BCP Offers AU-Approved Teacher Training

Thanks to BCP Director of Training Tara Anderson, BCP will be offering its first Achievement Unit (AU)-approved teacher training for BCP and other City Schools teachers from July 29th - August 2, 2013.

The CHAMPS Behavior Management Training will give teachers an opportunity to develop, learn and share best practices in classroom management with the goal of developing a proactive and positive classroom management plan that will overtly teach students expectations for responsible behavior.

Teachers earn “achievement units” (AUs) for a range of achievements and activities. With these achievement units, come increases in pay, so that teachers earn as they grow.

Baltimore City Schools has also approved AUs for an additional 16 BCP professional development sessions to be held in fall 2013 and spring 2014.

Career Fair at Hampstead Hill a Success

Thank you to everyone who made the 6th Annual Career Fair at HHA a success. Representatives from various businesses volunteered to speak to students in grades 5-8 about careers.

The guests included:

• David Ross, Computer Technician
• Monika Rayner, Eastern Animal Hospital
• Melissa Johanson, Engineer, Northrop Grumman
• Joanna Sullivan, Editor-in-Chief, Baltimore Business Journal
• Valerie Pappas-Brown, Sr. Research Specialist, Dept. of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
• Lauren White, PT Clinical Specialist, Kennedy Krieger Institute’s International Center for Spinal Cord Injury
• Kaitlin MacDonald, Occupational Therapist, Kennedy Krieger Institute
• John Morrel, Architect
• Cole Shacochis Edwards, Nurse
• Natalie Arteen, Corporate Events Coordinator and Community Relations, M &T Bank
• Jo Shireman, Assistant to Atwood Collins III, M&T Bank
• Christine Redmiles and Julie Smith, Dental Hygienists
• Officer Rosa Ramirez, Senior Liaison Officer, Southeastern District, Baltimore Police Department
• Jennifer Bresett, Forensic Serologist, Baltimore City Police Department
• Brynn Matkoski, Corporate Demand Planning Manager, Under Armour
• Patrick Brooks, Account Manager, Campbell’s Soup
• Angela Kozlowski, Lawyer, Franklin & Prokopik, PC
• Cindy Wolf, Restaurateur and executive chef, Charleston restaurant

The event would not have been possible without all of these volunteers.

Brazilian Secretaries of Education Visit BCP

On June 6th, a delegation of Secretaries of Education from five Brazilian States visited Hampstead Hill Academy to learn about the Baltimore Curriculum Project and to tour the school. The visit focused on BCP's initiatives to successfully develop education management; what it takes to enhance the learning process and raise student testing scores; and the administrative procedures that BCP uses to help educational programs achieve success in Baltimore.

BCP President Laura Doherty and Hampstead Hill Principal Matt Hornbeck engaged the visitors in a discussion of charter school policy; the use of data to drive instruction; the role of BCP academic coaches; the impact of high-stakes testing on curriculum and instruction; the impact of poverty on education; Restorative Practices, and other topics.

The Brazilian delegation was invited to the United States under the auspices of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program. Their program was arranged by Meridian International Center and sponsored by The World Trade Center Institute

We would like to thank Janine Branch (Manager, Professional Exchanges & Program Development, World Trade Center Institute) for arranging this visit.

 

Baltimore Reads Book Bank Provides 2,700 Books for BCP Students

Yesterday the Baltimore Reads Book Bank delivered 2,370 books to BCP schools to support summer reading! City Springs Elementary/Middle School received 1,580 books and Hampstead Hill Academy received 790 books. Wolfe Street Academy will receive 330 books next week. The free books are part of a new Book Bank program to help prevent summer learning loss. Monthly book deliveries will resume in the fall as part of another new program that helps build home libraries and encourages reading at home. We would like to thank Director of Book Bank Operations Mark Feiring and Book Bank Intern Emily Consalvi for supporting our students.

CareFirst Beautifies City Springs Elementary/Middle School

CareFirst's "Team Blue" Replanting Planters

On Thursday May 30th from 11 am to 2 pm, seven volunteers from CareFirst's Team Blue participated in a gardening and beautification project at City Springs Elementary/Middle School as a "soft launch" for their partnership with the school. 

The volunteers included Jade Mills, Jennifer Lew, Bharat Prajapati, Yvette Washington, Robert Lewis, Bonnie Downing, and Carolyn Dorsey. The day began with an address from Principal Rhonda Richetta. Community Resource Coordinator Simone Garrison provided supported for the project.

Volunteer activities included:

• Clearing out and planting existing planters in back parking lot
• Replanting and re-mulching 8 planters and one 4-tiered flower bed
• Picking up litter around the school grounds
• Mulching tree pits around the school perimeter (Caroline Street)
• Removing debris, turn soil, add mulch

We would like to thank CareFirst and BVU Maryland for making this project possible.