Notes from Board of Education Work Session, 6/23/14

The Board of Education Work Session on Monday, June 23 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 – 5:30 p.m.

Call to Order – 6 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance

Public Forum

• Colleen Longhi - APFO Committee status;  commissioners won't hear report, what now next steps.
• Ms. Longi advised the BOE received an email late this afternoon from the county government inviting us to attend an APFO committee meeting on July 8.  Requesting additional information from the county if it is for a board to board meeting or just APFO committee meeting.

Work session - FY2015 operating budget - some reductions include....

1. Private school students sharing buses with public schools
2. Eliminate Summer Reading Academy
3. Eliminate One-Time Salary Award
4. Eliminate Athletic Trainers
5. Elminate After-School Activity Buses
6. Eliminate Prinicpal Request Portion of Teacher Substitues
7. Eliminate Professional Library Materials (central office allocation)
8. Eliminate 5 positions at St. Charles High Schools
9. Reduce utilities and other maintenance contracts
10. Restructuring of student transportation
11. Eliminate 25 Building Service Worker positions, 31 FTE positions & Instructional Asst.

• Abell requested clarification on technology reduction - not for required testing infrastructure; only for standard equipment replacement
• Abell request clarification on teacher salary increases based on local officials public comments recently.

1. 2011 - teachers did NOT receive a step increase
2. 2012 - teachers received a step increase
3. 2013 - teachers received a step increase
4. 2014 - teachers will NOT receive a step increase
5. teachers have NOT received a COLA since 2009.
6. in summary, teachers are 2 steps behind where they should be at the end of this year and have NOT received a Cost of Living increase in 5 years. 

• On another note of concern, the elementary school population saw an increase last year.  The trending prediction with local development is that we will continue to see an increase at the elementary school level which will increase class sizes and create a need for additional staff.  As the students age over the next several years, this trend will continue and the student population will once again see an increase that we had in years past that the county has unfortunately put us in a situation of unpreparedness.

Action items

• FY 2015 operating budget

Motion to accept Cook; Second Pedersen

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

• Board policies on non-discrimination

Motion to accept Cook; Second Pedersen

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

• Personnel

Motion to accept Cook; Second Lukas
Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wise


New Business

• FY2015 Tuition rates for non-resident students

Motion to accept FY2015 Tuition Rates by Pedersen; Second by Bowie

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

 Executive session

Board of Education Budget Cut Considerations

Below is a link to the document of staff recommended budget cuts to the board of education budget.  These budget cuts will be necessary in order to balance our budget and open the new St. Charles High School in FY15 due to the lack of adequate and promised funding by the local board of commissioners.  The Board will have a work session on Monday, June 23rd at 6:00 p.m. to discuss this budget and take action.  This meeting is open to the public and will have a public forum.

Proposed REVISED FY15 Operating Budget

Board of Education Work Session Agenda, 6/23/14

The Board of Education of Charles County is holding a public work session at 6 p.m., Monday, June 23, in the Board room at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building on Radio Station Road in La Plata. The meeting is televised live on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOS Channel 12 and is rebroadcast throughout the week. Board meetings are also streamed live on the school system website at www.ccboe.com. Select CCPS TV and then choose the Live Broadcast tab. The following is a tentative meeting agenda and is subject to change.

Executive session – 5:30 p.m.

Call to Order – 6 p.m.

• Pledge of Allegiance

Public Forum

Work session

• FY2015 operating budget

Action items

• FY 2015 operating budget
• Board policies on non-discrimination

 Executive session

The Budget vs The Budget

Much has been said about the Charles County Government Budget (or the lack thereof) over the past few days and people are very passionate on both sides of the spectrum.  Alot has been said on social media, he said, she said, blah, blah, blah.  I am making this post in regards to the Board of Education Budget; to provide a timeline with actual links to supporting documentation.  No more trying to figure out where the money is like a carnival shell game.  “Where’s the $$$???  See, here it is!”  Oh, no, it’s NOT! I hope this helps.

