Bryan P. Sears of The Towson Times reports:
Baltimore County Council member Vince Gardina this week told county officials he has resigned from a position with Baltimore County Public Schools, thus ending a county review as to whether such a job is allowed under the County Charter in the first place. -- full story
County says: Effective Monday, March 1 and until further notice - residents who normally have alley collection for trash and recycling should return to placing these materials in the alley where conditions allow. If residents are unsure of whether their alley is passable, they should continue placing trash and recyclables at the front street.
The County will issue another announcement when conditions permit a full return to collection in alleys.
http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/News/releases/0226alleys.html
According to the county, it will be on the 200-block of Stevenson Lane, eastbound.
Why I am lowering my odds by sharing this, I don't know ... but go here for details if you want to try to get tickets to the Easter Egg Roll.
I went to the shop Tiny Toes a few weeks ago in downtown Bel Air to pick up a Britax booster seat and fell in love with the shop. It carries the cutest kids' clothes and accessories, including the Tea brand, which I'm told is fairly exclusive. The owner was really sweet, and a few doors down is a neat consignment shop that had some cool clothes and a ton of great purses.
Update: He's home. Neighbors found him and took him in last night. Yay!
"Please look out for a small 16.9lb terrier "Rocky" who is black and white/gray rough coat. He's wearing a blue collar with stars on it and has a rabies vaccination tag. He does not have an i.d. tag (our other dog chewed it off recently). He went missing about an hour ago at 6 p.m. Thank you."
I've gotten a few emails about this ... The county is still asking that trash and recycling be put in front of house (or at end of alley like many on our block did) on your regular pickup days. Not in alleys.
The Baltimore Sun reports: The Maryland board of education unanimously approved a plan Tuesday afternoon that will allow school systems to request a waiver of up to five days for days missed because of snow. -- full story
So much for the nice wine bar we all wanted. I do see there's some space available over by Stoneleigh duckpin bowling, though. Who's on it?!
He didn't come right out and say it's required viewing for all Rodgers Forge residents, but he strongly implied we might want to watch it.
Nothing in RF, but some armed robberies in Towson.
The PTA is organizing a big dig for RFES this Saturday, Feb. 20, at 10:30 a.m. to clear sidewalks, etc. Just bring a shovel and meet outside the school. Throw some snowpants and boots on your kids and bring them, too!
And tell your friends!!!
Update: THANK YOU to everyone who helped us find our dog! We truly appreciate everyone's concern. We did get him back yesterday and he had been well taken care of. Our neighbors are the greatest! We'd like to give a special thanks to the two ladies who took such great care of him, our Forge Flyer creater who posted this info AND called us, and, since we cannot identify specific individuals, our Dunkirk neighbor who owns Lily, who was instrumental in helping us spread the word. We are thrilled to have him home. THANK YOU!!!!
This was just sent to me:
"Here is the picture and info about the dog I found yesterday afternoon. We found him near Stevenson Lane and Rodgers Forge Road. He is all black with brown paws and nose. I don't know how old he is but he looks to be older than a puppy. He is not neutered. We found him with a black collar and white shirt with cartoons and words on it."
Many of us are frustrated by the fact that the parking and driving is still so horrible in many parts of Rodgers Forge. I know that on our block it was a group effort and we all spent hours digging ourselves out and helping neighbors for whom it is difficult to shovel. But even here we have huge mounds by the alley entrances.
Thinking constructively and not just bemoaning the situation, what can our community do to tackle the problem? Should the RF association try to hire a front loader to take the snow away? Could we agree to not park on the even/odd side of certain streets at certain times to allow plows through? Are you willing to have dues money spent on this? Or should we just organize a big dig and get people out shoveling? Or are you willing to just wait until April when it all melts away?
Please share your thoughts so we can let the leaders of RF know what we're thinking and what we'd be willing to do. I know they are mulling over different options and it would probably be helpful to get constructive feedback from all the residents.
Thanks!
Update: A BCPS spokesman sent in a response to the post about the PTA's take on AIM.
