Middle Schoolers Run, Raise Money To Help Animals

The Students for Animal Welfare and Jogging clubs at Catonsville Middle School held a 1.3-mile run Friday to benefit the Maryland SPCA.

Sixth-graders Ethan Clark and Gabby Douglas were the first to cross the finish line Friday during Catonsville Middle School's Spring Fun Run, but the real winners were the animals at the Maryland SPCA. "This is for the animals that don't have voices," physical education teacher Christine Ehrlichman said to the approximately 50 students who were participating in the fundraiser run Friday. Ehrlichman is the sponsor of the school's Jogging Club, whose members, along with members of the school's Catonsville Students for Animal Welfare Club, worked to raise money and collect items for the SPCA. For the run, student runners each donated $5 to participate, raising $170, said Katie Tucci, sponsor of the Catonsville Students for Animal Welfare Club…

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Schools Embark on Project to Help Shelter Animals

Catonsville Middle, Hillcrest Elementary students collect six vans full of items for The SPCA Maryland.

Students and families from two local schools have been collecting a variety of donations for The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Angie McLean is the PTSA president at Catonsville Middle and is helping guide this effort involving children from Catonsville Middle and Hillcrest Elementary schools. They’ve been working throughout December and have collected about six vans full of blankets, toys, dog and cat treats and food to give to The SPCA Maryland, located on Falls Road, McLean said. The idea for the project came from McLean’s family. The project was so successful that they’re looking to do it again in the spring, possibly when the weather warms up in April or May, she said. “People were happy to do it,” McLean said. “The…

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Catonsville Principals Share Back-to-School News

Baltimore County Public School students return to school on Monday.

Summer is over and Baltimore County Public School students return on Monday. Patch reached out to area principals to get an update on what is going on at their schools. Here are there responses. Principal welcome message/goals for the school year:  Principal Linda Miller: "Our theme mirrors the superintendent’s theme of excellence.  Our theme is “Pursuit of Excellence”.  We looked at the most recent Olympic athletes and discussed how they continue their pursuit even though they may fail, have injuries or challenges or did not win a medal.  The second part of my message introduces our instructional focus for the year, which mirrors the new instructional pieces from the school system. New teachers/staff at Catonsville Elementary:  Back-to-…

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Watch: Catonsville Middle Students Perform Hot Chelle Rae

The music video was created by the Catonsville Middle School Girls' Choir.

Check out this video made by students with the girls choir at Catonsville Middle School as they perform "Tonight Tonight" by Hot Chelle Rae. 

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You Tell Us: Where Else Would You Like a Mural?

Two new murals have been created in Catonsville in the last month.

Two walls that were once blank have become the settings for murals in the last month in Catonsville. At Catonsville Middle School, students and local muralist Mark Selby transformed a wall by the school's tennis and basketball courts into a mural. On Bloomsbury Avenue, the side of the M&T Bank building that faces Bloomsbury is being turned into a 100-by-14 foot mural by students from Catonsville High School. Catonsville resident and muralist Edward Williams  helped with the creation and design of the mural. Last summer, a group of students from Kaleidoscope! arts camp also re-painted a mural on the No. 8 Streetcar Path. Both Williams and Selby have expressed desire to do more work in Catonsville. Selby also did the sign on the side of …

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Catonsville Middle School Students Work on Mural

Local muralist Mark Selby and a group of students transform a wall at Catonsville Middle School.

As a muralist, Mark Selby is always looking for the next blank wall that will serve as his canvas. A Catonsville native, Selby attended Catonsville Middle School. Now, as a parent of one current CMS student, he had been eyeing an empty wall by the school's tennis and basketball courts as a spot for a mural. After some conversations with Principal Michael Thorne and the school's art teacher, Selby was finally able to start working with the help of a group of students. The mural's design reflects two important aspects of Catonsville life: music and the annual Fourth of July parade. For the past two weeks, Selby has been working with the students to scrape, prime and paint the background of the mural. On Friday, he and the students started …

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Two Catonsville Parents Recognized by County PTA

Rita Hall and Barbara Bates received special recognition for their efforts from the Baltimore County Council of PTAs

Two Catonsville parents received special recognition by the Baltimore County Council of PTAs for the number of hours they have spent volunteering at their schools. At its year-end banquet, the council recognized Catonsville High School PTSA member Rita Hall and Catonsville Middle School PTSA member and former president Barbara Bates. Bates has served as either president, secretary and vice president in the past five years. Bates is now a health teacher at the school but still runs some of the same activities she started. According to the nomination form, Bates started the school's Straight A breakfast last year as a new event. She also coordinates snacks for 700 students during the state exams every March. "Barbara is the kind of person …

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School Officials Notify Parents of Edmondson Avenue Incident

Stranger in gold car asked Arbutus Middle School student for a push to the gas station April 26.

Middle school administrators in Arbutus and Catonsville sent a letter on the evening of May 3 informing parents about an April 26 incident that has spread rumors over Facebook and in the community. According to Arbutus Middle School principal Michelle P. Feeney, at around 7:20 a.m., an eighth grader waiting at a bus stop at Edmondson Avenue and Greenlow Road was approached by a man driving a gold car who asked for help getting to the gas station down the street. "He asked him to help push the car," Feeney said. "The man didn't threaten [the student]. He didn't ask him to get in the car. He just asked him to help push the car to the gas station." When the student arrived at school, he notified the school resource officer (SRO)--a Baltimore …

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Weekend Activities: Mulch Sale, Trail Work Day

There's lots of great activities going on in Catonsville this weekend.

With all of the spring weather we've been having, your plans this weekend may involve yard work or spending some time outdoors. Or if you're Irish, you may be celebrating St. Patrick's Day. There are also a few other activities going on in Catonsville this weekend. Here's a few you might want to check out: Mulch sale at Catonsville Middle School: This is a big fund-raiser for the school's PTA and a great way to get a head start on your spring yardwork. Stop by the school on Saturday. Volunteer work day on the Short Line Path: Volunteers are needed to clean up the Short Line Path off of Maiden Choice Lane in Catonsville to help Catonsville Rails to Trails. Planetarium Show at CCBC: Follow the adventures of an Easter Bunny who lives in a …

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Volunteering in Catonsville

If You Want to Volunteer, Here's What Catonsville Needs

A roundup of volunteer needs in the Catonsville community.

Whether it's your time, your talent or your treasure, there's plenty of needs for volunteers in Catonsville. Here are a few opportunities that Patch found. 1. Catonsville High School is holding the Class of 2012 After Prom Fundraiser at Monaghan's at 7:30 p.m. on March 31. Tickets are $20 and the committee needs donations for the silent auction, including sporting game tickets, gift cards, baskets, tickets for venues and services. To help out, contact Rita Hall at ritahall56@verizon.net 410-744-7557. 2. Catonsville Middle School is in need of volunteers for their annual mulch sale on March 17, which is sponsored by the school's PTA. Organizers need adults and drivers to help deliver mulch, as well as people to help with sales on the day of…

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