Tuesday, December 13, 2022

Notes from Board of Education Meeting, 12/13/22

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 was streamed live on ccboe.com and aired live on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOs Channel 12.  The meeting will be re-broadcast on Comcast Channel 96, Verizon FIOS Channel 12 and is available via webstream at http://www.ccboe.com/ .  CCPS also will post the meeting on its YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/ccpsmd.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. Individual names are spelled to the best of my ability.

Executive session – 10 a.m.

Call to order – 1 p.m.

Superintendent’s update

Board member correspondence

  • McGraw - Judy Center opening; Turner dedication; commend liaisons for student town hall; It's Academic competition; MABE retreat set strategic plan; Equity MABE committee for completion of a workbook.
  • Wilson - Student Town Hall; legislative breakfast; scholarship application process; FAFSA deadline is Feb 9th; It's Academic; Dec 21 SECAC meeting at FB Gwynn Center virtual, encourages new board members to attend.
  • Hancock - Legislative Breakfast; Student Town Hall; Matula Elementary first graders
  • Brown - Judy Center dedication; Turner Dedication; It's Academic; Student Town Hall; Alphas Wellness Center; Stethem and Craik visits; Women United and Navarro was guest speaker
  • Battle-Lockhart - Attended same events already mentioned; proud of Amira and her Town Hall and continue on the same path.
  • Abujuma - Town hall, thank you for your participation;  BYOD work sessions and outcome will be presented to Navarro on Dec. 20th; and working on Advisory Council for the state level.
  • Lukas - Legislative breakfast; commissioners swearing in; privilege Eagles Scout ceremony where project took place at Malcolm; scholarship opportunities, start thinking about it now.

Education Association of Charles County (EACC) update

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) update

Considerations for FY2024 Budget

  • Hancock - PreK Tier 2 & 3 enrollment fee, are we asking for our budget to cover that cost
    • Navarro - running numbers required by law first and then budget required to serve all Tier 2 and then Tier 3 etc.

Public Private Partnerships (P-3) workgroup update

  • Wilson - wanted this board to have more of a conversations P3's; should include fiscal impact and equity lens.  Commissioners changed APFO requiring the urgent need for new school construction.  Praise the financial advisor to be hired in the next couple of months.
  • Hancock - if we were to use P3 who decides if we use CIP or P3 funds.

Project status update

Blueprint for Maryland’s Future update

Unfinished business

  • Abell - Review of agenda items still not completed. - School Naming and Update Student Transfer Policy

New business - None

Future agenda items

    • Hancock - Project PreK enrollment for Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 with sliding scales for enrollment and costs.  Board to decide if they want to fund or ask commissioners to fund or ask parents.
      • Navarro - include CIP capabilities
    • Wilson - Student interviews, engineering students complaining about slow CCPS computers to run their CAT software.
      • Thompson - CTE program works with instructors to make sure students have the devices they need.  Will  check back with that instructor too ensure they have the correct device they need.
    • Wilson - HR reached out to man (????) with program for help in hiring more African American males.
    • Wilson - ELL students in CTE; enrollment, participation and success
    • Abujuma - closing schools on a more diverse holiday schedule.  Quoted survey.

Recognition of Outgoing Board Members

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

  • Students.
    • Elizabeth Heglar, Grade 12, Academic Achievement, Robert D. Stethem Educational Center, Principal: Louis D'Ambrosio 
    • Olivia Bellamy, Grade 8, Academic Achievement, Matthew Henson Middle School, Principal: Christina Cabellero
    • Briana King, Grade 5, Personal Responsibility, Daniel of St. Thomas Jennifer Elementary School, Principal: Kevin Jackson, Sr.
    • Abriana Mack, Grade 5, Career Readiness, Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School, Principal: Orlena Whatley
    • Sayda Elgamar, Grade 5, Academic Achievement, William B. Wade Elementary School, Principal: William Miller
  • Staff
    • Laura Silkstudent data technician, Stethem
    • Alexandria Bumblearning resource teacher, Henson
    • Deidra Fullersecretary to the principal, Jenifer
    • Cassandra Ament, instructional resource teacher, Mudd
    • Charlene Woods, third-grade teacher, Wade

Public forum – 6 p.m.

