Magnet

pepperb@herald-mail.com After some debate over an anticipated budget shortfall, the Washington County Board of Education voted 4-2 Tuesday to start The Emma K. Doub School for the Integrated Arts and Technology in the 2003-04 school year. School Board members Jacqueline Fischer and Edward Forrest voted against starting the school next year, noting word that the Washington County Commissioners did not plan to fully fund the board's fiscal year 2004 budget request. The county's proposed budget lists $74.6 million for the School Board.

The deadline for applications to attend Washington County Public Schools Gifted and Talented magnet programs has been extended to Monday, according to a school system press release. Interviews and assessments of applicants to either the Fountaindale School for the Arts and Academic Excellence or Emma K. Doub School for the Integrated Arts and Technology tentatively have been scheduled for July 1 and 2, according to the release. Parents will be told whether or not their child is accepted into the program in mid-July, according to the release.

pepperb@herald-mail.com A Washington County Board of Education public hearing Tuesday on the proposed boundary lines for The Emma K. Doub School for Integrated Arts and Technology drew mostly praise. School officials had proposed creating the district boundary line for the school by drawing a line around Funkstown and Emma K. Doub elementary schools' existing borders and then removing the line that now separates them. Dennis McGee, the school system's director of facilities management, led the hearing by telling the audience of between 25 and 30 people that combining the schools will help to even out the class sizes between them.

More than 300 students applied for a spot in Washington County Public Schools' magnet programs this school year. Officials said they are hoping to increase both the number of applicants and the diversity of those applicants for next year's classes. Applications are being accepted through Dec. 15 for the 2007-08 school year. Magnet programs have been established at Boonsboro Elementary School for World Languages and Global Communications, Emma K. Doub School for Integrated Arts and Technology, Fountaindale School for Art and Academic Excellence and Williamsport Elementary School for Math, Science and Technology.

BOONSBORO ? Several Boonsboro Elementary School parents spoke out Tuesday against a suggestion that the school's magnet program be moved to a new school under construction. The suggestion was made by Board of Education Member Bernadette M. Wagner as an incentive for parents to voluntarily move their children to Rockland Woods Elementary instead of forcing them to attend the school through redistricting. "Most of the families at Boonsboro will be staying at Boonsboro if the magnet program is taken away," said Jen Poffenberger, the school's PTA president.

Parents and children at Boonsboro Elementary School are invited to attend a meeting Tuesday in the school cafeteria at 6:30 p.m. to support the continuation of the school's magnet program. Those attending the meeting can write letters, and create posters and banners for the Board of Education in support of the program at the school. For information, contact Heidi Welsh at 301-432-6396 or by e-mail at welshwex@myactv.net.

WASHINGTON COUNTY karenh@herald-mail.com Students who constantly ask "Why?" or who are obsessed with special areas of interest are the students teachers might have in mind when parents want to know whether to sign up their children for magnet schools, Washington County Public Schools administrators say. Betsy Donohoe, supervisor of advanced programs, said parents might consider the special programs at Fountaindale, Funkstown and...

pepperb@herald-mail.com The Washington County Board of Education on Tuesday voted 6-0 to take to a public hearing a proposal to combine elementary schools into an arts and technology magnet school beginning in the next school year. School officials proposed creating the district boundary line for The Emma K. Doub School for Integrated Arts and Technology by drawing a line around Funkstown and Emma K. Doub elementary schools' existing borders and then removing the line that now separates them.

BARDANE, W.Va. - Thirty-four employees at a Jefferson County manufacturing facility are working to make life safer in Asia. War-torn countries like Lao People's Democratic Republic and Tajikistan must deal with the presence of explosives left over from violence that occurred as long as 40 years ago. It is estimated that 50 to 100 people are killed every day in the world from "unexploded ordnance" and experts say it will be a long process to...

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. -- The future use of Chambersburg Area School District's planned academic center was hotly debated Monday during a meeting of the Franklin County (Pa.) Career and Technology Center's authority. The authority formed the career center in the 1960s and today oversees its buildings and grounds. The major issue now before the group is whether it will transfer 11.6 acres to Chambersburg Area School District for the district to build an academic center on the campus.