PRINCIPAL’S NEWSLETTER

March 22, 2019 We’re off to see the Wizard, Vikings! I’m looking forward to seeing many of you tonight at opening night for our spring musical, The Wizard of Oz. This year marks the 80th anniversary of this beloved classic, and we’ve got over 80 current and future Vikings who are a part of this fantastic production to take us on a journey down the yellow brick road and over the rainbow! Of course, none of this would be possible without the incredible leadership of Director, Mr. Tom Sankey, and Production Manager, Ms. Stephanie Williams. I could go on and on about how they bring out the best in our students, but it’ll be easier to believe me if you just come and see the magic for yourself. (I got a sneak peek yesterday when they performed a free matinee for the senior citizens in our community, and all I can say is, you’re never going to want to return from Oz!) Earlier this week, Ms. Williams wrote a press release, which included the following: Students in Mt. Hebron High’s Technical Theatre class don’t shy away from a challenge. When tasked with coming up with design elements for their upcoming production of The Wizard of Oz, the students rose to the occasion not only coming up with those ideas, but constructing nearly every element involved in the production. Director Tom Sankey also involves his company of actors in the technical process. Each actor is required to assist in “tech days” where they will do anything from painting set pieces to assembling the myriad of large scenic elements that the technical theatre class has prepared. Juniors Andrea Sicoli and Jason Brown have taken the lead on set design and co-construction, and enjoy seeing their designs come to life. Actor and Senior Alex C. says, “I have to give props to the people with so much talent, specifically Andrea and Jason. They put in a lot of effort and it’s really great to see their dedication.” It is the camaraderie that Sankey creates which keeps students inspired during the long hours of rehearsal and tech. Says Junior Ryan M., “It’s a very inclusive community of people from very different activities. You have people who do multiple sports and people who focus on academic clubs. You have people from all different backgrounds coming together in ways that they usually wouldn’t through theatre.” As Dorothy famously says, “There’s no place like home.” And when the front of your school says, “Home of the Vikings,” I couldn’t agree more! Joelle Photo credit: Photo by Trent Haines-Hopper/THsquared Photography

Wizard of Oz plays on the Hebron Stage March 22-30.

Show times: March 22-23 & 28-30 at 7pm, March 24 at 2pm.

Tickets only $10 and can be purchased at http://bit.ly/2019HebronOz

FOLLOW US & STAY CONNECTED Twitter: @hcpss_mhhs Website: http://mhhs.hcpss.org/ Student Online Newspaper: The Mountain: https://mthmountain.com/

UPCOMING DATES/EVENTS See the calendar on our website for additional dates. Date Time Event March 25 6-8pm International Parent Leadership Program @ Hebron March 26 5:30 – 8pm 4-week series of Guiding Good Choices Parenting Classes by HC DrugFree & HC State's Attorney's Office @ Elkridge Library March 26 7pm College Admissions Panel Discussion @ River Hill High Auditorium March ~ 27 Online Mulch Sales March 27-29 During Lunch Prom Ticket Sales $85 @ Cafeteria March ~ 29 AP Exam Registration Online March 22, 23,24* 7pm Hebron Theatre Performances of The Wizard of Oz 28, 29, 30 in the Auditorium *3/24 @ 2pm March 30 9am - 2pm Becca’s Closet @ Atholton High Cafeteria April 1 4:30-7:30pm Ellicott City Brain Bee Competition @ Hebron April 1 7pm HC DrugFree offer Senior Week: Staying Safe in OC programs @ Marriotts Ridge High April 3-4 During Lunch Prom Ticket Sales $85 @ Cafeteria April 4 Last Day Online Prom Ticket Sales April 4 5-9pm HebronFest in the Cafeteria April 5 Early Dismissal @ 11:10am/Professional Work Day April 6 Mulch Sale Delivery April 7 8:30am - Women in Aeronautics & Astronautics Presentation 4:30pm @ UMD College Park, Kim Engineering Bldg. April 8 6:30pm Viking Backers Meeting in the Media Center April 12 Last Day Order Senior Banner Sales April 13-22 Spring Break – Schools Closed April 23 Last day to turn in your PTSA Scholarship Application April 24 Report Cards Issued for Quarter 3 April 27 10am - 2pm Drive-thru EpiPen, Medication and More Collection @ Wilde Lake Village Center parking lot April 27 8pm-12am Prom @ The Hotel at Arundel Preserves April 28 12am-3:30am After-Prom @ YMCA in Ellicott City April 29 NHS Applications Deadline to Mrs. Sankey & Ms. Stafford May 6 6:30pm Viking Backers Meeting in the Media Center May 16 Interim Reports Issued for Quarter 4 May (TBD) Senior Banners handed out to students @Graduation Rehearsal May 20-31 Graduation Window June 3 6:30pm Viking Backers Meeting in the Media Center June 5 6pm College Night in the Auditorium June19, 20, 21 Early Dismissal @ 11:10am/Final Exams for HS June 21 11:10am Last Day of School September 5 6:30pm Back to School Night for 2019-2020 CELEBRATIONS! **For the most up-to-date celebrations, be sure to follow us on Twitter: @hcpss_mhhs

