Why is your PTSA questioning the use of proceeds from the Alcohol Tax for Turf Fields at 2 HCPSS High Schools?
Why is your PTSA questioning the use of proceeds from the Alcohol Tax for Turf Fields at 2 HCPSS High Schools?
On Thursday, October 20th at 7 pm, at the Board of Education Building located on Route 108, the BOE will vote on using the alcohol tax proceeds for turf fields at 2 high schools. Anyone interested in the matter is encouraged to attend or to email the Board of Education at boe@hcpss.org.
Your Mt. Hebron PTSA first learned of the issue in an article in The Baltimore Sun. As a result, your PTSA wrote the following to the Board of Education:
The Mt. Hebron PTSA is seeking your response to its questions arising from comments made by a HCPSS employee in the October 5, 2011 The Baltimore Sun article regarding the allocation of proceeds from the alcohol tax. The article stated:
“The state Board of Public Works, made up of the governor, the comptroller and the state treasurer, approved $4 million in spending projects in Howard County, in part to replace grass football fields with artificial turf at Atholton and Hammond high schools.
Comptroller Peter Franchot, a Democrat, pressed Wayne Crosby, director of school facilities for the county, on whether upgrading the fields was the school system’s most pressing problem.
Crosby noted that the artificial fields would last 20 years and be tough enough to be used by surrounding communities as well as the schools’ teams.
Other Howard County projects approved Wednesday included an improved weight room at Wilde Lake High School, new cabinets in the art room at Wilde Lake Middle School, and lockers and a new stadium press box at Oakland Mills High School.”
As you know, the Mt Hebron PTSA subcommittee, Help Mt Hebron, has been meeting with Howard County school officials on a monthly basis for a several years cooperatively discussing the ongoing renovation of Mt Hebron High School. On numerous occasions committee members requested that the renovation’s excess funds be used for the installation of turf fields at Mt Hebron instead of being directed to other HCPSS capital improvement projects. Indeed, we regularly offered to be the pilot for any turf field program that HCPSS may consider.
While HCPSS school officials agreed that it would be more cost effective to install turf fields during the renovation rather than later, they were unable to support such a pilot. School officials stated repeatedly that no Howard County school would receive a turf field until funds were available to provide all high schools with such a field. They stated they would follow the precedent set when all football fields received stadium lights. It was an equity issue they stated. Help Mt. Hebron then and today certainly understood and supported such a policy.
However, with the statements made by HCPSS staff, the Mt Hebron PTSA requests a response to the following questions:
- Does HCPSS have funds to pay for turf fields for all Howard County high schools? If so, what is the start and finish date for all schools?
- If funds are not available for the remaining high schools, when did HCPSS change its policy on equity? Was there any public discussion of the change and the plan to accept the money?
- What was the rationale in choosing Atholton and Hammond High Schools? Did the Gilbert Studies that were conducted on all the high schools to determine need for a renovation identify these fields as the most needy or unsafe? Or was the decision influenced by politics as stated in The Baltimore Sun stated the following:
“Most of the money was earmarked in the legislation for Baltimore City and for Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, drawing criticism from Republican lawmakers who called the allocation unfair. They said the earmarking was used to get votes for the measure from those counties.”
Your response is greatly appreciated so we may address our communities many questions.
Sincerely,
Angela Ballard-Landers, Mt. Hebron PTSA President
Maryland PTA Reflections Art Program
Maryland PTA Reflections Art Program
The theme for the 2011-2012 Maryland PTA Reflections program is ”Diversity Means…”
There are some changes to the 2011-2012 program, so please read all of the materials carefully! We NEVER want to disqualify a student’s entry because the chair didn’t follow the instructions – read carefully and contact MD PTA if you have ANY questions.
The complete 2011-2012 Reflections Local Chair Guide, including all the forms and rules can be found linked below:
Patapsco Movie Night! Tonight!
Join your friends and bring your family for the first ever Patapsco MS PTA Family Outdoor Movie Night!
This FREE event takes place this Friday, Sept. 30 from 7:30pm-10:00pm on the lower field behind the school. The students voted and our feature presentation will be mega mega “Mega Mind” starting at 8pm following half an hour of music and games for the kids.
The first 300 people receive FREE popcorn and a FREE glow necklace. Bring a lawn chair, blanket and your own drinks and snacks. School rest rooms will be open.