  • Kinnon Reynolds - student at North Point; involved in the arts; concert on Thursday invite and we will be here on Friday....sung a portion of a song.
  • Jamilla Moore - Daughter in first grade and concerned about first grade Math curriculum.  Using book by Kendal Hunt and they have Unit books.  Current Unit book, for 6 year olds, has word problems and advancing quickly.  Moved from adding two numbers, now add a number with a number that is missing and then same with subtraction.  Limited to classroom only, no homework.  wording is high for 6 year olds "graphic novels"
  • Pascalle Small -   need to partner to fix deeply rooted issues/problem.   I could have been home helping my 3 children with homewoork instead of being here and speaking.  Stop putting the burden on parents to solve all the problems.  Title 9 violations, 504 and IEP violations, students are noot getting the services they need.  Racism is rampant. Do better by your families.

Action Items

  • Minutes
Motion to approve the Executive Session Minutes from 11/15/22 by Wilson; Second by Abell
Yes=Abell, Battle-Lockhart, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Absent - Brown

Motion to approve the Board Meeting Minutes from 11/15/22 by Abell; Second by Hancock
Yes=Abell, Abujuma, Battle-Lockhart, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Absent - Brown

Motion to approve the Legislative Breakfast from 11/28/22 by McGraw; Second by Abell
Yes=Abell, Abujuma, Battle-Lockhart, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Absent - Brown

Motion to approve the Student Town Hall from 11/28/22 and add the link by Abell; Second by McGraw
Yes=Abell, Abujuma, Battle-Lockhart, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Absent - Brown

Motion to approve the Work Session from 11/28/22 by Hancock; Second by Wilson
Yes=Abell, Abujuma, Battle-Lockhart, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson;  Absent - Brown
  • Personnel
Motion to approve Personnel by Abell; Second by McGraw
Yes=Abell, Battle-Lockhart, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Absent - Brown
  • Board Policy 3910
  • Motion to approve Board Policy 3910 by Abell; Second by Wilson
    Yes=Abell, Abujuma,Abujuma,
    Battle-Lockhart, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Absent - Brown

  • 2023-2024 school calendar
  • Motion to approve the 2023-2024 School Calendar by Abell; Second by McGraw
    Yes=Abell, Abujuma, Battle-Lockhart, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Absent - Brown

  • Amendments to Policies 9120; 9333; 9335 and 9340
Motion to approve the Amendments by Abell; Second by Wilson
Yes=Abell, Abujuma, Battle-Lockhart, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Absent - Brown

Adjournment

Monday, November 28, 2022

Notes from Board of Education Work Session

The Board of Education Work Session on Monday, November 28, 2022 was streamed live on ccboe.com and aired live on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOs Channel 12.  The meeting will be re-broadcast on Comcast Channel 96, Verizon FIOS Channel 12 and is available via webstream at http://www.ccboe.com/ .  CCPS also will post the meeting on its YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/ccpsmd.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. Individual names are spelled to the best of my ability.

Call to order – 6 p.m. 
Public forum - None
I-Ready update

Adjournment  

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Notes from Board of Education Meeting 11/15/22

