Fulton losing its stellar principal, Karen Moore-Roby [Highland/Fulton]

Change is inevitable. Sometimes it's expected. Other times, it takes us by surprise. This one sure did. In case you haven't heard, Fulton Elementary School is losing its stellar principal, Karen Moore-Roby.

In an email that she sent out to the school community, she announced her retirement on July 1. Karen has spent 40 years as an educator within the Howard County school system with the last 17 being spent as the only principal Fulton has ever had.

"It has been the greatest privilege of my career to share my days with you and your wonderful children" Karen wrote in her announcement. She closed with the following: "While I am looking forward to my retirement, I will miss all of you. I'll carry fond memories of the students, staff and families in my heart forever. Fulton Elementary truly is where the best part of my future began."

We wish you well as you embark on your next great adventure.

The "exceptional readers" for the first grade students at Fulton for the December 2013 are Lulna Ghirmai, Claire Williams, Jason Liang, Evelyn Kim, Grace Rayman, Matthew Williams and Ethan Chang. The students read on their own time, to include homework reading assignments. They submit their names and what was read to Karen. She then selects the winners from all of the "reading coupons" that are turned in. The winners then get to spend time on the rock climbing wall before class on the special day.

On Feb. 18, students at Lime Kiln Middle School celebrated National Engineering Week with a presentation by Kim Burke, a quality engineer employed by Lockheed Martin. During her presentation, Kim encouraged students to think about pursuing a career in this field. "Engineers are the people that turn ideas into reality!" Kim told the students.

The students watched videos of various Lockheed Martin products, including rocket launchers, airplanes, vehicles and even robots. Kim challenged the kids to work hard and do well in high school. She encouraged the kids to take science and math courses.

The message that Kim left with the students was this: "Do your research. Don't go to the school that everybody else goes to just so that you will have friends when you get there. I know a lot of kids that do that and 'Yay, I have friends.' You can make friends anywhere you go. When you think about it, at any college you go to, there is an entire freshman class of people that don't know anyone, too.

The opening of the play "Cinderella" by the Reservoir High School Drama Department was phenomenal. So reports Meredith Resnick, my go-to resource at Reservoir. She reported that record numbers have attended so far and that the Sunday matinee did not have a single empty seat.

Many of the small children that attended the shows dressed in princess and prince costumes and waited in line for a chance to get photos with the cast afterwards. And, in keeping with the fairytale theme of the show, Meredith said that money was collected for the "Make a Wish Foundation".