Grades

HAGERSTOWN -- Officials from Washington County Public Schools and the Washington County Health Department are offering free seasonal flu vaccinations to students in grades kindergarten through five. The vaccinations will not protect children from swine flu. John Davidson, director of student services for Washington County Public Schools, said vaccinations will be administered from Oct. 19 to 26. He said the vaccinations would not be given without parental consent. The vaccinations will be administered as a mist through both nostrils because most children are afraid of needles, said Susan Parks, director of community health nursing for the Washington County Health Department.

Starting middle school may seem a little bit scary. There are new schools, new teachers and sometimes new lockers to deal with, along with many other new things. Middle school can seem tough at first, because elementary school seemed easier and smoother. Plus, you're going from being a kid to being a young adult, and suddenly people might be expecting a lot more from you. "Entering middle school was extremely scary, but very exciting," said Nicole Downing, 13. "I was finally going to see where all the graduating fifth-graders went after years in elementary school.

The Washington County Public Schools enrollment and early admission process for kindergarten and first grade is now open for the 2009-10 school year. Kindergarten students must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1 to register without special permission. Children who turn 5 years old between Sept. 2 and Oct. 31 and wish to enroll in kindergarten must apply for early-admission testing. Students entering first grade must be 6 years old on or before Sept. 1. To begin the early-admission assessment process for kindergarten, parents/guardians must send a written request to John Davidson, director of student services, P.O. Box 730, Hagerstown MD 21741.

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- About 100 Washington County employees would receive raises under changes to the county's salary grade system recommended Tuesday by a review committee. The changes, which bring salaries in line with increased duties and requirements associated with certain positions, would cost the county almost $250,000, including about $195,600 in direct salaries and about $46,600 in benefits, according to the committee's report. The Washington County Commissioners will decide whether to approve the changes when they create their budget for fiscal year 2010, which begins July 1. Approving the changes would raise the county's total labor budget 0.4 percent, an increase County Administrator Gregory B. Murray called "minimal.

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- Student scores on Maryland School Assessments rose this year, marking the sixth consecutive year of overall improvement by Washington County Public Schools students, officials said Monday. Gains were seen in reading and math by third- through seventh-graders, according to state data. Washington County eighth-graders showed improvements in math scores this year, but scored lower than last year in reading. "Once again, Washington County Public Schools' Maryland School Assessment results are promising and demonstrate our system's commitment to provide all students with a quality education," Superintendent Elizabeth Morgan said.

By now, we've all seen the book or the posters proclaiming "All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten. " The list includes thoughts on sharing, washing hands and apologizing to those you've hurt. But I'd argue that fifth grade is where the real lessons begin. I spent the 2007-08 school year with almost three dozen children enrolled in Bobbi Blubaugh's class at Fairview Elementary School in Waynesboro, Pa. I visited the classroom at least once a month and am shocked by how quickly time has passed.

WAYNESBORO, PA. -- Editor's note: This is the 13th and final entry in a series of stories The Herald-Mail has published during the 2007-08 school year about Bobbi Blubaugh's fifth-grade classroom at Fairview Elementary School in the Waynesboro (Pa.) Area School District. For today's story, staff writer Jennifer Fitch talked with students about what they've learned. Check out Monday's Herald-Mail for Jennifer's column on what she learned in fifth grade this year. Weighed down by overstuffed backpacks, shoulder bags, canvas totes, plastic bags and lunch boxes, children shuffled out of Bobbi Blubaugh's classroom on Wednesday afternoon with everything that had been stashed in their desks.

HAGERSTOWN -- A future scientist, a girl who hopes to become an elementary school teacher and an aspiring dentist were among 235 Washington County Public Schools seniors honored Monday. The high school students recognized during the Celebration of Excellence at North Hagerstown High School each had a grade-point average of 3.7 or higher. One hundred of those students had a GPA higher than 4.0. About 1,550 seniors are expected to graduate next month. "Our success as educators is measured by your success as students," Washington County Public Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Morgan said.

April is School Library Media Month in conjunction with, and sharing the same theme as, National Library Week, which begins today. This year's theme is "Join the circle of knowledge @ your library," according to the American Association of School Librarians ( www.ala.org/ala/aasl/ ). WASHINGTON COUNTY - Clay Matthews uses his school library maybe 30 days out of the school year, he said. The Washington County Technical High School junior said he is able to find everything he needs there despite the fact that his school is one of 34 of the county's public schools with a library media collection that does not meet state standards.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. (AP) - Showing up to school will exempt some Jefferson County students from taking finals this year. The county school board has voted 4-to-1 to allow students with an 80 percent grade average and no more than six absences to forgo final tests. Jefferson High School Principal Howard Guth says the incentive helps motivate students to show up to school, and keep up their grades.