BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY
FALL 2016 HCPS STATE INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC CHAMPIONS
February 27, 2017
Background Information:
Following the end of each of the fall, winter, and spring interscholastic sports seasons, the Board of Education of Harford County honors those individual Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) student-athletes and teams that have won Maryland Public Secondary School Athletic Association (MPSSAA) championships by inviting them to attend a subsequent Board meeting to be honored.
Discussion:
HCPS had one individual athlete who was an MPSSAA State Champion for the 2016 fall season. C. Milton Wright High School freshman Haley Cummins was the female state champion for the 3A Cross Country division.
Superintendent’s Recommendation:
The Superintendent recommends the Board of Education of Harford County congratulate Haley Cummins on her award and wish her continued success in her academic and athletic endeavors.
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY
JOHN H. COX “RESPECT THE GAME” FOOTBALL SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
HAVRE DE GRACE HIGH SCHOOL
February 27, 2017
Background Information:
John Cox, former chairman of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) Football Committee, passed away on October 1, 2007, following a long battle with cancer. Mr. Cox served as football tournament chairman from 1988 to 2006. His tenure was marked by two expansions of the state football tournament. The first expansion came in 1985 while he was co-chairman of the football committee as the tournament moved from four teams per classification to eight teams. In 2003, the tournament expanded for a second time, increasing to 16 teams per classification. Mr. Cox also served on the National Federation Football Rules Committee as chairman of the Equipment Committee. His leadership on the rules committee was responsible for many significant revisions of high school rules. Mr. Cox’s passion and commitment to the sport of football as well as his sense of fair play and sportsmanship leaves a lasting legacy on the MPSSAA and the sport he loved. In his honor, the MPSSAA Football Committee established the John H. Cox “Respect the Game” Football Award.
Discussion:
At the conclusion of the 2016 football season, the Havre de Grace High School football team was named the recipient of the John H. Cox Respect the Game Football Award for displaying the best overall sportsmanship while competing in the football championship game. Players, coaches, cheerleaders, bands and fans showed respect for the game by emulating the values John Cox brought to our state.
Superintendent’s Recommendation:
The Superintendent recommends the Board of Education of Harford County congratulate the Havre de Grace High School Football Team and community for having received this honor.
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY RECOGNITION
2016-17 ALL-STATE STUDENT MUSICIANS
February 27, 2017
Background Information:
Each year, more than 7,000 secondary school student musicians from public and private schools in all Maryland subdivisions audition for the Maryland All-State Bands, Orchestras and Choruses sponsored by the Maryland Music Educators Association. Students take part in a rigorous and competitive audition where their musicianship skills are judged by experts in their field. Those selected represent the best among Maryland’s middle and high school student musicians.
For the 2016-17 school year, a total of 25 Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) student musicians were chosen as members of the Maryland All-State Junior Chorus, the All-State Senior Mixed Chorus, the All-State Senior Women’s Chorus, the All-State Junior Band, and the Maryland All-State Senior Band.
Along with the honor of qualifying for All-State Senior Mixed Chorus, one student was chosen to represent to HCPS at the National Association for Music Educators’ Eastern Division Conference in the All-Eastern Honors Choir.
Discussion:
The following student musicians were selected to be All-State musicians for 2016-17:
Maryland All-State Junior Band Russell Perdue, French Horn, Havre de Grace Middle School
Maryland All-State Senior Band Chad Rogers, String Bass, North Harford High School
Maryland All-State Junior Chorus Michaela Berres, Soprano, Bel Air High School Makaila Elmore, Soprano, Aberdeen High School Mary Pohlenz, Soprano, Patterson Mill Middle School Valory Myers, Alto, Fallston Middle School Ryan Dunning, Tenor, Aberdeen High School Adam Parks, Tenor, Fallston High School Berkeley Tisch, Tenor, Patterson Mill Middle School Max Henkle, Bass, North Harford High School Mason Piatt, Bass, C. Milton Wright High School Max Schulmeyer, Bass, Edgewood High School
Maryland All-State Senior Mixed Chorus Amber McCafferty, Soprano, C. Milton Wright High School Holly Blondheim, Soprano, Edgewood High School Jenny Pysh, Soprano, Aberdeen High School Duyen (ZooEN) Bui (Boy), Alto, Bel Air High School Elizabeth Doyle, Alto, Fallston High School * Michelle Hubner, Alto, Fallston High School Matthew Trulli (Truly), Tenor, Edgewood High School Josef Carmeni, Bass, Fallston High School
Maryland All-State Senior Women’s Chorus Kaiya Grayson, Soprano, Harford Technical High School Amber Bacher, Alto, Edgewood High School Elizabeth Daramola, Alto, Harford Technical High School Roxie Landbeck, Alto, Aberdeen High School Kaitlyn Trexler, Alto, Fallston High School
*Additionally, Elizabeth Doyle was chosen to represent Harford County Public Schools at the National Association for Music Educators’ Eastern Division Conference in the All-Eastern Honors Choir.
Superintendent’s Recommendation:
The Superintendent recommends the Board of Education of Harford County congratulate the Harford County Public Schools student musicians whose talent and dedication have earned them recognition in one of the 2017 All-State Music Performance Groups. The Superintendent further recommends the Board commend the music teachers of the students recognized, whose exemplary coaching and professional support helped the student musicians earn this prestigious honor.
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY
SCHOOL NUTRITION ASSOCIATION 2016 STATE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
BARBARA A. O’NEIL, PATTERSON MILL HIGH SCHOOL
February 27, 2017
Background Information:
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) Manager of the Year Award is in honor of Louise Sublette, a leader in school nutrition during the mid-twentieth century. For over 40 years, Louise Sublette worked in many areas of food service and nutrition, including public schools, colleges, hospitals and elderly feeding programs. Her name is given to this prestigious award because throughout her life, Louise Sublette emphasized that the success of school nutrition depends upon those professionals who work in school nutrition programs. Louise Sublette was a past president of SNA from Tennessee.
