renee foose

Ten Howard County schools have been named Maryland Green Schools by the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education. The schools were recognized at the Howard County Green School Celebration Wednesday, Oct. 23 at the Robinson Nature Center in Columbia. The nature center was also named a Maryland Green Center by the association.

With the presentation of a final redistricting recommendation that could move 1,177 students into new schools next year, the Howard County Board of Education begins the process for 2014 middle school redistricting and the opening of a new middle school in Hanover.

A final recommendation from Superintendent Renee Foose and central office staff for the upcoming middle school redistricting will be made to the Board of Education at its meeting Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Any plans to close West Friendship Elementary School are off the table for now, Howard County Superintendent Renee Foose said in an email to parents last week.

The Howard County Public School System started rolling out the Common Core before it was mandated, but while it has a jump on other jurisdictions in the state, there was still a time crunch in getting it implemented, and it being implemented well.

After a dip last year, SAT scores rose this year for Howard County's most recent high school graduates, who again outperformed their peers across the state and nation.

The African American Community Roundtable of Howard County held its second education forum in partnership with the Howard County Public School System Monday, Sept. 30 at Long Reach High School on Columbia.

Howard County datebook

Folly Quarter Middle School in Ellicott City has been named a National Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education

The Community Advisory Council to the Board of Education is holding a general meeting Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Department of Education in Ellicott City.

The Howard County Board of Education got its first look at HCPSS's proposed capital budget for fiscal year 2015 at its meeting Thursday, Sept. 12

The Howard County Board of Education has rescheduled several middle school redistricting meetings.

The brightly colored T-shirts, marking members of certain communities apart from one another in reds, blues and yellows, were for the first time in recent memory absent from a Howard County community redistricting meeting, historically the ramping-up point of the sometimes-contentious process.

Ushering in an exciting new era, the Howard Count Board of Education unanimously voted to approve the revisions to a technology policy that now encourages the use of social media within our school system.

About 52,000 students are headed back to class on the first day of school in Howard County. The students will be witness to some changes in the school system, from new policies guiding social media use and high school athletics and academics. Most notably, about 600 elementary students in Elkridge will be attending class in a brand new building, with the official opening of Ducketts Lane Elementary School.

Another round of transfers and promotions were announced at the Board of Education meeting Thursday, Aug. 15 in anticipation of the start of school

As a new school year begins, the Howard County Public School System is launching a fresh effort to reach out to students and parents via social media, inside and outside the classroom.

The Howard County Board of Education and the Howard County Education Association announced Thursday, Aug. 8 that a tentative agreement has been reached on teachers' contracts.

Maryland test scores declined significantly for the first time in more than a decade, a drop officials attributed to the beginning of a tumultuous time in public education that will bring changes to what is taught and how teachers are evaluated.

The Anne Arundel County school board names an interim superintendent to replace outgoing mentor Kevin Maxwell

The Anne Arundel County school board names an interim superintendent to replace outgoing mentor Kevin Maxwell

Howard County elementary and middle school students experienced drops in math scores on the annual Maryland School Assessment, but are still out-performing their counterparts across the state.

Howard County Public School System superintendent Renee Foose Thursday, July 11 announced 14 new transfers and promotions among school administrators and central office staff, including the recruiting of four former colleagues.

The Howard County Board of Education last week signed agreements with three bargaining units while ratification is still pending for two others. Negotiations are ongoing with the Howard County Education Association

The Howard County Board of Education Thursday, June 20 announced it had reached agreements with most of its bargaining units, but negotiations with the Howard County Education Association, the teachers' union, are ongoing.

Noah Scholl, 16, a rising senior at River Hill High School, recently received perfect scores on both the SAT and ACT

Howard County Public School System Superintendent Renee Foose Thursday, June 13 unveiled her five-year strategic plan for the school system.

Superintendent Renee Foose announced more than 30 appointments, transfers and promotions among elementary, middle and high school administrators in Howard County.

Both the It's Academic Club team and the History Club team from Centennial High School in Ellicott City have enjoyed victorious seasons. The Centennial High It's Academic Team placed first in the Baltimore-Metro Championship, and second in the nation. The history team came in second in the nation this year as well.

With the opening of a new middle school in Hanover in August 2014, the Howard County Public School System looks ahead to middle school redistricting for that school year.

The Howard County Board of Education last week approved the annual Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance Chart, which shows which schools are so overcrowded that it could halt residential development in the area.

Educators and administrators in the Howard County Public School System received the first-ever Crystal Flame Awards from Superintendent Renee Foose Thursday, May 9.

The Oakland Mills Community Association is holding a community forum on "The State of Education" Tuesday, May 7.

At an information-sharing session between the Howard County Board of Education and the School Health Council, the advisory group suggested stronger overall language in policies regarding the health and wellness of students.

As the Howard County Public School System's health and wellness policy goes before the Board of Education for a work session and eventual vote, physical education teachers tout the need for better, longer physical education classes for students.

Folly Quarter Middle School in Ellicott City has been in existence for 10 years, but already its collection of awards and honors seem primed to one day rival the banners in the rafters of the Boston Celtics' TD Garden.

Howard County Superintendent Renee Foose holds three more Listen and Learn forums exclusively for PTAs

More than 40 people testified and more than 150 people gathered at a public hearing at the Board of Education Thursday, April 11, demanding a better health and wellness policy for students.

The Howard County Education Association last week release the results of the annual job satisfaction survey. While many numbers reflect little change (and represent an overall satisfaction among teachers county-wide), numbers continue to be significantly lower among middle school educators.

When we talk about Howard County public schools, we almost always use the word "excellence." I am proud of that description, but I have long been concerned that the more comfortable we grow in thinking that our schools are great, the more complacent we might become about addressing very real challenges.