Student Board

Julie Grossman says she may study international relations in college. But the student member of the Baltimore County school board already seems well-versed in diplomacy.It was her compromise for making up five snow days that the rest of the board finally agreed to at its March 22 meeting. And she'll undoubtedly be hearing about it from fellow students who will have to get up 30 minutes earlier as a result.After a public hearing and inconclusive polls, long discussions and a tie vote on an earlier proposal, the board quickly embraced Julie's variation on Superintendent Stuart Berger's recommendation to lengthen the school day by 45 minutes for two months.

Old Mill High School junior Nick Lefavor was elected several months ago as the next student member of the Anne Arundel County school board. And though he says he's familiar with the issues affecting county students, he's taking a couple of summer programs to fine-tune his leadership skills. Through the programs, Lefavor said, he hopes to learn much about board decorum. "I hope to learn about how to compose myself and handle myself in a professional manner," he said. "I hope to learn some more ways to relate to all people.

Pencils? Stickers? Bookmarks? A candidate has to woo the voters with something besides a five-minute stump pitch.And those commodities might work when the candidates in question are Anne Arundel County high school students, vying for a position that has been described as the most powerful teen-ager in America: the only student member of a school board with full voting privileges.Middle and high school delegates will vote Thursday on whether they want Christopher R. Barbour, a Meade Senior High School junior, or Jennifer K. Svara, an Annapolis Senior High School junior, as their representative on the eight-member county school board for the one-year term that starts July 1.Gov.

The Howard County Board of Education has called for a second ethics investigation of member Allen Dyer, in the wake of accusations that he improperly attempted to persuade the student representative on the board to vote for him as chairman. While those accusations are being vetted by the school board's ethics panel, the board decided Thursday to request a further inquiry into whether he wrongly leaked information about those allegations. In December, former board members Patricia Gordon and Larry Cohen filed complaints with the school ethics committee against Dyer, on behalf of student board member Alexis Adams.

Nearly a year ago, the Carroll County school board weighed the possibility of giving its student member partial voting rights. At that time, the resolution failed to gain approval. But for students - particularly the state Board of Education's student member - the issue remains very much alive. During Carroll County's regular board meeting last month, student member Maggie McEvoy brought the item up again, hoping the board would reconsider its position. The resolution calls for the board to support partial voting rights for its student member and that member's pursuit of a change in state law. "The students have an incredibly unique perspective," McEvoy said.

The Howard County Board of Education has called for a second ethics investigation of member Allen Dyer, in the wake of accusations that he improperly attempted to persuade the student representative on the board to vote for him as chairman. While those accusations are being vetted by the school board's ethics panel, the board decided Thursday to request a further inquiry into whether he wrongly leaked information about those allegations. In December, former board members Patricia Gordon and Larry Cohen filed complaints with the school ethics committee against Dyer, on behalf of student board member Alexis Adams.

Scout leader accused of abuse 20 years agoA veteran Boy Scout leader has been charged with sexually molesting one of his scouts nearly 20 years ago, Maryland State Police said.Police said the victim, now 30, has been undergoing counseling to deal with psychological problems related to the abuse. He reported the incident recently to state police, according to charging documents.The incidents, which included fondling and oral sex, occurred from 1975-1978, according to court records.Dr. Harold A. Neufeld, 70, of Frederick was charged Wednesday with child abuse, second- and third-degree sex offenses and assault and battery.

The smile on Jay Witcher's face kept spreading as the realization that he is the county school board's new student member began to sink in."Oh boy, oh boy," Witcher said. "I feel so weird. I can't believe I won."Witcher, a 16-year-old junior at Glen Burnie High School, received a majority of votes yesterday to win the student seat -- the only such position in the nation that comes with full voting rights.About 260 students representing 28 senior, middle and junior high schools participated in the election held at Northeast High School.

After scaling the ranks of student government for the past three years, Alicia Pettit is ready for bigger things. In a few months, the Severna Park High School junior is scheduled to take a seat on the Anne Arundel County school board as the student member -- with full voting privileges. Pettit, 17, was elected to the position last week by middle and high school delegates to the Chesapeake Regional Association of Student Councils (CRASC), the countywide student government group. The governor will make the final appointment but generally supports student picks.

When students vote this week for their representative to the 2007-2008 Board of Education, they will be making history. Whichever candidate wins -- Atholton High junior Osama Eshera, Reservoir High junior Andrew Gavelek or Reservoir High sophomore Sarah Singer -- he or she will become the first student member with partial voting rights. "I am so excited about voting rights for the student member of the board," said Singer. "In Howard County, the Board of Education is the focal point of improving education, and student voting rights will give students a true say in their education.

