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The Calvert GazetteThursday, August 23, 2012 6Heading for the TopBy Corrin M. HoweStaff Writer“They used to call me the Queen of political signs. Itused to be just me. Now I’ve got some competition. It’s timefor me to take back my Queen position,” said Stacy Shea,owner of Signs by Stacy, a 27-year old home-based companyin Lusby.A sign hanging at the end of a driveway of a home isthe only indication there is a business on the property witha ranch-style house, large yard with some apple trees anda pond.For years, Shea said she received business by ‘wordof-mouth’because everyone knew her and her family. Herparents owned Lusby Liquors for over 40 years and her dadalso owned his own oil distribution company. He brotherowns the “Shea-d-lady” charter fishing boat.“Word-of-mouth isn’t good enough now. There are somany new people to the county,” Shea said. “I told my son afew weeks ago, we’re going to get back on top. I don’t wantanyone else sharing my glory.”Business has been tough for her the last several years.Along with the economy, she’s lost her husband, motherand her father suffered a heart attack. Her largest client, anational company, declared bankruptcy and her bill is in thehands of a collections company.“My local customers have been loyal to me,” Shea said.“When my daddy had a heart attack, they called and saidthey needed some lettering, but they wanted me to knowmy daddy came first.”Her son, Johnny, has been working with her since hewas 16-years-old – half his life.“He was one step ahead of my husband on the computerswhen he started working,” she said, as he watchedthe signs for The United Way’s Day of Caring and HomeTowne Real Estate are flow out of the vinyl machine.“We do everything but electric and neon.”Shea recently finished a billboard for Dunkirk Supply.Signs by Stacy can also wrap vehicles. “My competitionwill try to sell a full body wrap. You don’t need a fullwrap. A partial will work fine. I can do two sides and theback for $1,500.” A price she says is about $2,000 cheaperthan others in the area.Prior to owning her own business, Shea worked for fiveyears managing the art department for Anheuser-Busch,Bob Hall’s distributing, in Upper Marlboro. However, shewanted to work closer to her son.“My friends used to said I had it good when I complainedabout driving to Upper Marlboro and they were goingto D.C.”Johnny and Stacy Shea work in their sign shop.She purchased the property she is on now and guttedthe then 60-year-old house.She’s seen a lot of changes in Lusby during the timeshe’s grown up there. She said she used to be able to walkher son all the way to the beach from her house. Now thereare a number of housing developments between her homeand the water.Shea tells a story of a time when she went to vote andshe was pulled out of the line and put to the front becauseshe made all the political signs. “They called me the Queenof Political signs. My husband was mad because they lefthim back at the end of the line. I was getting my glory.”She’s determined to be back on top again. In fact shehas a check list of the things she plans to do to become numberone in the county again.NewsmakersUnited Way Ready to Get BusyBy Sarah MillerStaff WriterThe United Way is preparing for the 2012 Day of CaringEveryone looking for an opportunity to get involvedin their community will soon have the chance – the UnitedWay Day of Caring is Sept. 12 and volunteers are still welcometo sign up and get involved.The United Way of Calvert County (UWCC) is an independent,separately incorporated organization governedby local volunteers who serve only Calvert County.UWCC began by supporting six agencies and nowworks with more than 30 partner agencies.United Way has evolved from a fundraising organizationinto a community building partner, focusing on threevital impact areas: meeting basic human needs, buildingbridges to success for children and youth and fostering familyhealth and safety, according to the website.United Way of Calvert County was incorporated onApril 23, 1980. Since then, UWCC has raised almost $9million, its website, www.unitedwaycalvert.org, states.Day of Caring is a county-wide event using 300 individualsto help the community. In the past, local companieshave given their employees a day off to help local nonprofitswith special projects that meet a need.“There are many ways to get involved,” said Directorof Community Impact Jennifer Moreland.One new opportunity this year is a career explorationday for middle school students, Moreland said.For this year’s event, United Way of Calvert Countyopened the application process up to all local 501 c 3 organizationsthat are focused on meeting an education, incomeor health related need in Calvert County. Projects arebe based in Calvert County, and capable of completion onSept. 