From Harford County Public Schools:
Superintendent Barbara Canavan, Board President Nancy Reynolds, Board Members Alysson Krchnavy and James Thornton, Chief of Administration Joe Licata, and several members of the school system’s Leadership Team kicked off the new year with the First Day Bus Ride this morning at North Bend Elementary School. What a celebration! Thank you, North Bend, for hosting this tradition this year!
What a great tradition and what a great school North Bend is! My child always looked forward to the line of staff members welcoming them on the 1st day of school and waving goodbye on the last.
I have been a NB parent for many years and I have seen the awesome end of the year wave that Mr. Hunsinger started, but truthfully, I have never seen all this before o the first day of school, with the lines of teachers, balloons, noisemakers and party hats! I have seen a lot of staff members out in the front, but they were helping students, not lined up like a football team giving high fives. Was all this really necessary?
Whatever sets each employee apart from another makes their LinkedIn profile’s, and personal portfolios more strong applicant elsewhere than someone who doesn’t.
If you are saying she did this to look better you do not kno her at laa this was for one thing her students
Says her brother, Donald Criss!!! So, it’s just coincidental that she chose the HNY theme the same year as Central Office people came for a visit??? I don’t recall having a theme any of her other years. I’m not saying the children didn’t enjoy it. It just reeks of “dog and pony” theatrics. So, hopefully she has started a tradition and this will occur every first day of school at NB!
was your student happy surprised felt special if so I think it was more the nessary
This has probably already been written, but this tradition goes back many years, started sometime during the reign of the Grand Dame herself, Jackie Haas. It happens at a different school every year. It just happened to be North Bend ES’s turn.
She should visit all of the high schools and she could see for herself that they are all under capacity and there is no need to build a new Havre de Grace high school. It’s time to redistrict.
Go visit Harford Tech. Everyone has their fake smiles on there.
All the smiles are fake at all of the schools in the county!! Smoke and mirrors, people, smoke and mirrors!!
Exactly. A large percentage of Harford County teachers would “jump ship” almost immediately if they were offered a guaranteed job equivalent to their current teaching subject, but with a lot more money.
The only hold back is job location. Maryland is small, so many teachers would be willing to travel to other counties, and states, but some don’t without a burden of moving.
Maryland is pretty bad for real estate, it doesn’t help.
I agree that balloons, teachers, central office staff is all for show. Overall, the feeling in the schools is the worst I have seen in twenty-five years. Many senior staff members are leaving after the first of the year. Some classes have been merged to accommodate the lack of staff hired. Teachers are looking for other teaching jobs in neighboring counties. They have lost hope. I hope our parents will stand up and speak for the good of the community and help get education on the agenda of our government leaders again.
If you think this was for show you have no idea what you are talking about get a life
Oh, yes, I firmly believe and so do lots of other parents that it was just for show. Whatever, it’s done. Now calm down, Donald Criss…. a.k.a. Mrs. Payne’s brother!
I dont see why you need to hide what are you affraid of. And never ever tell me to come down esp when you do not have the courage to put your name on something you write
So here is my issue with this fiasco. This lady and her staff show up on the first day of school at an Elementary School.
Instead of allowing the teachers to deal with first-day jitters of students, and generally getting everything prepped for the school year, they have to take time out to go and welcome busses, shake hands, and put on fake smiles?
Another question – if the Board of Education and the County Schools are running so lean on funding – then who paid for the balloons? Who paid for the food that was no doubt “available” to the visiting dignitaries? Who paid for the guy / girl in the ferret suit? Is that a ferret? What the hell else could it be, other than strange and traumatic on the first day of school?!?!
Very rarely do you see back-office staff of any school, out of the office and smiling.
Did you ever think in a million years that maybe the principle and the staff paid for this out of their own pockets to give the students a special wecome no you did not becuse you cannot see the good in people
Calm down Brother of RP, down boy, down!!
