Notes from Board of Education Work Session, 4/30/12

The Board of Education Work Session on Monday, April 30 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 – 6 p.m.

• Pledge of Allegiance

Public Forum - none

Work Session

Charles County Public Schools Common Core Transition Plan

• Abell - Post presentation on BoardDocs; additional presentations to parents & community; Literacy Extension Packets = cost to students?  workbooks?
• Estep & staff - yes, yes, and not workbooks -- additional reading books, more indepth, no cost to parents
• Wise - Textbooks are being written? Costs associated with buying all new texts; curriculum is too rigorous, doesn't think it's going to work
• Lukas - Maryland curriculum was based on achieving the HSA; how will we evaluate where we are with meeting Core Curriculum Standards?; percentage of students in Meeting the Middle?
• Estep & staff- MD Curriculum was supposed to be the bare minimum.  Data Analysis and future test similar to HSA.  About 10% of students in Meeting the Middle.
• Bowie - ELL and special needs...how will they meet this rigorous curriculum?; How can library assist, like in story times?
• Estep & staff - Current support services will still be provided and as we move forward, additional needs will be addressed and services put in place.  Would be grateful for partnering with library.
• Cook - Happy with the writing portion.  Worried about the students that start school in Kindergarten
• Estep & staff - Ongoing planning in place to tackle this concern.
• Pedersen - Concern with transition and bringing the community along with us.  Freshmen year students having two periods of Math is not being taken well, no electives
• Estep & staff - Doesn't affect everyone but there is nothing we can do if we want to get in that good solid base.

Superintendent Search

• Abell - Recommends using a consultant. 
• Wise - Spoke with Caroline County yesterday; they did not use MABE, used a private consultant & while they were happy with their Superintendent, they were unhappy with some things that transpired.  Thinks we should use MABE, initial cost of $24,000.
• Abell - Doesn't think we should automatically go with MABE.  I believe they are a good option, but with any major purchase, quotes should be received.  Other consultants should be interviewed before a decision is made.
• Pedersen - Agrees; attended a seminar at the conference.  Wants an organization that knows the community and puts them first.
• Lukas - Cook & I were at the same seminar; if we go for an outside source, we should make a list of criteria for the firm instead of just doing a blanket interview.
• Bowie - MABE's website; sample brochures and applications for Superintendent searched; MABE also mentioned EdWeek for advertising.
• Cook - NSBA session recommended using your state agency (MABE) because they are so connected to everyone else in the state as well as across the nation.
• Pedersen - Firm should be very aware of Maryland State Law regarding searches.
• Bowie - referenced Maryland State Superintendent Survey
• Wise - While we want to be transparent, not all applicants will be revealed to the public.
• Balides - May have to go through a procurement process for  over $25,000.  We would need to get quotes even if we went with MABE.
• Bowie - Madison Partners; maybe Texas?
• Wise - BWP & Associates; out of Illinois?
• Lukas - can we talk to firms prior to possibly doing an RFP
• Pedersen - Private firms might try to fit one of their Superintendent clients into our position and it might not be a good fit. 
• Abell - would feel secure letting the Chair and Vice Chair come up with two other price quotes
• Wise - Cook and she will research firms and prices and bring it back to us at the next board meeting.
• Abell - Cost, Locality, Experience
• Pedersen - how they developed their process; how do they get to know us
• Cook - Timeline & Confidentiality

Goals

• See report
• Abell - add ACT under Goal #1
• Bowie - doesn't see anything that would conflict with Race to the Top Initiatives, made to complement
• Pedersen - should see increase in scores just with implementation of Race to the Top
• Pedersen - should be open to virtual schools

Adjournment

Mercury Exposure Investigation Completed at Two Schools

Hazardous materials (HAZMAT) teams and the La Plata Volunteer Fire Department declared the Robert D. Stethem Educational Center and Maurice J. McDonough High School clear of hazardous materials this afternoon after a group of students were exposed to a small amount of mercury.

This morning, students in the Explorers Program in a heating and air conditioning (HVAC) class at Stethem were possibly exposed to mercury that spilled on the floor of their classroom. Students in the classroom directly involved in the incident were initially returned to their zoned high schools, including McDonough. Shortly after returning to McDonough, two students reported to the school nurse that they were feeling ill and that they had possibly been exposed to mercury. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) was immediately called to the school. As a precautionary measure, McDonough was put on shelter-in-place, meaning all students and staff were asked to remain in their current locations in the building, while the fire department, the Maryland Department of the Environment and HAZMAT teams from the Charles County Department of Emergency Services and the Naval District of Washington investigated and checked all students, buses and areas in the two schools that could have been contaminated.

The classroom at Stethem was secured, and the HAZMAT teams tested the areas outside the classroom, including walkways. It was confirmed that the substance was mercury and a small amount, less than 20 grams, had been exposed in the classroom. The HVAC room remains secure and additional cleaning will occur.

