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"Investing Where Baltimore Lives" |
August 24, 2007 |
Dear Friends:
Baltimore Public Schools Command Center Open
Now through September 7
The Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPSS) Command Center is open to assist parents with the start of school. It’s a "one-stop shop" for everything parents and students need to know about school readiness such as registration, immunization, school assignments, transfers, and transportation.
School starts August 27. Info: 443-984-1117 or 443-791-3780 |
Once a year, families across Baltimore gather in collective anxiety for that return to the familiar schedule of organized education – the first day of school. Next week marks the first day of school for Baltimore City Public Schools, and I am proud to participate this weekend in a number of celebrations and rallies across Baltimore, preparing our young people for another year of learning, experiencing, and evolving. On Monday, I will join Dr. Alonso early in the morning to ride the bus with a group of students to Yorkwood Elementary School, and then join the students for breakfast before their first day of the year. This event not only highlights a return to school for the students, but a unique aspect of school in Baltimore – daily breakfast for students, recognizing the key role of nutrition in our growing children’s lives.
As you prepare the youngsters in your life for school this year, join with me in encouraging the youth of Baltimore that with the right attitude, and the appropriate direction, the students of our City can compete with any other group of students in the State of Maryland. Our school system has already experienced incredible progress in standardized testing scores, and we are expecting similar results for next year.
As a graduate of Baltimore City Public Schools, I know what education did for me. It allowed me to reach my goal of becoming a leader at City Hall, because the adults around me told me it was possible. They believed in me, and because of that, I encourage all Baltimoreans to show that love and support to the young people around you.
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
President, Baltimore City Council
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Each week in the President's SchoolSpot,
Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake highlights the outstanding accomplishments of Baltimore City Schools students and staff. |
Council President to Give Backpacks and School Supplies to George Washington Elementary Students
Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake will give hundreds of BCPSS students some important tools they need to start school with confidence and to help prepare them for a successful school year. She will distribute backpacks filled with supplies to George Washington Elementary School #22 during their Back to School Night. The 250 students are being rewarded for their outstanding performance on the 2006-2007 Maryland School Assessment (MSA). GWE holds the number one spot among city schools in reading with 100% proficient and advanced and ranks second in math with 98.9% proficient and advanced. The backpacks were donated by Office Depot Foundation's National Backpack Program. Each backpack contains a pencil pouch, ruler, crayons, glue stick, pen, pencil, pencil sharpener and eraser.
Overall, BCPSS MSA scores have improved. The percentage of students achieving proficient or advanced scores increased in grades 3, 4, 5 and 7 in reading and in grades 3 through 8 in math. Elementary school attendance remained above 94% average, while middle and high school attendance rates also improved.
About the MSA
The Maryland School Assessment (MSA) is a test of reading and math achievement that meets the testing requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Each year in March, 3rd through 8th graders take the four-day, 90-minute math and reading tests. The MSA tests basic and higher level skills and requires multiple choice and written responses. MSA scores and other state tests scores are posted at www.mdreportcard.org.
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Have an exciting news item on achievements
in Baltimore City Public Schools?
Let us know so that we can feature them in the President's SchoolSpot.
Call Council President Rawlings-Blake's office at 410-396-4804 or send an e-mail to Marva Williams at mwilliams@baltimorecitycouncil.com.
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Community Events
August 23-26
Baltimore Music Conference
9 pm - 2am Thursday and Friday, 2pm - 2am Saturday and Sunday
Sonar, 407 E. Saratoga St.,
Club One, 300 E. Saratoga St.,
and the 400 block of E. Saratoga St.
The Baltimore Music Conference serves as a forum to highlight and educate talented musicians and DJs of all genres. Over 100 bands and DJs perform on multiple indoor and outdoor stages at the three-day Baltimore Music Conference. The conference also features music industry seminars, dance performances, independent movie screenings and teen competitions focused on preserving music in schools.
