Carroll County Public Schools 125 North Court Street Westminster, Maryland 21157 News For Immediate Release

Release Steven A. Lockard, Ph.D. Superintendent

Schools to Commemorate Veterans Day with Ceremonies and Activities

Many of our schools have planned special activities to honor our veterans and make students aware of their service and sacrifice for our country. Some of these activities are listed below:

At Carrolltowne Elementary School, a scout leader and active volunteer mom is leading the activities. A Veteran’s Star is being handed out to all students. They may decorate the star as they wish to honor a veteran. The stars will be posted in the entrance hallway. Veterans are invited to participate in the daily flag raising with Cub Scout Pack 110 on Veterans Day, Monday, November 11, at 8:45 a.m. They are then welcome into the school to greet children in the hallway where the stars are posted. When arrival is over, they are invited to enjoy donuts, muffins, and coffee from 9:20 to 9:50 a.m., where they will be presented with cards that are being made by the students.

Century High School will salute veterans during its annual Veterans Day Assembly on Thursday, November 7. A breakfast for veterans and their guests will be held from 8:00 to 8:50 a.m. The assembly will be held from 9:00 to 10:45 a.m., followed by a living history museum from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Ebb Valley Elementary School is inviting any current or past military personnel to a Veteran Appreciation Assembly on Friday, November 8. Veterans are welcome to arrive at 8:45 a.m. for a small reception before the assembly begins promptly at 9:30 a.m. Veterans will also be invited to go to classrooms after the assembly for a short question and answer session with students.

Francis Scott Key High School will present a Veterans Day celebration honoring veterans in the community on Thursday, November 7, from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. All veterans, active duty military, and their families are invited to attend the 8th annual Veterans Day Breakfast, followed by a veterans parade.

Freedom Elementary School is having a Veterans Day Celebration on Thursday, November 7, at 9:05 a.m. Veterans will be recognized during a program with 5th grade students. Veterans will then be honored as they walk through halls of Freedom.

Hampstead Elementary School will be building a wall of honor including pictures of student and staff family members who have or are currently serving in the Armed Forces. The Autism and Life Skills classes will again be placing flags along the front walkway in honor of our veterans.

Manchester Valley High School’s Class of 2020 and National Honor Society will present a Veterans Day dinner and show on Saturday, November 9. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and dinner will begin at 5 p.m. Veterans and their guests are invited to enjoy dinner and a performance of the Twilight Zone Festival and Senior-Directed One Acts that will begin at 7 p.m.

Mt. Airy Elementary School will be having a Veterans Day Ceremony on Monday, November 11. Following this ceremony, visiting veterans and active duty service members will visit classrooms so students will be able to thank them for their service and give them a handshake or high-five.

Mt. Airy Middle School is honoring Veterans Day through a display of artifacts that highlights the experiences of veterans in the middle school community. The exhibition will feature photographs, uniforms, meal kits, personal journals, and other important relics that share the experiences of those who have served. In addition to the artifact display, students and staff members are creating posters that recognize the service members and their families and share interesting information about their time serving our country. Students have also been recording short interviews that highlight their family member’s experiences that will be presented during the morning announcements the week of Veterans Day. During social studies classes, students will visit the showcases and complete activities to help them enhance their understanding of the history and importance of Veterans Day. Mt. Airy Middle will also be hosting a Veterans Breakfast for Veterans in our community on Monday, November 11, at 10:00 a.m.

North Carroll Middle School is inviting veterans and active duty military members with connections to students and staff to be recognized and to visit with students on Monday, November 11. The day will start with a breakfast at 8:05 a.m., followed by an assembly recognizing veterans/active duty military for their service at 8:45 a.m. After the assembly, guests will be treated to lunch and will visit social studies classes around the school to share stories and answer questions from students.

Northwest Middle School will hold a light breakfast and celebration on Monday, November 11, at 9:00 a.m. for veterans and families in the cafeteria.

Oklahoma Road Middle School will be hosting two Veterans Day assemblies on Monday, November 11. An assembly for 6th and 7th grade students, along with any family/friends who are veterans, will be held from 8:45 to 9:25 a.m. The second assembly for 8th graders and their family/friends who are veterans will be held from 10:20 to 11:00 a.m.

At Piney Ridge Elementary School, Mr. Trpisovsky, a parent, PTA President, and a veteran, arranges for veterans in the school community to come and visit individual classrooms on Monday, November 11, sharing their stories and responding to students’ questions. He provides teachers with talking points and types of questions students can ask the veterans in advance of their visit. Last year, veterans used maps in classrooms to show where they served, brought in cultural artifacts from other countries, and shared them with students. Veterans are paired together and each group visits at least 3-4 classrooms. Students will continue to gain a better understanding and a stronger appreciation for these men and women who have served or continue to serve our country.

