While no one can actually add hours to the day, Kent County High School administrators got creative in making more time for students who need a little extra help.

This fall they launched “Trojan Time,” a dedicated period for intervention to help students who need it and provide enrichment opportunities for those who are on track and excelling.

The Debate Team meets in the Kent County High School media center Tuesday, Dec. 6 as part of Trojan Time.

“Basically, the idea is for intervention and enrichment,” said Principal Kris Hemstetter. “So we’re excited about being able to provide that time for students.”

The first Trojan Time period was held the Tuesday after Thanksgiving break. The school continued to schedule Trojan Time on the next two Tuesdays.

Schools collect a lot of data throughout the year on each student’s progress.

Trojan Time is just one example of how school staff has put that data to use: identifying students who need help and providing that support.

For other students, Trojan Time is an opportunity for additional enrichment activities.

That could mean a chance for a club meeting, practicing on the Debate Team, participating in another school group or joining in a special teacher-led activity.

On Dec. 6, for example, science teacher Kayln Stout took students outside to dye natural indigo and talk about archeology.

Science teacher Kayln Stout leads students through the process of dying natural indigo during Trojan Time on Tuesday, Dec. 6.

To make the extra hour on those Tuesdays, the school runs on the same schedule it uses for a 60-minute weather delay.

“The kids seem to enjoy it,” Hemstetter said of Trojan Time. “We did a lot of planning up front and we’re confident it is going to help our students.”

Three members of a classical string quartet held a concert for students at H.H. Garnet Elementary School recently, opening new musical worlds through compositions based on “Gulliver’s Travels.”

On Monday, Nov. 28, Kumiko Sakamoto, Lauren Spaulding and Christopher Whitley of the Thalea String Quartet performed for fourth and fifth graders at Garnet.

The quartet is the current Doctoral Fellowship String Quartet at the University of Maryland. They were here in Kent County for a performance the day prior as part of the National Music Festival’s Resonance concert series.

Members of the Thalea String Quartet perform a selection from Bert Appermont’s “Gulliver’s Travels” Monday, Nov. 28 at H.H. Garnet Elementary School. They are, from left, Christopher Whitley, Kumiko Sakamoto and Lauren Spaulding.

Sakamoto and Whitley are violinists and Spaulding plays the viola.

Each spoke and performed solos and they played together as a trio for the students.

Their performance included pieces from Bert Appermont’s musical interpretation of Jonathan Swift’s 1726 book “Gulliver’s Travels.”

The musicians would play a piece and then ask students how it made them feel.

The reactions could range from happy to sad for the same composition, showing how music affects each listener differently.

“We all bring our individual selves when we listen to music,” Whitley told the students.

The musicians spoke about how early some children start learning music, with Whitley and Sakamoto being younger than the day’s audience members when they began.

Others, like Spaulding, may pick up their instruments later. She said she was 15 years old when she began playing the viola.

From left, Christopher Whitley, Kumiko Sakamoto and Lauren Spaulding perform at H.H. Garnet Elementary School Monday, Nov. 28. Their group, the Thalea String Quartet, was in town having played the day before as part of the National Music Festival’s Resonance concert series.

“So for anybody who hasn’t started yet, it’s not too late,” Spaulding said.

The National Music Festival, with support from the Kent Cultural Alliance, is arranging for every artist and group performing in the 2022-23 Resonance concert series to visit a local school.

Earlier this fall the Canadian Guitar Quartet visited Galena Elementary School.

“We are proud of this educational effort, and grateful to the Kent Cultural Alliance, without whose support this would not be possible,” said Caitlin Patton, executive director of the National Music festival.

Emma L. Grason Miller

The legacy of a leading Black educator in Kent County will be celebrated this week with the naming of a media center in her honor.

At 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, the media center at H.H. Garnet Elementary School will be dedicated to Emma L. Grason Miller.

The request to name the media center was submitted to the Kent County Board of Education by Chestertown resident Karen Somerville on behalf of Miller’s descendants and fellow Kent County residents.

Somerville is a curation fellow with the Chesapeake Heartland project at Washington College.

The project preserves and digitizes local African American history, of which Miller is an important part.