History of St. Charles High School  - I could go back to the design and plan stage but that's a former set of commissioners and another whole issue entirely.  Let's start with it was originally scheduled to open in FY13.  (I think that part is undisputed).  But, in March 2011 the current board of commissioners requested the current board of education delay the opening of the St. Charles High School until FY14.  The Board of Education, (mainly me, because I could see this train wreck coming years ago, please review my notes I posted all the way back in September 2009, yes 2009) wanted to get a promise in writing for the opening cost of $10M.  The state also wanted a commitment in writing from our local government on their commitment for funding before proceeding.  The commissioners obliged.  While I could not find the letter posted online to link, I found the minutes (although few), my notes from that meeting, and a recent letter from the state in my post Commissioners get hands slapped by state.   On a side note here, the $10M was baseline; having the new high school open with only three grades instead of four was ALREADY factored into that $10M. How it went to $7.7 was by request of the commissioners once again for us to squeeze and tighten and pinch some more because they could not meet their obligation.

Charles County Government Budget Here is Page 3 of the recently passed FY2015 controversial budget.  As you can clearly see, the difference from FY14 - FY15 is $2.9M.  NOT the $7.7M.  Certainly NOT the $10M. (for the Board of Education line item)

Let's start from the beginning and walk through this.  They say we have a FY14 Fund Balance "slush fund", " honey pot", "rainy day fund" of $18M they can direct us to spend as THEY see fit.

 

There is a huge problem with that:  most is COMMITTED MONEY and 50% of our budget comes from the state (so essentially, 1/2 isn't their's to start with) and the quoted amount is from June 2013. 

$18M	June 2013 Total "Fund Balance"
(-$3.2M)	FY14 General Fund Operating Costs
(-$2.1M)	(March 2014 - OH PLEASE SEE NOTE 1 BELOW)
(-$5M)	(See Note 2 below)
(-$2.4M)	FY15 St. Charles HS (per CC Govt)
$5.3M	"Fund Balance" (See Note 3 below)

*Note 1 - The County Commissioners requested assistance with their own FY14 budget shortage and we graciously  assisted with $2.1.  See document.

*Note 2 - This amount contains a required reserve for health insurance costs, and funds designated for major maintenance projects (F. B. Gwynn, lighting changes, school security, etc.); these are maintenance issues we have deferred addressing as long as we can, but MUST be addressed.  The money, for these necessary maintenance/ repairs is held in that “fund balance.”  There is also money set aside for emergencies (We have to maintain a lot of buildings, and those buildings MUST be “habitable” for use by staff and students.  Example:  No water?  No school!  We can defer some things – which we have done.  Other things MUST be addressed when they happen, and there MUST be money set aside for such!)

 

*Note 3 - We also have a commitment to OPEB (Other Personnel Employment Benefits) – that’s the retiree health insurance fund.  It’s an OBLIGATION we have not “funded” as yet…and THAT obligated money is in the “fund balance,” too. 

So you see, the $2.9M the county is “giving” us in the FY15 budget makes the funding pretty much a “wash.”  Take $2.1M, give $2.9M.   That’s the reality.

AND the county can again “take back” $ mid-year 2014-2015 (just as they did last year) because St. Charles funding is above the state-mandated amount for “Maintenance of Effort.” 

Even the $5M may seem like a lot of money to have in a "fund balance" to some people, but please consider, this is a $322M budget.  This does not leave huge room for error or emergencies for the coming year.  What happens at the end of FY15?  What about the schools that need renovations?

 

Additional Notes:

*The Developers’ Rights and Responsibilities Agreement is supposed to provide money from development to support the school system, but this Board of Commissioners has not allowed that money to be dedicated strictly for school funding.

See earlier post on how DRRA funds were used:  HERE.

See earlier post on APFO (Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance) and DRRA funding

HERE.

 

*We have not been able to fund the earned step increases for our teachers, and this budget makes that impossible yet again.

Fiscal Year 2014

$322 million

Funding Sources

County -- 49.4%

State funds -- 48.8%

Federal funding -- .2%

Other --1.6%

Cost Per Pupil

$12,453

Budget impact statement from Dr. Hill

Parents of students in Charles County Public Schools received the following message via phone and email yesterday. [Wednesday, June 11, 2014]:

"Hello, this is Kim Hill, Superintendent of Charles County Public Schools. I’d like to bring you up to date on important budget information that may impact your child’s education.

Last night, in a three to two vote, the Charles County Commissioners approved a budget that does not adequately fund the needs of our students or the opening of our new high school. The Commissioners promised to provide $10 million when we were ready to open the new high school. Instead, they voted to provide us with $2.9 million.

This lack of funding forces us to consider cuts to programs that may impact your child. It also means we will be able to hire fewer teachers, which means class sizes will increase.

