Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center

In this week’s edition of Thursday Thoughts, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell discusses the district’s improvements in graduation rate and the progress being made in closing gaps. #BelongGrowSucceed #AACPSFamily https://youtu.be/A6teSqPD2ho

AACPS culinary teams dominate 2024 Maryland ProStart Student Invitational #BelongGrowSucceed #AACPSFamily https://www.aacps.org/article/2083374

Dozens of county students honored at annual Regional History Day competition #BelongGrowSucceed #AACPSFamily https://www.aacps.org/article/2083081

It's Family Academy Friday! Check out the Family Academy Newsletter at https://aacps.edurooms.com/engage/family-academy/newsletters/family-academy-fridays-3-7-25. Visit the Family Academy anytime at www.aacps.org/familyacademy or in Spanish at www.aacps.org/academiafamiliar! #AACPSFamily #BelongGrowSucceed

Interested in joining AACPS' Environmental Literacy and Outdoor Education Office?! This particular position will be responsible for the curricular, instructional and management of the 5th Grade Water Ready Program: The Water Ready Program is a comprehensive aquatic safety program for all fifth grade students in Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Students learn personal water safety skills through classroom and pool instruction. Water instruction experience preferred. If hired, this person will be required to obtain their life guarding and pool operator’s license. Apply by visiting https://aacps.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=27057 #aacpsfamily #belonggrowsucceed #wearehiring #AcademicSpecialist #WaterReady #EnvironmentalLiteracy #OutdoorEducation

Thank you Arundel MS for getting our newest planting project started! Throughout the month of March, Arundel and Lindale MS will be planting about 1,300 trees and shrubs to this stormwater restoration site in Glen Burnie with our Chesapeake Connections team. We appreciate your hard work! 🌱🌳 #aacpsfamily #belonggrowsucceed #ChesapeakeConnections #ArundelMS #stormwaterrestoration #plantmoretrees

#TBT Spotlight on CTE Ms. Jones, a former Auto Collision Repair Program student at the Center of Applied Technology North (CAT-North), is now the Auto Collision Repair Instructor at the CAT-North. "I eagerly embraced the opportunity to return to CAT-North, as it played a pivotal role in shaping my career. During my time there, I had an incredible instructor who equipped me with skills that have lasted a lifetime. Now, as an educator, I strive to provide my students with the same, if not an even better, learning experience. Teaching Auto Collision is serious work, but I take pride in making it both educational and engaging for my students."

In this week’s edition of Thursday Thoughts, @AACPSSupt Dr. Mark Bedell gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the surprise notifications for Teacher of the Year finalists. #BelongGrowSucceed #AACPSFamily https://youtu.be/yr0CWxSIGKE

AACPS Birth to Five Family Outreach and the AACPS Family Academy are hosting a virtual lunch and learn session. Join us for a webinar to discuss how to support your young child with behavior challenges. We will share strategies and practical examples of when to use them. 📆Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm. Register at https://forms.gle/hnMsh8rJS7mhKHKDA. Registration is limited; please register early.

⚠️Attention AACPS employees! Looking for a fun way to receive a MSDE credit?! Do you need to renew your current I&C Facilitator Certification?! Come spend a weekend outdoors with us at Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center and become an Initiative and Confidence Facilitator in March! As an Initiative and Confidence Facilitator, you can bring a group of students or staff to our low ropes course here at Arlington Eco and lead them in a variety of fun, hands on team building activities. You will also learn activities that can be done in the classroom and during staff meetings as well! Visit Unified Talent to register! https://aacps.truenorthlogic.com/ia/empari/tab/home Full Course: Section #108152 (March 22 & 23) Recertification: Section #108153 (March 22 only) #aacpsfamily #belonggrowsucceed #InitiativeandConfidence #teambuilding #professionaldevelopment #personalgrowth #getoutside

Last call! Applications for our 2025 summer camps close this Friday, March 7th! There is a cost for camps this year, but we do have limited scholarships available for families with financial need. To apply, please visit AACPS.org/page/summer-programs #aacpsfamily #belonggrowsucceed #summercamp #summer2025 #CampArlingtonEcho

