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Winter 2015-16 Volume Sixty ROLAND PARK NEWS Notes From The Principal’s Office: This Issue’s Highlights Nicholas D’Ambrosio, Principal at Roland Park Elementary/Middle School By Cynthia McIntyre. of the Middle School students coming from the Stony Run Roland Park catchment area. Strategic Plan Nicholas D’Ambrosio looks young and relaxed Despite the size of Moves Forward standing in the hallway at RPEMS, and with the student body and Page 9 good reason. At 35, the age of the school, he’s a 14-year veteran (it was built in 1938) Civic League of the Baltimore City the building looks Update: Year End School System, still pretty good. Inside, Report standing despite North the atmosphere is Avenue’s vicissitudes, bright and friendly, Page 10 and heading up with children’s art on the walls, and high- Safety on the New one of its flagship schools (Roland Park pitched voices echoing Roland Avenue gets a 9 out of 10 in down wide, sunny Page 11 the Baltimore Great hallways. D’Ambrosio Schools rating, and 4 is proud of its central Shop Unique out of 5 stars in online air conditioning, new Shop Local parent reviews). roof and children’s playground – three Page 12 Arriving at Roland major building projects Park Elementary as a in the past five years. Lake Roland new Phys Ed teacher in Once Again 2005, he had the good Learning about their community: As part of an activity on community leadership, Mrs. Last year’s technology luck to be mentored by Rucinski’s second-grade class interviewed Mr. D’Ambrosio about a school principal’s role. fundraiser raised Page 15 his predecessor, former Photo courtesy of RPEMS. over $100,000 ($13K principal Carolyn Cole. of that was donated by Miss Shirley’s Cafe In 2007, he obtained the Roland Park Civic in The Community a Masters in Education at Loyola University, and League), enough to create a new computer lab, Page 18 became Assistant Principal. After four years, he left to significantly increasing students’ access to online be Interim Principal at Francis Scott Key Elementary/ education. School News Middle School in South Baltimore, but returned to RPEMS as Principal a year later, in 2012, when Mrs. Page 19 Cole unexpectedly retired. Clearly, he is very much at “This building is open from 7 to 7 most days. We really hope that the school makes the Bookends home with the Roland Park students, faculty, parents and neighborhood. neighborhood a better place, because the neighborhood definitely makes us a better Page 23 With 1,350 students, split about equally between place,” says D’Ambrosio. Fright Night Fun Elementary and Middle Schools, Roland Park is currently at 101 percent capacity. 40 percent of these Page 28 students have been designated as gifted. Nearly 90 At RPEMS, high numbers of bright students, engaged percent of the Elementary School students come parents, and some great and dedicated teachers Book Nook from within its designated Roland Park catchment help to compensate for a city school system whose Page 30 area. That area runs from Falls Road in the west to resources are stretched thin. Community involvement York Road in the east, north to the Baltimore County is another important piece of its success, and the Rollin’ Reels line and south roughly to Cold Spring Lane. The school does its part to participate in the life of the Middle School has a similar catchment area, but neighborhood, hosting the annual meeting of the Page 33 includes students from Medfield Elementary, as well Roland Park Civic League, as well as election polling as children from both the academically selective and other neighborhood meetings. Their baseball Ingenuity Program and the city-run Advanced field is used by Roland Park Little League teams. Academics programs. The inclusion of these students results in a city-wide mix, with just about 50 percent Continued on page 22 Editor’s Notes Roland Park News By Hilary Paska homes, are yet more of our neighborhood’s positive features. Modern urban planners Volume 60 2015 could be described as Baltimore’s ‘Annus increasingly recognize the value of local Winter 2015-16 Horribilis’ of recent decades. In a year of civil shopping, but it’s a classic case of “use it or unrest and alarming murder rates, our city lose it.” Supporting Roland Park businesses Table of Contents has garnered international media attention for year-round is crucial, with the holiday season all the wrong reasons – and we’re not out of 1 Notes From The Principal’s Office a particular bonus. In “Shop Unique – Shop the spotlight yet. 2016 will likely bring more Local,” Peter and 2 Editor’s Notes controversy, challenges Laura Grier showcase 3 Arts Happenings and some negative some of Roland 5 History and Heritage coverage. Park’s commercial 6 Natural Selections During such unsettled gems and share 9 Stony Run Strategic Plan Moves Forward: times, it’s easy (and their proprietors’ Please Join in the Discussion! understandable) to recommendations for 10 Civic League Update: Year End Report feel negative about holiday giving. 