Chapel Hill Elementary named National Blue Ribbon School -- This Week in BCPS

Monday, September 30, 2024

Chapel Hill Elementary School named National Blue Ribbon School

24 BCPS schools have now earned this honor

Chapel Hill Elementary School was one of four Maryland public schools named a 2024 National Blue Ribbon School on September 23 by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

With the honor, the Perry Hall-area school became the 24 ^th BCPS school since 1994 to earn the National Blue Ribbon designation.

Chapel Hill’s principal, Nancy Hill, said the school is honored to be recognized. “A huge, heartfelt thank you to our fabulous teachers, staff, students, and parents for your hard work, dedication, and living our philosophy – ‘Every student, every classroom, every day! 100%’," Hill said. “Thank you to our executive directors and to Dr. Rogers for their unwavering support and belief in our school community.”

More about the honor can be found in a BCPS news release.

Recent student honors

Three BCPS students named All-State Dancers

One student earned Honorable Mention status

Three BCPS students are among the 26 students statewide named Maryland All-State Dancers.

The BCPS students named All-State Dancers are seniors Charlotte Bauermann of Hereford High School and Sofia Alvarez and Aaron Gensler of George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology. Additionally, Jada Rodgers of Carver Center received an Honorable Mention. Teachers for the honorees are Erin Norton at Hereford High School and Maria Royals and Stephanie Powell at Carver Center.

The All-State Dancers will be recognized on Friday, January 10, 2025, at the 35th Annual Maryland Public High School Dance Showcase at Goucher College.

16 recent BCPS graduates receive scholarships from Baltimore County African American Cultural Festival

The Baltimore County African American Cultural Festival committee awarded scholarships to the following 2024 BCPS graduates, listed with the names of the high schools they graduated from earlier this year and the colleges and universities they now attend:

Ayodele Ayoola, Western School of Technology and Environmental Science

Columbia University

Jackson Bailey, George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology (Carver Center)

Rhode Island School of Design

Michael Bell, Milford Mill Academy

Hampton University

James Brown V, Milford Mill Academy

Tuskegee University

Denim Fisher, Pikesville High School

Spelman College

Kaitlynn Joseph, Western School of Technology and Environmental Science

North Carolina A&T State University

Kennedy Green, Woodlawn High School

Towson University

Ahrianna Guity, Carver Center

Carnegie Mellon University

Darryl Lee, Franklin High School

University of Maryland, College Park

Mariana Joy Ortega, Milford Mill Academy

University of New Haven

Favour Oyewole, Randallstown High School

McDaniel College

Eric Payton, Carver Center

Rider University

Damone Upchurch, Milford Mill Academy

Morgan State University

Kamryn Watkins, Franklin High School

Howard Community College

Laila Weems, Carver Center

Virginia Commonwealth University

Shaneria Wilson-Singleton, Milford Mil Academy

Coppin State University

BCPS Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers will host the second of two community meetings this fall focused on creating safe and supportive learning environments. Team BCPS students, families, staff, and stakeholders are invited to participate and learn more about BCPS efforts to ensure student and staff safety, connect to community resources, and build positive partnerships for student support.

Spanish interpretation will be provided. 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.

Thursday, October 17, from 6-7 p.m.

Kenwood High School, 501 Stemmers Run Rd., Baltimore 21221

Students, parents, caregivers, and stakeholders are invited to experience BCPS curricula and explore system efforts to make improvements. At the Curriculum Nights, participants can:

View curricular and instructional materials.
Ask questions and connect with content area experts.
Participate in interactive demonstrations.
Receive tips and resources on how to support students at home.
Explore resources from Baltimore County Public Library, the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks, and more!

Tuesday, October 1, from 6-7:30 p.m.

Chesapeake High School

1801 Turkey Point Rd.

Essex 21221

Tuesday, October 15, from 6-7:30 p.m.

Franklin High School

12000 Reisterstown Rd.

Reisterstown 21136

BCPS celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, BCPS will spotlight Hispanic students and staff on the BCPS Spanish Facebook page. Most recently featured were:

Stephanie Cruz

community liaison

Halstead Academy

Carmen Enseñat Dueño Spanish teacher

Chesapeake High School

Kimberely Hernández

Grade 12 student

Dulaney High School

Rosalind Rodriguez

care liaison

Pleasant Plains Elementary School

Kareem Rojas

French and Spanish teacher

Lansdowne High School

To be recognized or to nominate a student or staff member, please contact Gevene Harden with the following information: name, job title/grade, and school/office; a recent, high-quality photo; country or countries of origin; and a brief blurb (en español o en inglés) about why you are proud of your Hispanic heritage and/or how you connect with your roots (1-2 paragraphs).