David John "DJ" Sigworth, a rising senior at Fallston High School, is scheduled to be sworn in tomorrow as the next student representative to the Harford County Board of Education. The 17-year-old from Forest Hill says he is a political junkie who hopes to study next year in Washington at Georgetown University or George Washington University, and someday, go to law school. He steps into his new role after surviving a harrowing incident in March last year when he and his three friends were struck by a drunken driver whose vehicle swerved into their lane.

None of the 47 people tested in connection with the positive diagnosis of a Hammond High School student has contracted tuberculosis, Howard County's top health officer said. "It was as we expected," said Dr. Peter L. Beilenson. "There were no positive diagnoses. This is essentially over." Beilenson's office sent out letters Monday to the Hammond High community that said everyone had tested negative, and that the case has been resolved. The school community was informed of the diagnosis Feb. 25. Letters were sent Feb. 23 to the 47 students who rode the bus with the student, warning of possible exposure and urging them to get tested.

Two years ago, Howard County school board member Sandra H. French was a substitute teacher in Andrew Gavelek's freshman English class. Last week, Gavelek, 16, was the tall Reservoir High School rising senior sitting next to her on the raised board dais - the first Howard County student Board of Education member allowed by state law to vote on some issues. How did the transition feel? "Wonderful," said a smiling French after a nearly three-hour session Thursday night marked by several belabored policy discussions and a series of unexciting, unanimous votes.

It has been a whirlwind school year for Wossen Ayele, the student member on the Board of Education. Ayele, who graduated Thursday from Atholton High School, will hand over the reins this week to the next student board member, Andrew Gavelek, 16, a junior at Reservoir High School. "Wossen has been an outstanding young man," said Roger Plunkett, the school system's business, community, government relations officer, who works closely with the student member on the board. "He does his homework.

When students vote this week for their representative to the 2007-2008 Board of Education, they will be making history. Whichever candidate wins -- Atholton High junior Osama Eshera, Reservoir High junior Andrew Gavelek or Reservoir High sophomore Sarah Singer -- he or she will become the first student member with partial voting rights. "I am so excited about voting rights for the student member of the board," said Singer. "In Howard County, the Board of Education is the focal point of improving education, and student voting rights will give students a true say in their education.

Nearly a year ago, the Carroll County school board weighed the possibility of giving its student member partial voting rights. At that time, the resolution failed to gain approval. But for students - particularly the state Board of Education's student member - the issue remains very much alive. During Carroll County's regular board meeting last month, student member Maggie McEvoy brought the item up again, hoping the board would reconsider its position. The resolution calls for the board to support partial voting rights for its student member and that member's pursuit of a change in state law. "The students have an incredibly unique perspective," McEvoy said.

It was deja vu all over again when county students mounted an effortthis month to get voting privileges for their delegate to the schoolboard. Not a real vote that would count in the decision, you understand, just a record of where the student associate stands on issues that come before the board.The closest thing to support for the idea came from Chairwoman Deborah D. Kendig, who said she was "equivocalabout it."So, why is it a big deal for the student to have even a non-counting vote?"Accountability," replies Student Associate Jamie M. Kendrick.

The 17-year-old son of a Baltimore County councilman is lobbying for full voting rights in his capacity as a member of the Board of Education. If he is successful, John A. Olszewski Jr. would have a say in setting teacher salaries and school boundaries. Board members heard from Olszewski and two students -- Ciara DiSeta, president of the Baltimore County Student Councils, and Andy Smith, the student representative on the Anne Arundel County Board of Education -- at a meeting last night.

The next student elected to the Howard County school board likely will have the right to vote on curriculum and some policy issues because the county's delegation to the General Assembly approved a proposed change in state law. "I think we're pleased to see that it's passed. It's certainly something that the students of Howard County have wanted for a while. That's exciting," said Diane Mikulis, the school board chairman. Wossen Ayele, this year's nonvoting student board member, also applauded the vote.

The Howard County legislative delegation will vote this session on voting rights for the student member of the Board of Education. The bill was approved Thursday night by the Board of Education and was the subject of a public hearing by the county's delegates and senators in Ellicott City. Howard's legislative delegation will consider the measure and vote on it. If approved, the bill will move to the full General Assembly for consideration. The bill generated discussion at the Board of Education meeting and later at the Howard County legislative delegation's public hearing at the George C. Howard Building on Thursday night.