Teacher Appreciation Week was celebrated a little early at Dumbarton Middle School this year in order to accommodate for standardized testing during the scheduled week originally designated for appreciation by the Maryland Parent Teacher Association. And while it's officially titled "Teacher" Appreciation Week, the volunteers who coordinate and run the event include all faculty and staff in the fun. After all, it takes a whole village to manage an entire school so the whole village should be appreciated. (Particularly when it involves middle schoolers…what with their always polite manners, graceful movements, quiet dispositions, well-managed volume control and especially their delightful fragrances. I have two children at DMS and they are such dears all of the time. I especially love how they always clean up after themselves.)
The week of April 25 kicked off with home-baked love on Monday from the kitchens of many DMS parents. Babett Corcoran, owner of Babett's Bakery, a small business in Rodgers Forge, brought an incredible and beautiful German braided sweet bread with orange butter, Marianne Lohr, an educator herself just across the fields at Rodgers Forge Elementary School, made delicious fudge. In addition, Amy McGroarty, Sue Spencer, Laurie Litz, Cathi Forbes, Cleo Stamatos, Susan Mealey, Pam Chen, Christine Roberts and Suzanne DeMallie, baked a variety of amazing cookies and beautiful cupcakes, which all looked and smelled incredible.
Wednesday morning was a breakfast catered by Panera Bread including bagels, pastries, fruit salad, coffee and tea, followed by a Qdoba Mexican Eats burrito bar for lunch on Thursday afternoon with salad and fruit.
Parent volunteers Sue Parts, Elise Cloyd and Pam Chen managed those events beautifully. Friday wrapped things up with massages, an ice cream bar and a piñata stuffed with school supplies! Nothing like getting out a little end-of-week frustration and earning a few No. 2 pencils in the process. Volunteers Trista DiPaula and Elizabeth Rotenberry did a great job keeping pace with the ice-cream lovers as they paraded by for their frozen treats on a stick. The volunteers did a great job working together and coordinating the events. It was clear that much thought and appreciation went in to the events. And the faculty and staff were extraordinary in their recognition of the village that supports them, as well.
Congratulations to Missy Fanshaw, Rodgers Forge elementary's principal, who was named elementary school Principal of the Year by Baltimore County Public Schools during an awards ceremony at the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology on April 20. The students celebrated Fanshaw Friday on April 22 in recognition of this distinguished accomplishment. Students, teachers and staff were encouraged to show their support by coming to school dressed as Ms. Fanshaw or wearing something that reminded them of her—for example, she loves lacrosse, the color pink, jewelry, the Ravens, the Orioles and Towson University. The show of support by the school community was an incredible sight to behold (and major kudos to the boy who wore a blond wig all day).
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