Quality education requires adequate funding. By underfunding the school budget, the Commissioners will force the Board of Education to make spending cuts at a time when the costs of education are rising.

Adequate funding is the only way to keep Charles County Public Schools competitive. It’s my responsibility to advocate for the needs of our schools and your children, but I need your help. Please contact your County Commissioners and ask them to reconsider their budget decision.

Thank you for your support of Charles County Public Schools."

Superintendent announces administrative changes, appointments

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Charles County Public Schools

Superintendent Kimberly Hill on June 10 announced the appointment of three new school principals, four principal transfers, five vice principal appointments and 15 vice principal transfers. Schools affected by principal changes are Theodore G. Davis, Piccowaxen, Milton M. Somers and Benjamin Stoddert middle schools, and Dr. James Craik, Eva Turner and William B. Wade elementary schools.
New principal appointments are

• Carrie Akins, vice principal at North Point High School, has been named as principal of Milton M. Somers Middle School. Akins began her career as an educator in 2002 as a high school English teacher in Virginia. She started with Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) in 2005 as an English teacher at North Point High School, where she also served as an administrative assistant and vice principal.

• Debra Calvert, vice principal at Mattawoman Middle School, has been named as principal at Dr. James Craik Elementary School. Calvert began her career in 1989 as a language arts teacher at John Hanson Middle School. She later served as an instructional specialist at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School, an instructional specialist in middle school reading and coordinator of middle school instruction before being named as a vice principal at Mattawoman in 2008.

• Orlena Whatley, principal at Versia L. Williams Elementary School in Texas, has been appointed as principal at Eva Turner Elementary School. Whatley started her career as an elementary teacher in 1994 in Texas. She has also served as an assistant director of education at a charter school and as a public school assistant principal. She has served as principal at Versia Elementary in Fort Worth, Texas since 2010.

Principal transfers include:

• Wendell Martin, principal of Theodore G. Davis Middle School, transfers to principal of Piccowaxen Middle School.

• Kenneth Schroeck, principal of Piccowaxen Middle School, transfers to principal of Benjamin Stoddert Middle School.

• Stephanie Wesolowski, principal of Milton M. Somers Middle School, transfers to principal of Theodore G. Davis Middle School.

• Penny Nye, principal of Dr. James Craik Elementary School, transfers to principal of William B. Wade Elementary School.

Vice principal appointments include:

• Kristen Anthony, first-grade teacher at Mary B. Neal Elementary School, to vice principal at Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School.

• Robert Griffiths, administrative assistant at Westlake High School, to vice principal at St. Charles High School.

• Benjamin Harrington, administrative assistant at Berry Elementary School, to vice principal at Dr. James Craik Elementary School.

• Erin Kaple, administrative assistant at Henry E. Lackey High School, to vice principal at Westlake High School.

• Shannon Morris, administrative assistant at La Plata High School, to vice principal at La Plata High School.

Vice principal transfers include:

• Robert Babiak, from principal of Benjamin Stoddert Middle School to vice principal at Henry E. Lackey High School.

• Jennifer Branham, vice principal from Benjamin Stoddert Middle School to vice principal at Mattawoman Middle School.
  

• Debbie Brown, vice principal from Dr. Gustavus Brown Elementary School to vice principal at Eva Turner Elementary School.

• Jacqueline Couvillon, vice principal from William Diggs Elementary School to vice principal at T.C. Martin Elementary School.

• Veronica Crawford, vice principal from La Plata High School to vice principal at St. Charles High School.

• Cheryl Davis, vice principal from Westlake High School to vice principal at North Point High School.

• Mark Gladfelter, vice principal from Maurice J. McDonough High School to vice principal at Henry E. Lackey High School.

• Scott Hangey, vice principal from Benjamin Stoddert Middle School to vice principal at Gale-Bailey Elementary School.

• J.T. Hanley, vice principal from Matthew Henson Middle School to vice principal at Mattawoman Middle School.

• Melissa Miesowitz, vice principal from Henry E. Lackey High School to vice principal at St. Charles High School.

• Steve Miller, vice principal from Mattawoman Middle School to vice principal at Matthew Henson Middle School.

• William Miller, vice principal from Eva Turner Elementary School to vice principal at Mary B. Neal Elementary School.

• Stephanie Nottingham, principal from Eva Turner Elementary School to vice principal at William A. Diggs Elementary School.

