Wednesday, May 1, 2013
The board voted to keep the price of school meals stable in the county for the third straight year.
The price of school meals in Anne Arundel County will not change next school year. The county school board voted Wednesday to keep the prices stable. Breakfast will remain $1.35 for a third consecutive year, and lunch will remain $2.60 at elementary schools and $2.85 at middle schools, while reduced-price breakfasts and lunches will remain 30 cents and 40 cents, respectively, according to an AACPS announcement. Schools in the county will serve nearly 5 million lunches and 2.2 million breakfasts this year, and none of the funds for meal programs come from the county itself. According to AACPS spokesperson Bob Mosier, 51 percent of revenue for school lunches come from federal reimbursements, 46 percent comes from food sales and 3 percent …
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Some parents keep their children's online passwords to popular sites.
After occurrences of violence in and near schools that police said involved social media websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, local school officials and parents are taking a closer look at how teens use these popular sites. In March, a fight erupted at Annapolis High School over a dispute that police said began on social media. It ended with five girls and two boys being charged with offenses. The Anne Arundel County Board of Education recently reviewed a social media policy that would set guidelines on student and faculty use of the websites while on school computers. The board’s policy defines a social media website as, “Any online or Internet based platform that allows interactive communication between persons or entities on social …
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Broadneck junior Else Drooff will be the next student board member.
Else Drooff will be the next voice for students on the Anne Arundel County Board of Education. Drooff, 17, a junior at Broadneck High School, was elected by her peers from a pool of student candidates for the position. On Friday, it was announced by the Anne Arundel School System that Droof's name has been passed on to Gov. Martin O'Malley for his approval. Drooff said she was thrilled at the selection, and even shed a few tears upon hearing the news. To get the seat, she had to compete against a friend she had known since kindergarten, fellow Broadneck student Scott Lanoue. The junior said she has a plan for her career on the board, and it involves keeping a comprehensive education in mind, instead of one that focuses only on testing. "I'…
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Parents and students expressed concern for the safety at Arundel Middle School, and pressed the board to consider adding another assistant principal for stability.
Arundel Middle Position Request, Safety Concerns Several parents, teachers and students spoke about safety concerns at Arundel Middle School in Odenton, including bullying and recent knife threats. Some of the parents said an additional assistant principal position would stabilize the school, and lessen the burden of the current administration dealing with discipline issues. "Our school is facing safety issues and teacher-stacking issues," said Tracy Mathews, an Arundel Middle parent. "This [position] would help our principal be proactive instead of reactive." Mathews spoke with Patch last month after some high profile incidents took place at the school and said that the administration could use extra support. Taylor Mathews, an eighth-…
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
One school board member cast a dissenting vote, saying she could not recommend a budget amount that would ultimately be rejected by the Anne Arundel County Council.
The Anne Arundel County Board of Education on Wednesday adopted a $1.01 billion school system budget for fiscal year 2014, but not before members held a discussion about why they were requesting 3.2 percent more in funding this year. The operating budget, passed by a vote of 8-1, will now be sent to Anne Arundel County Government, who must then prepare a budget package for a final vote by the funding body, the Anne Arundel County Council. The council is scheduled to receive its budget proposal by May, and vote on it by June 30. Anne Arundel County school board member Amalie Brandenburg was the lone dissenter in the 2014 operations budget vote. Brandenburg said she could not vote in favor of a budget that would ultimately be rejected by the…
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Members of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education say they don't like the idea of using casino money to fund school safety and mental health programs.
The Anne Arundel Board of Education fully supports the idea of more money for security and mental health programs at public schools, but expressed concern about the idea of gambling proceeds being used as a primary funding source. The Board on Wednesday voted to request an amendment to House Bill 138, a measure sponsored by Del. Nik Kipke (R-Pasadena), which would allow money from the Education Trust Fund to be used for security personnel and equipment, as well as mental health services at schools. The Education Trust Fund is currently funded by proceeds from the state's casinos. Board members voted to support the bill only if funds came from the state's general fund, citing concern that gambling revenue could be unstable. "A lottery …
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Anyone hoping to ask questions or voice concerns can do just that on Saturday. Just be ready to brave the weekend shopping crowds.
Two Anne Arundel County Board of Education members are inviting parents to meet with them and discuss issues facing the school system at a unique location this Saturday—inside the food court at Arundel Mills mall in Hanover. According to a press release from Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS), on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m., Board President Andrew Pruski and student member of the board Nick Lefavor will be at a table in the food court at Arundel Mills mall, available to answer questions and discuss various issues. “There will be a table with a Board of Education banner,” AACPS spokesman Bob Mosier said. “It’s a really informal, open dialogue type thing just for conversations. You don’t have to sign up for a 5-minute block or …
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Councilman warns school officials there will be retaliation next budget season.
A $5 million feud between the Anne Arundel County Council and the Anne Arundel County Board of Education appeared to be settled Monday by withdrawing the needed funds from the county's reserves. That didn't sit well with Councilman John Grasso (R-2nd District), of Glen Burnie, who again threatened the school system with cuts during the next budget session. "I hope they're watching tonight, because I'll tell you what, you can bet I'm going to have one heck of a large appetite next year—$5 million worth," Grasso said. "And I'd assume that most of my colleagues will pretty much want to show who's running the show, and it's not them." Earlier this month, the council sparred with a school system representative over a $5 million bill the council…
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
School system custodians, cafeteria workers, administrators and secretaries are all set to receive the same 1.25 percent salary increase as AACPS teachers.
The Anne Arundel County Board of Education approved a 1.25 percent mid-year pay increase for all non-teaching staff members Wednesday morning. The board’s decision to increase salaries for all Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) workers comes three weeks after they approved similar salary increases for teachers on Sept. 19. School staff members are now set to receive a pay bump in the middle of the current work year, which varies depending on the position held. For the current school year, employees will only technically receive a 0.62 percent increase, but then receive the full 1.25 percent for the next year. The agreement between the school system and employee bargaining units for support staff, secretaries and administrators …
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
The president of the school board asked for the formation of a committee to seek a site for graduations. Currently, many ceremonies are held in Baltimore and Prince George's counties.
The president of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education said he'd like to find a place in the county to hold high school graduations. Andrew Pruski requested the formation of a committee to determine how to hold more graduation ceremonies in Anne Arundel County each May. Currently, many graduation ceremonies are held outside of Anne Arundel County, at sites including the campus of UMBC and Showplace Arena in Upper Marlboro. “Anytime we can keep tax dollars, and keep people traveling in Anne Arundel, we should do that,” Pruski said. “It’s not a decision or a move, but a look to the future." Pruski said that Sen. Ed Degrange (D-Glen Burnie) has indicated support for a county graduation site. Board member Salon Webb asked that the ad hoc…
patricia
8:05 am on Friday, February 22, 2013
Oh my goodness, there is actually one member on the school board with brains and common sense. How did Maxwell ever let that happen. Now we have to hear the same crap from the other members of the school board, that anyone who doesn't agree with the out of control spending doesn't want our children to learn. Blah, blah, blah, blah blah. And if we have to hear that crap about how AA Co. won't be … more ›