Congratulations to Justin Richter who was selected by Howard County Recreation and Parks as their Youth Player of the Year Good Sports winner at the Mid-Atlantic Recreation and Sports Alliance awards on March 13th at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis.

Congratulations to Seniors Mauricio Lopez, Mariah Qureshi, Uzair Ahmad and Josh Chang for presenting at the Howard County Local Children’s Board Meeting. Ms. Lisa Viglotti’s ESOL classes collaborated with Ms. Hannah Gonzalezez’s Spanish 5AP classes for the first half of the year to develop communication skills with the help of Trent Hall.

Students had fun on Wednesday "pieing" Ms. Borgia, Ms. Riaz, and Mr. Macheel as a wrap-up to our Mental Health & Suicide Awareness Week last week. Students raised $3,086.01 for Grassroots!

Congratulations and THANK YOU to those who mentored the Robotics Team to their championship win! Steve Nolan, Trish Ververs, Bruce Hoelzer, Jim Bothe, Kenneth Bothe, Rebecca Gibino, Heather Rectanus, Rob Trainer, Dave Layshock and Ben LaPointe. Your tireless commitment to our students (even when many of you no longer have students at Hebron) makes a difference every day! We salute you and appreciate you so very much!

NEW NEWS Values at Hebron What Values do you have when you think of the learning environment at Mt. Hebron High School? Answer this 2-question survey and let your voice be heard! Parent responses will be combined with feedback from students and staff to create a theme for the 2019-2020 school year. Click here to take the short survey: https://forms.gle/e1w3a3cLaXWx5oyT9

HebronFest 2019 Is Coming This year's Hebron Fest will take place April 4, 2019 from 5-9pm in the Cafeteria. The Sign Up Genius for Food, Drinks, and Desserts can be found here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B4DA9A62FA02-foods1 Please join us in a night of food, music, and fun.

Spaghetti Dinner in Support of the Mt. Hebron Boys Lacrosse Teams Mt. Hebron Boys Lacrosse 45th Annual Spaghetti Dinner This Wednesday, March 27th 5-7:30 PM Mt Hebron Cafeteria

$10.00 for Adults/$5.00 for students, staff and seniors Tickets can be purchased from any player or at the door. To Go containers available.

Final Week of Mulch Sale! Please get your orders in! https://mhhsmulchsale.wixsite.com/mhhsmulchsale

Pick-up Trucks and Drivers Wanted! We need lots of help on Mulch Delivery Day, April 6. We are light on volunteers this year so please consider helping out. Email with questions or to put your name on the list. Thank you!!! [email protected]

AP Exam Registration A reminder that AP Exam registration closes on Friday, March 29th. Students must submit the signed registration form and proof of payment before the end of the school day (2:30pm) on the 29th. Instructions for how to register can be found on the school’s homepage. Students can see Dr. Kiehl in room 109 with questions.

