CCPS Press Releases - Press Releases

Department of Health offers free H1N1 vaccinations for students

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:38:00-0500

The Department of Health and Charles County Public Schools are partnering to offer two free H1N1 vaccination clinics for school-aged children ages 3-19. H1N1 vaccination clinics will be held 3-7 p.m., Nov. 30, at Westlake High School in Waldorf, and 3-7 p.m., Dec. 7, at La Plata High School. An adult must accompany children under the age of 18. The Department of Health is offering a number of vaccination clinics. For times and locations of other clinics, visit the Department of Health Web site at www.charlescountyhealth.org. Call the Department of Health at 301-609-6900 with questions.

Communications staff earns top school public relations awards

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:31:00-0500

Charles County Public Schools communications staff received 10 awards through the Chesapeake Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association's 2009 Communications Contest (CHESPRA). Awards received include the Award of Excellence for a video featuring the Save the Bay STEM field trip; the Charles County Public Schools Web site design; and a podcast featuring the television show "On Air." The 2008-09 Parent Handbook/Calendar, the "News to Know" community newsletter, videos featuring the school system's PBIS efforts and the Safe Teen Driving program, the C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School Web site design and a podcast featuring the television show "NewsBreak 96" received the Award of Merit. A video highlighting teacher recruitment received an Honorable Mention award. All entries were produced by the school system's communications department during the 2008-09 school year. The communications department consists of Katie O'Malley-Simpson, coordinator of media relations and communications; Steven Sprouse, digital communications specialist; Shelley Buter, communications project developer; and Kyle Graves, video production specialist. For more information on CHESPRA, visit www.chespra.org.

U.S. Secretary of Education, State Superintendent visit Barnhart

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:29:00-0500

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told Charles County educators and community partners he believes every elementary school in the nation needs an early childhood program like the Judy Center.

During a press conference following a tour of the Judy Center and early childhood program at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School, Duncan said early childhood education is the ticket to get out of the catch-up game. "To see this whole community come together makes me hopeful. It's what we do collectively that makes a real difference for kids," Duncan said.

On Nov. 16, Duncan joined Congressman Steny Hoyer and State Superintendent of Schools Nancy Grasmick at Barnhart to discuss the importance of early learning and full-service community schools. Barnhart is one of three elementary schools in Charles County with a successful Judy Center, which provides comprehensive services for Title I school children from birth through kindergarten and their families.

The visit highlighted the need to expand full-service community schools across the nation and to reach more children. Hoyer, along with Sen. Ben Nelson, recently introduced the Full-Service Community Schools Act of 2009. The bill would provide $200 million per year for five years to fund grants for local partnerships between school districts and community-based organizations, which is the Judy Center model.

Judy Centers were established with a $7 million grant in 2000 through Senate bill 793 to provide comprehensive services such as career counseling for parents, health services, nutrition services and early childhood education in order to give children a full support network to help them succeed.

Hoyer lamented that the only reason there are not Judy Centers in every elementary school in Maryland is because of funding. The full-service bill, he said, would fund high quality, centralized services in more schools like Barnhart. "When we centralize services, we magnify their effectiveness and accessibility. Judy Centers help provide a real connection between schools and their neighborhoods," Hoyer said.

Included in the tour were visits to a kindergarten physical education class and computer lab, kindergarten tutoring, a behavioral health lesson in Good Choice/Bad Choice, a prekindergarten physical activity and a three-year-old cooking activity with parents. All the programs blend the services of the Judy Center with the regular school program. Officials also spoke with community partners such as the Department of Health, the Charles County Public Library, county agencies and businesses who provide support to children and families through the Judy Center.

Judy Centers are named for Judith P. Hoyer, Congressman's Hoyer's late wife and an early childhood advocate and former Supervisor of Early Childhood Education for Prince George's County. Charles County Judy Centers are considered models of the full-service schools success. The first Judy Center in Charles County Public Schools was established at Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School in 2001, and was expanded to include Eva Turner Elementary School in 2002 and Barnhart in 2004.

Mattawoman counselor named State Counselor of the Year

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:25:00-0500

Stephanie Goldstein, a school counselor at Mattawoman Middle School, was recently selected as the Maryland Middle School Counselor of the Year by the Maryland School Counselor Association (MSCA). The award recognizes school counselors for outstanding achievement and service to students and for providing leadership in the development of existing and future counseling services.

