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November 2008 News Releases

November 25, 2008 (#2008-074)

Administration of Oath of Office to New Board Members and Regular Board Meeting

The oath of office will be administered to the new members of the Board of Education at 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 1, 2008, in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

The regularly scheduled Board meeting will follow. There will not be an evening session. The meeting will begin with a “Public Forum,” when members of the public may address the Board on any topic other than those for which a formal public hearing process exists. Advanced sign up is preferred. To sign up to speak at Public Forum, contact the Board’s office at 410-313-7194.

Individuals who would like to request a sign language interpreter for any meeting of the Board of Education may contact Colleen Rice, Interpreter Scheduler, at 410-313-7046. A two week advanced notice is preferred.

November 21, 2008 (#2008-073)

Time Change for Board of Education Closed Meeting

The Howard County Board of Education closed meeting scheduled for 1 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 21, 2008, at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City, Maryland, is being amended and will be rescheduled to 11:45 a.m.

November 14, 2008 (#2008-072)

Connection Center Partnership Links Community Services with Students and Families in Need

A Howard County Public School System partnership with fifteen community organizations provides support for families in need and helps to solve problems that can hinder students’ success.

An HCPSS initiative, the Connection Center brings community representatives together to provide assessments and referrals for families whose children are having difficulty in school. Connection Center resources are sought after all school-based resources have been exhausted, when the family needs support from multiple agencies, or when the cause of the problem lies beyond the domain of the schools. Each referral to the Connection Center originates from a HCPSS Pupil Personnel Worker or a school-based counselor, nurse or psychologist.

Connection Center participants include the Association of Community Services; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Maryland; Family & Children Services of Central Maryland; Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center; Howard County Department of Police, Youth Division; Howard County Department of Social Services; Howard County Health Department; Howard County Mental Health Authority; Howard County Office of Children’s Services; Integrative Counseling; Maryland Department of Juvenile Services; MSA – The Child & Adolescent Center; National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI); STTAR Center; and Way Station.

The partnership will be formalized at 9:00 am on Wednesday, November 19 with an official signing during the monthly meeting of the Connection Center, held in the Potomac Room of the Faulkner Ridge Center, 10598 Marble Faun Lane in Columbia. Representatives of each participating organization will sign the partnership agreement, joined by Howard County Board of Education members and HCPSS representatives.

The Howard County Public School System’s Partnerships Office (www.hcpss.org/aboutus/partnership) unites businesses and community organizations with schools to enhance the educational experience. Partnerships benefit schools, businesses, and the entire community by leveraging the resources of all participants. Partners may commit human or financial resources or other support.

November 14, 2008 (#2008-071)

Board of Education to Hold Closed Meeting

The Howard County Board of Education will meet in closed session at 1:00 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 21, 2008, at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

November 13, 2008 (#2008-070)

So You Want to Major in Music?

The River Hill High School Music Department and the Howard County Public School System’s Fine Arts Advisory Council will present an information session on topics to think about and research when planning a musical journey in college. The event, open to all county high school students and their parents, will take place at 6:30 p.m., on Monday, Nov. 24, 2008 in the auditorium at the school, located at 12101 Route 108 in Clarksville.

Topics covered will include:

• Choosing a conservatory or a liberal arts college
• Preparing for an audition and what to expect
• Music Education, Music Performance and Music Technology
• How important are recommendations?
• Visiting a college campus
• Financial aid

The presentation will include an opportunity to ask questions of educators in the areas of band, choir, orchestra, music technology and percussion. In an effort to reduce paper waste, handouts will not be available at the presentation, however, information will be available for printing at www.riverhillmusic.org.

For more information, contact Joseph Fischer at joe_fischer@hcpss.org.

November 11, 2008 (#2008-069)

Board of Education to Hold Regular Meeting

The Howard County Board of Education will hold a regularly scheduled meeting at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008, in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City. There will not be an evening session.

The meeting will begin with a “Public Forum,” when members of the public may address the Board on any topic other than those for which a formal public hearing process exists. Advanced sign up is preferred. To sign up to speak at Public Forum, contact the Board’s office at 410-313-7194.

Individuals who would like to request a sign language interpreter for any meeting of the Board of Education may contact Colleen Rice, Interpreter Scheduler, at 410-313-7046. A two week advanced notice is preferred.

November 10, 2008 (#2008-068)

Board of Education’s Legislative Committee to Meet

The Howard County Board of Education’s Legislative Committee will meet on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008, at 3:30 p.m. in the cafe at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

November 7, 2008 (#2008-067)

Event Stresses the Importance of Positive Male Influence

Each November, for the past four years, the Judy Center and Cradlerock School in Columbia have hosted a special event to welcome into the school fathers and other men of significance in the lives of Cradlerock's kindergartners. Meals With Magnificent Men, one of a number of outreach programs coordinated through the Judy Center, invites dads and others to join their kindergartners for a traditional Thanksgiving lunch followed by interactive literacy activities such as reading stories and learning through singing. This year the event is scheduled for Friday, Nov.r 21, 2008, at 10:15 am.

The event is one of the ways in which Cradlerock School partners with parents to reinforce the importance of parent involvement at the school. This program gives these magnificent men some insights into the kindergarten program and particularly their importance in contributing to the success of their children in school. Children whose fathers may be absent or unavailable are paired with school system Central Office or Cradlerock administrative staff.

Cradlerock School, located at 6700 Cradlerock Way in Columbia, is Howard County's only pre-kindergarten through grade eight educational facility. The Judy Center is a federally funded, early childhood support program that partners with the Howard County Public School System.

November 7, 2008 (#2008-066)

Board of Education Audit Committee to Hold Quarterly Meeting

The Audit Committee of the Board of Education will hold its quarterly meeting at 10 a.m., on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008, in the Board Planning Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

November 3, 2008 (#2008-065)

Board of Education Invites Members of Community to Participate in “What Counts in Education” Community Forum

The Board of Education of Howard County invites members of the community to participate in the "What Counts in Education" Community Forum, to discuss and recommend future priorities for the Howard County Public School System’s Operating Budget.

During the forum, participants will have the opportunity to:

• Discuss elements of the school system’s Operating Budget
• Identify budget recommendations for the next 1-5 years
• Divide into table discussions to recommend seven budget priorities
• Reconvene to review and recommend final budget priorities.

The forum will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008, from 7-9 p.m., at Homewood Center (behind the Department of Education), 10914 Route 108 in Ellicott City. The forum is sponsored by the Maryland Association of Boards of Education and the Board of Education of Howard County. To confirm your attendance, please email Florence Jackson at florence_jackson@hcpss.org or call 410-313-5638.

November 3, 2008 (#2008-064)

Board of Education’s Legislative Committee to Meet

The Howard County Board of Education’s Legislative Committee will hold a meeting at 8 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 10, 2008. The meeting will take place in conference room ML2, at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.

November 3, 2008 (#2008-063)

Board of Education to Hold Closed Meeting

The Howard County Board of Education will meet in closed session at 2 p.m., on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008, at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.