BCP Hosts Delegation from South and Central America

On January 21st the Baltimore Curriculum Project hosted a delegation of nine teachers and administrators from South and Central America who are traveling throughout the U.S. on a three-week program entitled Primary and Secondary Education: Preparing Students for Success and Citizenship.

The program, arranged by the World Trade Center Institute, explores the role education plays in strengthening the civic principles that are the foundation of U.S. society. The visitors came to Maryland to participate in an in-depth investigation of the school system in Baltimore and its steady and consistent path towards effective learning through its recent reform.

The Baltimore Curriculum Project engaged the delegation in a discussion about charter schools and our work converting traditional public schools into neighborhood charter schools. Three U.S. Department interpreters acted as translators during the discussion.

BCP was proud to host educators from Argentina, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay and Peru. Last year BCP hosted a tour of Hampstead Hill Academy for a delegation from Vietnam.

We would like to thank the World Trade Center Institute, Janine Downey, and all of the delegates for the wonderful visit.

About the World Trade Center Institute
The World Trade Center Institute (WTCI) is the largest international business network of its kind in the Mid-Atlantic – a who’s who of the top global business executives in the region. At WTCI we strive to drive the growth of Maryland’s flourishing global business community. Today more than 2,500 Maryland firms benefit from WTCI’s global connections, events, and extensive international business services. WTCI was established in 1989. Financed jointly by area businesses and the State of Maryland, WTCI operates as a private, non-profit membership organization.
For more information visit: https://www.wtci.org/

City Springs Sweeps MLK Essay Contest

City Springs School took 1st and 3rd place in the Elementary Division and 1st, 2nd, AND 3rd place in the Middle School Division in the Baltimore Urban Debate League's (BUDL) Martin Luther King Day Essay Writing Contest.

Congratulations to City Springs' Elementary winners: Rykeria Crowell (1st Place) and Darren Meredith (3rd Place); and Middle School winners: Quenetta Williams (1st Place), Shardai Little (2nd Place), and N’Dia Langhorn (3rd Place).

BUDL hosted the MLK essay contest for their debaters in partnership with the Walters Art Museum. Authors of the winning submissions will have the opportunity to read their essays in public at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Festival at the Walters Art Museum on MLK Day, January 17, 2010. Students will receive an award from the Walters Art Musem along with the honor of speaking.

Read the winning essays at: http://www.baltimorecp.org/mlk2011.pdf

Beth Tfiloh Clothing Drive for Wolfe Street Academy

Last fall, the Beth Tfiloh Student Council coordinated a Clothing Drive to benefit Wolfe Street Academy. As a result of the generosity of the BT school and synagogue community, a truck load of clothing was delivered to the Wolfe Street Academy. In addition, the school contributed $350 of tzedakah money to the school, to benefit their students. Thank you to Beth Tfiloh for your generosity.

Read more at: http://tiny.cc/bt2011

BCP Fall 2010 Newsletter

Read the full newsletter at
http://www.baltimorecp.org/newsletter/Class_Notes_Fall_2010.pdf
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This issue includes...

What is the Purpose of Public Education?
In this issue we ask Collington Square School kindergarten teacher Delores Scott and Hampstead Hill Academy seventh grader Ava Anderson about the purpose of public education.
View the video of BCP's recent Purpose of Public Education forum at:www.baltimorecp.org/leadingminds

Welcome from Executive Director Jack J. Pannell, Jr.
Executive Director Jack Pannell writes about BCP's inaugural Fall Assembly, which featured a keynote by Baltimore City Schools Chief Academic Officer Dr. Sonja Brookins Santelises.

David L. Holder Education Foundation Grant
We would like to thank The David L. Holder Education Foundation for awarding BCP a grant of $10,000 to fund the Patterson Park Inter-School Soccer League for the Fall of 2011.
http://davidholderfoundation.org/

Jean and Sidney Silber Foundation Grant
We would like to thank The Jean and Sidney Silber Foundation for awarding BCP a grant of $10,000 to support Saturday School at City Springs School and Collington Square School.

The Importance of School Leadership
BCP Director of Academic Affairs Jon McGill writes about the importance of demonstrative instructional leadership for school success.

"Truancy Court" Helps Students Get to School on Time
A program established by the University of Baltimore School of Law lends a helping hand to City Springs students with attendance issues.

Living Classrooms Supports After-School Math Program
We would like to thank Living Classrooms Foundation for supporting City Springs School's 2009-2010 after-school math program, which had a remarkable impact on student achievement.

Etta Johnson New Principal at Collington Square School
In August 2010 Etta Johnson began serving as the new principal of Collington Square School. Mrs. Johnson has worked for Baltimore City Public Schools since 1995.

Collington Square's Fall Family Festival 2010
By Kimberly Goldsmith, BCP Financial Analyst
Collington Square School for the Arts hosted their Annual Fall Family Festival on Thursday November 3, 2010.