Thank you Mary Westlund and Brenda Miller with Project Learning Tree (PLT) for coming out and holding a professional development for our staff and others so that we can become PLT Facilitators! Project Learning Tree is a great resource for teachers and provides many hands-on learning experience for students Pre K-8. These activities range from indoors to outdoors and provide engaging, cross-curricular opportunities. Thanks to this training, two of our very own will be hosting a PLT training on March 20th from 5:00 - 8:00pm for AACPS employees only here at Arlington Echo. We have five seats still available. If you are interested, please sign up on Unified Talent with the Section # 108554. #aacpsfamily #belonggrowsucceed #projectlearningtree #professionaldevelopment #ArlingtonEcho

In this week’s edition of Thursday Thoughts, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell discusses the downsizing of the federal government and the impact on students, families, staff and the community. #BelongGrowSucceed #AACPSFamily https://youtu.be/d8GZdsuB72Q

Six educators named finalists for 2025 AACPS Teacher of the Year award #BelongGrowSucceed #AACPSFamily https://www.aacps.org/article/2053403

It's Family Academy Friday! Check out the Family Academy Newsletter at https://aacps.edurooms.com/engage/family-academy/newsletters/family-academy-fridays-2-21-25. Visit the Family Academy anytime at www.aacps.org/familyacademy or in Spanish at www.aacps.org/academiafamiliar! #AACPSFamily #BelongGrowSucceed

3:30 p.m., 2/21/25: A vehicle fire on I-97 near Waterbury Road is causing significant backups this afternoon. These backups will likely impact bus transportation for some students in the central and southern part of the county. A vehicle fire on I-97 near Waterbury Road is causing significant backups this afternoon. These backups will likely impact bus transportation for some students in the central and southern part of the county.

On the fence about applying for our High Adventure Camps this summer? Don’t take our word for it, read over these testimonials from previous campers and parents! It’s an experience of a lifetime. Limited scholarships are available for families with financial need. Apply now through Friday, March 7th by visiting aacps.org/page/summer-programs #aacpsfamily #belonggrowsucceed #HighAdventureCamp #ArlingtonEcho #summercamp #summervibes

5th graders from Jessup ES had a great first day at the pool learning water safety skills. Tomorrow they’ll learn more cold water safety and rescue skills. Summer is quickly approaching and it is very important to us that our students know how to be safe in and around water. 🛟💦 #aacpsfamily #belonggrowsucceed #WaterReady #JessupES #watersafety #bewatersmart

#TBT Spotlight on CTE Ms. Kyllonen, a former student of the Dental Assisting Program at CAT-South, is now the Honors Dental Instructor there. “I returned to CAT-South because my mentor, Ms. Hubbard, reached out to me. After 20 years in dental assisting, I was looking for the next step in my career, and this opportunity came at the perfect time. I never imagined I’d have the same job as someone who influenced me so much in high school, and now I get to do that for others. The certifications and experience I gained at 14-17 years old laid the foundation for my rewarding career. I’m so grateful." “I love teaching dental assisting because I’m a total tooth nerd—I could talk about teeth all day! But the best part is the students. I have four daughters of my own, but every year, I get 30+ new ‘kids’ who feel like family. It’s incredible to see students from different backgrounds come together and grow. Watching them earn their dental assisting certifications is such a proud moment. I’m honored to be part of their journey and see them succeed." “My students constantly impress me. Many go beyond dental assisting, aspiring to become dentists or hygienists. Some have participated in dental mission work and research, which I never imagined at their age.” “I love working at CAT-South. Some of my best memories were made here as a student. We have a tradition where students paint a brick in our bathroom during graduation to leave their mark. I still see my own brick with ‘Lacy Shannon’ and think about how I once felt like I ran the place as a student—and now, I’m part of running it! The work I put in as a student shaped my career and life. I hope my students feel the same way one day. I truly believe we’re building something special at CAT-South, and the more people know about it, the better.” Photos: Ms. Kyllonen with her mentor Ms. Hubbard, and with her student at SkillsUSA Nationals in Atlanta, where they won second place in Dental in the entire nation! Ms. Kyllonen also held this honor as a student.

There is still a little over two weeks left to apply for our High Adventure Canoe and Backpacking Camps! Is your incoming 9th-12th grader interested in canoeing down the Patuxent River while camping along the way? Or are they interested in backpacking through Shenandoah National Park? Both camps are wonderful opportunities for your student to grow and connect with others from different schools within the county. Apply before March 7th by visiting aacps.org/page/summer-programs!