Substitute teachers are in demand and food preparation is a coveted task as school districts in the Baltimore region use various opportunities to prepare for and celebrate the historic inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday in Washington D.C.
In Howard County, about 400 teachers have requested substitutes for Tuesday and most of the positions have been filled, said Patti Caplan, school system spokeswoman.
Twelve students from North County and Meade high schools will help prepare and deliver foods at food vending locations at the National Mall, said Anne Arundel schools spokesman Bob Mosier.
“Our students will get a chance to deal with everything from transportation logistics and reservations to financial analysis and customer service on a grand stage,” said Daniel Fluharty, who coordinates the Academy of Hospitality, Travel, and Tourism at North County High.
Baltimore public schools may be closed Tuesday, but city schools are doing a lot of activities leading up to the inauguration for the first black president.
At Winston Middle School, for example, eighth-grade students will write a letter to Obama, wishing his family well and listing goals they want for his administration. They will also calculate the percentage of minorities Obama has chosen for his cabinet.
At Fort Worthington Elementary School, a fact about Obama is announced each day, and students can learn to resolve conflicts from posters throughout the school asking, “What would Barack Obama do?”
Marietta English, president of the Baltimore teachers’ union, asked the school board to close the city public schools because she thought attendance would low that day. She plans to attend the inauguration with her family.
