2005 - 2006 News Archive

Archived news articles by academic year

2000 - 2001 | 2001 - 2002 | 2002 - 2003 | 2003 - 2004  | 2004 - 2005  | 2005 - 2006

Click anyone of the links below to view news article.

  
Principal's Summer Newsletter,  2006 (pdf)

Paint Branch High School
HONOR ROLL
4^th Grading Period – June 2006

* Indicates student earned all grades of “A”

2005 - 2006 Events at Paint Branch

Homecoming - October 15, 2005

Senior Class Carwash and Unity Day- Sept. 21, 2005

9th Grade Family Picnic - August 25, 2005

Opening of the Panther Trust Bank - February 16, 2005

Psychology Fair - March 18, 2005

Art Show - April 14 & 15, 2005

International Night - April 29, 2005

Prom - May 20, 2005

9th Grade - Charles Brimmer

10th Grade - Samantha Wharton

11th Grade - Stacey Markham

12th Grade - Letam Duson

Click here for past recipients

 

Twenty Paint Branch Seniors Honored at
Top Scholars Banquet

Click Here for Pictures from the Dinner

Paint Branch High School will be celebrating academic excellence by honoring twenty seniors who represent the top 5% of the graduating class of 2006. The Top Scholars Dinner will be held at Indian Springs Country Club on Thursday, May 18, 2006 at 6:00 pm. The honored students are being recognized for their academic excellence over four years at Paint Branch and will be given plaques to commemorate their achievement.

The students being honored are:

Sukhdeep Aneja
Andrew Bergeris
Rachel Blair
Andrew Brimmer
Wing Chan
David Dadey
Edwin Fernandes
Justin Jacob
Andrea Rose Jimenez
Sarah Kim
Stephanie Lidd
Jennifer Mai
Dominic McDonald
Hector Neira
Palak Patel
Douglas Pickering
Rajib Quabili
Molly Tannen
Wesley Tse
Rebecca Yu

Each student was asked to pick their most influential staff member at Paint Branch and those staff members will also be honored. The staff members the students chose are:

Dr. Mary Ellen Antiochos
Ms. Randy Blair
Ms. Nancy Hebdon
Ms. Faye Johnson
Mr. Richard Lee
Ms. Pamela Leffler
Ms. Chris Mitchell
Ms. Jamie Paoloni
Ms. Jewel Sanders
Mr. Richard Smith
Mr. Jeff Sullivan
Ms. Nadine Taylor-Tolbert
Ms. Catherine Ulicny
Ms. Barbara Whitney
Mr. David Zaleski

 

Paint Branch Science Teacher Wins Greenblatt Award
Ceremony At Paint Branch Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Catherine Ulicny, a Paint Branch Science Teacher, will be honored on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 with the Marion Greenblatt Award. Dr. Marshal Greenblatt will present the award and $1000.00 check in a ceremony in the school’s media center at 8:00 am. Dr. Jerry Weast, Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools will also participate in the ceremony.

Ms. Ulicny was recognized as an outstanding master science teacher. She teaches Advanced Placement (AP) Biology, Biotechnology and Biology. She inspires her students to take higher-level science courses, requiring the addition of a third AP Biology section at the school. Ms. Ulicny has taught science at Paint Branch since 1999. She has given presentations at various science conferences and workshops. Ms. Ulicny has also been a high school assessment item writer for the State of Maryland’s High School Assessments. Ms. Ulicny was also part team who wrote the Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science Program being piloted at Paint Branch this fall. She assisted in developing and implementing a Smaller Learning Communities grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Ms. Ulicny also coaches the varsity swimming and diving team at Paint Branch.

This award was named in honor Dr. Marian Greenblatt, Teacher and Montgomery County Board of Education Member.

Paint Branch Student Wins Leadership Montgomery
Youth Community Service Award

Rachel Blair, a Paint Branch senior, won the Leadership Montgomery Youth Community Service Award. This annual award for $ 1000.00 is given to five Montgomery County high school seniors who have exhibited outstanding leadership in developing and/or implementing service learning activities in their communities. The awards are sponsored by the law firm of Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy and Ecker, PA.

Ms. Blair researched and designed an outreach program using Vending Misers, devices installed on vending machines to conserve energy. She presented her program to Paint Branch Environmental Science classes, EPA representatives, MCPS Principals, Assistant Principals and other administrators. For all her hard work, Ms. Blair was awarded the Green Schools Leadership Award.

Ms. Blair was also recognized for volunteer work as an exhibit guide for the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Holy Cross Hospital through the Medical Careers Program at Paint Branch, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and the National Honor Society.

Jillian Macklin, another Paint Branch senior, received an Honorable Mention from Leadership Montgomery Youth Community Service. Ms. Macklin was involved in the Rites of Passage program sponsored by the Potomac Valley Section of the National Council of Negro Woman (NCNW). She was a mentor to thirteen to eighteen year old girls. The mentoring included public speaking, speech and writing skills and appearance.

72 Paint Branch Students
Win Awards at the
Montgomery County Media Festival

Seventy-two Paint Branch students won a number of First and Second Place awards at the annual Montgomery County Media Festival on April 28, 2006 at the American Film Institute (AFI) in Silver Spring, Maryland. Paint Branch students took home thirty-seven First Place Awards, twenty-nine Second Place Awards and six Third Place Awards. The students’ works were part of over 500 entries by 1700 students from 77 schools in Montgomery County. The award winners are:

Computer Generated Animation:

Simbarashe Marufu – First Place, Animation Computer-Generated Entertainment (Around the Planet)

2D Animation:

Avedis Aghguiguian, Tristan Alleyne, Jason Anderson, Bradford Bass, Anjali Boray, Khalil Boyd-Davis, Khellie Braxton, Hellen Guimaraes, Bich-Tram Ha, Jesse Hernandez, Anting Hsiung, Jean Jacob, Dennis Johnson, Jason Lentz, Ingrid Leon, Hector Neira, John Niedermair, Sheena Nyarko, Andrew Paek, Alba Paniagua, Moe Rayemo, Sierra Reynolds, Brian Roberts, Regina Stern, Kent Stewart, Jeremy Williams, Rebecca Yu, and Ever Zavala – First Place, Animation 2D-Animation Informational (Around the World of Paint Branch High School)

Brendyn Andrew, Wendy Appollos, Matthew Brandon, Julia Regan Fanelli, Nigel Graham, Daniel Gregoir, Fernando Herrera, Jose Lorenzo Jimenez, Evan Jones, Meri Kitila, Mindy Miller, Sarah Perret, Alfred Peterson, Daniel Pistolessi, Patrick Posthuma, Stephanie Rozario, Hector Tolentino, Ricardo Tolentino, Kyle Werner, and Malcolm Wyche – Second Place, Animation 2D-Animation Entertainment (Paint Branch High School Summer Institute Animation 2005)

Digital Art:

Erika Long – First Place, Original Book Cover Design
Erika Long – First Place, Original Poster Design
Natasha Rodriguez – First Place, Commercially Designed Magazine Cover
Jenny Hwang – First Place, Original CD Cover Design
Kemeul Chavez – First Place, Commercially Designed CD Cover
Mariatu Savage – Second Place Commercially Designed Poster
Olesya Webster – Second Place, Commercially Designed Book Cover

Film:

Steven Kleuver – First Place, Documentary Film (35^th Anniversary of Paint Branch High School)

Stephanie Buonomo, Molly Queen, Donna Jacob, Annie Wright, and Sara Mayes – Second Place, Entertainment Film (With Love, Ddglvr)

Mike Barnes - Third Place, News Feature (Paint Branch Security)

Duke Banson, Peter McGrath, Andrew Macklin, and Sam Ofori – Third Place, Instructional Film (Pudding Pops)

Photography:

Melisa Matthews – Second Place, Color Digital Experimental (Troika)

Tony Ayigah – Third Place, real live black and white (Broadway Street)

Web Sites:

Byung Lee and Khellie Braxton – First Place, Web Site: Entertainment (Mainstream Web Page)

Rajib Quabili and Dominic McDonald – Second Place, Web Site: Site Based (Paint Branch High School Web Page)
 

Paint Branch High School
HONOR ROLL
3^rd Grading Period – April 2006

* Indicates student earned all grades of “A”

Bradley Fischer Wins Prestigious Scholarship
Third Year in a Row for Journalism Student

For the third year in a row, a Paint Branch senior has been awarded the Washington Post’s Young Journalist Development Program Scholarship.