The PTA will be collecting Tissues for Teachers at the movie, so please bring a box or two.
Please note that Movie Night is NOT a drop-off event. All children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
We still need a few good volunteers to help out for only a half hour shift during the event. If you can volunteer or have any questions, please contact Caroline Bodziak at cbodziak@aol.com or 410-461-1605.
Back to School Night & Vocelli’s Pizza Night! 9/15
The Patapsco PTA is kicking off the year and wants to remind you to attend two important events over the next week - Back-to-School night this Thursday, 9/15 (6:30 PM) and first PTA meeting 9/19 (7:00 PM).
Thursday night leave the cooking to Vocelli’s before heading to school for Back-to-School night. Vocelli’s is donating 20% of sales to our PTA. Give the attached flyer to the driver and mention Patapsco PTA when ordering. Also, plan to visit the PTA membership table during Back-to-School night and help support our programs.
Monday night 9/19 at 7pm we will be having our first general membership meeting to vote on our budget, discuss upcoming programs and ways to get involved with the Patapsco PTA. As an additional incentive to attend, Peer2Peer Tutors will have tutors available to help your school students with their homework while you attend the meeting, how fabulous is that?! Connect with other families and school staff, support the education of all students and get some homework help for your student! Priceless!
As always, thank you for your time, energy and support of Patapsco Middle School. I look forward to seeing on Thursday and meeting you in person on 9/19 at the PTA meeting.
Allison Anderson
PTA President
8th Grade T-Shirts
Patapsco Class of 2012 “Kicks Off” T-Shirt Campaign (Order Form)
The 8th grade class has the honor of creating its own Signature Tshirt which will be worn exclusively by this year’s 8th grade students. The shirt will have a logo design on the front and the large numerals ‘12’ on the back. The students will write their names inside these numerals, and their signatures become part of the actual 12 design. There will be a contest to select the front logo design. Students submit a drawing (see rules below); the teachers select the finalists, then the entire 8th grade votes on the winning design.
Please note: The logo contest is totally optional for those that want to enter a design.
Place your design in an envelope or folder and give it to Ms. Hopkins ( room F8). You may enter only 1 design per student. Do not fold or crease your design.
The winner of the logo design contest receives a free short sleeve tee shirt.
We’d like to see each 8th grade student place an order. This will be a great keepsake for years to come.
THIS IS THE ONLY CHANCE TO ORDER THESE EXCLUSIVE T-SHIRTS!!! WE CANNOT RE-ORDER NOR EXCHANGE WRONG SIZES.
T-SHIRT ORDER FORM
Please review the sample sizes at the school before you order. Even if you are choosing not to place an order we would like you to sign your name in the space provided on the order form and give it to your homeroom teacher.
RULES FOR THE FRONT LOGO DESIGN:
- Designs should be no larger than 6 inches by 6 inches on plain white paper
- Blue or black ink only; do not fill in with colored pens or markers
- Must be hand drawn, simple design-no computer pictures
- Be creative and try to incorporate something meaningful into the design about PMS or your experience at PMS
- Must include the following 2 items: the name Patapsco and numbers 2012 or 12 or “Class of “ 2012 or 12
- Optional idea to include the mascot… Knight
- Students must not put their names anywhere on the front of the design, but should write lightly in pencil on the back of the
- design and away from the actual artwork
DESIGN & ORDER DEADLINE is Friday, September 30, 2011.
Any questions call Patti LeConte @ 410-750-3545
or email: pattileconte@verizon.net
Welcome 2011-2012 School Year!
NEW SCHOOL YEAR, NEW PEOPLE, NEW PATAPSCO PTA!
The new school year brings an ALL NEW Executive Board for the Patapsco PTA. This is good news since we will bring new energy and new ideas. However, we will have a learning curve so keep the lines of communication open and be patient! The mission of the Patapsco PTA will again be TOGETHERNESS with a focus on all parents working to support all kids with the help of all the Patapsco staff! We strongly encourage you to reach out to any PTA Officer to share your ideas, concerns and/or offers of help. We plan to expand membership, PTA programs/events and have LOTS of new volunteers involved in the PTA to support students. Get connected to Patapsco PTA and email us today with your ideas/comments at patapscopta@gmail.com. Patapsco PTA meetings will take place on the third Tuesday of each month with the exception of the first meeting which will be on Monday, September 19th at 7pm. Also, look for the PTA membership form and Volunteer forms to join us in supporting our school and our students.