All other Charles County high schools with students who were in the Stethem classroom were isolated from other students and checked for possible exposure. No traces of Mercury were found on any of the students. The HAZMAT teams checked and cleared Stethem and McDonough, as well as all buses and cars used to transport students from Stethem to their home high schools.

The shelter-in-place was lifted at McDonough around 2:45 p.m., and students were dismissed from school about a half and hour later than normal.

During the shelter-in-place, McDonough parents were notified of the incident by telephone message and e-mail alerts with up-to-date information. Charles County Public Schools investigated

REMINDER: Board of Education Work Session, 4/29/12

The Board of Education of Charles County is holding a work session at 6 p.m., Monday, April 30, at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building in La Plata. The meeting will be aired live on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOS Channel 12, and streamed on the school system website at http://www2.ccboe.com/boe/live/.

The agenda is as follows:
Call to order – 6 p.m.

• Pledge of Allegiance

Public Forum

 
Work Session

• Charles County Public Schools Common Core Transition Plan
• Superintendent Search

Adjournment

Struggle over how to evaluate special ed teachers

Apr 24, 2011
11:40 AM EDT
By CHRISTINE ARMARIO
AP Education Writer

MIAMI (AP) -- Since the first day of class this school year, Bev Campbell has been teaching her students how to say their names.

Some of the children in her class have autism. Others have Down syndrome or other disabilities. "People don't understand where they've come from," she says. "It's slow."

Just one has learned how to say his name. Still, the South Florida teacher sees signs of growth in the nine kindergarten to second-grade students in her class.

Those little steps are what teachers like Campbell consider major leaps for students with the most significant physical and cognitive disabilities - and what are the most challenging to capture on a test. Yet that will be a significant part of the way school districts in Florida and in many other states will evaluate teachers.

Spurred by the U.S. Department of Education's $4.35 billion Race to the Top grant competition, more than a dozen states have passed laws to reform how teachers are evaluated and include student growth as a component. For most students, that growth will be measured on standardized tests. But for special education students that is considerably more complicated.

Read more HERE.

Parents wire kids to prove teachers' verbal abuse

April 25, 2012
6:23 pm ET
By GEOFF MULVIHILL 
Associated Press
 WTOP.com 

CHERRY HILL, N.J. (AP) - Teachers hurled insults like "bastard," "tard," "damn dumb" and "a hippo in a ballerina suit."

A bus driver threatened to slap one child, while a bus monitor told another, "Shut up, you little dog."

They were all special needs students, and their parents all learned about the verbal abuse the same way _ by planting audio recorders on them before sending them off to school.

In cases around the country, suspicious parents have been taking advantage of convenient, inexpensive technology to tell them what children, because of their disabilities, are not able to express on their own. It's a practice that can help expose abuses, but it comes with some dangers.

Read more HERE.

National School Board Association Conference 2012 - Boston

Want to see the sessions offered to your school board members?  Want to learn more about the conference? 

Please click HERE.

Zero Tolerance Victory: Md. Board of Ed. Reverses Suspension of H.S. Lacrosse Players for Possession of Deadly Weapons (Penknife, Lighter)

The Rutherford Institute
April 11, 2012

EASTON, Md. — The Maryland State Board of Education has reversed the suspensions of two Easton High School lacrosse players for possession of “deadly weapons,” namely a penknife and lighter found in their lacrosse bags. Although it was understood that the penknife and lighter were tools used by the boys to maintain their lacrosse equipment, the police were called and one player was actually handcuffed, fingerprinted and charged with possession of a deadly weapon. In reversing the suspensions, the Maryland State Board of Education noted that the students had voluntarily told officials they possessed the items, that use of the tools to maintain lacrosse equipment had been tacitly approved by coaches, and that it was the actions of school officials themselves that had caused any “disruption” to the educational process. Ordering that the students’ academic records be completely expunged of the incident, the State Board explained, “This case is about context and the appropriate exercise of discretion, in full consideration of all the facts involved in the case, including whether to suspend and whether to call the police.”

“This is a huge victory for students everywhere,” said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute. “It’s a victory of reason and fairness over the kind of hysterical, irrational exercise of authority that teaches children to fear those in power.”

Read more HERE.