Each year, every state association may award one individual with the Manager of the Year award. State entries will be judged by a panel appointed by the State President to determine a state winner.
Discussion:
Ms. Barbara A. O’Neil of Patterson Mill High School was named SNA’s 2016 Maryland Manager of the Year.
Ms. O’Neil worked diligently to create a specialized “family-style” menu for the school district's environmental program at Harford Glen. She partnered with Harford Glen's team to create an eco-friendly meal that reduced the program’s environmental footprint. Students had the opportunity to participate in breakfast, lunch and dinner while visiting Harford Glen. Meals were designed around the curriculum allowing the students to learn about responsibility, waste and the impact their choices have on the Earth. All meal scraps were composted, and students researched the food wasted and the process in which nutrient-rich humus was incorporated into the program's vegetable garden.
Ms. O’Neil is always looking at ways to engage the students and be aware of their evolving tastes and needs. She pioneered the deli line at her school, which has been duplicated at numerous schools throughout the county. The “Make It Your Way” line allows customers to create their own sandwich, sub, wrap or salad. The nominee has also created the “Husky Express” after meeting with students and hearing that they want more time with their friends during lunch. The grab-and-go line allows students to make their purchases more quickly to have more time to interact with their friends.
Patterson Mill Middle High School’s production kitchen is an emergency shelter for Harford County. On numerous times, Ms. O’Neil has weathered storms and power outages to provide support to the community. She serves breakfast, lunch and dinner to displaced residents and emergency personnel whenever called upon.
For these reasons, along with several other glowing examples of her dedication to and hard work in the field of school nutrition, Ms. O’Neil was named Maryland’s Manager of the Year by the SNA.
Superintendent’s Recommendation:
The Superintendent recommends the Board of Education of Harford County congratulate Ms. Barbara O’Neil for having received this honor and wish her continued success in her career.
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY RECOGNITION
2016 HCPS NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS
Initial Certification Melissa Van Ruiten, Youth’s Benefit Elementary School and Meadowvale Elementary School
Renewal Certification Lori McNeill, Homestead Wakefield Elementary School Karla Weinhold, Patterson Mill Middle School
February 27, 2017
Background Information:
For more than 25 years, the National Board has served as the profession’s vehicle for setting the highest standards for accomplished practice, thereby advancing student learning and achievement. Through National Board Certification, a process created for teachers, by teachers, we are keeping outstanding teachers in the classroom and enabling them to grow in their practice and become leaders in the profession.
The National Board seeks to elevate the status, voice and role of accomplished teachers in shaping a true profession. This includes 1) raising public awareness with respect to the cognitively complex and expertise-driven nature of teachers' work; 2) setting higher standards for entry and advancement into the profession; and 3) recognizing accomplished teaching through a rigorous professional certification process comparable to those found in other premier professions, such as medicine, engineering and law.
Nationwide, more than 100,000 teachers have attained National Board Certification since the beginning of the program. In Harford County Public Schools, 75 teachers have earned the coveted designation with five educators achieving during the 2014-15 school year. Successful candidates receive an extra $3,000 per year for ten years ($1,000 from Maryland and $2,000 from Harford County). In addition, those who fulfill the requirements receive six Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) in-service credits as well as additional graduate credits through participating universities. The National Board’s two-part certification system uses sophisticated performance-based assessments that measure teachers’ performance against the standards in their area of practice.
In the first part of the process, teachers develop school-site portfolios which contain four types of entries including actual student work and videotapes of classroom interactions. During the second part of the National Board process, teachers travel to an assessment center where they complete six exercises that focus on content knowledge and the methods they would use to successfully teach the specified content. Both the portfolio and assessment center exercises require teachers to demonstrate the skills and professional judgment that characterize their performance in the classroom.
National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) have had a significant impact on improving education. Nationwide, nearly 50 percent of NBCTs work in high-poverty schools. They are also among the nation’s leaders in math, science, and literacy. NBCTs are consistently informing educational policies and practices at the local, state and national levels with their expertise and experience.
Congratulations to all of our outstanding NBCTs!
Discussion:
Melissa Van Ruiten is a Teacher Mentor at Meadowvale Elementary and Youth’s Benefit Elementary. She certified in the area of Early and Middle Childhood: Literacy: Reading and Language Arts. Melissa is in her 8th year of teaching and has achieved National Board Certification by virtue of successfully completing the initial certification process during the 2015-16 school year.
Lori McNeill is a kindergarten teacher at Homestead-Wakefield Elementary School. She initially received National Board Certification in the area of Early Childhood Generalist during the 2007-2008 school year. Lori is in her 14th year of teaching and has renewed National Board Certification by virtue of successfully completing the process during the 2015-16 school year.
Karla Wienhold is a 7th grade Social Studies/History Teacher at Patterson Mill Middle/ High School. She initially received National Board Certification in the area of Literacy: Reading Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood during the 2006-2007 school year. Karla is in her 19th Year of Teaching and has renewed National Board Certification by virtue of successfully completing the process during the 2015-16 school year.
Superintendent’s Recommendation:
The Superintendent recommends the Board of Education of Harford County congratulate the three HCPS educators who have earned National Board Certification based on an intense personal professional development program that validated their skills as an educator, provided additional tools for them to continue improvement in their delivery of education services to students, and demonstrated their ability in reaching students. The Superintendent further recommends the Board wish the educators continued success in their careers with HCPS.