Manor Woods

Henry Henline reaches into a cardboard box on the floor and pulls out two versions of J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit," one in novel form, the other a comic book. A group of curious third-graders is gathered cross-legged on the floor around him."One thing I like about this," says Henline, holding up the original novel version, "is I had in my mind what a hobbit looked like. What all the characters looked like -- I had it all in my mind."Henline, a computer technician, was visiting Manor Woods Elementary School as a member of its volunteer team of "Reading Dads" -- a cadre of fathers who help teach the school's third-graders about reading.

They said they were excited. They said they were ready. But when Manor Woods Elementary School Principal John Morningstar showed them he had rigged their school television to broadcast only snow, the 200 fourth- and fifth-graders sitting on the school gymnasium floor gasped in horror.Later, they all raised their hands, saying they would participate in National TV-Turnoff Week. It is the Ellicott City school's fourth year of participation in the program. While televisions are off, the children record and show their parents and teachers what they have been doing instead of watching TV."

IF AFFLUENCE were the only criterion for education success, more than two elementary schools in the entire state would have received "excellent" ratings in the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program. The two schools are Manor Woods in Howard County and Somerset in Chevy Chase. Both have large percentages of students from affluent, stable families, but that is only part of the story. The rest is how hard teachers and parents worked to get the best possible results.Manor Woods kindergartners receive reading instruction -- three students to a tutor -- several times a week.

When Principal John C. Morningstar of Ellicott City's Manor Woods Elementary got his school's MSPAP scores -- a month before they became public -- it was all he could do to keep the secret from his students and staff.The big news was that Manor Woods' fifth-graders had made history: More than 70 percent scored satisfactory in each of six subject areas of the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program test, which won the school a rating of excellent from the state.Statewide this year, the school was one of two to reach that level -- which had never been reached by any school -- and the only one in the Baltimore area.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Regardless of how you celebrate today, may you have great joy and countless blessings.Jonathan Davis teaches fifth grade at Manor Woods Elementary School. He imagined a parade, as 110 Manor Woods fifth-graders finished a unit on government.As part of their social studies program, the students developed governments -- with flags, symbols, and constitutions.Last Thursday, the students had a Celebration of Nations that began with a Parade of Nations.Representatives of 32 student countries marched into the school cafeteria holding unique flags.

WORTHINGTON Elementary School students and faculty submitted their idea of a " 'Net Weekend at School" to Gov. Parris N. Glendening, and the school was one of several to receive two MacIntosh computers from the state as a reward.Worthington Elementary held its first 'Net Weekend on Sept. 26 to teach students and parents how using the Internet can provide information for real-life situations.Parents and business partners from the Worthington Elementary community discussed their careers and presented information about their fields using Web pages from the Internet.

MANOR WOODS Elementary School's media specialist, Crystal Marshall, put her creativity to use in designing "Travel Buddies" -- a foreign exchange program for third-graders.Australian students are paired with children from Manor Woods school. Then, each class sends a stuffed school mascot -- as a stand-in for a "real" exchange student -- to its exchange school.The mascot carries a diary for children in the other school to record their activities and various souvenirs of its hometown.The Manor Woods mascot, "Frederick," headed down under March 1 with Maryland maps, Baltimore Orioles memorabilia and a hollow crab shell.

CONGRATULATIONS to the Manor Woods Elementary School students who have been selected as all-county musicians.Band members are Tamara Churns, Jason Tucker, Jackie Woznicki and Taylor Zanelotti.Choral members are Colin Cleland, Jennifer Clary and Sheryl Kurian.Members of the orchestra are Ron Lee, Grace Lee, A. J. Dinsmore, John McGown, Ellen Tsay and Megha Rajagopalan.Manor Woods Elementary announces its county winners in the primary level of the PTA-sponsored "Reflections" program.Two second-graders were recognized -- Justin Chapman in the photography competition, and Alicia Noriega in literature.

MANOR WOODS Elementary School has selected its winners in the PTA-sponsored "Reflections" arts competition.This year, the theme was "It Could Happen "Competition took place on two levels: first- through third-graders in the primary level and fourth- and fifth-graders in the intermediate.In the primary level, Laura Burrows won first prize for visual arts.Five prizes were given in the primary literature category.Rahul Rajagopolan won first prize, Alicia Noriega second, Mary Katre Morani third, Nick Meyer fourth and Andy Meyer received honorable mention.

ARE YOU SURFING the Web yet? If you are, check out Manor Woods Elementary School's new home page, created over the summer by the Technology Committee -- chaired by parent volunteers Kathy Benson and Mary Catherine Cochran.Updated on a quarterly basis, the page contains sections for students, parents and teachers, including examples of literature written by students, educational resource material and biographies of the teachers.The address of the home page is http: //www.howard.k12.md.us/ manorwoods/index.