Again you do not have the courage to stand behind what you write but you want ot tell me to calm down seriously I have not hid mine name is right there are you affraid of something so tell me big mouth what do you think you know about me tell the world
I noticed the “big wigs” at Central Office didn’t choose a Route 40 Corridor school to take pictures?
What an absolute circus that must have been!!! I am quite sure the “big shots” knew that it was a show being put on just for their benefit. After all they are the leaders and experts in the education community. They are all bright and articulate people. What in the world was that principal thinking?? Seriously… noisemakers on the bus, HNY balloons and paper crowns?? Hysterically pitiful!
did you ever in you little mind think she was thinking this would be a great way to welcome back the students she cares about no you did not because your mind does not think any one could do good esp the admin of the school system
YIKES… there must be A LOT of pent up anger in that family!!!
You have issuses now they are directed at me I have no anger my mind is clear and free I hid nothing what is your issuses you are hiding somthing what are you affraid of? can you sleep at night?
Wow, what a pitiful waste of time and money. Obviously this horse and pony show was a way for the principal to promote herself. Is she the woman in the black dress who looks as though she is dressed for the funeral of a dignitary and not the first day of school? If my kid went there, she’d be scared to death by the lady in black. And if it was the principal’s idea to confuse the kids by digging out leftover New Year’s Eve props, she needs remedial training to see that this was NOT a smart idea. Pathetic.
Hey Peabody – As a former HCPS employee, I agree that the financial situation is causing a host of problems within the school system. However, I must say that the majority of the teachers truly love the students and are genuinely happy to see them again so this first day welcome is not fake. You are yet another cowardly writer who is willing to post a negative comment about someone you don’t even know. I happen to have worked with the “lady in black.” If you have a school-age child, he/she will be blessed to have someone like her as part of their educational experience. This woman is a kind, caring, hard-working lady who takes her role as an educator to heart. She has a flair for fashion and always dresses like a lady. She is a loving wife and a wonderful mother. She comes from an extremely hard-working, loving family who taught her to work hard, treat people respectfully and have a sense of humor. If you knew her, you would be ashamed of yourself for bashing her which is easy to do when you hide like a coward behind an anonymous posting.
Struck a nerve, you hypocrite? Wha? Huh? Calling someone a coward (on the internet) for using an anonymous name, while using an anonymous name. Pot calling the kettle black?
Hit reply, and “Tell me how it is.”
Sorry Jorbis, but I don’t agree there. I’m defending someone who was attacked and don’t plan to spend my day here. Have a good one.
“SHUT IT” are you a sibling of “Lady in Black”???? You must be one of her sisters who thinks she has a “flair for fashion” and “always dresses like a lady”. I really don’t think a “flair for fashion” is necessary in a school filled with 5-11 year olds with lots of germs and grimy little (but cute) hands. As far as “always dressing like a lady”, lots of women administrators and teachers wear slacks, even capris and (OMG, jeans, sometimes)!!! I don’t imagine that “lady in black” gets too involved with the hundreds of children at her school, because she wouldn’t be able to dress like that. My guess is that she sits behind her desk most of the day, looking all official. Lady in black looks more like a corporate manager in the business world than an assistant principal in an elementary school! Anyone who professes to know about children should know that kids like bright, happy colors, not an all black, appropriate for a funeral, ensemble. Come on Lady in Black get with it, wear something the kids would like (not their fathers) and get involved with those enthusiastic young learners! Just sayin”…
WOW… and what is your name? Are you another family member of the principal or asst. principal??? Those two have very aggressive family members. A little counseling might be necessary. I can recommend a few local counselors/psychiatrists to help deal with your anger management problems. Fashionable???? Black dress, high heels and big hair in a school with little kids??? Pleazzzze!
Peabody my name is right there Im not hiding but if you think I have anger issuses lock your door at night. Is that the best you can do? trool who hid in a closet getting off while writting crap they know nothing aboy. Hey your so big and bad and all of that how about a name or shut the hell up
You obviously no nothing about the principal or the school. So the staff paid tor this out of their pockets! Just as most teachers continue to do. Also to the earlier comment the superintendent came to a Route 40 school last year.