As stated in the petition to name the media center in her honor, the original Garnet School graduated its first class of five students in 1925.

The building of the school was “the direct result of a campaign executed and achieved through the service of Emma Miller who since 1911 had held the position as Supervisor of Colored Schools.”

“Miller, with an exemplary heart for service, took on the duty to rally parents and citizens alike to finance the construction of the school and further to persuade officials that education beyond the sixth grade be made available in the county to African American pupils,” the petition states.

The Dec. 10 dedication ceremony will include Somerville and Carolyn Brooks, also of the Chesapeake Heartland Project; Peggy Brown, president of the Garnet Alumni Association; H.H. Garnet Elementary School music students; Principal Brenda Rose; Dr. Karen Couch, superintendent of Kent County Public Schools; and additional guests.

H.H. Garnet Elementary School is located at 320 Calvert St., Chestertown.

Learn more about the Chesapeake Heartland project at chesapeakeheartland.org.

A pair of teachers was honored this month for going the extra mile to ensure a student with special needs made a successful transition to a new school.

Alixandria Murphy and Jessica Ribaudo both received Kent County Public Schools’ Golden Anchor Award Monday, Nov. 14 at a Board of Education meeting.

The Golden Anchor Award is given to staff members or groups of employees who exemplify the mission and core values of Kent County Public Schools.

“Kent County Public Schools is an anchor organization that creates an environment of academic excellence through a collaborative, equitable and rigorous learning community,” the mission statement reads.

Teachers Alixandria Murphy and Jessica Ribaudo were honored this month by the Kent County Board of Education with the Golden Anchor Award. From left, are Supervisor of Human Resources Dan Hushion, Superintendent Dr. Karen Couch, Murphy and Supervisor of Special Education Dr. Wendy Keen.

Nominations can be submitted by Kent County Public Schools staff, families and community members.

At the board meeting, Kent County Public Schools Supervisor of Special Education Dr. Wendy Keenand Supervisor of Human Resources Dan Hushion announced the awards.

Dr. Keen spoke about how Murphy and Ribaudo visited the student’s new school on a day when Kent County Public Schools staff was off.

She said Murphy and Ribaudo went to the school and met with staff there to help them better understand the student’s needs.

“Their desire to go above and beyond to give up their personal time to ensure the continued success of this student needs to be acknowledged,” Dr. Keen said. “Their dedication and love for students is apparent and we’re lucky to have such dedicated teachers.”

Kent County Public Schools wants to hear from you as we continue to plan the future of Kent County Middle School.

We have posted an online survey seeking community input on the three options currently under review for Kent County Middle School. You can fill out the survey at https://tinyurl.com/yr44suud.

A series of Community Listening Sessions has been held to discuss the project, the reasons for it and the options under consideration.

No decision has been made about the middle school.

A recording of a Community Listening Session held Oct. 19 and presented by consultant Dr. David Lever and KCPS Superintendent Dr. Karen Couch can be found on our Youtube channel at https://youtu.be/wyiRgrNfB54.

We encourage the community to review the presentation and provide important feedback to help further the project. Additional information can be found at https://www.kent.k12.md.us/KCMSProject.aspx.

This is a chance for you to be a part of planning Kent County Middle School’s future!

The options under further review are:

Option 1: Replacement at the Chestertown campus with grades 5-8

Option 2: Replacement at the Worton campus, Stand-Alone, with grades 5-8

Option 3: Replacement as an attachment to Kent County High School, grades 5-8, with improvements to KCHS.

The last scheduled community listening session will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27 at Kent County Middle School, 402 E. Campus Ave., Chestertown.

Town, county and school officials joined together at Galena Elementary School to cut the ribbon on a new walking trail Friday, Oct. 14.

Galena Mayor John Carroll wielded the ceremonial scissors. Joining him from Kent County Public Schools were Dr. Karen Couch, superintendent; Board of Education President Joe Goetz; and board members Trish McGee and Francoise Sullivan.

The students and staff of Galena Elementary School participated in the celebration, sitting outside for the ribbon-cutting and joining in on a walk of the entire trail.

Mayor John Carroll cuts the ribbon on a new walking trail at Galena Elementary School. Joining him are town, county and Kent County Public Schools officials, including Dr. Karen Couch, superintendent, and Board of Education members Joe Goetz, Trish McGee and Francoise Sullivan.