12 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. The maximum numberof projects allowed is based on expected volunteer attendance.The deadline for project submissions was June28. Final project approval is based upon a review by UnitedWay staff.“[Day of Caring is] the prefect opportunity for peopleto get involved and see the needs in the community,” saidCalvert United Way Chairperson and CEO Kelly Chambers,adding “it’s a real feel good day. It’s my favorite dayof the year.”Day of Caring also allows volunteers to test out differentopportunities and get “great introductory experiencewith an agency,” Moreland said, adding both volunteers andagencies enjoy the opportunity.“You don’t see people with frowns on their faces atDay of Caring,” she said.Day of Caring offers something for anybody, Morelandsaid, from working with middle school students tosenior citizens or out in a garden to working in a kitchen.She said she has been with the United Way for 20 years,starting as a part-time administrative assistant and movingup. She said she was drawn to the United Way because ofher interest in non-profit organizations, and she wanted tosee the impact on the community from her efforts.In addition to using volunteers for Day of Caring, theUnited Way and partner organizations use volunteers fora myriad of projects. Chambers said the United Way usesvolunteers to help run events like the Monday’s Golf Classicat Twin Shields Golf Course, which pulled in 96 golfers,and the $1 million in two years campaign. As part of thecampaign, there are several events coming up, like a cornhole tournament. There are also book drives and holidayactivities the United Way needs volunteers for.Moreland said with such a large network of partneragencies, they can generally place anyone who comes tothe United Way looking for a volunteer opportunity, or helpthem find a place to look. They have even used their “sphereof influence” in Calvert to help partner agencies find boardmembers and reach out to the community.To submit a project, get a project guidebook and formsat www.unitedwaycalvert.org or e-mail Day of Caring CoordinatorSherri Gedridge at uwadmin@unitedwaycalvert.org. For more information call 410-286-0100.sarahmiller@countytimes.netPhoto courtesy of Jennifer Moreland
7 Thursday, August 23, 2012The Calvert GazetteSpotlight OnBy Sarah MillerStaff WriterDowellWelcomesStudentsCalverton Welcomes New TeachersCalverton will be seeing several new faces this year, onboth sides of the teachers desk.Photo by Sarah MillerHead of School Spencer Taintor addresses new teachers.By Sarah MillerStaff WriterWhile students, staff and teachers geared up for thefirst days of school this week, another group was gettingready for the busy time of year – county and local PTAorganizations.Fall is the season most PTAs undergo several changes,from members coming and going to officers stepping downor changing positions, said county PTA Vice PresidentSherry Mervine, also a member of the Southern MiddleSchool PTA. She said she will soon be a member of AppealElementary School and Patuxent High School PTAs. It istypical for parents to be involved in schools their childrenattend, Mervine said.County level and local level PTAs are completely separateentities, Mervine said.The county level PTA is a conduit to get informationfrom the state PTA to the local PTAs at individual schools,said county PTA Vice President Stuart Miller. He said theyAlong with a number of students coming into the CalvertonSchool, nine new teachers school wide will be learningthe ins and outs of the school. While nine doesn’t sound likea lot, especially when spread across lower, middle and upperschool, Admissions and Marketing Director Amy Brady saidit’s an unusually high number for the school because the turnoverrate is very low.Lower School Head Mary Margaret King agreed withBrady, saying it’s typical for teachers to come to Calvertonintending to stay several years. Normally, teachers only leavebecause they “move, marry or have a baby,” and often comeback as soon as possible.King herself has been with Calverton 32 years, and managedto retire for a year before being called and asked to comeback to work.She said the teachers are typically experienced classroomveterans who have demonstrated creativity, perseveranceand a good attitude. Each new teacher this year fits thatbill.