The Bush administration's No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has arrived at Blair, bringing stricter accountability measures that will "raise the stakes” for teachers and increase emphasis on testing, said Principal Phillip Gainous. If federal achievement standards are not met within three years, Blair could face reorganization.
When Blazer Anna Meres found out school was cancelled on Feb 18, she didn't catch up on her sleep. Nor did she rejoice over the chance to take a break from her daily routine. Instead, Meres showed up at 51 University Blvd, braving frigid temperatures and a thick blanket of snow on the streets to arrive hours before the sun.
"They stole my country,” junior Nesim Serequeberhan says bitterly, "and I can't go back and live there myself.” He continues speaking of his Palestinian homeland, his expression blank. "I want to go back there and see how things are. I want to see if there's anything I can do to help, violent or nonviolent.”
MCPS will allow health teachers to demonstrate proper condom use through a ten-minute video to be piloted in five undetermined county high schools next year. The county is also developing curriculum changes to permit discussions on homosexuality and other sexual variants.