School notes: FCPS student wins 'If I Were Mayor' contest
Eliza Wood, a student at Middletown Elementary School, was recognized alongside 10 other students in the state by the Maryland Municipal League and Maryland first lady Dawn Flythe Moore.
The 2025 essay contest theme was 'Building Community for a New Generation.' Students wrote the essays as if they were mayors of their cities or towns.
Students wrote about concepts like 'building inclusive and safe communities' and 'making sure basic needs are met so residents can reach their full potential,' according to a press release.
During the ceremony, Moore said to the students: 'There is not a single room you don't belong in.'
'You are the future of our state, and we cannot wait to see all that you achieve,' she said.
The contest was sponsored by Maryland Municipal League and the Maryland Mayors Association.
Oakdale Elementary to host STEM summer program
Oakdale Elementary School is scheduled to host the Camp Invention enrichment program over the summer.
The nonprofit STEM program for students in kindergarten through sixth grade is scheduled to be at Oakdale Elementary from June 23 to 26.
The program is from the National Inventors Hall of Fame in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Camp Invention features student activities that 'tap into their natural curiosity and use their creativity to solve problems,' according to a press release.
This year's program called 'Discover' will feature hands-on activities, such as building a claw machine out of cardboard, assembling a custom control panel and building an animation device.
Registration for this summer is available at www.invent.org/programs/camp-invention.
West Frederick, Whittier earn Purple Stars
West Frederick Middle School and Whittier Elementary School are the first two schools in Frederick County to receive the Maryland Purple Star School designation.
The Maryland State Board of Education recognizes schools with this award for 'outstanding support of military-connected students and their families,' according to a United States Army press release.
The schools also demonstrated a 'strong commitment to easing the educational and social-emotional transitions faced by children in military families,' according to the release.
Schools had to meet four criteria to qualify for a Purple Star award: appointing a military liaison, creating online resources, implementing a peer-led transition program and providing staff training on military culture.
Randi Gonzalez, a special education program assistant at Whittier Elementary, was named the military liaison for the elementary school.
'It's more than a symbol, it's a representation of our community's resilience and inclusivity,' Gonzalez said in the release.
Frederick High alumni plaque
The Frederick High School Alumni Association donated a cast bronze plaque to display outside the front door of the school.
The plaque features the school's motto, 'Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve.'
Thomas Sterner, the founder of Art Factory studio near Union Mills, was commissioned to create the plaque.
The high school's alumni association was incorporated in 1944, according to association President Debbie Richmond.
She wrote in a statement that the association has provided student scholarships as well as held spring and Christmas dances for decades.
'The plaque is donated with fond memories and hope for future generations,' Richmond wrote.
Send school-related news to Esther Frances at efrances@newspost.com.
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Chicago Tribune
13-08-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago Stars hire Martin Sjögren as next coach — but the former Norway coach won't start until January
Martin Sjögren had been intrigued by the National Women's Soccer League for years. The timing, though, hadn't felt right to pursue an opportunity — until the Chicago Stars had a coaching vacancy this summer. Sjögren's vision aligned with the direction the organization is forging and ultimately made him the right fit. The Stars named Sjögren their next coach Wednesday and Anders Jacobson his first assistant. Current interim coach Ella Masar will continue as an assistant along with Karina Báez and goalkeeper coach Brenton Saylor. Sjögren, 48, will finish the Swedish Damallsvenskan league season with Hammarby before joining the Stars in January, feeling an obligation to his current club. In numerous meetings during the lead-up to his hiring, Sjögren saw that he and the Stars possessed a common set of values for how a professional sports organization should be run. 'We really said: What are the barriers, what are the boundaries of our search? And there were none,' Stars President Karen Leetzow told the Tribune. 'We were going to look anywhere and everywhere to see where we could find the perfect fit for our club.' Once they identified candidates from around the world, a 'robust process' ensued, Leetzow said. The search included more than 60 candidates with general manager Richard Feuz and assistant GM Babett Peter conducting initial interviews to narrow the pool. The finalists then met with Leetzow and principal owner Laura Ricketts. Leetzow estimated she and Ricketts met with at least three final candidates. Sjögren and Jacobson were a package deal during the process, which at one point featured a joint interview where their camaraderie shone. The addition of Jacobson as Sjögren's right-hand man should help the transition. The duo has worked together for 10 years, though the last three years they have been on separate endeavors. Sjögren and Jacobson also have known Masar for years. Her presence contributed to the appeal of the Stars job. It ultimately was an easy choice, Leetzow said, because of how well Sjögren and Jacobson work together and their thoughtfulness. Their history with Masar was 'icing on the cake.' 'At the end of the day, no matter who we hire, there's going to be people who are, 'Oh, yeah, that makes total sense,' or like, 'We don't really understand that,'' Leetzow said. 