Vaccines required for county students
More than 4,000 students could be kept from class if they don't get two vaccinations by Jan. 2, county school and Department of Health officials said last week.
Changes enacted by the state for the 2006-2007 school year require students entering grades six through nine to be vaccinated against chickenpox (varicella) and hepatitis B. Students who do not get those vaccinations by Jan. 2 will not be admitted to class.
County middle and high school principals met last week with students who do not have the proper vaccinations. Letters will be sent to parents in the coming weeks and at least two more meetings between principals and students will occur before Jan. 2.
As of last month, 1,832 students in grades six to eight and 2,300 ninth-graders had not received at least one of the vaccinations.
The Anne Arundel County Department of Health urges all sixth-, seventh-, eighth- and ninth-graders who are not fully immunized to see their doctors as soon as possible. The Department of Health provides free vaccinations at walk-in clinics at:
Glen Burnie Health Center, 416 A St. S.W., 410-222-6633.
Odenton Health Center, 1370 Odenton Road, 410-222-6660.
Parole Health Center, 1950 Drew St. in Annapolis, 410-222-7247.
Students who have had chickenpox can be exempt from that vaccination if parents provide proof of a medical diagnosis. Students who have a blood test showing immunity to hepatitis B or varicella also can be exempt.
Information: School Health Services at 410-222-6838, Immunization Services at 410-222-4896, or the Department of Health, www.aahealth.org.
Special ed forum set for Thursday
Anne Arundel County's Special Education Citizens Advisory Council will hold an event for students with disabilities at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Ruth Parker Eason School.
The evening will include a presentation on the MOVE Curriculum (Mobility Opportunities Via Education) by Sue Cecere. The focus of this presentation will be on teaching functional motor activities that increase independence, enhance participation in life activities, and improve quality of life for students with disabilities.
Mary Tillar, the county special education director, will be on hand. Parents can air concerns, suggest recommendations and comment on the state of special education in county schools.
Ruth Parker Eason School is at 648 Old Mill Road in Millersville.
Information: 410-224-3122.
Montessori school open house today
Montessori International Children's House will hold an open house from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. today at the school, 1641 Winchester Road in Annapolis.
Prospective families are invited to tour the school, browse the materials and meet with the teachers, administrators and current parents.
The Montessori International Children's House, an independent school for toddlers through sixth-graders, has been open for more than 20 years. It emphasizes hands-on experiential learning, respect for self and others and the development of inquiry skills.
Information: www.montessoriinternational.org.
King breakfast set for Jan. 15
Tickets are on sale for the 26th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast at Anne Arundel Community College.
The breakfast is set for 8 a.m. Jan. 15 in the David S. Jenkins Gymnasium on the AACC Arnold campus, 101 College Parkway. Tickets cost $25 or $250 for a table for 10.
Sponsors include AACC, Annapolis, Anne Arundel County public schools, the Anne Arundel county executive's office and Anne Arundel Medical Center.
The breakfast honors local residents and civic leaders who best emulate King's spirit and salutes the winners of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest, sponsored by the Annapolis chapter of the Links Inc.
Tax-deductible donations to underwrite the breakfast also are welcome, payable to: MLK Committee, P.O. Box 371, Annapolis 21404. Proceeds go toward paying for the new King memorial statue on the college's Arnold campus.
Information, tickets: 410-222-1821 or 410-777-2769.