In response to Ms. Suda’s observations at the PTA Council meeting of February 4, I would like to clear up a few misconceptions that, unfortunately, have and continue to characterize much of the public discussion about the AIM grading system. Dr. Hairston was gracious enough to meet with the Council and discuss issues involving public education and BCPS. As the BCPS liaison to the Council who also attended the meeting, I believe Council members appreciated the opportunity to have an open discussion as well.
Someone just posted this question on the listserv:
"Have just about depleted refuse cans. Does anyone know if the Cockeysville dump is still set up as it was prior to change over Feb.1? I'm wondering if the bins remain the same, such as, bins for paper/cardboard; glass; cans; and, refuse? County recording doesn't supply this info. Thanks."
I just called the Cockeysville drop-off facility (where you can take your trash and recyclables if you don't want to wait for pick up) and they said it's single stream there, too. So you don't have to sort your paper from your bottles.
Facility info here:
410-628-1130
http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/publicworks/solid_waste/trashandrecyclingfacilities.html
I actually emailed the Rodgers Forge board yesterday prior to seeing the below email. I wondered if the board has any plans to maybe hire a plow/bobcat/snow blower and organize some efforts to get rid of the most problematic snow. I'll let you know what I hear.
From the president of the Stoneleigh Association to other neighborhood associations:
"I wanted to share an experience with you that made me proud to be a Stoneleigh/Towson resident. In short, we organized a group of over 30 people to shovel snow and clear paths for our kids to get to/from Stoneleigh Elementary and Dumbarton Middle.
We increased visibility for drivers turning out on to York Road and Regester Avenue by chipping away at the snow piles. We also walked the entire neighborhood, making sure that the four corners of every intersection had a clear path from the sidewalk to the street. In all, it took less than 3 hours and we all "celebrated" around a firepit at a neighbor's house.
I write to you each of you in the hope that you too may be able to galvanize your fellow residents to do the same. It can be done. I understand that WBAL TV came out to Stoneleigh Elementary last night to interview our volunteers.
Best of luck with the continued dig."
At a Baltimore County Board of Education meeting tonight, BCPS staff formally recommended Scenario G as the redistricting plan. Central Area Assistant Superintendent Barbara Walker and Department of Planning and Support Operations Executive Director Michele Prumo gave a brief accounting of the plan, most of which has already been discussed.
Walker said that because of the density of the Rodgers Forge area and the goal of getting Rodgers Forge Elementary at or below capacity, it became necessary to "reduce the walking capacity."
She added that some may say there were some irregularities in that there was a last-minute meeting [in which Scenario G was added back into the mix], but she said that "when pertinent information becomes available, it must be shared with the committee."
Prumo told the board that "you may hear that information was given to certain individuals. It's important to remember that none of this information is confidential. There were community members present at the meetings who were not members of the committee. Also, we prefer that everyone come to the public forums to hear about the scenarios. But we can not control what information is shared.
"The fact that someone may have had information ahead of the meeting did not in any way invalidate this process."
Walker told the board that the greater Rodgers Forge area is made up of seven distinct neighborhoods and that residents have a "strong allegiance to their respective neighborhoods." She then noted that Scenario G is the only scenario that integrates the neighborhood community concept and has each neighborhood attend the same (respective) elementary schools.
She also noted that Scenario G is the scenario that lets West Towson Elementary open at the lowest capaicty. "It is extremely important to control the population at West Towson Elementary because there is absolutely no room on that campus for a relocatable classroom."
There will be a public meeting on March 10 at Loch Raven High where community members can speak to the Board of Ed about their views. Signing up to speak starts at 6 p.m. and the meeting begins at 7 p.m. The Board of Education will vote on the redistricting issue later in March (I think; I need to double check the date).
The Baltimore Sun: American youngsters ... are now using cell phones, iPods and other electronic devices for an average of 7 1/2 hours daily - more than the equivalent of a full day of school, according to a recent national study tracking entertainment media habits. -- full story
From a friend's Facebook post: OMG! So [my husband] is taking [our son] to school cause of the 2 hour delay so I left the house at 9:30 to get to my job in Towson. It took me 1/2 hour to get from our road to Heathfield (about two blocks). It is complete chaos already. Do not try to drive your kids to school today. Although, walking could be deadly. Just saying....
