Elementary School

A groundbreaking for a new Bester Elementary School in Hagerstown will not be held Tuesday as scheduled because of the threatening weather. A school spokesman said a new date set has not been set for a groundbreaking.

About 70 people attended an informational meeting Wednesday night where officials briefed the public on the plans for the proposed “West City” elementary school in the Hager's Crossing development in Hagerstown's West End. Chad Criswell, a senior project manager and planning supervisor for Washington County Public Schools, and two others laid out details including bus traffic associated with the school, its outdoor recreational features and...

The newly renovated Mercersburg Elementary School earned an A-plus from students, teachers and parents on the first day of school Monday. “It made the first day way better,” said fifth-grader Syrus Maldonado, whose first word as he entered the building was, “wow!” The $7 million project upgraded all the mechanical systems at the school, placed the media center/library in the courtyard and revamped the building to accommodate relocating the central office from 118 E. Seminary St. in Mercersburg to the elementary school.

Hagerstown residents voiced their concerns Wednesday night about the $1.5 million pricetag for land being considered for a new “West City” elementary school and how the new school would affect the academic performance of students at Winter Street Elementary School. The Washington County Board of Commissioners recently approved the purchase of a 16.5-acre tract at the Hager's Crossing housing development west of Hagerstown for the new elementary school that could replace Conococheague and Winter Street elementary schools.

The Washington County Board of Education will have a work session Oct. 16 to discuss educational specifications for the new “West City” elementary school, said board member Donna Brightman, who is chairwoman of the board's Facilities Committee. The work session is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and will be held in the board auditorium at the Central Office off Commonwealth Avenue, according to the school system. Educational specifications are the features the school system wants in a school, including the number of classrooms and the size of the gymnasium.

A 6-year-old Burke Street Elementary School student was struck by a vehicle Friday morning in front of the school in the 400 block of West Burke Street in Martinsburg, according to Berkeley County school and emergency services officials. The girl, who appeared to have a cut on her chin, was treated at City Hospital in Martinsburg and released, according to police, school and hospital officials. The driver, Ashley J. King, 22, of Martinsburg, was cited for having no operator's license and speeding in a school zone, according to Martinsburg Police Cpl. Adam Albaugh.

Washington County went to settlement Friday with Hagers Crossing Multifamily LLC for the purchase of 16.5 acres for almost $1.6 million. The signing took place Friday morning, County Attorney John M. Martirano said. The Washington County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 on Tuesday to give the final go-ahead on the purchase of the land for a planned West City elementary school. David C. Lyles signed the papers for the seller and was listed as a member of the limited liability corporation, Martirano said.

Greencastle-Antrim School District met state adequate yearly progress benchmarks for reading and math last school year, but the elementary school did not. Bob Crider, director of educational operations, gave a presentation to the school board Thursday night on the district's AYP results. He said the district as a whole made AYP, but the elementary school is on a warning list due to two subgroups - economically disadvantaged in reading and IEP (Individualized Educational Program)

A shooting at a Connecticut elementary school Friday left 27 people dead, including 18 children, an official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was still under way. Another official, speaking on condition of anonymity for the same reason, said the gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown was killed and apparently had two guns. Stephen Delgiadice said his 8-year-old daughter heard two big bangs and teachers told her to get in a corner.

Schools legislative liaison is recognized On behalf of the Washington County Board of Education, Schools Superintendent Clayton Wilcox recently presented a certificate of recognition and a pin to the board's legislative liaison, Ardath Cade. “One of the things that we've been blessed with are your services,” Wilcox told Cade during the school board's May 7 meeting. Wilcox said that, not long ago, a member of the county's state legislative delegation said that, in regard to securing a disparity grant for the county, there was no “tougher bird dog than you on it.” Referring to the disparity grant, Wilcox said Cade brought $1.5 million to the county.

Brian Ansel and Kris Pearl thought they were going to spend Tuesday morning observing and helping another teacher work with her students at Bester Elementary School, but the pair was surprised when a group of people walked into the classroom with balloons. Schools Superintendent Clayton Wilcox and officials from the Washington County Public Schools Education Foundation then presented Ansel and Pearl with a large ceremonial check for $1,000. “I was amazed. I was astonished. I was overwhelmed.

Middletown Elementary school 5K and 1 Mile Walk/Run will be at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 11, at Coblentz Road, off Middletown. Money raised will help fund a new playground. Cost is $18 by Saturday, May 4. After May 4, cost is $20 per person. Maximum is $45 for family. Special Middletown students cost $10 per person. For more information, call Middletown Elementary School at 240-236-1100.

About 70 people attended an informational meeting Wednesday night where officials briefed the public on the plans for the proposed “West City” elementary school in the Hager's Crossing development in Hagerstown's West End. Chad Criswell, a senior project manager and planning supervisor for Washington County Public Schools, and two others laid out details including bus traffic associated with the school, its outdoor recreational features and...

A public information meeting will be held tonight to provide information about the planned “West City” elementary school to community members of the Hager's Crossing housing development, Washington County Public Schools officials said Tuesday. The school is to be built in the development behind Walmart in Hagerstown's West End. The 7 p.m. meeting will be held in the Hager's Crossing community center. City of Hagerstown officials asked for the informational meeting to be held before the county submits an application for a Planned Unit Development amendment, said Chad Criswell, a senior project manager and planning supervisor for the school system.

A reader recently expressed concern about bags and boxes of books being thrown into a Dumpster at Conococheague Elementary School. The reader wondered why the books weren't donated to others. Washington County Public Schools spokesman Richard Wright said the elementary school did throw out some damaged books, as well as historical books that no longer were relevant. Wright said the school also had a shed full of books that were going to be donated. Every school donates books as new editions arrive, Wright said.

Eight-year-old Blake Shupp posed next to her artwork of an elephant made of geometric shapes while her father used a camera to capture the moment. “We had to make a picture out of those shapes,” the Clear Spring Elementary School second-grader explained. The elephant had a circle for a head, while its legs, trunk and torso were made out of rectangles. The mountains Blake drew in the background were triangular, her father, Sid, pointed out. Sid Shupp said his daughter was so excited about the elementary art exhibit, she has been telling everyone in the family about it. “I think it's awesome,” he said of the exhibit at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts.

Eastern Elementary School named its Citizens of the Month for March.

A girl is warming up on her violin as her instrumental music class gets in gear at Pangborn Elementary School in Hagerstown's East End. The class is sitting on the stage in the cafeteria/auditorium. Lunch isn't going on, but during the short time that class is in session during lunch, the stage curtains are closed to limit distractions for the music students, Principal Eric Meredith said. The instrumental music class is on the stage because the instrumental music classroom is home to a kindergarten class, Meredith explained.

Washington County Technical High School teacher David Long spoke Thursday morning to middle and elementary school students about potential careers involving computers. “Can you name any job that does not use a computer or the Internet?” Long asked the students. “Even today, I see farmers using cellphones.” Long, who teaches computer repair and networking, told students they will use computers in any job they hold. The computer repair and networking program was one of 17 programs that students from four middle schools and one elementary school in the county toured on the visit to Tech High.