Visitors experience early childhood education
On Oct. 11, a mad scientist made bubbles with dry ice and gave carbon dioxide baths to Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School’s youngest students. These students also used the opportunity to show 12 educational specialists from China how Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) takes hands-on learning to a new level.
The Judith P. Hoyer Early Child Care and Family Education Centers, also known as the Judy Centers, coordinated the activity for more than 50 students enrolled in the program at Dr. Mudd. The Judy Centers serve children in Title I school districts in Maryland from birth through kindergarten. Coordinator of the Judy Centers Leigh Stalter, worked with contract services to provide fun interactive science activities, including inclass performances. Congressman Steny Hoyer’s office organized the visit to Dr. Mudd with the Association of China-US Cultural Communication and Education (ACCCE). The goal of the ACCCE is to collaborate between American and Chinese professional and educational organizations and to exchange practices from both countries. The Chinese visitors came to learn and exchange educational experiences. While at Dr. Mudd, the visitors learned of many activities provided to students and families such as take-home activities for parents and children to complete together, family nights with fun educational activities and tutoring for children needing extra help in math, science or language and literacy. This was the first year the ACCCE visited CCPS. Stalter, took the Chinese guests to a kindergarten, prekindergarten and three-year-old classroom. The three-year-old classroom had an in-class assembly with a Mad Scientist who kept the students engaged by asking questions throughout the performance. The prekindergarten and kindergarten classrooms were setup in four centers. Students learned what and why objects sink and float, what materials stick to magnets, what items melt, and how to engulf a human into a bubble. The visitors worked with students and saw how the teachers and children work together.
The Judy Center, serves kindergarten, prekindergarten and the three-year-old program at Dr. Mudd. Dr. Mudd is one of three CCPS elementary schools served by the Judy Center. Along with the components of the Judy Centers, there are four goals that CCPS focuses on each year. One is to identify children and their families before they are school age and connect them with services and activities. The other three goals are to increase Language and Literacy, Math Thinking and science testing scores.
While in the United States, the ACCCE visited schools in St. Mary’s County, Charles County, New York and Boston. The main headquarters for the ACCCE is in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but members of the group come from different Chinese provinces. For more information on the ACCCE, visit http://www.accceonline.org/.
Students participate in fall chess tournament
Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) hosted its annual Fall Chess Tournament Oct. 26, at Thomas Stone High School. The tournament is sponsored by the school system?s gifted education department and is open to any county resident in grades kindergarten through 12. More than 120 students competed in five grade-level divisions.
The tournament follows a Swiss-style format in which each student plays four games. Trophies were awarded for first and second places, and medals were given to students placing in the division. The number of medals awarded in a division is determined by the number of participants in that group. Felix Cummings served as tournament director.
The following students received awards:
Kindergarten through second grade:
-- Timothy Martinez, first place, William B. Wade Elementary School;
-- Alan Sebastian, first place, Wade;
-- Tarun Veeramarchnani, second place, Wade;
-- Griffin Hayes, second place, William A. Diggs Elementary School;
-- Manav Soni, third place, Wade; and
-- Cara Green, third place, Wade.
Third and fourth grades:
-- Benjamin Moore, first place, Malcolm Elementary School;
-- Iniya Ravikumar, second place, Wade;
-- Natalie Green, third place, Wade;
-- Maci Mulloy, fourth place, Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School;
-- Rahul Mahato, fourth place, Arthur Middleton Elementary School;
-- Matthew Sanchez, fourth place, Diggs;
-- Rodney Harrison, fourth place, Mary H. Matula Elementary School;
-- Benjamin Barker, fourth place, T.C. Martin Elementary School;
-- Chyane Burns, fourth place, Higdon; and
-- James Olmstead, fourth place, Dr. James Craik Elementary School.