Bradley Fischer was awarded the $2,500.00 college scholarship for his work in the High School Writing Seminar and Scholarship Program.

Mr. Fischer was selected for this award on the basis of the story he produced in the seventh annual program, his interest in pursuing a journalism career and his attendance and participation in all four seminars.

The four-Saturday seminars that Mr. Fischer attended were designed to help high school students who are interested in journalism careers build their writing skills. Washington Post reporters and editors served as instructors and each participant produced a newspaper or magazine story by the end of the seminar. Professional journalists judged the stories and selected the scholarship winner.

Mr. Fischer is the Sports Editor for the Mainstream, the Paint Branch school newspaper. He has been part of the journalism program for the past two years, serving as a staff writer his junior year. This fall, Mr. Fischer will be attending the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.

The past two Young Journalist Development Program Scholarship winners, Sandeep Soman in 2005 and Jeremiah Arias in 2004, are currently studying journalism at Columbia University, New York City, and the University of Maryland at College Park, respectively.

Brian Woodward, Journalism teacher, is in his third year as Mainstream Advisor. The Mainstream has won many awards from the Columbia School of Journalism as well as first place for its online newspaper in the Montgomery County Media Festival in 2005.

Paint Branch History Students Participate in
Montgomery County History Day
Advance to State Competition

Paint Branch Social Studies students, many in the Gilder Lehrman American History Scholars program, entered projects, papers and documentaries in the Montgomery County History Day at Julius West Middle School on March 25, 2006.

The students and the projects were chosen by teachers and peers at the Paint Brach History day. The names and project that advanced to the competition are:

Papers
Great Stands Are Not Made Alone by Daniel Gregoire
William Lloyd Garrison: Taking an Irrevocable Stand Against Slavery by Simbarashe Marutu

Individual Exhibits
Women in a Man’s World by Amy Carr
Reverend W.P. Blake: Taking a Stand Towards the Education of Seminole Girls by Kim Coombe
Marian Anderson by Sarah Chang
Citizen Hearst: Taking a Stand Through the Media by Jared Adkins

Group Exhibits
Freedom of the Press: The Newspapers and the Watergate Scandal by Brent Abel and Jong Park
Wilma Rudolp: An Inspiration to the Nation by Danielle Paik and Ashley Seto
Thomas Nast by Ashley Sen, Jessica Werner and Julianna Magnus
Elizabeth Cady Stanton by Sarah Wray and Christina Jacob

Group Documentary
Church Bombings in Birmingham by Alix Patton, Erika Patton and Larissa Irons

Special Awards
NAACP Award
Church Bombings in Birmingham by Alix Patton, Erika Patton and Larissa Irons

The following students and projects won in the Montgomery County competition to move on to the state level of competition in May. They are:

Jared Adkins for Citizen Hearst: Taking a Stand Through the Media
Sarah Chang for Marian Anderson
Daniel Gregoire for Great Stands Are Not Made Alone
Alix Patton, Erika Patton and Larissa Irons for Church Bombings in Birmingham

Panther of the Month Awards for March 2006

9th Grade - Lauren Bradshaw

10th Grade - Charles Brand

11th Grade - Anna Boh

12th Grade - Amy Olivares-Artea

Click here for past recipients

 

Paint Branch Academy of Science and Media

9^th Annual Summer Institute

June 19, 2006 - June 30, 2006

Summer Institute Science and Media Classes - for students currently in Grades 8 – 10 who will be attending Paint Branch High School in the Fall of 2006, as well as any Northeast Consortium student currently in the 7th grade about to enter the Preferred Choice process. The Summer Institute is an excellent opportunity for students to explore Paint Branch’s signature programs of Science and Media.

• Click here for Summer Institute Brochure (pdf)
• Click here for Summer Institute Application (pdf)

Click here for Summer Institute Projects

Dear Paint Branch and Northeast Consortium Community:

Paint Branch High School's Student Government Association (SGA), Key Club and the Academy of Finance have joined together for a huge project called Hoops for Heart.  Hoops for Heart raises money for the American Heart Association.  We have decided to support this worthy cause by having a "five on five" basketball tournament on March 16, 2006 here at Paint Branch.  The final game will be played on March 17, 2006 during LAP with the winning team receiving $500.00.  Admission to the game is $2.00 at the door each day.  The tournament participants can be anyone in the Paint Branch community including teachers, students and parents. Also, we will have many other projects on-going to help raise funds for the American Heart Association.

We need your help. We are asking Paint Branch parents and the local community to help us achieve our goal of raising $10,000.00.  By providing a donation (either a monetary or non-monetary gift) you can support the Hoops for Heart campaign. Checks can be made payable to the American Heart Association. Non-monetary gifts should be items that can be used as door prizes or for a silent auction. Send all gifts via U.S. mail to the attention of Dana Birdin, S.G.A. Sponsor, at Paint Branch High School.

We recognize that you have many demands as a parent or friend of Paint Branch, but we ask that you do not over look our request. Approximately 700,000 Americans will have a stroke this year; that is someone every 45 seconds. This could be a family member, a close friend or an associate.  If you have a heart disease story of someone close to you that you would like to share with the Paint Branch community please e-mail Angela Walker at Stepper587@aol.com  .

Help support this rewarding and educational event so we can beat this killer disease. If you have any
questions please contact the S.G.A. sponsor Ms. Dana Birdin at (301) 989-5630.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Angela Walker          and         Sean Dzierzanowski
SGA President                         SGA Vice President

P.S.   Everyone can help. If you have family members in other parts of the country or the world they can send a donation over the internet  (Note: international money will automatically be converted into American dollars).    Click here to donate online
 

Panther of the Month Awards for February 2006

9th Grade - Raul Flores

10th Grade - Melissa Ofumbi

11th Grade - Emerson Maniwang

12th Grade - Molly Tannen

Click here for past recipients

 

PANTHER PRIDE  - February, 2006

Congratulations to Amaka Okunji who has been selected to participate in the Treble and Mixed Honors Chorus concert on March 9th at BB-C High School. Thank you Amaka!

We are very proud of Hirdesh Matta who is one of the winner s in the Washington Post's Young Journalists Development program: Take Your School on the Road to the Final Four. Hirdesh will be attending Media Day for the NCAA men's basketball Sweet Sixteen Regionals on March 23rd. Watch for Hirdesh's article in the next issue of the Mainstream.

Kudos to Jessica Hill and Saumil Sheth who have been selected to receive a Howard Hughes/National Institutes of Health Student Internship for the 2006-2007 school year. In addition to the yearlong internship they will participate in an 8 week summer program that will pay them $200.00 per week. Way to go Jessica and Saumil.

Mr. Jefferson Hendrickson was accepted into UMBC's 2006 Teacher Quality in Biology Program! It's quite an intensive program requiring weekends and two weeks in the summer and the selection criteria was very tough! Congratulations, Mr. Hendrickson!

Finally, tomorrow February 25th marks the birthday of a very special person at Paint Branch. Today's song is in her honor and if you see her today, please say happy birthday and thank you to Laura Fary for all that she does for our school. Rachel thanks for letting your mom work for me 12 months a year. She does a great job as the principal's secretary and I need her. So thanks for sharing. Happy Birthday, Laura!

