Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Sean McComb was declared the winner at a Monday afternoon ceremony at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Towson.
Baltimore County Public Schools honored Patapsco High School English teacher Sean McComb was honored as the 2013-2014 teacher of the year Monday afternoon. "Sean McComb is a dynamic and creative educator who is an inspiration to both his students and his colleagues," Superintendent Dallas Dance said in a news release. "He used his teachers and education to rescue him from a difficult childhood, and now helps his own students to, in his words, 'achieve, awaken and ascend' We congratulate him and all of our 115 nominated teachers and finalists." McComb, a seven-year educator who also serves as an Advancement Via Individual Determination coordinator, was one of four teachers nominated for the award, according to the release. The win makes him…
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
The Baltimore County Public Schools calendar had initially listed the closing date as June 18.
Baltimore County Public Schools announced Tuesday that the last day of classes is June 14. The originial schedule for the school system called for an end date of June 18, according to a news release. But the system is ending the school year early because of the limited number of emergency days off. The last three days of school will be full days under the new schedule, the release states. Under the previous one, the last three days were slated to be half-days.
Monday, April 15, 2013
The Baltimore County executive praises county employees but asks employees to "stay the course" because the proposed budget contains no cost of living salary increases.
UPDATED (10:29 a.m.)—Baltimore County residents will not have to dig deeper for local taxes again this year under a budget proposed by County Executive Kevin Kamenetz. Kamenetz is expected to introduce his third county budget to the Baltimore County Council at 10 a.m. The proposed $2.8 billion operating budget will contain no increases in property or income taxes for the budget year that begins July 1. The county has not raised property taxes in 25 years. The county income tax rate has not been raised in 21 years. The council's Spending Affordabillity committee in January set the limit for ongoing costs subject to spending guidelines at $1.675 billion. Kamenetz said Monday that his plan meets the revised spending guideline. Kamenetz's …
Monday, April 1, 2013
The bill, introduced last month, has come under fire for being unconstitutional.
A bill restricting protests near schools in Baltimore County will not get a hearing or a vote later this month. Councilman Todd Huff said Monday that he will withdraw the bill that bars protests within 300 feet of a school and prohibits protests within one hour before or after school starts and ends. It would have also been illegal to block or prevent the use of public streets, sidewalks or other spaces while protesting. Violators would be subject to a fine of $1,000 or up to a 90-day jail sentence or possibly both. The bill has been criticized since it was introduced two weeks ago. Huff was not available for an interview following a Monday evening Baltimore County Council meeting but confirmed he would withdraw the bill. "I'm pulling the …
Friday, March 29, 2013
Arne Duncan will speak to interested parties at Loch Raven High School in April.
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan's school safety town hall, which will emphasize gun control, has been scheduled. Baltimore County Superintendent Dallas Dance announced the visit earlier this month, noting that gun control is a topic Duncan is passionate about. "Today, looking into the eyes of parents who have lost children due to gun violence, I am more committed than ever, and the President is, too," Duncan wrote in a Jan. 16 post on the U.S. Department of Education blog. "Those parents’ unimaginable heartbreak and extraordinary strength must motivate us to act. Now is the time. Our children, families, educators, communities and our country deserve better. We can’t let them down." The event is scheduled for April 10, from 6 to 7:45 p…
Monday, March 25, 2013
The list, which ranks schools in need of air conditioning primarily by age, was released last September.
A priority list ranking the order in which county schools in need of air conditioning would get serviced could see some shake-ups. "Our initial air conditioning list was determined based on age, which was shared with the county earlier," said Superintendent Dallas Dance, in an email statement to Patch. "However, I also shared that as we begin to develop the 10-yr [sic] capital plan, that will drive all capital projects including air, there will be additional factors that are used to determine the order of capital projects." Currently, approximately 40 percent of public schools in Baltimore County are not fully air conditioned. Officials have largely blamed this issue on the school system overseeing one of the oldest stocks of schools in …
Heavy, wet snow fell in the Baltimore area early Monday morning, causing school closings.
Schools are closed Monday in Baltimore County. Citing inclement weather, school officials announced that classes were closed, after initially declaring a two-hour delay on the Baltimore County Public Schools website early Monday morning. Harford County Public Schools are also closed Monday. Baltimore City Public Schools are on spring break. Stay with Patch for updates.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
In his inaugural State of Schools address, Superintendent Dallas Dance touted plans to produce "globally competitive" graduates.
To succeed in "tomorrow's world," Superintendent Dallas Dance says Baltimore County public school students need to have an edge. "Our goal is not just to help our students graduate on time, but to help them graduate ready to be globally competitive," Dance said during his inaugural State of Schools address at Valley Mansion in Cockeysville on Thursday. "Earning a BCPS diploma needs to have a greater meaning. Our diplomas need to be distinguished for their value." The superintendent revealed his intent to pursue initiatives to ensure that all students will be bilingual upon graduation and that all middle and high school students will be equipped with digital technology as part of meeting that goal. "Technology allows our students access …
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Councilman David Marks also appeared at a Tuesday night meeting to show his support.
Sherry McCammon, chair of the PTA advocacy committee for Carney Elementary School, urged education officials to install air conditioning at the school during a Tuesday night board meeting. "Our teachers, staff and students can't wait," McCammon said. Baltimore County Public Schools has the second oldest stock of facilities in the state, only behind Baltimore City. Approximately 40 percent of county schools are not sufficiently air conditioned. A 2012 priority list, based primarily on school age, placed Carney toward the bottom of the rankings of county schools in need of air conditioning. The school was built in 1965. The list has no time-line for when air conditioning will be added to schools, and is dependent on funding. McCammon said …
The public can watch the address through a live-stream on the Baltimore County Public Schools website.
Superintendent Dallas Dance will unveil the "strategic framework" for the school system and long-term key inititiatives during the inaugural State of the Schools luncheon Thursday. "When we have a conversation about education, it's a community conversation," Dance said at a Tuesday night school board meeting. The event, which runs from 11:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., will be live streamed on the Baltimore County Public Schools website. Dance's address is scheduled to start at 1:15 p.m. The luncheon, at Valley Mansion in Cockeysville, will also include student performances and other speakers. Dance said an estimated 1,000 people are expected to attend.
Nancy Saks
12:45 pm on Friday, May 3, 2013
All school in the country have the same number of school days. The superintendent does not decide this and parents will not be able to change it. Teachers look forward to summer because their job is extremely stressful and they work many 10 - 12 hour days and on the weekends. They are exhausted by this time of year and need a break. more ›