Raffie is about 3 years old. He is very sweet and is a friendly bunny. He is free to a good home. Interested parties can contact me at trishaschwab(at)verizon.net or by phone at 410-823-5175.
Nothing in Rodgers Forge but it looks like Cromwell Valley Elementary was vandalized.
http://docs.google.com/View?id=dg572f9p_750f4cskgf9
Towson, Md. (February 16, 2010) - Effective Wednesday, February 17 and until further notice - residents who normally have alley collection for trash and recycling should place those materials out as scheduled, but at their front street. Trash and recycling will be collected from the front streets where these items are both clearly accessible and visible to the collector. Residents should leave their materials out until collection occurs. [What if that's not until April?]
The County will issue another announcement when conditions permit a return to collection in alleys.
All three of the County's trash and recycling drop-off centers are open Monday through Saturday:
This is the craziest thing.... From BCPS:
RE-OPENING OF SCHOOLS
Due to inclement weather, Baltimore County Public Schools will open two hours late for the remainder of the week, from Wednesday, February 17 through Friday, February 19, 2010, and there will be no morning pre-kindergarten for the remainder of the week.
NEW SCHEDULE FOR REPORT CARD DISTRIBUTION
Due to the continuing impact from the inclement weather, BCPS schools are closed today, Tuesday, February 16, 2010. Therefore, the schedule for report card distribution is as follows:
* Report card distribution for all secondary schools will remain as Thursday, February 18, 2010.
* Report card distribution for all elementary schools will be re-scheduled for Monday, February 22, 2010.
Let's see him after he's trapped in his house with his kids for two weeks.
Towson Times: Smith said he toured many areas of central Baltimore County on Thursday morning, including Rodgers Forge and Towson, and found in some cases roads had been plowed at least once. Some were plowed to the pavement. -- full story
The Board of Education meeting that was scheduled for tonight, after having been scheduled for Feb. 9, has been moved to tomorrow (Feb. 17) because of (a light dusting of) snow. This is the meeting where Scenario G will be presented to the board. There is an opportunity for public comment at the end of the meeting. It will be in room 114 of the ESS building.
If schools are closed on Wednesday, then it will be rescheduled for Feb. 23.
Under any of those scenarios, the big public-input meeting at Loch Raven High is still scheduled for March 10 at 7:00 pm.
Just FYI, there have been a few posts on the Forge Flyer about snow removal services and roof repair, etc. You'll also find lots more info on the Rodgers Forge listserv:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rodgers_forge/
The Baltimore Sun: State schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick will ask the state school board to waive a law requiring public school students to attend classes for 180 days this year because of closures caused by the region's record snowfall. -- full story
BCPS closes schools for Tuesday b/c of inclement weather. City schools also closed.
How fun is this?!
Hi Kris,
Amber Alert canceled; girl found (in Delaware!) and man arrested.
Child's Name: Hannah Lynn Harrigan
Location: 5655 Telegraph Road Elkton, MD
Details: Maryland Child Abduction Emergency: Hannah Lynn Harrigan a 4-year old white female in the company of Peter Jyles Pelletier, a 32-year old white male, last seen at 5655 Telegraph Road Elkton, MD (Cecil County) operating a 1995 Ford Mustang, forest green in color, MD registration 9EFL19.
Do not take action call #77 OR 911. The Maryland State Police, at the request of Cecil County Sheriffs Office, have issued a Maryland Child AMBER Alert for Hannah Lynn Harrigan.
CHILD: Hannah Lynn Harrigan is further described as being 3 feet 0 inches and 42 pounds. The child was last seen wearing Pink coat, blue jeans, black "Hello Kitty" long sleeve shirt. LOCATION: The child was last observed at approximately 5:30 PM in the area of 5655 Telegraph Road Elkton, MD (Cecil County).
The child is believed to have been abducted by the suspect.
SUSPECT: Peter Jyles Pelletier, White Male is described as being 5 feet 8 inches tall and 160 pounds. The suspect may be wearing Dark coat and black hat.
VEHICLE: A possible suspect vehicle is a 1995 Ford Mustang convertible, forest green in color with black roof. Damage to roof and several spots have silver and/or black tape bearing MD registration: 9EFL19.
