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Back to school story and photos

Air of anticipation for students, parents and staff

Student who drowned to be honored at Mechanicsville Elementary School

Anne Arundel County Public Schools' students start school the week of Aug. 26, with staggered start dates depending on grade. Brock Bridge Elementary School is offering a Meet & Greet followed by and Ice Cream Social. Maryland City Elementary School is also having an Ice Cream Social for students to show off the newly painted interior of the school. The Maryland City pool still has activities for kids, teens and adults before the summer ends. For information on soccer and flag football, contact

Anne Arundel County Executive Laura Neuman announced last week that the Video Lottery Facility Local Development Council has selected 11 recipients to receive a total of $100,000 in community support grants. Funds for the grants come from the Maryland Live Casino gaming tax.

Ballet Mobile is a group of lovely dancers who literally take the show on the road with an emphasis on performing for those who simply can't leave home.

System now ninth largest in Maryland

The third Thursday of the month brings Thursday at the Corner to the Clarksville Square shopping center. Roots Market and surrounding shops offer free gift card raffles, live music, special sales and more Aug. 15 from 6 to 9 p.m. On the other side of Route 108, you'll find Invasion playing British rock from 6 to 8 p.m. in the courtyard area of the River Hill shopping center on Friday, Aug. 16.

To help parents learn about school resources, and to help students get ready for the new school year, Prince George's County Public Schools will hold its third annual Back to School Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Showplace Arena, 14900 Pennsylvania Ave., in Upper Marlboro.

The sixth annual

From traffic accidents to public transit, from school bus routes to the potential construction of a Walmart in their community, traffic and transportation were the main topics during Monday evening's meeting of the Abingdon Community Council.

In a recent edition of our local newspapers, one of the main stories was that Fallston schools were the big winners in Harford School construction plans. It

The community is invited to a discussion titled "Celebrating the Turning Point of the Civil War with the Battle of Gettysburg" on July 13, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., in the Shrine Conference Room at the Shrine of St. Anthony, 12290 Folly Quarter Road.

The Ruff-Ross Educational Fund, Inc. held its annual scholarship banquet on Saturday, June 1 at Fairview AME Church in Forest Hill. The Ruff-Ross Educational Fund Inc. began in 1963 after the Central Consolidated School closed its doors. The Scholarship Committee of the PTA saw a need for a continued program of raising funds to help black youth continue their education

The National PTA recently recognized North Harford High School junior Cassidy Miller with an Award of Excellence for Dance Choreography in their 2012-2013 Reflections Art Contest.

Happy 40th Birthday Dunloggin Middle School. In 1973, principal March Girod opened the doors to Ellicott City's Dunloggin Middle, welcoming students to their brand new school.

Seven stakeholders in the Harford County Public Schools system made their feelings known Monday night in the wake of the Harford County Board of Education's decision during its last meeting to cut more than 100 positions, implement athletic and activity fees, remove funding for teacher salary increases and take other drastic measures to reconcile its budget.

Parents are invited to give input about what kind of principal they would like now that Towson High School's longtime, popular principal Jane Barranger has retired.

County Executive Rushern Baker III and the Prince George's County Council made the final appointments to the Board of Education

Eastwood Center Elementary Magnet School closed for good Friday, the last day of school.

The city of Laurel is hosting a series of movies and concerts on Fridays during the summer at Granville Gude Park, 8300 Mulberry St. Attendees are encouraged to bring a comfortable chair or blanket. All events are family friendly.

Vansville Elementary School students enjoyed two firsts at the school in Beltsville: Family One Mile Fun Run/Walk and Spelling Bee. Both events were organized and sponsored by the Vansville PTA.

After 25 years at Bond Mill Elementary School, Sandra Leibson is retiring and moving to Florida.

The process of demolishing the old Carver Center building and replacing it with playing fields will begin later this month, BCPS Superintendent Dallas Dance said last week.

With its financial resources, the county can embark on a school construction program without the state's help.

I don't tune into Baltimore's morning news shows expecting hard-hitting, revealing interviews. Traffic, weather, softer features and a few nuts-and-bolts news stories are the usual order of the day. But WBFF's Patrice Sanders stopped me cold on May 24 with an interview she did with Baltimore City Schools CEO Andres Alonso in response to an audit that found tens of thousands of federal stimulus dollars had been misspent on his watch.

One hundred years ago, the long-drawn-out controversy about the completion of the Baltimore Washington Boulevard through the village of Elkridge seemed to draw near a settlement as a result of a hearing held before the Public service commission.

The members of the Harford County Board of Education spent nearly two thirds of their roughly 80-minute meeting Tuesday honoring students, faculty, parents, school officials and even one of their own for their contributions to Harford County Public Schools

The Maryland State Department of Education may have to pay back up to $540,000 in federal money intended to help the state's poorest schools after a scathing audit found that Baltimore City was one of two school districts that misspent the funds on dinner cruises, makeovers, meals and travel.

Mandating what all organizations distribute during after-school and weekend activities is an overreach by the school system. It takes away our rights as parents to decide what our children are allowed to eat and drink when they are not in school. This is why PTA opposes the mandate.

Building a new 700-seat elementary school to replace Rodgers Forge Elementary in Towson was made during a meeting held at Carver Center on Thursday evening to address Towson's elementary school overcrowding problem.

Only three people spoke during the Harford County Council's first of two public hearings on the budget Wednesday.

The Elkridge Heritage Society will host the Brumbaugh Bash, Saturday, June 8, 4-8 p.m., at the Brumbaugh House. All are invited to support this historical organization.

If the school needs to make money through snack foods and sodas, then cigarettes should also be offered. Teachers and some students are over 18 and that would be an equally unhealthy way to make money to me.

Morton "Jerry" Baum, founder and executive director of The Fund for Educational Excellence and a retired clothing manufacturing executive, died May from complications of Parkinson's disease at his Roland Park home. He was 87.

The Howard County Board of Education has pushed back a vote on the school health and wellness policy to Nov. 7, but aspects of the contested proposal will go into effect for the upcoming school year.