BCPS digital curriculum receives national honor
S.T.A.T., or Students and Teachers Accessing Tomorrow, the signature digital initiative of Baltimore County Public Schools, has been selected for a national award from the Center for Digital Education.
The Digital Content and Curriculum Achievement Award will be presented to BCPS during the International Society for Technology in Education annual conference in Philadelphia June 29.
"Team BCPS can be proud of the hard work of students, teachers, families, and administrators to make S.T.A.T. a successful example of how digital education, done the right way, can create effective, dynamic child-centered instruction," said BCPS Superintendent Dr. S. Dallas Dance. "And without a doubt, much of its success comes from the review and assessment of national organizations such as the Center for Digital Education. We appreciate their support."
The S.T.A.T. initiative was recognized by the center in the K-12 Large District/School Category for school systems of more than 12,000 students. It was one of 11 programs and districts from nine states honored this year with Digital Content and Curriculum Achievement Awards.
The third annual awards program recognized school districts for their work with digital content, curriculum and tools.
The Center for Digital Education is a national research and advisory institute that specializes in K-12 and higher education technology trends, policy and funding. It provides education and industry leaders with decision support and insight to help effectively incorporate new technologies in the 21st century.
BCPS to hold four technology and robotics camps
Baltimore County Public Schools is holding four technology and robotics camps for students during July.
The first two camps, for beginner and intermediate robotics students who will enter grades 5-8 during the 2015-16 school year, will be hosted by Hereford Middle School, at 712 Corbett Road in Monkton.
In the level I camp, scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon July 13-17, students will work with VEX IQ robot systems to learn about autonomous programming in robotC language, the new VEX IQ game and basic robot construction. On the third and fourth days of the camp, students will build robots to challenge one another in team competitions. In the level II camp, to be held from 9 a.m. to noon July 20-24, students will use VEX IQ and robotC to explore advanced programming, sensors, game strategy and robot construction techniques. Instruction in the level II camp will follow a learner-centered approach, with students working individually on laptops and robots.
The cost of the level I and level II camps is $250 each. Spots are limited, and the deadline for registration is June 25. To apply, visit http://www.hzr929.com/robotics-camp.html or contact Christopher Putnam, Hereford Middle technology education teacher and camp coordinator, at cputnam@bcps.org for more information.
The second two camps, also open to students entering grades 5-8 in the fall, will take place at Ridgely Middle School, 121 East Ridgely Road in Lutherville.
During the first camp, scheduled for July 27-31 and divided into morning and afternoon sessions, students will receive introductory instruction in game development and robotics. During the second camp, to be hosted Aug. 10-14 and also separated into two sessions, students will learn the basics of 3-D printing in the morning and advance their knowledge of robotics in the afternoon.
The cost of the Ridgely Middle camps is $180 for each session. Enrollment is limited to 25 students per session, and registration is open while space is available. To apply, visit stonealley.com/program/LTRC/group/Robotics or contact Greg Kallaur, Ridgely Middle technology education teacher and camp coordinator, at gkallaur@bcps.org.