Anyone with information is asked to immediately call 911 or Cecil County Sheriffs Office at 410.996.5511. Do not take action which could endanger your safety or further endanger the abducted child.
http://www.mdsp.org/ So far no photos of the girl have been issued.
From an RF board member: "I was able to get in contact with a high school friend of mine, and he
is available to plow alleys. He charges approximately $100 per hour, but if a bunch of neighbors want to get to gether, it would be very reasonable. He has a skid loader, and a blow, so he could handle just about anything.
His name is Kevin Ford. His number is 443-829-8860.
I have another contact as well (a guy who did work for my wife and I this past year, just called looking for work). His name is Donald Coleman - Coleman Landscaping. His number is 443-810-9304."
A fun email from Rose:
"Common courtesy- this car is in my neighbor's spot-- but they wrote a note, slipped it in the back window saying if I stole your spot, etc- & gave phone number & they'll move it! Thought that was very nice!--- there is something to be said about the chair, tho! Ha! Cheers!"
The Center for Eating Disorders will kick-off this year's National Eating Disorders Awareness Week with a keynote presentation by internationally recognized author and educator, ROSALIND WISEMAN. Free event.
Positive Parenting for a Healthy Self-Image: Helping Children Develop Social Competence and Body Confidence in Girl World and Boy World
Sunday, February 21, 2010
1:00 - 1:45 pm – Keynote
1:45 - 2:00 pm – Q & A
2:00 - 3:00 pm – Reception, Book Sales and Signing
The Conference Center at Sheppard Pratt
6501 North Charles Street
Towson, MD
Rosalind Wiseman is the New York Times Best-Selling author of Queen Bees & Wannabes, which was the basis for the hit movie Mean Girls. Her work aims to help parents, educators and young people successfully navigate the social challenges of childhood and adolescence, including the cultivation of self-esteem and body image. Both elements play an important role in the prevention of eating disorders. Event details: www.eatingdisorder.org.
I keep laughing out loud at this site. http://probablybadnews.com
"A stethoscope was found on top of a snow-pile on the corner of Hopkins and Heathfield road on Monday morning. One of my neighbors brought it to my house thinking it was mine (it isn't). Since these things are pretty expensive I thought I'd see if anyone was missing it.
If so, please contact me at Lisa.Koulish (at) gmail.com."
1. Tiny Love Recalls Wind Chime Toys Due to Puncture and Laceration Hazards http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/
2. Britax Recalls Strollers Due to Risk of Fingertip Amputations and Lacerations http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/
3. Pull Toys Recalled by Manhattan Group LLC Due to Choking and Aspiration Hazards http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/
Spotted yesterday on Overbrook. Thanks, SS and DS!
2/10 - Schools and Offices closed 2/10-2/12
Bd. of Ed. Mtg. 2/9 rescheduled. Click for details.
The Baltimore Sun reports that Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake will not enforce the "don't put chairs in the street to save your parking spot" law.
What's the scoop on your street? Have you put up chairs/cones/etc to save your space? Are you honoring others' space savers?
Here are some tips for staying safe in the snow:
A very official source (my husband) wants people to be wary of this snow:
"The heavy snows have already ripped the gutters off of a number of houses around Rodgers Forge -- I saw them when I walked through the neighborhood the other day. That's bad news for dry basements once all this stuff melts. Our gutters are OK (so far), but I'm still concerned that this much snow will still cause trouble. I plan to not only shovel the walks but also clear snow away from the house. When it melts, let it melt far out in the yard."
1. Generation 2 Worldwide and "ChildESIGNS" Drop Side Crib Brands Recalled; Three Infant Deaths Reported http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/
2. Innovage LLC Recalls Discovery Kids Lamps Due to Fire and Burn Hazards http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/
From Ed Kilcullen, president of the Greater Towson Council of Community Associations:
I just learned that Betsy Kahl has passed away. Betsy was the former President of the Burkleigh Square Community Association and was involved with the GTCCA for many years, serving as President at one time. She has been a strong and effective advocate for the Greater Towson community and will be sorely missed.
There will be a memorial service for Betsy on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 11:00 am at Trinity Episcopal Church on Allegheny Avenue in Towson.
