Notes from Board of Education Meeting, 6/11/13

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, June 11 will be re-broadcast on Comcast Channel 96, Verizon FIOS Channel 12 and is available via webstream at http://www.ccboe.com/ . To view the full agenda and the various reports, please visit BoardDocs.

The below notes are my personal notes and are not intended to be all-inclusive or official minutes for the Board of Education meetings and are provided as a request from my supporters and the general public in a personal effort to be more transparent. Although I have diligently tried to make these notes as unbiased and accurate as possible, I am only human and do make mistakes.

Call to order – 1 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance – North Point High School's JROTC Unit

Swearing-in of new Student Board member – Amit Patel, Maurice J. McDonough High School

Recognition of high school athletes

Superintendent's updat - See Report

Recognition

• Pat Foerster, Maryland State Governor's office
• James E. Richmond Leadership Award
• LifeStyles – Bill McLaughlin, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

Correspondence/Board member updates

• Bowie - Thank you to Mr. Richmond
• Pedersen - Thank you to Mr. Richmond
• Wade - Thank you to Mr. Richmond

EACC Update - See Report; Crab feast August 16th

CIP update - See update

Credit Recovery Program - see update

• Grade Recovery program for those students not performing adequately in their first semester. Its purpose is to demonstrate the various steps the schools have taken to help students obtain success in a subject to help keep them on track for graduation, in the same time, providing remediation for HSA exams.
• Success - LP = 92%; McD = 59%; TS = 61%; WS = 33%

 AP Spanish Textbooks - see report; needed for coordination with syllabus & curriculum

 

Budget update

• looking to spend $1M in wireless upgrade & new computers to help with testing issues
• $300,000 on school security to match govenor's funds
• digital radio conversion from analog with GPS and intercom for transportation $600,000
• paving projects
• North Point culinary arts projects
• Lighting retrofit for energy efficiency $676,000

Unfinished business

• Pedersen - quoted documents presented to APFO Subcommittee by The St. Charles Companies regarding Docket 90.  300 homes a year are allowed to be a built a year.
• APFO Subcommittee work review and discussion

New business

• FY 2014 tuition rates - See report- increase in rates

Motion to approve tuition rates by Cook; Second by Lukas

Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen,Wade, Wise

Future agenda items

• Cook - Cell Phone Policy
• Pedersen - Board Member Salary compared to other counties
• Abell - Explore BYOD (Bring your own device)

Recognition - 4:30 p.m.

• Outstanding vice principal award
• Outstanding support staff awards
• Resolution – Charles County Teacher of the Year– Mary Bailey, Reading Recovery teacher, Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School
• Resolution – Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award – Crystal Harney, mathematics teacher, Westlake High School
• Employee retirement resolution

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

• Bernard Cundiff - Berry Road.  Son at North Point.  Redistricting will make him move his junior year.  Grandfather him in.  don't know why juniors can't have an exception if transportation is provided.

Action items

• Minutes

Motion to accept the Minutes by Pedersen; Second by Cook

Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise

• Personnel

Motion to accept the Personnel by Wade; Second by Cook

Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise

• Educational facilities master plan

Motion to accept the Educational Facilities Master Plan by Lukas; Second by Cook

Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise

• High school redistricting
• Wise - every board member has children in the school system or has graduated from the school system and every high school in the system is represented by the seven board members.
• Cook - concerned about juniors being moved but doesn't see a way around it
• Weslowski - leaving juniors in would open the new high school with 600+ students and not relieve the overcrowding at North Point.
• Lukas - quotes numbers for leaving juniors at schools and grandfather them in with their own transportation.
• Pedersen - concern with staff adjusting to new curriculum, new evaluation, moves and maintaining the teaching
• Bowie - parents concerns about driving st
• Abell - same concerns as Pedersen about staffing programs and not knowing

Motion to accept the Superintentdents Recommendation, Proposal B by Wade; Second by Pedersen

Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Pedersen, Wade, Wise; No = Lukas

• FY 2014 budget

Motion to accept the FY 2014 Budget by Pedersen; Second by Lukas

Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise

• Common Core curriculum

Motion to accept the Common Core Curriculum by Cook; Second by Pedersen

Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise

• EACC Contract

Motion to accept the EACC Contract by Pedersen; Second by Cook

Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise

• AFSME Contract

Motion to accept the AFSME Contract by Lukas; Second by Pedersen

Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise

Adjournment

APFO Subcommittee Meeting Schedule

The next meeting of the School Adequate Public Facilities and Funding Review Committee will be on June 26, 2013 at 6:00 P.M. in the Government Building Conference Room.

 

We will not be holding another meeting until July 17, 2013 where we will resume the normal meeting schedule.

REMINDER: Board of Education Meeting, June 11, 2013

The Board of Education's next monthly meeting is Tuesday, June 11, at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building on Radio Station Road in La Plata. The public portion of the meeting begins at 1 p.m. and recognition begins at 4:30 p.m. The meeting is televised live on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOS Channel 12, and is rebroadcast throughout the week. Schedules for Channel 96 are available on the Charles County Public Schools website at www2.ccboe.com/publicinfo/channel96/schedule.cfm.

Executive Session – 12 p.m.

Call to order – 1 p.m.

Pledge of Allegiance – North Point High School's JROTC Unit

Swearing-in of new Student Board member – Amit Patel, Maurice J. McDonough High School

Recognition of high school athletes

Superintendent's update

Recognition

• Pat Foerster, Maryland State Governor's office
• James E. Richmond Leadership Award
• LifeStyles – Bill McLaughlin, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

Reports of officers/boards/committees

• Correspondence/Board member updates
• Student Board Member update
• CIP update
• Credit recovery
• Budget update

Unfinished business

New business and future agenda items

• New business

- FY 2014 tuition rates

• Future agenda items

Recognition - 4:30 p.m.

• Outstanding vice principal award
• Outstanding support staff awards
• Resolution – Charles County Teacher of the Year – Mary Bailey, Reading Recovery teacher, Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School
• Resolution – Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award – Crystal Harney, mathematics teacher, Westlake High School
• Employee retirement resolution

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

Action items

• Minutes
• Personnel
• Educational facilities master plan
• High school redistricting
• FY 2014 budget
• Common Core curriculum
• Education Association of Charles County/AFSCME contract signing

Adjournment

Northern High School principal to head school administration

Kimberly Hill, Charles County Public Schools next Superintendent, announced her first administrative appointment today, naming Northern High School Principal Sylvia Lawson, Ph.D., as assistant superintendent of school administration. Additionally, Hill said Keith Hettel, assistant superintendent of human resources, is moving to the position of assistant superintendent for supporting services.

Later this month, Hill plans to announce other changes to the administrative team, which she is reorganizing under four assistant superintendents. Assistant superintendent positions include instruction, school administration, supporting services and finance, with different departments placed under the appropriate leadership, Hill said. A number of top-level positions are open due to the retirements of key leaders.

The Board of Education approved the appointment of Lawson, Calvert County's 2011-12 Principal of the Year and a former Charles County Public Schools principal. Lawson served as a principal, vice principal and teacher in Charles County before moving to Calvert County Public Schools in 2007.

"I am thrilled to have Dr. Lawson as a member of our leadership team. She is an enthusiastic, student-centered leader who will have an immediate and positive impact on our school district. Her responsibilities will include working with our principals and vice principals as they carry out the vital day-to-day work of leading our schools. I am confident that under her guidance our school leaders will thrive and our students will reach even higher levels of achievement," Hill said.

Lawson started her career in education in 1981 as a health and physical education teacher at McColl High School in South Carolina before relocating to Charles County as a health and physical education teacher at Maurice J. McDonough High School, where she also served as a head women's basketball and softball coach.