 

CBS Evening News Team and Dr. Weast Visit Paint Branch and Mr. Zaleski's Physics  Classes

Panther of the Month Awards for January 2006

9th Grade - Bleck Ngwafang

10th Grade - Christine Lay

11th Grade - Garrett Bailey

12th Grade - Anthony Kironji

Click here for past recipients

 

PANTHER PRIDE  - January, 2006

Congratulations to the Paint Branch Indoor Track Team. The boys team earned second place in the county championship and Marcus Wyche placed first in the 300 meter dash and second in the 500. Anthony Kironji placed 3rd in the 500 meter dash.

We are very proud of our Athletic Director Jeff Sullivan who has completed the Certified Athletic Administrator course and can claim the title of CAA which is sponsored by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.

 

Paint Branch Grads Relish Role Reversal
Nearly a Dozen Alums Have Been Hired to Teach at High School in Montgomery
 

By Lori Aratani
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 17, 2006; Page B07

Some might say it was a fluke that Teresa Cavallo Shatzer got her job teaching health education at Paint Branch High School. But she knows otherwise.

There were two other applicants for the job, and Shatzer, then fresh out college, seemed like a long shot. But the aspiring educator had an advantage the other two candidates didn't: She was a Panther -- a Paint Branch High School Panther, Class of 1992.

Stanford University has its august network of law school alums. Yale has its Skull and Bones society. And Paint Branch High School has a network, too.

Over the years, administrators have hired dozens of former students to educate the next generation of students. This year, 10 graduates -- quite possibly the most of any Montgomery County public school -- are part of the staff at the Burtonsville campus.

"The fact that they went to the school and chose to come back and work here says a lot,'' said Jeanette Dixon, who has hired at least four alumni in the five years she has been principal at the school. "It's wonderful, and it's a unique thing. It's something that's always impressed me about Paint Branch."

Officials say that although Montgomery graduates have returned to the school system as teachers and administrators, no official numbers exist for how many return to their alma mater.

Even so, system spokesman Brian K. Edwards said, "Schools may have one or two alumni, but it is uncommon to have nearly a dozen."

Many of the alumni on staff say that when they decided to pursue teaching, they knew they wanted to do it at Paint Branch. They had fond memories of a campus where teachers really cared and where it felt as if they were part of a giant extended family.

"Where else would I go?" asked Bethany Petr, Class of 1996, who teaches computer programming.

Administrators say that every staff member they hire brings something to the school but that alumni bring more -- a sense of tradition and insider knowledge. They are walking advertisements for the benefits of a diploma from Paint Branch. They know the school, they know the community and they relish being a part of both.

"One of the things that should happen at schools, and I think one of the things that you try to establish, is the extended family," said former Paint Branch principal Fred Lowenbach, who estimates that he hired seven alumni during his six-year tenure at the school.

"Why wouldn't you want them to come back?" added Lowenbach, now principal at John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring, where he has also hired a few Paint Branch alums. "They know the school."

David Newsome, Class of 1979, who played football and basketball at Paint Branch, was a Montgomery police officer before retiring and taking a job in security at the campus. For him, being an alum comes with built-in advantages.

"The kids hate it because I know all the hiding spots," Newsome said. "I tell them, 'Who do you think put them there?' "

Many of the alumni say the most difficult adjustment is getting used to calling colleagues -- teachers who once had the power to send them to detention or fail them -- by their first names.

"They tell you to call them by their first names, and you find yourself answering, "Yes, Mr. So-and-So,' " said Walter Hardy, Class of 1985, who teaches social studies.

Chris Mitchell, who teaches music, was part of Paint Branch's first graduating class, in 1971.

She remembers the rock band that greeted students on the first day of school back in 1969. And she remembers starting many of the traditions that continue today.

Now, after 17 years at Paint Branch, Mitchell said she feels as if she has come full circle: She's teaching with people such as Hardy, whom she taught earlier in her career.

Some teachers find themselves teaching the children of former classmates -- or the children of the children of former classmates.

"You know the kids, and you know the families -- that makes a big difference," said Kim Sweet, Class of 1992, who teaches math.

Still, many alumni say it's sometimes hard to believe that so much time has passed since when they were students .

Hardy recalls a time when he looked up at one of his teachers and thought, "I'm glad I'm not that old guy."

Now in his 14th year at Paint Branch, he laughs. Now, he imagines, some hotshot freshman might be looking up at him and thinking the same thing.

Click here for article
Tuesday, January 17, 2006; Page B07

Showing them what they know
Paint Branch science expo sparks interest of middle schoolers
The Burtonsville Gazette, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006

by Benjamin Hu
Staff Writer

Don Hyun, a Paint Branch High School junior, went over the known facts as observers gathered around the crash site. ‘‘One car was going very fast, one really slow,” he said, pointing to a pair of model cars on the miniature scale neighborhood. ‘‘Right after the crash, both cars moved 10 meters at a 10-degree angle.” He paused, looked around, and asked, ‘‘Who here knows what ‘velocity’ means?” Several of his audience members — all middle school students — raised their hands. Hyun nodded and continued his explanation. Nearby, Hyun’s biology classmates gave similar demonstrations, ranging from a ride simulating a crash-test dummy to a pair of distorting goggles simulating intoxication.

Brian Lewis⁄The Gazette White Oak Middle School seventh-graders (from left) Rachel Cooper, Nyasia Stewart and Miata Alexander listen as Paint Branch High School science student Claudia Ngo explains her project during a Friday science fair at the Burtonsville school.

At Paint Branch’s science exposition on Friday, students like Hyun were no longer just science fair hosts presenting displays. Like the rest of his science class, he was also a car crash expert, a crime scene investigator — and a teacher.

According to Brian Eichenlaub, signature coordinator for Paint Branch High School, the science fair tradition began in 2003, when middle school students were invited to see what their older colleagues are learning and give older students a chance to instruct.

‘‘I think the middle school students get a sense of what awaits them at the high school level,” he said. ‘‘And our high school students get to show off a little of what they’ve learned and be teachers for the day ... you see them puff up and take pride in explaining what they’ve studied.”

This year, the exposition also featured a collaborative effort between a biology class and physics class. When teacher Amanda Wells presented her 10th-grade science class with the topic of car collisions, the biologists and physicists split to research different topics.

‘‘They looked at ways to show a high blood alcohol content, as well as EMT and rescue services,” Wells said. Physicists received information concerning collision velocity, direction and mass, and were required to determine which driver was at fault.

Wells said the benefit also extends to the older students. ‘‘When we get to high school students, we found that having them take on a teaching role really helps them learn better,” she said.

The science exposition featured contributions from all the school’s science classes. More traditional poster board presentations featured studies into mineral, soil and microorganisms — one discussed the effect of sports energy drinks on water fleas. Beyond them, a series of hands-on demonstrations attracted the interest of younger students.

These included a trio of Paint Branch medics wearing lab coats marked ‘‘EMT,” who performed basic medical checkups. This proved especially popular with younger visitors such as Alex Jain, a seventh-grader at White Oak Middle School.

‘‘They took my blood pressure and dropped candy past my hand” as a reactions test, he said. He also enjoyed the crash-test dummy simulation in which team members pushed a visitor in a swivel chair and then stopped abruptly, demonstrating that seatbelts would have made the visitor safer.

‘‘I’m interested in science,” Jain said. ‘‘The science fair is good because they learn about science and how it’s fun at the same time.”

Not all the displays had to be hands-on, however. Jain said his favorite item was watching a soda can expand when heated, then crunch up when suddenly put into cold water.

At middle schools, students already have some experience with science fairs. The crossover with high school expositions gives them broader horizons to think about, said Cherrie Van Hook, who teaches science at Benjamin Banneker Middle School.