Carroll spoke about the town’s effort to get the trail built for the school. He described the collaborative work of the town, the school system and the State of Maryland.

Carroll said it took about five years and $90,000 to make the project happen.

“So I want to thank everyone today for helping us do this so you can have a walking trail to use,” he told the Galena Elementary School students.

Principal Becky Yoder said Galena Elementary School was excited to partner with the town, county and state “to make the dream of a walking trail a reality.”

“The students are already enjoying the trail daily. It is a great addition to our outdoor space,” Yoder said.

The trail — which about a third of a mile long — is available for the public to use when school is not in session. Dogs also are allowed after school hours; owners are asked to clean up after their pets.

A fourth community listening session for the Kent County Middle School project has been added to this month’s schedule.

Previously announced sessions will be held at Kent County High School, Galena Elementary School and the Kent County Public Schools Central Office. The schedule now includes a meeting at the middle school.

A committee comprising KCPS administrators, educators, state officials, school construction experts and parents met over the past year to explore possible plans for renovating or replacing Kent County Middle School in Chestertown.

No decision has been made on the future of the middle school.

Four listening sessions are being offered this month to inform the community about possible future plans for Kent County Middle School and receive public feedback.

The listening sessions offer community members an opportunity to learn about the planning process and to provide feedback on the options under consideration.

The listening session schedule is as follows:

• 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12 in the Kent County High School auditorium, 25301 Lambs Meadow Road, Worton
• 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18 in the Galena Elementary School cafeteria, 114 S. Main St., Galena
• 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19 in the Board of Education meeting room at the Kent County Public Schools Central Office, 5608 Boundary Ave., Rock Hall
• 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, Kent County Middle School media center, 402 E. Campus Ave., Chestertown.

The start time for the listening session at Galena Elementary School has been moved up to 5:30 p.m. It was previously announced to start at 6 p.m.

The Oct. 19 listening session at the Central Office will be livestreamed on Facebook and a recording of the video will be publicly available through the Kent County Public Schools website.

Learn more about the Kent County Middle School project at www.kent.k12.md.us/KCMSProject.aspx.

Email questions and comments to KCMSproject@kent.k12.md.us.

Kent County Public Schools is holding a series of community listening sessions next month about the future of the middle school.

A committee comprising KCPS administrators, educators, state officials, school construction experts and parents met over the past year to explore possible plans for renovating or replacing Kent County Middle School in Chestertown.

No decision has been made on the future of the middle school.

Three listening sessions are being held in mid-October, providing community members an opportunity to learn about the planning process and offer comments on three scenarios under review.

Three listening sessions are scheduled for next month to inform the community about possible future plans for Kent County Middle School and receive public feedback. The sessions will be held at Kent County High School, Galena Elementary School and the Kent County Public Schools Central Office.

The sessions are as follows:

• 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12 in the Kent County High School auditorium, 25301 Lambs Meadow Road, Worton
• 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18 in the Galena Elementary School cafeteria, 114 S. Main St., Galena
• 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19 in the Board of Education meeting room at the Kent County Public Schools Central Office, 5608 Boundary Ave., Rock Hall

The Oct. 19 listening session will be livestreamed and a recording of the video will be publicly available through the Kent County Public Schools website.

“We are interested in obtaining input from the community as we consider the best long-term solution to address the problems and concerns with the current facility,” said Dr. Karen Couch, superintendent of Kent County Public Schools.

The first plan under review would replace the Kent County Middle School building with a new one on the Chestertown campus.

Another plan would see a new Kent County Middle School built on a portion of the KCPS campus in Worton.

The third scenario being considered is connecting new construction housing the middle school to Kent County High School in Worton. Under this scenario, the schools would maintain their individual identities and have separate entrances and their own administrations.

Adding fifth grade back to the middle school grade-band configuration is also being considered. Prior to consolidation to a single building more than a decade ago, the three KCPS middle schools served fifth through eighth graders.

Learn more about the Kent County Middle School project at www.kent.k12.md.us/KCMSProject.aspx.

Email questions and comments to KCMSproject@kent.k12.md.us.