Bikes Are Coming Ms. McCarthy’s Lifetime Fitness and Aerobic Conditioning classes will be riding bikes during PE starting on or around Monday, April 1st. Please consider making sure your child is dressing in shorts or pants that are not wide at the bottom and risk getting caught in the bicycle chain. Of course, tennis shoes are still necessary for safe participation in class.

If you would like to bring your own bike helmet to school during this time, you may bring it to school and have your fit adjusted. It also gets you on the bike faster during class which equals more riding time.

If you choose to bring your helmet from home, please make sure your child’s name is inside/on the helmet somewhere. Students are responsible for storing their helmet in their locker while at school. The helmet is the sole responsibility of the student and will not be replaced if it is misplaced.

Students may NOT bring their own bikes for use in PE. Bikes and helmets are provided for all students during class. If your child is unable to ride a two-wheel bike independently, they will get to practice gaining skill on a balance bike (no pedals) until they feel more confident and are ready to try riding using pedals. Remember that if you ride anything with wheels (scooters, skates or bikes) and are under the age of 16, you must wear a helmet in the state of . Helmets protect our growing brains while we sharpen our safety skills and have a whole lot of F-U-N!

Please contact Ms. Melissa McCarthy ([email protected]) if you have further questions. College Admissions Panel Discussion The PTSA at River Hill is hosting a College Admissions Panel Discussion Night. RHHS PTSA Presents College Admissions Panel Discussion Tuesday, March 26, 2019 @ 7:00 pm/RHHS Auditorium

There is a college or university for every student...the trick is to find and gain acceptance to the right one. Geared toward parents of high school students, particularly current juniors, this discussion will cover decision factors, sources and hints for preparing for the college admissions process.

Topics for discussion include: - New trends in the admissions process - The role of "demonstrated interest" by applicants (campus visits, interviews, etc.) - What the admissions officer looks for in essays/personal statements - How applicants can best distinguish themselves - JumpStart, AP classes and transferring from community college

Panel participants include admissions representatives from: - Bucknell University - Dickinson College - George Washington University - James Madison University - Johns Hopkins University - University of Maryland

FREE ADMISSION For more information visit www.riverhillptsa.org or email [email protected]

Save the Date: College Night An informative evening with special presenters to speak about the admission process, financial aid, scholarships, colleges and more! Wednesday June 5th at 6 PM in the Auditorium. Participants will be able to rotate through multiple information sessions!

Staying Safe During Senior Week HCDrugfree knows parents will speak to their seniors about alcohol, but the Ocean City Police Department or the Beach Patrol covers so much more during their information sessions. Join us at Marriott’s Ridge HS on April 1st @ 7PM with your teen!

 Water safety: how to handle rip currents, diving into shallow water, etc.  Beach safety: keep from getting buried in sand, playing ball, etc.  Parental liability for students under 18  Conversations to have with your senior before beach week  Crossing Coastal Highway and legal issues  Lease agreements and how to protect yourself  Fines (fake IDs, noise, sleeping in vehicles, etc.)  Realities of incarceration from an inside view

Mount Hebron Celebrates Pi Week for Mental Health Awareness– Raising $3,086.01 for Grassroots! What a spectacular Pi Week we had at Hebron! We raised $3,086.01 for Grassroots and raised awareness about mental health and suicide. The Math classes showed a video, Don’t Do Nothing (DDN) which teaches students that suicide is preventable and encourages them to “don’t do nothing” when they think a friend is struggling and might need adult help. It emphasizes that teachers, counselors, coaches and trusted adults are the first resources for help, but that Grassroots Crisis Hotline is also available 24-7. We had presentations about mental health and suicide prevention from experts in the community and we offered several stress-relieving activities like yoga and meditation.

We had our first ever, Pie-A-Teacher Contest! Students bought a ticket to pie a teacher. The top three teachers had the most votes were Ms. Borgia, Ms. Riaz, and Mr. Macheel. For each teacher, a ticket was randomly drawn and that student got to pie one of the three teachers. Students who got to pie their teacher were Yash Bajaj, Carter Gill, Lana Shahine, Alex Kyler, Duan Allan, and Kann Barrett. If you didn’t get to attend, there is always next year!