‘‘In sixth grade, they’re learning about the scientific process ... this gave them a good opportunity to see projects,” she said. ‘‘A lot of them even recognized the steps of the scientific method in the students’ projects.”

For older students, such as those in seventh grade, the show added to their syllabus of genetics and biology. Also, Van Hook said it served to show interested students what Paint Branch could offer them.

‘‘It helps the kids to see beyond our level of education, and gives them something at the high-school level to strive for,” she said. ‘‘I heard them say afterwards, ‘Wow – this is a much bigger place than our school.’ ... it represents the high school very well.”

Paint Branch Varsity Cheerleaders Take First Place
in Montgomery County Cheerleading Championships

The Paint Branch Varsity Cheerleading Squad won first place on Saturday, December 10, 2005 at the Montgomery County Cheerleading Championships held at Blair High School in Division II. This is the first time in Paint Branch history the cheerleaders won the championship.

The winning squad members are: Tempest Alston, Ali Bussard, Carol Chan, Diana Chao, Alex Chlebowski, Letam Duson, Robin Hall-Johnson, Donna Jacob, Rosemary Lopez, Shannon Murray, Abike Oshodi, Jessie Pelasara, Alex Saunders, Antonette Saunders, Karina Shelton, Cheryl Warga, and Solmaaz Yazdiha.

The Cheerleading squad is coached by Rhonda Sullivan and Jenilee Chirichella. Ms. Sullivan has coached the varsity team for the past four years and Ms. Chirichella, the past two.

To honor the championship team, the school will hang a banner in the gym to join other championship team banners. A halftime ceremony honoring the team is being planned during a January basketball game.

 

Panther of the Month Awards for December 2005

9th Grade - Daniel Gregoire

10th Grade - Sarah Blanchard

11th Grade - Charles Chiang

12th Grade - Dominic McDonald

Click here for past recipients

Paint Branch Student Animation Videos  Broadcast on Montgomery Cable Channel 21 Throughout December

Montgomery Community TV's Cable Channel 21 will be showing the student created animation shorts, "Around the World of Paint Branch High School” and "Paint Branch Summer Institute Animation 2005,” on the following dates:
 

Friday, December 9 at 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 11 at 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, December 14 at 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 17 at 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 25 at 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, December 28 at 9:30 p.m.

"Around the World of Paint Branch High School” was created in March 2005 during a seven day animation workshop supported by Paint Branch’s Signature Program in Science and Media, the Washington Post Grants in Education and the Arts, The ExxonMobil Education Alliance Program, and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County.

Visiting animation artist-in-residence, Leila Cabib, encouraged each student to create an animated sequence about his/her cultural background or another student’s background. There are sixty-two nationalities represented at Paint Branch. Students picked one or several aspects of the country to animate: the country’s flag, its geography, its plants and animals, its celebrations, musical instruments, art, food, buildings, monuments, calligraphy or abstract textile designs.

Each student then created another set of drawings transforming his/her last drawing into the next student’s first drawing, to create a smooth transition from one country to the next. The animation may be viewed from the schools website at the following address:
http://multimedia.mcps.k12.md.us/schools/paintbranchhs/AroundTheWorldOfPBHS.wmv

The students animators who designed and created "Around the World of Paint Branch High School” are: Avedis Aghguiguian, Tristan Alleyne, Jason Anderson, Bradford Bass, Anjali Boray, Khalil Boyd-Davis, Khellie Braxton, Hellen Guimaraes, Bich-Tram Ha, Jesse Hernandez, Anting Hsiung, Jean Jacob, Dennis Johnson, Jason Lentz, Ingrid Leon, Hector Neira, John Niedermair, Sheena Nyarko, Andrew Paek, Alba Paniagua, Moe Rayemo, Sierra Reynolds, Brian Roberts, Regina Stern, Kent Stewart, Jeremy Williams, Rebecca Yu, and Ever Zavala.

“Summer Institute 2005” was created in the summer of 2005, during a five-day animation workshop in Paint Branch’s Summer Institute. The Summer Institute, part of the Signature Program in Science and Media, is a two week program for incoming freshmen and current Paint Branch students. “Summer Institute 2005” is the class product of the Animation course taught by Ms. Cabib.

The student animators who created “Summer Institute 2005” are: Brendyn Andrew, Wendy Appollos, Matthew Brandon, Julia Regan Fanelli, Nigel Graham, Daniel Gregoir, Fernando Herrera, Jose Lorenzo Jimenez, Evan Jones, Meri Kitila, Mindy Miller, Sarah Perret, Alfred Peterson, Daniel Pistolessi, Patrick Posthuma, Stephanie Rozario, Hector Tolentino, Ricardo Tolentino, Kyle Werner and Malcolm Wyche.

Paint Branch High School
HONOR ROLL
1st Grading Period – November 2005

* Indicates student earned all grades of “A”

Panther of the Month Awards for November 2005

9th Grade - Samuel Tucker

10th Grade - Sara Mayes

11th Grade - Jordan Washington

12th Grade - Jennifer Mai

Click here for past recipients

Paint Branch Students Honored at the

Tenth Annual Mark Curtis Awards

Four Paint Branch students were honored at the Tenth Annual Mark Curtis Awards on October 27, 2005. The students were: Senior Christopher Tabisz, and Juniors Emerson Maniwang, Jennifer Seleznow and Valvitcha Tryens-Fernandes. The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) presented the Mark Curtis Awards – the only humanities awards for students in Montgomery County.

The Mark Curtis Awards recognize outstanding achievements in the humanities by Montgomery College students and Montgomery County high school juniors and seniors. Twenty Montgomery County high schools participated this year. Twenty high school seniors received $100.00 each and sixty-two juniors received certificates of excellence. Three Montgomery College students each received a $500.00 scholarship to be applied towards furthering their education at the College. Since 1995, this program has honored nearly 900 students. Since 2001, AHCMC has given students cash awards totaling $19,000.00.

Guest speakers at this year’s award ceremony included: Michelle Norris, Co-Host of All things Considered, National Public Radio; Dr. Jody Leleck, Associate Superintendent of Schools, Montgomery County Public Schools; and Joe Krebs, newscaster for WRC-TV, as Master of Ceremonies.

The Mark Curtis Awards were established to honor the memory of distinguished historian and educator, Dr. Mark Hubert Curtis. In addition to many of other accolades, including serving as president of the American Association of Colleges and University Presidents, Dr. Curtis was the Chairman of the Montgomery County Commission on the Humanities (1984-2000). The Commission on the Humanities merged with the Arts Council of Montgomery County in 2000 to form the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County. The mission of the Arts and Humanities Council is to promote, support and expand cultural activities in the County and to help integrate them into the lives of all residents.

Click here for more information (pdf)

Paint Branch NJROTC Unit Attends

Veterans Day Wreath Laying

On Veterans Day, 11 November, 2005, the Paint Branch NJROTC Unit attended the Presidential ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery. Following the President’s speech and wreath laying at the tomb of the Unknowns, students proceeded to several war memorials for their own wreath laying ceremonies.

In formal ceremonies, they placed large floral wreaths at the Iwo Jima Marine Corps Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the World War II Memorial and the Navy Memorial. The wreath laying ceremonies are to honor Paint Branch family, friends and acquaintances who have served in the armed services.

The floral wreaths were inscribed: "THE STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF OF PAINT BRANCH HIGH SCHOOL, BURTONSVILLE, MARYLAND HONOR WITH PRIDE AND GRATITUDE ALL OF OUR SERVICE MEMBERS, PAST AND PRESENT."

This was done in utmost solemnity after the cadet marched between two rows of the NJROTC Units' officers who rendered salutes with the sword. Veterans of the Paint Branch community were also recognized.

Commander John J. DeCavage, Unit Commander, NJROTC and Quartermaster Chief Petty Officer Scott Williams, lead the Paint Branch Cadets. The Navy Junior ROTC Program is in its third year at Paint Branch High School and consists of 120 students who take part in the joint Navy/public school-sponsored program.