BTW, I have a call in to the county asking if we can park in the lots at RFES or DMS. The woman I spoke with said she thought it would be OK but couldn't say for sure. Someone is supposed to call me back to give the thumbs up or thumbs down. Will keep you posted. ... The answer was "no."
Smith Urges Residents to Prepare for Next Storm
Revenue Authority to Open County Garages Free of Charge
Towson, Md. (February 9, 2010) - Today, Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith advised residents of the County's preparations for the next storm and made an appeal to be patient and neighborly regarding the challenging circumstances that the entire County will face over the next week.
"First, I am very grateful for the dedicated service of our many employees and independent contractors over the past few days and appreciative of the way in which our citizens reacted to the blizzard this past weekend. They understood the historic nature of the storm, and did what they could to help our crews clean the streets, which was very difficult given the depth and weight of the snow," said Smith. "As hard as it is to believe, after dealing with nearly three feet of snow in two days over the weekend, we are now looking at possibly another two feet by Wednesday night. It is safe to say that never before has Baltimore County faced four feet of snow over a four-day period. With that in mind, it is more important than ever that individuals be mindful of their elderly relatives and neighbors."
Storm Preparation Information
Listed below is the latest storm preparation information from Baltimore County:
Free Parking in County Garages
The Baltimore County Government and Revenue Authority will open County garages free of charge through Monday. If at all possible, residents are encouraged to move their cars to one of the garages, particularly those individuals who live in neighborhoods that do not have off-street parking. Removing cars from the street will make it possible for the snow plows to clear the streets.
The garages in the Towson area that will be open are:
• Baltimore County Library Garage (East Chesapeake Avenue between the Towson Public Library and the District Court), 115 Towsontown Boulevard, Towson, MD 21286
• Tolbert Garage (Ware Avenue, West of Washington Avenue), 108 Ware Avenue, Towson, MD 21204
• Washington Avenue Garage (NW corner of Washington Avenue and Susquehanna Avenue), 100 West Susquehanna Avenue, Towson, MD 21204
• Baltimore Avenue Garage (NE corner of Baltimore Avenue and Susquehanna Avenue), 110 West Susquehanna Avenue, Towson, MD 21204
Garage Location Map
You can view a map of the parking garages online. http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/executive/towson_map.html
The County Executive also encouraged individuals to move their cars to a nearby driveway or off-street parking if at all possible.
County Fully Staffed
Baltimore County is once again prepared to attack the storm with both County employees and independent contractors. Nearly 400 pieces of equipment and 500 personnel are poised to tackle the storm. But, the County Executive did remind individuals that this will be a very difficult storm to manage, and cleanup is likely to take longer than usual.
Salt Supply
Baltimore County has secured an additional 20,000 tons of salt from suppliers, and is in the process of securing another 20,000 tons. However, public works officials point out that the pending storm is likely to be much more of a plow event than a salt event.
Care for the Elderly
It may be very difficult to move around for the next few days, and it is likely to be a while before people can get in and out of their homes, even to get essentials like medications. If at all possible, the County is encouraging families and friends to relocate elderly and restock necessary medications today before the second storm intensifies.
Phone Numbers
410-887-5454 - Non-emergency questions regarding County storm management
410-887-3560 - Inquiries regarding snow removal (Citizens are reminded that it may take days to cleanup after this storm.)