Thank you parents, students and staff for helping to raise $3,082 for Grassroots which will go to buy 30 hours of support at Grassroots. May 9 is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. Mount Hebron Crisis Support Day will start on May 9 at 12 am and end at 6 am on May 10. We are so fortunate to have a kind, caring, and generous community at Hebron! Friends Tell!

WORTH REPEATING

Graduation Dates: As a reminder, the window for graduation dates is May 20-31. We are still awaiting finalization of the Merriweather concert schedule (only May 31 has a concert scheduled in the window at this time) and will share the final graduation schedule with you as soon as it is available. As you get inquiries, you can refer folks to HCPSS Graduation Window 2019 on the HCPSS website. The last day for seniors is dependent on the graduation dates, so that will be shared at the same time as the graduation schedule.

Are you in need of a Prom or homecoming dress? 's Becca's Closet is partnering with the Zeta Phi Beta sorority to hold the 6th annual A Pretty and Polished Affair. At this event girls will have the opportunity to take home prom and homecoming dresses, jewelry, and shoes. They will also have the opportunity for makeup artists to show them what style of makeup might go best with their dress choice. This event will be held at Atholton High School from 9am to 2pm in the main cafeteria on March 30, 2019. See the flyer for more details! If you have any questions please contact Kathy Barrett [email protected] or Krista Bopst [email protected].

Prom Tickets on Sale Mt. Hebron welcomes all juniors, seniors, and guests to the 2019 Prom held at The Hotel on April 27th. The cost of each ticket is $85. Tickets can be purchased online today and or in the cafeteria on sale dates. The final day of online purchase is April 4th (Tickets can be picked up in the cafeteria). Guest forms for students outside of Mt. Hebron can be picked up and returned to the front office. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Kang at [email protected]. When: April 27th (8pm-12am) Where: 7795 Arundel Mills Blvd, Hanover, MD 21076

Sale Dates: Tickets can be purchased in the cafeteria during lunch on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from March 27th- April 4th. Tickets can also be purchased online at any time (Tickets must still be picked up in the cafeteria).

After Prom Tickets For complete information on After-Prom, including online ticket sales, general information, rules, and downloadable forms, visit the PTSA website. If you have any questions, please email Caroline Bodziak at [email protected].

The Mt. Hebron PTSA welcomes all Hebron juniors, seniors and their Prom-going guests to the 2019 After-Prom party held at the Dancel Family YMCA on April 28th. The cost of each ticket is $10 if purchased between April 1-14. After April 14 the price goes up to $12. There are no printed tickets.

Only guests who are Mt. Hebron juniors or seniors or who attended the Prom dance as guests may attend After-Prom.

Bus transportation (optional) is available from Prom to After-Prom at 11:30pm, April 27. Bus tickets are $5 and may be purchased with After-Prom tickets.

When: April 28 (12:00am-3:30am) Where: YMCA, 4331 Montgomery Rd., Ellicott City 21042

Sale Dates: Online April 1-26 with credit card In the cafeteria April 24-26 with cash or check made out to MHHS PTSA. There are no printed tickets. After-Prom tickets sold separately from Prom tickets.

Volunteer: The SignUp Genius will go live April 1. Students of all cultures, abilities, and backgrounds attend this highly-anticipated event, and there is a job for all interested parents. Your help is needed and very much appreciated.

Senior Banners Celebrate your senior by ordering a Personalized Senior Banner! Banners are 36x34 and made of 13 Oz vinyl. This is a fundraiser to benefit and help fund After Prom, a fun drug and alcohol free alternative for students attending prom. An amazing, fun after party at the Y in Ellicott City! Senior Banner Sales from 3/12/19 – 4/12/19. Banners are a great addition to graduation parties and a wonderful memento for an important life event. Please visit our website to order! Banners will be hung at the school from 4/23/19 until 5/18/19 in the hallways around the Auditorium for all to see and celebrate your senior. Banners will be delivered to your senior at the first graduation rehearsal. Banners are $35.00 plus tax. All proceeds benefit After prom!

