Ilchester

Because some Howard County elementary schools have not been offering an adequate Gifted and Talented program, the school system has reassigned its GT resource teachers Robin Hood-style: taking from the staff-rich and giving to the staff-poor. The decision has many parents and administrators frightened that their children will lose programs and opportunities. Some parents and teachers see it as a raid on better-performing schools to help poor performers. "They're robbing Peter to pay Paul," said Pam Rochlin, a GT resource teacher at top-tier Ilchester Elementary in Ellicott City, which is giving up a half-time teacher to a smaller school.

On February 14, 2003, WALTER J. SCHLIE; beloved husband of the late Mary L. Schlie; loving father of Ellen S. Hill, Jamie Schlie, and Nancy S. Knowles. Also survived by seven grandchildren. Family will receive friends on Thursday, from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 at HARRY H. WITZKE FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, INC., 4112 Old Columbia Pike, Ellicott City. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, at 10 A.M. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, on Ilchester Road, Ellicott City. Interment Long Island National Cemetery.

Visitors who walk through the green double doors of Ilchester Elementary into the Ellicott City school's main hall these days, see a cardboard box with a lime green sign and the words "A Gift of Reading." The box represents a remarkable exercise of giving that has involved thousands of students in schools across Howard County over the past few years. It started six years ago at Ilchester, where the PTA was looking for a way to gather books to be distributed to less fortunate pupils. Notices were sent home to parents, urging them to help their children identify good books to pass along to others.

An interview with Sally Yoshioka, coordinator of The Book Club. When did your club get started? We had a first meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 1. We just got started this year. We had tried before to have a book club at my school. I work at an elementary school. Who are your members? They are all staff members of Ilchester Elementary School, and there's 11 of us all together. Our principal and our assistant principal are part of it. It's just women. It's teachers and teaching assistants, and I'm a health assistant.

Just thinking about her son not having access to the Saxon Phonics program in school makes Amy Vittori anxious. Her voice starts to shake, and her words speed up, spilling over one another. "He's reading Harry Potter, and he's only in first grade," Vittori said. "It's an awesome program." But next school year, her son will be sent from Ellicott City's Ilchester Elementary, which offers Saxon, to Columbia's Waterloo Elementary, which doesn't, because of boundary changes. "I will pull my kid out of school if Saxon doesn't come" to Waterloo, Vittori promised.

Just thinking about her son not having access to the Saxon Phonics program in school makes Amy Vittori anxious. Her voice starts to shake, and her words speed up, spilling over one another. "He's reading Harry Potter and he's only in first grade," Vittori said. "It's an awesome program." But next school year, her son will be sent from Ellicott City's Ilchester Elementary, which offers Saxon, to Columbia's Waterloo Elementary, which doesn't, because of boundary changes. "I will pull my kid out of school if Saxon doesn't come" to Waterloo, Vittori promised.

Just thinking about her son not having access to the Saxon Phonics program in school makes Amy Vittori anxious. Her voice starts to shake, and her words speed up, spilling over one another. "He's reading Harry Potter, and he's only in first grade," Vittori said. "It's an awesome program." But next school year, her son will be sent from Ellicott City's Ilchester Elementary, which offers Saxon, to Columbia's Waterloo Elementary, which doesn't, because of boundary changes. "I will pull my kid out of school if Saxon doesn't come" to Waterloo, Vittori promised.

Least change best in school boundaries Who says school redistricting Plan 1 is the favored plan? Not David Drown, head of the Geographic Systems Office, and not the School Boundary Line Committee, which has yet to announce its final recommendations. A few meeting attendees and wishful-thinkers have offered opinions - some of which have been printed in this paper. But, make no mistake, the school redistricting process is not over - no final decisions have been made. Why is Plan 1 being touted as the favorite by a few?

After years of working from the outside with school officials, parents and administrators to improve Howard schools, longtime parent-activist Courtney Watson has announced that she wants in - she will run for a seat on the school board this fall. She is hoping to replace board Chairwoman Jane B. Schuchardt, who will step down in November. If elected, Watson would be the only board member with children in the schools, which, she says, makes her a good fit for the board. Watson lives in Ellicott City with her husband and three children.

Developers planning subdivisions in eastern Howard County must meet with neighbors before submitting plans to the county. Coming meetings are: 10 a.m. April 8 at Benchmark Engineering Inc., 8480 Baltimore National Pike, No. 418, Ellicott City, about Kaiser Farm Phase III, West Spring Drive. 5 p.m. April 8 at Fisher, Collins & Carter Inc., 10272 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City, about the Mintz property, 4975 Ilchester Road.