Carroll Schools

Although Carroll schools have some of the highest reading scores on statewide tests, some children are starting school lacking the most basic reading skills required to become proficient readers.Using money from a federal grant awarded to Carroll schools in January, teachers have begun a systemwide effort to prevent at-risk readers from falling behind in critical learning years.Teachers have identified beginning readers who need extra help and have provided those students with one-on-one tutors.

Nearly five months after he was convicted of raping and sexually abusing an elementary school-age girl during the summer of 2002, former Carroll schools Superintendent William H. Hyde is scheduled to appear in court this week to ask for a new trial and, if unsuccessful, to be sentenced. Hyde's attorneys are expected to argue that the former schools chief should get a new trial because evidence presented at his August trial did not support his conviction. The lawyers have written in court filings that the young girl's testimony contradicted the medical findings of the forensic pediatrician who examined her, and that the trial judge's characterization of the case as "close" is tantamount to the prosecution not proving its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

About noon every day, while sitting in social studies, Dakota Beatty's stomach begins to grumble. That's because Dakota isn't scheduled to have lunch until 1:05 p.m. at Manchester Elementary, about six hours after the bowl of Cheerios he usually eats for breakfast. He says he is so hungry during social studies that his stomach aches, he can't concentrate and his handwriting grows increasingly sloppy. "My whole class wants an earlier lunch," said Dakota, a fourth-grader. The flip side of the problem is pupils eating as early as 10:40 a.m. at some Carroll schools, about five hours before the end of the school day. School officials acknowledge that many pupils are eating lunch earlier and later as principals struggle with growing enrollments and do what they can to wedge more pupils into cafeterias that weren't built for so many children.

Whether you hail him or damn him for it, Donald Vetter is the man who first got his colleagues at Carroll County public schools to look into a new trend called outcomes-based education.And now he's retiring -- packing up and leaving his co-workers in the midst of an educational revolution that has roused some vehement opposition in Carroll County.But Mr. Vetter believes that it's time for him to move on, leaving implementation of the revolution to his successor.A lot of teachers and administrators are sorry to see him go. As Carroll's social studies supervisor, Mr. Vetter has directed the program for all grades in all schools for the past 23 years, updating it along the way to include more of the perspective of American-Indian and African-American cultures, and to include more study of the 20th century.

Michael Perich, a supervisor of elementary schools in Carroll County, knows how tough it is to recruit minority teachers to the system.In Carroll's teaching force of 1,601, the 19 minority teachers account for about 1 percent of the staff. There are 12 African-Americans, four Asians and three Hispanics.On a recent trip to a minority recruiting fair at Bowie State University, Perich -- who represented the county -- was reminded of what Carroll schools are up against.Education students carrying briefcases and dressed in power suits wandered around the college gym, where about 35 school systems had set up recruiting tables.

Beginning in the fall, Carroll County high school students who take tough classes could be rewarded for their academic initiative if the school board adopts a new rating system.A committee that has studied the issue recommended to the board Wednesday that schools should offer students the option of selecting weighted or nonweighted grades in the calculation of grade-point averages and class rank.The school system appointed the committee last year at the urging of student government leaders concerned that those who take the most challenging courses -- designated level 4 in Carroll schools -- sometimes have lower grade-point averages and class rankings than students who take easier courses.

A Good Friday schedule of government offices, services and attractions in the region published in yesterday's editions included incorrect information on Baltimore libraries, Baltimore County offices and the reopening dates for the schools in Howard and Carroll counties.City libraries are closed today, Baltimore County offices are open today, Carroll schools reopen April 17 and Howard schools reopen April 20.The Sun regrets the errors.Pub Date: 4/10/98

Three teachers have been hired to fill vacancies in Carroll County high schools.The school board this month approved hiring Henry W. Butler to teach social studies at Liberty High School, retroactive to Dec. 1; Florence A. Vickers to teach family and consumer science at Liberty, retroactive to Jan. 20; and William P. Eckles to teach technology education at South Carroll High School, retroactive to Dec. 8.Eckles is the son of Gregory Eckles, director of...

How Carroll schools fared in the Maryland School Performance Report will be known tomorrow when the State Board of Education releases results statewide.Although the results have been not been disclosed, state Superintendent Joseph Shilling, during his recent visit to Carroll schools, said, "You're going to like the message for Carroll County."The state performance standards, part of 15 initiatives proposed by the state Board of Education, set levels school districts should meet in order to be rated "satisfactory" or "excellent."

Halloween festivities in Carroll schools have passed, but their ghoulishness has not gone unchallenged.The mother of a William Winchester Elementary School kindergarten student asked the Board of Education to eliminate the Halloween theme in late October parties and replace it with a fall theme.She said costumes of witches, devils and other ghouls are representative of satanic religions. The Halloween festivities, she added, gave her daughter nightmares.Superintendent R. Edward Shilling said Carroll schools do not have a policy supporting or banning Halloween.