Virtual Academy -

#TBT Spotlight on CTE Ms. Kyllonen, a former student of the Dental Assisting Program at CAT-South, is now the Honors Dental Instructor there. “I returned to CAT-South because my mentor, Ms. Hubbard, reached out to me. After 20 years in dental assisting, I was looking for the next step in my career, and this opportunity came at the perfect time. I never imagined I’d have the same job as someone who influenced me so much in high school, and now I get to do that for others. The certifications and experience I gained at 14-17 years old laid the foundation for my rewarding career. I’m so grateful." “I love teaching dental assisting because I’m a total tooth nerd—I could talk about teeth all day! But the best part is the students. I have four daughters of my own, but every year, I get 30+ new ‘kids’ who feel like family. It’s incredible to see students from different backgrounds come together and grow. Watching them earn their dental assisting certifications is such a proud moment. I’m honored to be part of their journey and see them succeed." “My students constantly impress me. Many go beyond dental assisting, aspiring to become dentists or hygienists. Some have participated in dental mission work and research, which I never imagined at their age.” “I love working at CAT-South. Some of my best memories were made here as a student. We have a tradition where students paint a brick in our bathroom during graduation to leave their mark. I still see my own brick with ‘Lacy Shannon’ and think about how I once felt like I ran the place as a student—and now, I’m part of running it! The work I put in as a student shaped my career and life. I hope my students feel the same way one day. I truly believe we’re building something special at CAT-South, and the more people know about it, the better.” Photos: Ms. Kyllonen with her mentor Ms. Hubbard, and with her student at SkillsUSA Nationals in Atlanta, where they won second place in Dental in the entire nation! Ms. Kyllonen also held this honor as a student.

Are you a senior who can speak, read, write, and listen in multiple languages? The AACPS World Languages Office is offering an opportunity to take the STAMP 4S Assessment in your home language! Students who earn a qualifying score can earn the Maryland Seal of Biliteracy before graduation. There is no cost and testing is during the school day. The deadline to register is March 5th. Register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0vxdREBF0VTOleQCgS9UykMEz98Bv5oepYhg96Jusar6j1w/viewform.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! YOUR OPINION MATTERS! Parents or guardians of children receiving special education and related services will be mailed the Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey from the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services during the week of February 14, 2025. Parents are asked to complete the survey and return it in the postage paid envelope by May 30, 2025. The Survey may also be completed online. Please look for details in your survey packet. To learn more, please visit https://www.mdparentsurvey.com.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Publishing on February 12, 2025 at 9:00 AM Join us for the Teacher Recruitment Job Fair Saturday, March 29th at Severna Park High School 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Register now! www.aacps.org/teacherjobfair

Celebrating Presidents Day

The Board of Education has proposed an additional amendment to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell’s recommended Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Budget. Amendment 22 can be found along with the rest of the proposed amendments at www.aacps.org/budgetamendments. The Board is scheduled to vote on a formal budget request at its meeting on Wednesday.

Celebrating National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day! #NationalSchoolResourceOfficerAppreciationDay

#TBT Spotlight on CTE Mr. Hayes was a student at South River High while attending the Vo-Tech Center (CAT-South) for the Automotive program. He is now the Automotive Instructor at CAT-South. "As a young man, my mother realized I had a passion for anything mechanical. She was an AACPS teacher and she was told that the new South River Vo-Tech Center was opening in the 77-78 school year. This was a perfect fit for me. Some of my best high school memories were formed in my AutoTech class. After completing the Automotive program, the work-study coordinator found me an apprenticeship position at the Annapolis Chrysler Plymouth dealer. I worked at that dealer for 27 years and became a very successful master automotive service technician. In 2007 the dealership was closing down. I had a former coworker who was teaching at what is now known as CAT-South. He thought I would be a good teacher because I was good at explaining what was wrong with people's cars. As a teacher, I began taking the necessary courses to get my APC and have been teaching at CAT-South ever since. I really enjoy teaching at the same school that I attended. I always tell my students that I once sat in the student seats and I understand their passion for mechanical knowledge. The CAT-South Automotive Service Technology program was good when I attended and I'm working every day with our administration to make it Great!"