Lawson's experience includes serving 11 years as a middle school principal, at Southern Middle School in Calvert County and Benjamin Stoddert Middle School in Charles County. She also worked as a vice principal from 1993 to 2000 at John Hanson Middle School, McDonough and Thomas Stone High School.

Lawson has a Doctorate of Philosophy in Instructional Leadership for Changing Populations from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland. Additionally, she earned a certificate of advanced studies in education from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, a Master of Administration from Western Maryland College, a Master of Education from East Carolina University in North Carolina and a Bachelor of Science from Pfeiffer College in North Carolina.

Hill replaces James E. Richmond, who is retiring at the end of June after 17 years of service as superintendent. Lawson and Hettel begin their new positions on July 1, and Paul Balides, assistant superintendent of finance, remains in his current position. Connie Armstead, executive director of human resources, will manage human resources, which moves under the direction of the assistant superintendent of finance. The school system is advertising for an assistant superintendent of instruction.

Hill said the organizational structure is strategically designed to optimize the efficiency of operations and to fully engage the talents of central office personnel. "Aligning human resources with the finance department provides for an effective exchange of information between human resources, budget and finance and payroll. As the executive director of human resources, Connie Armstead's experience has given her the background and skills needed to lead this department. Keith Hettel's new role as assistant superintendent for supporting services will leverage his ability to build relationships and will serve us well as we continue to maintain and update our facilities. I appreciate the support and expertise that all of our executive staff members have provided to ensure a smooth transition," Hill said. Charles County Public Schools provides 26,700 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 35 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

Board of Education to meet in executive session June 3

The Board of Education will meet 3:30 p.m., Monday, June 3, at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro in executive session as permitted by the Maryland Open Meetings Act, Section 10-508(a) and Section 10-503(c) of the State Government Article to discuss: personnel matters, specifically the Superintendent's recommendations on certificated positions.

The session is being held at the Show Place Arena because the Board is attending graduation ceremonies scheduled to take place there on June 3.

Graduation information; end-of-year calendar reminders

More than 2,100 students are expected to graduate from Charles County Public Schools next month, and Charles County's six high schools are already planning graduation ceremonies. Ceremonies for Henry E. Lackey, La Plata, Maurice J. McDonough, Thomas Stone and Westlake high schools will be held at the Showplace Arena in Upper Marlboro on June 3 and 4. North Point High School will host graduation ceremonies in the school's gymnasium on June 4.

The following is the graduation schedule for Monday, June 3:

• Stone, 9 a.m.;
• McDonough, 2 p.m.; and
• Lackey, 7 p.m.

The following is the graduation schedule for Tuesday, June 4:

• La Plata, 9 a.m.;
• Westlake, 2 p.m.; and
• North Point, 7 p.m.

School schedules during graduation ceremonies are as follows:

• Stone will be closed for students on Monday, June 3;
• McDonough will be closed for students on Monday, June 3;
• Lackey will have a two-hour early dismissal on Monday, June 3;
• La Plata will be closed for students on Tuesday, June 4;
• Westlake will be closed for students on Tuesday, June 4; and
• North Point will be closed for students on Tuesday, June 4.

The Robert D. Stethem Educational Center will be closed on Monday, June 3 for those students who access transportation to Stethem from Stone, McDonough and Lackey high schools. Stethem will be open June 3 for students who access transportation to Stethem from La Plata, Westlake and North Point high schools. Stethem will be closed on Tuesday, June 4 for students who access transportation to Stethem from La Plata, Westlake and North Point high schools. Stethem will be open for students who access transportation to Stethem from Stone, McDonough and Lackey high schools.

The last day of school for Charles County Public Schools students is Friday, June 14. June 12, 13 and 14 are two-hour early dismissal days. Teachers last day is Monday, June 17. Elementary school report cards will be issued to students on June 14. Report cards for middle and high school students will be mailed on Friday, June 21.

