Dear Towson High School Community,

I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to each of you as we gear up for American Education Week which is a week dedicated to recognizing the essential role education plays in shaping the future of our students and to celebrating the invaluable partnership between our school and our dedicated community.

On Wednesday November 15th, parents/guardians are invited to visit classrooms throughout the school day. During Period 3, staff will host presentations in the Library to provide information and support to visiting parents/guardians. The PTSA will host a hospitality station throughout the day. If you are planning to attend on November 15th, please complete this RSVP form so that we can expedite your check-in. Here is the agenda for the day.

We look forward to welcoming you on November 15th as we celebrate American Education Week together.

With gratitude and appreciation,

Dr. Kim Culbertson

Students are recognized for being 5-STAR Towson Generals. Staff and Parents are recognized for demonstrating heart-work that helps our THS learning community to thrive.

• Inga Abramov, Sarah Batie, Owen Bott, Lucy Bray, Frankie Delosso, Kaden Flinn, Na'Tyra Floyd, Claire Frick, Ashanti Gillis, Paris Griffin, Skyler Haldens, Noah Ibrahim, Ja Kaylah Johnson. Olivia Jones, Zhamzham Karshe, Ben Kasofsky, Piper Kennedy, Grayson Kennedy, Max Kosmides, Emmy London, Ryan Macsherry, Zaria Moreland, Kate Morton, Ngechi Njuguna, Safora Noor, Cameron Norris, Davina Oyefusi, Jayla Patterson, Hope Roberts, Oceanne Saidi, Jordan Salkeld, Lila Salter, Arden Saul, Jemma Steinik, Matthew Stricker, Jesse Van Doren, Ayla Venkatesan, Ava Wasik, Jessica Wood, Tyler Yoon, Liliana Zavin & Selina Zhao for their efforts in making the Law & Public Policy Magnet program on Tuesday, October 17th a smashing success.

• Football Team for going to the 2nd round of the regional championships.

• Boys Soccer Team for becoming the 3A North Regional Champions.

• Girls Soccer Team for becoming the 3A North Regional Champions.

• Allied Soccer for winning the Belinko Cup Sportsmanship Award.

• Rowan Dietrick earned 3rd place and Will Gentile earned 9th place in the first Educators Rising competition of the year. This year, the Educators Rising Moment had students write a speech about why they want to teach. Congratulations to our two top 10 State winners!

• Mr. Allen, Ms. Falatko, Ms. Kromsky, Mr. Lyons, Ms. Needer, Mr. Olson, Mr. Sonneborn, Mr. Stange, Ms. Valian and Mr. Stoll from the Magnet Office for their efforts in making the Law & Public Policy Magnet program on Tuesday, October 17th such a success!
• Mr. Bannon, Mr. Geilfuss, Ms. Lambert, Mr. Lyons, Mr. Sonneborn, and Mr. Stange for dedicating extra time to serving our social studies students.
• Ms. Yelton and Ms. Witt for delivering PD to staff on the social discipline window.
• Dr. Hobbs for delivering PD to staff to support English Learners.
• Mr. Eastham for assisting a student in communicating in a positive and collaborative way to end a conflict and plan for better future interactions.
• Mr. Lyons and Mr. Eastham for helping student in crisis and connecting the student to needed resources.
• Dr. Michelson and his intern, Ms. Miceli, for their work as School Psychologists. Happy School Psychologist week!
• Mr. Ickes for creating a welcoming and comfortable space that incorporates natural elements.
• Mr. Dashiell, Dr. Hobbs, and Mr. Tormey for facilitating valuable conversations with parents.
• Ms. L. Smith for facilitating a thoughtful Project Graduation meeting.
• Ms. Hancock for serving as the FACE community engagement liaison.