That principal will be the laughing stock at other schools. Does she really think this fiasco was a good idea? D.U.M.B.!
A horse and poney show OMG her we have a staff that wants to make their students feel good and you spew this trash, I glad you know this person so well that you know what she stands for her morals and how she feels about her students. OOO Im sorry you dont know her at all because she was not in one picture and here we have you soewing tras and not knowing a thing
a laughing stock because she cares about her students the trash you spew is what I am laughing at
OH MY!!!! This is actually getting very amusing! Are you for real, DC???? Because I would be very upset and embarrassed if my brother ever felt the need to publicly demonstrate his opinion in such an angry way about something that I did. Very interesting family dynamics in your family!
no crazy things here Im for real I stand up for what it good but trolls like you hide are ashamed . I have no anger issues I sleep very well at night do you. You and other have a need to hind I wonder what from what issues do you have what do you do in the basement all night??
I have never in my life seen so much negativity and whining over the first day of school. Get over it. I have no doubt the kids had fun and that is what it is all about.
This story is about educators trying to make the first day of school exciting and a positive experience for students, and it still gets the Dagger Venom splashed all over it. How deep below a bridge does someone have to live to nitpick and poo-poo this all the way down to who paid for the balloons. Who knows if they weren’t purchased out of pocket? Who cares!?! If it makes school seem even the slightest bit more positive for one kid, I’d pay for the darn balloons. That kid may be fixing my computer, putting out my burning house or replacing my hip someday.
A circus? Well, kids like the circus. Elementary aged kids are too young to see school as a prison. If the first day of school felt like a trip to the circus for them, I think that’s pretty much awesome. They really do look traumatized by that bear, don’t they?
So maybe some administrators had to step out of their office for a few hours and interact with children and the community. The horror! I guess that time would have been better spent firing lazy workers and cancelling new school construction. Don’t worry, those kids are going to spend a lot of time with their “ungrateful overpaid whiney teachers” in the days to come. Can’t they have a little excitement on the first day?
Sometimes I feel like this site should be called “The Cleaver.” It has an edge alright, but no point.
Exactly.
Site is garbage and most of the posts are as well. Losers who need some kind of recognition and get something out of posting venom and refreshing to read the replys. But the site, users, articles and lemmings who run this site are the joke of most Harco schools. So keep up the good work…we all get a laugh out of this.
I guess you should know
Not really, the joke is no raises in years, and low morale with shitty school administrators and various other goofy supervisor and assistant supervisor positions they have come up with to fill asses to leather chairs.
But there is good news for you, dump a bucket of ice water on yourself and #Patyourselfontheback.
North Bend has always had an excellent reputation with the most awesome, caring and loving teachers. All that hullabaloo just wasn’t necessary. The stellar teaching that takes place there EVERY day of the school year stands on it’s own, without the noisemakers, party hats and balloons. The kids are happy every day coming to school. Everyone knows that! The first day just didn’t need to be such a production because there were special visitors. NB teachers keep up the good work, we the parents (and students) appreciate and love you for what you are!!
What makes you so so sure it was about vistors? are you in this persons mind? I think not. Did you not think it could just be about the students
OH MY !!! Again… anger issues! It’s nice that you want to defend your sister and you believe that her intentions were good, but , as a public official and leader of a school with young children, I am pretty sure your sister doesn’t wish for your anger to come spewing out in such a way. What a shame.
lol this is so funny you have no idea about me at all you low life moron. At least I have the gyts to show who I am. I have no anger you are the oness with the anger you are the ones who are putting down someone who has devoted their life to the kids she loves. You are putting down leaders in the county but you hide hide like a little coward you are. You see no good because your life is devoted to seeing the bad. People like you are the problem not the ones who do what they can do make things good for the kids. You spew hate intolerance and fear. You say I need help lol look in the mirror or are you affraid. Do you have kids man I hope not because I would not kids to learn from some one like you do you teach your kids to hide to spew hats and run wih rummers? If you do not like this county the school system then move the hell out
Wow, people have different opinions? You don’t say?