911 - Individuals with medical or other emergencies
The appointment will wrap up a nationwide search for a schools chief to replace Anthony G. Marchione, who is retiring. Hairston, who led the Clayton County school system for five years before resigning last month, is expected to take control of the county's 106,000-student system this summer, sources said. "I've always been impressed with the Baltimore County school system and community," Hairston said yesterday. He worked for about 25 years in Prince George's County as a teacher, principal and area superintendent before leaving for Georgia. But Hairston, 53, was also known to butt heads with community leaders and educators who saw him as a man who tried to push through policy changes and programs without first building support for them. "What did him in wasn't his educational expertise but the good-old-boy network," said Drew Allbritten, executive director of the Georgia Association of Educators, which represents about 1,500 teachers, administrators and support staff in Clayton. Members of the Baltimore County school board visited Hairston and interviewed former colleagues in Clayton County on Friday. Board members met Sunday at an undisclosed location to discuss their findings; the session's secrecy was typical of that surrounding the search since November. Hairston resigned in Clayton largely because of political pressure from school board members. "It's unfortunate that he got caught up in local politics," said Allbritten. "He became the Ping-Pong ball of various board agendas, which made his job virtually impossible." Jonesboro, the Clayton County seat, is a small city whose Main Street hugs the Norfolk Southern rail line. It boasts of being the site of a key Civil War battle and the setting for the epic novel "Gone With the Wind." Besides "Gone With the Wind" merchandise, the visitors center displays an item from more contemporary culture: an autographed glossy photograph of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. The cover of the group's "Pronounced" album shows the band members on Main Street. For generations a farming community, Clayton County became a blue-collar suburb of Atlanta in the 1950s and '60s. But Atlanta's rise as an employment center changed the face of the county, with many middle-class and professional blacks settling in the area more recently, said Steve Rieck, president of the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce. Changes in runway configurations at nearby Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport caused a drop in property values, which led to the first wave of Hispanic and Asian migration, Rieck said. Clayton County schools were slow to react to the change in ethnic and cultural diversity -- until Hairston arrived. Hairston was a man of many firsts in Clayton County -- the first African-American superintendent, the first appointed superintendent and the first schools chief from another state. But a fractured school board made Hairston's life miserable. "Frankly, I'd have to characterize it as a dysfunctional board," said Rieck. "They have a hard time getting together on the simplest of issues. "I sensed a growing frustration in terms of Joe's ability to help the school board" get what the issues were. "They have a tendency to want to micromanage the system; maybe he felt he was being undercut." Hairston's most outspoken critic in Georgia was John Trotter, executive director of the Metro Association of Classroom Educators, who says the former superintendent shoved him during a 1997 board meeting. A magistrate later dismissed charges of simple battery against Hairston, a former football player. Sour relations "We didn't like him," said Trotter, referring to his group, whose members include three Clayton County school board representatives. "He was very heavy-handed, very impersonal, very distant and very aloof. He wanted to blame teachers for any shortcomings." Trotter and other critics said Hairston never caught on to the Southern way of doing business -- and that it caused him trouble in his professional career. "We're a little more gracious down here," said Trotter. "We have gentility. He came down here with his Northern ways and it just didn't work out." Allbritten, the other union leader, said Hairston didn't like to play social and political games with elected officials and other community groups. "He could have made more time to make better friends with the power brokers," said Allbritten, "but he came to a system that was in trouble -- he was always about kids." Allbritten recalled a time when Hairston -- without speaking to union representatives -- implemented new performance reviews for principals. When the results were released and some principals were shown in need of improvement, Hairston caught a nasty backlash. "What we were trying to do was at least hear him out," Allbritten said, referring to Hairston's ideas and proposals. "But that wasn't the agenda for other folks." Criticized for bluntness Hairston's bluntness and fast-paced management style didn't go over well with some system employees and community members. "If there's a 'people' weakness anywhere, it's that Hairston says , 'I'm doing the right thing, and I'm sorry, if you can't see this is the right thing to do, then there isn't a whole lot we can do to make you see this is the right thing to do,' " said Rieck. Word of Hairston's imminent appointment -- and his career history -- make some in the Baltimore County school system nervous. "I understand that he is real good with technology, but I'm not sure he knows how to deal with teacher morale," said Mark Beytin, president of the Teachers Association of Baltimore County. "That's my biggest concern." The Clayton school system lost about 1,000 teachers during Hairston's tenure, many of them because of morale problems, Trotter said. " Employee morale hit rock bottom here," Trotter said. "It got so low you could scrape it up like Silly Putty." Tried to work with teachers Hairston said yesterday that he tried to work with teachers in Clayton. His wife, Lillian, has been a high school history teacher for 29 years, he said, adding that teachers in Baltimore County should "relax" because any decisions he makes will be "predicated on the values of the community." At Clayton's Forest Park High School, there is mostly praise for Hairston, who was the driving force behind the school system's computer repair program, said Principal Jeff Hunt. Students in the high school's "PC systems lab" learn to repair personal computers. Yesterday, in a room lined with two dozen computers, one student new to computers removed the cover of one to explore its inner landscape, learning to tell the mother board from a memory card. Other, more advanced students were learning to move a small electrical conductor to allow a repair technician to bypass a user's password. Third-year students are eligible for apprenticeships at computer stores or at the school system's Management Information Systems division. "It's all very tangible," Hunt said. "They get out of here at 2 o'clock, we give them an MIS radio and tell them, 'Go fix things.' " 'Time to move on' Despite successes such as the computer repair program at Forest Park, the wear and tear of poor school board relations was too great for Hairston. In the end, he knew he had to leave or "go out the back door," former associates said. "Joe was fast approaching the point where he had done all he could to bring new innovations into the system," said Rieck. "It was perhaps time for him to look at other opportunities." Hairston said he felt that the timing was right. "I played the role that I had to, but as far as my career is concerned, it was time to move on," he said. "It was time to move on to the next dimension."
