• Berry Elementary School held its annual Veterans Day celebration on Monday, Nov. 10. The Westlake High School Junior Reserve Officers Training Corp (JROTC) participated in a student assembly and Berry was presented an American flag that flew over a military base in Afghanistan. Active duty and retired military personnel also visited classrooms and talked to students about their jobs, what Veterans Day is about and what it is like to serve in the military. The Capital Flyer, an Andrews Air Force Base newspaper, also featured an article last week about the Veterans Day celebration held at Berry.
• Students at Malcolm Elementary School participated in the annual "Mix it Up at Lunch" day on Thursday, Nov. 13. This national event encourages students to make new friends during lunch time by sitting at different lunch tables. Students at Malcolm were given a piece of paper with a symbol on it, and lunch tables were labeled with these symbols. To prepare for this event, Malcolm guidance counselor Pamela Jenkins spoke with classes about tolerance and respecting differences. The event was sponsored by the school's peer mediation program.
• Students and staff at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School celebrated American Freedom Day on Friday, Nov. 14. A schoolwide assembly was held and the Westlake High School JROTC participated. Additionally, students sang patriotic songs and presented family members in attendance with cards and certificates of appreciation.
• Roy Hale, the La Plata town mayor, visited fourth-grade students at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School, on Thursday, Nov. 6. Hale spoke to students about his job and how local government functions. His visit was scheduled to prepare the students for a unit on local government. Hale also answered student questions about his educational background and training.
• Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School celebrated American Freedom Day on Wednesday, Nov. 12. The theme for the event was caring and the students discussed respect and caring for fellow classmates, as well as for soldiers serving in other countries. Students then gave thanks to military personnel by yelling "thank you" in hopes that their thanks would be heard.
• Students and staff at Dr. Gustavus Brown Elementary School celebrated American Freedom Week Nov. 10-14. Students and teachers brought in photographs of relatives who served in the armed forces. The photos were used to create a display in the main lobby of the school. To celebrate American Freedom Day, students at Brown dressed in red, white and blue clothing Nov. 14 and gathered outside for a presentation of colors and the pledge of allegiance from the Maurice J. McDonough High School JROTC. Brown Principal Marvin Jones also led students in singing the school's song.

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Patricia Vaira, Title IX Coordinator and Section 504 Coordinator (students), or Keith Hettel, Section 504 Coordinator (employees/adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, Maryland 20646; (301) 932-6610/870-3814. For special accommodations call (301) 934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.