• Cynthia Panizzi, vice principal from Dr. James Craik Elementary School to vice principal at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School.

• Mary Rodgers, vice principal at Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School to vice principal at Dr. Gustavus Brown Elementary School.

The Board approved the Superintendent’s appointments on June 10. All new assignments take effect July 1.

See the Press Release HERE.

Notes from Board of Education Meeting, 6/10/14

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, June 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 JROTC

Col. Wade Video and Recognition - all

Motion by Wise to name the St. Charles High School pool after Col. Wade; Second by Cook

Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pederse, Wise

Swearing-in of new Student Board member

Recognition – Spring Athletic Accomplishments

Superintendent’s update - Report

Correspondence/Board Member updates

• Pedersen - received a complaint from a member of the armed forces on lack of respect in audience during graduation 
• Cook - attended adult independence graduation program
• Wise - loved graduations, students behaved, audience did not
• Bowie - Congratulations to Ms. Benson and Westlake Advocates; enjoyed attending graduations

Education Association of Charles County update - not present

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees update - not present

Student Board Member update - Report

Athletic eligibility - Policy Proposal

• discussion revealed consensus of 2.0 GPA was too low and 2.25 was a good starting point with a increase to 2.5

CIP update - Report

Summer Reading Academy funding success - Report

FY 2014 Inter-category budget transfer request - Report

• Abell - questioned the $18M fund balance; yes but committed

Board policies on non-discrimination - Policy Proposal on Gender Indentity

• discussion on gaduations, athletic teams, locker rooms, bathrooms

Policy 5156.1 (new language) - Policy Proposal on Expulsions

Unfinished business - none

New business - None

Future agenda items

• Abell - Board Goals, review and self-evaluation
• Abell - New Board Member Orientation Book, Freshen
• Abell - Replace EdLine with Parent Link

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

• Outstanding Vice Principal of the Year – Brenda Tillotson, General Smallwood Middle School
• Outstanding Support Staff – Doris Hawkins, Milton M. Somers Middle School; Darlette Smith, Somers; Kristen Sackman, La Plata High School; Roy Kline, Radio Station Road Annex; Suzanne Alpert, Somers; and Richard Day, North Point High School
• Resolutions: Maryland/Charles County Teacher of the Year, Kimberly King, mathematics teacher, Somers; Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award, Carol Eaton, first-grade teacher, Gale-Bailey Elementary School

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

• Alyssa Gerhart  - started petition to get bottled water offered in elementary schools
• Simonet Marchei - Quality of daughters education since redistricted from Diggs to Berry.  Substitute unqualified to be in classroom.  complained to principal etc.  Told this substitute would not be in CCPS again.  Saw this same teach in the school again last year.  Poor leadership, verbal abuse.

Action items

• Minutes

Motion to accept the Minutes by Cook; Second by Pedersen

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

• Personnel

Motion to accept Personnel by Abell; Second by Lukas

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

• Educational Facilities Master Plan

Motion to accept the Educational Facilities Master Plan by Abell; Second by Pedersen

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

Adjournment

REMINDER: Board of Education Meeting, 6/10/14

The Board of Education’s next monthly meeting is Tuesday, June 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. Board meetings are also streamed live on the school system website at www.ccboe.com. Select CCPS TV and then choose the Live Broadcast tab. The following is a tentative meeting agenda and is subject to change.

Executive session – 12 p.m.

Call to order – 1 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance, La Plata High School JROTC

Swearing-in of new Student Board member

Recognition – Westlake High School athletes

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
• Athletic eligibility
• CIP update
• Budget update
• Summer Reading Academy funding success
• FY 2014 Inter-category budget transfer request
• Board policies on non-discrimination
• Policy 5156.1 (new language)

Unfinished business

New business and future agenda items

• New business
• Future agenda items

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

• Outstanding Vice Principal of the Year – Brenda Tillotson, General Smallwood Middle School
• Outstanding Support Staff – Doris Hawkins, Milton M. Somers Middle School; Darlette Smith, Somers; Kristen Sackman, La Plata High School; Roy Kline, Radio Station Road Annex; Suzanne Alpert, Somers; and Richard Day, North Point High School
• Resolutions: Maryland/Charles County Teacher of the Year, Kimberly King, mathematics teacher, Somers; Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award, Carol Eaton, first-grade teacher, Gale-Bailey Elementary School

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

Action items

• Minutes
• Personnel
• Educational Facilities Master Plan

Adjournment

Fifth-grader begins crusade for bottled water at lunch

I saw this article in Friday's Indy and I must say...Kudo's to Alyssa!  I look forward to your presentation on Tuesday and I am behind you 100%.  If there is a way we can make this happen for next year, I would like to see it happen.  I TOTALLY disagree with a staff person's comment of we "can't".  There is no such word in MY vocabulary.