February 29, 2000, Tuesday ,FINAL
Ga. educator in line for Balto. Co. post; Announcement due today; superintendent would start in summer
BYLINE: Lynn Anderson and Jay Apperson
SOURCE: SUN STAFF
SECTION: TELEGRAPH ,1A
LENGTH: 1376 words
Joseph A. Hairston, a straight-talking administrator whose confrontations with school board members forced him to leave a job in the Atlanta suburbs, is expected to be named Baltimore County's next superintendent today.
As superintendent of the Clayton County, Ga., system, Hairston brought computers to every classroom and made sure teachers knew how to use them to help children. He held teachers and students to high standards.
http://weblogs.marylandweather.com/2010/02/nws_a_good_likelihood_of_more.html
Yah, make that 10-20 inches:
http://weblogs.marylandweather.com/2010/02/storm_warnings_posted_another.html
Baltimore County says:
Current Status:
All trash and recycling collections are canceled for Monday, February 8, 2010. Please hold all materials for collection on Monday, February 15, 2010.
In limited areas, trash and recycling collections will occur on Tuesday, February 9, 2010. If your materials are not collected on Tuesday, please hold them until Tuesday, February 16, 2010.
All Baltimore County disposal sites, Eastern Sanitary Landfill in White Marsh, Baltimore County Resource Recovery Facility in Cockeysville, and the Western Acceptance Facility in Halethorpe, will be open regular hours this week.
http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/publicworks/snow_trashrecyclingcollection.html
"Materials that were due on Saturday, Sunday or Monday may be returned on Tuesday without penalty." http://bcpl.info/
A: Never.
"Alleys and private roads do not receive County service. By law, snow removal and other maintenance are the responsibility of the owner(s)."
Read this and other "snow facts" here.
The Board of Education meeting that was scheduled for Feb. 9 (where they were going to discuss redistricting) has been moved to Feb. 16. And the public meeting about redistricting, which will be held at Loch Raven High, has been moved to March 10.
http://www.bcps.org/status/default.asp
Calling all enterprising teens and others! Several people have posted on the Rodgers Forge listserv that they would like to hire someone to shovel snow. Anyone can join the listserv; visit it here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rodgers_forge/
If you have any local snow photos to share, send them to kris (at) forgeflyer (dot) com and put "forge flyer" in subject line.
Another winter storm predicted for Baltimore.
Baltimore County and City schools will be closed.
Update: If you want to hire someone to shovel your snow or you want to let people know you're up for the job, you can post the info on the Rodgers Forge listserv. Or just go out and help the neighbors that you know would have trouble doing it themselves. That's what everyone on our block did.
From the listserv:
"Are there kids/teens/anyone interested in earning some money to help me shovel tomorrow? I live in Gaywood on Blenheim just off of Bellona. I need my walkway, sidewalk and car shoveled and have some physical limitations. Will pay cash. Please reply here or email me at drebnik(at)gmail.com. Thanks!"
Did you notice that there was thunder and lightning last night during the snow storm? (I didn't until my husband was thoughtful enough to wake me up at about 3 a.m. and show me.)
It's a rare thing and it's called thunder snow.