In addition, the BCPS community is invited to share Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations and recognitions on social media using #BCPSHerencia. Teacher Rebecca Strumsky of Vincent Farm Elementary School posted that her Grade 1 students practiced greeting each other in Spanish.

The Marimba Club from the Valle Verde Zona 15 School Guatemala visited Perry Hall High School for a special marimba performance. The performance was sponsored by Guatemalans Without Borders and captured on video by BCPS-TV.

for parents

from BCPS Parent University

High school students and families: Join us this Thursday to learn more about our college and career exploration platform

All high school students and families now have access to Xello, the new BCPS college and career exploration platform. 

To learn more about this important tool, families of high school students are encouraged to participate in virtual "Hello Xello" information sessions to be held on Thursday, October 3, from 6-7 p.m. Sessions will be held concurrently in English and Spanish.

Considering applying for a magnet program for next school year?

Learn more at Magnet Showcase Events throughout October

Students and families seeking additional information about specific magnet programs can view school websites and/or participate in school-based showcase events beginning this week and continuing throughout the month. The complete list can be found online.

Magnet application assistance for multilingual families

Multilingual families seeking magnet application assistance are invited to sessions held at Baltimore County Public Library branches across the county:

Tuesday, October 1, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. – Lansdowne branch, 500 3rd Ave., Lansdowne 21227
Friday, October 4, from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. – Cockeysville branch, 9833 Greenside Dr., Cockeysville 21030
Thursday, October 10, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. – Owings Mills branch, County Campus Metro Center at Owings Mills, 10302 Grand Central Ave., Owings Mills 21117

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.

for your viewing pleasure

"I Heart Art" by Mia Johns, Kindergarten, Norwood Elementary School. This artwork was featured in last school year's East School Zone Exhibit in The Superintendent's Gallery at BCPS headquarters.

mission moment

from The Education Foundation of BCPS

Additional Wayfinder grant recipients announced

The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, Inc., is pleased to announce four additional recipients of the inaugural Purpose-Centered Social Emotional Learning (SEL) grant in partnership with Wayfinder:

Hawthorne Elementary School
Parkville Middle School
Ridgely Middle School
Riverview Elementary School

These schools join those announced in August 2024: Dundalk Middle School, Lansdowne High School, Sparrows Point Middle School, and Woodlawn Middle School.

The recipients of the grant will receive virtual and in-person training, a comprehensive curriculum, access to an activity library, and assessments to track student growth. All resources and materials focus on helping students develop six core skills – self-awareness, adaptability, empathy, collaboration, agency, and purpose. More information about this program can be found in a Mission Moment blog post.

Superintendent's monthly press conference reviews first month of school, offers safety reminders

Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers held a media availability on September 25 to discuss the first month of the school year and share important safety reminders for the BCPS community. She was joined at this news conference by Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski. More information is available in an online community message.

A word from Dr. Rogers

September 30, 2024

Dear Reader:

In just the first month of the school year, the nation has seen a concerning uptick in dangerous and disruptive student behaviors. These disturbing behaviors have included threats of mass violence, fighting, and possession of weapons on school property.

As a direct response to these alarming behaviors, we have provided additional information in the BCPS Code of Conduct to make it clear to all community members that students who engage in these behaviors will be subject to all legally allowable consequences including, but not limited to, suspension and expulsion. School-based consequences are in addition to action taken by law enforcement. BCPS will continue to work closely with the Baltimore County Police Department to respond swiftly to these situations, protect students and staff, and hold accountable those who break the rules.

Positive school climates have a tremendous impact on student well-being and learning. We believe that, working together, we can create and maintain safe schools and workplaces where all students and staff can thrive. Please review the addendum and the BCPS Student Handbook for more information on disciplinary infractions. We also encourage students, staff, and members of the community to continue to report any suspicious or threatening activity to school staff, Baltimore County police, and/or Safe Schools Maryland.

Regards,

Myriam Rogers, Ed.D.

Superintendent