Goldstein was selected for her participation in workshops for school system administrators and Board of Education members, for serving as a mentor for new school counselors, for helping initiate a comprehensive career guidance program and conflict-resolution activities and for new processes to entice students to initiate conferences.

"My nomination and selection for this award came as a great surprise. It is an honor to receive such as prestigious award. I am grateful that Charles County Public Schools has provided me with the resources and tools needed to excel in my endeavors and has given me the opportunity to grow as a professional school counselor," Goldstein said.

This is Goldstein's first year at Mattawoman. She was hired at Piccowaxen Middle School in 2006, where she was recognized as the school's exemplary employee before the Board of Education this past March. She will be recognized for her contributions to school counseling, and as the state middle school counselor of the year, during MSCA's fall conference Nov. 20.

Goldstein received a bachelor's of science degree in psychology from Mount St. Mary's College in 2002 and completed her master's degree in school counseling in 2005 at Wilmington College in Delaware. She was nominated for the award by Jeanette Kaufman, supervising school counselor for Charles County Public Schools.

"We have many wonderful counselors who deserve recognition. In this particular instance, Stephanie stood out for us because she has been a strong advocate for school counseling through her presentations at the summer Administrative Leadership Workshop, board presentations and other projects that educated the public beyond her own school community," Kaufman said.

Nominees must have at least three years of school counseling experience, a master's degree in guidance and counseling, and must be certified as a school counselor by the State of Maryland. Nominees must also have been responsible for providing leadership in counseling services and outstanding service to the school community.

For more information on the MSCA, visit their Web site at www.mdschoolcounselors.com.

Gale-Bailey students learn leadership through character workshop

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:22:00-0500

A group of 30 third- and fourth-grade students at Gale-Bailey Elementary School are preparing themselves for a bright and successful future, one community-based project at a time. These students participated in the Leaders for the Future workshop, held the week of Nov. 2 at the school, which focuses on student development of innate leadership skills and positive character traits.

The two-day workshop was presented by John Jay Bonstingl, founder of Bonstingl Leadership Development, and students were separated into teams to work together on creating school-based community projects to better school climate and atmosphere. Through the project, students learned to work together as team, developed leadership skills and character traits, learned what their strengths were and used problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

Gale-Bailey Principal Carrie Richardson said the goal of the workshop is to help students recognize positive character skills and work together to realize their leadership potential. "We selected a good group of students to participate. These are students that don't always necessarily volunteer to serve as leaders that need a gentle push to come out of their shells," she said.

Each of the six groups selected a different project of focus. One student team concentrated on how to provide more games for students at recess. Another team researched what it would take for the school to host a community cleanup. All teams were given an opportunity to present their projects to Richardson, who would ultimately decide which project would best benefit the school overall; however, each project will be introduced to all students for participation.

"The goal is for these students to serve as leaders for their peers and model good character traits for others," Richardson said. Students were also asked to create a weekly leader log in which they select a positive character trait to demonstrate, which will also be implemented schoolwide.

A grant from State Farm Insurance provided funding for the workshop at Gale-Bailey, and for an additional three schools in Calvert and St. Mary's counties. Additionally, Reaching Out Now, a Southern Maryland non-profit organization that serves children in Charles County, donated all of the workshop supplies.

For more information on educational programs offered by Bonstingl Leadership Development, visit www.bonstingl.com.

School system staff honored by Jaycees for work with children

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:18:00-0500

Three Charles County Public Schools staff members, Milton M. Somers Middle School art teacher Rick Ivanac, William A. Diggs Elementary School special education teacher Patricia Stokes and Westlake High School juvenile resource officer Paul Anderson were honored Oct. 28 with Greater Waldorf Jaycees Distinguished Service Awards.

Ivanac received the award in the education category. He was nominated for the award by Somers Principal Stephanie Wesolowski and has been teaching at Somers since 2001. He was nominated for creating a positive learning environment, establishing communication with parents, students and community partners and for his enthusiasm toward education.

"It is evident to anyone who has the privilege to know him that he has a sincere passion for the educational profession and a sincere interest in and concern for students. He is always willing to come with creative lessons that prove to be interesting and educationally effective. He will certainly represent the attributes of an exemplary educator," Wesolowski said in a nomination letter.

