Wednesday, August 29, 2018

CCPS students continue to improve on PARCC assessments


Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students at most grade levels improved in both mathematics and English/Language Arts on the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessments in 2018. The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) released local school system and school-level data today for PARCC, Maryland’s school assessments in English/Language Arts and mathematics. 
“Our teachers are focused on teaching the Maryland State Standards in an authentic and engaging way. We have made slow, steady progress on PARCC, and we use the assessment data to continue to improve instruction and student performance,” Superintendent Kimberly Hill said.
County scores, elementary schools
English/Language Arts: Overall, students in Grades 3-5 scored 42.3 percent at levels 4 and 5, up from 42 percent in 2017. Fifth-grade students scored 42.6 percent at levels 4 and 5; fourth-grade students scored 43.4 percent at levels 4 and 5; and third-grade students scored 40.7 percent at levels 4 and 5.
Mathematics: Students in Grades 3-5 maintained a 36.5 percent at levels 4 and 5, the same percentage achieved in 2017. Fifth-grade students scored 34.5 percent at levels 4 and 5; fourth-grade students scored 35.4 percent at levels 4 and 5; and third-grade students scored 39.8 percent at levels 4 and 5.
County scores, middle schools
English/Language Arts: Overall, 37.5 percent of middle school students scored at levels 4 and 5 combined, up from 35.7 in 2017. Countywide, students in eighth grade scored 36.7 percent at levels 4 and 5; students in seventh grade scored 39.6 percent at levels 4 and 5; and students in sixth grade scored 36.2 percent at levels 4 and 5.
Mathematics: Overall, 29.4 percent of middle school students earned a combined score of 4 and 5 on the mathematics assessment, up from 23.1 in 2017. Students in eighth grade taking the mathematics assessment scored 11.4 percent at levels 4 and 5; students in seventh grade scored 27.4 percent at levels 4 and 5; and students in sixth grade scored 28 percent at levels 4 and 5. Middle school students taking the PARCC Algebra I assessment scored 85.4 percent at levels 4 and 5, up from 82.7 percent in 2017.
County scores, high schools
Two PARCC assessments, Algebra I and English II, became high school graduation requirements in the 2016-17 school year.
Algebra I: Overall, 35.9 percent of high school students scored at levels 4 and 5, up from 34 in 2017.
English II: Overall high school students scored 44.4 percent at levels 4 and 5, up from 41 percent in 2017.
In 2015 Maryland implemented the new PARCC state assessments in English/Language Arts and mathematics. High school students taking Algebra I and English II are required to reach a certain proficiency level as a high school graduation requirement. The PARCC assessment scoring uses a five-point score scale set by Maryland educators and others:
·         Level 5 – Exceeded Expectations
·         Level 4 – Met Expectations
·         Level 3 – Approached Expectations
·         Level 2 – Partially Met Expectations  
·         Level 1 – Did Not Yet Meet Expectations

PARCC shows growth in student achievement over time.  For example, Hill said, parents and teachers will better be able to determine if students taking the math and reading assessments in third grade are progressing in their understanding of the subject matter when they reach fourth grade and beyond.
The pattern of raising standards and creating new assessments has been in place in Maryland since the 1980s. “While there is some good news in these results, there is still work to do to ensure all of our students achieve at the level of rigor that we expect,” Hill said.
Individual student reports are available on ParentVue. Parents who do not have access to ParentVue should contact their child’s principal to request a copy of the report.
For complete CCPS results, visit http://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/. 

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Notes from Board of Education Meeting, 8/14/18

The Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, August 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 – 11 a.m. 
Call to order – 12 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance 
Superintendent’s update - Report
 Correspondence/Board Member updates
  • McGraw - Thank you to Mr. Heim for tour of school facilities.  Science and engineering program briefing
  • Crawford - thank you to Stubblefield and O'Malley-Simpson for taking care with our minutes.
  • Kelly - Thank you for the Be the Difference ceremony.  Summer school graduation.  Watch for children and new student drivers.
  • Marshall - Excitement for the new school year.  Words of wisdom
  • Abell - Summer graduations, looking forward to the coming year
  • Palko - Be the Difference Awards, ceremony for teacher of the year candidates, shadowed Mr. Vance in Maintenance Department and Ms. Murphy in the Operations Department.  Tri-County board meeting, Calvert is not enthusiastic about meeting.  Consensus to wait until after the elections.
Education Association of Charles County update - Report
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees update - Report
Student Board Member update - Report
Decoding dyslexia - Report
  • universal screening for all students in Kindergarten
  • County wide professional development for all SST teams; continued training throughout the year
Project status update - Report
Architect’s design presentation for Benjamin Stoddert Middle School and Eva Turner Elementary School
FY 2020 CIP State and Local Program - Report
School safety and security - Report (very good presentation, recommend watching)
  • See Something, Say Something; Handle with Care Program
  • Background checks for all volunteers too
  • online incident reporting and hotline anonymously
  • Secure entry ways completed or near completion at 9 schools
  • system safety and security upgrades and training implemented over the summer
  • New social security based back ground check.  Not all criminals are fingerprinted.
  • More intensive substitute training and onboarding process
  • updated active shooter curriculum to "option based"
  • gang intervention workgroup
  • partnerships with all first responders
  • student identification badge program and requirements
  • system-wide family reunification plan in partnership with CSM
  • continued construction and door numbering
  • Abell - thank you.  cant wait for implementation of ID badges.  What about k9's?
  • Kelly - Thank you, very busy
  • McGraw - how will information for "Handle with Care" program be disseminated
  • Crawford - impressive.  appreciate.  Charles County is taking safety seriously
  • Marshall - how  many gangs do we have.  
Recurring Resolutions: American Education Week; American Freedom Week; Be The Difference, Black History Month; Gifted and Talented Education Month; Career and Technology Education Month; National School Counseling Week; Read Across America; Women’s History Month; Fine and Performing Arts Month; Month of the Young Child; National Student Leadership Week; Teacher Appreciation Week; Administrative Professionals Week; Child Nutrition Employee Appreciation Week; National Physical Education and Sport Week; Washington Post Principal of the Year awards program; Charles County Teacher of the Year; and Washington Post Teacher of the Year awards program.
Unfinished Business - None
New Business - Intercategory budget change request - Report
Motion to approve the budget change request by Abell; Second by McGraw
Yes=Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko

Future Agenda Items
  • McGraw - programs available now in Special Education
Public Forum – 3:30 p.m.
  • Tracey Wolff - Thank you to Abell Palko and Kelly for bringing Decoding Dyslexia forward and for your support.  Flier for presentation on Sept. 8th.
  • Maureen Mears - Decoding Dyslexia advocate.  Thank you for your support.
  • Danny Mears - student with dyslexia.  thank you
Action items
  • Minutes
Motion to approve the minutes from June board meeting by Abell; Second by Marshall
Yes=Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko

Motion to approve the minutes from the June work session by Abell; Second by Marshall
Yes=Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko
  • Personnel
Motion to approve personnel by McGraw; Second by Abell
Yes=Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko
Adjournment 

Wednesday, August 08, 2018

Agenda for Board of Education Meeting, 8/14/18


The Board of Education’s next monthly meeting is Tuesday, Aug. 14 at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building on Radio Station Road in La Plata. The public portion of the meeting begins at 12 p.m. The meeting is televised live on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOS Channel 12, and rebroadcast throughout the week.
Board meetings are streamed live on the school system website at www.ccboe.com. Select the live streaming image posted on the front page to access the meeting. The following is a tentative meeting agenda and is subject to change.
Executive session – 11 a.m. 
Call to order – 12 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance 
Superintendent’s update 
Reports of officers/boards/committees
·         Correspondence/Board Member updates
·         Education Association of Charles County update
·         American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees update
·         Student Board Member update
·         Decoding dyslexia
·         Project status update
·         Architect’s design presentation for Benjamin Stoddert Middle School and Eva Turner Elementary School
·         FY 2020 CIP State and Local Program
·         School safety and security
·         Recurring resolutions: American Education Week; American Freedom Week; Black History Month; Gifted and Talented Education Month; Career and Technology Education Month; National School Counseling Week; Read Across America; Women’s History Month; Fine and Performing Arts Month; Month of the Young Child; National Student Leadership Week; Teacher Appreciation Week; Administrative Professionals Week; Child Nutrition Employee Appreciation Week; National Physical Education and Sport Week; Washington Post Principal of the Year awards program; Charles County Teacher of the Year; and Washington Post Teacher of the Year awards program.

Unfinished business
New business and future agenda items
·         New business - Intercategory budget change request
·         Future agenda items

Public Forum – 3:30 p.m.
Action items
·         Minutes
·         Personnel

Adjournment