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Published March 19, 2007
Glen Burnie High School
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Photo by Paul W. Gillespie — The Capital
Glen Burnie High School students Morgan Faulkner and Kim Watts perform as the school's dance class performs during “An Evening of Dance.” The class puts on a show every year and features an array of music, from hip hop and modern to classical and tap.
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Dance show a smash hit
By TYLER HOOVER, Glen Burnie High School
"What a show!" was heard from numerous attendees leaving the auditorium after viewing "An Evening of Dance" put on by Diane Rosso.
Mrs. Rosso had worked long and hard to put together the first dance show of the new year.
Her previous show from last year was a huge hit with dance routines such as "Gold Dust," "Arabian" and "Dancing Fool" to name a few.
Mrs. Rosso had quite a bit to say about her show: "I am absolutely excited about the interest in dance here at GBHS; I am totally amazed how the show gets better and better."
When asked about new dance routines that were used in the show, she said: "We have a much diversified array of dances for this show, everything from classical ballet to hip hop to modern, there will be something for everyone."
Mrs. Rosso has been working and planning for the show since early October.
She also addressed new additions to the show this year such as a tap routine. There were also guest stars in the show like instructional dance star Ashley Canterna and Michelle Combs.
A huge amount of blood, sweat and tears had gone into the production of this dance show and what an amazing performance from the Rosso dance studio.
The show had crowd favorite routines like "Addicted" and "You Can't Stop the Beat."
A sold out house was in attendance that night and they enjoyed every bit of the performances.
Mrs. Rosso has had yet another successful show.
AVID helps Glen Burnie students grow
By BROOKE MERWIN-D'URSO, Glen Burnie High School
The Advancement via Individual Determination is a program to further the level and quality of student education. It is an academic elective that is available to students from fifth grade through their senior year.
The class teaches students strategies to better take advantage of their academic opportunities. It is an organization in which students and teachers help students in the academic middle. AVID promotes a rigorous high school curriculum seeks to make an easy path to college available to more students. It also promotes the students to get involved with mainstream school activities such as newspaper, music and sports programs as well as the myriad of other organizations offered at Glen Burnie and within its community.
A goal for the program is to increase the rates of student enrollment into four-year universities. AVID encourages young people to "become educated and responsible participants and leaders in a democratic society."
In order to equip them with more advanced methods, students learn organization and study skills.
The elective also supports the enhancement of collaborative learning and studying. It helps average students develop higher order thinking skills and emphasizes proficiency at time management and organization.
Many students are involved. Some exemplary students who also maintain involvement in school activities are Matt Faraci, Chasity Dailey, and Rachel White. These students have demonstrated dedication to education and work ethic.
Freshmen are typically the students under tutelage, as the transition from middle to high school can often be difficult. The ninth grade instructor is Brett Brenton.
It is important to recognize that this course is intended for the truly resolved and resilient. In order to participate, students must complete a personal interview and sign a contract. Of many other requisites, the contract states that the AVID student must engage in challenging classes and maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average. This program has had a positive impact on education facilities statewide and is an asset to the Maryland School System.
Students get on track for college with 'Jumpstart'
Program lets students earn college credit during high school
By STEPHANIE WRZESIEN, Glen Burnie High School
Many students get frustrated with their college plans.
They don't know where, let alone if, they want to attend school or even what they want to do with their future.
Now there's a way for students to get started, learn how to function in a college environment and see if it's right for them: Jumpstart.
Anne Arundel Community College developed the program for Anne Arundel County Public Schools to help students get a head start on the college life.
Allison Matthews refers to the program as a way for students to "get a taste of what college is like."
Students can sign up for Jumpstart and receive 50 percent off the normal tuition while still receiving regular college credits.
High school juniors can take the English or math placement test to prepare for Jumpstart their senior year. The placement tests along with SAT or ACT scores are required to be a participant in the Jumpstart program.
After enrolling in the program, most students take an introductory course or choose a course that is related to what they would like to do in life. Other students have no idea what they would like to do and use the program as a way to find something they are interested in pursuing.
College advisers visited Glen Burnie High School last spring to help juniors sign up for Jumpstart their senior year.
