Hammond Elementary

Some children in Howard County may be heading to the classroom earlier -- or later -- if the school board approves adjustments to next year's school schedules.The school system is anticipating tweaking opening and closing times for some schools to accommodate the opening of a new school and expansion of the county's Technology Magnet program, and to save money.According to a report presented to the board last night, the school system would need $231,000 for seven more buses if the proposals are rejected.

IF DECEMBER fast approaches, can the delights of the season be far behind?Having begun a new area tradition, the congregation at South Columbia Baptist Church will hold a Christmas Open House, as it has done for the past six years.Under the theme "Christmas Spoken Here," the congregation offers a five-day series on Christmas, then and now.From 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 10-12, the church will welcome everyone to its tour of the Road to Bethlehem.At 8 p.m., the choir is to offer a brief holiday concert, followed by refreshments at 8: 30 p.m.The refreshment area will feature a garden of decorated trees, a puppet show, crafts and a photo center, where members of the congregation will take photos.

WITH THE opening of school only two weeks away, teachers and staff members are busy preparing classrooms, while students rush to fill the last of summer with fun.At Hammond Elementary, returning staff members are glad to find that an addition has been finished. No longer will students and staff members have to walk to temporary classrooms.The sloping courtyard that separates Hammond Elementary School from Hammond Middle School has been repaired. The steep, grassy slope had been supported by huge timber retaining walls.

COLUMBIA PRO Cantare, a nonprofit musical group, celebrates its 20th anniversary this season.The opening concert, "Serenade to Music," features guest vocalists Kishna Davis, Marianna Busching, Charles Reid and Lester Lynch.The program includes works by Ralph Vaughan Williams, George Handel, Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin.The performance begins at 7: 30 p.m. at the Jim Rouse Theater for the Performing Arts.Tickets for the Nov. 1 performance are $20. The audience may join the performers at a reception after the concert.

Howard County schools Superintendent Michael E. Hickey announced the transfers and promotions of 31 school administrators last night, including the principals of Atholton, Glenelg and Wilde Lake high schools.Hickey also revealed that County Executive Charles I. Ecker has agreed to set aside about $2.8 million in extra school construction funds for next year -- enough for the school board to complete some, but not all, of its planned construction for next year.In announcing the administrative transfers, Hickey acknowledged that they can be "disruptive and upsetting" but said his "ultimate responsibility is to consider the needs of the system as a whole."

HAMMOND ELEMENTARY is pleased to announce its roster of volunteers serving on the PTA committees. Donna Merson, Dottie Balaban, Gail Brown, Dee Levi, Nancy Trudel, Darla Trigger, Pat Baker, Frank Tesoriero, and Janet Moore are officers of the organization.Eydie Hammers, Barb Costa, Kathy Mattos, Bonnie Miller and Joyce Pope raise the money that lets the PTA operate.They sell books, run the gift wrap sales and hold a garage sale.Others are involved in collecting soup labels and grocery store receipts.

IT'S THAT WONDERFUL TIME of the year when all good scholars trudge unwittingly to school and the rest of us get a respite from the summer's whine. No more do we hear "I'm bored." Now all we hear is how awful the teachers are and how mean the principals can be. The fall whine is, "I have too much homework."The new school year brings many changes. Last year's classmates have grown taller, better-looking and wiser. Teachers retire, move on or change classrooms. New teachers arrive.Arriving at Hammond Elementary are Suzan Ulgar and Nancy Regotti in first grade, Colleen DeJordy in second, Edwin Saunders in fourth, Amy Rappaport in fifth, Doug Lea in instrumental music and Cynthia Jennings in speech andlanguage.

Hammond Elementary School is looking forward to new teachers and staff this year. Terri Trail joins the second-grade team. Robert Roman joins the fourth-grade team and Thomas Mulinazzi joins the fifth-grade team. In addition, Jenni Lewis will be the new guidance counselor and Karen Rakshys the school psychologist. Lucille Harvey, who joined the cafeteria staff as manager in February, takes up her duties again this year.Hammond Elementary PTA leaders this year are Darla Trigger, president; Donna Herson and Dottie Balaban, vice presidents; Maryann Thomas and Gail Brown, corresponding and recording secretaries; and Dee Levi, treasurer.

Tests at Hammond Elementary and Hammond Middle schools have found that the magnetic fields from nearby power lines pose little threat to students' health, according to Baltimore Gas and Electric Co., which conducted the tests.The tests found that magnetic field readings near the schools registered less than 0.5 milligauss, far less than those in the average house, according to BG&E.The lines are owned by Potomac Electric Power Co., but BG&E uses them to supply power to the schools and most of the homes in the area.

Youngsters ages 2 through grade six can participate in after-school and Saturday classes sponsored by the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks.Classes include:* Computer tots: Kindergarten through first grade, meets from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. beginning April 21 at Atholton High School.* Tot lots: For children age 3, meets at 9 a.m. beginning April 16 at Laurel Woods Elementary School.* Kinder arts and crafts: For ages 4 and 5, meets at 9:30 a.m. beginning April 16 at Hammond High School.

