Dear Friends:

Better Schools: Reducing Dropouts

Despite recent gains in state test scores, rising SAT participation rates and more schools meeting federal standards, Baltimore City Public School graduation rates are among the lowest in the nation. On Monday I introduced a City Council resolution calling for a new proactive intervention program aimed at high-risk students who are transitioning into sixth and ninth grades to help increase graduation rates in Baltimore City Public Schools.

According to research by Dr. Robert Balfanz, a researcher at the Center for Social Organization of Schools at Johns Hopkins University, students in high poverty school districts who complete sixth grade to ninth grade graduate from high school at a rate of 75 percent or higher—while students who get off track during this period graduate at a rate of 20 percent or lower. Dr. Balfanz’ research suggests that about 40 percent of high school dropouts could be identified in the sixth grade and 75 percent by the ninth grade.

This City Council resolution urges the school system to tailor programs for incoming students to both middle school and high school. The first step would be to identify at-risk students in fifth grade and eighth grade based on factors such as attendance, suspensions, and academic performance. In the summer of the student's transitional year, teachers and school staff would meet with these students and their families to provide services and help students get back on track.

Baltimore City Public Schools continue to make significant progress, but we need to do more. This week I was encouraged to learn that Baltimore schools CEO Andres Alonso has ordered high school principals to contact students who have dropped out since January and get them to re-enroll by the end of September. This is a great idea: we need to expect more of our kids. Graduation from high school needs to be the rule and not the exception. High school graduation rates are unacceptably low, and research suggests that we can reduce school dropouts with targeted early-intervention programs in place. City Council Education Committee chair Mary Pat Clarke will announce a hearing date for this resolution at a later date.

I look forward to working with Dr. Alonso to determine how we can best target resources to these children and make our school system better, safer and stronger.

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
President, Baltimore City Council

An East Baltimore School Awarded A Top State Honor Now Has A Top National Award Last December, students, teachers, staff and parents at Cecil Elementary School celebrated being named a Maryland Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. The school is celebrating again, because last week, the U.S. Department of Education named it a 2008 National Blue Ribbon School. Cecil Elementary is among 320 schools nationwide that captured the prestigious recognition and is among the four schools named in the Baltimore area. However, it is the only school in the city to receive the honor this year. Principal Roxanne Forr points to collaborative instruction and high teacher retention for fostering the school’s success. “We're excited. It's nice to be rewarded for what we do every day," said Forr. The school also maintains strong partnerships with organizations like the East Baltimore Community Corporation, St. Ann’s Catholic Church, PNC Bank and Junior Achievement. Cecil Elementary’s test scores have significantly improved. 2007 Maryland School Assessment (MSA) data shows that nearly 91 percent of Cecil students scored at the proficient or advanced level in reading and nearly 96 percent of all students scored at the proficient or advanced level in math. The school consistently meets Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on the MSA. Cecil was nominated in a category recognizing economically disadvantaged schools that have shown significant improvement on the tests in the past three years. Nearly 90 percent of the school's students receive free or reduced-price lunch. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a state and national program that recognizes and honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that exhibit high performance and/or significant improvement in reading and mathematics achievement as measured by Maryland’s assessments. Schools must meet rigorous standards developed by the Maryland State Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education. These schools are either extremely high achievers in reading and mathematics or are economically disadvantaged schools exceeding norms and dramatically closing achievement gaps of their students in reading and mathematics. Under No Child Left Behind, schools must make Adequate Yearly Progress in reading/ language arts and mathematics. Each state sets its own academic standards and benchmark goals. Send us the good news about your Baltimore City public school! Do you 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 marva.williams@baltimorecity.gov

City Council This Week

Monday, September 22

City Council Meeting
5:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
The Council meeting will be broadcast live on TV25.
Draft agenda

Thursday, September 25

Hearing: Taxation, Finance And Economic Development Commmittee, Helen Holton – Chair
10:30 AM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
08-0088 Sale of Property - 712 Cathedral Street

11:00 AM
08-0099 Sale of Property - SES Roland Heights Avenue SWC Evans Chapel Road (Block 4917, Lot 18)

11:30 AM
08-0146 Prevailing Wages for Work Under Construction Contracts - Living Wages for Work Under Service Contracts

12:00 PM
08-0145 Minimum, Prevailing, and Living Wages - Penalties

12:30 PM
08-0106 Brownfields - Tax Credit
CANCELLED

Community Events

BALTIMORE MUSIC CONFERENCE: SEPTEMBER 17-20 www.bmcon.org The Baltimore Music Conference features four days of performances and seminars for music lovers and fledgling artists looking to break into the industry. More than 150 bands and DJs will perform at venues throughout the city. Panel sessions will include information on finding an agent, copyrighting, recording techniques, and more. September 17 to 20. For more information and tickets, go to www.bmcon.org

Friday, September 19

Business Plan Workshop
Small Business Resource Center, Johns Hopkins @ Eastern Campus, 1101 E. 33rd Street, Suite C307. 10am-12pm. Info: 443-451-7160.

