Howard County: Are You Ready for Some...Soccer?

Mount Airy Youth Athletic Association

The Mt Airy Youth Athletic Association, or MAYAA for short, offers a range of sports, including soccer. MAYAA offers soccer for players age through high school. Players are at various skill levels. The practices are at fields throughout Mt. Airy. Games are played in Mt. Airy. Travel teams may play in Frederick. The soccer program adheres to the Mount Airy Youth Athletic Association (MAYAA) bylaws and code of conduct as well as the MD State Youth Soccer Association (MSYSA) policies and guidelines. All MAYAA coaches/volunteers must undergo a background check to participate within the program. For more information on soccer, visit MAYAASports.org.

Western Howard County Soccer Source: WHC Soccer.

Western Howard County Soccer

If you live in the western end of Howard County, you will want to look in to Western Howard County Soccer. This soccer league offers a full program of recreational soccer in the fall. Kids are placed on a team by grade and by which school they attend. Practices are held at local Howard County schools. Games are held at Folly Quarter MS on Saturdays in the fall. The league doesn't offer spring soccer. For more information, visit WHCSoccer.org.

Thunder Soccer Club Source: Thunder Soccer Club.

Thunder Soccer Club

Thunder Soccer Club operates recreational and travel teams for boys and girls. Travel teams are offered in the fall and spring. For more information, visit ThunderSoccerClub.org.

SAC of Columbia/Howard County Source: SAC of Columbia/HC.

SAC of Columbia/Howard County

The Soccer Association of Columbia/Howard County or SAC offers recreational and travel teams for boys and girls. Tryouts for fall travel teams are in May. Practices are held at Howard County schools and Howard County park fields. For more information, visit SACKick.com.

Soccer Through Howard County Recreation and Parks Source: Howard County Recreation an Parks.

Soccer Through Howard County Recreation and Parks

Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks offers after school classes, weekend leagues, and soccer camps for youth ages 3 to 18. For more information on Howard County Recreation and Parks, visit here.

ADHD: Got ADHD?

Here's a roundup of national resources on ADHD andADD. ADHD is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADD is Attention Deficit Disorder.

National Resource Center on ADHD Source: National Resource Center on ADHD

National Resource Center on ADHD

A program of CHADD, the National Resource Center for ADHD is a central information site for causes, treatment, diagnosis of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. CHADD stands for the Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. For more information, visithttp://www.help4adhd.org/.

Women with ADHD Source: Women with ADHD

Women with ADHD

Women with ADHD is an informal group site for women with ADHD ADD to get together, discuss ADHD related issues and to seek support. The group is administrated by Terry Matlen and Tara McGillicuddy. Women can join groups, including, A.D.D. late Diagnosis, Women Bloggers with ADHD, and Organizing Buddies. For more information, visithttp://www.womenwithadhd.com/.

ADDitude Source: ADDitude

ADDitude

ADDitude is a magazine for people with ADD or ADHD or parents of children with ADD or ADHD. ADDitude provides resources for symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and learning strategies. For more information, visit http://www.additudemag.com/.

CHADD Source: CHADD

CHADD

CHADD stands for Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. CHADD provides resources for support, advocacy, and training. For more information, visit http://www.chadd.org/.

ADHD Aware Cource: ADHD Aware

ADHD Aware

ADHD Aware is an organization that promotes understanding of ADHD. Founded in 2008, ADHD Aware empowers people with ADHD while raising awareness and changing public opinion about this serious disease. ADHD Aware was founded because community has the power to boost self esteem, bring families together, and change lives.For more information, visithttp://www.adhdaware.org/.

Early Intervention: Head Start in Baltimore and Surrounding Areas

Head Start is a national federally funded program that provides comprehensive services to low-income pre-school children between the ages of 3-5 and their families. It promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled children and families.

Howard County

Howard County Head Start is a comprehensive preschool program for 264 income-eligible children who are at or below the Federal Poverty guidelines and are ages 3 and 4 by September 1 of the current year. Eligibility includes residency in Howard County and income at or below the federal poverty guidelines.

Families with an age eligible child who has a disability are encouraged to apply. Services focus on school readiness and health and referral services are available for the family. Transportation is limited. Administered by the Community Action Council of Howard County, Head Start has three centers:

• Dasher Green neighborhood, Columbia
• Hickory Ridge neighborhood, Columbia
• Ellicott City

Applications are available by calling 410-313-6443. For more information, please visit http://www.cac-hc.org/CAC/cac_headstart.htm.

Baltimore County

The Y of Central Maryland is one of the largest providers of Head Start services in Maryland. The Y of Central Maryland is the grantee for Head Start in Baltimore County and is a delegate of the Baltimore City Head Start program. The main objective is to prepare young, economically disadvantaged children for success in school and life by providing comprehensive early intervention to low-income children and their families and help support parents as the first and primary educator of their children. Collectively, the Y of Central Maryland serves more than 950 infants, toddlers and preschool children through our Head Start programs.