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 was streamed live on ccboe.com and aired live on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOs Channel 12.  The meeting will be re-broadcast on Comcast Channel 96, Verizon FIOS Channel 12 and is available via webstream at http://www.ccboe.com/ .  CCPS also will post the meeting on its YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/ccpsmd.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. Individual names are spelled to the best of my ability.
Executive session – 11:30 a.m.
Call to order – 1 p.m.
Board member correspondence
  • Wilson - attend all county band and orchestra; attend Lackey McDonough football game and the turf looks wonderful; Halloween parade at Higdon; Pastor Community breakfast at Mt. Hope Nanjemoy; celebrate Hispanic month and panel discussion at Thomas Stone and ESOL night at Hanson; Last committee meeting at MABE as a conference co-chair.  Highly recommend MABE new board member orientation and need to serve on MABE committees.  McDonough drama club Flippin' Eyelids fundraiser; and North Point sells pies at Market inn LaPlata.
  • McGraw - attended many of the same activities; shout out to Tim Bodamer for recognizing board members; Veterans Day program at LaPlata HS; Scholarship committee meeting last night and invited families and donors, encourage applications starting January 1, please apply; Early Childhood Advisory Council for the state last meeting for me.
  • Brown - Veterans Day program at Laplata HS;
  • Abujuma - working with Navarro and Lukas for student town hall, lots of questions; opend applications for a SMOB advisory council; Student BYOD work session will now work on a new BYOD policy.
  • Hancock - MS championship baseball game between Somers and Picco, Picco won; visited James Craik and read to PreK; Career Day at Picco and took a baby calf and will visit Matuala tomorrow?
  • Battle-Lockhart - traveling across country focusing on apprenticeship, hosted a culinary night experience with all culinary students and visit with top chefs across the region.  Partner with CCPS with DOL where they get credit for their learning during their culinary journey.  Thank Rebecca and Kevin for their help.  151 students enrolled into the program.  ProStart pack meeting; business education committee at chamber of commerce.
  • Lukas - closing ceremony CARES shops in Waldorf; breakfast at Hope; all county band orchestra and chorus; ESOL event with over 500 kids, special thanks to Peter Murphy for his support and sponsorship; congratulations to football teams; Lackey soccer team fun to watch; play at McDonough and Harry Potter jokes, Fine Arts are important; virtual meeting with legislative MABE committee; presentation by Navarro staff to commissioners on pilot program at two schools in county for at-risk student; ribbon cutting at Dr. Brown; new staff reception at North Point HS.
Education Association of Charles County (EACC) update
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) update
  • Offering free college to all members that have been employed for 6 months or more.
  • IA's can now get stipends for substituting for a teacher
  • Food Services - has now moved to the Oasis Cafe from upstairs
Recognition – 4:30 p.m.
  • Recognition of students and staff from North Point High School for saving the life of a teacher/colleague.
    • Students - Jacob Burris, Jordan Daniel, Dylan Farmer, Davion Gross, Christian Holland, Chad Jackson, Jerbauri McFadden, Dayron Scott, Joseph Smith, 
    • Larry Swann, and William Thomas 
    • Staff - Charlie Burch, carpentry teacher; Craig Patterson, technology education teacher; Sandra Fair, art teacher; Lisa Bazzarre, nurse; Amy Robinson, aquatics pool manager; Rebekah Colatruglio, physical education teacher; Christina Jones, college and career advisor; Tiffany Smith, school resource officer; Corey Dobbins, assistant principal; Carl Pascarella, assistant principal; Victor Woodland, building service manager
  • Students
    • Blake Hancock, Grade 12, Academic Achievement, Henry E. Lackey High School, Principal: Kathy Perriello 
    • Amaya Ford, Grade 8, Academic Achievement, John Hanson Middle School, Principal: Benjamin Kohlhorst
    • Dwayne Washington, Grade 5, Personal Responsibility, C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School, Principal: Brian King, Ed.D. 
    • Ayannah Rosier, Grade 5, Career Readiness, Dr. Gustavus Brown Elementary School, Principal: Karen Lewis
    • Austin Jarrell, Grade 5, Academic Achievement, T.C. Martin Elementary School, Principal: Todd Wonderling
  • Staff
    • Kevin Gibson, social studies teacher, Lackey
    • Dana Clark, special education instructional assistant in inclusion, St. Charles
    • Letia Ballard, second-grade teacher, Hanson
    • De'Vonni Farrar, second-grade teacher, Barnhart
    • Tina Thomas, registration secretary, Brown
    • Laura Liverman, technology facilitator, Martin
Unfinished business - None
New business -None
Future agenda items
  • Brown - Update on P3 Committee; next meeting
Public forum – 6 p.m.
  • Herman Barber - Parent of 7 students in CCPS, 11 schools still named after slave owners, (named them all); wants them renamed/changed, quotes from Harford County Public School when they changed there school name.
  • Deron Tross - 2022 predominant district of color, what happened at Smallwood is unbelievable, Dr. Navarro, I urge you...email to teachers to clean up social media and make them private.  My daughter is a teacher and a friend teaches in that building.
  • Shawna Maya Marks - Mom of 3 and founder of Moms of Color.  Pictures of their teacher with racist images.  I know freedom of speech but there is limits.  I cannot yell fire in a crowded building.  Confederate flag is racist.  Please take a closer look at your policies.  Teachers teaching about indigenous people as savages; other examples given about immigration and same sex couples discriminations by teachers.
  • Erica Thomas - Action needs to be taken against teacher (started stating personnel names and asked to stop, she would not, eventually she stopped)
  • Nicole Barker - employee and mother and speak for both teachers and parents.  Concern for not escorting students out that are flipping chairs and putting teachers and students in danger.  Cursing and  violence in the classroom.  My child should not be exposed.  I know its not you but the state and urge all parents to join together because teachers and students don't feel safe.  If a customer in Target was doing this they would be escorted out.
  • Joe Sampson - NAACP social media account of a teacher showing a 3 finger salute and confederate flag; racially insensitive but can a teacher that thinks this way still treat all student equally.  We hope CCPS will thoroughly investigate that students have not been treated differently and encourage sensitivity training.  Social Media account has since been scrubbed but teacher is still there.  CCPS needs to address this in policy to prevent reoccurrences.
  • Pascalle Small - mother of 3.  students should be able to attend school free of racial bias.  Needs to be changed in policy.  Unsafe school environments.  educators are openly racists.  Protect our babies in system every day.  Ask for teacher to be terminated, formal apology and study on racial climate in the system.   
  • Nikia - new hire with Parks and Rec in aftercare program at a school and concerned with stun guns at school.  Has CCSO reports and why is this being allowed to happen.  Why aren't staff members notified when these are found.   Concerned for the safety of the students, staff and my mother.  No orientation for new staff member on workplace violence or hostility.  Told to go on YouTube and watch a video.  Include aftercare workers in training.
Action Items
  • Minutes
Motion to accept the Executive Session Minutes from 10/11/22 by Abell; Second by Wilson
Yes = Abell, Brown, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Abstain - Battle-Lockhart

