CCPS Notes: Input on School Facilities, Regional Band Night, Veterans Day Events and More

Patch rounds up important dates and events happening in Carroll County Public Schools.

Input on School Facilities

MGT of America is holding a series of charrettes*, which are community input sessions, to hear citizens’ ideas and thoughts regarding Carroll County Public Schools facilities. At the charrettes, citizens will have an opportunity to provide their thoughts during a large group session. Participants will then break into smaller groups where they will work with a facilitator for further discussion. The remaining charrettes are scheduled as follows:

• Tuesday, Oct. 22 at Century High School auditorium, 7 p.m.

• Wednesday, Oct. 23 at Westminster High School auditorium,                 7 p.m.

Citizens who are unable to attend one of the scheduled sessions can provide input on the same set of questions at http://questionpro.com/t/AJPLcZQK7T. This will connect to MGT’s secure servers where input will be gathered and analyzed along with the data gathered during the charrette sessions. The survey will be available through Nov. 1.

Board Meeting and Work Session

The Board of Education of Carroll County will hold an administrative meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 1 p.m. in the Charles I. Ecker Boardroom at the Board of Education offices, located at 125 North Court Street in Westminster. There will be no time for citizen participation at this meeting. A work session on electronic communications will be held immediately following the Board meeting. The public is encouraged to attend.

The agenda and back-up materials for the Board meeting are available for review on BoardDocs, which may be accessed by visiting the school system's website at www.carrollk12.org and clicking on Online Meeting Agenda at the bottom of the home page. 

The meeting will be streamed live on the Carroll County Public Schools website at www.carrollk12.org. Click on Quick Links on the top of the page, then click on CETV 21, followed by CCPS CETV Webstreaming, or go directly to:

http://www.carrollk12.org/admin/commedia/cetv/streaming/default.asp.   

The Love of Three Oranges – South Carroll High School

The South Carroll Stagelighters will proudly present The Love of Three Oranges, by Hilary DiPiano. Performances will be held on Oct. 24, 25 and 26 at 7 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on October 26. This hilarious recreation of an Italian Renaissance play is translated into completely modern text and context. Appropriate for all ages, this show will have you rolling in your seat! Children will love the Prince who falls in love with an Orange, the Narrator who runs the show, and even the evil witch Morgana, a true villainess you will love to hate.

Tickets will be on sale online as well as at the door. Online sales can be accessed through the Stagelighters’ website, www.scstagelighters.com.  Tickets are $9 for adults and $6 for children under 12 online. At the door, tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children under 12.  For more information, please email Caitlin Adolph at ckadolp@carrollk12.org.

Ag Day – Francis Scott Key High School

On Friday, Oct. 25, the Francis Scott Key High School FFA and Agriscience Department will hold their annual Ag Day in the area behind the stadium concession stand. FFA members will have on display over 30 exhibits ranging from dairy and beef cattle, swine, horses, rabbits, poultry, and goats, to farm tractors and displays of a model farm and agriculture. The FFA members’ objective is to share information about their projects and allow the student body of Francis Scott Key to examine some of the facets of our agricultural community that makes up the surrounding communities that support Francis Scott Key. The Ag Day tradition began in 1985 and is in its 28th year. Ag Day gives the FFA members the opportunity to showcase one of their interests in the large field of agriculture.

Regional Band Night – Northwest Region Schools

Instrumental students from Elmer A. Wolfe, Runnymede, and Taneytown Elementary Schools, as well as New Windsor and Northwest Middle Schools, will participate in a Regional Band Night at the Francis Scott Key vs. Westminster High School football game on Friday, Oct. 25. Students will perform the “Star Spangled Banner” and selected cheers throughout the first half of the football game. During half time, the students will watch the Eagle Marching Band perform its field show. The purpose of this activity is to introduce students to the opportunities that are available as they continue their music education through their public school years and as an opportunity for students to work with other instrumental students across grade levels. Approximately 150 students will participate in this event.

Cavalier Classic – South Carroll High School

The South Carroll High School Athletic Boosters will sponsor the 3rd annual Cavalier Classic 5K Trail Run/Walk on Saturday, Oct. 26, at the school. Registration and packet pick-up begins at 7 a.m. The cost is $25, or $20 for CCPS students and alumni. Online registration is available at www.Active.com. Proceeds from the race will benefit the SCHS Athletic Boosters and the Jessica E. Belknap Memorial Scholarship. For more information, please contact Jeannette Bingaman at 301-266-8813 or jeannettebingaman@comcast.net.

Blood Drive – Manchester Valley High School

The Manchester Valley High School National Honor Society will hold its annual blood drive on Friday, Nov. 1. Students who want to donate must be at least 16 years old and 110 pounds.  Students who donate blood will be considered for a $5,000 scholarship. This is a chance for Manchester Valley students to donate and save lives. Students who participate will also earn student service learning hours.

Francis Scott Key High School will celebrate Veterans Day on Thursday, Nov. 7, with a breakfast available to all veterans starting at 8:30 a.m. in the school cafeteria. Students who have relatives who are vets are also invited. After a thank you for their service, veterans will parade through the hallways, and the veterans and the junior and senior class will hear from Travis Dettman, who served two tours of duty in Iraq. All veterans are invited and should call the school at 410-751-3222 to make a reservation.

SHREK THE MUSICAL – Liberty High School

Liberty High School Drama will present SHREK THE MUSICAL at 7:00 p.m. on Nov. 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, and 23, and at 2:00 p.m. on Nov. 9 and 16. SHREK THE MUSICAL is based on the Oscar® winning DreamWorks film that started it all, bringing the hilarious story of everyone's favorite ogre to dazzling new life on the stage. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door, and $15 for Backstage Passes/Advanced Seating.  Purchase tickets from the box office at www.lhsdramaclub.com, at Erie Insurance (2030 Liberty Road, Eldersburg, next to Smoky’s) or, beginning Oct. 28, in the Liberty High School lobby.

For the first time, Liberty Drama Club held auditions in May so that the process of creating costumes and make up, including latex masks, could begin over the summer.  The students began rehearsals in August at the same time sports teams returned to school for practice. Liberty will be turning their stage into a giant pop-up storybook for the production, and new LED technology will help create the settings. Puppets being designed for this musical include a 25-foot dragon designed by Alex Ward and operated by 7 students. Three younger students from Carrolltowne Elementary and Oklahoma Road Middle Schools are playing the parts of Young Shrek, Young Fiona and Teen Fiona. 

Veterans Day Celebration and Freedom Shrine Dedication – East Middle School

East Middle School will hold a Veterans Day celebration and Freedom Shrine dedication on Monday, Nov. 11, at 9 a.m. Veterans are invited for breakfast and a brief ceremony to celebrate Veterans Day and dedicate the school’s new Freedom Shrine. The shrine is a gift from the Exchange Club of Hanover, Pennsylvania. The featured speaker will be Captain Jim DeWees of the Maryland State Police. Veterans are asked to RSVP by calling 410-751-3656 by Oct. 25.

Veterans Dinner – Manchester Valley High School

The Senior Class at Manchester Valley High School will be hosting a dinner and providing tickets to the fall musical for local veterans on Saturday, Nov. 16. This evening of food and entertainment is free for the veterans and their spouses. Please contact Ms. Ashley James at anjames@carrollk12.org or 410-386-1673 to RSVP or for more information.