New Fitness Center Open 24/7

By Cassie Felch
Posted: August 14, 2008

The Waverly Woods Village Center has seen many changes over the past year. In a previous blog, I mentioned the addition of Bubble Gum Bill’s ice cream parlor; this week, I’d like to highlight another new establishment.

Snap Fitness 24/7 health club has opened at Curves’ former location and will celebrate its Grand Opening Saturday, Aug. 23. Owner and Manager Theresa Stone resides in Ellicott City. She became familiar with Waverly Woods through nearby friends and also through her children, who swim competitively and participate in meets at the Waverly Woods pool.

For additional information, call Snap Fitness at 410-480-2882 or go to www.snapfitness.com.

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Local Student Earns Spot at Prestigious Dance Camp

By Cassie Felch
Posted: August 13, 2008

Carly Weickgenannt, 13, attended a rigorous two-week dance camp at The Rock School for Dance Education, in Philadelphia.

Talented Marriottsville dancer Carly Weickgenannt, 13, recently returned from an intensive two-week camp at The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia. Unlike many summer camps, which require only an entrance fee, The Rock School looks at rigorous criteria before making its selections. The school accepted Carly based upon her prior experience with Ballet Royale Institute in Columbia, the form she displayed in several posed photos, and her technique during an audition in Washington, D.C.

Throughout her two-week stay at the camp, Carly studied ballet, Pointe and jazz with instructors from a variety of international locales, such as Hungary, Russia, England, and of course, the United States. Carly feels she gained invaluable practice with such a diverse pool of instructors, each with his or her own skill set, teaching methods, and advice.

Carly participated in three classes per day with approximately 20 students per class. The students, who ranged in age from 9-21, hailed from across the country and roomed together at the Haverford College dormitories. Carly thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the stronger confidence she developed as a result, and she hopes to attend again next summer.

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Celebrate Enchanted Forest’s 53rd Birthday, Reunion

By Cassie Felch
Posted: August 12, 2008

Those who have lived in Howard County for a length of time fondly remember The Enchanted Forest storybook park, which opened in 1955 at its original location on Route 40, in Ellicott City. Although the park closed in the late 1980s, numerous dedicated volunteers have restored many of its attractions, which are now housed at Clark’s Elioak Farm, 10500 Route 108, in Ellicott City.

Martha Clark and the staff at Clark’s Elioak Farm invite the community to help them celebrate Enchanted Forest’s 53rd birthday this coming weekend, Aug 16-17, from 10 AM to 4 PM. Special attractions include face painting, fairy tale readings, visits from fairy tale characters such as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, and a display of vintage Enchanted Forest photos.

The Farm will also celebrate the first Enchanted Forest Employee Reunion Saturday, Aug. 16 from 1 to 4 PM. All former employees are invited to attend and to bring photos of the park. Activities include the creation of an Enchanted Forest scrapbook and photo contests for the oldest photo, the best set of photos from two generations visiting The Enchanted Forest, and the best photo of Willie the Whale.

Admission is free for former Enchanted Forest employees and $4.50 for all other guests older than 12 months. Call Clark’s Elioak Farm at 410-730-4049 for more information or go to its Web site at www.clarklandfarm.com.

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Back-to-School Orientations Offered

By Cassie Felch
Posted: August 4, 2008

Ninety-degree days, swimming pools, cicadas and watermelon — these signs of summer still surround us, yet our children must soon trade their flip-flops for backpacks. To make the transition a little easier, our local schools offer a variety of orientations prior to the students’ first day back Monday, Aug. 25.

Cindi Deckman, the principal’s secretary at Waverly Elementary, said the school will hold its new student orientation Aug. 21 at 9:30 a.m. and a kindergarten orientation Aug. 22 at 1:30 p.m. Both sessions meet in the school’s cafeteria. Students may go directly to their classrooms at 2:30 p.m. for the school-wide open house following the kindergarten orientation.

For more information, call Waverly Elementary School at 410-313-2819.

West Friendship Elementary School offers a parents-only kindergarten orientation in the cafeteria Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. A school-wide open house takes place Aug. 22 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Penny Jones, the principal’s secretary, would like to remind parents that WFES is a “green school” and thus aims to reduce paper flow by communicating information through the school Web site at wfes.hcpss.org. The school also encourages parents to register for online news and updates via www.eSchoolNewsletter.com. For more information, call West Friendship Elementary School at 410-313-5512.

Mt. View Middle School presents its new student orientation, geared towards seventh- and eighth-grade transfer students, Aug. 22 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. The sixth-grade orientation follows from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and both groups meet in the media center. Karyn Littlejohn, the principal’s secretary, is a terrific source of information at Mt. View. If you have questions, please call the school at 410-313-5545.

Lastly, our up-and-coming high school, Marriotts Ridge, offers a freshman orientation at Aug. 21 at 1 p.m. Staff will direct students at the door. For more information, call Marriotts Ridge High School at 410-313-5574.

My thanks go to Marriotts Ridge Principal Pat Saunderson and his secretary, Gay Burdick, for welcoming me warmly and assisting me in my quest for information.

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Mt. View Middle Designated a Banner School

By Cassie Felch
Posted: August 1, 2008

The Positive Behavioral Initiatives & Supports Committee of Jeff Leard, school psychologist and PBIS coach; Carolyn Young, reading teacher; Debbie O’Byrne, Mt. View Middle School assistant principal; Kathy Anderson, data clerk; Jim Ford, reading teacher; Tim Guy, science teacher and PBIS Team Leader, from left, proudly display the banner it received from the state of Maryland for the school earning the “banner school” status. (Photo by Cassie Felch).

Principal Kathryn McKinley and Assistant Principal Debbie O’Byrne proudly announce that the State of Maryland has recognized Mt. View Middle School as a PBIS (Positive Behavioral Initiatives & Supports) Banner School.

PBIS is a team-based approach that helps schools teach and support positive behavior in all students by focusing on areas such as expectations, rewards and building leadership.

In keeping with its Falcon mascot, Mt. View encourages its students to “SOARRR,” where the three Rs stand for “Respectful, Responsible and Ready.”

The PBIS Committee at Mt. View consists of school psychologist and PBIS coach Jeff Leard, science teacher and PBIS Team Leader Tim Guy, reading teachers Carolyn Young and Jim Ford, data clerk Kathy Anderson, and O’Byrne.

The Committee delightedly notes a decrease in discipline referrals as a result of PBIS and aspires to earn the even higher “Exemplar” designation next year.

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