• Brett McElwain (Margaret's dad) for the donation of snacks for the Staff Lounge.
• Emily Batie, Peter Dimitriades, Jean Gillis, Angelique Griffin, Delores Holmes, Jenn Lohse, Sofia Nimale and Mark Van Doren for their efforts to ensure a successful Law & Public Policy Magnet program on Tuesday, October 17th.
  
• Dr. Heidi Schreiber-Pan for her valuable presentation to the PTSA on anxiety and nature.

Colophon is Towson High School's award winning literary magazine. Their mission is to promote student creativity through art and writing. No matter the length of students' artistic journies, Colophon is more than glad to accept their submissions.

Use this link to make a submission to this year's Colophon publication.

Veterans Day will be held Saturday, November 11, 2023. A huge Thank You to all our teachers, staff, parents/guardians, and community members for your service.

Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers will host five “Community Conversations” regarding the development of the BCPS Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget. Please join us to provide input on the process and share ideas on areas you believe BCPS should prioritize in the budget and investments the system should make to ensure it provides the greatest public education to every student. Members of Team BCPS are also encouraged to access the BCPS “Budget 101” website for an overview of the BCPS operating budget—where our funding comes from, how it is spent, and how we ensure we are meeting the needs of every BCPS student.

The date and location of the remaining Community Conversation on the operating budget are as follows:

• November 14, Western School of Technology High School Cafeteria, 6-7pm

Spanish interpretation will be provided at each meeting. Interpreting services for other languages are also available upon request at no cost to participants. Please contact 443-809-1250 as early as possible to request.

Please join the Central Area Education Advisory Council for their next virtual meeting on November 15th at 7:00 p.m. as they discuss Artificial Intelligence - Electronics Use and Curricular Implications. Click on the tab below for the all the Meeting Dates of the 2023-2024 school year and links to join virtual meetings.

Class rings will be on sale during lunch shifts on November 15th and 16th. A representative from Jostens will be here to answer questions and assist with ordering. Ring Dance is scheduled for March 8th. Students will receive their rings at the Ring Dance. Please view this link for additional information and consider purchasing a ring! A portion of each ring sold will go to the Sophomore class funds to help enhance your Ring Dance experience. Please email the sophomore class advisor, Mr. Sun, at ksun@bcps.org with questions.

The Towson High School PTSA is excited to announce the National PTA Art Competition has come to Towson High. All Towson High students can enter. They do not have to be currently enrolled in an art class.

2023-2024 THEME: I Am Hopeful Because...

5 Categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Music Composition, Photography, & Visual Arts.

4 Rounds of competition: Prizes at Towson High level, Balt Co Level, Maryland, and National Level.

Application & rules can be found at: Reflections 2023 Art Competition

There is a QUICK TURNAROUND! All entries & completed applications are due by Nov 27, 2023. Email Kim Beard w questions or if you are interested in being a judge: kimbeardreuse@gmail.com

The Junior Class is currently running a Joe Corbi's and Claire's Gourmet Fundraiser!

• Please click this link for all important information and dates.
• Paper packets were distributed to all students in-school.
• Ready to get started? CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
• View Brochure Here
  

• If you don't know a Junior but would like to support the class, order with the link below.
  

  https://www.joecorbi.com/participant-shopping-number?participant_code=324162

Check out these great INCENTIVES!

• Sell 7 items & get a FREE Junior Prom Ticket! (Once class dues have been paid)
• Sell a total of 14 items & get Junior Class Dues paid & a FREE Junior Prom ticket!
• If the Class of 2025 sells 400 or more items, Joe Corbi's will award the top seller with a $200 Amazon Gift Card!

The Junior Class appreciates your support of this fundraiser as it provides much needed funds.

In recognition of Native American Heritage Month, Baltimore County Public Library has produced a Virtual Book Display to bring attention to indigenous poets, authors, and playwrights. Books for the display were selected by the library's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. At Towson, students explored Native American Heritage in Advisory this week.

The Department of Special Education is conducting a brief survey about the staffing of services and supports for BCPS students receiving special education services. This information will be used in developing the Special Education Staffing Plan for next school year. Please take a moment to offer your feedback. The survey closes Friday, December 1.

