The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • Page B4

4B WEDNESDAY 04.30.2008 MARYLANDTHE SUN BALTIMORE COUNTY DIGEST Canton angry about school plan The body was found in an advanced state of decomposition in a car in the 4300 block of Bedrock Circle, he said. A sister reported to police Feb. 12 that Alban was missing, he said. hours yesterday after a man barricaded himself in a house on Overbrook Road, Baltimore County police said. The man surrendered at 3:30 p.m.

without incident, and the alert was lifted, police said. County school officials said students at Dumbarton Middle School and Rodgers Forge Elementary School were allowed to leave with parents and on buses at normal dismissal times, but students who walk home were kept in school as a precaution until the alert ended. Dismissal of classes at St. Pius School was delayed because of the nearby police activity, said Theresa Smith, the school's finance manager. She said the school began allowing students to leave after police notified officials at 3:57 p.m.

that the incident was over. Authorities were called to the 400 block of Overbrook Road by a co-worker who went to the house about 11:30 a.m. to check on the man, said Bill Toohey, a police spokesman. The co-worker said the man was not wearing clothes when he answered the door, and had what appeared to be dried blood on his face, Toohey said. The co-worker called 911, but the man would not allow emergency personnel or police to enter the house, he said.

The man, whom police did not identify, was taken to a hospital for an emergency evaluation, he said. lic auction for a dollar are now going for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and we're giving the city a lot of revenue," she said. "We don't want to feel unsafe in our neighborhood, and we don't want to lose the ability to sell our homes at fair-market value." Residents have brought their concerns to city police, who said this week that they would have an officer stationed near the school on weekday afternoons. Maj. Roger Bergeron, commander of the Southeastern District, wrote in an e-mail posted on a community LISTSERV that "the issue with the school kids is quite serious, and the Police Department is attempting to identify those involved." Officials from Friendship, which runs five schools in Washington and was recently recognized by the College Board for its students' success on Advanced Placement tests, emphasized that their school will be different than what's been there before.

Patricia Brantley, chief operating officer, said the company runs "a very rigorous academic program" with an emphasis on values and integrity. "We are looking to put something completely new and different in that building," said Jerry Haley, a spokesman for Friendship, which also will open a school in Northeast Baltimore in the building once occupied by Dr. Samuel L. Banks High. "We've had some tremendous success working in urban environments." sara.neufeldbaltsun.com From Page IB dozen combined middlehigh schools as part of a strategy for reform, he decided to keep some of the buildings under system control.

The goal is to create high quality schools to reverse the enrollment decline, Alonso said. At a news conference yesterday, system officials announced that philanthropists have donated $4.4 million for the creation of the first batch of middlehigh schools, scheduled to open this summer. All will operate in buildings that were previously slated to close. Alonso said the initiative is designed to offer more high-quality choices to parents who often feel they don't have a good option in public education after their children finish elementary school. "Every single child in the city deserves a great school regardless of who their parents are, where they're born, what their economic situation is," Alonso said.

"Let's make no mistake about it: This is about social justice." Last fall, Alonso began to approach local and national foundations seeking $25 million to open two dozen combined middlehigh schools in the next few years. In March, the school board approved the creation of five schools and allowed an existing charter high school, Baltimore Freedom Academy, to add sixth through eighth grades. Twelve Baltimore-based philanthropic groups, including the Open Society Institute, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Abell Foundation, are giving $3.3 million for the first batch of schools. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is giving $1.1 million.

All of the money was previously designated for high school reform in the city, but the funding was frozen in recent years as the initiative stalled under Alon-so's predecessors. Most of the middlehigh schools will open with classes of 80 sixth-graders and 80 ninth-graders, adding a middle school grade and a high school grade each year until all are served. In Canton, the Friendship Public Charter School company plans to open the Friendship Academy of Science and Technology. In addition to sixth and ninth grades, it also might absorb the final class of eighth-graders at Canton Middle, at 801 S.Highland Ave. That doesn't sit well with some residents of the gentrified neighborhood, many of whom do not send their own children to the school and say students have caused repeated problems.

"There's groups of children that wander up and down the alleys. They crawl under people's decks and smoke pot," said Susan Colli-gan, a pediatric social worker who lives a half-block from Canton Middle. "At the bus stops when the children leave school, there are many observed incidents of the children in groups assaulting innocent bystanders." Colligan said residents have made Canton "a very healthy, clean part of the city." "Houses that used to go at pub Lawyers drop request to be with Browning Attorneys for the Cockeysville teenager accused of killing his parents and younger brothers in February have withdrawn requests that they be allowed to accompany him during court-ordered psychiatric evaluations. The judge handling the first-degree murder case of Nicholas W. Browning agreed yesterday during a brief court hearing that nothing the 16-year-old says during the evaluations will be used against him in his criminal court proceedings.

Rather, the doctors' reports will be used only for a hearing in June at which lawyers in the case are scheduled to litigate the issue of whether Browning will be tried in adult court or be transferred to the juvenile system. In ordering a psychiatric evaluation last month, Circuit Judge Thomas J. Bollinger Sr. said he would use the assessment "for the purpose of advising the court on the mental state of the defendant," which is one element he must consider in deciding where Browning should be tried. A Dulaney High School sophomore, Browning is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and handgun offenses in the Feb.

2 deaths of his parents, John W. Browning and Tamara Browning, and his younger brothers, 14-year-old Gregory and ll-year-old Benjamin. All four were sleeping in their Cockeysville home when they were fatally shot. The shootings occurred a week before Nicholas Browning's 16th birthday. Had he been 16 at the time of the killings, he would not be eligible for a transfer to juvenile court.

JENNIFER MCMENAMIN Last day of classes set for June 11 The last day of classes for county public schools will be June 11 three class days earlier than scheduled because not all emergency closing days were used this school year, officials said. The revised schedule for the final days of school will be: Monday, June 9: All schools will remain on a regular schedule. Tuesday, June 10: Assessment Day. All schools will close three hours early for students. Wednesday, June 11: Final day of classes for students and teachers.

All schools will close three hours early. System to hold job fair, interviews The county public school system will hold a Job Fair and Teacher Expo from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. today at the Timoni-um Fairgrounds on York Road. Those interested in pursuing a career with the county's public schools should take a resume and be prepared for screening interviews.

Information: 800-Teach-BC or 410-887-4191. Events or news items for the Baltimore County Digest may be submitted to baltco.newsbaltsun.com. Information should be sent at least 10 days in advance of the event. Sun people know. Remains identified as missing man's A man whose remains were found Monday in the back seat of a car at a White Marsh apartment complex has been identified as a 47-year-old Baltimore man reported missing in February, Baltimore County police said yesterday An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death of Jay Royden Alban of the 3700 block of Glenmore police spokesman Bill Toohey said.

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