We need everyone’s help! We look forward to meeting you in person soon!
The Patapsco PTA Executive Board
- Allison Anderson, Caroline Bodziak, Patti Lizzo, Emily Rice, Kari Schumm and Christina Siedlecki
Beach Blast Tonight – Rain or Shine!
The show will go on…except it will be indoors!
PTA’s Beach Blast will be moved into the cafeteria and gym if it rains.
We won’t be able to offer Frisbee golf or touch football but will still have our DJ, Minute-to-win-it Games, 3-on-3 basketball tournament, and Free Throw Contest. Of course there will be pizza for sale and free snowballs.
Access will be only through the rear of the school. Please remember that ALL children must be under an adult’s supervision to attend. It isn’t intended to be a drop and go event. Parking is available at Crossroads Church. Drivers should avoid parking in front of neighboring houses or on side streets out of respect and care for our community members.
If you want to participate in the 3-on-3 tournament you must have on sneakers/athletic shoes. Players can not be barefoot or have on flip-flops.
Being indoors, crowd size is determined by fire code. Please be advised if the event is well attended, it may be necessary to delay entry so as not to exceed fire code capacities.
PTA would like to thank the committee of Caroline Bdoziak, Christine Daugherty, Rita Herlihy, and Linda Dombrowski for all of their efforts in coordinating this great event. PTA would also like to thank our Principal Cindy Dillon and Assistant Principal Carol Ketterman along with the many Patapsco staff for all their help and for their attendance tonight.
We hope to see you there.
PTA and PMS Administration
8th Grade Student Athletes – Impact Concussion Testing Mandatory grades 9-12
Impact Concussion Testing is now a MANDATORY Athletic Eligibility Requirement for all HCPSS Student Athletes, Grades 9-12.
Students who are currently in Grades 8-11, and are interested in trying out for a Fall Sport on August 13th at Mt Hebron High School, (Cheerleading, Field Hockey, Football, Soccer, Volleyball), MUST be Concussion Tested prior to the start of the Fall Season. The IMPACT Concussion Test is valid for two years.
Mt. Hebron High School will be testing CURRENT 8TH GRADE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS (Incoming 9th Grade Students) from June 6th through June 9th as follows:
CURRENT 8TH GRADE STUDENTS (Incoming 9th Grade Students, Class of 2015), will be tested June 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th, during the following three time slots: (Students are asked to arrive approximately five minutes prior to the start of their chosen time slot): (3:30pm – 4:15pm; 4:15pm – 5:00pm; 5:00pm – 5:45pm); Testing Site – Classroom #106 No Appointment necessary. Students will be tested on a first come first serve basis
ALL STUDENTS MUST HAND IN A COMPLETED AND SIGNED PARENT PERMISSION FORM TO OUR TRAINER PRIOR TO TESTING. PARENT PERMISSION FORMS MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE MT. HEBRON.COM WEBSITE, THE HCPSS.ORG WEBSITE (http://hcpss.org/athletics/forms_athletics.shtml), or the Front Office of Mt Hebron High School.
8th Grade Dance – 6/21/2011 7:00 – 10:00 PM
The end of our students’ middle school experience is fast approaching. Patapsco’s tradition is to celebrate this important milestone with an 8th grade dance open to all 8th grade students at no cost. Typically, more than 90% of the 8th graders attend. Patapsco staff, your PTA, and many 8th grade parents are all playing a part in the planning. Quite a celebration is in the works!
Together, parents and PTA supply the food for the evening with the PTA purchasing the hot food items. Parent donations are needed for the snacks. Check the list below to see what you might be able to send in. Either email Linda Dombrowski at dombrowski88@verizon.net or return the form below. Forms should be given to your child’s first period teacher by Thursday, June 9th. You will receive an email confirming your contribution.
Food contributions should be brought to the school’s front office before dismissal by Tuesday afternoon, June 21st. Please label your donation “8th Grade Dance.”
Financial contributions can be sent in to the school in an envelope marked “8th Grade Dance” at any time prior to June 9th. Please have your child give the envelope to his or her first period teacher.
Thank you for your help and cooperation in making the final 8th grade event a success!