Notes from Board of Education Meeting, 5/14/13

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, May 14 will be re-broadcast on Comcast Channel 96, Verizon FIOS Channel 12 and is available via webstream at http://www.ccboe.com/ . To view the full agenda and the various reports, please visit BoardDocs.

The below notes are my personal notes and are not intended to be all-inclusive or official minutes for the Board of Education meetings and are provided as a request from my supporters and the general public in a personal effort to be more transparent. Although I have diligently tried to make these notes as unbiased and accurate as possible, I am only human and do make mistakes.

Executive session – 12 p.m.

Call to order – 1 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance, JROTC, Maurice J. McDonough High School

Recognition of student liaisons

Recognition of student athletes - state champions

Superintendent’s update - see report

Correspondence/Board Member updates

• Bowie - Thanks to Dr. Lowrey for visiting with us; thakns to Principal Snow for presentations on Ramnation and Ms. Mazzeo's presentation, impressed with McDonough; thank you to parents coming to redistricting meetings.
• Cook - attended All County Band, very talented
• Wise - Wade has been selected as the honoree at the Salute to Excellence Luncheon for the new Nu Zeta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
• Wade - MABE updates given to board members; NSBA conference in San Diego
• Pedersen - APFO subcommittee invited to a Henson MS tour; Thank you to board members and parents who also attend the APFO subcommittee; East & West Choral Performances
• Abell - APFO Subcommittee next meeting is changed to tomorrow night at 6:00 pm open to the public; NSBA Conference, catalog available to board members and session summaries available on blog site.
• Wise - Kiwanis Tri-County Dinner; Builders Club is impressive, thank you to the Kiwanis Club.

Education Association of Charles County update - see report

• Wise - Thank you to EACC for speaking at the commissioners budget hearing
• Abell - Thank you to EACC for attending the APFO Subcommittee meeting, it was nice to see the supporting faces

Student Board Member update - see report

CIP update - see report

Educational facilities master plan - see report

Superintendent’s redistricting recommendation - see report; recommends Alternative B with modification for Block 3750

Common Core curriculum - see report; lots of great information and changes in curriculum

Unfinished business - none

New business

• Transfer of Pinefield unusable school sites to county government

Motion to transfer back to county by Pedersen; Second by Wade

Yes=Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise

 

Future agenda items - none

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

• Students - Jake Burgess, 5^th grade, Career Readiness, Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School, Principal: Verniece Rory; Taylor Charity, 5^th grade, Personal Responsibility, Mary B. Neal Elementary School, Principal: Carol Leveillee; Joseph Perriello, 8^th grade, Academic Achievement, Mattawoman Middle School, Principal: Douglass Dolan; Christian Jones, 12^th grade, Academic Achievement, North Point High School, Acting Principal: Michael Simms
• Employees  - Pamela Wilhelm, technology facillitator, Mitchell; Catherine Curtis, instructional assistant, Neal; Patricia Changcoco, mathematic teacher, Mattawoman; Jill Bodamer, health occupations teacher, North Point
• Resolution – Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leadership award – Kimberly Hill

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

Action items

• Minutes

Motion to accept the minutes by Cook; Second by Pedersen

Yes=Abell, Bowie, Cook, Pedersen, Wade, Wise
Absent = Lukas

• Personnel

Motion to accept the personnel by Wade; Second by Abell

Yes=Abell, Bowie, Pedersen, Wade, Wise
Abstain = Cook
Absent = Lukas

• Policy 6000

Motion to accept Policy 6000 by Pedersen; Second by Wade

Yes=Abell, Bowie, Cook, Pedersen, Wade, Wise
Absent = Lukas

• Sadlier grammar workshop and SpringBoard reading and mathematics

Motion to accept Sadlier grammar workshop and Springboard reading and mathematics
by Pedersen; Second by Bowie

Yes=Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise

Adjournment

REMINDER: Board of Education Meeting, 5/14/13

The Board of Education’s next monthly meeting is Tuesday, May 14, at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building on Radio Station Road in La Plata. The public portion of the meeting begins at 1 p.m. and student and staff recognition starts at 4:30 p.m. The meeting is televised live on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOS Channel 12 and is rebroadcast throughout the week. The meeting is also streamed live on the Charles County Public Schools Web site. Visit http://www2.ccboe.com/boe/live/ to watch the meeting.