PAINT BRANCH STREAMS DAILY TELEVISION SHOW ON SCHOOL WEBSITE

Only School in Montgomery County to Webcast Daily Show!

The Paint Branch Television Production program, along with webpage students has produced and streamed the daily school newscasts, including the Friday Magazine program, The Show, on the Paint Branch website.

Following each day’s live broadcast, the streamed shows are posted to the web by the end of the school day. In addition, past newscasts are archived monthly. The listed shows are digital recordings of the Morning Daily Announcements broadcast at Paint Branch High School.

Viewers can access the webcasts at: http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/schools/paintbranchhs/news/StreamedDailyAnnouncements.html

When viewers click on a specific day, they will see an unedited recording of the live presentation. Students produce this program and attempt to replicate a real world environment in the studio and deal with the pressures of live daily programming.

While the television programs have been telecast school-wide for the past fifteen years, and different television productions have been on the web for the last several years, Paint Branch is the first MCPS school where daily newscasts are available for public viewing on the web. This complements the scripted version of the Daily Announcements which has been available for the past two years and is emailed daily to paintbranchnet subscribers.

Mr. Robert Mostow and Ms. Leslie Greene, Television Production teachers; Dr. Gary Dorr, Media Specialist; Ms. Bethany Petr, Web Page teacher; Mr. Brian Eichenlaub, Signature and Website Coordinator; and students all work together daily to broadcast the show.

According to the Paint Branch Principal Ms. Jeanette Dixon, “We are pleased to share what is happening at our school with you. As we celebrate our successes, watch us grow and learn from our challenges as excellence is our goal.”

Weather Related School Closings

MCPS Weather/Emergency Information

SUBSCRIBE TO MCPS QuickNotes -- For more information, click here or go to:

 http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/info/quicknotes/

Schools-Out.Com

Winter weather emergencies, such as snow and ice, may cause disruptions in school operations, including the closure of school, a delayed opening, or an early dismissal. Listed below is  information about the procedures used when such disruptions occur. Information also is provided about the weather contingency plan that would add student instructional days to the end of the
scheduled school year if schools are closed for more than four days due to excessive weather emergencies.

Closure of School
When schools are closed system wide, all instructional programs and extracurricular activities in schools are canceled. Private day care providers in school buildings may elect to stay open if the schools are closed but the administrative offices are open. In extreme conditions, administrative offices also may be closed.

Delayed Opening
A delayed opening means that schools open two hours later than scheduled. All buses operate on the same delayed schedule and, therefore, the pick-up times are two hours later than normal. Parents should check for radio or television announcements in the event reconsideration is made at 7:00 a.m.  Click here for the two hours delayed opening schedule.

Early Dismissal
An early dismissal means that schools will close 2.5 hours earlier than scheduled. All buses operate on that same early schedule and, therefore, drop-off times are 2.5 hours earlier than normal. Click here for the early dismissal schedule.

Public Announcements
Information about school operations is announced publicly as soon as possible on area radio and television stations, Cable Channel 60 (converter box), Cable Channel 6 (cable ready) or Cable Channel 34 (digital), Outlook, on the Internet at the Paint Branch home page, or mcps.k12.md.us/info/emergency or at Schools-Out.Com, and on a taped telephone message service at 301-279-3673. If schools are closed or delayed, the announcement is made no later than 6:00 a.m. (or the night before if possible). If schools are closing early, the announcements are made by 11:00 a.m.

Emergency Weather Contingency Plan
An emergency weather contingency plan will add student instructional days to the end of the scheduled school year if schools are closed more than four days because of weather emergencies. The planned school year for students ends on June 15, 2004. However, if schools are closed for more than four days due to weather emergencies, the following schedule would extend the school year in order to add the necessary make-up days:

1.   If schools are closed for five days, the school year will be extended by one day to June 15, 2006.
2.   If schools are closed for six days, the school year will be extended by two days to June 15 and June 16, 2006.
3.   If schools are closed seven days, the school year will be extended by three days to June 15, June 16, and June 19, 2006.
4.   If schools are closed for eight days, the school year will be extended by four days to June 15, June 16, June 19, and
      June 20, 2006.
5.   If schools are closed nine days, the school year will be extended by five days to June 15, June 16, June 19, June 20, and
      June  21, 2006.

For more information about the Paint Branch Calendar, click here.  For the complete MCPS Calendar, click here.

Weather Conditions and Decisions
The school system uses a variety of sources of information to determine whether to close schools, delay the opening of schools, or dismiss schools early. These sources include actual physical inspection of road and school conditions by transportation officials and other staff at areas throughout the county and an analysis of independent reports from the National Weather Service, Accu-Weather, and the news media. The most severe weather conditions within the county are used as the basis for decision-making. Consistent procedures are maintained in order to respond quickly to emergency weather conditions and protect the safety and well being of students.

All public schools within Montgomery County adhere to the same schedule concerning emergency weather conditions. The decision to change school operations is made by the superintendent of schools or his designee and affects all schools within the school system.

MCPS Weather/Emergency Information

SUBSCRIBE TO MCPS QuickNotes -- For more information, click here or go to:

 http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/info/quicknotes/

Schools-Out.Com

SUBSCRIBE TO MCPS QuickNotes

QuickNotes is a new free, e-mail news service from Montgomery County Public Schools. MCPS QuickNotes offers subscribers three options:

• A monthly e-mail newsletter featuring important news on topics such as MCPS-sponsored events, Board of Education highlights, testing and links to other publications and web sites of interest to parents and the community

• Emergency announcements about weather delays and closings

• Periodic updates on topics chosen by the subscriber

QuickNotes is available in English, Chinese, French, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

To subscribe, go to http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/info/quicknotes/  .

Simply fill in your email address and select your preferences to complete the registration process.

 

PAINT BRANCH NEWSPAPER TAKES GOLD IN
COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL COMPETITION

The Paint Branch Newspaper, Mainstream, was named a Gold Medalist in the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Annual newspaper competition.

Mainstream was commended for its “wonderful news coverage . . . excellent briefs” and its “lively, enterprising personality.” The newspaper’s overall format was also highly praised as well as student opinion pieces. The editing of the paper was also praised in terms of style, journalistic grammar and layout.

Sandeep Soman, now a freshman journalism major at Columbia University, was the Editor-in-Chief of the Gold Medal winning newspaper. Mr. Soman also participated in the Washington Post High School Writing Seminar and Scholarship Program which consisted of a group of Saturday seminars. He was the recipient of a $10,000.00 four-year college scholarship from the Washington Post.

Brian Woodward is in his second year as Mainstream Advisor. The Mainstream has won a number of honors under Mr. Woodward’s supervision including a First Place award in the 2004-2005 American Scholastic Press Association’s Annual newspaper competition.

Paint Branch Mathematics Honor Society Inducts
42 New Members

The Paint Branch Mathematics Honor Society held its annual induction ceremony on October 17, 2005 in the school’s Media Center. Seniors were selected for this honor by earning a GPA of 3.5 or higher in all of their high school math courses. Parents and friends were in attendance to congratulate the newest members of the society.

The Mathematics Honor Society is in its fourth year. Potential members complete an application process and mathematics teachers review the applications before making the final selections. Members of the society help underclassmen who are experiencing difficulties in their math classes to succeed.

The 2005- 2006 members are:

Panther of the Month Awards for October 2005

9th Grade - Talia Chicherio

10th Grade - Nathalie Baptiste

11th Grade - Sean Dzierzanowski

12th Grade - Khellie Braxton

Click here for past recipients

Support Our Band!

Order Your Citrus Today!

The annual PBHS Band Boosters citrus sale is now under way. Florida navel oranges, red grapefruit, tangelos and mixed boxes of navel/grapefruit will be delivered to Paint Branch the first or second week in December. Order your citrus today so you have plenty for the holidays and for gift fruit baskets. Citrus orders are now being taken through November 10, 2005.

