Baltimore International Academy moving to St. Anthony's

In school year 2012-2013 the Baltimore International Academy is moving to its new location at 4410 Frankford Avenue, next to the St. Anthony of Padua Church. This location was previously the site of the former St. Anthony’s School and recently, the former Mother Mary Lange School.

The Baltimore International Academy is a k-8 school that offers Baltimore residents an opportunity to have their children become bilingual through a public language immersion program.  Students who are in kindergarten and grade 1 are able to choose to immerse themselves in Russian, French, or Mandarin Chinese as their language of instruction.  Students in grades 2 to 8 learn French through the Rosetta Stone Program, which is an interactive, multi-media language-learning set of programs that replicate the environment in which learners naturally acquire new language.

Burglaries in NE Baltimore

Recently WBAL TV reported that the communities of Hamilton Hills, North Harford Road, and Westfield have sustained about eight burglaries in the last few weeks. Police indicate the burglars start with a knock on the door, and when there's no answer, they go to the rear of the home and try to get in that way through an unlocked door or window.

Potential burglars may watch your home, and when they see you leave, knock on your front door to see if you are home.  If the door is not answered, they will break in the home. Try to vary your movements as much as possible to not establish a discernible pattern.   If the door is answered, they may ask for a person who does not live at the house or ask if you requested a food delivery that you did not order.  If this occurs, call 911 and report it.  Also, if you see unknown persons suspiciously knocking on neighbors’ doors, report that via 911.

Here is some more information on how you can reduce the risk of being a burglary victim:

Current Burglary Trends in the Northeast District

The Northeast District has shared the following concerning the manner in which suspects are currently committing burglaries: 

• They are entering homes through a basement door, kitchen window, or side door
• They are placing items in suitcases found in the house and are exiting via the front door
• They are typically leaving the area via a car or a U-haul of box truck parked in front of the house being burglarized 

The police are asking you to call 911 if you observe any of the following:

• People walking with suitcases
• People entering the rear and side of houses that appear to be unusual
• If you see suspicious people getting into cars or box trucks or suspicious cars or box trucks is in your neighborhood, try to get a full or partial tag number and call 911
• If you see a U-haul or a box truck in your area and persons are loading items into it call 911, and again try to get a full or partial tag number and call 911

Please be as specific as you possibly can when describing property stolen from you

• The police are recovering what they believe to be stolen property, particularly jewelry, but they have often been unable to match it to that which has been reported stolen, thereby charging the person in possession of it with a crime and returning it to rightful owner.  Please try to be as specific as you possibly can be concerning descriptions of property that is stolen especially jewelry.

The police are finding that burglars are posing as lawn care personnel.  They then wait until the victim goes to work and burglarize the house

• They are suggesting that you attempt to use lawn care providers that you know
• If you agree to let someone you do not know cut your lawn, make sure you ask and receive photo identification and that you record their full name, address, and date of birth

The police believe that burglars are posing as home repair contractors

• They are asking, if you see work vans in your area, you call 911.

• The police are finding many large items such as big screen TV’s are being taken in recent burglaries, and they believe that burglars are using vans and box trucks to transport these items out of the area.

Here are some tips concerning Burglary Prevention:

1.       Doors secured with single cylinder deadbolts.  Mail and newspapers are not accumulating on the porch or in front of home.

2.       Windows locked.  In 70% of the burglaries committed in Northeast Baltimore entrance is gained via a rear or side window.

3.       Keep Blinds and Shades closed.  Do not leave your wallet, car keys, or other valuables in plain view

4.       Trees and shrubs are trimmed short enough so that all windows and doors are visible from the street and people cannot hide behind them.

5.       Examine your basement windows and doors.  They are normally a neglected portion of a house and thus its weakest point.  If they are old and can be easily forced, consider replacing the door and the windows with stronger frames or glass block.

6.       When leaving the house for vacation, lights are connected to timers that go on and off during evening hours. Newspapers and mail are being held and are not accumulating on the lawn, porch, and steps.

7.       Front and rear porch lights are left on throughout the night so that the front and back of the house is constantly lit and visible.  Consider utilizing motion activated spotlights on the side and the rear of your home.

8.       If you are out of your home, leave radios on at the front and back doors of your house that are tuned to a talk radio station, and if you are away for an extended period of time, place the radios on timers.

9.       If you see suspicious persons walking down the street with unboxed TV’s or computers, leaving a neighbor’s home, or entering the rear window of your neighbor’s home. Call 911.

10.   It has been learned the burglars often survey or case their targets by posing as either carpenters or home repair persons.   They also have been known to call their targets by phone to determine when they are not home, and they will hang up immediately if you answer the phone.

11.   Burglars will often pose as contractors and steal items while in your house, or leave an entry to the house open, so that they can later easily gain entry. If you are having contractors work on your home, ensure you use contractors licensed by the Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC).  You can ensure the license is valid by going online to:

https://www.dllr.state.md.us/cgibin/ElectronicLicensing/OP_search/OP_search.cgi?calling_app=HIC::HIC_qselect.

It is also wise to ask for and contact references and to check their rating with the Better Business by typing this link into your browser:  http://greatermd.bbb/Find-Business-Reviews/.