'But as long as we know what we were going for, and as long as that person — or persons in this case — checks all of our boxes, we're 100% behind the hire.' Once Jacobson receives his visa, he will join the Stars immediately as interim coach for the remainder of this season. In the meantime, Masar will continue in that role. Jacobson and Masar will begin implementing Sjögren's strategies and approach while providing him weekly feedback. 'With Anders, we don't think alike, which is good if you're going to work together,' Sjögren told the Tribune. 'So we always have good discussions, but when we decide upon something, we always keep to what we have decided. And I trust Anders with all my heart. And even if we don't think alike, we also have the same set of values, which makes it easy to work together.' Sjögren takes over a struggling Stars team that sits 13th in the 14-team league with just eight points (1-9-5). Faced with what shapes up to be a multiyear climb back up the table, it might not have represented an attractive situation. However, Leetzow viewed the opportunity through a different lens, calling the NWSL the world's most competitive league. Considering how many coaches want to work in it, she said Chicago is a secret weapon that sells itself, 'and we have an amazing coaching staff and an amazing roster.' 'With all those things in mind, we didn't have any trouble sourcing potential candidates for the position,' Leetzow said. 'I don't think where we are in the standings at all represents where we can be. We're in a development cycle, it's clear, but it has not at all tempered any excitement of any coach to come here.' Sjögren spent most of his playing and coaching career in his native Sweden. He started his coaching journey in 2004 at Östers IF and steadily rose through the club ranks. He guided LdB FC Malmö to the Swedish league title in 2010 and 2011, then moved on to Linköpings FC for four years, including an undefeated season in 2016 and another Damallsvenskan title. Club-level success resulted in Sjögren being named the Norwegian national team coach in December 2016, a position he held for more than five years. Norway reached the quarterfinals of the 2019 World Cup but failed to qualify for the 2020 Olympics. In July 2022, Sjögren and Jacobson resigned from their coaching positions after Norway didn't get out of the group stage for a second straight UEFA Women's European Championship. Reflecting on leading Norway's national team, Sjögren described those years as a tough experience that taught him a lot about himself and leadership in such situations. 'In the national team, you have to simplify and simplify and simplify, and it's more about leadership, maybe, than tactical knowledge, but then also to be able to handle big stars,' Sjögren said. 'I've been coaching club teams with good players as well, but it's a bit different when it comes to the national team, and also when it comes to championships. All the experience that I've had, both with club and the national team, will help along the way.' Leetzow understands the pressures that exist at the national team level, having served as the U.S. Soccer Federation's chief legal officer from 2020-23. 'Coaching a national team is one of the most difficult positions a coach can take,' she said. 'Everybody's always out to get you or critique you in some way, and he's had, as far as I can tell, a successful period of time. 'He had some losses and some things I think he wishes he could take back. That's life, that's part of the learning cycle, and I don't hold that against him in any way. He's an amazing, calming influence. He's very deliberative about his coaching style.' Sjögren plans to utilize a more European style of play with the Stars. He wants them to maintain the best of the American identity to combine with a European possession-oriented approach, 'because I don't think you can just switch from 0 to 100 or 100 to 0. You need to try to keep the best parts of what you already know.' When breaking down the basics of his philosophy, Sjögren said he wants his team to have an offensive approach while holding more possession than the opponent — regaining possession as quickly as possible if it loses the ball — and pressing high. He also noted the importance of factoring in the opponent. 'You have to be adjustable to what you face,' he said, 'and also being at the bottom of the table that the team is at the moment, maybe you can't just do all of this at once. But that's at least the vision for this team. Possess the ball a little bit more, win it back a little bit more often, press higher a little bit more, and if you take those small steps, step by step, eventually, hopefully we will have the winning team.' Sjögren joins the Stars knowing there isn't a quick fix. Implementing these tactical adjustments and honing precision will take time, and this likely won't be a one-year process. 'You can build something really quick by just buying a lot of players,' he said, 'but if you do that, there's a big risk that suddenly, if you don't keep on paying that money, you won't have a team anymore. So you need to build a good foundation to stand on, and from that create an attractive organization to be a part of.' Rebuilding an organization from the ground up can be a tough sell to fans. The Stars have embraced the chance to address the club's culture and players' needs, though the on-field product clearly remains a work in progress, especially with Mallory Swanson not playing this season. 'Every team wants to be able to sell a vision of a winning team to fans, but for us, we're looking to build long-term success in the city of Chicago,' Leetzow said. 'That said, I would expect Martin — or any other hire that I make — to buy themselves a little bit of time to get accustomed. 'But when you talk to him, he both understands the long-term build, but he's got that quiet fire of wanting to win. So I expect that he'll do his best to bring us into the winning column as quickly as he possibly can.'
