We are excited to invite you to the final session of the Family Wellness Forum – an exciting and empowering initiative for all AACPS families! This event is designed to provide you with valuable resources, tools, and strategies to help strengthen your student’s well-being. We’re excited to come together and create lasting positive change – see you there!
Register today: https://forms.gle/KMRf7TLY1NUtZiQx9
Thursday, March 20th, 5:30pm
North County High School
#BelongGrowSucceed #AACPSFamily
Students who purchased a ticket to the dance tomorrow are permitted to dress in their dance attire at school tomorrow. Students who did not purchase a dance ticket must be in uniform.
#TBT Spotlight on CTE
Mr. Palmer, a former student of the Electrician Program at North Arundel Votech, is now the Electrical Instructor at the Center of Applied Technology North (CAT-North).
"I'm the Electrical teacher at Center of Applied Technology North formerly known as North Arundel Votech when I was a student in electricity back in 1986. When I graduated high school, I went into the electrical industry. I remember telling my teacher on the last day of school that one day, I will have his job teaching this class. In 2018 I got the opportunity and it's an amazing feeling being in the same classroom I started out in and passing on my knowledge to the next generation."
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
Dear Families:
I am writing to let you know about an incident that occurred today so that you may discuss it with your student in a manner you deem most appropriate.
This afternoon, a student became visibly upset and physically disruptive in a hallway. The situation required additional assistance from the school administration while the involved student’s family was quickly contacted.
As a precaution, our school was placed on a hold status for about 15 minutes to keep the hallways clear and ensure that there would be no further disruption. All is well and no one was harmed.
The student’s family arrived, and they left the school. While the outcome of this incident is a private matter for the student and the student’s family, I wanted you to have as much information as I can share so that you can answer your student’s questions as fully as possible. While I realize the information that I am able to provide is limited, it is important to afford the affected family as much privacy as possible.
Please don’t hesitate to contact the school if we can assist.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Publishing on February 12, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Join us for the Teacher Recruitment Job Fair Saturday, March 29th at Severna Park High School 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Register now! www.aacps.org/teacherjobfair
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.
🎟️✨ FINAL CALL – Get Your Tickets NOW! ✨🎟️
Don't miss out on our Red Carpet Sneaker Ball 🕺👟✨! Ticket sales close this Saturday at midnight, and NO tickets will be sold at the door.
📅 Dance Date: Wednesday, February 28
💃 PK-1st Grade Dance: 3:00-5:00 PM
🕺 2nd-6th Grade Dance: 6:00-8:00 PM
👨👩👧👦 Extra caregivers are welcome! School-aged non-CSPES siblings can also attend. As a reminder, everyone in attendance must purchase a ticket.
Roll out the red carpet and get ready to dance in style! 🎶🔥 Secure your tickets before it’s too late! 🎟️
https://my.cheddarup.com/c/cspes-pto-family-dance
Can't wait to see everyone at our Family Dinner Night tonight from 5;30 to 7:30 to celebrate Black History Month!
#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.
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! YOUR OPINION MATTERS!
Parents or guardians of children receiving special education and related services will be mailed the Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey from the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services during the week of February 14, 2025. Parents are asked to complete the survey and return it in the postage paid envelope by May 30, 2025. The Survey may also be completed online. Please look for details in your survey packet. To learn more, please visit https://www.mdparentsurvey.com.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Publishing on February 12, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Join us for the Teacher Recruitment Job Fair Saturday, March 29th at Severna Park High School 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Register now! www.aacps.org/teacherjobfair
Celebrating Presidents Day
The Board of Education has proposed an additional amendment to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell’s recommended Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Budget. Amendment 22 can be found along with the rest of the proposed amendments at www.aacps.org/budgetamendments. The Board is scheduled to vote on a formal budget request at its meeting on Wednesday.
We need YOUR help to make the upcoming school dance a success! Whether you can volunteer for a short time or the entire event, there are plenty of ways to get involved.
🌟 Volunteer Opportunities:
✅ Greeters – Welcome guests, provide directions, and set a positive tone!
✅ Refreshment Table Helpers – Serve snacks, keep things organized, and ensure everyone stays fueled for fun.
✅ Activity Room Monitors – Supervise areas like the movie room and temporary tattoo station.
✅ Set-Up and Clean-Up Crews – Help transform the space into a magical dance floor before the event begins or help clean up when it's over.
If you're available to help, please sign up here. Any questions please reach out to events@cspespto.com.
Your support makes all the difference—we can’t do it without you! 💃🎶
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094AA9A62EA2FDCF8-54517982-cspes#/
Celebrating National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day!
#NationalSchoolResourceOfficerAppreciationDay
🌟 At Chesapeake Science Point Elementary, we celebrate the diversity that makes our community so special! With Ramadan approaching, we want to ensure that all of our students feel comfortable and supported during this time.
If your family observes Ramadan, we kindly ask you to take a moment to fill out this short survey to help us better understand and accommodate your child's needs: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdsJ-MDzx0nXgikDXPUO945cY5hJ5xCK6QdNuGWiggM9GqEWg/viewform?usp=dialog
Your input will help us create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all! 💙🧡 Thank you for being a valued part of our CSPES family! #TigerPride #CSPESCommunity #RamadanInclusivity
#TBT Spotlight on CTE
Mr. Hayes was a student at South River High while attending the Vo-Tech Center (CAT-South) for the Automotive program. He is now the Automotive Instructor at CAT-South.
"As a young man, my mother realized I had a passion for anything mechanical. She was an AACPS teacher and she was told that the new South River Vo-Tech Center was opening in the 77-78 school year. This was a perfect fit for me. Some of my best high school memories were formed in my AutoTech class. After completing the Automotive program, the work-study coordinator found me an apprenticeship position at the Annapolis Chrysler Plymouth dealer. I worked at that dealer for 27 years and became a very successful master automotive service technician.
In 2007 the dealership was closing down. I had a former coworker who was teaching at what is now known as CAT-South. He thought I would be a good teacher because I was good at explaining what was wrong with people's cars.
As a teacher, I began taking the necessary courses to get my APC and have been teaching at CAT-South ever since.
I really enjoy teaching at the same school that I attended. I always tell my students that I once sat in the student seats and I understand their passion for mechanical knowledge.
The CAT-South Automotive Service Technology program was good when I attended and I'm working every day with our administration to make it Great!"
