YOUR PHOTOS: Share Your Back-to-School Photos

Anne Arundel County Schools are back in session beginning on Monday. Share your favorite photos of the kids heading back to class.

Schools in Anne Arundel County welcome back students this week. For kids, it's the dreadful end of summer, but often a chance to show off that new backpack and pair of shoes. And for the youngest students, it's the exciting start of a long educational journey (Harvard, class of 2029!). We know parents are taking pictures of the kids going back to school. If you have pictures you'd like to share, upload them here! If you're looking for some tips on taking great back-to-school pictures, check out this tutorial we ran last year from photographer and Patch blogger Megan Arts Evans.

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Jonathan Moynihan

5:12 pm on Friday, August 31, 2012

I remember going back to school with L.A. Lights—the shoes that would light up every time you took a step. I would constantly be looking down just staring at my shoes. It's a miracle I didn't get hit by a bus or something.   more ›

Back-to-School Fair for Arundel Cluster Saturday

Come by the Waugh Chapel Community Center and get reconnected with the teachers and principals from west Anne Arundel County.

The Arundel schools cluster will hold a back-to-school fair Saturday, featuring representatives from schools in west Anne Arundel County. The fair will go from 9 a.m to 1 p.m. at the community center at the Village at Waugh Chapel. The fair is sponsored by the West Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce, which has also invited many local family-oriented businesses. Local dance and martial arts groups are also scheduled to give demonstrations. Here's a list of schools, business and groups expected to attend: Arundel High, Arundel Middle, Crofton Middle School, Four Seasons Elementary, Nantucket Elementary, Odenton Elementary, Piney Orchard Elementary, School of the Incarnation, and Waugh Chapel Elementary, plus representatives from AACPS …

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New Teachers Prepare for Students, First Day

For about 450 new teachers in the Anne Arundel County Public School system, classes started on Monday to help them face their very first classrooms.

Andrea Zamora vividly remembers her first day as a new third-grade teacher in Baltimore. "I was very excited. I'd even gone in extra days to get my room ready," Zamora said. The first day finally came and third-grade students shuffled into the school. The principal welcomed everyone back, and suddenly, 34 pairs of eyes were staring at her. "I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out," Zamora said. "I was standing there frozen in the front of the room."  Her impersonation of a statue lasted only a few moments, and Zamora said it could have been worse. She recalled a teacher who passed out.  "She had been holding her breath she was so nervous," Zamora said. "When she opened her mouth to speak, she went down." Zamora, who is now the …

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Guide to Shopping Maryland Tax Free Week 2012

We've got the rundown on Maryland's tax free shopping week in mid-August.

Get ready to knock 6 percent off your back-to-school shopping bills come mid-August. From Sunday, Aug. 12, to Saturday Aug. 18, Marylanders will have the opportunity to shop tax-free on qualifying merchandise. Clothing and footwear priced less than $100 per item will be exempt from Maryland's 6 percent sales tax. If you shop at the Bowie Town Center you may save even more. Some big retailers, including Old Navy and Stride Rite, will offer 50 percent off all back-to-school gear.  Accessory items—including jewelry, watches, watchbands, handbags, handkerchiefs, umbrellas, scarves, ties, headbands and belt buckles—do not qualify, according to the Comptroller of Maryland. For a full list of taxable and tax-exempt items for the week of Aug. 12 …

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Financial Aid for Fall Classes Available at AACC

The college offers assistance in obtaining financial aid and a no-fee, no-interest payment plan that spreads tuition costs throughout the year.

Students considering classes at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) this fall can lean on some financial aid before school starts up again. The college issued a statement Wednesday detailing its no-fee, interest-free payment plan that helps students spread the cost of tuition throughout a term. This year, the college's Board of Trustees raised tuition fees by $16 per credit hour to balance its budget. A full-time student taking 15 credit hours will see a $240 total increase per semester under these new rates. Students can apply for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by filling out a free application. AACC's financial aid staff can provide one-on-one assistance in completing these applications. Students who need financial assistance must be …

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Preparing for Preschool

Patch shares three tips for getting rid of the first day jitters for your preschooler.

Many students will be hitting the books in the next few weeks with the start of a new school year. While some may be excited, others may be a bit anxious about what lies ahead in the classroom. For most preschoolers, going off to school brings on a mix of emotions. This bittersweet time can be both adventurous and frightening for both the parent and child. According to Jessica Kemper, director of Woods Child Development Center in Severna Park, here are three tips to get preschoolers excited about their new adventure and prepared for their first day. 1. Prior Experience Preferred “Make sure the first day of preschool is not the first time they are left without their parents,” advises Kemper. If a child has confidence in experiencing a short…

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CMS Back To School Jitters

It’s not easy to go from being a big fish in a small pond to the smallest fish in the ocean. Sixth graders at Crofton Middle School are learning the ropes at their new school.

Crofton Middle School sixth grade students started classes Tuesday. This was the first time in the school for many of the 390 sixth graders. Seventh and eight grade students start school Wednesday. Principal Sharon Hansen said there are 1,170 enrolled in the school for the 2011-2012 academic year. Students, faculty and staff shared first day jitters and fun highlights. Students, parents and faculty featured in video: Sharon Hansen – CMS Principal Moises Escobar – CMS 6th Grade Student Nicole Kupstas – CMS Parent Kieran O’Connor – CMS 7th Grade Student Collene Roy – CMS 7th Grade Student Jimmy Santana – CMS Parent Elijah Santana – CMS 6th Grade Student Elana Slaney – CMS 7th Grade Student Paige Motley – CMS 7th Grade Student

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A Time to Give

Giving Back with Backpacks for Crofton Kids

Two Crofton groups banded to together to stuff backpacks with supplies donated by local residents.

Sixteen local children will soon be getting new backpacks filled with school supplies thanks to a backpack drive organized by the Crofton Moms Club. The group partnered with the Greater Crofton Chamber of Commerce to gather school supplies and fill the backpacks. The Mom’s Club charter mandates that the group participate in at least two service projects a year. “We like to do things that benefit the Crofton community,” said Elizabeth Graff, vice president for the group and the one that came up with the idea for the backpack drive.  This project seemed like a great fit for our group, Graff said, “it’s always nice to give back.” She suggested the idea to Moms Club president Joy Watkins. Watkins then contacted the Anne Arundel County …

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Back-to-School Teacher Tips for Students

Anne Arundel County Public School students head back to class Aug. 23. But before they go, some of their teachers have a few words of advice for the youngsters. Patch talked with local educators to get tips for student success.

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