Two Local Students Win National Merit Scholarships

Katherine Langdon of Arundel High and Eric Stoker-Spirt are the two most recent winners of the corporate-sponsored awards.

Two local high school students have received awards from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.  Katherine Langdon of Arundel High won a scholarship sponsored by the Mitre Corporation to pursue a degree in international relations, according to an announcement.  Eric Stoker-Spirt of Old Mill High is the recipient of the James E. Casey Scholarship, which is sponsored by UPS. The senior plans to study science and research in college.  The two students are among about 8,000 who will receive awards from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation this year. Awards range from $500 to $10,000 annually and can be used for up to four years of study in college. 

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Local Schools Rated High in Washington Post Rankings

Arundel High was ranked 23rd in Maryland, while Old Mill came in 24th.

High schools in west Anne Arundel County received high marks in a Washington Post ranking of schools across the country.  The Post's ranking of the nation's most challenging high schools evaluated schools on the number of high-level tests (such as Advanced Placement or International Baccalaurate) given to students each year. They were also scored based on how many students passed at least one college-level test.  In its ranking of schools in Maryland, Arundel ranked 23rd, followed by Old Mill in 24th. Meade High ranked 48th.  The 2013 rankings also featured high marks for South River (6th), Severna Park (13th) Annapolis (17th) and Broadneck (19th).  Arundel was ranked 18th on last year's list, while Old Mill was ranked 31st. Meade was …

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Old Mill Teacher Reassigned Amid Investigation

Kate Snyder, a social studies teacher, also was removed from her duties as a senior class advisor and assistant track coach.

A teacher who served as the senior class advisor at Old Mill High School has been reassigned and the school system is conducting an investigation, school officials said last week.  Kate Snyder, a social studies teacher, will be out of the school "indefinitely," according to a letter from Old Mill Principal James Todd. Todd said a substitute teacher has been put in place to take over her teaching duties and that the school will consult with the Office of Investigations and school system administrators to determine whether a long-term substitute would be needed. Snyder has also been removed from her duties as a student government advisor, senior class advisor and assistant track coach.  Anne Arundel County Public Schools spokesman Bob Mosier…

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Two Teens Charged with Trespassing at Old Mill

Police say 18-year-old Norman Hardy and his 14-year-old cousin entered the school through a door that had been propped open.

Two teenagers were arrested Wednesday morning for trespassing at Old Mill High School, and at least one of the teens entered the school twice without permission, police and school officials said. Neither of the teens are students at Old Mill, but one was as recently as February. While police and school officials said the pair were just there to socialize, one of the teens was charged with weapons violations after three knives were found in a backpack.  According to accounts from both school officials and police, school staffers first encountered Norman Hardy, 18, of Baltimore in the hallway at Old Mill at about 8:50 a.m. He ran from the building when questioned and school officials notified the school resource officer, police said.  The …

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Old Mill High School Presents 'Legally Blonde'

The Patriot Players Theatre Company will perform shows this weekend and next.

State Touts AP Success, Local Schools Perform Well

Maryland touted its top ranking in Advanced Placement scores.

Earlier this week, the state of Maryland touted a recent report from the College Board, ranking students number one in performance on Advanced Placement exams.  Maryland students who took the challenging AP exams scored at least a "3" on the exams about 29 percent of the time, placing them first in the nation. (A score of 3 or better on a 5-point scale is generally what is needed in order to qualify for college credit.) These rankings refer to test scores from the 2011-12 school year. Students are preparing now for the 2013 tests.  Anne Arundel County Public Schools released its AP scores last year, but it's worth re-visiting how some local schools performed. Generally, Arundel High has been a top performer on AP exams, even earning a …

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Students From Odenton, Severn Make College Dean's Lists

Honorees include students at James Madison, Elizabethtown and SUNY Oneonta.

The following local students were named to the Dean's lists at colleges and universities across the country. Information was provided by Readmedia Newswire.  Delany Gunther, of Severn. Elizabethtown College. Early childhood education major.  Jonathan Kilgore, of Odenton. James Madison University. Communications major.  Kelly McGraw, of Severn. James Madison University. Hospitality and tourism major.  Adrienne DeBerry, of Severn. Delaware Valley College. Frankie Wilson, of Odenton. SUNY Oneonta.

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Local Educators Among Semifinalists for Teacher of the Year

A teacher from Old Mill High and another from Meade Middle are among 21 educators who could be named teacher in the year in Anne Arundel County.

Local Minority Students Honored for Academics, Service

The 21st annual "A Tribute to Women of Color" luncheon recognizes students who are successful academic achievers and community contributors.

"A Tribute to Women of Color" (ATWOC) will recognize 29 Anne Arundel County students at its 21st annual luncheon, including nine from schools serving Odenton and Severn.  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. Honorees include students from Old Mill, Arundel and Meade High School, among others throughout the county.  “Our students are talented and work …

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School Officials Strike Down Rumors at Old Mill

High school students spread rumors of a planned shooting at the school, but officials said there does not appear to be any truth to them.

Administrators at Old Mill High School on Monday were forced to respond to rumors of a planned shooting at the school, but insisted that there is no indication that a real threat exists. School principal James Todd said he fielded more than a dozen calls from parents who were concerned about the rumor that there would be a shooting at the school Friday. He said the school began working with police early Monday morning and found no substance to the information. "I want you to be assured that we heard the rumor as well and we were working with county police even before students arrived today," Todd said in a letter to parents. "We have interviewed every student whose name was brought to our attention and pursued every piece of information we…

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