USA Today
01-08-2025
- USA Today
America understaffed
Welcome to August!😎 I'm Nicole Fallert. This grandma received a well-deserved vacation. July jobs report may show growing impact of Trump's immigration crackdown The Trump administration's immigration crackdown is taking a growing toll on a weakening labor market, economists say. The numbers: Forecasters estimate the Labor Department on Friday will report the U.S. gained 109,000 jobs in July, down from 147,000 in June and a monthly average of 130,000 this year. Trump signs order imposing sweeping new tariffs President Trump signed an executive order Thursday imposing sweeping new tariffs on imports from trading partners across the world, escalating an aggressive trade policy aimed at spurring domestic manufacturing in the U.S. In addition, Trump took separate action to raise tariffs on goods from Canada from 25% to 35%. The new reciprocal tariff rates, which will go into effect in seven days, come before an Aug. 1 deadline Trump gave about 180 countries to either reach trade deals with the Trump administration or face higher reciprocal tariffs assigned by the U.S. USA TODAY made it simple with a full list of new tariff rates. More news to know now What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. US officials head to Gaza to inspect food distribution centers President Trump is sending two top White House officials to Gaza on Friday to inspect food distribution centers and meet with Gazans amid intensifying global scrutiny over the hunger crisis in the territory. Steven Witkoff, Trump's Middle East envoy, and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee will 'secure a plan to deliver more food and meet with local Gazans to hear firsthand about this dire situation" during the rare trip. Following their visit, Witkoff and Huckabee are expected to meet with Trump to approve the administration's final plan for food and aid distribution in the region amid Israel's ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell speaks out following NYC shooting ~ NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in an emotional interview since a gunman killed four people Monday in a targeted attack on the NFL's Manhattan office. Goodell opted not to attend the NFL's Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, instead attended the funeral of slain NYPD officer Didarul Islam. Today's talkers How the Dallas Stars monopolized Texas youth hockey Unlike the NFL, NBA and MLB, a handful of NHL teams are intimately involved in running the youth levels of their sports in their regions – perhaps none more than the Dallas Stars. The Stars spent decades turning what was once seen as a community good into a lucrative arm of their for-profit enterprise. USA TODAY spoke to more than 100 hockey parents, coaches, players, business owners and current and former Stars employees and reviewed hundreds of pages of property records, business filings, contracts, tax returns, court records, emails and internal documents. USA TODAY's exclusive investigation reveals how the Stars bullied a community to profit off a youth sport. Photo of the day: Freakier Friday One of the most memorable scenes from "Freaky Friday" is when Anna (played by Lindsay Lohan) performs a musical number for her mother and new stepfather at their nuptials, donning a lavender wrap dress to sing the sweet pop-rock banger "Ultimate." Lohan referenced the dress at the "Freakier Friday" U.K. premiere Thursday in what was yet another nod to her iconic outfits from past roles. Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@
Los Angeles Times
31-07-2025
- Los Angeles Times
NAMM extends harmonious partnership with Anaheim to 2030
A 50-year partnership between the National Assn. of Music Merchants and the city of Anaheim was celebrated Tuesday during a special gathering at the Anaheim Convention Center Grand Plaza, where it was announced the nonprofit will continue to hold its annual trade shows in the city until at least 2030. Each year the NAMM trade show brings music, sound and entertainment technology professionals from more than 120 countries to Anaheim, stimulating the local economy. The announcement that its local run has been extended came as music to the ears of local business owners, community leaders and the student musicians who benefit from the association's shows. 'When NAMM comes to town, our city comes alive,' said Mayor Ashleigh Aitken. 'NAMM fills our hotels, supports our restaurants and most importantly it fuels our small businesses,' she continued, echoing remarks made by Mike Waterman, president and chief executive of Visit Anaheim. Founded in 1901, the association is dedicated to 'promoting the pleasures and benefits of making music.' It produces a number of trade shows throughout the year and offers members access to resources and professional development. 'NAMM was founded by a group of piano dealers in New York who wanted to make sure the trade of the musical instrument at the time was strong,' said John Mlynczak, president of the organization. 'Throughout history, through depressions, world wars, the pandemic and even more threatening things to our industry like the internet or the 800 number, all the things that changed commerce, NAMM continues to evolve.' In addition to the commerce the NAMM show brings to Anaheim, the organization also has a harmonious relationship with Anaheim Elementary School District's music education programs through instrument donations and support for student musicians. 'We are not just a trade show,' Mlynczak said. 'Music is about community and one of the things NAMM has learned over 125 years is you have to build community. It is not just the products that are launched here, it is the artists, the musicians, the influencers, the students and the educators.' In 2014, the Anaheim Elementary School District Board of Education made a commitment to provide music instruction for its students. By 2018, all 24 schools employed full-time general music teachers, thanks in part to NAMM. 'One of our main core missions from our school board is that every student from pre-K through sixth grade has music education as part of their general education,' said Anaheim Elementary School District Supt. Jesus Chavarria, who was a guest speaker during Tuesday's celebration. 'NAMM's partnership has helped us thrive.' Chavarria spoke about the multiple music education programs Anaheim Elementary School District now offers, including a showcase band, drumline and a Mariachi All-Stars group with plans for All-Star choir currently in the works. For the last 10 years, Anaheim schools have also served as hosts for the NAMM Foundation's Day of Service, which brings industry professionals into the classroom to give students the opportunity to hear from working musicians. To demonstrate the impact NAMM has made by providing support of the district's music initiatives, the Sarah Grandpré Studio Singers performed following the speakers' remarks. Clad in white blazers, the group performed two numbers for the audience. Mlynczak said NAMM is looking forward to five more years of making an impact on Anaheim, or 'NAMMaheim,' as he jokingly referred to the city. 'The power of music is what makes our event so special and the power of community is what makes Anaheim so special,' he said.
