Stone Teacher Receives Diversity Scholarship

Leslie Scruggs, a special education teacher at Thomas Stone High School, recently received an $800 Minority/Diversity Teacher Scholarship award to attend the Mid-Atlantic Bio Conference held Oct. 25-26 in Rockville.

TSHS special education teacher Leslie Scruggs.

Tynesha Young, 3rd grade, and her mother, Terri Young, at Brown’s “mighty math hour”.

Allison Murphy (10th) shows off her origami at the Japan club meeting.

TSHS senior Richard Bussey poses as the beast from “Beauty and the Beast” during the school’s Fall Festival.

The Westlake High School Anime Club.  All photos courtesy of CCPS.

Local comedian Chris Nelson entertains Piccowaxen students during the school’s Career Day activities.

Alaina Hawranko, Sarah Williams, Carmencita Bell, Laura Gittleman, and Dionne Gilmore of the Stoddert Math Department with Craig Renner from ACPT, and Sean Anderson.

Westlake teacher Mark Howell, Social Studies Educator of the Year.

Thomas Stone seniors Chandra Thompson, Bryant Jackson-Green and Brittany Haynes were recently honored for their academic achievement by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Scruggs is one of five regional scholarship recipients, out of 400 applications, who received the award, sponsored by the Forest City Science and Technology Group. The conference covers the bioscience industry and investors in innovation and science are encouraged to attend. It is hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Venture Association, the Virginia Biotechnology Association, and Tech Council of Maryland/MdBio.

In Focus

Brown Elementary School held a “mighty math hour” on Nov. 6 to present parents and students in grades kindergarten through five with helpful math strategies. School administrators, teachers and instructional specialists held 10 sessions on touch math, test-taking tips, time and money management and math games parents could use at home to help their children better learn math skills.

North Point High School recently created a Japan club for students interested in Japanese language, culture and history.  North Point French teacher Linda McLaughlin sponsors the club which meets four times a month.  During the Nov. 6 club meeting, the 20+ student members created origami.

On Oct. 31, the Thomas Stone High School Student Government Association invited the community into the school for a night of trick or treating.  The students provided games, crafts, face painting and candy in festively decorated hallways.  The Charles County Youth Orchestra and Encore Strings provided music. 

More than 20 faculty and staff members at Matthew Henson Middle School helped to raise $1,600 through their third annual chili cook off on Oct. 31.  The money will benefit the United Way of Charles County.  The event was launched three years ago by Henson math teacher Jessica Galbreath.

The Matthew Henson National Junior Honor Society recently organized a school fundraiser called “Common Cents”, a grade-level competition in which students place money in containers during their lunch.  Pennies count as positive points.  Silver coins and bills count as negative points.  The winning grade receives a prize and the proceeds help the NJHS purchase food to distribute to homeless community members.

The Westlake High School Anime Club organized a “Trick or Treat for UNICEF” fundraiser last month to collect donations for children in need of materials such as school supplies and immunizations.  The club gathers together students who are interested in anime, a distinctive Japanese art style consisting of hand-drawn or computer-created illustrations. 

Westlake High School senior Zachary Rahm recently received an honorable mention award for academic achievement from the Maryland Distinguished Scholar Program. Students apply for the program during their junior year.  Finalists are eligible for $3,000 scholarships if they attend college or university in Maryland. The program is sponsored by the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

Piccowaxen Middle School held its annual student career day on Oct. 26.  More than 30 presenters participated, including former Board of Education member Turner Coggins, an anatomy professor at the College of Southern Maryland; Mark Tillman, a pilot aboard Air Force One; Chris Nelson, a local comedian; Anthony Dugan, a semi-professional boxer; and representatives from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.

McDonough to Plant Rain Gardens with Port Tobacco Conservancy Funds

McDonough High School recently joined with the Port Tobacco River Conservancy to improve the water quality of the Port Tobacco River by constructing rain gardens on school grounds.  The Chesapeake Bay Trust awarded the conservancy group with a $95,250 grant, the majority of which will go toward building the garden areas at McDonough.  

Students, administrators and community members will help plant two or three rain gardens with native plants in an arrangement designed to hold and filter run-off water from the school roof and parking lots.  In addition to the rain gardens, small trees will be planted to help stabilize eroding banks of a ravine that has been channeling water away from the areas surrounding the school.  

Pictures will post to McDonough’s website, www2.ccboe.com/mcdonough, as the project begins.  The Port Tobacco River Conservancy will also highlight the project’s process on its website, www.porttobaccoriver.org.  The project will begin in spring 2008.

ACPT Donates to Stoddert Math

Stoddert Middle School received a $2,500 donation on Nov. 13 from American Community Properties Trust (ACPT).  The funds will help support the school’s math program. ACPT Community Relations Director Craig Renner presented the funds to members of Stoddert’s math department during the November Parent-Teacher-Student Organization (PTSO) meeting.

Westlake Teacher - Social Studies Educator of the Year

Mark Howell, a social studies teacher at Westlake High School, was named the Social Studies Educator of the Year by the Maryland Council for the Social Studies (MDCSS) on Oct. 19.  Howell began his career with Charles County Public Schools in 1979 and has taught social studies at Westlake since 1993.  

Nominees for the award must teach social studies in Maryland and awards may be given to elementary or secondary social studies educators. The MDCSS promotes the teaching of social studies, supports research and investigation in the social sciences, and promotes the advancement of social studies education.