Cobb Island to host fifth annual butterfly festival
Cobb Island’s fifth annual Monarch Mania, celebrating the Monarch butterfly’s migration to Mexico, will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8. It will host the Mexican Embassy and the Mexican Cultural Institute. This year’s festival will highlight the Citizen Science Project, Monarch Watch from the University of Kansas and the importance of planting milkweed.
The Consulate Alberto Fierro of the Mexican Embassy and executive director of the Mexican Cultural Institute will open the festival and share the role of Mexico in Monarch conser vation.
Guest speakers have been added to this year’s program. Sean McGuinn, outdoor educator at Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, will present “Migration Towards Extinction,” a talk about the obstacles for Monarchs as they migrate from Canada and the USA to Mexico and the role humans can play in their migration and sur vival.
Kerry Wixted, wildlife biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources will present, Pollinators: Perils and Possibilities, a program that will talk about the problems presented to pollinators and what we can do to help them.
The past few seasons have been some of the lowest numbers in history for Monarch on migration to and from their over wintering in Mexico and summer populations in the United States. Learn why they are struggling to survive and what people can do in their own yard and neighborhood to help them now and in the future. Due to the dramatic drop in numbers, the theme for this year’s event is: “Saving the Monarch Butterfly from Extinction: How You Can Help.”
Nature related educational exhibitors and craft vendors will be on Old Fisherman’s Field and will include Charles County Master Gardeners, make and take craft stations for children.
CSM to host Teacher Education Open House Oct. 12
The College of Southern Maryland is able to partner with two major Maryland teacher preparation programs — Towson University and Notre Dame of Maryland University — to offer local access to all state requirements for teacher certification.
Prospective teachers can learn about options available to them at CSM. The college will host a teacher education open house 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at its Prince Frederick Campus.
The open house will provide the opportunity to learn about teacher education at CSM as well as certification pathways available in Southern Maryland. Students who are currently in and who have graduated from partnership programs will be available to answer questions, as will representatives from CSM, Calvert County Public Schools and other CSM partner institutions including Notre Dame of Maryland and Towson.
The 2+2 partnership programs allow students to complete the first two years of their teacher preparation program at CSM. They then apply to one of the partner institutions and complete the remainder of their program through that university but on a CSM campus, earning their bachelor’s degree and Maryland state certification. The programs are offered in early childhood and elementary education.
A key element of the 2+2 program is Towson’s relationship with local schools. The Maryland State Department of Education identifies local schools as Professional Development Schools (PDS). Towson collaborates with these schools for the academic and clinical preparation of teacher candidates. Towson has PDS sites in Charles and St. Mary’s counties. Notre Dame of Maryland also works with the three local school systems to place students for their internship experiences.
CSM offers three teacher education degrees in early childhood education (birth to Grade 3), elementary education (Grades 1-6) and secondary education (Grades 7-12).
The open house at the Prince Frederick Campus will be held in Building B, Multipurpose Rooms 103, 104 and 105. To register, go to www.csmd.edu/soc.
For more information, call Elizabeth Settle at 301-934-2251 or elizabeth.settle@csmd.edu.
County announces Columbus Day closings
The Charles County Commissioners wish to remind residents of changes to normal operating schedules for the month of October. All offices, facilities, and services not listed will be operating their normal hours.
Monday, Oct. 10 (Columbus Day) — All Charles County Government offices and the Tri-County Animal Shelter in Hughesville will be closed. The Nanjemoy Community Center, senior centers, Port Tobacco Recreation Center, and all school based community centers are closed. All indoor pools will be open 1 to 9 p.m. for open swim (Lackey, Donald M. Wade Aquatic Center, and North Point). The Charles County Health Department will be closed.
For questions about County Government holiday closures, contact the Public Information Office at 301-8852779 or PressRoom@ CharlesCountyMD.gov. Citizens with special needs may contact the Maryland Relay Service at 711, or Relay Service TDD: 800-735-2258.
School naming committee to host public hearing
The Charles County Board of Education’s School Naming Advisory Committee is holding a public hearing to accept information or comment on names submitted and to accept additional school naming suggestions from the public. The hearing is set for 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, in the boardroom at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building at 5980 Radio Station Road in La Plata.
The committee is considering names for the new elementary school to be built off Billingsley Road in White Plains. The school is scheduled to open at the start of the 2018-19 school year.
Board policy requires names of new schools to be of persons or places of significance to Charles County residents and community members. A person must be deceased to be eligible for consideration as a school name.
Residents may begin to sign up to speak at 6 p.m. The committee will begin hearing testimony at 6:30 p.m. but will allow speakers to sign up until 7 p.m. Speakers will have three minutes to present, and committee members may ask questions about their nominee. The committee asks that speakers leave a copy of their written testimony for the record.
The hearing will be aired live on the system website at www.ccboe.com and televised on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOS Channel 12.
A complete list of naming suggestions submitted to the committee will be posted on the Charles County Public Schools website prior to the hearing.