Team BCPS Haiku Contest begins today -- This Week in BCPS

Monday, February 24, 2025

The 2025 Team BCPS Haiku Contest begins today

New this year, $100 Amazon gift cards for the three winners

The 2025 Team BCPS Haiku Contest challenges BCPS students to describe, in just 17 syllables, what story they see in a piece of artwork, what the artwork makes them think and feel.

Art Prompt 1

Ulysses Armstrong

Grade 5, Stoneleigh ES

BCPS students, from Kindergarten through Grade 12, are encouraged to enter. Students are asked to write works inspired by a piece of student artwork selected from among 10 pieces. Entries for the annual BCPS Haiku Poetry Contest will be accepted online through 4:45 p.m. on Friday, March 7.

A winning haiku will be chosen at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Winners will be announced on Thursday, April 10, and will receive prizes from The Ivy Bookshop as well as a framed print of their haiku and the artwork that inspired it. New this year, one of the prizes each winner will receive will be a $100 Amazon gift card and special gift basket provided by The Education Foundation of BCPS Inc.

Art Prompt 2

Caleb Norton

Grade 11, George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology

Art Prompt 3

An'ya Bronson

Grade 7, Northwest Academy of Health Sciences

Art Prompt 4

Braedyn Scott

Grade 12, Franklin HS

Art Prompt 5

Bivan Lamichhane

Grade 1, Padonia International ES

Art Prompt 6

Jan Matthieu Atendido, Claire Straker, and Marley Otto

Grade 2, Prettyboy ES

Art Prompt 7

Corryn Word

Grade 12, Milford Mill Academy

Art Prompt 8

Carly Braun

Grade 11, Online Learning Program

Art Prompt 9

Jayveon Murray

Battle Monument School

Art Prompt 10

Thomas Aiken

Grade 12, Kenwood HS

Spaces still available for BCPS music and dance camps

Families can join waitlist for BCPS Broadway Theatre Connection

Registration for Baltimore County Public Schools’ dance and instrumental music camps continues. The BCPS Broadway Theatre Connection summer program is full, but families can join the waitlist. The visual arts camp is full and waitlist is closed.

New this year, all camps will feature a focus on introducing students to creative careers; a new counselor-in-training option for students entering Grades 11-12 next school year; and limited funding to support camp costs for students who attend Community Schools. All camps will cost $182 per student.

Bus transportation is available. Fee waivers are available for students who do not have permanent or adequate housing.

Summer Dance Intensive

Wednesday, June 25, Thursday, June 26, and Monday, June 30, through Thursday, July 3

from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Nottingham Middle School

Summer Music Camp

Wednesday, June 25, Thursday, June 26, and Monday, June 30, through Thursday, July 3

from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Nottingham Middle School

Through the Teacher of the Year program, BCPS hopes to elevate the teaching profession, recognize excellence in teaching, and thank all teachers for their skill, knowledge, creativity, and dedication. The process begins with an invitation for each principal to nominate one teacher.

This year, 155 educators were nominated, and from their applications, the BCPS Teacher of the Year committee will select BCPS Teacher of the Year finalists and the 2025-26 Teacher of the Year – who will be named during an invitation-only ceremony on Wednesday, April 23, at 4 p.m. at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology.

Meet the 155 outstanding nominees and see their photos in a new blog post.

Students invited to Women Empowering Women Leadership Conference on Saturday, March 1

Hosted by BCPS participants in the Outstanding Young Women Leaders Program

Students and community members are invited to the Women Empowering Women Leadership Conference, to be held on Saturday, March 1, from 12-2 p.m. at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology, 938 York Rd., Towson 21204. Please register to attend.

The event, which is designed to celebrate the power of female leadership and uplift the next generation of women changemakers, was organized by BCPS students who are participating in Towson University's Outstanding Young Women Leaders Program.

At the conference, Towson University Presidential Scholar Dr. Nancy Grasmick will moderate a panel of women leaders. Panelists include:

Jennifer Baker, athletic director, Johns Hopkins University
Colonel Alisya Davis, airline pilot, Maryland Air National Guard
Jenyne Donaldson, reporter, WBAL-TV
Dr. Myriam Rogers, superintendent, Baltimore County Public Schools
Chrissy Thornton, president and CEO, Associated Black Charities

The conference will also celebrate outstanding female athletes from BCPS high schools.

