Black History Month is here! -- This Week in BCPS

Monday, February 3, 2025

Black History Month is here! This February, recognitions will include school assemblies, research projects, student performances, mural artwork, door decorating contests, poetry/literature events, spirits weeks, and more. Stay tuned as we share highlights from around the county!

Celebrating National School Counseling Week 2025

We love our school counselors! The 2025 theme for National School Counseling Week is "School Counseling: Helping Students Thrive." To celebrate National School Counseling Week, Feb. 3 - 7, 2025, BCPS asked a handful of school counselors to answer a few questions about the work they do to support students.

A new BCPS blog post features responses from:

Kyle McPhee, Dundalk Elementary School

Quase Beasley, Dundalk Middle School

Asia Martin, Franklin Middle School

Jessica Moody, Loch Raven High School

Alla Miller, Woodlawn High School

Governor Moore enjoys visit to Reisterstown Elementary School

On Thursday, January 30, we were thrilled to welcome Gov. Wes Moore to Reisterstown Elementary School! During his visit, Gov. Moore held a roundtable discussion with educators to discuss teacher recruitment and retention as well as the importance of literacy. "I was looking forward to this all week," Gov. Moore shared.

Then, Gov. Moore visited a Grade 1 classroom to observe—and students excitedly welcomed him to the carpet to join in. Photos from the visit are available in a BCPS Flickr album.

The new "Reaching Higher Grounds" coffee shop, staffed by PSFALS students, celebrated its grand opening at the BCPS Employee Development Center on January 28

Community invited to 24th Annual BCPS Student Choreography Showcase

At the 24th Annual Student Choreography Showcase, presented in collaboration with Clancyworks Dance Company, student choreographers and dancers will engage in a movement workshop and receive valuable feedback on their choreographic works from Clancyworks artists, culminating in showcase performances.

The performances are free and open to the public, and no tickets are required. The showcase performances will take place from 4:15-5:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 6, and Friday, February 7, at CCBC Essex, 7201 Rossville Blvd., Romadka Center, Baltimore 21237.

Thursday showcase participants

Loch Raven Technical Academy
Nottingham Middle School
Catonsville High School
Franklin High School
Lansdowne High School
New Town High School

Friday showcase participants

Middle River Middle School
Sudbrook Magnet Middle School
Milford Mill Academy
Overlea High School
Owings Mills High School
Patapsco High School & Center for the Arts
Perry Hall High School

Students encouraged to enter 2025 BCPS Black History Month Writing Contest

Open to students in Kindergarten through Grade 12

BCPS students in Kindergarten through Grade 12 are invited to enter a Black History Month Writing Contest sponsored by the BCPS Offices of English Language Arts and Social Studies.

The contest prompt is the following quotation from African American poet and writer Nikki Giovanni (1943-2024): “Whatever human beings are, we are storytellers. It is our stories that give a light to the future.” In response to that quote, each student is asked to describe how they have been inspired by the remarkable life of an African American activist, artist, athlete, author, musician, scientist, or other public figure. Students can submit personal essays, letters, speeches, scripts, or poems, and students in primary grades can also submit visual representations with written descriptions.

The deadline for entries is Tuesday, February 11. Winners will be notified by Friday, February 28. Prizes will be provided by The Education Foundation of BCPS, and winning entries will be posted on the BCPS blog. Contest details are available from English and social studies teachers.

Have you taken the annual Climate Survey?

We want to hear from you!

The annual BCPS Climate Survey is open through Friday, February 28. The survey focuses on school climate and engagement and all BCPS students in Grades 3–12, parents/caregivers, community members, and staff are encouraged to participate. The survey takes three minutes or less to complete and is anonymous.

February is Career and Technical Education Month! Check out the latest edition of the CTE Show

Featuring: Junior Achievement Partnership Spotlight, Woodlawn High's Teacher Academy of Maryland, and a new "Ask CTE" segment

Talven Pearsell, Grade 6 Math Teacher, Sudbrook Magnet Middle School

In recognition of National Mentoring Month (January), communications apprentice and Woodlawn High senior Andrew Hall reached out to his mentor, Sudbrook Magnet Middle School math teacher and 2023 BCPS Middle School Teacher of the Year Talven Pearsell, for the latest BCPS Close-Up blog post.

