Monday, July 15, 2024

Summer Stories: Staff gather at 27th Annual BCPS Safe Schools Conference

As the school year ended, approximately 700 Baltimore County Public Schools employees gathered for the 27th Annual BCPS Safe Schools Conference at the Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel. The theme for this year’s conference was “Empowering the Whole School Community to Create Safe Learning Environments.”

“The 27th Annual Safe Schools Conference was a terrific opportunity for administrators, support staff, school resource officers, and others to end the school year focusing on one of Superintendent Rogers' priorities – school climate and safety,” said Dr. April Lewis, executive director, BCPS Department of School Safety. “The energy and enthusiasm of facilitators and participants were palpable as they engaged with one another to acquire or reinforce their understanding of school safety and climate rooted in equitable practices.”

A new Summer Stories blog post describes the conference agenda and lists participating organizations.

Seeking more summer stories

Every summer since 2018, BCPS has invited its students, teachers, and staff to share stories about their summer activities and adventures on the BCPS blog. The invitation to contribute to the Summer Stories series is extended again this year. To submit a blog post or suggest a story idea, please write to communications@bcps.org. We want to know about your summer jobs/internships/externships, vacations, creative projects, competitions, camps, and more!

Summer Stories: Program eases transition from Deep Creek Middle to Chesapeake High

Chesapeake High School held a Summer Enrichment Program from June 24-28. The camp, designed to ease the transition to high school, served incoming Grade 9 students and some rising Grade 10 students who may not have had the most successful high school start. 

Students received breakfast and lunch each day and worked on various projects to not only help them with self-discovery and life-planning but also teamwork and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) skills. Participants made spaghetti towers, penny boats, and ping pong ball tunnels; worked their way through math escape rooms and identity maps; and completed some interest inventories and explored careers and Chesapeake High offerings. 

A new Summer Stories blog post by school counselor Sarah Miller tells more of the story.

County holds swearing-in ceremony for new student member of the board

Ugonma Chike-Kalu, rising senior at Western School of Technology, will represent BCPS students

On July 8, the county clerk swore in Ugonma Chike-Kalu, a rising senior at Western School of Technology, who was chosen by BCPS secondary students to serve on the Board of Education of Baltimore County for 2024-2025. In the photo on the right are board members Tiffany Frempong and Jane Lichter, BCPS Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers, Board Chair Tiara Booker-Dwyer, and board members Robin Harvey and Emory Young.

Free summer meal service continues

BCPS is offering free breakfast and lunch meals through the Summer Food Service Program on weekdays through Friday, August 16. Free meals are available for all children ages 2-18. All students who attend BCPS summer learning programs from July 8-August 2 will receive free breakfast and lunch every weekday.

Weekly bulk meals (five breakfast and five lunch meals per child) will be distributed at two rural drive-through locations:

Mondays, 12-12:30 p.m.

Kingsville Elementary School, 7300 Sunshine Ave., Kingsville 21087

Tuesdays, 8-8:30 a.m.

Sparks Elementary School, 601 Belfast Rd., Sparks 21152

Lunch meals, which must be consumed onsite, are offered at 16 community locations:

Monday – Friday, from 12-12:30 p.m.

• Essex Park Townhomes & Apartments, 1572 Alconbury Rd., Essex 21221
• Lakebrook Circle Park, 2926 Lakebrook Cir., Lansdowne 21227
• Morgan Properties Community Pool, 509 Gwynnwest Rd., Reisterstown 21136
• The Commons at White Marsh, 9901 Langs Rd., Middle River 21220

Baltimore County Library Branches: 

Arbutus (12-1 p.m.); Essex (12:30-1:30 p.m.); Lansdowne (12-1 p.m.); Loch Raven (12:30-1:30 p.m.); North Point (12:30-1:30 p.m.); Parkville-Carney (12:30-1:30 p.m.); Perry Hall (12-1 p.m.); Randallstown (12-1 p.m.); Reisterstown (12-1 p.m.); Rosedale (12-1 p.m.); White Marsh (12-1 p.m.); and Woodlawn (12:30-1:30 p.m.)

Summer learning – 

We're here for it!

The BCPS "Here for It!" attendance campaign is ready to guide students to summer program success! Twenty days present is 20 days of progress! Are you here for it?

All four books recommended this week by our wonderful colleagues in the Baltimore County Public Library Collection Department explore change – changes in nature, changes in families, changes in appearance, and even changes in magic abilities. A blog post describing the books is available in English and Spanish.

Please remember to stop by your local library branch to participate in the summer reading program, have them put together a Be Surprised Bundle for you, and take part in their many activities.

Maryland State Department of Education seeks parent/guardian feedback on draft literacy policy

From the Maryland State Department of Education website:

Research from the Annie E. Casey Foundation in its "Double Jeopardy: How Third-Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation" report emphasizes the critical importance of early reading proficiency. According to the report, children who do not read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of school compared to proficient readers. The stakes are even higher for children living in poverty, who face a 13-fold higher risk of not graduating on time if they lack reading proficiency by third grade. 

These findings underscore the urgent need to ensure that all students develop strong reading skills early in their education to support their long-term academic success and high school graduation.

To support improved student literacy in Maryland, MSDE has created a draft literacy policy. Parents/guardians are encouraged to review the draft policy and to complete an online survey by Friday, July 19. Feedback can also be sent to MSDE by email to literacy.msde@maryland.gov.

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 Reflections" by Sweetness David-Adesua, Grade 8, Parkville Middle School. Work is featured in 2024 Middle School Art Exhibition and received a Grade 8 honorable mention award.

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

Mission Moment: WBAL CARES campaign to support Baltimore County Public Schools

Join us on Friday, August 23, at the Walmart Supercenter in Cockeysville to "Stuff the Bus" with school supplies

During August, WBAL-TV, 98 Rock, and WBAL NewsRadio will once again partner with the Baltimore Orioles and local Walmart stores for its second annual “Stuff the Bus” Campaign benefiting Baltimore County Public Schools and five other Baltimore-area school districts. This campaign is part of the WBAL CARES Campaign.

Working in collaboration with The Education Foundation of BCPS, the collection of school supplies for BCPS will take place on Friday, August 23, from 2-7 p.m. at the Walmart Supercenter, 1 Frankel Way, Cockeysville 21030.

A new Mission Moment blog post includes details about how community members can support the "Stuff the Bus" campaign as well as the foundation's Tools for School campaign. The blog post also features a list of the most needed school supplies.