Eastern Tech CyberPatriot team becomes first from BCPS to qualify for national championships

A team from Eastern Technical High School is the first BCPS team to qualify for the CyberPatriot national championships, which will be held March 14-18 in Gaithersburg, MD. The team has received a platinum semi-final award for placing 10th among the top 20 teams of the United States and Canada.

The team (pictured above) is comprised of David Yu, Grade 11, Daniel Peng, Grade 9, Daniel Yu, Grade 11, Adam Sakouk, Grade 11, Praful Adiga, Grade 11, and Saan Rhyne, Grade 9. Teacher Azarang Edris was the club sponsor when it began in 2017; Rina Vaishnav Rhyne is the current team sponsor.

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.

Maiden Choice School students visit inaugural BCPS Adaptive Art Exhibition

Now available for viewing: the 2025 BCPS Student Choreography Showcase

The February 7 showcase features Middle River and Sudbrook Magnet middle schools, and Milford Mill Academy, Overlea, Owings Mills, Patapsco, and Perry Hall high schools. The February 13 showcase features Nottingham Middle School, Loch Raven Technical Academy, and Catonsville, Franklin, Lansdowne, and New Town high schools.

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

Coming soon: 2025 BCPS Job Fairs

Join our team!

BCPS is hosting a series of three job fairs to connect interested professionals to job opportunities in the three geographic zones of the county. Job candidates are asked to bring resumes and be prepared for possible interviews. BCPS employee benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement plans, and paid leave. To view the full list of schools participating in each fair and/or to begin a job application, candidates can visit the BCPS careers webpage.

At the job fairs, BCPS seeks candidates for the following positions: teachers; related services (occupational therapists/physical therapists/speech language pathologists); nurses; school counselors; school psychologists; social workers; additional adult support positions; building service workers; bus drivers and attendants; food service workers; senior HVACR (heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration) mechanics; senior building automation systems technicians; and grounds workers.

On February 6, BCPS used its last inclement weather day for the school year. As previously shared, the state-approved Virtual Inclement Weather Plan outlines our plan for virtual school days now that we have used our three traditional inclement weather days. Students and families are reminded:

Virtual learning on inclement weather days will operate on a 2-hour delay schedule for students.
All students should take their BCPS-issued devices home.
BCPS will use Google Meet for virtual instruction.
Attendance will be taken on all virtual learning days.
Resources are available for families without internet access at home.

More information is available online in English and Spanish.

for parents

from BCPS Parent University

for your viewing pleasure

"Galaxy Slide" by Aiden Savage, Grade 5, Hebbville Elementary School This artwork was featured in the 2024 BCPS Art is for Everyone! exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Art.

mission moment

from The Education Foundation of BCPS

BCPS schools participate in study on impact of Little Free Libraries

Eleven of the 87 BCPS schools that manage Little Free Libraries (LFL) participated in a study to assess the impact of LFLs on children. The results prove quantitatively what was long understood anecdotally: when children have access to a Little Free Library, they spend more time reading.

The study, conducted between September and November 2024 by Pier Partners LLC consultancy group, in partnership with The Education Foundation, was released by the nonprofit Little Free Library® organization on February 12.

Key Study Findings:

Greater Access to Books – 92% of children reported having more access to books because of Little Free Library book-sharing boxes.
Increased Reading Time – Children who visit a Little Free Library read an average of 1.1 additional days per week. Nearly half (49%) reported reading more frequently since they began using a Little Free Library.
Home Library Growth – 88% of children said they now keep more books at home, helping them build personal libraries.

More study findings and more information about The Education Foundation's work to increase access to Little Free Libraries can be found in a new blog post.

A word from Dr. Rogers

February 24, 2025

Dear Reader:

Every year, prior to submitting the budget to the County Council for approval, the County Executive hosts town hall meetings in every Council District so community members can provide input into the budget planning process. The meetings will be held in person and livestreamed on the Baltimore County Government YouTube page.

Team BCPS staff, families, and supporters are encouraged to participate in these meetings and share their thoughts with County Executive Klausmeier. A fully funded budget will help ensure that BCPS can continue to fast forward student achievement and meet the needs of our 110,000 students and more than 20,000 staff.

The following are upcoming town halls:

District 6 Town Hall

Wednesday, February 26, from 6-8 p.m.

Parkville High School

District 4 Town Hall

Wednesday, March 12, from 6-8 p.m.

Randallstown Community Center

District 5 Town Hall

Wednesday, March 19, from 6-8 p.m.

Perry Hall High School

District 7 Town Hall

Thursday, March 27, from 6-8 p.m.