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Thursday, February 10, 2011

Highlighted Events This Week And Next Week In Wicomico Schools

Feb. 7-11
National School Counseling Week

National School Counseling Week is Feb. 7-11. Wicomico County School Counselors are key members of the education team who are dedicated to promoting and challenging our students to be the best they can be. Be sure to let a school counselor know that you appreciate their work and support and all they do help make Maryland Public Schools ranked No. 1 in the nation for the third straight year.

Thursday, Feb. 10
International Family Fun Night
East Salisbury Elementary

The East Salisbury Elementary STARS/After School Program, in conjunction with Barnes & Noble, will host an International Family Fun Night from 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, in the East Salisbury School cafeteria. Students and families represented will be United States, Mexico, Greece, Italy, Vietnam and Pakistan. This evening will be a great opportunity for families to spend time together and learn more about other cultures. 410-677-5803.

Friday, February 11
U.S. Department of Education Visit to Wicomico County Judy Center Partnership

An Early Learning Program analyst from the U.S. Department of Education will visit Wicomico County Judy Center classrooms starting at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 11, to observe best practices, particularly in the area of language acquisition and how students from all backgrounds (including English Language Learners and students needing special education services) are included in instruction. The Maryland State Department of Education recommended Wicomico County’s Judy Center for the visit, which could lead to being highlighted online and/or on video as a high quality instructional program that could serve as a model for other schools and programs nationwide. Throughout the day, the USDE analyst will visit Judy Center classrooms at the Wicomico Early Learning Center and Pemberton and Beaver Run Elementary Schools, and will also visit a Judy Center Community Partner, the TenderHeart Child Care Center in Salisbury.

Friday, Feb. 11
100th Day of School Dressup Day
Beaver Run Elementary

Students and staff of Beaver Run Elementary will celebrate the 100th Day of School on Friday, Feb. 11, by dressing up as 100 year olds. This special focus on the 100th day will be a great opportunity for students and staff to be creative and have fun while celebrating learning.

Saturday, Feb. 12
STEM Saturday
Salisbury Middle School

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) Saturday classes will be offered throughout the 2010-11 school year for students in grades 4/5 and 6/7/8. The next STEM Saturday will be held at Salisbury Middle School from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Feb. 12, with students in grades 4-5 exploring The Magic of Chemistry, and middle schoolers working on Out of Sight: Bringing Astronomy Down to Earth. The elementary offerings are new to the STEM Saturdays schedule this year. Anyone interested in attending a STEM Saturday event must pre-register, and early registration is recommended as the courses fill up early. STEM Saturdays will also be held March 12, Flying Wild: Bird Science and Conservation (elementary) at Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, and Fossils of the Chesapeake: A Hands-On Exploration (middle) at Parkside High; and April 9, The Bug Detective (elementary) and The Science Behind Winning (middle), both at Salisbury Middle. For a detailed schedule and registration form, visit http://www.wcboe.org/news/510. For information contact Gretchen Boggs at 410-677-5149 or gboggs@wcboe.org.

Tales for Dogs Program to Continue for Rest of School Year
Beaver Run Elementary

Reading has gone to the dogs – literally – at Beaver Run Elementary School, as Delmarva Pets on Wheels Inc. canines come to the classroom for children to read to them in the school’s first Tales for Dogs program. Ten visiting dogs (including Shelties, Cocker Spaniel, Great Dane, labradoodles, Bernese Mountain Dog, golden doodle, golden retriever, yellow lab and mixed breed) are coming weekly to second-grade classrooms and a few special education classrooms from now until the end of the school year. Each visit, the dogs will be there for a half-hour during second graders’ reading block time. This wonderful program will allow students to each have a turn during the semester to read one-on-one to a dog for 15 minutes, providing the students the opportunity to improve reading and communication skills through this unique approach. Animals are ideal reading companions. They help increase relaxation and lower blood pressure, listen attentively, do not judge, laugh or criticize, allow children to proceed at their own pace, and are less intimidating than a peer. When a visiting dog is listening, the environment is transformed, a child’s dread is replaced by eager anticipation, and learning occurs. 410-677-5101.

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