Although Anne Arundel Community College set up the program, classes can be taken at the Arundel Mills location, across from Arundel Mills Mall and the Glen Burnie Town Center, located on Crain Highway.
Morning and night classes are available at those locations and students may sign up for as many classes as they would like.
Not only do students gain credits for college, they enjoy leaving high school early with a shortened schedule, attending only two periods a day.
All students can benefit from attending college early and preparing for their future at a two- or four-year college.
Cyber-bullying puts stress on teens even when at home
By QIVON ANNAN, Glen Burnie High School
As residents of the 21st century, Americans are used to constant technological improvements designed to make life easier and more enjoyable. One of the downsides to the technological revolution of the past few years has been cyber-bullying.
Previously, students who may have been harassed at school could look forward to getting home where they felt safe and protected.
Now, even when a student gets to their home, they can still be disturbed by bullies. "Cyber-bullying is the use of information and computer technologies, such as e-mail, cell phones, text messages, etc., by an individual or group of individuals to bully another person," states the Anne Arundel County Public School 2006-2007 Handbook. Cyber-bullying has become a more pressing issue since the advancement of technology has skyrocketed. It has become much easier to harass a person with the use of electronics, both in public, through the use of cell phone text messaging, and at home through the use of personal computers and the Internet.
MySpace, a popular social networking Web site, debuted in January 2004. Since then, MySpace has grown to become the second most popular Web property in the world. Currently, the site holds 87 million accounts and adds an average of 270,000 new users each day.
Out of 87 million accounts, a quarter of them are held by minors, and it is this age group that presents the most problems., according to www.speedofcreativity.org. While MySpace has an abundant amount of great features, there are a few that seem to turn a Web site with good intentions into a haven for gossip. MySpace allows an account holder to post blogs on their personal web page. Blogs can be seen by just about anyone on MySpace.
This is usually where cyber-bullying takes place. Someone can easily post a hurtful blog about another individual, allow all of their friends to read it and leave comments about it, and eventually the situation becomes a war between two or more people.
This can possibly lead to school administrators, parents and police getting involved. MySpace is just one of many Web sites that has made cyber-bullying a major problem around the country. Hopefully, new security measures will allow for better protection of Web users.
Administration is cracking down on violence in school
By SAMANTHA FISHER, Glen Burnie High School
This year, in particular, it seems as if violence in schools is in the news on an almost daily basis. In light of this, several new security changes have been implemented here at Glen Burnie High School, and schools across the county. These new security measures are helping to keep today's schools the safest they have ever been.
At GBHS, one of the forms this new policy has taken has been stronger enforcement of existing policies. The best example of this would have to be the hat policy. All across campus, students still wear hats, even when asked to take them off. Faculty and staff have been cracking down on those students by making announcements at lunch and in the hallways, asking repeatedly without letting the student pass by; which happened more than it should have last year.
Administration has recently added a new form of increasing campus security and awareness: the new video camera system. The cameras were installed at the end of last year and became operational at the beginning of this school year. Since then there has been an increase in administrative awareness and a decrease in student violence. There have been reports of less violence in the school from faculty and staff. When commenting on the installation of the new video camera system, Bea Kosla said: "I suppose they're helpful in investigating students in certain areas of campus. It should have been done sooner. With numerous buildings, people don't understand that we need a secure campus." Elena Thomas said: "The new security cameras are wonderful, I think that teachers and students feel safer and think the students are more aware of their behavior in certain areas where the cameras are located."
Certainly the biggest improvement in campus discipline and order, this school year has been the new tardiness policy. The policy states that all students must be in their classrooms by the time the second bell rings for each period.
To aid in the implementation of this plan, teachers have been instructed to lock their doors and not to admit any student without the proper pass.
Whoever is not in their room has to go to the office to get a late pass.
Since enforcing this, students have literally been running to their rooms to get in on time; quite a different pace from last year's roaming students.
All of these security changes leave little doubt that GBHS is providing a safer, more focused, and more enjoyable experience for its students, faculty and staff.
