thursday,may 2, 2013 - County Times - Southern Maryland Online

21 Thursday, May 2, 2013The County TimesTo The EditorSt. Mary’s Schools LackDiscipline, Parent WorriesP.O. Box 250Hollywood, Maryland 20636News, Advertising, Circulation,Classifieds: 301-373-4125www.countytimes.netAs a parent who has watchedtwo sons successfully go thru theSt Mary's county public educationsystem I have respected your leadershipand educational philosophyfor many years.I have become aware of asituation within one of your HighSchool administrations that concernsme greatly as a taxpayer andparent in St Mary's county.My son Calvin Brien graduatedfrom Great Mills High schoolin 2007. He has gone on to earntwo undergraduate degrees (summacum laude) from a Mars Hillcollege in N.C. where he was theLacrosse team captain for three ofhis four years. All three of thoseyears the team won the SouthEast Division II NCAA regionalchampionship.Calvin came back to StMary's county after graduatingand became active in local Lacrossecoaching the Mechanicsvilleboys club team as well assingle handedly starting the TaylorHubbard memorial Lacrosse clinicwhich raises scholarship moneyeach year for the Taylor Hubbardscholarship fund.This year Calvin took a job atChopticon high school as the boyshead Lacrosse coach. Turningdown a prestigious offer from theCalverton School to be assistantcoach for their spring LAX season.He worked very hard at Chopticondriving daily sometimesfrom his full time job in St Inigoesall the way to Morganza, using hispersonal leave for early games,and his spare time to organize theteam scrimmages, provide specialinstructions and leadership to theboys on the team.He brought the team thrusome very bad loses to several impressivewins in the first half of theseason.Calvin insisted upon instillingvalues of academics, leadership,strong work ethic, and disciplineinto the lives of the boyson the Braves LAX team. Thesevalues can be taught through thegame of lacrosse and Calvin hasbeen successful at this as both astudent and a coach. These valuesare necessary as you are personallyaware for young men to succeedin this world. Calvin wouldnot have achieved all the successhe has had in his young life (academic,professional, social, athletic)had it not been for these samevalues his lacrosse coaches taughthim.The Chopticon High schooladministration has decided to fireCalvin half way thru the season(just before senior night) due tothe fact that a very small set of students& their parents complainedto the administration that Calvin’spractice of making the whole teamresponsible for unacceptable behaviorof a few team members. Inthe example that apparently leadto this decision, Calvin made thewhole team run hills at practiceafter many of the boys were unrulyon the bus trip home from agame. All of the boys were beingloud and out of control causing thebus driver to stop and yell morethan once. Someone on the busthrew an empty water bottle thatstruck close to the bus driver aswell which of course is a serioussafety issue.Calvin is a strong very matureleader, and the personal disappointmentcaused by this decisionis something he will get overand move pass with dignity as hehas with all the struggles in hisyoung live.Dr. Martirano, I ask you howwill these young men grow to becomemature respectful membersof our community when the lessonsthey are taught are not thateach and every person on a teamhas responsibility for collectiveactions? How will our schoolsystem produce academic, athletic,socially successful peoplesuch as Calvin without showingour young people that actionshave consequences? How will StMary's county public schools becomea successful school systemwhere academics, and personalgrowth thrive, when consequencesfor bad behavior are met withexcuses, complaints about unfairpunishments, and scapegoat mentalityfrom a school administrationwhich refuses to stand behind theteachers and coaches who do theright thing?My son will move forwardfrom this with grace and dignityas he has always done. He hasbeen perusing his Masters Degreeat the University of Marylandthroughout all this as well asholding down a full time job, anddedicating much time and effortto coaching. Calvin is the kind ofyoung person we as a society needto stand behind, and the goalsand ideals he teaches by exampleare the principles that need to beencouraged and fought for in ourschool systems.I wish Saint Mary's Countypublic schools all the success inthe future, and hope that you Dr.Martirano will encourage theyoung people as well as the schooladministrations in the St Mary'sCounty Public school system tofollow and stand behind the examplesof the successful productssuch as Calvin that have come outof that system.Michael T. BrienDameron, Md.LEGAL ADVERTISINGDid you know?The County Times/Calvert Gazette offerslegal advertising?Probably at a fractionof what you’recurrently paying?Legals at $10per column inchTo place your legal or for more info:Call Cindi Jordan at 301-373-4125cindijordan@countytimes.netNotice of Public HearingLegal NoticeThe Commissioners of Leonardtown will conduct a Public Hearingto obtain the views of citizens on Community Developmentand Housing Needs, and to offer citizens the opportunity to reviewan application for Cedar Lane Senior Living Community I, Inc. toapply for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for thepurpose of improving life safety of senior residents by installing asprinkler system and back up emergency generator in this thirtysixyear old 128 unit apartment building. The Commissioners ofLeonardtown propose to submit the application to the State on orbefore Friday, May 31st 12:00 Noon, deadline for same. The PublicHearing will be held at 41660 Courthouse Drive, Leonardtown, MDat 4:15 pm on Monday, May 13, 2013.Citizens will be furnished with information including but not limitedto:• The amount of CDBG funds expected to be made available forthe current fiscal year• The range of activities that may be undertaken with CDBGfunds• The estimated amount of the CDBG funds proposed to be usedfor activities that will meet the national objective of benefit tolow and moderate income persons• Proposed CDBG activities likely to result in displacement andrelocation plans required under 24 CFR 42.325The Maryland Community Development Block Grant Program isa federally sponsored program designed to assist units of generallocal government with activities directed toward neighborhood andhousing revitalization, economic development, and improved communityfacilities and services.Maryland’s CDBG Program is administered by the Department ofHousing and Community Development (DHCD), in close cooperationwith the Department of Business and Economic Development(DBED).The Maryland CDBG Program reflects the State’s economic andcommunity development priorities and provides public funds foractivities which meet one of the following national objectives, inaccordance with the Housing and Community Development Act of1974, as amended:1. Give maximum feasible priority to activities which will benefitlow and moderate income persons and households havingan income equal to or less than the Section 8 lower incomelimits established by HUD;2. Aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight;3. Meet other community development needs of an urgent nature,or that are an immediate threat to community health andwelfare.The State of Maryland’s allocation of federal funds for fiscal year2014 for Community Development is estimated to be $4,269,153.Efforts will be made to accommodate the disabled and non-Englishspeaking residents with 5 days’ advance notice to 301-475-9791.By Authority:Laschelle E. McKay, Town Administrator 5/2/2013LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARDTo Submit a Letter to the Editor, email your letter tonews@countytimes.net by 12 p.m. on the Tuesdayprior to our Thursday publication. Or mail toThe County TimesP.O. Box 250, Hollywood, MD 20636James Manning McKay - FounderEric McKay - Associate Publisher..................................ericmckay@countytimes.netCorrin M. Howe - Editor....................................................corrinhowe@countytimes.netAngie Stalcup - Graphic Designer...................................angiestalcup@countytimes.netKasey Russell - Junior Designer.......................................kaseyrussell@countytimes.netTobie Pulliam - Office Manager..............................tobiepulliam@countytimes.netSarah Miller- Reporter - Community..............................sarahmiller @countytimes.netGuy Leonard - Reporter - Education, Crime...............guyleonard@countytimes.netAlex Panos - Reporter - Government, Entertainment.........alexpanos@countytimes.netSales Representatives......................................................................sales@countytimes.netContributing Writers:Joyce BakiEric FranklinRon GuyLaura JoyceDebra MeszarosShelby OppermannLinda RenoTerri SchlichenmeyerEditorial Interns:Grace MillerickRebecca SachsAlex TheriotKimberly Alston