Charles County graduations moving back to county

 

Interesting News!

Where should they graduate?

“Charles County high school graduations are coming home in 2015.

The class of 2015 will walk across stages in Charles County to accept their diplomas, reversing a 13-year-old practice of holding CCPS graduations at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro.

This is the last school year for CCPS graduations outside of the county, said Superintendent Kimberly Hill, a proponent of in-county graduations. “Graduation is an important milestone, and one that I believe should take place right here in our own community,” Hill said.

Hill’s decision to require Charles County locations for the class of 2015 graduations is based partly on a policy change at the Show Place Arena. The Show Place Arena changed its rules, limiting Charles County to two rather than three graduations each day. As a result, graduations for the class of 2014 are spread across three days, creating challenges for after-graduation activities like Project Graduation. Five of Charles County’s six high schools have used the Show Place Arena for graduations since 2001. The school system secures graduation dates, times and locations more than a year in advance, locking in the Show Place Arena for this school year.

High school principals are already planning for 2015 and asking the class of 2015 parents and students for feedback about possible graduation locations. A 2015 graduation location survey is posted on the CCPS website at http://www.ccboe.com and on each school’s website. This year’s junior class will be the first affected by the change. There are a number of options available to schools, Hill said. “Schools will determine their graduation location and can choose to hold graduations at their own facility, in the Convocation Center at North Point High School or at another Charles County venue. It is up to the principal and school community to decide,” Hill said.

“Charles County is a great place to live, to work and to go to school. Graduates of Charles County Public Schools should be recognized for their accomplishments in our community, and we look forward to making these events memorable for our graduates and their families,” Hill said.

This school year, Henry E. Lackey, La Plata, Maurice J. McDonough, Thomas Stone and Westlake high schools graduation ceremonies are scheduled at the Show Place Arena on May 30, June 2 and June 3. McDonough seniors graduate at 10:30 a.m. on May 30, followed by Lackey at 3:30 p.m. La Plata’s commencement begins at 10:30 a.m. on June 2; Westlake follows at 3:30 p.m. Thomas Stone’s seniors graduate at 10:30 a.m. on June 3. North Point seniors graduate at 6 p.m., June 3, in the convocation center at the school.

McDonough relocated its graduation from the school to the Show Place Arena in 1995, a move gradually followed by the other high schools. By 2001, all five CCPS high schools held ceremonies at the Prince George’s County facility. North Point uses its convocation center, which has seating for nearly 4,700, for graduation ceremonies, a practice, started with its first graduating class in 2009.

Charles County Public Schools provides 26,500 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 35 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.”

 

 

 

Source: http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/34000

Local Navy Contract Awards

Congrats!

“WASHINGTON (Oct. 22, 2013)—The U.S. Department of Defense recently announced the following contract awards that pertain to local Navy activities.

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $30,000,000 fixed-price-incentive (firm-target) modification to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-13-C-0014), to provide long lead-time parts, materials and components required for the delivery of two additional Low Rate Initial Production Lot VIII F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Takeoff and Landing aircraft for the Government of Japan. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in July 2014. Foreign military sales funding in the amount of $30,000,000 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting authority. (Awarded Oct. 11, 2013)

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Va., was awarded a $9,932,848 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for non-recurring engineering services for the finalization of technical data packages; and pre-production/production units for ship self-defense Mk2 command and control hardware for LSD 50, LSD 52, CVN 72 and CVN 78. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Va., and is expected to be completed by October 2015. Fiscal 2012 and 2013 other procurement, Navy and Fiscal 2013 research, development, test and evaluation funding in the amount of $$2,657,064 was obligated at time of award. Contract funds in the amount of $2,440,602 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) only one or limited number of sources and no other suppliers will satisfy the requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, Va., is the contracting activity (N00178-14-D-3003). (Awarded Oct. 9, 2013)

General Atomics, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a$51,997,981 not-to-exceed order against a previously issued Basic Ordering Agreement (N68335-11-G-0003) for the procurement of Advanced Arresting Gear equipment required to stand up the Runway Arresting Landing Site (RALS) in support of CVN-78 testing. RALS will enable the Navy to run arresting simulations with live aircraft prior to employing those aircraft onboard ship. In addition, RALS will enable the Navy to troubleshoot issues found during certification and deployment of CVN-78. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif. (65 percent); Tupelo, Miss. (15 percent); Boston, Mass. (10 percent); Philadelphia, Pa. (5 percent ); Newark, N.J. (2.5 percent) and Dallas, Texas (2.5 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2016. Fiscal 2013 other procurement, Navy contract funds in the amount of $25,479,010 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity.”

Source: http://somd.com/news/headlines/2013/17324.shtml

 

Letters to Troops

Such A Great Idea!!!! 🙂

“Calvert Library Tween Veteran’s Day Event

Looking for something meaningful to do for Veteran’s Day? Gail Black, local community volunteer, and veteran Louie Cano, will join us to share stories about the significance of letters to servicemen and women. You can make a real difference by joining in this Tween event at the library. You’ll discover why letter writing is not a lost art, write your own letters to troops, and create original artwork to send abroad. Tweens in Grades 5, 6, and 7, please join us at Calvert Library in Prince Frederick on November 12, 2013, 6:30 to 8:00 pm.

Local Community Volunteer Gail Black has been sending cards and care packages to troops for the past decade. She will share her experiences and help us kick off our Letters to Troops Campaign. Veteran Louie Cano will talk about what letters, even letters from people you don’t know, can mean to you when you are serving your country far from home.

From Veteran’s Day 2013 to January 2014, each branch of the Calvert Library will collect items for our troops. On January 14, 2014, tweens will come together again for “Packages & Pizza” night to pack and decorate boxes for shipping to our troops.

To register, please visit us online at calvert.lib.md.us or call Calvert Library at 410-535-0291.”

Source: http://smnewsnet.com/archives/82206