12 Shop Unique – Shop Local Baltimore. But let’s Before we get too look at the whole 11 Safety on the New Roland Avenue complacent, however, picture. Baltimore’s let’s not pretend 15 Lake Roland Once Again ongoing social 16 Winter Recipe: Pistachio Gorgonzola Torta Roland Park is inequalities cannot and perfect! This past year 17 Winter Recipe: Potato Leek Soup should not be ignored, Getting involved in the community: Neighbors share their ideas at the has seen its share of 18 Miss Shirley’s Cafe in The Community but this midsized city Stony Run Strategic Plan Community Kick Off meeting in September. inconveniences and also boasts world- 19 Making Peace: Fourth and Fifth graders Photo courtesy of the Roland Park Community Foundation. mishaps, in particular partner with Robert Coleman Elementary renown universities the ongoing Roland peers to solve world problems and hospitals, several Avenue repaving 20 Bryn Mawr Fifth Grader Honored established and project, which has caused frustration and at Library of Congress revitalized neighborhoods and a lively arts even anger among residents. 20 Annual Gilman-McDonogh Game Generates and entertainment scene. These are some Cooperation as well as Competition of the city’s assets, and our neighborhood, A perceived lack of communication Roland Park, is one of them. concerning the repaving project, specifically 21 Roland Park Country School Names the cycle track installation, has been one of Caroline Blatti as New Head of School In her “Bookends” interview for this issue, the primary concerns. Given this issue, this 23 Bookends author Kathy Hudson notes that “Sometimes 26 Corrected Home Sales I think we don’t realize how much Roland 27 Home Sales Park is studied worldwide for its meticulous planning and design.” Roland Park is jam-packed with talented 27 Welcome New Neighbors individuals so if you have ideas to 28 Fright Night Fun And that’s just the neighborhood’s layout. improve the neighborhood, please step 30 Book Nook Here in Roland Park, we have so many assets up, share your suggestions and be prepared to follow through. 33 Rollin’ Reels that contribute to a stronger Baltimore. 35 Donor Pledge Form Roland Park Elementary/Middle School is one of the most valuable contributions. A magnet really is the moment for residents to get more for high-performing students from across involved and “be the change you wish to the city, our public school provides a level see.” Roland Park is jam-packed with talented of education that gives students the tools for individuals so if you have ideas to improve a better future. In our lead article, Principal the neighborhood, please step up, share Nick D’Ambrosio shares his hopes for the Editorial Board: Lloyd Burdette, your suggestions and be prepared to follow school and highlights some volunteering Henry “Chip” Mortimer and Hilary Paska. through. Advertising Coordinator: Elena Kirkpatrick Mills opportunities. This newsletter’s editorial team, for example, Roland Park News is published quarterly by the Just as our school benefits from involved Roland Park Community Foundation, would welcome more writers and editors. If parents and community volunteers, so our P.O. Box 16214, Baltimore, MD 21210 you have ideas for articles, or could spare a neighborhood gains when residents step Telephone: (410) 464-2533 few hours every quarter to review copy and FAX (410) 464-2528 up. Creating a Strategic Plan for Stony proofs, we’d appreciate your input. Please [email protected] Run, the woodland trail connecting 15 city contact us at [email protected]. Chair, Mary Page Michel; neighborhoods, is the latest green space Treasurer, Paul Anderson; Secretary, Helen Montag project in which Roland Parkers are playing While Roland Park may not be perfect, in Graphic Production: DesignConcept.com a significant role. As Community Foundation the grand scheme of things, we’re doing Printer: Swanson Graphics President Mary Page Michel states, now is pretty well. This neighborhood has much to Deadlines for copy, including announcements and calendar items, are the time to share your opinions and ensure contribute to Baltimore and beyond, so as we February 1 for spring issue (March-May), May 1 for summer issue (June-August), August 1 for fall issue (September-November), and that the improvements you’d like to see are enter a new year, let’s appreciate what we have November 1 for winter issue (December-February). prioritized and implemented. and move forward with a renewed sense of community and purpose. � Roland Park’s high-quality commercial areas, tastefully interspersed amongst our historic 2 got green space? a powerhouse in the chamber music world.