The following article was released from Baltimore County Public Schools about schools that earned the Quality Program Award.
Athletic programs at 16 Baltimore County Public Schools high schools have earned the prestigious Quality Program Award (QPA) at the Exemplary Level from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA).
The awards were presented during the National Athletic Directors Conference (NADC) held December 12-16 in Tampa Bay, Florida.
The eastern Baltimore County schools with honored athletic programs and their directors, now recognized as Certified Master Athletic Administrators, are:
•Chesapeake High School, Athletic Director Shaun Downey
• Dundalk High School, Athletic Director Tim Scherer
• Kenwood High School, Athletic Director Anthony Ruocco
• Parkville High School, Athletic Director Jeffrey Markle
• Perry Hall High School, Athletic Director Robert Hruz
• Sparrows Point High School, Athletic Director Chris McGuinness
To qualify for this prestigious honor, the athletic director must have obtained Certified Athletic Administrator designation and provide evidence-based documentation that the school’s athletic program meets QPA standards in 10 categories: philosophy, educational compatibility, mentoring staff and student leaders, program safety and risk management, communication – program access and equity, budget and supplementary fundraising, personnel and program assessment, technology, sports medicine, innovation, and creative leadership strategies.
“Having this many high school athletic programs honored reflects our athletic directors’ dedication to creating safe, inclusive, and high-quality programs that enrich the lives of more than 15,000 studentathletes across Baltimore County,” said BCPS Director of Athletics Michael E. Sye.
“The QPA process has strengthened our policies, practices, and community partnerships, setting a new standard of excellence.”
Sye noted that the QPA program has enhanced clarity and consistency across all BCPS high school athletic programs; achieved measurable gains in safety protocols, emergency planning, and equitable access for all students; improved sports medicine and risk-management practices; and fostered community-based organizational pride and ownership.
“The QPA program is designed to recognize schools and districts that go above and beyond in providing quality athletic experiences,” said NIAAA Executive Director Don Bales.
“BCPS’s commitment to continuous improvement and student-athlete welfare is exemplary.”