“We’ve got the best of the best this year,” King said.County PTAs Ready for Schoolhold monthly meetings to discuss hot topics about schoolsand education, and issues that affect students in the classroomand out. Everyone on the county PTA board is also amember of a local PTA organization.Each school level PTA is a separate non-profit entity aswell, Mervine said, and the county PTA is an organizationby itself. Three voting representatives from the county PTAare sent to state PTA functions and meetings, Mervine said,though anyone is welcome to attend the county and statelevel meetings.Another difference is that local, school based PTAswork with students while the county PTA works “a lot morewith adults,” she said.One of the most challenging PTA positions? Treasurer.According to Miller, treasurers have to go through specialtraining about taxes for non-profit organizations and all theins and outs of book keeping and using money from fundraisers.Taxes alone can be an arduous process, Miller said.“Your head’s spinning by the time you finish it,” hesaid.Teachers were brought in early to get their schedules, fillout forms, and for orientation to the Calverton curriculum,which is different from the Common Core Curriculum thepublic schools will be implementing.Challenges facing new Calverton teachers include learningabout the Calverton tradition and all the little things thateveryone takes for granted, but King said students and theircoworkers will help them.One tradition new teachers will learn about is the Calvertonhandshake, where teachers shake their students hands asthey enter and leave the classroom as a sign of mutual respect.“It’s hand to hand, eye to eye and heart to heart,” Kingsaid.There is also a Halloween parade, a fall festival and anannual auction, all parts of the Calverton tradition. There isa back to school picnic Aug. 27, and classes begin Aug. 28.Ready or not, summer has come to a close and school isin session.sarahmiller@countytimes.netEven for non-treasurer members, PTAs can entail a lotof work. Mervine said local PTAs put together fundraisersfor their schools regularly. Money from the fundraisersgoes back into the schools through a number of venues.Sometimes they are used to purchase materials or programmingfor kids that normally wouldn’t be in the school budget,or to help kids pay for field trips. Exactly how fundsare utilized is determined by the local PTAs, Mervine said.Involvement in the PTA has a number of benefits.Parents get “first hand, hot off the presses knowledge,”Mervine said, in addition to access to various resources.The local PTA has even brought in speakers for parents –from food service employees to discuss nutrition to SheriffMike Evans to talk about school safety.Anyone interested in joining the PTA should attend thePTA open house Tuesday, Sept. 25 at Huntingtown HighSchool from 6-8 p.m. Each local PTA will be welcome toset up a table at the open house, Mervine said.sarahmiller@countytimes.netFreshman Orientation Culminatesat Harpers FerryBy Sarah MillerStaff WriterPhoto by Corrin M. HoweDuring “Greet Your Seat” day at Dowell ElementarySchool, pre-k student Anastasia Cahill and third graderSarina Cahill greet Principal Jennifer Young the day beforeschool started.The beginning of a new year can be a nerve wrackingtime for students, and for incoming high school freshmen itis even more stressful – new school, new faces, new teachersand the knowledge that the next time they go to a new schoolthey will be heading for the next stage in their lives.At the Calverton School, 25-30 percent of the approximately25 freshmen are brand new to the school while therest have risen up with their classmates from middle and elementarygrades.The freshman class this year is average, with as many as45 and as few as 14 freshmen starting together in past years,said college counselor and English teacher William Wright.Because classes are so small, it’s important for all ofthem to get along, so Calverton takes them on a trip in beforethe first day of school for freshman orientation.Wright, who was one of the chaperones on the trip, saidthe day was for getting to know the school and new teachers,while working on team building activities during a day ofwhite water rafting at Harpers Ferry.He said the activities during their orientation are meantto encourage team building and “unit cohesion.”Photo courtesy of Amy BradyRising Calverton Freshmen go white water rafting at Harpers Ferry.“We really emphasize students lifting each other up,”Wright said.Even white water rafting is a team building exercise saidbecause everyone needs to work together and it becomes impossiblefor individuals to keep to themselves.“They laugh together, which is one of the best ways tobond,” Wright said.Parents of incoming freshmen also go through orientation,Wright said. They learn about admissions, Calverton’sexpectations and materials, and other details they will needto know.Wright said there will be a back to school night andmore team building activities for the freshmen in the comingweeks, and he welcomes all the new students to Calverton.sarahmiller@countytimes.net
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