education Notes

School Suspensions Down Again in Charles

Charles County school officials said last week that suspensions have decreased for the fourth consecutive year. According to a report sent to the Maryland Department of Education, suspensions dropped from 5,662 in the 2006-07 school year to 5,490 in 2007-08, despite an increase in the number of students and the opening of a new school.

A key factor, school officials said, is the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program used in most county schools. Although school suspensions have increased in Maryland, the number of suspensions and multiple suspensions in Charles has declined, officials said.

Keith Grier, county director of student services, said the program was introduced in 1999 and has grown. It is designed to help schools spend less time on discipline and more on education. The county's successful use of the program was recently recognized by the Advocates for Children and Youth, a national nonprofit organization.

Charles Board Member To Meet With Residents

Charles County Board of Education member Jennifer Abell will have a question-and-answer session for residents from 6 to 8:30 p.m. the second Thursday of every month, beginning Oct. 9, at Unique Sports Academy, 109 Post Office Rd., Waldorf. For information, call 301-659-4112 or e-mail abell4edu@verizon.net.

150 Korean Students To Visit St. Mary's Ryken

St. Mary's Ryken High School in Leonardtown will be visited tomorrow by 150 students from Gimhae Foreign Language High School in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, South Korea. Their visit is part of a college tour of the United States. The students will be accompanied by 12 administrators and chaperons.

The morning's activities will include a welcome ceremony, cultural presentations from Korean and U.S. students, lunch and time for conversation among the students of the two schools.

St. Mary's Ryken is a Catholic college preparatory school sponsored by the Xaverian Brothers. The visit by the Korean students will be the first step in establishing a partnership and cultural exchange program as part of the Maryland Sister States Program, which was established in 1980. The governors of Maryland and Gyeongsangnam-do Province signed a Sister State agreement in 1993.

The Maryland Sister States Program is engaged in cultural and business exchanges with provinces in China, Japan, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Poland, Belgium, Korea, Liberia and France.

Westlake High to Dedicate Stadium to First Principal

Westlake High School will dedicate its stadium in memory of its first principal, John H. Cox. A ceremony for the Dr. John H. Cox Stadium, at 3300 Middletown Rd., Waldorf, is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 16.

During his 37-year career in Charles County public schools, Cox was assistant superintendent of instruction, a high school and middle school principal, teacher and coach. He was appointed principal at Westlake in 1992 and was named an assistant superintendent in 1997. He died Oct. 1.

The dedication is open to the public.

Workshop on College For the Learning-Disabled

St. Mary's County's Partners for Success Resource Center for Families and Schools is offering a workshop for parents and educators about college options for students with learning disabilities. The workshop will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Board of Education meeting room, 23160 Moakley St., Leonardtown.

St, Mary's schools transition specialist Dottie Powell will discuss preparing students with learning disabilities for college admission, and will speak about programs offered at some colleges to support students with learning disabilities.

The workshop is free, but registration is required. For information or to register, call Susan Shannon at 301-863-4069 or e-mail her at partnersforsuccess@yahoo.com.