Saturday, September 20

Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower Open Studio Day
21 S. Eutaw St. 11am-4pm. This event showcases remarkable pieces from local and regional painters, sculptors, photographers and more. Guests can visit studios, meet the artists and take tours of the tower. www.promotionandarts.com

CommUNITYFEST 2008: "Giving Baltimore the Tools It Needs to Stay Healthy"
Lexington Market, 10 am-3 pm. Lexington Market will host CommUNITYFEST 2008 in conjunction with the University of Maryland Chapter of the Student National Medical Association. Free health screening and educational information booths will be available such as blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar screening, fire safety, diabetes, Dental, child obesity,lead poisoning, and Social Services for Foster Care and Adoption. www.lexingtonmarket.com

Lead Sled Festival
Farring BayBrook Park, Church St. & Westbay Ave., Curtis Bay. 4pm-8pm. It’s a custom car show with bikes, trucks and customized cars, food, music, entertainment for the kids. 410-355-1100.

Art on the Gwynns Falls Trail
Leakin Park, through November 22. Free public art exhibit featuring guided tours, interactive art displays, and performances and over 20 sculptural installations.

Sunday, September 21

TRAFFIC ADVISORY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21: JONES FALLS RALLY FOR THE RIVER

The northbound lanes of the Jones Falls Expressway will be temporarily closed on Sunday, September 21, 2008 for the Jones Falls Rally for the River event. The Jones Falls Rally for the River event provides citizens the opportunity to walk, jog, bike, roller blade, and skateboard along the expressway. Beginning at 5:30 am and continuing until 3:00 pm, the northbound lanes of the Jones Falls Expressway will be closed to through traffic from Fayette Street to Cold Spring Lane. Entrance to northbound Jones Falls Expressway will be allowed at Northern Parkway. The following entrance ramps to the expressway will be closed for the event: · Gay Street · Fayette Street · Madison Street · Charles Street · North Avenue · 28th Street · 29th Street · Cold Spring Lane

Rally for the River - Celebrate the Jones Falls
Free parking and main entrance ramp at the Poly/Western parking lot at Cold Spring Lane and Falls Road, 8am-2pm. Rally for the River takes place on the closed northbound lanes of I-83 (JFX), from President Street to Northern Parkway. The Rally for the River is a day-long family event celebrating the rich history and natural beauty of the Jones Falls river and stream valley - and the connections between Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay. Experience the Jones Falls Expressway - minus 40,000 cars! Walk or run...pedal a bike...push a stroller. Join thousands of fun-lovers for the metro region's largest gathering of conservation-minded individuals.

A benefit for the Jones Falls Watershed Association. Proceeds benefit JFWA’s work to restore and to protect our streams, neighborhood parks, and the Chesapeake Bay.

Tickets are $5 per adult. Free admission for participants 18 years of age and under. Purchase tickets and more information at http://www.jonesfalls.org

BMA Family Free Sundays
Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., 410-338-4397. www.artbma.org

Wednesday, September 24

Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks’ Board Meeting
Dr. Ralph W. E. Jones, Jr. Administration Building, 3001 East Dr., 5:30pm. 410-396-7900.

Upcoming/Ongoing

More Medical Assistance for Maryland Families through the Working Families and Small Business Health Coverage Act During the recent Maryland legislative session, state lawmakers passed the Working Families and Small Business Health Coverage Act, which expands medical assistance eligibility to parents with dependent children with annual incomes up to $20,500 for a family of three. Parents and relatives caring for children can also apply to receive free comprehensive health care coverage, including doctor visits, low cost or free prescriptions and other services. Get more information at 1-800-456-8900, your local health department or www.marylandSAIL.org. Maryland Science Center Offers Transportation Grants to Maryland Schools Grants are to help offset travel costs on field trips during the school year. Any Maryland school booking and completing a visit in September, October, November or December can apply for a grant of $100 for use toward bus transportation. $100 grants are on a first-come first-served basis and limited to one grant per reservation. Limited funds are available. Call 410-685-5225. Attention Principals And Teachers: Free Educational Field Trips To Port Discovery Children's Museum Funding is available for over 13,000 children, Pre-K to 5th Grade. Exhibits and programs are aligned with Maryland State Voluntary School Curriculum and Maryland Reading Readiness Program. Pre and post lesson plans are available. To register, call 410.864.2664 or email kgulick@portdiscovery.org.

Power of Parents and Partners in School (P.O.P.S. Program) is a new program to encourage and address the needs of students who are expecting or parenting teens who have dropped out and want to return to school. Developed by the Laurence G. Paquin School. 410-396-9398/9399.

October is Kids' Month in Downtown Baltimore. Every weekend will have a family-friendly theme with events and activities throughout Downtown. Downtown attractions and museums will also be offering special discounts and events throughout the month providing families the perfect opportunity to experience all Downtown Baltimore has to offer. Visit KidsLoveDowntownBaltimore.com for details.

Hampden Flea Market needs vendors, flea market is Oct. 11, 9am-3pm, Roosevelt Park, $15 fee, contact Allen at ahicks6@verizon.net.