City Springs Featured in Article about Restorative Practices

City Springs School was featured in an article about how Restorative Practices has been found to improve school safety. BCP brought Restorative Practices to its schools in 2007 with the support of grants from the Goldsmith Family Foundation and OSI-Baltimore.

In the fall of 2010, City Springs Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore, Maryland began concentrating wholeheartedly on affective statements and the 10 other elements of whole-school change. The number of suspensions at City Springs declined from 86 in 2008-2009 to nine in 2010-2011.

Read the full article at:
http://www.newswise.com/articles/restorative-practices-found-to-improve-school-safety

DBFA Adopts Wolfe Street Families

On Sunday December 11^th the Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance (DBFA) held an amazing Adopt-a-Family Event at Wolfe Street Academy. Ninety-four Wolfe Street families received hundreds of dollars worth of clothing, boots, winter coats, gift cards and toys for the Holidays.

This is the fourth year that DBFA has partnered with Wolfe Street to provide gifts for families in need. DBFA also partnered with George Washington Elementary. Last year, DBFA was able to match nearly 150 families through the program.

In November participating DBFA families and businesses received wish lists from Wolfe families detailing each child’s age, gender, clothing size and a list of items the child might like. Families purchased the gifts and delivered them to the school.

“The program was originally going to provide one $40 gift for each child, but the donors go all out!” said Wolfe Street Academy Community School Coordinator Connie Phelps.

PTO Celebration

This year Wolfe Street’s PTO held a Holiday Party Fundraiser alongside the DBFA event. Volunteers sold tamales, hot dogs, hot chocolate, baked goods, and atole, a hot Mexican rice drink. The school’s Mexican Folkloric Dance Troupe performed while children took pictures with Santa Claus.

Funds raise will support field trips during the day and during Wolfe Street's after-school program, which is supported by a grant from the Family League of Baltimore City. This year the PTO initiated a grant program for teachers so that they can apply for field trip grants.

Thank You
We would like to thank Allison Pendell Jones, Michele Esch, and all of the DBFA volunteers for making this event possible. Thank you to the generous families and businesses that provided gifts for our families. Thank you to aMuse Toys offering a 15% discount on gifts purchased as part of the program. Thank you to the Wolfe Street PTO for holding the Holiday Party.

Orioles Host Holiday Party for City Springs Students

Former Oriole Al Bumbry and 4th Grade Teacher Andrew Frankel

On Tuesday December 13th current and former Orioles hosted 90 third and fourth graders from City Springs School as part of the 33rd Annual OriolesREACH Holiday Party at Dave & Busters in Arundel Mills Mall.

Manager Buck Showalter, Jake Arrieta, Zach Britton, Jeremy Guthrie and Brian Roberts were joined by former O's Al Bumbry, Dave Johnson Larry Sheets, and Scott McGregor.

Players played games with the students, served lunch, and signed autographs. Dave Johnson played Santa Claus and deliver new, unopened gifts donated by the Orioles to each child. Students played for free in the arcade room with the players courtesy of Dave & Busters.

The Right Side Foundation, the personal charity of Nick and Christina Markakis, made a financial contribution for the party and provided a copy of the book The Polar Express as well as a new baseball glove for each child.

Students were selected to attend based on a combination of attendance, good behavior, completion of assignments and adherence to the school dress code. This year's event marks the 33rd year the Orioles have held a holiday party for children from economically disadvantaged areas in Baltimore. A different school is selected each year.

View photos of the event at: http://baltimorecp.shutterfly.com/

Thank you
City Springs School and the Baltimore Curriculum Project would like to thank the Baltimore Orioles and The Right Side Foundation for hosting this wonderful party for our students. You have given them an amazing holiday gift!

About OriolesREACH:
Since 1954, the Baltimore Orioles have given back to the community by becoming involved in a variety of area programs and initiatives, as well as creating new opportunities for assistance. Through OriolesREACH, the organization reaches out to our neighbors across Birdland to help our fans improve their daily lives. In addition to partnering with existing charities and organizations, the Orioles have also established a collection of new initiatives.

About the Right Side Foundation:
Children are the most precious members of our society. With this philosophy in mind, Nick and Christina Markakis established The Right Side Foundation to utilize the platform baseball has provided them in an effort to greatly impact this population. Through Foundation programming, investing in community groups/initiatives and developing strategic partnerships, the organization’s efforts will focus on improving the quality of life for children throughout the State of Maryland.

Class Matters. Why Won't We Admit It?

Op-Ed Contributors: Class Matters. Why Won't We Admit It?
By HELEN F. LADD and EDWARD B. FISKE
Federal education policy seems blind to the relationship between poverty and student performance.

