Visual Arts Department Website

ITL:Jacob Cecil - attended the Maryland Institute College of Art where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture. He was awarded the Marcella Brenner H’Or Distinguished MAT Scholar Award to complete his Graduate degree in education at MICA. After student teaching at Carver Center for the Arts and Technology Jacob came to River Hill High School to be part of a wonderfully collaborative group of artist teachers.
Jacob is a practicing artist and bookbinder who has put his sculpture and woodworking skills to use in the studio, as an architectural model-maker, and a carpenter building crates for a fine art moving service. He has been part of student group shows as well as other gallery exhibitions in Baltimore City where he currently lives with his wife—a photographer, designer, and letterpress printer.
Jacob_cecil@hcpss.org

Joseph Fischer - Mr. M. Joseph Fischer, a native of Maryland, has been Director of Bands at River Hill High School since 2003, where he conducts two concert bands, jazz ensemble, percussion ensemble, and marching band. Prior to his appointment at River Hill, Mr. Fischer was the instrumental music director at Liberty High School in Eldersburg, Maryland and the Director of Bands at Calvert Hall College High School in Towson, Maryland. Under his direction, his music programs have garnered many accolades including superior ratings at local, regional, national festivals, selection as a demonstration group for both jazz and symphonic band at the Maryland Music Educators’ Association Annual Conference, recognition as a Grammy Signature Schools program, and invitations to perform at prestigious events including the 2008 pre-Olympic Festival in Beijing, China and on-stage at the Joseph M. Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Most recently, the River Hill marching band placed first at the U.S. Scholastic Band Association National Championships, becoming the first in Howard County and one of only two schools in Maryland to earn that honor. In addition to his efforts as band director, Mr. Fischer was also instrumental in the creation of River Hill’s state-of-the-art music technology lab, which allows students to express their creativity through music arranging, composition, recording and music theory.
Joe_Fischer@hcpss.org

Jennifer Hennessie - Dance
JENNIFER_HENNESSIE@hcpss.org

Rosemary Lather - Orchestra
rlather@hcpss.org

Richard McCready -Music

Amy Hairston – is the Choral Director at RHHS, as well as the instructor for piano and music technology. She graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2005 with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education. This is her first year in Howard County after beginning her teaching career at Wheaton HS in Montgomery County.
Prior to teaching full time, Ms. Foreman taught piano and voice lessons for 10 years, sang all over the East coast with the University of Maryland Chorale, Women's Chorus, Femmes de Chanson and the Treblemakers. In addition to her passion for singing, Amy enjoys modern dance, football, soccer, all types of movies and music, and travelling.
Ms. Foreman is getting married in May 2008.
Hairston

Pam Land - is River Hill’s founding Theatre Arts teacher and director. In this time, she has taught over 1,000 students the art of theatre and she has produced and directed 25 (and counting) main stage productions that included over 2,000 students, some of whom are currently working in professional theatre. She has been a public school educator since 1991 and has taught all levels of English from grades 6-12. She holds a BFA in Speech and Drama from Towson University and an MA in Education from Goucher College.
She serves as the Lead Theatre Arts teacher for The Howard County Public School System. In this capacity, she mentors new Theatre teachers and helps create professional development for veteran faculty. Mrs. Land serves in an advisory and developmental capacity to The Maryland State Department of Education in the development of the Fine Arts Tool Kit, an online resource for teachers.
Mrs. Land is the founding chair of The Cappies of Baltimore Steering Committee and continues as an ad hoc member. She served as the director of the first three Cappies of Baltimore Galas at both The Meyerhoff and The Hippodrome.
In her leisure time, Mrs. Land loves to spend time at home with her husband, daughter, and extended family. She is active at her church, performs with Howard County Summer Theatre, and loves to garden and cook.
pamela_land@hcpss.org

Jennifer Smith- attended Towson University obtaining her Bachelors of Science in Art Education. She is in her second year of collaborating with the Visual Arts Department at River Hill High School and works primarily with students in Art I / II, and Photography I. Ms. Werking is also co-sponsor of the National Art Honor Society (the largest in Howard County) and overseeing mural and community service projects.
Jenny spends her summers teaching sculpture, drawing, and bookmaking classes through the Howard County Center for the Arts for various age (K-12) groups. Jenny Werking enjoys painting, drawing, snowboarding, music, traveling and is currently working on further developing her portfolio for entrance into the Master’s of Arts Graduate Program at the Maryland Institute College of Art.
Jennifer_e_smith@hcpss.org


Michael Blackman - Music

Caro Appel - Art Ms. Appel attended the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she earned an MAT in Art Education in 2010. She also holds a BFA in Painting and Printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University.
caroline_appel@hcpss.org

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