Executive session – 12 p.m.

Call to order – 1 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance, JROTC, Maurice J. McDonough High School

Recognition of student liaisons

Superintendent’s update

Reports of officers/boards/committees

• Correspondence/Board Member updates
• Education Association of Charles County update
• Student Board Member update
• Student athletes – state champions
• CIP update
• Educational facilities master plan
• Superintendent’s redistricting recommendation
• Credit recovery
• Common Core curriculum

Unfinished business

New business and future agenda items

• New business – transfer of Pinefield unusable school sites to county government
• Future agenda items

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

• Students
• Employees
• Resolution – Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leadership award – Kimberly Hill

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

Action items

• Minutes
• Personnel
• Policy 6000
• Sadlier grammar workshop and SpringBoard reading and mathematics

Adjournment

Future Potential Student Impact by High School Zone

This was another document given to the School Allocation Subcommittee on 3/27/13, and that I had requested from the commissioners during a public meeting on school allocations in March.  Finally got an electronic version to post.  Please review...it will make your head spin! 

It is beyond belief that anyone in their right mind, after reviewing this document, would go ahead and grant additional school allocations BUT, that is what three of our current commissioners have done!  Shameful!

HERE

Redistricting public hearings set for April 22, 23

The Board of Education of Charles County is holding two public hearings to gather community input on the high school redistricting proposals, which will create an attendance zone for St. Charles High School and alleviate overcrowding at the county's six high schools. Complete descriptions of the proposals are located at http://www2.ccboe.com/parentscomm/transportation/hsredistricting.cfm.
Public hearings are set for 6:30 to 9 p.m., Monday, April 22 at North Point High School, and 6:30 to 9 p.m., Tuesday, April 23 at La Plata High School. The Board is limiting speakers to commenting at one of the two hearings in order to maximize speaking opportunities for the highest number of people.
In order to allow proper time for all interested speakers, the following guidelines have been established for the public hearings:

• Any person wishing to speak during the public hearings must sign the sign-in sheet in advance. The sign-up sheet will be available outside of the school auditorium beginning 45 minutes prior to the start of the hearing. No one arriving after 6:30 p.m. will be allowed to sign in or speak.
• Speakers will be issued a number and will be called to the podium by their assigned number.
• Speakers should limit their comments to the redistricting proposals.
• Comments should be concise and to the point, and speakers will be limited to three minutes. A screen showing the time provides warnings when speakers have one minute and 30 seconds left to speak. The Board chairman will ask the speaker to stop at the three-minute mark in order to provide equal opportunity to all who would like to comment.
• Engaging in active debate with the Board of Education, staff or audience members will not be allowed. All comments must be directed to the Board.
• Note cards will be available for audience members to provide questions for staff. A list of questions received and their answers will be posted on the high school redistricting page of the school system website.
• Board members are there to listen to comments and gather information for use in their decisions on redistricting. Members will not answer questions or comment to speakers during the hearing.
• Remarks must be respectful, courteous, free of name-calling and personal attacks. Inappropriate language will not be tolerated.

The Board appreciates the cooperation of community members in honoring these guidelines, and looks forward to hearing from the public.

