Week in State News: Reliving the Purple Glory, Going Hollywood, Panic Buttons in Schools?

Stories you may have missed across the state.

  By Patch Staff Relive the Ravens Super Bowl Parade (VIDEO) There's only one place to see the parade as though you were there. Also, check out photos of the trophy and the purple sea of humanity here. Baltimore Native, UMD Grad Makes it to Hollywood for American Idol Kriss Mincey is a relative newcomer to the music scene. At Aberdeen High School, Mincey—who grew up in Baltimore, Richmond and points in between—took up dance and came out of her shell. She never returned to that shell. Now, Mincey, 22, is on the world's stage as a contestant on American Idol.  Accused Maryland School Shooter to be Charged as Adult Adult charges will stand against the student accused of opening fire inside Perry Hall High School on the first day of school, …

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Would Schools Be Safer With Armed Officers?

After the Newtown, CT school shooting, Maryland legislators are looking at a number of ways to make schools safer.

According to Annapolis Patch, delegates from Anne Arundel County are introducing legislation on Tuesday, Jan. 22 in hopes of increasing security and mental health services at public schools across the state. The proposed bill would also pay for an armed resource officer at each school. "If you really understand public schools in Maryland, you know this: They are becoming increasingly more difficult for classroom teachers because discipline is lacking at home and teachers are spending an increasing amount of time maintaining discipline in the classroom," said Del. Nic Kipke (R-Pasadena). In Montgomery County, Councilman Craig Rice (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown, a vocal advocate of school resource officers stationed in schools, told a room full …

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School Safety Task Force Meets with PTA

Members of the school safety task force met with PTA officials in Howard County. Lisa Schlossnagle has the report on her blog, Lisa B, Mrs. S.

School Safety, Public Hearings and More: HCPSS Newsletter

Get information from the school system on important dates, meetings and ways to stay involved in your child's education.

Joint Task Force on School Safety to Meet Next Week

The county task force was formed in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting.

  The Howard County Joint Task Force on School Safety will meet for the first time on Jan. 8 in Columbia to discuss ways to make local schools safer in the wake of the Sandy Hook, CT school shooting. The task force is made up of representatives from county government, schools and police. The forum on Jan. 8 is being held to solicit feedback from the community on school safety and emergency planning. The forum will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Wilde Lake High School Cafeteria at 5460 Trumpeter Road in Columbia. The task force is chaired by Chief of Police William McMahon, Howard County Public Schools' Executive Director of School Improvement and Administration William Ryan and HCPSS Acting Chief of Operations and Finance Ken Roey. …

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County Schools Cautious After Sandy Hook Shooting

County schools are focusing on safety and support measures after the Connecticut school shooting.

Update - 5 p.m. - This post has been updated to include information about a new joint task force dedicated to identifying and dealing with possible violence. Howard County schools are focusing on safety and support measures in the wake of the deadly school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. On Monday, the school system reported it would hold staff meetings to review emergency plans at each school, discuss visitor policies and guideline reporting procedures for suspicious activity, according to a county statement. "We must remain vigilant and provide our children and teachers with the help they may need," said County Executive Ken Ulman in a statement. The school system has asked teachers, administrators and other …

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Howard County Police to Increase Patrols Near Schools After Connecticut Shooting

Police recently concluded an in-service training of their "active shooter plan."

  Howard County Police said Friday afternoon they would be increasing patrols around schools next week after an elementary school shooting in Connecticut. A gunman allegedly killed 27 people, including 20 children, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, according to Newtown Patch. The gunman was reportedly found dead inside the school. Howard County police spokesperson Sherry Llewellyn said the department recently concluded in-service training to review the department's "active shooter plan" with its members. "We also conduct drills to simulate mass shooting incidents," wrote Lllewelyn in an email. "The procedure has police working closely with the school system, which has systems in place to reach out to parents quickly." …

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Police Talk Stranger Danger to Howard County Parents

Howard County police met with parents in the wake of several reports of suspicious activity involving kids and strangers.

One day, when Jeff was away from home, someone threw a mailbox through his front window. “That’s when I got the camera,” he said, standing in the cafeteria of Rockburn Elementary School on Tuesday evening.  Jeff, who asked that his last name not be printed, not only installed a security camera on his property, but also a license plate tag reader.  He joined other parents from around Howard County on Tuesday to discuss child safety with members of the Howard County Police Department in the wake of several reported “suspicious circumstances” involving children.  Since December, there have been seven reports of suspicious strangers attempting to engage or acting suspicious near children, according to the police department. “We don’t think any…

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