Making Progress

Jonathan Ogden wants to stay in Baltimore, says he belongs in Hawaii in February for his third straight Pro Bowl, and is gradually accepting a new role as the leader on the Ravens' offensive line."

In Friday's preseason loss to the New York Jets, there was no better player among the Ravens than quarterback Eric Zeier. And the toughest part about Zeier's job is that, in four months, he might look back on 1997 and point to that August night as the highlight of his season.Such is life through the eyes of a backup.Heading into his third season -- not to mention the end of a three-year contract he signed as a third-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 1995 -- Zeier is long removed from the weekly highlight reels he generated as a star at Georgia, where he set 67 school records and 18 Southeastern Conference marks that still stand.

With only a precious few days until graduation, at least 97 percent of the state's 43,135 high school seniors have completed the mandatory 75 hours of community service they need to get their diplomas, state education officials reported yesterday.The report shows a dramatic turnaround from the situation 10 months ago, when 40 percent of seniors had yet to complete the controversial new graduation requirement, to the alarm of many local school officials.But as of May 15, when the latest statistics were compiled, only 25 students statewide were "not making progress" -- 10 of them in Baltimore County.

The Orioles are scheduled to exchange arbitration figures today with five players eligible for the process: pitchers Mike Mussina, Arthur Rhodes, Alan Mills and Terry Mathews and outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds. But the team probably will resolve several of the cases before the hearings begin Feb. 1.According to league sources, the Orioles are close to signing Rhodes Rhodes to a two- or three-year deal. Rhodes, 27, battled with the Orioles over past contracts, but he has changed agents, a move that has eased the negotiations.

Most high school seniors continue to make progress toward completing the state's student service learning requirement, but between 115 and 330 students are "not making progress" toward the controversial requirement, with only about two months until graduation.In a now-monthly report to the Maryland State Board of Education, officials around the state yesterday reported dwindling numbers of seniors who are less than 75 percent finished with the graduation requirement.Montgomery County was the only jurisdiction that did not report its numbers for March; in February, it reported 217 students not making progress and 1,085 who were less than 75 percent complete.

The battle over management of city schools escalated yesterday on three fronts: the federal court in Baltimore, a packed General Assembly hearing room in Annapolis and competing news conferences in the two cities.The state Education Department, as a defendant in a lawsuit against the city concerning special education, filed papers in federal court in Baltimore calling for a "total restructuring" of the troubled system.Meanwhile, Nancy S. Grasmick, the state school superintendent, criticized the management of the 113,000-student district at a Baltimore news conference focusing on the 37 schools, 35 in Baltimore, where restructuring has been required because of poor performance.

1. Green Bay: Packers have to overcome loss of Robert Brooks.2. Pittsburgh: Despite loss, Steelers still best in AFC.3. San Francisco: Steve Young is dangerous on one leg.4. Dallas: Is Jerry going to shake hands with Jimmy?5. Denver: Broncos would like to play Ravens' D again.L 6. Philadelphia: Ray Rhodes is quickly becoming a top coach.7. Buffalo: Bills are hanging in there.8. Washington: Are Redskins as good as their record?9. Indianapolis: Jim Harbaugh needs more protection.10. Kansas City: Can Chiefs slow down Denver's O.11.

Only one-third of the first class of Maryland high school students required to do community service to graduate has completed that controversial requirement.Fifteen months before their graduation, nearly 30,000 of the state's more than 46,000 11th-graders have not completed the required 75 hours of service, according to a report presented this week to the state Board of Education.About 20,000 of those students are "making progress," while 10,300 -- or 22 percent of the class -- are not, the report said.

At a time when many teachers in Anne Arundel County's public schools feel defensive and beleaguered, Mayo Elementary's Linda Adamson's selection recently as Maryland Teacher of the Year provides a welcome shot in the arm. This is the highest teaching award in the state, and the fact that Mrs. Adamson has been chosen makes the whole school system look good.Mostly, of course, it reflects well on her. Chosen from among teachers from 23 school systems, Mrs. Adamson has forged a reputation as an innovative educator.

Overall, last week's battle with bad weather was a pain in the gluteus Maximus. But I did have a few pleasurable moments bashing the ice.I enjoyed breaking slabs of ice into pieces and tossing them off my sidewalks and driveway. There are several reasons.First, unlike so many of life's seemingly immovable objects, ice -- eventually gives way.Sometimes it takes a while. Sometimes you have to soften the slab up with melting pellets or a few artful whacks with a heavy tool. But most of the time, your patience and persistence pay off, and your foe slides away.

