Former NFL wide receiver Qadry Ismail, who played three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and was a member of their Super Bowl XXXV championship team, has been hired as the new men’s track coach at Patterson Mill High School in Bel Air.
Ismail, 39, retired from the NFL following the 2002 season, which he played with the Indianapolis Colts. Ismail has lived in Harford County for several years.
Ismail has been working with the team since their season began March 1, according to Jason Bellamy, Patterson Mill’s athletic director. Bellamy said Ismail has been fully involved with the team and their practices so far.
“That’s what’s been great about him,” said Bellamy, who is in his first year as Patterson Mill’s AD. “He’s out there every day, he’s all about working with the kids.
Bellamy said the school approached Ismail to serve as coach.
“I don’t remember how exactly it came about, but we were ...Continue Reading
In the following letter to Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Nancy Grasmick, a former educator requests an independent investigation into Drama Therapy, the controversial drama production shown to students at Havre de Grace High School at a school-wide assembly held in early December, 2009. The letter to Dr. Grasmick generated a response of sorts. More on that in a minute. First, here’s the letter from Churchville resident, Barbara Falukner-Davis.
Ms. Faulkner-Davis told The Dagger that she first heard about Drama Therapy from an upset friend who is a parent in the Havre de Grace district. Faulkner-Davis is not a parent herself; she says she got involved as a former educator, a taxpayer and a concerned citizen. She says she isn’t trying to get anyone fired, but Faulkner-Davis thinks Drama Therapy should not be shown during the school day and that program’s therapeutic efforts were inappropriate. After viewing a ...Continue Reading
In the following letter dated January 21, 2010, Havre de Grace High School Principal Patricia Walling invites parents to see a video of the controversial production known as Drama Therapy and outlines a four-point action plan being implemented for future productions.
Drama Therapy is a changing series of short plays which have been presented by students at Havre de Grace High since 2007. The plays often deal with serious topics including incest, abortion, teen suicide, recovered memory and substance abuse.
Curiously, an envelope containing Principal Walling’s letter to the parents and guardians of Havre de Grace High School students shows neither a return address nor any other indication that the letter was sent from the school. The screening of Drama Therapy, planned for Wednesday, January 27, at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium, was not noted on the calendar posted on the school’s web site as of Sunday, January 24.
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum, in partnership with the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA), recently announced the winners of its Second Annual Maryland Statewide High School Juried Art Show whose artwork will be showcased at the museum from January 17th to February 28th to commemorate the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. The exhibition will feature works by young artists from several regions across the state which include Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford, and Prince George’s counties.
Out of 60 entries submitted for this competition, 18 finalists’ pieces were selected to be featured in the show. One of the finalists in this year’s competition is Henry Obi, a tenth grader at Joppatowne High School, who submitted his artwork, “Reflections.” Young artists entered works responding to the theme of art and social issues, as inspired by the museum’s special exhibition, From Process to Print: Graphic Works by Romare Bearden (organized ...Continue Reading
C. Milton Wright High School will host the Seventh Annual College Night on Monday, February 22nd, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
in the school’s gymnasium. This event is FREE and open to ALL high school students and parents in Harford County. More than
80 prestigious colleges, universities, technical schools and military contacts from the Mid-Atlantic region will be participating in
the event. College Night enables Harford County high school students and their parents to meet directly with college admissions
representatives to learn more about academic studies, campus life, the admission process and tuition.
In public comments at a school board meeting Monday, several Havre de Grace parents spoke about Drama Therapy. Support for the students was nearly a universal theme, most parents called for better oversight and no one said the program should be abolished, but opinions varied widely on just about everything else.
Parent Tom Barnes said he had been abused as a child and that a program like Drama Therapy would have made an impact on his life, “I would not have attempted suicide in my later teens. I would have found help.” Parent Glenn Gorleski said the program should be improved and expanded “This program gives a voice to many to be heard. These are real issues and we need to listen.” Student Justine Cerruto, who performed in one of the plays, said that the treatment of students with disabilities improved at Havre de Grace HS as a result ...Continue Reading
Harford County public school administrators acknowledged late last week that they did not preview the content of a program called Drama Therapy before it was shown to the public and to all students in a general assembly at Havre de Grace High School in early December, 2009. After a review of Drama Therapy prompted by questions from parents, administrators said the program, which had previously been endorsed by Harford County Public Schools, would undergo a number of changes.
Drama Therapy is a series of short plays, some of which are written by Havre de Grace students or alumni. The plays change from year to year and deal with serious issues including teen suicide, incest, sexual activity, recovered memory and substance abuse. The program itself was jointly developed four years ago by two Havre de Grace teachers and the school’s guidance counselors. Students who see the plays are urged to seek counseling ...Continue Reading
Havre de Grace High School has a program called Drama Therapy that was developed with good intentions and is promoted by Harford County Public Schools. So why are parents having such a hard time getting access to the content?
Drama Therapy takes the form of short plays addressing serious issues like incest, teen suicide, sexual abuse, recovered memories and substance abuse. The plays are performed by Havre de Grace HS students and some of the plays are written by the school’s students or alumni. The plays have been presented to students during the school day and to the public in an evening performance.
According to the HCPS newspaper, Harford Schools, Drama Therapy was jointly developed by Havre de Grace HS teachers and school counselors. Clearly, Drama Therapy was planned to be more than entertainment.
Co-developer and drama teacher Mark Cummins wrote in the program for this year’s performance that he sought help ...Continue Reading
The year 2009 opened on a sad note in Harford County with residents still mourning the death of prominent, longtime school superintendent Jacqueline Haas. Before the year was over, Harford County would lose two other wellknown female leaders – former delegate Joanne Parrott and Harford County Councilwoman Veronica Chenowith.
It was also a year of contradiction. Even as President-Elect Barack Obama slowed his inaugural train ride through Edgewood in January to wave and thank a thousand or so supporters, there were a thousand or so more Harford County residents who fought tooth-and-nail in September to prevent President Obama’s live address to be shown to their children during the school day.
Bel Air High School was demolished and Fallston Library was spared from closure. Art Helton survived another political scandal in Aberdeen while Harford County’s delegation to the Maryland General Assembly played a furious and humiliating game of musical chairs in Annapolis.
Delegate Donna Stifler used her shoe to take a whack at the cornerstone of the new Bel Air High School during a Rededication Ceremony October 11.
When a box designed to hold commemorative items wouldn’t fit all the way into the cornerstone, Stifler said she saw a bunch of men trying to push it down with their hands. But that didn’t work, so Stifler took off a black pump and let loose.
After a few thumps from her shoe and help from someone with a trowel, the insert was coaxed into place and the new cornerstone was laid without further incident.