Canceled
Posting this in case we don't get as much snow as predicted and we can actually leave our homes (thanks, PK!):
Dear Science Enthusiasts,
Our next Saturday Morning Science program will be this Saturday, February 6. Benjamin Banneker who lived from 1731-1806 and worked as an astronomer, mathematician, surveyor, almanac author and a farmer will be visiting to discuss his life and the science he performed. Sure to be an entertaining and fascinating "living history" presentation. We hope to see you there!
For those of you waiting for your telescopes from last fall, they have finally arrived and we will get them to you on Saturday!!
Hands-On Science
Ray Miller from Aberdeen Proving Ground will lead Hands-On Science on Saturday from 11:20-12:20 immediately following the 10:00 am Saturday Science presentation. The students will be involved with activities related to the sun and we'll look for sunspots, weather permitting. Hands-On Science will be limited to the first 25 students to sign up on a first-come, first-served basis. The sign-up sheet will be available starting at 9:30 am at the registration desk outside Smith Hall room 326.
Baltimore County: 2/5 - Schools closing two hours early. No afternoon Pre-K. All weekend activities cancelled.
Baltimore City: City Schools and Central Office are opening on time today (Friday, February 5) but will close early due to emergency weather conditions. Schools will dismiss students three hours early. Afternoon pre-kindergarten and after school activities are cancelled.
UPDATE: The homeowner just shared the layout of the re-done basement, for your reference.
Also, someone wrote in asking if she made or bought the pictures hanging above her desk. Scroll down for the answer.
Check out this Rodgers Forge basement. This is a 3-bedroom house... Click image to see more photos.
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| RT basement |
From a Gaywood resident in a letter to the Towson Times:
"In my opinion, it is just not sensible to have any family within walking distance of Rodgers Forge Elementary essentially given no choice but to attend a school that requires transportation.
Whether it be the folks on the north side of Stevenson, the Rodgers Forge Apartments, Gaywood, Pinehurst, etc., it is a poorly designed plan that requires any of these families to attend a school further away."
Read the entire letter here. So, what do you think? Would you favor a plan that puts RFES at 116% capacity now -- and lets everyone within walking distance attend -- and puts an addition on in the next few years? I know I would. The problem would be securing the funding for the addition.
This is posted on the BCPS website as part of the agenda for the Feb. 9 meeting:
DATE: February 9, 2010
TO: BOARD OF EDUCATION
FROM: Dr. Joe A. Hairston, Superintendent
ORIGINATOR: Barbara Walker, Central Area Assistant Superintendent
RESOURCE PERSON(S): Michele Prumo, Executive Director, Department of Planning and Support Operations
RECOMMENDATION
That the Board of Education review and approve Scenario G with the modification as the new boundaries for West Towson, Rodgers Forge, and Riderwood Elementary Schools. [The modification is related to a small section near WTES, I believe, and does not concern the areas adjacent to RFES.]
The Board of Education’s public hearing on the proposed boundaries is scheduled for February 24, 2010 at Loch Raven High School. The final decision of the Board of Education is scheduled to occur on March 9, 2010.
Read the full recommendation here or download it from the BCPS website here (it's Exhibit M).
Below are some of the other maps in the report -- apparently scenarios that didn't make the cut. Click on an image to enlarge.
More ideas for you!!!! (Click image to see more photos.)
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| db kitchen 2/2/10 10:23 PM |
Because of snow predictions. Tomorrow should be veddy intavestink.
http://www.bcps.org/status/default.asp
Anyone know of any activities scheduled for kids during spring break? Comment below or email kris(at)forgeflyer(dot)com. Thanks!
Hear from the candidates vying to replace County Councilman Vince Gardina.
Sponsored by the Towson Chamber of Commerce and being held at Towson University.
We are in the market for a booster seat and I was just going to pick one up at Target or wherever because I thought they were all about the same. I held off and decided to do what I always do and over-research the topic until my head is spinning.
Actually, this time it wasn't too bad. I settled on the Britax Parkway because it has a new feature called "Secure Guard" that sounds impressive. I haven't purchased it yet but it's available at Tiny Toes in Bel Air, or online at numerous sites. Just thought I'd share for those of you entering the world of booster seats.
PS: The IIHS has "best bets" for booster seats here.
