enrollment in the BCPS Online Learning Program is limited to students eligible for enrollment in BCPS as defined in Board of Education Policy and Superintendent’s Rule 5150. All applicants are selected for placement through a centralized random lottery process. More information, including a brochure, can be found on online.
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BCPS music education program lauded for 19th consecutive year | |
BCPS has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education.
“The continued recognition of excellence in our BCPS music program is a testament to the incredible music educators in our district and the power of music education to foster community and belonging,” said Sherri Fisher, BCPS director of Career and Technical Education and Fine Arts. “This award represents the continued hard work, collaboration, dedication, and creativity of students, families, teachers, and school system and community leaders. I am grateful to the staff in the Office of Performing Arts.”
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Recent honors for Team BCPS staff and students | |
The American Academy of Chefs has selected Lisa Tomecek, culinary arts instructor at Western School of Technology, to receive its 2024 Joseph Amendola Award. The award will be presented to Tomecek during the American Academy of Chefs National Convention in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, July 16. The honor is named after Joseph Amendola, an ice sculptor and pastry chef renowned for mentoring future pastry chefs. | |
At this year's National Art Education Association Convention, Towson High School senior Ray Aoki received the Rising Stars Secondary Recognition Program Award. Grace Harrison, a student teacher at Towson High, received the Eastern Region Pre-Service Art Educator of the Year Award. Pictured above: Aoki, Harrison, Lizzie Deveraux from the Maryland State Department of Education, and Towson High Visual Art Department Chair Lindsay Miller. | |
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Celebrating the Class of 2024 with graduating senior profiles
In honor of the Class of 2024, BCPS is profiling one senior from each high school. A new profile will be highlighted on the website and social media each school day until Friday, May 24, the last day for seniors. These profiles highlight the strengths of our seniors and their diversity. Last week, the series began with profiles of these two students.
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Leah Duffy, Woodlawn High School
This future journalist, participated in Woodlawn's Early College Program and will graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate degree. The student government president also participated in the Outstanding Young Women Leaders program.
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Evan Wasser, Catonsville High School
While in high school, this aspiring Army officer interned with the National Security Agency and founded the UpCycle Engineering through Bicycles Club that enables students to repair donated bikes and gives the bikes to students who cannot afford them.
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Beyond BCPS: Michael Raphael, Milford Mill graduate and founder of Direct Dimensions, Inc. | |
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Founded almost 30 years ago by Milford Mill High School (now Milford Mill Academy) graduate Michael Raphael, the Owings Mills-based company Direct Dimensions uses 3D scanning and imaging in manufacturing, to solve production problems and “reverse engineer” old parts; in the art world, for historical preservation and making reproductions; in the film industry, to scan actors, props, and sets for films as the basis for computer-generated imagery (CGI); and in architecture, to render accurate floorplans of buildings and to document structural elements.
Raphael says that "Milford was fantastic preparation." In addition to his studies, he worked behind the stage on school theatrical productions, worked on the yearbook, joined the ski club, participated in student government, and helped start a male cheerleading squad.
Now, as a business leader, Raphael and his company are involved in the P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School program at Owings Mills High School. A Mission Moment blog post recounts his educational and career journey.
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Beyond BCPS is an occasional series about BCPS graduates, what they are doing now, and how the school system prepared them for success. Please send story ideas to communications@bcps.org.
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This summer, the BCPS Office of Food and Nutrition Services will once again offer free breakfasts and lunches to Baltimore County children through the Summer Food Service Program.
BCPS is seeking athletic programs, academic groups, music groups, church programs, summer camps, and more interested in registering as Summer Food Service Program sites. There is no cost for participation.
The program serves free meals from June 20 - August 16 to children from 2-18 years of age. Please register online. For more information, please visit the BCPS Summer Food Service Program website or contact BCPS at SFSP@bcps.org or 443-809-7855.
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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 host "round-up" events to provide additional support for parents. For more information, please contact the elementary school your child is zoned to attend.
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Discover more about what students are learning
Join us for the next BCPS Curriculum Night
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Spanish interpretation will be provided. 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. | |
for parents
from BCPS Parent University
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Parents, guardians of students receiving special education services encouraged to complete annual state survey
The Maryland State Department of Education conducts an annual survey aimed at gathering feedback from parents about their children's school and the level of involvement they have in their education. The survey is open to all parents and is intended to help improve the quality of special education services. Surveys were mailed to families on February 12 and can be submitted either online or via mail. The deadline for submitting the survey is Friday, May 24.
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for your viewing pleasure | |
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mission moment
from The Education Foundation of BCPS
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Sign up today to volunteer at Let's Play Ball! 2024 | |
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Let's Play Ball! 2024 is coming up soon -- on Saturday, June 4, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology. The day will include a skills clinic for middle and high school students participating in Allied Sports, a local celebrity home run derby, a softball game between BCPS administrators and educators, a vendor village, and much, much more. Volunteers are needed to help!
Please register to volunteer today! Registered volunteers will be invited to a meet and greet on the evening of Tuesday, May 21 to network with other volunteers, learn more about their roles, and pick up their T-shirts.
In addition, The Education Foundation seeks mascots, cheerleaders, and marching bands to add to the day's festivities. And finally, players can still register for the administrators and educators teams.
A new Mission Moment blog post offers more details.
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April 15, 2024
Dear Reader:
County Executive Johnny Olszewski has demonstrated once again that he is a true champion of education.
Last Thursday, the County Executive submitted a Fiscal Year 2025 operating budget proposal to the County Council that includes nearly $2.6 billion for BCPS. His request fully funds the $2.58 billion request that was submitted by the Board of Education in February 2024. This includes funding for:
- Step increases and a cost-of-living adjustment for all BCPS employees.
- Major ongoing school construction projects, including new buildings for Lansdowne and Dulaney high schools and Scotts Branch Elementary School; major renovations to create a "like-new" Towson High School; a new career and technology education center; needed additions to Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts; and meaningful overcrowding solutions in the county's southeast and northeast regions.
- Additional educators in English language arts, mathematics, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), special education, and early childhood education.
Above and beyond the BCPS base request, the County Executive's budget funds:
- Raising the starting salary for educators to $60,000 — fulfilling the county’s obligation to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future — two years ahead of schedule.
- Additional bus drivers and teachers in response to anticipated growth in Kindergarten and multilingual learner populations.
- Expanding high school student access to college courses at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) for students who are not yet college and career ready.
The County Executive's budget proposal represents $41 million above state required Maintenance of Effort, and it will help BCPS fast forward student achievement and build a world-class school system.
We deeply appreciate the County Executive's longstanding commitment to BCPS and his recognition that investing in our students, staff, families, and school system is critically important to a thriving Baltimore County now and into the future.
We look forward to working with the County Council to move this budget request across the finish line and continue our work to build an innovative and collaborative learning community where all students excel and reach their highest potential.
Regards,
Myriam Rogers, Ed.D.
Superintendent
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Upcoming Board and advisory group meetings
All are welcome to attend
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Southeast Area Education Advisory Council meeting
Monday, April 15, at 7 p.m.
Deep Creek Middle School library, 1000 S. Marlyn Ave., Baltimore 21221
Topic: “Gangs and Gang-Related Activities”
Board of Education meeting
Tuesday, April 16, 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.
Community meeting about Towson High School capital improvement project
Wednesday, April 24, at 7 p.m.
Towson High School, auditorium, 69 Cedar Ave., Towson 21286
The design team working on the Towson High School capital improvement project will provide updates on the project design and overall schedule. After the presentation, there will be an opportunity for Q&A.
PTA General Meeting, Council Elections
Thursday, April 25
Meeting details
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