People are weird as shit. Why would you come here to read comments you don’t like? Freaks.
Yeah, piss yourself off and keep reading them. Stomp your feet and wave your arms in a temper tantrum, idiots.
Well, LOL, evidentially you must like it 2 because you are on DP this morning. Go to work or school everybody and get over it…. move on!!!
I do like it. Its my “social” entertainment. Weird? To you?
Trolling me? Funny how I didn’t tell you what to do.
LOL…. you are too funny! Bye bye… I have to go do some serious work now! Have a great day!
Doubt it. You’ll be back to reply to this reply.
I wonder how many of the over 100 administrators that make over $100,000 a year were out and about. Canavan paid Craig back for his support with pushing through a HDG school in months when she has done nothing to build a budget to fund teachers.
While I don’t know that it is necessary, this is something HCPS has done every year for a long time and it is held at a different school each year. This was not something North Bend decided to do. Every year the county executive and central office administrators ride a bus with elementary kids to school for the first day. I don’t know how they pick the school and frankly I don’t care. It’s not like the bus made an extra trip for them if they went to a random bus stop with the kids. Stop looking at this event as an adult for a minute and think like a child. It was fun and exciting for them to be welcomed back happily. And as for the guy in the bear suit, I’m pretty sure a staff member does it. One of the awesome custodians at our elementary school dresses up as our mascot for every event with the kids and they love it.
@Just Sayin…. No offense, but I don’t think anyone has an issue with the Superintendent and her entourage coming to NB. Most of us common folk are aware that every first day of school, the current Superintendent visits a chosen school for the bus ride and welcoming of students. I think it’s wonderful and a great PR move., We see the results of it in the Aegis that week. The issue is with how the administration at that particular school made it into a circus, with the Happy New Year songs, balloons, hats, noisemakers! I know a lot of little kids and they are just happy with a great big smile and quick hug or high five. It doesn’t take all that nonsense to make a kid love the first day of school, especially at a place like North Bend!
@ no offense. No offense taken. There are a few people above who were questioning why not a route 40 school and pointed fingers at the budget issues and indicated these teachers were faking their enthusiasm. While the teachers have every right to be angry with their situation….I sincerely hope elementary teachers wouldn’t be resentful to the children entering on the first day. The children are not responsible for the dire straights we are in and deserve to be greeted with enthusiasm which these teachers offered. I don’t recall from past years pictures if there was a much hoopla or not at the other schools. But I know some other schools have hoopla and don’t get the bus full of dignitaries so…..who knows.
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I am in total shock. I would think that all parents would love for their young students to have such a speccial welcome back to the first day of school. I would think all would love to have a principle that took the time money and effort to make this day special. But all you want to do is spew things you know nothing about, someone made a comment about her in the black dress to this person you need to get a life you know nothing about the principle you have never talked to her or met her because if you had you would know she was not in any of the pictures. This had nothing to do with makeing her look good advancing or knocking the other schools this was about the students nothing more. I do not know why most of you made a comment when you know nothing about this person, who she is or what she has done for her student durning her time with the schools. Think about what you wrote and ask your self why you did it, especially when you have no ideal who this person is. This could cause her to rethink what she does and how she treats her students. But she will not because she has morals and class something most of you do not. Next time you type know the facts know who you are talking about dont spew garbage. You all want the best for the student you want then in a good learning space but you write trash when it is done. I have only one thing to say get a life because it is more the obivious that you have nothing better to do then spread lies,and trash.
If I am correct, I do believe that Central Office contacts the schools they want involved for the first day. The school does not attempt to be “the school” that gets the attention on the first day. The principal, who is NOT the lady in the black dress, did not attempt to get attention for her school.
And actually, kudos to the lady in the black dress. She pulled off a pair of great-looking shoes while standing next to a school bus!!!!! Kerri Bradshaw would be proud.