Place your citrus order in any of the following ways:

1. Calling Ruth McFadden at 301-890-4140 or

2. Calling Geri Ginsberg, Band Booster Vice President, at 301-622-1822 or

2. E-mail Geri Ginsberg at gg2020@comcast.net or

3. Click here for an Order Form (pdf) and mail the form along with your payment to:

Paint Branch High School Band Boosters
14121 Old Columbia Pike
Burtonsville, MD  20866

Please make checks payable to: Paint Branch HS Band Boosters. All payments must be received by November 10, 2005. 

*small cartons weigh approximately 20 pounds
*large cartons weigh approximately 40 pounds

 

ORDERS DELIVERED FOR PICK UP

Monday, December 12, 2005

2:30 pm - 8:00 pm

BASKET BINGO

Paint Branch High School Cafeteria
Saturday, November 19, 2005
12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
   

Tickets     
   $15.00 for 20 games   
$20.00 at the Door

Prize Baskets are genuine Longaberger ^® Products

Lunch, Sweets, Snacks and Beverages for Sale.
Raffles, Door Prizes and Lots of Fun.

Contact Ann McGrath for Ticket Purchase and Information
301-989-3268
annrmcg@juno.com

This Bingo is not affiliated with the Longaberger ^® Company

Proceeds help support the PBHS Instrumental Music Programs

Click here for Printable Information Flier (pdf)

 Panther of the Month Awards for September 2005

9th Grade - Erika Long

10th Grade - Justin Chang

11th Grade - Clayton Lively

12th Grade - Helen Kunkel

Click here for past recipients

 

 

September Panther Pride

A big THANK YOU to Evan Smith and Andy Hamilton, and Evan's mom for all of their hard work in cleaning the pond in the courtyard. We can now see all of the goldfish!

Congratulations to Krissy Willis, Odyssey Randolph, En-Ling Chang, Sylvia Dang, Kevin Hon, Angad Koker and Jean Jacob who won a $325.00 check for Paint Branch in the 2004/2005 Recycling Poster Contest. This money will be used to enhance Paint Branch's recycling program.

Congratulations to the following students who have been designated as Advanced Placement Scholars.

These students received grades of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams:

Kholla Ahmad
Andrew Brimmer
Wing Chan
Amari Davis
Justin Jacob
Andrea Rose Jimenez
Sarah Kim
Nina Kottakuzhiyil
Stephanie Lidd
Tiffany Lin
Vinh Mach
Eileen McGrew
Nhi Nguyen
Sheena Nyarko
James O'Connor
Kathleen Perret
Lauren Perry
Molly Queen
Monique Robinson
Gerry Statham
Eric Sundstrom
Dennie Tom-Wigfield
Katherine Walton
Jaclyn Woodyatt

The following students are AP Students With Honor meaning they received an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP exams and grades of 3 or higher on four or more AP exams:

Krishhna Bhamidipati
Rachel Blair
Edwin Fernandes
Bradley Fischer
Matthew Foerster
Jennifer Mai
Dominic McDonald
Kevin Newman
Grace Paik
Douglas Pickering
Jonathan Shyu
Julianne Wright

The following students are AP Scholars With Distinction meaning these students received an average grade of 3.5 on all AP exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on five or more AP exams:

Sukhdeep Aneja
Matthew Graves
Rajib Quabili

 

Paint Branch has 37 students who have been recognized in the Maryland Distinguished Scholars program as a finalist, semifinalist or honorable mention.

Finalist is Rachel Blair

Two Semifinalists:
Andrew Brimmer
Rebecca Yu

34 Honorable Mentions:

Sukhdeep Aneja
Andrew Bergeris
Krishna Bham Bhamidipati
Hoang Bui
Sumiti Chadda
Eric Chi
Wing Chan
Edwin Fernandes
Erin Harper
Anting Hsiung
Justin Jacob
Sarah Kim
Brian Kuhn
Helen Kunkel
Stephanie Lidd
Vinh Mach
Faheem Mahmooth
Jennifer Mai
Eileen McGrew
Hector Neira
John Niedermair
Palak Patel
Kathleen Perret
Lauren Perry
Douglas Pickering
Sujina Pradhan
Jonathan Shyu
Noorlain Siddiqi
Eric Sundstrom
Molley Tannen
Dennis Tom Wigfel
Wesley Tse
Angeli Yutuc

Congratulations to all of you. We are proud of you.

 

Finally, during the summer we had to hire a new Instrumental Music Director to replace Mr. Phalen. A music position is hard to fill because it is a specialty position in that the teacher has to be able to play an instrument, teach others how to play, and obviously know something about music. Because of the extensive nature of our instrumental music program I was looking for someone with experience to fill this position, however along came Ms. Erin Cooper, the former drum major of the Seneca Valley Marching Band who absolutely blew me away during our interview. While she is in her first year of teaching, she has already made her mark here at Paint Branch providing structure for the program. The Marching Panthers won first place in the recent Tournament of Bands competition under Ms. Cooper's and Katie Kiser, the Drum Major's leadership. Ms. Cooper is doing an excellent job providing structure for the instrumental music position and we look for her to build the program. The Marching Band program is a lot of fun, and I urge students who have some musical talent to consider getting involved in this part of the Paint Branch family. Erin, I'm very proud of you. Keep up the good work.

 

115 PAINT BRANCH STUDENTS NAMED AP SCHOLARS BY COLLEGE BOARD

One hundred and fifteen students from Paint Branch High School have earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program (AP) Exams.
The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program offers students the opportunity to take challenging college-level courses while still in high school, and to receive college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 18 percent of the more than one million high school students in almost 15,000 secondary schools worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to merit the recognition of AP Scholar.

Students took AP exams in May 2005 after completing challenging college-level courses at their high schools. The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on student’s performance on AP exams.

At Paint Branch, five students qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of 4 or higher on a 5-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams. The students are:

Kathryn Anderson
Ruben Lachica
Sandeep Soman
Alan C. Uy
Jonathan M. Zepp

Thirty-four students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These students are:

Twenty-nine students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. These students are:

Fifty-two Paint Branch students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Examinations, with grades of 3 or higher. The AP Scholars are:

This is the third consecutive year the number of Paint Branch AP Scholars has increased; up from 99 AP Scholars named last year and 56 AP Scholars from the 2003 academic year. Paint Branch offers twenty-three Advanced Placement courses to sophomores, juniors and seniors. Last year, 359 students sat for a total of 669 exams with 75% of the students scoring a 3, 4 or 5 earning them college credit. Over 20% of Paint Branch students are enrolled in Advanced Placement classes.

Most of the nation’s colleges and universities award credit, advanced placement or both based on successful performance on the AP Exams. More than 1,400 institutions award a full year’s credit (sophomore standing) to students presenting a sufficient number of qualifying grades.

Mrs. Nancy Hebdon
Montgomery County and Paint Branch
Agnes Meyer Award Winner!

Math Teacher is Winner of Agnes Meyer Award
March 14, 2005

In her daily lessons at Paint Branch High School, mathematics teacher Nancy Hebdon often tells her students, “This math process will be the most exciting thing you learn today.”

The excitement that Hebdon generates in her students, along with her dedication to her colleagues and community, has earned her this year's Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award from The Washington Post.

The prestigious Agnes Meyer Award is presented annually to one teacher from each Washington metropolitan area school district. The winners will be honored by the Post at an April 12 reception.

“I believe that my greatest gift as a teacher is my absolute passion for mathematics,” Hebdon says. “I marvel at its logic, and I seek the thrill of seeing problems solved and applied.”