Notes from Board of Education Meeting, 4/10/12

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, April 10 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, La Plata High School's JROTC unit

Correspondence/Board Member updates

• Bowie - Month of the Military Child - Waldorf library storytime on April 14th from 10-11 for PK to first grade
• Pedersen - Thank staff for all activities and events lately; MESA; Military Ball
• Wise - Senior Prom was amazing; MABE - nominations for officers
• Lukas - ditto on Senior Prom; Mudd History night and recognition given to Mr. Cunningham's wife; State Math Counts Competition

Education Association of Charles County update - read report

Student Board Member update - read report

CIP update - read report

Reading Recovery program - read report

FY 2012 financial update - read report

Budget amendment FY 2012 - read report

School calendar 2013-2014 - read report

Legislative update

• Doomsday budget and pension hasn't shifted to locals as of yet
• Senate 848 Maintenance of Effort passed
• House 245 extension of buses to 14 years passed
• Senate 362 age of compulsory attendance to 17 in 2014 and 18 in 2016 passed
• House 497 on use of Epi pens passed
• House 2 carbon monoxide detectors - passed
• Senate 867 oral health education passed
• House 596 IEP meeting documents passed
• House 617 remove requirement for kinship care affidavit passed
• House 1019 policy on use of green cleaning products in schools passed

Board goals - postponed to the end of the month

Unfinished business - Superintendent's Rule #5126

Motion to accept Superintendent's Rule #5126 by Pedersen; Second by Cook

Lukas - wants to know other members' opinions of why we didn't vote for this before...his main issue was for those who resided out of county.

• Abell - same reasons; constituents seem concerned with those out of county with tuition waived
• Pedersen - willing to see how it works but wants to revisit annually
• Bowie - wanted more information before deciding, likes that it removes the responsibility from the principals to Starkey administration. Waived tuition was also a concern of taxpayers.
• Cook - knew we needed more discussion; spoke with teachers who would leave over this
• Wise - a lot of businesses have perks

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

Motion to change the due date to June 15, 2012 for this year only by Cook; Second by Pedersen

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

New business

• Pedersen - State boards requested local boards to send a letter to legislators to stop the stall on reauthorizing No Child Left Behind

Future agenda items

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

• Students
• Employees
• Resolutions: Teacher Appreciation Week; Administrative Professionals Week; National Physical Education and Sports Week; Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award; and Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leader Award

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

• Liz Brown - EACC - transfer policy
• Natasha Copeland - Greenhaven Neighborhood, Davis redistricting, don't do it
• Rosemann Diaz - Bensville Corridor - don't redistrict
• Dawn Sutherland - Everyone must get involved to stop development in the county

Action items

• Minutes
Motion to accept Minutes by Abell; Second by Cook
Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise
• Personnel
Motion to accept Personnel by Cook; Second by Abell
Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise
• Elementary and middle school redistricting recommendation
Motion to accept the redistricting recommendations by Abell; Second by Pedersen
• Pedersen - If a family can show that a student in the family has been moved more than twice at any specific grade level (elementary, middle, or high), the student can stay at his/her current school if the family provides the transportation.
• Lukas - We know as a board that this has happened
• Bowie - Impact if we waited a year?
• Wineland - Class size would be adversely affected. Even adding relocatables, the rest of the school cannot support the number of students. 53 new students at Neal and 43 at Diggs just since September.
• Wise - Davis average class size is 30...at Henson it's 19.
• Pedersen - Attended Davis for lunch shifts and the hallways are too crowded to function properly. It's creating an unsafe environment
• Wineland - Enrollment at Diggs is 1100...the largest in the state. The largest income in the county is building houses. The county was building houses to build schools and adversely affecting the schools.
• Wade - Taught at Roosevelt High School when there were 3300 students there. It was not a good environment: floating classrooms, etc.
• Wise - 25 - Neal, Willets Crossing, Matula to Neal to Brown
• Lukas - 23 students - Ryan to Neal to Turner
• Weslowski - Inequity with children who can get rides and those who can't
• Bowie - High school redistricting -- could they get moved again?....yes
• Lukas - Made a speech
• Wade - Reprimanded Lukas

Motion to amend to allow students to remain at their current school if they have been redistricted more than twice at elementary school and have their own transportation by Pederson; Second by Lukas

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

(Original Motion) Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Pedersen, Wade, Wise; No = Lukas

• Non-discrimination policy
Motion to accept Non-discrimination Policy by Cook; Second by Pedersen
Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise
• Superintendent's proposed FY 2013 operating budget
Motion to accept FY 2013 operating budget by Lukas; Second by Pedersen
Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise

Adjournment

REMINDER: Board of Education Meeting, 4/10/12

The Board of Education's next monthly meeting is Tuesday, April 10, 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, La Plata High School's JROTC unit

Reports of officers/boards/committees

• Correspondence/Board Member updates
• Education Association of Charles County update
• Student Board Member update
• CIP update
• Reading Recovery program
• FY 2012 financial update
• Budget amendment FY 2012
• School calendar 2013-2014
• Legislative update
• Board goals

Unfinished business

New business and future agenda items

• New business
• Future agenda items

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

• Students
• Employees
• Resolutions: Teacher Appreciation Week; Administrative Professionals Week; National Physical Education and Sports Week; Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award; and Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leader Award

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

Action items

• Minutes
• Personnel
• Elementary and middle school redistricting recommendation
• Non-discrimination policy
• Superintendent's proposed FY 2013 operating budget

Adjournment