Monday, July 31, 2023

Summer Stories: Woodlawn High offers wide array of summer camps

This summer, the hallways and classrooms of Woodlawn High School are bustling with activity.

“While we usually have maybe 100 kids in the building during the summer, this year, we have 500+ students and about 50 staff members,” says Woodlawn High Principal Jamel Jernigan.

The explosive growth was very intentional. “We had the opportunity to write some grants to get CARES Act funding to expand summer programming,” Jernigan says. “I shared with my team that I wanted to engage students through the summer, to try to keep our students close to us and connected to each other and their teachers and mentors. I wanted to afford our students an opportunity to explore our greater community, including exposure to possible career pathways.”

Camps offered include Skills Trades, Coding Genius, Boss (Business), Resume Writing, Robotics, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Teacher Academy of Maryland, SAT Prep, Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Engineering, and PLTW Biomedical.

One new blog post provides an overview of all the camps. Another looks more closely at the Teacher Academy of Maryland camp. This week the trilogy of posts will end with one exploring the career and technical education camps offered.

Need a reason to attend BCPSfest on August 19?

Here are 10!

BCPSfest 2023

Saturday, August 19, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

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

Here are 10 reasons to attend. Visit the BCPSfest webpage to find even more!



1. Visit the Bright Smiles, Bright Futures dental van from Colgate-Palmolive.
2. See the new English for Speakers of Other Languages welcome center bus.
3. Learn to jump rope double-Dutch style.
4. Meet Poe and a few Ravens cheerleaders.
5. Enjoy student performances.
6. Get your face painted.
7. Participate in hands-on learning activities.
8. Take a break in the Story Time Tent and let local leaders – including BCPS Superintendent Dr. Myriam Yarbrough – read their favorite children's books to you.
9. Pick up a free book courtesy of The Education Foundation of BCPS.
10. Hear upbeat, positive music from Ms. Blue and Golden Man.

Tuesday, August 1, from 6-7 p.m.

Milford Mill Academy, 3800 Washington Avenue, Windsor Mill 21244



Members of the Team BCPS special education community (families, students, staff, and stakeholders) are invited to meet with BCPS Superintendent Dr. Myriam Yarbrough. She will share key priorities for the upcoming school year and answer questions. Allison Myers, executive director of the Department of Special Education, will provide information on the new BCPS special education strategic plan. 

We're swimming in Summer Stories, but we still want more!

We asked what BCPS students, teachers, and staff are doing this summer, and the responses are flowing in. Have you shared your story idea with us? If not, please write to communications@bcps.org.

Dive into summer reading: July 31- August 6

Book recommendations from the Baltimore County Public Library Collection Development Department

Each week for the remainder of the summer, our wonderful friends in the Baltimore County Public Library Collection Department will put together a list of some of their favorite books. Learn more about this week's recommended books on the BCPS blog.

Many thanks to them, and please remember to stop by your local library branch to participate in the Summer Reading Challenge, have them put together a Be Surprised Bundle for you, and take part in their many activities.

The Book Thing of Baltimore invites teachers to stock up on free books

The Book Thing of Baltimore, Inc. – Baltimore's "bookstore" where all the books are free – is holding one of its monthly openings on Sunday, August 13. Teachers in particular are invited to come collect books for their classrooms. Please check event details on The Book Thing website before attending. 

BCPS summer programs support continued learning

Parents and students are encouraged to explore the many academic programs and resources available this summer to support continued growth.

County health department offers back-to-school immunization clinics

Does your child need immunizations for the 2023-2024 school year? Call 410-887-2705 for an appointment at a community health center. More information is available online.

County library's Summer Reading Challenge offers incentives and activities

BCPS students of all ages can register for Baltimore County Public Library's Summer Reading Challenge. Students who read for 10 hours can pick up completion prizes and enter in prize drawings!  

Now serving free breakfast and lunch meals

The annual Summer Food Service Program, for all youth up to age 18, will continue through Friday, August 18. Breakfast and lunch are served at selected schools. Several public library branches serve lunch only. Check online for sites and times.

Some like it hot... but what to do when it's too hot?

According to Scientific American, "July is expected to be not only the hottest July on record but also the hottest month ever recorded on Earth."

But you already know that the heat this summer is unrelenting.

Here are some suggestions from the Baltimore County Department of Health regarding living with the heat:

• If you have to go out in the heat, drink lots of water or non-carbonated beverages and wear loose-fitting clothes, a hat, and sunglasses. Use sunscreen and reapply often.
• If you want to go somewhere to cool off, try a community center, library, mall, or senior center.
• Check in on elderly or vulnerable family, friends and neighbors as well as pets.
• NEVER leave a child or pet in an unattended vehicle.
• Provide your pet with plenty of water and proper shelter.
• Limit outdoor activity when the temperatures and humidity are extremely high.

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.

"Still Life Balanced" by Rachel Li, Grade 8, Pine Grove Middle School. Honored with a Grade 8 Honorable Mention award in the Middle School Juried Exhibition.

Artist statement:

"My untitled artwork consists of cups and fruit balanced on each other. The values, shading, and detail are the most obvious in my work. I used charcoal pencils and a blending stick to make this work. I also wasn't afraid to add extremely dark values to make certain items pop out from the background. I wanted to draw something with a lot of detail and clean. I learned how to use charcoal well. The final piece looks accurate, but it can always be improved."

mission moment

from The Education Foundation of BCPS

Teachers/schools can apply for grants from The Education Foundation

The 2023-2024 grant application window for 21st Century Instructional Initiative Grants and Putting Students First Grants will open on Tuesday, August 1. The window to apply for a Little Free Library Grant is open through August 25.

The Education Foundation of BCPS, Inc., and its partners are pleased to announce their opportunities for teachers and administrators to fund their innovative ideas not covered by the operating budget. More details about how the grants can be used and how to apply are in a new Mission Moment blog post.

Save the date: Friday, August 18

Join us to "Stuff the Bus" full of school supplies for BCPS students

Stuff the Bus

Friday, August 18, from 2-7 p.m.

Walmart in Hunt Valley, 1 Frankel Way, Cockeysville 21030

All community members are invited to visit the Walmart in Hunt Valley to shop for school supplies and stuff a brand-new BCPS bus with donated supplies. 98 Rock will be on hand to play music and student performers and school mascots will provide entertainment.