The Children’s Guild of Prince George’s County Names Abby Brandt Principal

By ANDREW ALDRICH
The Children’s Guild

CHILLUM, MD (Oct 29, 2018)—The Children’s Guild of Prince George’s County, a nonpublic school serving children and youth with behavioral, emotional and learning disabilities to include children on the autism spectrum, named Abby Brandt principal. Brandt previously served as principal in residence at The Children’s Guild.

“Brandt has gained a wide range of experience in both teaching students and leading schools and has a heart for special needs students,” said Andrew L. Ross, president and CEO of The Children’s Guild. “Her talent and experience will make her a tremendous leader at our campus in Prince George’s County.”

Brandt brings more than eight years of experience in education, special needs and school administration. She also provides professional development and coaching services to school leaders and teachers as a consultant with Ed Partners in Washington, D.C.

Prior to joining The Children’s Guild, Brandt was assistant principal at Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy School in Washington, D.C., where she supervised staff serving special education students, provided classroom support and developed school policies and procedures.

Previously, she was an administrator of academic and transitional services at the National Children’s Center in Washington, D.C., where she also served as a special education teacher. She was a special education mathematics teacher at New Visions Academy in Maryland, a mathematics teacher at Area Learning Center in Minnesota and a long-term mathematics substitute teacher at Mounds View High School in Minnesota.

In addition, Brandt has worked with adult services programs in the District of Columbia and Maryland, including the Rehabilitative Services Administration, Developmental Disabilities Administration and Department of Rehabilitative Services to refer students and ensure they have programming in place after graduation.

She holds a board certification from the American Academy of Special Education Professionals and serves on the board of the Epilepsy Alliance for Young Adults in Washington, D.C. She also was a member of the Maryland Association of Nonpublic Special Education Facilities.

Brandt is pursuing her Doctor of Education in educational leadership and administration from The George Washington University. She holds teaching and school administration certifications through the Maryland State Department of Education and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. She earned her Master of Science in school administration and supervision from Johns Hopkins University and her Bachelor of Science in secondary education from the University of Wisconsin.

The Children’s Guild is an affiliate member of the TranZed Alliance, a nonprofit organization serving children, families and child-serving organizations and dedicated to transforming how America educates and cares for its children through education, behavioral health and national training and consultation services.

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Student Voices Responding to Our Times

By DR. MICHAEL S. GLASER
World Artist Experience

ARNOLD, MD (October 29, 2018)—The 2018–19 World Artists Experience Writing Project encourages all Maryland students, grades 3–12 to join in thinking about how we might break through the barriers that separate us and build stronger, more compassionate communities.

Here is an excerpt from a composite poem with selected lines from many of the 2018 submitted works:

A Delicate Thread

The world is tied together by a delicate thread

If we let go of fear and open our humanness

We can learn to be comfortable in our own skins

What choice do we have but to recognize that we are all one?

Let us work together, help each other, stand up, and say how we feel.

Let us not be chameleons hiding in the shadows.

Individuality, uniqueness and diversity are what make us strong.

Not everyone has the same point of view and there are many things

I still can’t understand, but if we are to make the world a better place,

We must turn to kindness and joy.

At the end of the day, we are all world citizens.

Hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, we must put aside our differences.

May we live in the light of truth and discover the beauty of one another.

Students are invited to submit a poem or first person narrative about their experiences with cross-cultural differences, and their thoughts on how we might bridge the divides in our increasingly fragile world.  This year’s topic is “Breaking Barriers, Building Communities:  Connecting, Cooperating, Caring” and the deadline for submissions has been extended to November 27, 2018.  Details and complete submission forms can be found at www.worldartists.org. Click on “International Education” and “2019 Writing Project.”

Teachers find that students who participate in the writing project—especially those students from other countries, delight in the opportunity to share the stories.  “I believe the act of writing about the kindness of strangers also helped provide some closure for my refugee students while affirming their new beginnings,” one teacher wrote.

Kennedy Jade-Watkin Myrie, a student at Garrison Forest School said, “I like knowing that my poems are being read by people all around.”  Her teacher, Erin Hirsch Viana expressed her delight that project’s yearly themes fits into her teaching goals of “fostering compassion, kindness and inclusiveness” in the classroom, as well as “giving students an opportunity to write for a real audience.”

Submitted writings are screened and selected for publication by a distinguished group of poets and teachers.  Those students whose works are selected for publication, as well as those whose works are awarded an honorable mention, are invited to a Publication Celebration—usually at an Embassy in Washington D.C.—or some other exciting venue.  Parents, teachers and principals are also invited to attend.

The final celebration ceremony involves not only recognition of the students, but also offers them exposure to art and artists from other cultures—thus affirming, as Rachel Smith, co-director of the Writing Project,  put it, “the value of learning about, respecting and building relationships with people whose lives are different from their own.”

Students may enter this project through their schools or on their own.  Complete information can be found at www.worldartistexperiences.org

World Artist Experience is a non-profit organization based in Arnold, MD, which seeks to promote increased understanding and respect between all peoples of the world.

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