For three decades, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary School has provided students with academic challenges and a quality education, and on June 8 students and staff—both past and present—celebrated the school's 30th anniversary.
"We consider ourselves a family," Principal Nancy Seifert said. "I love Jenifer Elementary School. I love the children, I love the staff and the many successes we see every day."
Over the past 30 years, 19,155 elementary students have attended Jenifer. "To learn not only how to read, write and do math, but about friendship, cooperation, compassion and good character," Seifert said.
Jenifer opened in 1987 when Charles County was experiencing a population boom and new schools were being built every few years. Jenifer, tucked away off of Route 228, is a serene gem in a bustling Waldorf.
"It's a nice, delicate pocket in Waldorf," said Thadine Wright, a former Jenifer vice principal and principal who is currently J.P. Ryon Elementary School's principal. "No one knows we're here."
Physical education teacher Franco Foraci said Jenifer has become a second home to him since he started at the school in 1998. "I feel like this school is an incubator for the leaders in this building," Foraci said.
Some Jenifer teachers were familiar with the layout of the school before they arrived for their first day of work. Anna Lancaster and Carrie Heard are current teachers and Jenifer alums. Fifth-grade teacher Heard served as the event's mistress of ceremonies and Lancaster shared the highlights of her time at Jenifer, starting as a kindergarten student.
Her mother, Susan Belmore, was an art teacher at Jenifer, and Lancaster recalled the field days and sock hops among her favorite memories. "I made lifelong friends here," said Lancaster, who teaches third grade. "And as a teacher, I enjoy making new memories with my students."
Susie Fowler, a former Jenifer principal, was at the school when it celebrated its 20th anniversary. "And in the blink of an eye …," she said, the school has hit its 30th year. When she started at Jenifer, kindergarten was a half-day, there wasn't centralized curriculum—lessons varied classroom to classroom and there was no state testing for elementary schools. "How in the world did we know what was going on," Fowler asked the other educators in the audience. But some things don't change. "Children need teachers who will create a safe and caring environment where the students can thrive," she said.
Included in the celebration were members of the Society for the Restoration of Port Tobacco, Joyce Edelen, Kevin Grote and David Lassman. In costume, Grote—who lives in Jenifer's home Ellerslie in Port Tobacco—and Lassman portrayed Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer and his brother, Daniel Jenifer (the family really clung to the name Daniel, Lassman explained). Westlake High School's JROTC presented the colors at the event, Westlake sophomore Brianna Goulbourne sang "America the Beautiful," Jenifer's choir performed a medley of patriotic songs and fifth-grade student Brie Landers spoke about what the school means to her.
Superintendent of Schools Kimberly Hill, Board of Education Vice Chairman Barbara Palko and member Virginia McGraw attended, and Board Chairman Michael Lukas gave the school a proclamation. Also giving proclamations were the Charles County Commissioners, represented by Commissioners' President Peter Murphy and the Charles County Delegation, which Del. Edith Patterson represented.
The school honored volunteers and employees who make the school run smoothly and foster a sense of community. Among those honored were LaTonya Barton for her advocacy; Don Bazzle, a bus driver with 29 years of experience; Melissa Brown with Alpha Best; Toney Darden, a basketball coach who was honored for community service; Marcia Dehanas for helping the school, staff and students, and being a "school loyalist"; Teresa Nunn for substituting; parent volunteer April Sterling; and Jennifer Brown, PTO treasurer, on behalf of PTO President Nse Witherspoon.
North Point senior named Student Board Member to the State Board of Education
Kyle Smith, a senior at North Point High School.Kyle Smith, a senior at North Point High School, has been named Student Member to the Maryland State Board of Education.
As Student Member—known as SMOB—Smith will be the voice of the state's students who attend public schools around Maryland.
The role is a big one, but it's one Smith's friends and colleagues know he can fill.
"He's one of the brightest people I've ever met," said Drew Carter, the Student Board Member of the Charles County Board of Education and a senior at St. Charles High School. "He's diligent, he's hardworking," Carter said. "Whatever he sets his mind to, he gets it done."
Smith is in the engineering Science, Technology and Industry (STI) program at North Point and in the school band. He is or has been involved in the National Association of Student Councils, the Maryland Association of Student Councils, is a student member of the Maryland State Board of Education advisory council, the Charles County Association of Student Councils (CCASC) and North Point's SGA, in which he's held several leadership positions. Smith is a member of the school's mock trial team that was in the final four out of 33 teams in its region, and he participated in the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Seminar as a HOBY ambassador.
Outside of school, Smith is an advocate and volunteer. He has given his time to the nonprofit Dream to Soar Foundation and is active in the state and county National Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), where he and Carter became friends. Smith served as the presiding president during the October 2016 NAACP Maryland State Youth and College Division Conference, where he was the master of ceremonies at the event's luncheon. He is the chairman of the NAACP Youth Council Region VII, was the vice president of the NAACP Charles County Youth Council from 2014 to 2015 and is the president and an executive board member of NAACP Charles County Youth Council.
