Obstacles Remain for Crofton High School

At a public forum Monday, local residents learned it may be years before conditions are ripe for construction of a new school.

On the surface, the case for a new high school in Crofton seems logical. Other area high schools are close to capacity, and new development in west Anne Arundel County is promising only more students. But after a briefing Monday with school system officials, advocates learned that a lot has to happen before anything gets built.  During a two-hour session at the Crofton Branch Library, the Anne Arundel County Public School chief operating officer checked off the many obstacles: an existing maintenance and capital improvements backlog of more than $2 billion. A tax cap that makes it challenging to borrow large sums of money. Other capital needs throughout the county. And—perhaps most importantly—the actual math of whether there are enough …

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Summer to Start Early for Crofton Elementary Students

Eight public schools will close one day early on June 13 in order to accommodate construction.

Croton Elementary will close a day early in June, in order to accommodate planning for construction work. The school will also open a day late in August, school officials said.  Seven other schools will also close a day early. For those students affected, the last day of school will come on June 13.  Anne Arundel County Public Schools said it received a waiver of the state's 180-school day requirement. In addition to Crofton Elementary, the schools closing a day early are:  All of the impacted schools are scheduled to undergo renovations or expansions during the summer.  Crofton Elementary School will undergo a revitalization in order to accommodate an additional 150 students. It will grow in size from 66,321 square feet to 81,739 square …

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UPDATE: Anne Arundel Schools To Open Thursday

The school system says it continues to monitor power and weather-related conditions across the county but intend to open all schools on time on March 7.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) announced Wednesday afternoon that they are monitoring the weather situation but expect that schools will be open on Thursday. AACPS will monitor power and weather-related conditions across the county but plans to open all schools on time Thursday. If that changes, AACPS will send messages via phone and email to parents. Schools and all school-sponsored after-school activities were canceled on Wednesday in anticipation of snow and ice. The school system has now used three of the four built-in closing days this school year and is reportedly still waiting to hear back on the waiver request for two days off during Hurricane Sandy. MSA Reading assessments scheduled for Wednesday will occur Thursday …

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Sequester Could Impact Anne Arundel Public Schools

Deep federal budget cuts could require the school system to transfer as much as $2.7 million.

VIDEO: Organizers Explain Why Students Didn't Plunge Friday

Anne Arundel students didn't participate in the regularly scheduled Cool School plunge because of exams and then weather conditions caused Friday's festivities to be canceled.

'A Tribute to Women of Color' Honors 6 Local Students

The 21st annual luncheon recognizes 29 county students who are successful academic achievers and community contributors.

"A Tribute to Women of Color" (ATWOC) will recognize 29 Anne Arundel County students, including six from the Crofton area, at its 21st annual luncheon. ATWOC honors students who contribute to the community and are successful academically. According to a release, more than 140 students applied for the this year’s Future Leader Awards, which are designed to encourage and inspire high school students with minority backgrounds to continue their roles as student leaders. ATWOC will honor 16 girls and 13 boys at the luncheon on March 2 held at La Fontaine Bleue in Glen Burnie. The Crofton honorees are: “Our students are talented and work extremely hard to be well-rounded young people. They deserve to be recognized,” schools Superintendent Kevin …

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Anne Arundel Schools Open 2 Hours Late Thursday

Schools will dismiss at their normal time, instead of having a two-hour early dismissal as originally scheduled.

All Anne Arundel County Public Schools will open two hours late on Thursday due to inclement weather. Since high school exams were scheduled for Thursday, the school day will shift and schools will dismiss at their normal times instead of having a two-hour early dismissal. There will be no half-day pre-kindergarten or ECI programs. Full-day pre-kindergarten programs will be in session, but will start two hours late. See more:

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Public Hearings Set for Crofton School Redistricting Plan

The school board will get feedback on the plan on March 12.

The Anne Arundel County Board of Education will hear feedback in March on a proposed redistricting plan involving elementary schools in Crofton. The board will hold a hearing at Arundel High School on March 12 and will accept public testimony on the plan, which seeks to reduce overcrowding at Nantucket Elementary School and other schools in Crofton.  The school system will also brief the public on the plan during a special meeting on Feb. 5, though no public testimony will be accepted at that time.  The board is reviewing a plan submitted by Superintendent Kevin Maxwell that is identical to one proposed by a special redistricting committee last year.  The proposed redistricting plan calls for the following:  The school board could still …

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Education Week: Maryland Schools Top in Nation

Gov. Martin O'Malley celebrated the achievement at an Anne Arundel County school.

Maryland schools were ranked the best in the nation for the fifth year in a row, according to a study released by Education Week. Gov. Martin O’Malley and other state and local officials celebrated the ranking at Jones Elementary School in Severna Park on Thursday afternoon. “There is no better investment than education,” O’Malley told the crowd at the school. “Thanks to tough choices and important priorities we made Maryland schools No. 1 for the fifth year in a row.” House Speaker Michael Busch (D-Annapolis) and Betty Weller, president of the Maryland State Education Association, also addressed the crowd Thursday. Busch said that he has two daughters in Anne Arundel County Public Schools and he is very proud of that. Click here to read …

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School System Works to Fix Problem with Automated Calls

Some parents received multiple calls regarding their child's attendance on Dec. 21.