Following the public hearings, the Superintendent will develop recommendations to the Board for each high school based on review of the plans and public comments. The Superintendent can recommend one of the proposals or modified versions. A separate public hearing on the Superintendent's recommendations will be held 6:30-9 p.m., Monday, May 20, at Westlake High School. The Board will take a final vote on the high school redistricting on June 11 at its regular monthly meeting.Residents may also mail or e-mail comments. E-mail comments to redistrict@ccboe.com or mail to Redistricting, Charles County Public Schools, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646.  For a complete overview of redistricting, fact sheets outlining the proposals for each schools, a redistricting school locator and other information, visit http://www2.ccboe.com/parentscomm/transportation/hsredistricting.cfm.

#NSBACONF - Diane Ravitch

National School Board Association Conference 2013 - San Diego

 

Diane Ravitch

 

Diane Ravitch is a research professor of education at New York University and a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC. Internationally acclaimed for her expertise on past and present education, her most recent book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education, makes the case that public education today is in peril and offers a clear prescription for improving public schools.

 

March 14, 2013: Diane Ravitch talks with American School Board Journal
Senior Editor Lawrence Hardy.

#NSBACONF - National Best Practices STEM Curriculum to Improve STEM Literacy

National School Board Association Conference 2013 - San Diego

The practices, strategies and programming utilized within The STEM Academy (K–16 Program) were developed from identified national best practices by the National Academy of Engineering and National Science Foundation. The curriculum features dual-credit agreements with over 180+ post-secondary institutions. Instructors may earn up to nine graduate school credits through the STEM 101 professional development program.

HANDOUTS

#NSBACONF - One Voice, One Plan — Improving Results for All Students

National School Board Association Conference 2013 - San Diego

In an unprecedented move, the 12 districts in the Ingham Intermediate School District (enr. 44,541) service area made a long-term commitment to ensure each student reaches their maximum potential. Three years ago, these 12 joined forces to change the way they provided curriculum, instruction, and assessment with a focus on prevention and intervention. The boards of education and superintendents agreed to create a countywide multi-tiered system of support instead of each district operating independently. Just look at the successful data!

PRESENTATION

#NSBACONF - Getting It Right From the Start: Building and Maintaining a Successful School Board/Superintendent Partnership

National School Board Association Conference 2013 - San Diego

Learning about the process one school board undertook in gathering information about the characteristics sought for the new superintendent, about the hiring process, and how a successful partnership was formed with a new superintendent. Williamsburg-James City County (enr. 10,254) is sharing specific information and materials about the development of the school board's "Standard Operating Procedures," retreats focused on building and maintaining a strong partnership, and changes to the operation that have solidified a winning school board-superintendent team.

HANDOUTS

America's Most Challenging High Schools

According to the Challenge Index Scores as ranked by the Wasington Post's Jay Mathews .

About the challenge HERE.

DC LOCAL LISTS
I'll summarize for our Charles County High Schools.
For the complete local list click HERE.

RANK     SCHOOL
78    LaPlata
114  Westlake
119  North Point
123  Lackey
139  Thomas Stone
144  McDonough

National Ranking HERE

Bush, Obama focus on standardized testing leads to ‘opt-out’ parents’ movement

The Washington Post
Lyndsey Layton
April 14, 2013

A decade into the school accountability movement, pockets of resistance to standardized testing are sprouting up around the country, with parents and students opting out of the high-stakes tests used to evaluate schools and teachers.

From Seattle, where 600 high school students refused to take a standardized test in January, to Texas, where 86 percent of school districts say the tests are “strangling our public schools,” anti-testing groups argue that bubble exams have proliferated beyond reason, delivering more angst than benefits.

“Over the last couple of years, they’ve turned this one test into the all and everything,” said Cindy Hamilton, a 50-year-old mother of three in Florida who founded Opt Out Orlando in response to the annual Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, which starts again Monday. Her group is one of dozens of new organizations opposed to such testing.

The opt-out movement is nascent but growing, propelled by parents, students and some educators using social media to swap tips on ways to spurn the tests. They argue that the exams cause stress for young children, narrow classroom curricula, and, in the worst scenarios, have led to cheating because of the stakes involved — teacher compensation and job security.

READ MORE HERE