Fifth and sixth grades:
-- Nathaniel Lednum, first place, Piccowaxen Middle School;
-- Brandon Luton, first place, Milton M. Somers Middle School;
-- Joseph Papagno, second place, Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School;
-- Payton Green, third place, Theodore G. Davis Middle School;
-- Mathew Padath, fourth place, Benjamin Stoddert Middle School;
-- Kathleen Martinez, fourth place, Davis;
-- Brenden Thompson, fourth place, Matthew Henson Middle School;
-- Christopher Rand-Crawford, fourth place, John Hanson Middle School;
-- John Glassman, fourth place, Matula;
-- Ashton Gordon, fourth place, Somers;
-- Francis Franch, fourth place, Middleton;
-- Eric Maher, fourth place, Wade; and
-- Bisech Acharya, fourth place, Wade.
Seventh and eighth grades:
-- Joshua Sokol, first place, Stoddert;
-- Kyle Batchelor, second place, Piccowaxen;
-- Gabriel Dizon, third place, Mattawoman Middle School;
-- Jarrett Mulloy, third place, Piccowaxen;
-- Ryan Alicka, third place, Hanson;
-- Naim Muhammad, third place, Henson;
-- Paulo Bonilla, third place, Davis; and
-- Alexander Booth, third place, Mattawoman.
Ninth through twelfth grades:
-- Franklin Olmsted, first place, Maurice J. McDonough High School;
-- Michael Tritt, second place, Westlake High School; and
-- Nathaniel Dudley, third place, Henry E. Lackey High School.
Students graduate from Adult Education Program
Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) held its 34th annual Adult Education Program graduation ceremony on Oct. 24 at North Point High School. There were 226 student graduates.
Diplomas were presented to the following graduates in attendance to the ceremony: Miranda Jamileth Alfaro, Aubrion Remus Allen, Sr., Augusta Marisa Amaro, Brayan Arnoldo Avila, James Michael Bacon, Shalanda Marie Banks, James Donavan Barker, Constance Benfield, Justin Bowie, James Walter Brown, Haskell Nicholes Campbell, Jr., Markita Carroll, Michelle Noelle Dickerson, Tyshon Dickerson, Brandy Diehl, Doris D. Dobison, Michael Anthony Duckett, Crystal Lee Eberhardt, Wesley Elliott, Nicole Fant, Samantha Farrell, Dayne Fields, Merlita Sanchez Frias, Michelle Joy Gentle, Claudia Beatriz Gutierrez, Candice Nakia Hayes, Mark Andrew Hedges, Catherine Herman, William Herman, George Ramone Howard, Racheal Lynn Howard, Marlena L. Hughes, Lloyd Wayne Johnson, Sr., Sharon Patricia Jones, Brenda Diane Lee, Charne Kimble, Kealoha Kimble, Thomas Livers, Tiara J. McAllister, Harold T. McClendon, II, Daniel Milam, Rhonda Montgomery, Teresa J. Moore, Rachele Paris, Jimmietta Charlene Radcliff, Justin Randles, Diana Rodriguez-Tapia, Harry Calvin Rosier, III, Valrie Salmon-Riley, Mia A. Scott, Thomas Manaole Short, Charlene Shorter, Shanita Cassandra Simms, Timothy Robinson Slavin, Crystal Smith, Meghan Spalding, Sequitta Tolliver, Tammeron Turner, Enrico Nicola Wahl, Kiara Williams, Richard Williamson, Elmer Willix and Amber Young.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kimberly Hill attended the event to congratulate the students. Dr. Hill, Board of Education Vice Chairman Maura Cook as well as other CCPSadministrators and other local elected officials presented diplomas to students.
The General Educational Development (GED) program offers adult basic education classes,English as a second language classes, GED preparation classes and a Maryland high school diploma through GED testing. The National External Diploma Program (NEDP) is for adults 18 and older who have acquired high school level skills through life experiences. These adults can earn a Maryland high school diploma through work done at home and through evaluation appointments.
Grant funding from Maryland Literacy Works and the U.S. Department of Education supports the adult education programs. Both the GED and National External Diploma programs areoffered through Charles County Public Schools to county residents at the Lifelong Learning Center in Waldorf. Classes are held throughout the day and the evening. Call 301-753-1774 for more information.