Robert Moton Elementary School will hold its 4th annual Veterans Day Assembly on Friday, November 15, from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Service members who are family and friends of students are invited to attend. Each grade level will contribute to the assembly through a special presentation (song, poem etc.) for the special guests or by making special decorations.

Runnymede Elementary School will be inviting veterans as guests to lunch on Monday, November 11, during grade level lunch shifts from 10:50 a.m. to 1:35 p.m., as well as school activities.

Sandymount Elementary School will create a “Wall of Honor” to honor and celebrate all of the brave men and women who have served or are currently on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. Families with members on active duty or a veteran will share a photo and a brief description of the individual to display on the “Wall of Honor.”

Shiloh Middle School will hold a breakfast and school-wide assembly on Monday, November 11. Breakfast will be held at 8:15 a.m., with the assembly from 9 to 10 a.m.

South Carroll High School will honor veterans in the community with a breakfast and living history interviews on Monday, November 11. Breakfast will be held from 9 to 10 a.m., followed by the living history museum from 10 to 11 a.m. in the media center. All veterans, active duty military, and their families are welcome to attend.

Spring Garden Elementary School will be recognizing veterans during lunch with students on Monday, November 11, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:25 p.m.

Sykesville Middle School will honor Veterans Day on Monday, November 11, by paying tribute to all veterans who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States. Colonel Stephen Landry, USAF, will be conducting the POW/MIA Remembrance Table demonstration for all students during their lunchtimes (6th grade: 10:45-11:15, 8th grade: 11:25-11:55, 7th grade: 12:05-12:35). Parents and community members are welcome to see this moving tribute. During the week leading up to Veterans Day, students will be creating Pinwheels for Heroes to honor military veterans. Students will identify, draw, and write tributes about military members they know on the pinwheels. The students’ art will be exhibited outside at the entrance of the school on November 11. Plan to drive by and view this beautiful display. Sixth graders will be receiving postcards that have been donated by the Camp Snoops Project. These postcards educate students about the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day. Did you know that Veterans Day is celebrated to honor all veterans whether they served during peace or war? These educational cards will be going home with students on Friday, November 8. Staff and students are encouraged to show their U.S. pride by wearing red, white and blue clothing on Monday, November 11.

Taneytown Elementary School is hosting a breakfast for students and family members that are veterans on Monday, November 11, from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. The Antrim Inn will be donating the breakfast. In addition, after breakfast the chorus and 2nd and 4th grade will be performing for the veterans at an assembly from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Some of the veterans have submitted pictures that will be proudly displayed in the front foyer showcase. (This event has reached capacity.)

West Middle School will be holding a Veterans Day Breakfast on Friday, November 8, in honor of veterans who are part of the West Middle family. There will be donuts and bagels starting at 8:45 a.m., followed by the program at 9:00 a.m. All veterans and those currently serving in the military who have children or staff attending West Middle are invited to attend. Students who bring family members will be able to attend the celebration. There also will be a Veterans Day picture tribute. Students may bring in pictures of their family members who are serving or who have served. The pictures will be displayed during homeroom on the Bluejay News.

Westminster Elementary School will have a guest speaker, Steve Yinger, for kindergarten and first grades. Fifth grade students also will have a guest speaker. All grades will be mailing cards to soldiers.

Westminster High School will have a veterans display in the lobby throughout the week of Veterans Day, and student and adult speeches will be read during the week.

William Winchester Elementary School will host a Veterans Day breakfast to honor the bravery and sacrifices of our U.S. veterans on Monday, November 11, from 7:30 to 8:35 a.m. Burger King has agreed to provide breakfast sandwiches at a significant discount. Each student is invited to bring their family member(s) who are serving or have served in the branches of our military. There also will be an Honor Wall to display pictures of veterans. Students will make thank-you cards to hand out to the veterans at the end of the breakfast. Staff can donate $5.00 and wear jeans for a day. Proceeds will go to the G.I. Go Fund.

Winfield Elementary School staff will be participating in Jeans for Troops on Wednesday, November 6, in honor of the upcoming Veterans Day holiday. For a small donation, staff members may “dress down” and wear jeans to work. Participants also wear a Jeans for Troops sticker. While students and families are not asked to donate, students are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue to show support for our troops. The Winfield staff has participated in Jeans for Troops each Memorial Day and Veterans Day since May 2016. To date, they have donated $1,930 to the GI Go Fund.

Winters Mill High School will hold a Veterans Day assembly, breakfast, and living history exhibit on Monday, November 11. The breakfast will be held at 7:30 a.m. and the assembly will be held from 9:00 to 10:15 a.m. The living history exhibit will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

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Please contact individual schools for more information.