ID badges made mandatory for students, faculty, staff
By MICHAEL GEE, Glen Burnie High School
School security is more paramount than ever these days, especially when many tragedies have occurred in schools nationwide. Prompted by this, Superintendent Kevin Maxwell has decided to implement many changes in the county's security policy. New policies to be implemented by June include distributing radios to principals, adding fences and cameras around campuses and purchasing walkie-talkies for portable classrooms.
Changes that are to be implemented more immediately include increasing the frequency of door checks, holding faculty meetings to review safety policies and giving all school personnel new AACPS identification badges.
The new ID badges have already been distributed to teachers and staff, and they will be distributed to students either by the end of this school year or the beginning of the next.
Beginning on the first day of classes for the current semester, teachers and staff began wearing the new ID badges in place of the normal school ID card (like the one issued to students).
The new AACPS badges will help to identify students and teachers at a glance, from any distance. If an administrator finds someone on grounds without a badge, then that person will be treated as an intruder. Visitors will be required to have a pass.
Sam Salamy, principal of Glen Burnie High School, said: "This is something that needed to be done … to protect the safety and well being of students, faculty, and staff."
The new ID tags are currently being enforced in other schools around the district, so the policy will be improved by the time it comes to Glen Burnie. The ID tags will help identify friend from foe, and will be yet another step to help improve safety on the school campuses around the county.
Math curriculum sees changes
By BRANDON HARE, Glen Burnie High School
Some educators say that the American approach to math has fallen behind that of Singapore, Japan, and over a dozen other nations. The argument is that students are being taught too many topics waist deep and not enough of the important topics needed to succeed.
Maryland and Washington, D.C., math leaders met in early December to discuss a new document from the influential National Council of Teachers of Mathematics that could profoundly influence math instruction in the region and nationwide. The document states that the typical U.S. math curriculum introduces students to too many concepts and does not allow students to grasp the important skills needed. The council urges educators to slim down those lessons.
The association is recommending changes for the Maryland state math curriculum. One of the suggestions is to adopt 'Focal Points.' Focal Points is a report listing the most important topics that need to be discussed in math for students in pre-kindergarten classes through eighth grade.
For example, in the fourth grade, Focal Points trims the list to three essential skills: multiplication and division; decimals; and two-dimensional shapes. Most of the topics listed in the Maryland and Virginia's math standards can be found in Focal Points. But the document itself focuses more on the essential topics for each individual grade.
Donna Watts, Maryland math coordinator declared: "The state math curriculum is up for revision in 2009. To meet that deadline, educators will have to start work now."
Francis "Skip" Fennell president of the national math teachers association, said: "I don't see any reason for my grandson, who's soon to be in third grade, to be carting home a 738-page book."
Teachers help sponsor flight home
By JAMONE HOPKINS, Glen Burnie High School
This past holiday season, GBHS teachers and staff came together to plan a wonderful trip home for one of GB's own math teachers: Cielo Bacarisas. He left his home, his wife, and his son in the Philippines in August to teach at Glen Burnie High School.
Mr. Bacarisas came to GBHS to further his teaching career and he wanted to experience the lifestyle in America. Teachers and staff realized that Mr. Bacarisas had been away from his family for almost five months and wanted to give him a special Christmas gift.
Together they raised about $1,600 and sent him home to be with his family for the holidays. Mr. Bacarisas was presented with this good news at the staff holiday party in December. "I was so shocked! In disbelief! I couldn't believe the good news," said Mr. Bacarisas.
He talks to his wife very frequently to stay in touch and update her on how things are going for him.
He never actually thought that he would be seeing his family sooner than he had originally planned.
While he was home, Mr. Bacarisas celebrated the holidays by spending quality time with his family, staying in a different city in the Philippines.
"It was good to be in a different city other than where I'm from. The weather was great."
When asked about his plans for his family, he said that life in America is hard and he's still evaluating.
He wants to make sure that it is safe enough to move his family to America with him. Mr. Bacarisas doesn't want his family to struggle in the U.S.; he would rather struggle himself.
He said that he plans on moving his family to America eventually, and he will probably decide some time next year for sure.
He returned from his wonderful trip to the Philippines in January ready to return to Glen Burnie High School's staff and students.
Mr. Bacarisas is very grateful for having this opportunity, and the teachers and staff helped make it happen.
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