Please Visit this website for ordering details and to place your order http://www.varsitygraphics.net/hebron Questions email Cindy Anderson [email protected]

Student Climate Survey Recent state law requires that all public schools in Maryland survey students about school climate. The purpose of the survey is to gain valuable information about the quality and character of each school’s learning environment so that schools can promote a climate that supports student learning.

Students will take the survey during regular school hours. The survey window is 3/4/2019 - 4/26/2019. The survey will ask students about topics such as student engagement, interactions with adults and with other students in the school, the school environment, bullying, and safety. The survey will not ask about a student’s personal experiences, and students will not be asked to provide any information that might violate his or her privacy.

The survey is confidential and school personnel will not have access to the responses of specific students. The responses your child provides will be combined with the responses from other students in the school, and results will be reported for each school and district.

We are eager to receive this very important information about your student’s school and about schools across the state.

If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Dwayne Williams at 410- 313-2880 or [email protected]

Screening of “Angst” and Discussion Around Anxiety in Youth Students and families are invited to a free documentary screening and panel discussion around anxiety in youth. There are 4 screenings, and you are invited to attend any of them, but the screening on Wednesday, April 10th will be held at Mt. Hebron. Click below for more information and to register for this FREE event. https://news.hcpss.org/news-posts/2019/03/attend-a-free-screening-of-angst-and- discussion-around-anxiety-in-youth-april-2-4-9-10-2019/

April 2, 2019, World Autism Day World Autism Day presents another opportunity to celebrate and educate our community about ASD. Join DSE and “Light It Up Blue” to raise awareness about autism, and encourage your staff and students to wear blue on this day. You can find additional resources on the https://www.autismspeaks.org/world-autism-awareness-day website.

No Cars Allowed in the Bus Loop Effective Wednesday, March 6, 2019, cars will no longer be allowed to park in the bus loop between the hours of 6:30am-2:30pm. Cars parked in our bus loop during these hours will be subject to towing. Signs have been posted as a reminder. Thank you for continuing to support our efforts to keep our students and staff safe.

Women in Aeronautics & Astronautics Presentation The University of Maryland's WOMEN IN AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS and DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING invite you to WIAA Day for middle and high school students interested in Engineering, Math, and Science

Sunday, April 7th, 2019. 8:30am - 4:30pm Kim Engineering Building (KEB) University of Maryland, College Park - TENTATIVE SCHEDULE - Welcome and Introduction - Opening Keynote - Student and Industry Panels - Engineering Student Group Information Fair and Lab Tours - Lunch Presentation: What is Aerospace Engineering? - Engineering Group Activity - Closing Keynote

*All students are required to have a chaperone. Chaperones will follow the same schedule as students until the Engineering Group Activity, when they will split off for presentations on Admissions, Living and Learning Programs, and Resident Life* PRICING OPTIONS AND REGISTRATION ONLINE: ter.ps/wiaaday19 Email: [email protected] with questions.

Ellicott City Brain Bee Registration is Now Open! The Ellicott City Brain Bee will be held at on Monday, April 1, 2019 from 4:30-7:30pm. The purpose of the Ellicott City Brain Bee is to engage students in a competition focused on neuroscience. Questions will focus on areas of psychology, neurology, neurosurgery, and more. This bee will include a two competitive rounds, a keynote presentation, and a light dinner. Email [email protected] if you have any questions. Also, see Dr. Kiehl in room 109 if you have any questions. Registration is now open and will close on March 20, 2019. To register, Visit: ecbrainbee.weebly.com

Collecting supplies for Homeless Center Senior Ben Williams Eagle Scout Project Troop 318 is collecting portable, travel-sized toiletries in order to create a minimum of 100 hygiene kits to Glen Burnie Homeless Center. If you are willing or able to donate money or supplies for the Eagle Scout Project. Please contact: [email protected] or 443-970-1772. List of needed supplies: Shampoo, Soap, Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Deodorant, Socks, Baby Wipes, Hand Sanitizer and Gallon Sized Ziplock Bags.