Girl wants option along with milk, juice

by Gretchen Phillips Staff writer

Maryland Independent

 

Sitting at lunch drinking a glass of water from the nearby water fountain, Alyssa Gerhart, a fifth-grader at William B. Wade Elementary School, got an idea to try to get bottled water listed as an option on the school lunch menu.

Alyssa, 11, is looking for a little support via a petition and writing to government officials to push her idea up the chain to make a change.

Alyssa started a petition at the Waldorf elementary school with support from school administration.

Currently, bottled water is not offered at the elementary school level.

Secondary schools in the system have bottled water a la cart for $1.25.

Alyssa said bottled water should be an option like milk and juice because, according to her online petition, “It is another choice for kids to enjoy with it being the healthiest drink there is.” Water is an option that does not have sugars like milk and juice that are currently on the menu, she said.

Alyssa is not looking to replace juice or milk, but only to add water as an option.

Read more here.

APFO Committee Report Additions - MUST READ

Remember way back over a month ao when the APFO Committee presented their "Final Report" to the commissioners. 

Remember some members of the committee decided to present their own reports or comments and NOT provide copies to the entire committee.

Remember the committee (me) requesting that we all receive a copy of the items being distributing.

Well it took a while, but this ole gal is like a dog with a bone....i don't give up.

Below is the three items. 

One thing i would like to point out that i found very interesting is that Commissioner Reuben Collins signed the APFO "Minority" Report.  I'm perplexed....

Enjoy reading!

• SMAR Phone Survey
• Doug Meeker's Comments
• APFO "Minority" Report

NAACP Requests Statistics from Board of Education

Below is a list of statistics recently requested by the NAACP.  I felt the statistics could be useful to the public at large.  Please click on the link below to view.

• Number of CCPS Employees by Race
• Pass/Failure rate of students by race in each school
• Number of suspensions for school year 2012-2013 and 2013-present by race
• Number of in school suspensions by race and out of school suspensions by race
• Number of expulsions for school year 2012-13 and 2013-present by race
• Number of alternative school referrals by race
• Number of African American students in gifted and talented programs

RESULTS

My Stance on Redistricting and Renovations

The below questions were presented to me on Facebook.

 

Why doesn't the school system engage in full redistricting/rebalancing to address the perceived overcrowding? How can the board stand behind a new pool at St Charles while at the same time say there's inadequate funding for repairs at other schools?

 

When the opportunity presents itself, the school system does engage in a full redistricting/rebalancing to address overcrowding. The most recent example is the comprehensive high school redistricting, conducted through an extensive, yearlong process. The high school redistricting takes effect in August with the opening of St. Charles High School. The opening of a new high school provided the opportunity to take a comprehensive look at all high school student populations and predicted growth and to change boundaries to better distribute students and relieve overcrowding for now, and hopefully for a number of years to come. Delays in construction of St. Charles High School stalled the comprehensive redistricting longer than the school system would have liked, but the Board did not want to redistrict high schools twice in a short time. This redistricting impacted students and staff at all six high schools and reduces the overcrowding while leaving room for growth at all seven, including the new high school. 

Overcrowding of our schools is not perceived; it is the main reason for redistricting. Any time we open a new school, redistricting is necessary to create an attendance zone and we do a comprehensive redistricting for the surrounding schools and areas to adjust for growth and overcrowding. When particular schools become severely overcrowded, we also redistrict. We try to minimize the impact when we redistrict, because the effect on people is great. 

Anyone who would suggest that we do a redistricting before it is absolutely necessary has never been redistricted, a parent of a student who has been redistricted or a staff member who has been transferred. A comprehensive redistricting today may only last a short time until there is a true planned growth plan.  We redistrict when we need to because that is our job as Board members. In Charles County, growth has made it more common than we would like.

Going forward, we are looking at ways to renovate our older buildings while adding capacity when we can. In August, the Board of Education will receive a comprehensive report on our facilities and develop a 10-year plan for renovations and additions.