Some centers in Baltimore County Head Start offer wrap-around care for families who are attending school, working, or participating in job training. This is a fee-based service. We accept Purchase of Care vouchers.

Administrative Office

• 4375 Ebenezer Rd., Perry Hall, MD 21236
• 410-248-0372

Back River Head Start Center

• 799 Back River Neck Rd., Essex, MD 21221
• 410-391-1566
• Offers part-day morning or afternoon Head Start.
• Serves zip codes 21221 and 21220.

Campfield Head Start Center

• 6838 Alter Rd., Baltimore, MD 21207
• 410-602-8190
• Offers part-day morning or afternoon Head Start.
• Serves zip codes 21133, 21207, 21208, 21244, and 21215.

Emily Harris Head Start Center

• 27 Main Street, Catonsville, MD 21228
• 410-788-8802
• Offers part-day morning or afternoon Head Start.
• Serves zip codes 21133, 21207, 21228, and 21244.

Fleming Head Start Center

• 641 Main Street, Baltimore, MD 21222
• 410-282-6977
• Offers part-day morning or afternoon Head Start.
• Serves zip code 21222.

Highland Village Head Start/Early Head Start Center

• 4165 McDowell Lane, Lansdowne, MD 21227
• 410-789-4404
• Offers part-day morning Head Start and full-day Early Head Start.
• Wrap-around care is available for both Head Start and Early Head Start families.
• Serves zip code 21227.

Kenwood Head Start/Early Head Start Center

• 4601 Fullerton Ave., Baltimore, MD 21236
• 410-665-0951

Education Resources: Back to School Nights in Howard County

With preschoolers, kids, preteens, tweens, teens, and in some cases mom and dad back to school, keeping up can be challenging. Over the course of the next few weeks, I will highlight the resources, facilities, and activities of each of the counties local to Baltimore, MD.

Howard County

Back-to-School Nights

• A ritual of fall, schools throughout Howard county (HCPSS) host special nights for parents. 
• On these nights parents can see their child's classroom, meet their child's teacher, and learn about the administration of the school. 
• Back-to-school nights occur from late August through early October. 
• Schools in each Howard County cluster will coordinate with each other so that the elementary school and middle school back to school nights for a neighborhood are not on the same night.
• Parents of Kindergarten through 2nd grade (primary) attend for one night. RECC and PreK parents may attend on the same night.
• On the second night, the parents of 3rd through 5th graders (intermediate) are invited to visit the school.
• A third night may be added to feature presentations by the Gifted and Talented and Related Arts teams.
• While middle and high school back-to-school nights are held in one evening, elementary schools may host several nights. Larger elementary schools may host up to 3 nights, while smaller schools may host only on night.

In addition, back-to-school nights are held at:

• Cedar Lane School -- provides a structured learning environment for aged 3 through 21 with complex educational needs.
• Homewood School has three programs in its building. Each program supports the needs of students who have difficulty in traditional classroom settings.
• ARL -- Applications and Research Labs -- career academies housed at local high schools and at ARL

A few definitions...

• RECC -- Regional Early Childhood Centers are housed at a number of local elementary schools for students with developmental or mobility delays.
• Pre K -- This is a program for 4-year-old students who have been identified as needing learning interventions to be ready for school.
• GT -- The Gifted and Talented program offers services for advanced level learners in academic, as well as the visual and performing arts.
• HCPSS -- Howard County Public School System

Help for Families: Health Insurance

Here's a roundup of resources for families in need in Maryland:

Health Insurance

The Door to HealthCare of Western Maryland has free local help available to help you find affordable, quality health insurance. New health care reform laws are bringing many changes to America’s health care system. The Door to HealthCare is here to help navigate these changes. Whether you are looking for new health coverage or trying to find out about new benefits under your existing plan, this website will provide information about the Affordable Care Act to help you have better access to quality, affordable health care. The Door to HealthCare is working with a dozen partner organizations in six western Maryland counties to offer hands-on assistance if you want to enroll in a new health plan:

• Allegany
• Carroll
• Frederick
• Garrett
• Howard
• Washington

The state’s new health insurance marketplace, Maryland Health Connection, is now open. Shop, compare and select a health plan that’s right for you at Marylandhealthconnection.gov. For personal assistance schedule an appointment online or contact the Door toll-free at 855-288-DOOR (855-288-3667) for free help to enroll in health coverage today.

To learn more and enroll go to www.doortohealthcare.org or call 855-288-3667 to schedule a meeting with a local certified staff member.Trained and certified staff are ready to assist you! Call us toll-free for more information at 855-288-DOOR (855-288-3667).