Pearsell prides himself on building positive relationships with students. A piece of advice that he lives by is, "If you love them, they'll learn." To him, that serves as a reminder that caring for students is equally as important as the content being taught. “I realized that the students adopt the energy that I have. You never know what they may be bringing from home to school, so I always try to set the tone of positivity in my classroom,” he said.

Spread the word, we're hiring! Interested applicants are invited to join us at an upcoming recruitment event or apply online today.

Way to go! Sparrows Point (1A/2A) and Perry Hall (3A/4A) named county champions for winter cheerleading season!

Learn More

for parents

from BCPS Parent University

Explore Black history at the Maryland Center for History and Culture

Black History Month began this Saturday, February 1, and the Baltimore area offers many opportunities to explore Black history and culture, such as the Maryland Center for History and Culture (formerly the Maryland Historical Society).

While the museum does charge admission, it is free on the first Thursday of every month (Thursday, February 6) and has extended admission until 8 p.m. on that day. The museum is located at 610 Park Ave., Baltimore 21201.

Excerpt from the painting "Thurgood Marshall" by Nathaniel Kato Gibbs. Maryland Center for History and Culture.

One exhibit of particular interest is "Passion and Purpose: Voices of Maryland's Civil Rights Activists." Through oral histories and photography, the exhibit highlights notable leaders including Juanita Jackson Mitchell, Clarence Mitchell Jr., Rep. Parren Mitchell, Gloria Richardson, Rev. Marion C. Bascom, Esther McCready, Walter Sondheim Jr., Silas Craft Sr., and Verda Freeman Welcome.

for your viewing pleasure

"All Things New" by Emya Owens, Grade 11, George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology. This artwork was featured in the 2024-25 Winter Art Exhibition at THE AVENUE at White Marsh.

mission moment

from The Education Foundation of BCPS

Here are the Spring 2025 recipients of BCPS STEM Centers from the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation and Partners

This spring, eight Baltimore County public schools will join the ranks of past recipients of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Centers donated to The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, Inc., by the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation in partnership with the Exelon Foundation and BGE.

Congratulations to:

· Church Lane Elementary School, Lori Grant, Principal

· Dundalk Middle School, Matthew Wickman, Principal

· Lansdowne Elementary School, Amanda McBride, Principal

· Logan Elementary School, Michael Parker, Principal

· Pleasant Plains Elementary School, Joyce Albert, Principal

· Rogers Forge Elementary School, Michele Rowland, Principal

· White Oak School, Mary Frey, Principal

· Woodbridge Elementary School, Lori Phelps, Principal

The latest Mission Moment blog post shares more details, including information for schools to apply to become a 2025-2026 Cal Ripken Sr. STEM Center recipient.

A recording of the full meeting is available to view online along with slides for administrative appointments and a copy of the Superintendent's Budget Work Session presentation.

A word from Dr. Rogers

February 3, 2025

Dear Reader:

Last week, Maryland Governor Wes Moore visited one of our schools. Gov. Moore selected Reisterstown Elementary School for his visit to spotlight the school’s growth on key literacy data and to speak with educators about teacher recruitment and retention efforts across the state. It is always a joy to see our success recognized at the state level, and I am proud of the progress our schools are making across key student achievement data points.

As we head into February, we are excited to celebrate Black History Month and Career and Technical Education Month, two recognitions that will provide inspiration for continued growth and progress. In celebration of Black History Month, students will come together for special projects and events to highlight crucial figures and moments in our nation's history. Highlights include New Town High School's Sixth Annual African American Read-In and Open Mic, Rossville Elementary School's Black History presentation titled "STEAMing Into the Future," a Black-owned business tour and talent show at Windsor Mill Middle School, a mural project for Grade 4 students at Stoneleigh Elementary School, and Black History Hero research projects to be presented in French by students at Overlea High School. BCPS also continues to lead the way in Career and Technical Education, with the highest number of student participants in the state of Maryland.

This week, I would also like to invite every member of Team BCPS to join me in celebrating National School Counseling Week. School counselors play an integral role in our schools, providing support to students to improve their well-being, ensure success, and prepare for the future.

Regards,

Myriam Rogers, Ed.D.

Superintendent