Howard High School received the recognition that we always knew it deserved when State Superintendent of Schools Nancy Grasmick announced recently the selection of eight Maryland schools as Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence.
These schools now will compete for the National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence award in the U.S. Department of Education's 1994-1995 Excellence Recognition Program.
A state panel from the educational community examined Howard High School's nomination, looking at factors such as the Maryland School Performance data, community involvement, student achievement and improvement efforts.
Many staff and volunteer hours went into the preparation of the nomination.
You might recall that Howard High is on the semester system, with four courses studied each semester, totaling eight credits a year.
Tonight, Howard High is holding its second semester Back-To-School Night at 7 p.m., when teachers will meet with parents to explain the students' course work.
Last Thursday, Principal Eugene Streagle invited all students earning a straight-A report card to a "Solid Gold Pancake Breakfast" honoring the students' efforts toward academic excellence.
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Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and to celebrate I'll tell you about some of the sweet things schoolchildren are doing in Ellicott City and Elkridge.
Burleigh Manor Middle School combined health awareness Save-A-Sweetheart week with a Rock-A-Thon for charity last week.
All week, members of the school community collected money for heart and cancer organizations and promoted a smoke-free environment.
At lunchtime, booths were set up where students could pledge not to smoke or to stop smoking.
Choir members serenaded students and teachers on Friday morning.
The week closed Friday with a dance, where students rocked against smoking.
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The staff of Northfield Elementary School was concerned about violence among young people, so they designated the entire 1994-1995 school year as "Kindness is Contagious" year.
In the front lobby, teachers made a bare-branched kindness tree. All year, children have been filling out the tree with leaves earned when they were kind at home or in the classroom.
Teachers have designated February as "Friendship Month." Kindness cards and pencils are being sold at lunch time to be given to friends. Proceeds will benefit cancer victim Tracey Carroll.
And if you didn't know, Friday is "National Random Acts of Kindness Day." To celebrate, Northfield will hold an assembly, where each grade level will perform a skit or song to remember kindness.
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On March 2, the Centennial High School PTSA will hold a meeting on alternative scheduling. Principal Dr. Edgar Markley will speak on the change in the high school's daily schedule to allow students to take seven credits each year, to meet the newly increased Maryland State Graduation Requirements.
The meeting will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the school's media center.
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Dunloggin Middle School students buddy up with Northfield Elementary School students by reading and sharing favorite books through the Reading is Fundamental -- R.I.F. -- program.
On Feb. 3, Dunloggin R.I.F. volunteers celebrated reading by giving a new book to all first-, second- and third-grade Northfield students.
The theme of the celebration was "Hug A Book."
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The Baltimore Spirit Soccer Team has just become a partner to Rockburn Elementary School. Players and administrators will be working with Rockburn students in family and school activities. Rockburn School students and staff are proud and excited about this new partnership.
This month, Rockburn is sponsoring a Bicycle Safety Awareness Month.
Last week, children created posters and other artworks to teach bicycle awareness, to be displayed in the school.
Participants will be eligible for a drawing for prizes donated by local businesses.
This week, Ride Safe will sell bike helmets at discounted prices. The school's safety committee has negotiated discounted prices for everyone in the community, so all community children may purchase a helmet through the school.
Call Rockburn at 313-5030 for information.
In March and April, Elkridge police officers will reward children wearing helmets with "tickets."
The police officers view this program as a positive way to show children that they are looking out for them. The tickets will actually be rewards that the children can redeem at local businesses.
Finally, March 25 will be the date for a Bicycle Safety Skills Fair, when children can practice the skills they've learned.
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Elkridge Elementary fifth-graders Kerrie Smith and Katie Stone are doing a Type III project for the school's Gifted and Talented program. It involves the collection of school supplies to be given to children who can't afford them.
Parents and community members may bring new school supplies such as scissors, glue, pencils, crayons, notebooks, paper and school boxes to the front office of the school.
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Elkridge Elementary School held a tremendous book exchange last week, when 179 children exchanged a total of 947 books that the donors had already read.
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Cub Scout Pack 432 is celebrating its 45th anniversary at its Blue and Gold Banquet on Sunday.
The pack is looking for any memorabilia or photos of Cub Scouts from the years 1950 to 1990. If anyone has an item to display at the dinner, or if any former Cub Scouts would be willing to share their experiences or an anecdote, call (410) 796-3268 or (410) 796-5114.
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The Howard County Library and Commission for Women are covering women's issues in a Wednesday night series.
On March 1, several Howard County women tell their stories in "Women Returning to the Workforce." On March 8, a panel discussion about women's entrepreneurship will cover "Women and Home-Based Business."
On March 22, the topic is "Women and the Law: Separation, Divorce, and Child Support."
The series will begin at 7 p.m. each evening in Ellicott City's Miller Branch Library, and registration is necessary.
If you're interested in attending, call the library at 313-1950.