Motion to accept the Board Meeting Minutes from 10/11/22 by McGraw; Second by Abell
Yes = Abell, Abujuma, Brown, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Abstain - Battle-Lockhart
  • Personnel
Motion to accept the Personnel by Abell; Second by Wilson
Yes = Abell, Battle-Lockhart, Brown, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson
Motion to accept the Intercategory Budget Change by McGraw; Second by Abell
Yes = Abell, Battle-Lockhart, Brown, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson
Motion to accept the Legislative Positions by Abell; Second by Wilson
Yes = Abell, Abujuma, Brown, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Abstain = Battle-Lockhart, 

Adjournment

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Notes from Board of Education Meeting, 10/11/22

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 was streamed live on ccboe.com and aired live on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOs Channel 12.  The meeting will be re-broadcast on Comcast Channel 96, Verizon FIOS Channel 12 and is available via webstream at http://www.ccboe.com/ .  CCPS also will post the meeting on its YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/ccpsmd.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. Individual names are spelled to the best of my ability.

Executive session – 11:30 a.m.

Call to order – 1 p.m.

Superintendent’s update

Board Member correspondence
  • McGraw - Bounty of the County; MABE Conference; Amira served on student panel at MABE; Post secondary education presented to legislators.
  • Wilson - Bounty in the County; MABE Conference; Kudos to Lowndes on presentation at MABE; Kudos to McGraw for tenure as President at MABE.
  • Brown - Kudos to Lowndes on presentation at MABE; Kudos to Amira on MABE student panel,  Attended teen curt and request more parent involvement
  • Abujuma - MABE conference - great to be able to travel out of county and collaborate with other student board members.
  • Lukas - Amira did a fantastic job; sports events; congrats to everyone; Faith and Blue event in Laplata over the weekend; CC Fair; Bounty of the County; MABE; Rocktoberfest was cancelled due to rain.
Education Association of Charles County (EACC) update

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) update

FY2022 Independent Financial Audit
  • Report
  • Governance
  • Fund balance can only be used for one time cost, not recurring expenses