Stokes received the award in the special education category. She was nominated for the award by staff members and administration at Diggs, where she has been teaching since 2006. Stokes has also worked at Indian Head and Berry elementary schools and at the F.B. Gwynn Educational Center.

She was nominated for the award for her positive attitude and for challenging her students to achieve success. "I have worked with her for the past 8 years and have observed first hand her depth of knowledge, her care, concern and willingness to share her extensive knowledge with her peers. She continues to offer extra time before and after school in order to accommodate all students not just those on her caseload," Laura Niggles, a kindergarten teacher at Diggs, wrote in a nomination letter.

Anderson received the award for county law enforcement. He was nominated for the award by the Westlake administrative team and has been assigned as the school's resource officer since 2004.

Anderson was nominated for the award for his positive mannerism and impact on the school and its community, and for being dependable and approachable. "Parents, students, teacher and administrators depend on Officer Anderson on a daily basis. He is a key member of Westlake High School and the community and has earned the respect of students, community and staff and is deserving of this recognition," Westlake Vice Principal Lori Gibson wrote in a nomination letter.

The awards recognize those who provide outstanding contributions and service to the community in their respective fields. All three award winners received a crystal trophy and nominees were given a plaque.

Other nominees included Van Connor, pupil personnel worker, General Smallwood Middle School; Laura Liverman, technology facilitator, T.C. Martin Elementary School; Shirley Turner, teacher, Arthur Middleton Elementary School; Gary Winsett, social studies teacher, Thomas Stone High School; and Barbara Staebler, school psychologist at Eva Turner Elementary School.

Richmond named Relay for Life Superintendent of the Year

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:16:00-0500

Superintendent of School James E. Richmond was presented with the 2008-09 Relay for Life Superintendent of the Year award on Tuesday, Nov. 10 during the Board of Education%u219s monthly meeting.

Charles County Public Schools students and staff raised more than $133,331 for the American Cancer Society last school year. Richmond also accepted two additional awards from Cristina Vandroff, events chairperson for Relay for Life of Charles County, for the system%u219s 100 percent participation and outstanding school involvement.

The top three schools were Dr. James Craik Elementary School, Westlake High School, and C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School.

There are 25 relays in the national capital area region that includes Northern Virginia, the District of Columbia, Montgomery, Prince George%u219s and Charles counties. Charles County is the only region in the area with 100 percent participation. Richmond was chosen for the superintendent of the year award by a local Relay for Life committee.

For more information on Relay for Life, visit http://www.relayforlife.org/relay/relaymap.

School system sponsors scholarship workshop

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:51:00-0500

Charles County Public Schools is sponsoring "The Scholarship Workshop," a two-hour, interactive session hosted by author Marianne Ragins, on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at North Point High School. The workshop is designed to help students successfully complete the college scholarship search and application process. Ragins is a one-time recipient of more than $400,000 in scholarship offers and author of "Winning Scholarships for College" and "College Survival & Success Skills 101." The workshop will cover the following:

Resources to use to find scholarship opportunities;
Easy guidelines for writing scholarship-winning essays with examples;
Helpful tips on using the Internet to research scholarships;
An inside look at obtaining positive recommendations;
Helpful tips on how to stand out against other scholarship applicants;
Ways to highlight your personality and achievements during interviews; and
Last-minute strategies helpful in obtaining funds for college.

The seminar is free-of-charge and is open to county high school students, parents and guardians. Space is limited to the first 450 participants in attendance and reservations are required. Visit http://www2.ccboe.com/instruction/scholarshipworkshop.cfm to register. Students who attend are eligible for the Ragins/Braswell National Scholarship. For more information on the scholarship and workshop, visit www.scholarshipworkshop.com. As a high school senior, Ragins applied for and received more than $400,000 in scholarship funds for college. She launched "The Scholarship Workshop" to present her experiences and help others in the college scholarship search process. Ragins has been featured in publications such as USA Today, People, Ebony and Newsweek and also made appearances on shows such as "Good Morning America" to speak about her experiences and the workshop. Ragins received a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Florida A & M University and a master of business administration degree from George Washington University. Both of Ragins' degrees were obtained with scholarship funds. She is the founder and president of The "Scholarship Workshop" and sponsor of the Ragins/Braswell National Scholarship. She is the author of "Winning Scholarships for College," "10 Steps for Using the Internet in Your Scholarship Search," and "The Scholarship and College Essay Planning Kit." For more information on registration, call 301-934-7309.