Cafeteria Man Features Hampstead Hill Academy Students
By Geri Swann, Hampstead Hill Director of Community Outreach
Hampstead Hill's commitment to healthy eating is well known. For more than five years, the school has had a food educator, organic garden, culinary arts club and community dinners. Now, Hampstead Hill is being highlighted in a new film called Cafeteria Man, by Richard Chisholm.
View a film clip at http://cafeteriaman.com/

Hampstead Hill Academy Leads the Way in Vision Screening
By Geri Swann, Hampstead Hill Director of Community Outreach
A recent report by The Abell Foundation highlighted Hampstead Hill Academy's outstanding student vision screening program.
Read the report at http://www.abell.org/pubsitems/arn910jn.pdf

Hampstead Hill Hosts CUBE Site Visit
By Geri Swann, Hampstead Hill Director of Community Outreach
The Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) held their national conference in Baltimore City last month. Hampstead Hill was one of just two high performing schools highlighted during site visits for participants.

Bryn Mawr Students Visit Hampstead Hill
By Geri Swann, Hampstead Hill Director of Community Outreach
On Thursday, September 23rd eleven students from the Bryn Mawr School spent their morning doing community service at Hampstead Hill Academy.

Wolfe Street Students Save the Bay
By Maura Farrall, Wolfe Street Academy Fourth Grade Teacher
Wolfe Street Academy students and staff and volunteers from Accenture came together on October 11, 2010 to begin six projects critical to the health of Baltimore City and the Chesapeake Bay.

Bill Ferguson Visits BCP Schools

Senator-elect Bill Ferguson visited three BCP schools this week: City Springs School, Hampstead Hill Academy, and Wolfe Street Academy.

At City Springs Senator-elect Ferguson met with parents, who shared their views on public education and their desire for a new sports field next to the school.

Bill Ferguson is the Senator-elect for Maryland’s 46th District. He is a teacher, a public servant, and a citizen of the 46th District. Senator-elect Ferguson came to work for Baltimore City Schools through Teach for America - Baltimore City.

He began his working life teaching U.S. history and U.S. government to ninth and tenth graders in a breakout academy of the old Southwestern High School, historically one of Baltimore’s most challenged high schools. While teaching, Senator-elect Ferguson also earned his Masters of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) from the Johns Hopkins School of Education in 2007.


Photos by Ms. Sonya Hughes:
1. Senator-elect Ferguson with City Springs School parents and staff.
2. Senator-elect Ferguson with Mr. West and Mr. Garrison's 8th grade U.S. History class.

David L. Holder Education Foundation Supports BCP

The David L. Holder Education Foundation has awarded BCP a grant of $10,000 to fund the Patterson Park Inter-School Soccer League for the Fall of 2011.

The league includes City Springs School, Collington Square School, Hampstead Hill Academy, Patterson Park Public Charter School, and Wolfe Street Academy and serves students in grades two through five. The program is supported this year by two $5,000 Ravens All Community Team Foundation grants.

The soccer league has been an incredible success. The grant will cover transportation, uniforms, equipment, coach stipends, and allow us to expand the league to include City Springs School.

Last year the foundation awarded BCP an $8,000 grant to support the Hampstead Hill Hornets Girls Soccer Team, Boys Basketball Program, and an outdoor leadership experience at Genesee Valley Outdoor Learning Center.

We would like to thank the David L. Holder Education Foundation for their generous ongoing support.

About the David L. Holder Education Foundation
The David L. Holder Education Foundation was established in 2008 upon David’s untimely passing due to a rare form of non-hodgkin’s lymphoma. Although a mere 35 years at the time of his death, David left behind a tremendous legacy of community service, a passion for nature, and a commitment to public education.

In order to honor David’s memory and keep his passions alive, the Foundation will both continue to contribute to organizations that David cared about, and build new, enduring relationships and programs in the communities that he supported.

For more information visit: http://davidholderfoundation.org

Ravens Treat City Springs Students to Play 60 Game

The Baltimore Ravens have invited four City Springs School students to attend the Ravens’ Play 60 game on Sunday, Nov. 28, 2010. Kaye Marie Lumayog, Joion Murphy, Desire Duzant, and Tra’kia Jackson were winners of the Amazing Race - Ravens Style, which was held at the Maryland Zoo.

"As the winners of our Amazing Race -- Ravens Style on Tuesday, Oct. 19, we know that... [these students] are extremely fit and worthy of such a reward," said Melanie LeGrande, Baltimore Ravens Director of Community Relations.

The students will be part of the in-game execution of the Ravens’ Play 60 program. Play 60 is the NFL’s movement for an active generation, encouraging youth to get active at least 60 minutes every day.

Each winning student will receive one ticket to the Ravens vs. Buccaneers game on Nov. 28 and be part of a pre-game, on-field experience. Each student will receive a Play 60 jersey and Play 60 shorts/sweats to be worn during the pre-game, when the students will join seven other local students and stand alongside Ravens players as they ready for the game.

We would like thank the Ravens for everything they do to support our schools.