A math teacher for 35 years, Hebdon has had that passion ever since she envisioned herself a teacher at age 14. After receiving her BA in mathematics from Hood College, she taught in South Carolina for four years before earning an MA in secondary education from George Washington University. She began her career with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) at Parkland Junior High School in 1981 and taught there until 1986, along with serving as an adjunct professor at George Washington University. She has been a mathematics resource teacher at Paint Branch High School since 1986.

As leader of the Math Department at Paint Branch, Hebdon “has been in the forefront of ensuring that our students take algebra, the gateway to college course, and other higher level math classes,” Principal Jeanette Dixon said supporting Hebdon's nomination.

Through active recruitment and the belief that all students should challenge themselves, Hebdon has increased the number of students taking Advanced Placement math courses at Paint Branch. She is credited for helping to raise the average SAT math scores by 15 points from 2003 to 2004.

To keep math alive in the classroom, Hebdon uses humor, current events, situations that attract students' attention, and a calculator called “Irma,” which takes on human characteristics and becomes a motivational tool for students.

In a department that teaches 16 courses, Hebdon has taught 13 -- from pre-algebra for at-risk students to trigonometry to consumer math for seniors. She maintains individual student grades on the Paint Branch web site so parents have immediate access to their child's progress. She also coordinates the Paint Branch High School Mathematics Honor Society, which honors seniors who have maintained a 3.5 grade point average in mathematics.

Hebdon has mentored three student teachers and one Johns Hopkins University intern. She also serves as faculty advisor to the Key Club, an international community service club.

Fellow math teacher Jared Fribush, who had Hebdon when he was a freshman at Paint Branch, says, “I can assure you that every child who takes her class is a better mathematician and person because of her.”

Click here to see Senior Steven Kleuver's nomination video of Mrs. Hebdon

The Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Awards

Humor, Patience a Winning Equation
Meyer Award Goes To Math Teacher At Paint Branch

By Lori Aratani
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 7, 2005; Page GZ06

You can't have a conversation with Nancy Hebdon without asking about Irma.

For more than 30 years, Hebdon, a mathematics teacher at Paint Branch High School, has used Irma -- a calculator -- as a way to make the subject come alive for her students.

Mathematics has always come easy to Hebdon, but she knows others sometime struggle or even dread taking math class. She works hard to help her students see the beauty in, say, problems on the differentiation of inverse trigonometric functions or applied maxima and minima.

"The best day I have is when a student says, 'I get it,' " she said.

In ninth grade, Hebdon's math teacher asked her to tutor another student who was having difficulty with algebra. The experience got her hooked on teaching.

"I knew then, I wanted to do this for the rest of my life," she said.

Hebdon majored in mathematics at Hood College in Frederick. She began teaching in 1969 at Fort Johnson High School in South Carolina. She landed at Parkland Middle School in Rockville in 1981 and has been at Paint Branch since 1986.

At Paint Branch, Hebdon has long been a favorite among students who appreciate her dry sense of humor and her slightly skewed take on life. She teaches three classes and is head of the math department. Despite her administrative responsibilities, Hebdon refuses to step back from teaching.

"I have to teach," she said. "For me it's a way to stay connected to the kids."

That connection to the students is very strong.

"I had never actually looked forward to a math class until I had Mrs. Hebdon," wrote Rachel Blair, one of Hebdon's former students, in a letter that was part of the educator's nomination packet. "Mrs. Hebdon could keep a group of the rowdiest kids riveted to her every word. She showed me I could excel in something that I have never thought of as a strength before.

"Thank you."

Anchors aweigh for Paint Branch grads
Three attending Naval Academy, one on the way

The Burtonsville Gazette
by Benjamin Hu
Staff Writer

July 20, 2005

Ryan Rager has wanted to join the military for years, and when Paint Branch High School offered Naval Junior ROTC in his junior year, he decided to shoot for the Navy. This summer, Rager and three other Paint Branch graduating seniors -- Walter Scott Buitrago, Kevin Snyder and Kenneth Lee -- were accepted into the prestigious U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, in an extraordinary accolade for them and their high school. "People say they're lucky if they even get four acceptances from the state of Maryland -- then we get four in from the same school," Rager said. The young men all knew each other: Rager played sports with Snyder. Lee has known Rager since elementary school, and Buitrago was an NJROTC colleague. In choosing to go to the Naval Academy, all four will get to serve their country as they complete their education. For parents and families, the pride of sending their loved ones to a top military college is tempered by the commitment: four years of school, followed by five years of service.

Dan Gross/The Gazette The Rager family (from left) C.J., 12, Lisa, Chris, Sara, 16, and Ryan (front) pose at the family home Friday. Ryan will attend the U.S. Naval Academy with some of his friends from Paint Branch High School after he attends Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania in the fall.

