School board briefs

November 04, 2004

School board honors teen magician

The Washington County Board of Education on Wednesday honored Harry "Buddy" Barton, 15, a magician who has been diagnosed with chronic liver disease.

Last month Barton, of Hagerstown, was named Washington County's Most Wonderful Citizen for 2004. He will attend the state event, Maryland You Are Beautiful, on Nov. 10, at 7 p.m., at St. John's College in Annapolis.

Barton travels to various activities and events, where he performs magic to lift the spirits of his audience. His tricks include making faces of cards disappear and bending nails.

Schools met adequate yearly progress goals

The Maryland State Department of Education has determined that Washington County Public Schools is one of 15 school systems in the state that met set Adequate Yearly Progress goals, Washington County Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Morgan said.

The goals stem from federal mandates, she said during Wednesday's meeting of the Washington County Board of Education.

ThompsonGas, a Boonsboro-based company, has given a $4,510 grant to Pleasant Valley Elementary School to fund a creative arts project.

During Wednesday's Washington County Board of Education meeting, board members and other school systems officials thanked Randy Thompson, the company's president, for the donation.

The money is intended to be used for a program in which students will choose a career interest to research and develop into a "photo-journalistic article," a written staff report said. The project is scheduled to run from January to June.

- Scott Butki

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