This wasn't supposed to be a big year for the environmentalist movement in Annapolis, and that may yet prove to be the case. Program Open Space funds are under assault from the state Senate, millions of cap-and-trade dollars from power plants are being diverted from alternative energy and efficiency programs, and some important environmental programs have had their budgets cut (as many state government functions have). But with just a week left in the legislative session, the greenies are in a surprisingly good position to pull off some significant wins.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE Q-WEST, Iraq -- Their commanding general spent hours delivering his report card and pages of charts to Congress this week as several hundred members of the Maryland National Guard kept up their own punishing schedule at this base in northern Iraq. Some who paused here to watch the testimony of Gen. David Petraeus or absorb the news accounts said they were encouraged and impressed by his message. Others said it wouldn't change their views, either of the war or their role in it. "It was an honest presentation," Cpl. Sean Dolan, 30, of Pocomoke said after hearing some of Monday's testimony, in which Petraeus described "uneven" military progress in Iraq.

Schools fail the learning-disabled Centennial Lane Elementary is No. 7 on the list of schools with the highest percentage of students scoring "advanced" on the MSAs ("How Schools Get it Right," The Sun, July 22). Unfortunately, Howard County gets it "wrong" when it comes to educating learning-disabled children. The gifted-and-talented population benefits immensely, as resources, opportunities and curriculum are plentiful for those kids. Those with learning disabilities must fight for appropriate services from an underfunded, understaffed special-education department that refuses to use the word dyslexia.

This time of year, corporate offices swell with college interns. The extra help helps employers, and students gain coveted work experience. Because an internship is a critical steppingstone to employment, students who are prepared to make the most of a summer job will come out way ahead. Be ready to work. During his days as an intern, Jamie Fedorko said, some companions always complained about their tasks or felt as though they were owed something. Others were too eager and "incredibly ingratiating."

Special education making progress I am a special education assistant at Phelps Luck Elementary School. My school is listed as one of the four schools that did not make progress on the Maryland School Assessment test this year. Maybe a shorter version would be simpler, but for many special education students it should not be the main measure of their progress. I am proud of our special education team. Every day at our school, our special education teachers work diligently to make sure our special education children are making progress, and they are succeeding every step of the way. Often, special education is not recognized for all the value it extends when our children are in the inclusive setting.

WASHINGTON - President Bush said yesterday that the United States is making progress on meeting the political and security challenges in Iraq, and he urged European allies to put aside their differences with Washington and work to end the Iraqi insurgency. Appearing with leaders of the European Union after a round of private talks at the White House, Bush said the success of the fight against terrorism depends on "completing the mission" in Iraq. `Important signal' "It's an important signal for people to hear loud and clear," Bush said.

More private companies and the U.S. Navy assisted the Baltimore Fire Department yesterday in its seventh day of searching for three missing passengers of the capsized Seaport Taxi. A new robotic device produced clear video yesterday of what officials said was the boat's canopy in a location far from where earlier search efforts had found what was then believed to be that piece of the boat, officials said. The video, viewed by Mayor Martin O'Malley, also showed a cell phone, a horn from the boat and the tan and green colors of the Seaport Taxi canopy.

State, Annapolis city and public housing officials, and residents appear close to resolving their disputes over the new Bloomsbury Square complex, which could clear the way for public housing residents to move into the state-built waterfront community. Just when remains a question, though. The latest tentative mid-August move-in date passed without residents budging from their 62-year-old public housing complex, which sits next door and is due to be razed for a $26 million expansion of the Lowe House Office Building.

State, Annapolis city and public housing officials, and residents appear close to resolving their disputes over the new Bloomsbury Square complex, which could clear the way for public housing residents to move into the state-built waterfront community. Just when remains a question, though. The latest tentative mid-August move-in date passed without residents budging from their 62-year-old public housing complex, which sits next door and is due to be razed for a $26 million expansion of the Lowe House Office Building.

After meeting for 2 1/2 hours yesterday to discuss ways to improve working conditions for Carroll County public school teachers, members of a task force appointed to consider teacher complaints reported making progress. Members shared little else, however, about the session at the school district's administrative offices yesterday afternoon. "We worked on identifying teacher concerns and issues ... and we've made some progress," said Gregory Bricca, the school system's assessment and accountability supervisor and task force co-chairman.