Walter Scott Buitrago will spend four years in Annapolis, and then train to be a pilot at Pensacola, Fla., according to his father, Walter Buitrago. That would mean at least four years in the academy and another two in Pensacola to pay back in service. "He thought about the commitment, and he's aware of it," Buitrago said. The commitment is not just the years of his life, but also the strain that frequent relocation would have on a family. "[With] a military career, you're always running around from one place to another, and your own family could suffer from that ... but he's aware of it, and we'll see whether he will continue." Rager will spend a year at Mercersburg Academy, a boarding school in Mercersburg, Pa., as part of the academy's foundation program, and will move to the academy next year if he remains a high-scoring candidate in good standing. For the three recruits already at Annapolis, the intense training of plebe summer boot camp began in late June, with all communications except written letters tightly restricted. They will focus on a demanding physical regimen to prepare them for their fall semester. Each candidate applied not only with the academy itself, but also for the endorsement of local elected officials. Ultimately, U.S. Rep. Albert R. Wynn (D-Dist. 4) of Mitchellville endorsed all four Paint Branch applications. For Rager, the military will dominate his life plans. After Mercersburg and then four years at the academy, he hopes to train to be a pilot at Pensacola for another two years, resulting in a 14-year commitment that will end when he's 33 years old. "Sometimes I'll wake up in the morning and think, 'It's 5 a.m., but I'll be getting up earlier than this for the rest of my life,'" he said. The recruits all show strong academic performance, leadership roles inside or out of the ROTC program and an involvement in sports. Rager and Buitrago both took part in NJROTC at Paint Branch, and both attended several summer Army camps before deciding on the Navy. But for Snyder and Lee, the recruitment efforts targeted their sports abilities in football and gymnastics, respectively. In both cases, military involvement was a relatively sudden issue for the families to accept. Snyder's father, Shep, said the family had only known about Kevin's prospects with the academy since August 2004. "Kevin wasn't quite sure what to make of it," Shep Snyder said. "He wanted to be an engineer, just as I'm an engineer myself. ... For his military expectations, it was a very new thing, unlike Ryan [Rager], who's been considering it for years." After hearing of his acceptance to the academy, things moved quickly. After graduating from Paint Branch June 10, Kevin Snyder had three weeks to meet with some friends and relatives for a few farewells before heading to Annapolis. Shep Snyder said he would get to see his son again during 36 hours of liberty in August, but that depended on Kevin's football commitments, which could fall during his weekends and other free time. The Snyders mail packages and letters instead to Kevin, and send gifts of candy. Kevin's mother, sister and two dogs all feel the loss at home. "His 18th birthday is coming right up," Shep Snyder said. "He'll graduate when he's 21, but it will be 25 or 26 before he can choose if he wants to stay in the military." One mother, however, says she is not particularly worried about her son being able to handle the workload. Jihi Lee of Rockville has faith that her son, Kenneth Lee, will cope, since his punishing schedule of gymnastics practice has prepared him for plebe camp. "The last couple of years, he would finish school at Paint Branch every day and then drive down the Beltway to Burke, Va., for his gymnastics practice," which lasted three hours, Lee said. "Then he'd come home at about 7:30 p.m. to start his homework. ... I told him it's going to be even better at camp because you won't have to drive anymore." Jihi Lee also first learned of the academy barely a year ago, but believes that Kenneth will find its discipline a welcome continuation of his gymnastics regimen. "Gymnastics is a very serious sport, and he's been doing it since he was 4-and-a-half years old," she said. "He's been in the junior national competition seven times." The Lee family has a strong tradition of military service. Lee's paternal grandfather graduated from a military academy in South Korea, and his father performed his mandatory two-and-a-half years' conscription in the South Korean army. All of the young men are their families' eldest sons, and while they're at the academy, younger siblings inherit their bedrooms or cars. It can take time for a family to adjust to the absence. "There's definitely an emptiness in the house ... his room is the same way it was when he left," Walter Buitrago said, with basketball trophies and a computer that Walter Scott assembled on his own. When his wife reads letters from him, sometimes tears appear in her eyes, Buitrago said. "As a mother, she asks, 'Why are you going there? Is it dangerous?' But if we think like that, anything and anywhere you go could be dangerous," Buitrago said. After completing plebe training, recruits will attain the rank of midshipman and draw a monthly stipend. They also can be called upon for service in the event of a military action -- an unlikely scenario, but one that gives some parents pause. Shep Snyder knows his son will take it year by year, and decide on his own what he wants. "It's his choice, and nobody would be disappointed at all if he decides this is not for him," he said, adding that the freshman class of 1,200 typically whittles down to 950 graduates through attrition. "Either way, it's an unbelievable education opportunity."   http://www.gazette.net/200529/burtonsville/news/285516-1.html From the White House to Paint Branch Former guard with the Secret Service now watches over students The Burtonsville Gazette by Benjamin Hu Staff Writer July 27, 2005 Rachael Golden/The Gazette Kelly McDonnell, a security guard at Paint Branch High School during the school year, directs students to their classrooms Tuesday morning during her summer school assignment at Rockville High School. Prior to becoming a school security guard, McDonnell worked for the Secret Service on the personal security team for former President George H.W. Bush. As a member of the Secret Service, Kelly McDonnell once safeguarded the lives of U.S. presidents. Now, as a senior security guard at Montgomery County Public Schools, she works to ensure the well-being of the students in her care. McDonnell works at Paint Branch High School during the school year, and often provides security at summer schools throughout the county. A big part of her job is staying in tune with what's important to the students, ranging from relationships to cars. "The students feel they can tell me things," she said. "During the first week of school, I'll be clued in about what's going on: who's dating who, and who broke up ... I'll know who's going to show up with a new car -- so I also know where all the students will be hanging around in the parking lot." Knowledge of the small issues helps her keep track of bigger issues when they arise: tackling drug use in public schools and helping students resolve differences with each other and teachers. "She has a great relationship with the students. She's somebody they feel free to go and tell about things," said Jeanette Dixon, principal at Paint Branch. "If I need something done, I usually go to her first." The contribution of McDonnell and the five other security staff is vital, even if it's not always visible. "They provide security for student concerts and football games -- a lot of our events couldn't happen without their help," she said, "but it's also just a general feeling of safety, so teachers can teach and students can learn." Protecting the president School security is a big change from her previous job with the Secret Service, where instant responses override subtleties. McDonnell joined President Ronald Reagan's protection team in 1988. In the following four years of President George H. W. Bush's term, she went to work each day knowing she might have to take a bullet for the president. "There's a high expectation that you'd be in excellent physical shape," she said. "You'd be ready to fall on him to protect him, or first lady [Barbara Bush] or even the White House puppy, Millie." Agents had to be able to stay alongside President Bush as needed, whether he was jogging or riding horseback at his Texas ranch. However, the greatest exhaustion resulted from the mental alertness required at all times: watching the crowd during a press conference or keeping an eye on visitors during White House tours. "You were always watching people for any sudden moves," she said. "People would grab out at him -- not to hurt him, but more to touch him, and you have to stop that." More seriously, people occasionally scaled the White House fence and charged the president or the White House. "I had a guy who did it as a fraternity dare," she said. "You don't know if they could be carrying a bomb or a weapon ... it's not much fun for either of you if you have to dive on them wearing a suit." With safety as the bottom line, the Secret Service agents often had to take steps that some saw as aggressive. McDonnell remembers incidents when protesters would refuse to move and have to be physically removed. "If you lie down and refuse to move, I have to drag you out," she said. "In the media, you see Secret Service members dragging people away and it looks heavy-handed, but we work on removing them in a humane way -- sometimes they're trying to bite or kick you." Agents shoulder demanding workloads -- often up to 12 hours a day for seven days a week -- with the knowledge that they are likely to give up their holidays for the White House Easter Egg Roll and the Christmas tree lighting. Large-scale events, such as inaugural parades or banquets, were particularly stressful. Your personal life -- birthdays and anniversaries -- is always on hold, as agents could be called out at mere hours' notice, McDonnell said. The knowledge of putting your life on the line for the president also exacts a heavy psychological toll. "Every day you go to work knowing you might not be coming back," she said. "You wear a bulletproof vest, but you could easily be shot in the head." McDonnell was a college graduate when she began working for the Secret Service, but she found herself having to make decisions far beyond her years. She had to choose her preferred hospitals for emergency treatment, had to decide whether to be kept alive if she was ever left brain-dead, and even how her family should be notified -- in person, or by phone. "I was in my 20s, but I was already planning for my funeral," McDonnell said. "It was crazy." Agents also have to commit to silence about their job. After any high-stress incidents, such as having to dive on a suspect or remove a protester, agents get some time to debrief with an agency counselor. "You have somebody to talk to and work through the event, but I've known people who didn't want to share stuff because they were worried they might be fired," she said. "You also can't unburden yourself to your husband at home after work. ... A good day is when nothing happens at all." Protecting the students McDonnell left the Secret Service in 1991 to take a year at home with her newborn daughter, Marcella. When she returned to the job market, the Montgomery County Public Schools had started a new recruitment drive for ex-law enforcement officers. Despite a substantial pay cut, McDonnell loves her job because she doesn't have to compromise on time spent with her children. Her own workday finishes shortly after schools let out. "Money wasn't a big factor," she said. "I get to be there for my kids, and I'm saving the money I would have spent on hiring a full-time nanny." Her work still requires constant perception and observation -- and not just during times of emergency such as the late 2002 sniper incident. Each September, she learns the faces of all the students to catch class-cutters from another school. Telltale signs help her fight drugs and alcohol abuse: knowing when students are bringing large amounts of cash, or exchanging money in school. The greatest allies for this, she said, are the students themselves, and her job satisfaction comes from helping students improve themselves. "Say you have a student who's hanging around in the corridor during class -- they say they don't like their teacher," McDonnell said. Instead of punishing the student, the important response is to talk to them about how to resolve the situation. "You might ask them if they want to graduate, then ask whether this teacher is important to that goal," she said. "They might not like a lot of people who will be important to their goals, but they need to find a way to manage and work with them." In the corridors and lunch halls, students think of McDonnell as a friend, not an enforcer. "She's a very down-to-earth person," said Morgan Mills, who will start her junior year at Paint Branch in August. "She can relate to us, because she has two daughters and she always has time to talk to you." Mills recalled chatting with McDonnell in her freshman year, and they talked about measures they were trying to keep the school safe. In her role as a security guard, she's businesslike. "She's very calm and she doesn't get loud; she's more like clear," Mills said. "If I ever had a problem, like with people in class, I know I could go to her." At any public school, security guards are more likely to be making sure visitors sign in, and patrolling the hallways and parking lot. The most frequent issues McDonnell has with students are the most mundane: cell phone use and inappropriate attire. "There seems to be an unfair view of Paint Branch as a tough place," McDonnell said. "If I thought it was an unsafe environment, I wouldn't have been working there for 12 years." http://www.gazette.net/200530/burtonsville/news/286614-1.html