Severn River Middle School Student Wins Bee with 'Wafflestomper'

Robin Roper, an eighth-grader from Severn River Middle School in Arnold, won the 25th annual Anne Arundel County spelling bee with the word "wafflestomper" on Saturday.

Robin Roper, of Severn River Middle School in Arnold, beat out 31 other top spellers in the Anne Arundel County spelling bee this weekend with her winning word, "wafflestomper." Roper, an eighth-grader, won the 25th annual Anne Arundel County Spelling Bee and earned a trip to the national competition later this year. Her final word, wafflestomper, is a hiking boot with a lug sole. Roper correctly spelled the word in the 39th round of the competition to win her the title. That final round came only after a 27-round duel with defending spelling champion Olivia Simmons, of Bates Middle School, who finished second. Roper and Simmons dueled over the spelling of words such as, langlauf, troika, panglossian, and mynheer, for over an hour before …

• Photos (2)

10 Broadneck Teachers Receive National Board Certification

The certification is the highest teaching credential given to educators in the country.

Among the 45 educators at Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) who recently attained the prestigious National Board Certification—the highest teaching credential given to educators in the country—10 were from Broadneck-area schools. More than 6,200 teachers nationwide earned the honor, and Anne Arundel County’s 45-member class put it seventh in the nation among school systems with certification recipients, according to an AACPS release. Below is a list of the Broadneck-area educators who earned the honor and where they teach: Approximately five percent of all AACPS educators earn the certification, and with the 45 new additions, the county’s grand total reached 355 for 2012, according to the release. Additionally, four members of the…

• Photos (1)

School by School Breakdown of Superintendent's Proposed Capital Budget

Next year's preliminary budget includes a feasibility study for Arnold Elementary.

The Anne Arundel County Board of Education discussed Superintendent Kevin Maxwell’s recommended capital budget for fiscal year 2014 Tuesday night, specifically examining projects where state funding is being sought. Of the superintendent’s nearly $240 million proposed capital budget, Maxwell is asking the state to cover almost $48 million worth of upgrades and renovations at Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS). That leaves about $194 million to be funded by the county itself. AACPS Chief Operating Officer Alex Szachnowicz and AACPS Director of Facilities Lisa Seaman-Crawford broke down the proposed capital budget piece by piece, inspecting each project’s history, status and potential progression. Szachnowicz explained that the state…

• Photos (4)

Broadneck Back-to-School: By the Numbers

A statistical snapshot of Broadneck schools, focusing on student population and the number of buses used to get them there.

Next week, more than 6,500 students from Broadneck will hop on 101 buses as they head back to Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS). As families throughout the area prepare for quieter homes, back-to-school shopping and “do your homework” negotiations, Patch wanted to provide a quick numerical snapshot of what will be taking place throughout the region on the first day of school on Aug. 27. More than 77,000 children will fill AACPS classrooms throughout the county, but only a projected 6,575 will occupy schools in the Broadneck cluster. For the upcoming 2012-13 school year, AACPS created an official projected enrollment list that captures the anticipated number of students at various schools in the region.  Broadneck Cluster In …

• Photos (1)

Back-to-School Guide: Broadneck Elementary Schools

Broadneck elementary schools begin again on Aug. 27.

School starts back for Anne Arundel County elementary schools on Aug. 27. Are you ready yet? There are still a few weeks left of summer, but now is the time to start planning ahead for when classes begin again. All Broadneck schools will resume by the end of August.  Schools have already begun putting out information on items students will need when they return to classes.  Click on the following schools for links to their specific school supply lists for the 2012-2013 school year. These can be downloaded and printed for convenience. Don't forget that tax-free shopping in Maryland is August 12-18.  And here is a schedule of Back-To-School Nights for Broadneck-area elementary schools. These will give parents a chance to meet their child's …

• Photos (1)

Broadneck Schools Announce Back-To-School Nights

Broadneck cluster schools have announced when they will be hosting Back-To-School Night.

Sharpen your pencils, scope out deals on calculators and brush the dust off your backpack—it is already time to start talking about going back to school. Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) has announced the schedule for Back-To-School Night. This will be the first formal chance for parents to meet and greet the newest principals, including Arnold Elementary's new principal Shauna Kauffman and Cape St. Claire Elementary's new principal Lisa Leitholf. More than 77,000 students are expected to enter AACPS classrooms this fall, and Back-To-School Nights provide parents with the opportunity to learn more about their child’s teachers, and the instruction their children are receiving, according to a press release from AACPS spokesman Bob …

• Photos (1)

2 Broadneck Elementary Schools Getting More Teachers

Broadneck and Cape St. Claire elementary schools are getting additional teachers through next year's budget.

When the County Council adopted the fiscal year 2013 budget, it funded 128 new personnel at county schools for the new school year—including 75 new teachers. Two of those teachers are scheduled to be assigned to Broadneck schools—one for Broadneck Elementary and one for Cape St. Claire Elementary. According to the list of teachers provided to Patch, no additional teachers are set for Arnold Elementary, Belvedere Elementary or Windsor Farm Elementary schools.  County Councilman Dick Ladd (R-5th District) of Broadneck said he took issue with that and would look into it. "I believe that is a problem," Ladd said. "I think if there's nothing added to Windsor Farms, then something's out of balance." The distribution of teachers is determined by …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (2)

Chesapeake Academy Student Wins Earth Day Art Contest

Avy Aubin, a third-grader at Chesapeake Academy, got a shock when she learned she won an art contest hosted by the EPA.