State announces cuts to local school districts; Allegany County could use up to $6.5 millin in Fiscal Year 2012

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Six local students to rhyme at poetry contest
Winner moves on to regional contest Feb. 4

For The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
CUMBERLAND, Jan. 17 -- Six student winners from the local classroom competitions will advance to the County competition that will take place on Thursday, January 20, at 6 p.m., in the Allegany Arts Council’s Community Room (located at 9 N. Centre Street in Downtown Cumberland).

The event is free and open to the public.
Discounts at sporting events?
* Metz: 'It's an idea worth exploring'

By The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
CUMBERLAND, Jan. 13 -- A Cumberland man wants the Allegany County Board of Education to consider offering discount to senior citizens and children who want to watch sports at public high schools.
Board to consider changes for athletic eligibility
* Marchini: current policy allows student with 5 Fs and 2 Ds to play
* She suggests 'tutoring rather than training' in seventh period
* Metz proposes possible basement of 2.0 GPA


By The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
CUMBERLAND, Jan. 11 -- A relatively simple request by a top administrator in the Allegany County public school system evolved on Tuesday into a promise to re-evaluate minimum athletic eligibility standards for students.

Any changes could be in place by the start of the next school year.

Tim Scaletta, supervisor of athletics, approached the five member Allegany County Board of Education during a monthly public work session to shore up what could be seen as a potential loophole in current policy.

But when questioned by newly elected board member Laura Marchini, Scaletta acknowledged a student-athlete sporting grades of 5 Ds and 2 Fs would still be eligible to participate in athletics.
Board closes door on proposed bill that would force neighborhood schools issue to referendum
* Board members, Midland mayor tired of seeing issue be raised every year
* Board President Llewellyn to Marsh: 'It's a bad idea'
* Board member Metz: proposed bill is 'nonense'
* Commissioner McKay apologizes for lack of notification to board members

By The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
CUMBERLAND, Jan. 11 -- Quite frankly, they're tired of hearing about it.

That was the consenus of Allegany County Board of Education members, who took turns Tuesday night addressing proposed legislation that could force schools across the county, closed and consolidated since 1986, to reopen if voters approved a referendum to do so.

The bill has been drafted annually and advocated for by Westernport Tom Marsh - who still has not yet reached closure in the 1986 closing of Bruce High School in Westernport - for at least the past three years. Newly elected Board of Education President Mike Llewellyn said enough's enough.
School system offers parents access to manage school messenger preferences
System allows individuals to control the ways they are contacted

For The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
CUMBERLAND, Jan. 18 -- The Allegany County public school system wants parents to create their own contact preference profile using School Messenger’s Contact Manager website.
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P.O. Box 651
Mount Savage, MD 21545
Phone: 301-264-3147
Email: [email protected]
The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
Student-led conferences debut in Allegany County

By The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
MOUNT SAVAGE, Feb. 2 -- Bel Air and Mount Savage elementary schools debuted student-led conferences between teachers and parents on Wednesday.
Montana: New estimate for second phase of Greenway Avenue Stadium project nearly triples from original
From $700,000 to $2 million

By The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
CUMBERLAND, Feb. 8 -- While Phase I of the Greenway Avenue Stadium renovation project is expected to be completed this spring, it might be a while before Phase II gets underway.

Vince Montana, director of facilities maintenance for Allegany County Public Schools, said the original estimate of $700,000 for the second phase didn't include site prep work, which could nearly triple the amount and could range between $1.5 million and $2 million.

Phase II has not been designed, Montana said, because "I don't see $1.5 million out there."

Allegany County Board of Education President Mike Llewellyn said there have been inquiries about Phase II from people who want to help raise funds for the project.

"People want to know what they're fundraising for," Llewellyn said.
Llewellyn top reader at Westernport

For The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
WESTERNPORT, Feb. 11 -- Madison Llewellyn, third grader at Westernport Elementary School, who was the first student to earn 100 Accelerated Reader points  during the 2010-2011 school year.  Madison is the daughter of Scott and Donna Llewellyn.
'Walk in our moccasins'
* Little Orleans woman leading crusade against Board of Education's plan to make eastern Allegany County students attend Cumberland schools beginning the 2011-12 school year

A letter from resident and mother Linda Martin
LITTLE ORLEANS, May 10 -- My name is Linda Martin. I am a resident of Little Orleans and my son Jamie is a junior currently attending Hancock Middle Senior High School.

Read more here.
Firm Foundation Homeschool Honor Roll
Released May 18, 2011 -- 

Kindergarten:
Josiah Goddard
Heidi Houser
Emmy Wilson

First Grade:
Nicholas Cross
Julian Edmiston-Cyr
Paul Haberlein
Isaac Scritchfield
Emmaline Speis
Lindsey Strawderman
Sadie Strawderman

Second Grade:
Laci Carey
Eden Houser
Luke Mahovich
Morgan Mihailovich
Quinn Vogtman
Kaitlyn Wilson

Third Grade:
Nathan Ashby
Leander Edmiston-Cyr
Benjamin Eichhorn
Ryan Hagelin
Brendon McCabe
Trevor McCabe
William Speis

Fourth Grade:
Alex Eichhorn
Audrey Houser
Jacob Mahovich

Fifth Grade:
Conner McCabe
Jacob Wilson

Sixth Grade:
Griffith Speis

Seventh Grade:
Courtney Haberlein
Isaac Houser
Darrah Speis

Ninth Grade:
Atticus Speis