City Springs 8th Grader Speaks at National NAEP Event

New Book on Direct Instruction and DI's Creator

Written by veteran journalist Shepard Barbash over a period of 10 years, Clear Teaching is a well-researched, highly readable introduction to Direct Instruction (DI), a systematic teaching approach which for more than 40 years has dramatically improved learning outcomes for students of all abilities and from all walks of life.

The book looks at the development of DI through the early experiences of its creator, Zig Engelmann; explains the principles that underpin this approach; and looks at DI's reception in the world of teaching, where it has been effectively shunned despite a formidable research base and example after example of transformative success.

Photos of students from BCP schools are featured on the cover and throughout the book.

Read more and download the book at:
http://www.education-consumers.org/ClearTeaching.htm

Fall 2011 Edition of BCP's Class Notes

Hampstead Hill Students Visit the White House and other news in the
Fall 2011 Edition of BCP's Class Notes

Click here to read the full Fall 2011 edition of BCP's Class Notes (PDF)

This issue features the following articles:

Around the World in Four Newsletters ...
Over the next four issues educators from around the world will share their thoughts on public education. This issue features Andrew Biemiller, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto, and Ali Wannas Lafi Al-Rikabi, Head of Translation Department, University of Basrah.

False Dichotomies

By Jon McGill, BCP Chief Academic Officer

The educational world has its own version of the "nature versus nurture" conundrum. It is most often clothed in the guise of debates about whether good teaching can make up for the circumstances in which children live. Can high quality teaching provide the conditions in which children overcome poverty, racism, and difficult home circumstances? Are parental failings, poor home situations, poverty and race really destiny or can "equal opportunity" and excellent teaching, along with excellent schools, bridge the gaps?

Leading Minds Forum: The Impact of Poverty on Education

On September 22, 2011 over 450 teachers, community members, and nonprofit and business leaders attended BCP's fifth Leading Minds forum on The Impact of Poverty on Education. Co-hosted by Loyola University Maryland's School of Education and Urbanite Magazine, the forum explored why poverty has such a detrimental impact on academic achievement and what we, as a community, can do about it.
View a video of the forum and past forums at: http://bit.ly/leadingminds

BCP Receives USTA Organization of the Year Award
BCP has received the US Tennis Association/Maryland Chapter's Organization of the Year Award. Last summer BCP launched a new Pre-K through eight school tennis initiative incorporating 10 and Under Tennis. BCP has committed to bring tennis this year to nearly 1,500 students in all four of its schools through physical education, after school clubs, and an intramural tennis league planned for 2012.

From Baraka to BCP: An Interview with Antoine Lewis

Antoine Lewis' journey from the Baraka School to City Springs School began over 15 years ago. The ties between the Baraka School and the Baltimore Curriculum Project (BCP) run deep. The Baraka School was an experimental school funded by The Abell Foundation, the organization that, under the leadership of Abell President Bob Embry, co-founded the BCP with BCP President Muriel Berkeley.

Arts Every Day at Collington

In an era when art and music are frequently sacrificed on the altar of high-stakes testing, the arts are alive and well at Collington Square School of the Arts. Collington Square is one of 44 City schools participating in Arts Every Day, a program that facilitates connections between the arts and learning for every student, every day.

Baltimore Arts Offerings at Collington

The Collington arts experience doesn't stop at the end of the school day. Students participate in visual arts and dance programs, courtesy of Elev8 Baltimore.

Hampstead Hill at White House

On October 12, 2011 more than 100 Hampstead Hill Academy students and staff participated in a physical education event at the White House. First Lady Michelle Obama hosted hundreds of area students in an attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records record for the most people doing jumping jacks for one minute in a 24-hour period.

Hampstead Hill Recess in the News

You may have seen a recent Baltimore Sun article on the importance of recess. HHA middle school students were featured in a large, front page picture. The article highlighted the importance of having recess in the school day. It also pointed out the challenges that come with staffing and supervising recess, especially middle school recess.

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program at Hampstead Hill

Again this year, HHA has been selected to receive about $50,000 worth of fresh fruits and vegetables from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). Good nutrition and healthy eating are part of what make for a good day at school.

Stability Balls at Hampstead Hill

Air-filled stability balls have been shown to help students focus on their studies and relieve discomfort caused by long periods of sitting on hard chairs. HHA was recently selected to receive a grant to study the use of stability balls to replace classroom chairs.

Family League Awards BCP $100K for Wolfe Street After-Schol Program

The Family League of Baltimore City has awarded the Baltimore Curriculum Project a $100,000 BOOST (Baltimore Out of School Time) grant to run the Wolfe Street After-School Program. Kathy Stroup, Director of Extended Student Services, has managed the program for three years. Currently, 82 students are enrolled and 35 students are on at the waitlist. We would like to thank the Family League for their support.