Secretary of Education visits Barnhart, Judy Center

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:00:00-0500

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Congressman Steny Hoyer and Maryland State Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick are visiting C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School today to discuss the importance of early learning and full-service community schools. Barnhart is one of three elementary schools in Charles County with a successful Judy Center, which provides comprehensive services for Title I school children from birth through kindergarten and their families. The visit highlights the need to expand full-service community schools across the nation and to reach more children. Hoyer, along with Sen. Ben Nelson, recently introduced the Full-Service Community Schools Act of 2009. The bill would provide $200 million per year for five years to fund grants for local partnerships between school districts and community-based organizations, which is the Judy Center model. Judy Centers were established with a $7 million grant in 2000 through Senate bill 793 to provide comprehensive services such as career counseling for parents, health services, nutrition services and early childhood education in order to give children a full support network to help them succeed. Duncan, Hoyer and Grasmick will tour Barnhart with Charles County Public Schools officials to view the services offered through the Judy Center to students. Included in the tour are visits to a kindergarten physical education class and computer lab, kindergarten tutoring, a behavioral health lesson in Good Choice/Bad Choice, a prekindergarten physical activity and a three-year-old cooking activity with parents. All the programs blend the services of the Judy Center with the regular school program. The national officials will also speak with community partners such as the Department of Health, the Charles County Public Library, county agencies and businesses who provide support to children and families through the Judy Center. Judy Centers are named for Judith P. Hoyer, Congressman's Hoyer's late wife and an early childhood advocate and former Supervisor of Early Childhood Education for Prince George's County. Charles County Judy Centers are considered models of the full-service schools success. The first Judy Center in Charles County Public Schools was established at Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School in 2001, and was expanded to include Eva Turner Elementary School in 2002 and Barnhart in 2004. Some of the programs the Judy Centers offer for children and their families include: tutoring for three-year-olds, prekindergarten and kindergarten children; parent and provider workshops; childcare tuition assistance; dental services; vision and hearing screenings; behavior management; family field trips; monthly story time at Border's Books; English/Spanish story time; family nights and more. The Charles County Judy Centers work with 31 community partners to provide services.

County cheerleading teams advance to regional, state competitions

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:02:00-0500

Two Charles County Public Schools varsity cheerleading teams have a chance to compete at the state level as winners in the county competition held Oct. 31 at North Point High School. The team from North Point received first place and La Plata High School won second place. Both teams will compete in the southern regional competition Nov. 10 against teams from Anne Arundel, Howard and St. Mary's counties for one of four spots at the state competition. The southern regional competition is 7 p.m. at North Point, and the state event is Nov. 14, 3 p.m., at North Point. The top four teams from both the southern and northern regions will compete in the state competition. The northern region includes Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick and Harford counties. Other Charles County public high school teams placed at the county competition. At the junior varsity level, La Plata won first place and Thomas Stone High School earned second place. A team from North Point also won first place in the freshman-level competition. The competitions are sponsored by the Maryland High School Cheerleading Association.

Students see STEM in action at Youth Technology Summit

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:08:00-0500

More than 470 Charles County public middle and high school students boarded a school bus Oct. 31 to learn more about careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields at the second annual Southern Maryland Youth Technology Summit, held at the College of Southern Maryland. Presenters spoke to students about STEM careers, and discussed internship and scholarship opportunities. The event also featured hands-on activities for students, such as flight simulation and remote control robots, and afternoon workshop sessions for participants to learn about rocketry, robotics, the college application process and the Maryland Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) program. Monique Varlas, instructional specialist for STEM programs, said Charles County Public Schools became involved in the event to highlight the system's commitment to exposing students to all career possibilities. "There is a large base of private and public sectors that need our students to be informed and excited about STEM careers," Varlas said. The school system also provided an attendance incentive for students to foster participation. An attendance contest among middle and high school students was held, and the school with the highest number of students in attendance will be rewarded with additional funds for school materials. Additionally, nine CCPS teachers were invited to make STEM-related presentations during the workshop sessions and provided hands-on activities for participants. Participants also had the opportunity to learn about STEM college programs available in Southern Maryland. "There were sessions on college programs that our students can participate and earn degrees in without ever leaving Southern Maryland," Varlas said. The event was open to students and community members in the tri-county area, and featured presenters from the Energetics Technology Center, U.S. Navy Naval Air Command, the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Stump Neck Division, the Sheet Metal Workers, Local 100, the National Security Agency, Mirant Mid Atlantic, LLC, the College of Southern Maryland, the Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin.