Good luck to the Boys and Girls Cross Country Teams as they compete in the State Championship this Saturday at Hereford High School.

Good luck to the Boys Soccer Team as they compete against Great Mills High School in the State Semifinals this Saturday at 12:00 pm Crofton High School.

Team BCPS’ heartfelt thoughts are with students, families, and staff members impacted by the violent and tragic events in Israel and Gaza. The impact of violent and traumatic events can be confusing, overwhelming, and frightening, resulting in feelings of fear or worry. Students, families, and staff with direct ties to the area of conflict might experience increased anxiety or stress that could be complicated by information shared on media outlets. Adults may also experience feelings of anxiety or stress when managing emotions and providing explanations to children. Children will look to adults for information and guidance on how to manage their emotions and cope with the various sources of information.

In BCPS, it is the goal to provide an environment that is safe and supportive, free of bias and hate with supportive resources that foster positive learning experiences. Families are welcome to contact the school to discuss their child’s needs, access counseling, mental health services, and additional resources. At any time, students can speak with a trusted adult (i.e., principal, teacher, counselor, social worker, school psychologist, etc.) to support them. The resources below are intended to support families and staff in coping with the horrific events:

• Supporting Youth Affected by the Violence in Israel and Gaza: Tips for Families and Educators (nasponline.org)
• Talking to Children About War
• How to talk to children about war: An age-by-age guide (msn.com)
• Terrorism and War: How to Talk to Children
• How to talk to your children about conflict and war | UNICEF Parenting
• How To Talk to Kids About Tragedies in The Media
• Building Community Resilience for Children and Families
• Helping Children Cope with Trauma (childmind.org)
• Helping Kids Cope with Frightening News - Child Mind Institute
• Nine Tips for Talking with Kids About Trauma

BCPS is pleased to announce the countywide implementation of BusWhere, a location tracking software that allows subscribers to see bus locations in real time on a mobile phone or computer. Via the BusWhere app, subscribers may opt to receive notification as the bus is approaching a designated bus stop or if there are significant delays.

On or about October 2, 2023, families of bus riders should have received an e-mail invitation directly from BusWhere to create an account. Watch this informational video to learn more about BusWhere!

Students can receive extra support afterschool via Coach Class and Peer Tutoring. Coach Class is offered by each teacher, each week. Free Peer Tutoring is offered throughout the week by students and advisors of our national honor societies. All supports begin next week unless otherwise noted.

We encourage all students to be actively involved in clubs and organizations throughout the year. Please check out the club list below. Students that are interested in starting a new club should contact Ms. Smith at lsmith21@bcps.org.

Research has shown that attendance is a leading predictor of academic achievement and adult success. Students who find attending school important are more likely to attain goals like attending trade school, college, or getting a job. By showing up to school every day, students develop a positive work ethic and prepare for future success by developing healthy and productive habits.

Our attendance goals this year are for students to maintain at least a 94% attendance rate and to reduce chronic absenteeism. A student that misses 10% or more of school days in chronically absent. By missing just 2 days a month, a student will be chronically absent. Use the "Attendance Tracker" and "Parent Tips" below to support your student in maintaining satisfactory attendance. Additionally, we will send parents/guardians a "Weekly Attendance Report" each Friday afternoon so you can track your student's daily and period attendance.

If you are not receiving text messages from the school and would like to, please text “Y” or "Yes" to 67587.

November 13 - Systemwide Professional Day - SCHOOL CLOSED FOR STUDENTS

November 14 - Marking Period 1 Report Cards Available

November 15 - American Education Week Parent Visitation Day

November 15 - First Practice Day for Winter Athletics

November 22 thru 24 - Thanksgiving Holiday - SCHOOLS & OFFICE CLOSED

December 5 & 6 - Underclass Photo Makeup Days

December 7-9 - Fall Play