12.   If you are going away for a period of time, call the Northeast District at 410-396-2444 and ask the police pay special attention to the home while you are away.

13.   Engrave your valuables with your Maryland Driver’s License Number known as your Soundex Number. 

14.   The interview of a burglar charged with numerous burglaries in Northeast Baltimore revealed silent alarms did not deter him.  However, if he activated an audible alarm when he entered his target, he fled immediately.  If you install an alarm, consider ensuring it has an audible alarm component.

15.   If you purchase electronic items such as: televisions, desk top computers, lap tops, and DVR’s please do not place the boxes in front of or in the rear of your home for collection.  It is an open invitation for burglars to break into your house to steal the new items.  It is recommended you tear or cut the boxes into pieces and place them in closed recycling bins.

Proposed change to Frankford / Course Intersection

Please see the new proposed redesign of the Intersection at Frankford Ave/Course Ave and let us know if you have any feedback.

Faith Community Yard Sale

Event: Faith Community UM Church, Yard Sale
Date: May 19, 2012 (Rain Date: May 26, 2012)
Time: 9 AM – 2 PM
Day of Week: Saturday
Location: Faith Community, UM Church, 5315 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21214

Rent a space for just $20 and sell/give away those items to: Re-organize your home, Display your arts, crafts, or products, Prepare for a move, Promote your group, and Sell garden plants. Car wash and refreshments also available. Proceeds to benefit the outreach and youth ministries.
Only the church will sell food, drink. For more information or to register contact: 410-426-8177 or faith_community@verizon.net.

Herring Run Nursery Sale

Saturday, May 5, 2012, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Herring Run Nursery
6131 Hillen Rd Baltimore, MD

The Herring Run Nursery, an affiliate of Blue Water Baltimore, is home to one of Baltimore City’s largest selection of native trees, shrubs, and vines. This season we will offer an attractive variety of native perennials, edible berry bushes and trees, and medicinal plants. Customers will also be able to purchase hardwood mulch and gardening books at most sales. Our nursery is supported by a professional staff that will assist you in finding the right combination of plants for your yard.

We honor coupons from the Marylanders Plant Trees Program, which offers $25 off a tree costing $50 or more.

Read more about the Herring Run Nursery, or contact Darin and Vince at nursery@bluewaterbaltimore.org or 410-254-1577×104.

Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Days are Back!

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Public Works Director Alfred H. Foxx remind citizens that Baltimore City’s Household Hazardous Waste monthly collection events have begun at the Northwest Citizen Convenience Center located at 2840 Sisson Street. 

These events provide an opportunity for Baltimore City residents ONLY to dispose of hazardous household materials such as oil-based paints, pesticides, herbicides, car and household batteries, drain cleaners, gasoline, pool chemicals and many other items. (Latex paint is NOT hazardous waste; it can be dried up and the cans put out for regular trash collection.) Businesses and private haulers must contract with a certified vendor to dispose of hazardous waste. 

Residents can take these items to the Northwest Citizen Convenience Center on the last Friday and Saturday of every month from April through November.  The remaining drop-off dates are: 

May 25 & 26 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

June 29 & 30 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

July 27 & 28 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

August 24 & 25 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

September 28 & 29 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

October 26 & 27 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

November 23 & 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

As a reminder, residents must show proof of city residency, e.g. a driver's license, telephone bill or tax bill, before they can drop off any hazardous items. Residents must also be able to identify the material. Materials that will not be collected as household hazardous waste include trash, asbestos, ammunition, fire extinguishers, industrial and medical wastes, and radioactive materials, including smoke alarms with a radioactive symbol.

Book Fair @ Garrett Heights

Reading is the most important skill you can teach a child. Of all the skills children learn, it is the one you can influence the most.

We invite you to visit our Scholastic Book Fair and experience a celebration of reading that provides families the opportunity to get involved in a universal mission: encouraging kids to read every day so they can lead better lives.

Our Scholastic Book Fair theme – Book Fair Luau! It’s a Reading Celebration! – is part of an exciting reading event that brings to school a wonderful selection of fun, engaging, and affordable books kids want to read. Giving kids access to good books and the opportunity to choose their own books will motivate them to read more. And like most acquired skills, the more kids practice reading, the better they’ll get.

Reading is vital to every child’s success, and raising kids as readers means getting involved while they’re young. Now is the time. Since there will never be a substitute for a parent’s direct involvement in his/her child’s education, please make plans to visit our Book Fair. Hope to see you there!

Book Fair Dates:      May 4 – May 11

Shopping Hours:      Scheduled Library Time (will be open before and after school)

If you’re all booked up during Book Fair week (or just want to keep shopping), be sure to visit the Book Fair online at http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/garrettheights. 


The online Book Fair is available for an extended time from May 1 to May 21

·         Find an expanded selection of books for the whole family—preschool to adults

·         Share your Book Fair with family and friends by sending wish lists or eCards

      All orders ship to school for FREE and each purchase benefits our school

Garrett Heights Elem/Middle #212
2800 Ailsa Ave
Baltimore, MD 21214