Monday, October 9, 2023

BCPS Historically Black Colleges and Universities College Fair to be held this Saturday, October 14

More than 35 colleges/universities to participate and shuttle buses available from schools across the county

Drop-in support for college application essay writing will be offered throughout the day. In addition, breakout workshop sessions will cover the following topics: 

• “Budgeting for College: Financial Literacy and the FAFSA” 
• “Essay Writing: Tips to Drafting a Winning College Essay” 
• “First Financial Federal Credit Union Scholarship” 
• “Narrowing Down Your College List” 
• “NCAA Initial Eligibility”  
• “Student Life: A Panel Discussion” 
• “Supporting Mental Health and Wellness During the College Transition” 
• “Connecting to the Divine Nine (sororities and fraternities) and Social Fellowships” 

The following organizations will also be available at the fair to share resources with students and families: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Baltimore County Public Library, BCPS Office of Human Resources, Caring for Young Minds College Tours and Mentorship, Community College of Baltimore County, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., The Education Foundation of BCPS, Inc., First Financial Federal Credit Union, Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity, Inc., National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), PNC Bank, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., and Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship, Inc.

This year’s fair will also include special BCPS HBCU Homecoming performances by Woodlawn High School’s Scarlet Legion Marching Band and New Town High School’s Cheerleading team.   

Please join us for "Community Conversations" on the Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget

Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers (Yarbrough) will host five “Community Conversations” regarding the development of the BCPS Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget. Please join us to share your ideas on budget priorities and the investments you believe the system should make to ensure it provides the greatest public education for every student. 

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

In addition to the budget forums, Team BCPS staff, parents, students, and community members are encouraged to complete the FY 25 Budget Priorities Stakeholder Survey.

Students can apply now to serve on Baltimore County Public Library Teen Advisory Boards

Applications due by October 15

Baltimore County Public Library is seeking young people, ages 11 to 18, to serve on its Teen Advisory Boards. Board members will meet monthly November through March; share input on library programs and services; gain leadership skills; create a teen-led community service project in their area; and earn service-learning hours. More information and links to the applications can be found on the Baltimore County Public Library website.

Schools with magnet programs to host showcase events throughout October

Throughout October, schools with magnet programs host showcase events for students and families interested in applying to the programs for the 2024-2025 school year. In addition, online videos highlight magnet programs at each school.

Applications for magnet programs for the 2024-2025 school year are due by Friday, Nov. 3, at 1 p.m. More information, including the Magnet Program brochure and application instructions, is available on the BCPS magnet programs website.

Thousands attend annual Magnet EXPO!

Nearly 5,000 BCPS students and family members participated in the school system's annual Magnet EXPO!, held this year on September 30 at the Delta Hotel Hunt Valley. More photos from the day can be found in a Flickr album.

Share traditions to honor Hispanic Heritage Month

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which continues through October 15, BCPS invites Hispanic and Latino students, staff, and families to share some of their favorite traditions on social media using #BCPSHerencia.

At Lutherville Lab, a student shared a trifold he and his mother made about Honduras.

Grade 3 students at Norwood Elementary School contributed to a Hispanic Heritage Month display.

The halls of Woodlawn High School are decorated with murals, fun facts, and Mexican paper flags (papel picado).

Vincent Farm Elementary School Kindergarten students identified instruments they heard, read "El mejor mariachi del mundo," and imagined themselves in a mariachi band.

During Baltimore Highland Elementary School's Hispanic Heritage Night, students displayed their research projects, Towson University's Latin Dance Team performed, and participants enjoyed music by Latin9 Orquesta.

Cromwell Valley Elementary School students continued their study of Hispanic heritage by designing symmetrical sugar skulls.

The latest "In the Know" video provides an update on special education

Providing special education services to the students who need them is a priority for BCPS. In a new BCPS-TV "In the Know" video, Allison Myers, executive director of The BCPS Department of Special Education, shares what is on the horizon for the school system's special education program and how BCPS provides special education services from birth to adulthood.

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.

"Autumn Still Life" by Nancy Malla, Grade 4, Honeygo Elementary School. Work featured in the 2023 Art is for Everyone! Exhibition.

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

Tools for School supply drive a smashing success

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to our unbelievably generous community members. Thanks to you, our 2023 Tools for School Campaign was a smashing success! Between July 1, 2023, and September 30, 2023, more than $400,000 worth of teaching and learning resources and tools were donated to The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, Inc. Every single item will go directly to schools to support our 111,000+ students, 10,000+ teachers, and our communities for academic, social, and emotional success.  

A new Mission Moment blog post lists contributing business partners and private donors and describes how the community can continue to support the year-round Tools for School campaign.

A word from Dr. Rogers (Yarbrough)

October 9, 2023

Dear Reader:

This Saturday, October 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., we are pleased to present our 7th Annual BCPS Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) College Fair. The event will be held at New Town High School, 4931 New Town Blvd., in

Owings Mills.

While this free college fair is open to all high school students, we are especially hopeful that seniors and their families will participate. This fair is an outstanding opportunity for students to learn more about higher education options, whether or not they are focused on attending an HBCU.

Congratulations to our outstanding Office of School Counseling for organizing this major event, and many thanks to the Department of Transportation for coordinating shuttle services to the college fair from schools across the county.

I hope to see you at the college fair.

In partnership,

Myriam Rogers, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Upcoming community advisory group

& boundary study meetings

All are welcome to attend

Northwest Area Education Advisory Council meeting

Monday, October 9, at 6 p.m.

Meeting details

Topic: "Budget – Operating and Capital"

Southwest Area Education Advisory Council meeting

Monday, October 9, at 7 p.m.

Meeting details

Topic: "Pre-Budget Hearing for Operating/Capital Budgets – Facilities and Enrollment"

Northwest Elementary School Boundary Study

Wednesday, October 11, from 6 - 8 p.m.

Pikesville Middle School cafeteria, 7701 Seven Mile Ln, Pikesville, MD 21208

Study webpage

Central Area Elementary School Capacity Relief Boundary Study

Thursday, October 12, from 6 - 8:30 p.m.

George Washington Carver Center for Arts & Technology, 938 York Rd, Towson, MD 21204

Study webpage

Southeast Area Education Advisory Council meeting

Monday, October 16, at 7 p.m.

Norwood Elementary School library, 1700 Delvale Ave., Baltimore 21222

Topic: "Pre-Budget Operating and Capital/Facilities and Enrollment"

Central Area Education Advisory Council meeting

Wednesday, October 18, at 7 p.m.

Meeting details

Topic: "FY 2025 Capital and Operating Budget Hearing"