Interested in National Honor Society? Current sophomores and juniors received information in their English classes regarding the National Honor Society selection process and the NHS membership requirements in early March. On March 25th an optional meeting will be held at 2:15PM in room 217 in order to receive help in filling out the selection materials and to answer any questions. Interested students may attend the meeting in order to receive help. NHS selection materials and general information can be found on the NHS section of the Mt. Hebron website under academics, or use the QR code listed below. From the website, students can print as many of the teacher and community forms as they need, as well as the selection materials packet. All of these materials must be turned in no later than April 29th to Mrs. Sankey in room 208 or Ms. Stafford in room 217. https://mhhs.hcpss.org/academics/honor-societies

Drive-thru EpiPen, Medication and More Collection: Howard County's next convenient drive-thru collection for over-the-counter and prescription medication and “sharps” (needles, syringes and EpiPens) will be held on Saturday, April 27 between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. in the Wilde Lake Village Center parking lot near the Swim Center and The UPS Store.

HC DrugFree and the Howard County Police urge you to clean out your medicine cabinets. Teams, clubs, students, PTAs/PTSAs, families, scouts, etc. are welcome to volunteer at the event and receive community service hours. Please visit HC DrugFree’s website at www.hcdrugfree.org and go to the Events/Drug Take Back Day page for more information about medication disposal, or let us know you plan to volunteer by emailing [email protected] or calling 443-325-0040.

Update to the Academic Calendar Howard County public schools have been closed due to inclement weather on four days this school year: November 15, January 14 and 30, and February 11. As a result, all four of the inclement weather make-up days reserved on the school calendar will be used. The last day of school is now scheduled to be Friday, June 21. The final three school days, June 19, 20 and 21, will dismiss 3 hours early. The updated HCPSS calendar is available online at https://www.hcpss.org/calendar/.

Elevator Keys – Health Room Throughout the school year many injuries occur. Because the elevators require a key for use, students are issued a temporary key if they are on crutches, in a wheel chair or a boot. Unfortunately, some of the students have not promptly returned the keys even though they have been released from the doctor. If you have a child who was issued an elevator key and no longer needs it, please check with them to make sure that the key is returned to the health room. The health room is almost out of keys.

ATTN: Current and Former MTH Band Students We are looking for any MTH band instruments that might be lying around your house. It seems that several instruments have been borrowed over the years and not returned to the band program upon graduation or leaving the program. If you have an instrument that belongs to Mt. Hebron, please kindly return the instrument to the front office or directly to Mr. Fischer in the Band Room. No questions asked. Thanks for your assistance as we work together to ensure the success of the band program for years to come.

Do you play a Woodwind, Brass or Percussion instrument? If YES, I have just the thing for you… JOIN BAND! I wanted to reach out and let you know how excited I am to be joining the Mt. Hebron community as the new Band Director. I know that for many of you, band was once an important part of your daily schedule, and I am reaching out to encourage you to consider joining band again. The Mt. Hebron Band Program has a storied history that dates back to 1964 when the band first performed as an integral part of the Mt. Hebron Community. I am looking forward to building on the tradition of excellence that has become the cornerstone of the program.

I recognize that there are many reasons why students choose not to participate in band in high school. I respect that band may no longer be a top priority or even an interest, however I want you to know that I would love to speak with you to discuss ways that you might enjoy band in high school. You can find me in the band room before school or during lunch (4A). There is a place for everyone in our band family. So… If you currently play, used to play or wish you could play an instrument, stop by to see me or feel free to contact me directly at [email protected]. I look forward to meeting you and building an even greater band program together.

Change in Vaping Law A recent change to the law regarding Vaping now allows police to issue a civil citation to juveniles for possessing an electronic smoking device. This is very important for both parents and students to be aware as it is illegal for juveniles to possess any type of electronic smoking device.