County FEA students recognized, inducted at ceremony

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:02:00-0500

participation in the Future Educators Association (FEA) during an induction ceremony held Wednesday, Oct. 28, at Thomas Stone High School. Each Charles County Public middle and high school has an FEA chapter for students in grades 6 - 12 who are interested in becoming educators. Student members are asked to pledge to serve as role models for their participation in FEA by promoting a positive attitude toward education to enhance the quality of educational programs. Ashleigh Ingram, an FEA member and senior at Maurice J. McDonough High School, welcomed student members to the ceremony and Jenae Perkins, Westlake High School senior and FEA member, spoke about the purpose and focus of the organization. Samantha Shelton, Charles County's 2009 Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher award recipient, served as the mistress of ceremony and spoke to students about her educational experiences and congratulated the students on their FEA induction. Benjamin Stoddert Middle School has the largest participation with FEA with 43 members. McDonough High School has the second largest FEA chapter, with 38 members, followed by Milton M. Somers Middle School, with 38 members. The FEA aims to motivate middle and high school students from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in education while studying teaching, working to improve the image of teaching, boosting faculty morale and linking students, parents and the community.

Matula students get creative with books and pumpkins

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:49:00-0500

Fourth graders at Mary H. Matula Elementary School got a chance to celebrate reading and literacy with glue, paint, glitter and a pumpkin the week of Oct. 26 as part of the school's fifth annual Character Trait Pumpkin Project. The project requires students to pick and read a book of their choice, and then select a main character to model a pumpkin after.

Student pumpkins were on display in the library and cafeteria, and were featured as part of the school's "Fall Festival" held Oct. 30 for parents, students and the Matula community. Popular choices this year included the characters Bella and Edward from the "Twilight" series, the "Cat in the Hat" from the Dr. Seuss series, and Ramona from the "Beverly Cleary" series.

Barbara Simmons, a fourth-grade teacher at Matula, said the idea behind the project is for students to have a fun and creative way to practice reading skills. Parent volunteers were also on hand to help students complete their pumpkins.

Benjamin Stoddert teacher receives science tools grant

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:48:00-0500

Jennifer L. Davis, a science teacher at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School, was recently selected as a 2009 Science Tools Grant award recipient by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA). Davis will receive $250 to use toward lab supplies for the Stoddert science department and for students to use in a guided, in-class group science project. She will receive the grant next month at a ceremony hosted by the Southern Maryland AFCEA chapter. The Science Tools Grant program is a joint effort between individual AFCEA Chapters and the Educational Foundation to promote effective science teaching and to enhance the abilities of capable STEM teachers in K-12 schools worldwide. Teachers can apply for the grant through their local AFCEA chapter. For more information, visit http://www.afcea.org.

Board of Education announces November 10 agenda

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:24:00-0500

The Board of Education's next monthly meeting is Tuesday, Nov. 10 at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building on Radio Station Road in La Plata. The public portion of the meeting begins at 1 p.m. and Public Forum is at 6 p.m. The meeting is televised live on Comcast Channel 96 and rebroadcast throughout the week. All televised Board meetings are also streamed live on the school system Web site at http://www2.ccboe.com/boe/live/. Executive session - 12 p.m.

Call to order - 1 p.m.

Pledge of Allegiance, Thomas Stone High School's JROTC unit

Superintendent's update to the Board

Reports of officers/boards/committees

Correspondence/Board member updates
Education Association of Charles County update
Student Board member update
Enrollment
CIP update
Civics Mosaic/Russian visit
Communications update

Unfinished Business

New business and future agenda items

New business
- 2010 Legislative issues packet
- Contract award approval for Dr. Gustavus Brown Elementary School full-day kindergarten addition

Recognition- 4:30 p.m.

Students
Staff
Recognition: American Cancer Society, Relay for Life

Public Forum - 6 p.m.

Action items

Minutes
Personnel

Adjournment