Valentina I guess the lady in black just happened to have new years eve horns and hats and balloons on hand… please we aren’t stupid but apparently you are
Speaking of “spewing”…. are you almost done with your tirades, DC??? Please, let it be so, I ask of you…. please!!! I think one comment defending your sister would have been sufficient! And I see so many grammatical and spelling errors, your sister needs to proofread your essays before you submit them! And no, these errors are not all typos!
Whe you have been thru what I have been thru then you can talk What and who give you the right to talk to me like that. see if I spell this right *** and what are you hiding from damn all these people hiding from things get a life back up what you have to say dont hide
I do find it funny that all the ones spewing this garbage or not even using a name. Come on people what are you affraid of? If you have the nerve to post such at least have the curage to post your name
Did your mother really name you Doanld? 🙂
it may have been my father who maned me what your point?
I am using a name. There is no obligation or requirement to use my Christian born name, is there? Where do you see that at? It says, ” * NAME ” Please cite, and define without using personal opinion.
It wouldn’t be the internet without one person criticizing another, when the one person can not even spell their name correctly.
No there is nothing stated where you have to give your name. But not doing so to me just says you are not willing to stand by the spew and garbage you spread. You are not willing to have what you said reflect on you. you are a coward.
Good opinion Donald. The problem is, we (you, me, and whoever) still don’t know if a comment using a “real name” is actually, well, their “real name.”
@GoodnessGracious….. No, he was not done with his spewing about the spewing! I hope DC gets some much needed R&R this long weekend. Maybe a weekend with your family, so you can all spew out your anger together and start fresh next week!
OOPS! I just proofread and found errors in my last sentence. So sorry. I want to make sure the meaning is clear. It should say, ” Maybe a weekend with his family, so they can all spew out their anger together and start fresh next week”.
p.s.- PLEASE…. let the spewing end here!!!
You can’t even spell your first name right much less “courage”, you dumb ass
Thank you, Valentina, my point exactly…. shoes that Carrie Bradshaw would be proud of in an episode of “Sex and the City”, aren’t exactly appropriate for the first day of school at an elementary school!! Lady in Black would be more believable as a fictional character in a romantic sitcom than as an administrator in an elementary school. She needs to get out of her “SATC” mentality and into the mentality of educating our youth!
So many people on here say I have anger issues, Did any of you who said that read what you wrote? You are the ones with anger issues look at the crap you spew the hate you write the lies and untruths you spread. Yelp with out a doubt she is my sister and you know what she has the class that I may lack but I tell all of you this if ies where spread about your family members like they have been on here I would be ashamed if my family did not stick up for me that is family. I do not know how you all can sleep at night I really do not. You put me down other down that you know nothing about. My sister is the most careing honest helpfull person you would ever know she has class that few will know she has more morals then anyone I have every met and doubt that you will ever meet. I do know one this for sure none of you that commened has ever had a child at any of my sisters schools because is you had you would be praising her insteat of bashing her. I do not get that mentailty how can you bash some one you do not know what give you the right. An none of you know a thing about me you think you do but you dont. I do wear my feeling on my shoulders and I will stand by what ir right all the way till the end. You have no idea about the person I am what I have done or for whom if you did you would not be saying the things to me that you feel so freely to do. The difference between me and you is simple I see the good you look for the bad, I want the truth and you want to run with lies. Hell all these comment and most of you though she was in a picture and she was not. Do you not have the free will to speak what is right instead of running with the cowards who are affraid to even stand by what you say with your name? It is people like you who teach the bad to the kids. Some of you people said some pretty harsh things but that is fine I rest at night knowing what I sant for there is no way in hell you can. When your kid comes home making fun of the way some one dresses you cannot say a word when your kid comes on and tells a complete lie you cannot say a word when you kid come home putting others down with no merrit you can not say a word because they learned it from whom their real teachers should be and that is their parents. You can bash me all you want it does not matter but as long as you are lieing spreading rummers and bad things about some onw who has done as much as she has for this county and esp the kids she has loved I will keep coming at you. But you are such a easy target because you have one major flaw and that is your cowards and Im not. I sure homp you teach your children better then what you have showned here/