Chances are, students and parents caught a glimpse of a high-ranking school system employee or elected official Monday in a tradition that aims to have every one of Howard County's 72 schools visited on the first day. "We really like to take out the elected officials and let them be a part of the excitement that we feel on the first day," said schools spokeswoman Patti Caplan. "It is a wonderful, inspiring time to visit the schools." Howard County Superintendent Sydney L. Cousin and school board Chairman Frank Aquino were among the officials visiting schools, including Hammond Elementary in Laurel.

Christinia Armstrong, a music teacher and PTA president at Hammond Elementary School in Laurel, stood amid a cluster of African drums looking for the proper one to play for Howard County Superintendent Sydney L. Cousin and school board chairman Frank Aquino. She grabbed an hourglass-shaped drum, positioned it under her arm and rhythmically gave it a series of bops with her right hand. "Good morning," she said as she matched each syllable to each hand tap. "This is why they call it the African talking drum."

Hammond Elementary School will hold its Spring Garage Sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The rain date is May 4. Anyone with gently used goods is invited to reserve a space to sell. Forms to reserve space are available at the school or online at www.hespta.org/garage-sale.html. The school is on Aladdin Drive, off Gorman Road. Information: Cathy Barrett, 301-604-1971. Music society plans benefit The Ebony Classical Music Society will hold its fifth annual benefit Spring Concert at 4 p.m. May 4 at Christ Episcopal Church, 6800 Oakland Mills Road.

A slew of school administrative changes were announced at Thursday's Board of Education meeting. They will take effect July 1. At the secondary level, Kathy McKinley, principal at Bonnie Branch Middle, will be the principal at Mount View Middle; Carolyn Jameson, principal at Murray Hill Middle, will become the principal at Bonnie Branch Middle; Rosalie Bowen, assistant principal at Howard High, will become the assistant principal at Marriotts Ridge High;...

The Hammond Elementary School PTA will sponsor a free concert for the community at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Hammond Middle School gymnasium, 8110 Aladdin Drive, North Laurel. "Almost Recess," an a cappella group from the Washington area, will perform percussion, vocals and harmonies. Vocalists and instrumentalists from Hammond Elementary will open for the group. Information: Elaine Povich, 301-490-2832. For a sample of the group's music, go to almostrecess.com. Around Town Open house -- The Open Arms Christian Child Development Center, a ministry of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Laurel, will hold an open house from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. today with tours, entertainment and an opportunity to register children for summer camp and fall programs.

Dressed in a long, flowing authentic Nigerian robe and multicolored head dress, David Larner, assistant principal at Hammond Elementary, might have raised a few eyebrows last school year when he walked the halls on any other school day. But during the school's annual multicultural event, Larner, who is of Irish and Russian descent, fit right in as he wore his ethnic garb. Hammond Elementary will resemble a United Nations gathering at 7 p.m. Wednesday when pupils from 23 countries participate in "A Taste of Culture."

Yvette Lewis was opera-singer-in-residence last week at Hammond Elementary School in North Laurel. In a program titled, "So This Is Opera," Hammond children in kindergarten through fifth grade trooped into the school's music room one class at a time to listen to a story, watch videos and learn two excerpts from an opera's arias. "It was fantastic. It was unbelievable, what she could do with them in such a short period. Second grade sang in German!" said Angela Meade, parent of kindergartner William Mitchell and second-grader Thomas Mitchell.

WHAT DO you do if your child will eat nothing but noodles? Or if the sight of a squash sends her sprinting from her seat? Karen Seigel, a nutritionist with the Howard County Health Department, addressed these and other issues at a seminar Saturday at the Savage branch library. Seigel, of Scaggsville, is a registered dietetic technician and nutrition counselor. But her credibility is sealed by the fact that she is also the mother of a 4-year-old -- and she practices what she preaches. No junk food in her cupboards -- Seigel is a strict vegan, and her daughter is vegetarian.

The Hammond Elementary School PTA will hold a yard sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow at the school, 8110 Aladdin Drive, in North Laurel. About 100 families are expected to participate in the sale, which will feature concessions. Selling space is sold out, but bargain hunters are welcome. Proceeds will benefit PTA-sponsored programs at the school. The rain date is Sunday. Information: 301-776-3169. Montpelier Spring Festival is scheduled Sunday The South Laurel Recreation Council will hold the 32nd Montpelier Spring Festival from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday on the grounds of Montpelier Mansion, Route 197 at Montpelier Drive, Laurel.

Some children in Howard County may be heading to the classroom earlier -- or later -- if the school board approves adjustments to next year's school schedules.The school system is anticipating tweaking opening and closing times for some schools to accommodate the opening of a new school and expansion of the county's Technology Magnet program, and to save money.According to a report presented to the board last night, the school system would need $231,000 for seven more buses if the proposals are rejected.