School news

Friday, April 3, 2009

Maria Scott, a parent volunteer at Park Hall Elementary School, is one of 24 semifinalists for the 2009 Comcast Parent Involvement Matters Awards program, which recognizes parents for their exceptional support of public education. The 2009 Comcast Parent Involvement Matters Awards will be presented at an award ceremony on May 8 at which five finalists and a statewide winner will be announced.

Guides to raise awareness during National Child Abuse Prevention Month

The Archdiocese of Washington has produced a series of four guides called "Keeping Kids Safe" to help parents protect their child online, talk to their child about safety, prevent cyber bullying and learn about archdiocesan child protection efforts. Parishes and Catholic schools will begin distributing these guides to parents in late April as part of National Child Abuse Prevention Month to educate parents on recognizing, reporting and protecting their children from abuse. The parents' guides and other resources, including the archdiocese's child protection policy, are available online at www.adw.org, under "Protecting Our Children."

Students create safe racers

Benjamin Banneker Elementary students held a Safe Racer contest to test the safety of toy cars designed from recyclables. The first-place team was comprised of Lane Price, Travis Farrell, Jessica Yellman, Corey Guy and Asia Figoroux; the second-place team was Steven Murdza, James Merica, Cameryn Raley and Rebecca Guy; and third place went to Gavin Tippett, Jamarcus Holt, Kassi Welch, Braden Yakel and Ashlyn Herbert.

These teams will compete at a county championship this month at the Chesapeake Public Charter School.

Safe Racer is part of the Maryland Engineering Challenge, which helps introduce young people to careers in engineering and technology and, in the case of Safe Racer, adds an environmental aspect to the challenge.

Preschool special education fair to be held at Banneker ES

Benjamin Banneker Elementary School's Early Childhood Center will host a Preschool Special Education Information Fair on Thursday, April 23, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., in the cafeteria of the school, located at 27180 Point Lookout Road in Loveville.

The fair will address communication, oral motor skills, basic concepts, reading, cooking, toilet training, social stories, and gross and fine motor skills.

Special education teachers, speech pathologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, special education paraeducators, and administrators will be on hand to discuss innovative and fun ways to improve child development.

For more details about the preschool information fair, contact Jessica Williams or Michelle Carroll at 301-475-0260, ext. 109.