Richard Wright

Washington County Public Schools will be closed Tuesday, schools spokesman Richard Wright said this evening.

Hagerstown's police chief said officers did not suspect foul play in the death of a 7-year-old boy who apparently drowned Thursday evening in the bathtub of his family's home at 425 Summit Ave. Police said Friday morning that the death of Nicodemus Kemp was being investigated by the Hagerstown Police Department, Washington County State's Attorney's Office and Washington County Child Advocacy Center. “There was nothing apparent at the scene that made it look like a suspicious death, but we're conducting a full investigation,” Police Chief Mark Holtzman said.

The Washington County Technical High School advisory breakfast meeting that was to be held at the school at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday has been canceled due to the anticipation of icy weather, school system spokesman Richard Wright said Monday.

A volunteer committee that has been examining ways to temporarily alleviate overcrowding at Pangborn Elementary School has moved its meeting to Tuesday. The Facilities and Enrollment Advisory Committee will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Washington County Public Schools' office at 701A Frederick St., school system spokesman Richard Wright said. The meeting was originally scheduled for Wednesday. At its last meeting, the committee had come to a consensus on a proposed recommendation, which is to be provided to the Board of Education by April 2. The proposal calls for redistricting 11 multifamily dwellings in the Cortland Manor development, moving about 55 students from Pangborn Elementary to Paramount Elementary School next fall.

Northern Middle School in Hagerstown was locked down Monday morning while police responded to a telephone threat, Hagerstown Police Sgt. Wayne Zimmerer said. Zimmerer said the incident was reported shortly after 8 a.m., when one of the students received a threatening cellphone call. Washington County Public Schools spokesman Richard Wright said the threat was made outside the building, but officials initiated the lockdown at the start of school to be safe. He said the lockdown was lifted at 11:50 a.m. Authorities said Monday that they didn't know who made the call. 

Washington County Technical High School was evacuated Thursday afternoon due to a fire in the collision repair program's paintbooth, according to Washington County Emergency Services. No one was injured and the fire was quickly extinguished at the 50 W. Oak Ridge Drive building, a 911 dispatcher said. The fire was reported at 2:26 p.m. Thursday, according to the 911 dispatch center. Students and staff were allowed to return to the building before 2:50 p.m. Thursday, school system spokesman Richard Wright said.

A spokesman for the Hagerstown Police Department said he hopes now that it's possible to text crime tips to the department that people - especially students - feel more at ease about providing information. The tips, which are anonymous, are sent to police by dialing 847411, said Capt. Mark Holtzman. Each message is started by typing “report,” Holtzman said. The sender then types in a tip and it goes to the Washington County Emergency Communications Center, Holtzman said.

A Hagerstown elementary school went on modified lockdown Thursday morning while police dealt with a distraught man who was threatening to harm himself, officials said. The incident at the man's house on Northern Avenue was unrelated to the Fountaindale School for Arts and Academic Excellence, but officials locked down the school as a precautionary measure, Lt. Tim Wolford of the Hagerstown Police Department said. The lockdown was put into effect around 11 a.m. at the school at 901 Northern Ave., according to Richard Wright, spokesman for Washington County Public Schools.

Community members will have a chance to pose questions to Washington County Public Schools Superintendent Clayton Wilcox this week as he holds three public “listening sessions,” according to an email from school system spokesman Richard Wright. The sessions, which begin at 6:15 p.m., will be held: • Tuesday at South Hagerstown High School, 1101 S. Potomac St. in Hagerstown's South End • Wednesday at North Hagerstown High School, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. in Hagerstown's North End • Thursday at Hancock Middle-Senior High School, 289 W. Main St., Hancock Each session will include brief remarks from Wilcox and a time for questions and answers.

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.

Washington County Board of Education President Justin Hartings said Thursday he had his appendix removed Monday and he expected to be released from Meritus Medical Center soon. Hartings said he expects to be at the April 23 school board meeting. The April 16 school board meeting was canceled because there weren't enough board members for a quorum due to unforeseen circumstances, school system spokesman Richard Wright said Tuesday. During Wednesday night's Teacher of the Year ceremony, Schools Superintendent Clayton Wilcox told the crowd Hartings was in the hospital after having emergency surgery.

The Washington County Board of Education has canceled its Tuesday, April 16, meeting because, due to unforeseen circumstances, not enough members were expected to make the meeting, school system spokesman Richard Wright said Tuesday. Four of the seven members must be present for there to be a quorum so official business can be conducted, Wright said. The school board will hold a short public meeting at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23, before the 6 p.m. public hearing concerning the proposed redistricting for Pangborn Elementary School, Wright said.

Hagerstown's police chief said officers did not suspect foul play in the death of a 7-year-old boy who apparently drowned Thursday evening in the bathtub of his family's home at 425 Summit Ave. Police said Friday morning that the death of Nicodemus Kemp was being investigated by the Hagerstown Police Department, Washington County State's Attorney's Office and Washington County Child Advocacy Center. “There was nothing apparent at the scene that made it look like a suspicious death, but we're conducting a full investigation,” Police Chief Mark Holtzman said.

A volunteer committee that has been examining ways to temporarily alleviate overcrowding at Pangborn Elementary School has moved its meeting to Tuesday. The Facilities and Enrollment Advisory Committee will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Washington County Public Schools' office at 701A Frederick St., school system spokesman Richard Wright said. The meeting was originally scheduled for Wednesday. At its last meeting, the committee had come to a consensus on a proposed recommendation, which is to be provided to the Board of Education by April 2. The proposal calls for redistricting 11 multifamily dwellings in the Cortland Manor development, moving about 55 students from Pangborn Elementary to Paramount Elementary School next fall.

Washington County Public Schools recently upgraded technology and furnishings in the board auditorium at a cost of $83,666, according to information provided by school system spokesman Richard Wright. The costs break down into $49,230 for technology upgrades and $34,436 for furnishings, according to emails from Wright. The technology includes new presentation equipment, wireless microphones and a larger screen for presentations, according to Wright and School Superintendent Clayton Wilcox.

Community members will have a chance to pose questions to Washington County Public Schools Superintendent Clayton Wilcox this week as he holds three public “listening sessions,” according to an email from school system spokesman Richard Wright. The sessions, which begin at 6:15 p.m., will be held: • Tuesday at South Hagerstown High School, 1101 S. Potomac St. in Hagerstown's South End • Wednesday at North Hagerstown High School, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. in Hagerstown's North End • Thursday at Hancock Middle-Senior High School, 289 W. Main St., Hancock Each session will include brief remarks from Wilcox and a time for questions and answers.

Washington County Public Schools thoroughly trains its employees for all kinds of emergency situations, a school district spokesman said Friday in the aftermath of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut that left 28 people dead. “We do thorough training. Of course, no one can predict every situation, and sometimes they are impossible to keep from happening,” said Richard Wright, spokesman for WCPS. Emergency drills take place twice a year at every school, Wright said.

Washington County Technical High School was evacuated Thursday afternoon due to a fire in the collision repair program's paintbooth, according to Washington County Emergency Services. No one was injured and the fire was quickly extinguished at the 50 W. Oak Ridge Drive building, a 911 dispatcher said. The fire was reported at 2:26 p.m. Thursday, according to the 911 dispatch center. Students and staff were allowed to return to the building before 2:50 p.m. Thursday, school system spokesman Richard Wright said.

Washington County Public Schools will be on a two-hour delay Wednesday, school system spokesman Richard Wright said.