When he was told he was named the SMOB, he was instantly excited. To let it soak in, he walked around his house a few times before telling his parents. "All the hard work, it's all come to this," Smith said. And he's ready to put in more hard work. "I'm going to advocate for the needs of the students," he said. "I'm going to fight for the issues that are important to a lot of students."
Gary Winsett, advisor to the CCASC, said Maryland students have a champion in Smith. "He can look beyond and see an issue from all sides of the equation," Winsett said.
Smith also brings something else to the table. "He's kind," Carter said. "He has the tools in his personal arsenal to get things done without hurting the feelings of others."
The Maryland State Board of Education has 12 voting members, including a student member with a full vote who has partial voting rights (the student member can't vote on the budget, legal appeals and certain personnel issues). The student member can be a high school junior or senior and serves a one-year term and is selected by the Maryland Association of Student Councils for the governor. A student member has been on the Board since 1985.
Smith's appointment is the first time in more than a decade since a Charles County student has been the student member to the state board.
Smith has plans for the summer that include an internship with Maryland Circuit Court Judge Hayward J. West, attending a business academy in New York and going to the National Association of Student Councils in New Hampshire.
"He's going to do a lot of for this county, state and beyond," Carter said.
"I know I have to be spot on on the issues that are raised," Smith said. "I need to bring my 'A game' to each and every event."
Administrative appointments and transfers announced
The Office of the Deputy Superintendent today announced Autumn Hoffman, a former world language teacher, has been named the content specialist for ESOL and World Languages. Hoffman was previously a vice principal at Maurice J. McDonough High School.
Matthew Deegan, vice principal at Theodore G. Davis Middle School, will move to McDonough as a vice principal. Deegan, who has worked with middle and high school level students, will bring a diversified experience to McDonough, according to the deputy superintendent's office. Wanda Huffman, a family and consumer science teacher at North Point High School, will fill the Davis vice principal position.
Mudd teachers and staff pack up school, ready for move
Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School's teachers and staff are boxing up classrooms and preparing to move into their new—but temporary—home.
Furniture, classroom equipment and other necessities will be taken to the 32-room transition school between J.P. Ryon Elementary School and John Hanson Middle School in Waldorf, where Mudd will be housed for two years while its building is renovated.
The renovation starts this month and is expected to be complete for the opening of school in August 2019.
Cleaning out Mudd for the construction to start has been a process. "I found a microscope in a wooden box," said Kim Daniel, a science teacher at Mudd. "The microscope was rusty." She wonders if the equipment was new when the school opened in 1967.
She also tackled the "scary closet." It was a classroom closet that was jammed packed with items collected over 50 years and stored away. As of Wednesday afternoon, Daniel was taping shut the 101 packing box. She is looking forward to teaching at the renovated school. "It's going to be great," she said.
St. Charles senior Drew Carter joins Board as new student member
Board of Education Chairman Michael Lukas, left, swears in Drew Carter, St. Charles High School senior, as the new Student Member of the Board of Education during the Board's June 13 meeting. Carter officially begins his one-year term today and will work with a student liaison committee composed of seniors from all seven high schools throughout the school year.The Board of Education on June 13 officially met its new student representative for the coming school year, St. Charles High School senior Drew Carter. Carter was sworn in as the Student Member of the Board of Education by Chairman Michael Lukas at the start of the meeting.
To become familiar with his role on the Board, Carter shadowed former Student Member Da'Juon Washington during the Board's May meeting. But today, Carter was ready to jump in to his new role.
"I am extremely grateful to follow in the footsteps of previous student leaders and I look forward to making many strides this year. Since my election on April 28, I was fortunate enough to shadow Da'Juon Washington. I was able to grasp the ropes of things and I was able to get my first hands-on experience as the Student Board Member," Carter said.
Joining Carter at the county leadership level are several student liaisons from the county's seven high schools. Each high school is required to have a liaison, who is chosen by methods approved by each school's student government association (SGA) and principal. Carter will work with the student liaison committee throughout the school year.
Liaisons for the 2017-18 school year are
• Kaitlyn Willett, senior, Henry E. Lackey High School;
• Shaun Burroughs, senior, La Plata High School;
• Joyah Magee, senior, Maurice J. McDonough High School;
• Jordyn Best, senior, North Point High School;
• Jonathon Moss, senior, St. Charles High School;
• Elizabeth Braziel, senior, Thomas Stone High School; and
• Thomas Rahill, senior, Westlake High School.
Carter was named the new Student Board Member earlier this school year following a vote among students on the Charles County Association of Student Councils (CCASC). Willett from Lackey will serve as the alternate Student Member to the Board.
Students interested in consideration for the position are required to submit an essay regarding a student concern and possible solutions. A committee of school system staff reviews the essays. The top three students in the running for the position give a speech at the annual spring CCASC meeting, and participate in a question and answer session with student delegates. Student delegates from all middle and high schools vote to elect the Student Member to the Board, as well as officers to represent the CCASC the following school year.