Susan Deise, Rodgers Forge Elementary School's longtime principal, announced her retirement at the Oct. 11 meeting of the county's Board of Education.
The retirement is effective Jan. 1, 2012.
Deise has been an educator for 36 years, spending the last 12 of those as Rodgers Forge's principal.
She's been a constant advocate for her students, especially during the school's period of severe overcrowding and then during the transition back to a neighborhood school.
In a letter to the RFES community, Deise said she's looking forward to spending more time with her family, but expressed sadness in leaving.
"Working with your wonderful children, an outstanding staff and supportive parents have made the decision to leave all the more difficult."
"Truly, my tenure at Rodgers Forge has been the highlight of my career," she wrote. "What a tremendous honor it has been to work with you and to have played even a small part in helping your children develop into the outstanding young ladies and gentlemen that they have become.
"The Rodgers Forge community and our beloved school will continue to flourish because of the commitment to excellence that you have come to expect and will continue to demand. Working together we faced, and overcame, challenging times.
"Through it all, you were there to support me and my staff, and for that I shall always be grateful. "
Deise said that she would introduce the new principal as soon as the announcement was made and was anxious to help with the transition.
Deise presided over her last Halloween parade at Rodgers Forge on Oct. 28, when her students assembled for the Halloween Book Character Parade.
What a creative "chapter" to help close her storybook career!
Susan Hullinger, a Towson High School parent, is coordinating "Mapping Your High School Path" event tonight, Nov. 2, at 6:45 p.m., in the auditorium of Loch Raven High School.
All public and private school middle and early high school students and their parents or guardians are invited.
"The evening's goal is to have each student leave the event with a firm knowledge of the types of classes that should be taken in high school to meet the basic requirements needed to be admitted to, and then to be successful at, the college of their choice," said Hullinger.
Presentations will be made by Gaywood resident Tim Hayden, who is acting coordinator for Baltimore County Public Schools' Office of School Counseling; school counseling chairs Kristina Boxley, of Catonsville High, Matt Ferenschak of Dumbarton Middle and Deborah Franklin of Sudbrook Magnet Middle; and Ken Dickson, coordinator BCPS Office of Gifted and Talented Education.
Congratulations to the 77 members of Towson High School's Marching Generals, who took first prize at the Reisterstown Festival Parade on Sept. 10.
Towson High is always brimming with activity, and the months of October and November are true to form.
The elegant Meyerhoff Symphony Hall will provide the backdrop for the school's participation in the countywide All-Honors Concert on Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. It should be an exciting evening.
Also, the school's fall production of "Cyrano de Bergerac" will fill the auditorium on the evenings of Nov. 10, 11 and 12.
St. Pius X School students last week "capped" the school's annual Heavenly Hats Campaign. Founded by Anthony Leanna in 2001, the Heavenly Hats Campaign gives new hats to patients who have lost hair due to cancer treatments or other medical illnesses.
Plants and blooms are bursting all over Dumbarton Middle School, thanks to the school's IDEA-Gardening Club.
The halls, patio garden and gardens in front of the school are filled with color. Not only has this project beautified Dumbarton, but it has enabled the participants to earn service hours — a benefit all around.
Also at Dumbarton, the school's Running Club now has had three runs this season, and has two to go — Nov. 2 and Nov. 9. Great show!
Ruth Williams reminded us that the Sundays at Central Concert Series is now in its 11th year.
Ruth helps organize the series, and said the next concert, on Nov. 6, at 3 p.m. , will feature the Chris Norman and Howard Greenberg Duo's "Fair and Lucky."
This toe-tapping fantasy runs the gamut from renaissance and baroque to traditional and original music.
My friends, don't forget that, also on Nov. 6, Daylight Savings Time ends and we "fall back" and set our clocks back one hour.
Till we meet again ...