Superintendent’s rules & regulations update - Oral Update
  • BYOD going away; new cell phone rules; revisions expected in December
  • Option 1
  • Option 2
  • Conversation over pros and cons of both
  • Survey will be done for the community and come back to us next month,

Unfinished business

New business 

Future agenda items

  • Wilson - P3 Partnerships Update
  • Lukas - Town Hall Meetings

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

  • Resolutions
    • American Education Week – Sean Heyl, EACC president; Dawn Pipkin, Unit 1 UniServe director; and Sarah Burch, AFSCME Local 2981.
    • American Freedom Week – Cadet Christian Kotvis, sophomore, Thomas Stone High School, Army; Cadet Lt. Commander Lance Yorio, senior, La Plata High School, Navy; Cadet Christina Hunter, senior, North Point High School, Air Force; and Cadet 2nd Lt. Kennedy Butler, senior, St. Charles High School, Marines.
  • Students
    • Liana Berry, Grade 12, Personal Responsibility, St. Charles High School, Principal: Tammika Little 
    • Leo Abramson, Grade 8, Academic Achievement, Benjamin Stoddert Middle School, Principal: Erica Williams
    • Safia Boubertakh, Grade 5, Academic Achievement, Dr. James Craik Elementary School, Principal: Jason Deihl
    • Adlyn McCarthy, Grade 5, Career Readiness, Malcolm Elementary School, Principal: Scott Hangey
    • Katya Diaz Lopez, Grade 5, Academic Achievement, J.C. Parks Elementary School, Principal: Gregory Miller
  • Staff
    • Dana Clark, instructional assistant, St. Charles
    • Kevin Clancy, language arts teacher, Stoddert
    • Samantha Kruemmel, technology facilitator, Craik
    • Ki’Tiara Shorter, first-grade teacher, Malcolm
    • Tina Fullerton, special education teacher, Parks

Public forum – 6 p.m.

  • .Karl Grebe - parent & husband of teacher in CCPS; some specialized CTE programs dont have qualified instructors.  Students should be able to earn college credits and i highly doubt that will happen in my sons class.  I have tried repeatedly to tlk to the principal, emails to Supt and Dr. Jones have gone unanswered.
  • Tina Osborne - Dyslexia Awareness Month in October.  Advocate for her daughter and others.  CCPS does not educate children with dyslexia adequately.  Provide training to teachers,  Get tid of the reading program currently used and adopt a new one dyslexia friendly.
  • Pasquel Small - thank you for your steps in building partnerships and collaboration and including parents.  and celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.  Acknowledge we've made steps but we can still do better.
  • Edie McGuin - Spoke last month on new rules implemented in schools on BYOD.  Started a petition at Thomas Stone and already has over 300 signatures.  Prepare students with modern jobs using technology.
  • Maureen Mears - Invitation Saturday Octobber 15th at Univ of MD or virtual abbout Roadmap to Reading 930 - 1230 by the Reading League of MD.  CCPS can do better.  Follow the Science to Reading.  Districts Data.  Interventions not working.  Volunteer for Decoding Dyslexia MD. 
  • Erica Thomas - Dyslexia Awareness Month advocate and parent.  CCPS has dropped the ball when teaching my child reading.  Attends countless hours of compensatory reading.  Lack of resources.  
  • Joseph Mank - School safety - some schools inviting volunteers into the school.  Making sure we have a proper vetting system with background checks.
  • Deanna Smyre - JP Ryon parent, daughter was a victim of bullying.  daughter came up with an idea for a support group.  email kstubblefield with idea and also to the principal about the idea.

Action Items

  • Minutes
Motion to approve the Executive Session Minutes of 9/13/22 by Abell; Second by Wilson
Yes = Abell, Brown, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Absent - Battle-Lockhart

Motion to approve the Board Meeting Minutes of 9/13/22 by Wilson; Second by Abell
Yes = Abell, Abujuma, Brown, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Absent - Battle-Lockhart
  • Personnel
Motion to approve Personnel by Abell; Second by McGraw
Yes = Abell, Brown, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Absent - Battle-Lockhart
Motion to approve the Comprehensive Maintenance Plan by Wilson; Second by Brown
Yes = Abell, Brown, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Absent - Battle-Lockhart

Adjournment