Muslim Interscholastic Tournament The Muslim Student Association is proud to be attending MIST (Muslim Interscholastic Tournament) again this year in conjunction with students from the surrounding area and ISB. If your student is interested in participating this year, please have them contact Ms. Brooks-Odom through canvas or email. Information for the weekend long event in April can be found here: www.dcmist.com and is open to all Mt Hebron Students regardless of beliefs.

Photography Supplies Donations Needed Do you have any 35MM film cameras not being used? Any old photo equipment, supplies, or other cameras that you no longer need? The Mt. Hebron Photo Department wants to grow the program for our students, so they have more opportunities to improve their photography skills.

Please contact photo and art teacher Caroline Creeden [email protected] for more information or donations. Thank you for your support!

After-School Bus Dates Added The following are the after-school bus dates for the remainder of the school year. Since we have had school closures on past bus dates, we have rescheduled the bus for the dates highlighted in red – they are Mondays. The bolded dates are Wednesdays.

Mar: 25, 26, 28 Apr: 2, 4, 8, 9, 11, 23, 24, 25, 30 May: 2, 7, 9, 14, 16

If there are any more school closures on the dates above, we will add another Monday as the make-up day.

Pick up time is approximately 4pm. The bus will stop at the following locations: 1) Liter Court and Liter Drive 2) Hollifield Station Elementary Station 3) Town and Country and West Springs Drive 4) Worthington Elementary 5) Brunswick Zone/Dunkin Donuts

Seeking Camp Assistants and Camp Volunteers The Howard County Arts Council is once again seeking Camp Assistants and Camp Volunteers for its 2019 Visual and Performing Arts Summer Camp. The camp runs one week sessions for children grades K-7 from June 24- August 28. The application deadline is March 30, 2019. Contact Tammy Oppel [email protected] for more information.

Youth in Conversation Youth in Conversation is a group of high school students who want to “talk about the things no one talks about.” The goal is to build community by having conversations about identities we have in common and issues that separate us, such as race, culture, religion and gender.

All HCPSS high school students are welcome & free dinner will be provided by #OneHoward and the Columbia Association each evening we meet

We will meet the second and fourth Monday of every month from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Oliver’s Carriage House, 5410 Leaf Treader Way, Columbia, MD 21044 (also known as Kittamaqundi Community Church)

Meeting Dates in 2019: 3/25, 4/8 and 4/29 (In April we will meet the 5th Monday instead of the 4th Monday because of Spring Break), 5/13. Please see the FRONT OFFICE for a form if you would like to participate.

Guiding Good Choices Parenting Classes: Free for Parents of 9-14 Year Olds. HC DrugFree and the Howard County State's Attorney's Office will once again provide evidence-based classes for parents to gain skills and knowledge to reduce the risk that their children will use drugs. This 4-week series will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, March 5, 12, 19 and 26 in the Elkridge Library. Parents are expected to attend all 4 sessions. Visit HC DrugFree's website calendar at http://www.hcdrugfree.org/events for more information and to register. Free workbook included. If you have questions, email [email protected] or call 443-325-0040.

Parent Support Group Mount Hebron has a parent group. The purpose of this group is to provide a voice and tools that will assist parents of students who have needs in the areas of social communication, social regulation and executive functioning skills - whether in a university, work or supported living setting.

Mount Hebron parent, Michelle Im, along with members of our special education team, have volunteered to lead this amazing discussion and support group. Ms. Im also serves as the Vice President for Howard County's Special Education Citizens' Advisory Committee (SECAC).

The remaining meeting will be held in Mt. Hebron’s Media Center from 6:30-8:00. All are welcome! Please join us!

Wednesday, May 8th - SI + SR =  Group discussion designed to foster an understanding of the relationship between social interaction and self-regulation; to prompt parents to implement strategies at home.

Your next VALHALLA VOICE will be published March 25th with the latest news from your parent advocacy groups and community.