Details at www.bmcon.org
August 24-September 3: The Maryland State Fair
Maryland State Fair
with live shows by INXS and John Michael Montgomery
10am - 10pm Timonium State Fairgrounds
$6- ages 11 and older $3-children ages 6-11 Free-ages 5 and younger
410-252-0200
Details at www.marylandstatefair.com
August 24-26
Pow-Wow Native American Festival
August 24-26, Patterson Park
Details at www.baic.org 410-675-3535
Friday, August 24
Summer Sounds at the Square
Belvedere Square, 6-9 pm
Free outdoor concerts every Friday
Featuring: The Crawdaddies
Details at www.belvederesquare.com
Diabetes Awareness Day
12pm - 4pm Maryland Science Center
443-851-1672 www.mdsci.org
Fundraising Book Fair to benefit the Baltimore Maritime Museum
Starts at 8am
Barnes and Noble, Power Plant (Inner Harbor)
410-385-2086 www.bn.com
Little Italy Friday Night Outdoor Movies
High and Stiles Streets, 9:00pm
Featuring: Come September Not Rated 112 min
Saturday, August 25
Station North Flea Market
12pm – 5pm
Station North Arts and Entertainment District
Charles St. and North Ave.
Details at www.stationnorth.org
HP Residential Electronics Recycling Event
10am-3pm
Montgomery Park, 1800 Washington Blvd
You may dispose of used copiers, computers, CPUs, DVD players, digital phones, fax machines, monitors, printers, scanners and VCRs. All brands accepted. No televisions!
www.WeRecycle.com 877-937-3292
Station North Art Festival
Station North Thrift Store, 1400 Greenmount Ave.
Ages: 6-16 Registration is free! 410-882-2217
Sunday, August 26
Baltimore Museum of Art Free Family Sundays
10 Art Museum Drive, 410-573-1700
http://www.artbma.org/families/sundays.html
Tuesday, August 28
Largely Positive
a support group to promote a healthy lifestyle and build self-esteem for adults of size
7pm - 8:30pm
Avalon Wellness, 2002 Clipper Park Rd.
410-235-8300
Wednesday, August 29
Grand Re-opening of Lake Montebello
east side of the lake at Kentucky Ave. and Lake Montebello Drive.
11:00 a.m.
Join The Baltimore City Departments of Public Works & Transportation for this special ceremony to re-open Lake Montebello.
An Evening of Love, Hope and Inspiration
Benefit Women for Women International to support women in war-torn regions of the world
Oliver’s Carriage House 5410 Leaf Trader Way, Columbia
7pm 301-725-4125
Upcoming
| Baltimore City Department of Public Works Clean and Green Calendar Contest
Your artwork could be displayed on the 2008 DPW calendar and seen by 200,000 households. Deadline to submit is August 31.
Details at www.baltimorecity.gov/government/dpw/ |
Jewish American Festival
September 2 & 3, Pimlico Race Course, Hayward and Winner Ave.
$5 admission Free admission for children 13 and younger.
Sisters Saving The City Prayer Vigil
Labor Day, September 3, 10 am
Various locations around the city,
410-523-1700
ABMW’s 3rd Annual Media Cook-Off featuring Chef G. Garvin of TV One
September 8, 7pm-11pm
Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park Museum, 1471 Thames St.
$50 Tanesha 443-629-0187
Ukrainian Festival
September 8-9, Patterson Park
410-687-3465
Korean American Festival
September 22, War Memorial Plaza 410-625-2442
Baltimore Book Festival
September 28 - 30,
Mount Vernon Place,
600 block of North Charles Street.
Volunteers are needed.
Line-up includes Poet Nikki Giovanni, White House Chef Walter Scheib, soap actress Victoria Rowell and more.
Details at
www.baltimorebookfestival.com.
To volunteer, email BOPAvolunteer@promotionandarts.com
Russian Festival
October 19-21, Holy
Trinity Russian Orthodox Church, 1723 E. Fairmount
Ave.
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