In this week’s edition of Thursday Thoughts, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell gets a haircut from an Arundel High School student is also a licensed barber and discusses the many such opportunities available for AACPS students. #BelongGrownSucceed #AACPSFamily https://youtu.be/QpdLx4hN_o8

Save the date for the 2nd Annual Multicultural Festival on Thursday, April 3, 2025, 6pm - 8pm at Severn River Middle School! This event is open to all AACPS families! Enjoy games, prizes, food, crafts, music and dancing from around the world! Register to host a cultural table or to attend this event: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdU5vAIr0DCPJtjS1IfTn5wKaW5sBqi9FTYcG-0Fy3iaZUnCA/viewform

Join us for the Teacher Recruitment Job Fair Saturday, March 29th at Severna Park High School 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Register now! www.aacps.org/teacherjobfair

Due to the school system’s switch to virtual operations, the Dance Festival concert scheduled for Wednesday, February 12, 2025, will be rescheduled for Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Crofton High School. Tickets are non-refundable. However, if you find yourself no longer able to attend this concert, please reach out to your school’s dance company director for additional details. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday for an amazing 2 p.m. concert to celebrate the outstanding work of our teachers and students!

It's Family Academy Friday! Check out the Family Academy Newsletter at https://aacps.edurooms.com/engage/family-academy/newsletters/family-academy-fridays-2-7-25. Visit the Family Academy anytime at www.aacps.org/familyacademy or in Spanish at www.aacps.org/academiafamiliar! #AACPSFamily #BelongGrowSucceed

Picture Day is just around the corner, starting next week! Are you ready to show off your best smile? 😁 Here’s the Picture Day Line-Up: 📅 February 10th: It’s Elementary Picture Day! Grades 3 & 5—you’ll strike a pose during your SEL Block. Grade 4—you’re up during your PLT time. 📅 February 12th: It’s time for Middle and High School students in Grades 6–10 to shine! 📅 February 19th: 11th Graders, you’re the stars today—get camera-ready! Picture Day Tips for a Perfect Shot: ✅ Find a well-lit spot so we can see your awesome face. ✅ Make sure your full face is visible! ✅ Use a plain background to keep the focus on YOU. 💡 Already took professional photos this year? You’re all set! Your professional picture will be used for the yearbook. Get ready to show your school spirit and flash those fabulous smiles! 😄✨

Tell us about your Super School Counselor! Celebrating National School Counseling Week #NSCW25 #BelongGrowSucceed

In this week’s edition of Thursday Thoughts, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell takes part in a clay art project at Davidsonville Elementary School and discusses the school district’s thriving visual arts program. #BelongGrowSucceed #AACPSFamily https://youtu.be/H9wEfFYJcBI

Thank you, to all of our amazing School Counselors Celebrating National School Counseling Week #NSCW25 #BelongGrowSucceed

#TBT Spotlight on CTE Ms. Wolf was a student at North County while attending CAT-North for Baking & Pastry Arts. She is now in her fourth year teaching Baking & Pastry Arts at CAT-North. "My student experience at CAT-North was truly life-shaping, and single-handedly the best decision I've ever made. I knew when it came to my career, it would be an honor and a privilege to come back to CAT North as an instructor myself. I consider myself lucky to get to show up and do the job I do every day with the staff and students I get to spend my time with. Baking is truly a work of art, a feat of science, and a job of love at the same time- an industry I love I get to share with my students daily." Bonus Image: My instructor giving me a hug when I was announced as the state gold medalist in Baking & Pastry my senior year of high school. A photo of one of my students giving me a hug. That same student also won the state gold medal in Baking & Pastry last year, in her senior year of high school. #fullcirclemoment Proud AACPS-CTE-Graduate-Turned-Teacher

The latest episode of “The Next Level” premieres NOW on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/GrdgsBPqwtg. This episode features two runners who will be running in college next year, the University of Maryland and Princeton.

Share a shout-out to your School Counselor! Celebrating National School Counseling Week #NSCW25 #BelongGrowSucceed