 

As for your second question, the pool was approved by the county commissioners and will be funded from the excise tax. The county is fully funding this project. (In other words, the state will not, and would not, provide any funding for this project.) 

 

Building renovations are usually partially funded by the state and must be approved by the state.  However, each year the county is only allotted a certain amount of money from the state and in recent years we have had to use our allotments to build new schools.  So when it came time to request building renovations, the county has refused to fully forward fund them (in the past) for fear of never recouping the states portion of the project.

 

CCPS changes AP testing and payment procedures

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) is changing its Advanced Placement (AP) testing and payment procedures.

Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Amy Hollstein told the Board of Education on May 13 the changes are needed to promote both college and career readiness and to provide equitable resources for all students.

Starting next year, CCPS will eliminate all mock AP exams except U.S. Government, require AP students to take the class final exam and only reimburse payment for tests on which students receive a 3 or better. Currently, students pay for their first AP exam and the school system picks up the cost of any subsequent tests. Additionally, the school system will now pay for career certification tests, such as welding, Parapro or cosmetology exams, if a student passes and receives their certification.

Replacing the mock exams will be formative assessments, which teachers will administer in the first semester in order to address instructional needs. AP students will also take post-tests in February and take the final class exam. Currently, students who take the AP exam are exempt from the final; however, AP exam scores are available until late summer.

“Over the years we have done a good job of encouraging more students to take rigorous AP courses. Just being in an AP course has its benefits, and we will continue to encourage high participation and enrollment,” Hollstein said.

However, Hollstein said, “We want a student to take the test because they are motivated to take it.” Now, she said many students are only sitting for the exam to avoid the class final.

Charles County is one of the last counties in the state paying for most AP exams, Hollstein said. She added that the system would continue to pick up the exam cost for any student unable to pay the fee.

My Stance on School Renovations & Equity Among the Schools

 

This post stems from a question I received on my Facebook Page.

"Why is CCPS the only school district in the state that has not made renovations to existing schools to increase capacity and/or make improvements that would improve educational equity throughout the system in over a decade? And, as an elected BOE member have you supported the decisions that have lead to what MSDE describes as a serious problem?"

Over the past decade, the elected board has been working closely with the county commissioners to meet the growth needs of the county and together the two groups have moved forward on five new schools.  Throughout this time, there has been continual maintenance on our facilities and systemic projects to address specific components of the schools.  J.P. Ryon Elementary School was our last completed renovation project and Dr. Mudd Elementary School was fully designed and partially funded in 2001.  At this time the commissioners asked the board to choose between the renovation project at Mudd and the new elementary school, Diggs Elementary School.  After Diggs was funded, Dr. Mudd renovations fell off the radar and never returned to the CIP because of the large demand for new capacity and several years of 400-600 new students per year enrollment growth.  Both the Board of Education and the Commissioners realized that the state had limited funding and jointly pursued the construction of new schools to try and accomodate the growing population.  In addition, the board has worked through several redistricting sessions to address capacity and growth issues.  Now that growth has slowed, the perspective is shifting to using the limited state funds to address renovations.  The commissioners agreed to fund a facilities condition assessment, which is being completed by GWWO Architects and will be presented to both elected bodies in the near future.  As part of the facilities condition assessment, the consultant has considered all of the options for renovations and additions while developing the suggested ten year capital improvement program.

 
As for the statement, “MSDE describes as a serious problem” .  I am not familiar with this quote.  In addition i am unable to substantiate the claim that we are the only school system who does not have a renovation in process.

 

 

My Stance on Education in the Western Side of the County

This post stems from a question I received on my Facebook Page.
 

"Why are the schools on the western side of the county rated the worst. Is because the board sends the worst of the worst there?"

I'm perplexed by this question.  Lackey's engineering program is highly respected.  Smallwood's and Lackey's MESA teams placed high in the county competition every year.  In fact, Lackey took first place this year.  The top place fifth grader in the county math competition was from Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy.  There are other significant achievements I could list, but i would rather you tell me why you feel the way you do.

My Stance on the School Calendar

This post stems from a question I received on my Facebook Page.

"What about how to add more snow days/inclement weather days to the school calender? When we don't have enough, we have to add days to the school year. How about adding them now and if we don't need/use them school ends sooner? Just a thought."

The state requires 180 days per school year of student instruction.  We currently have four inclement weather days (we use to have 5) built into the calendar. If they are not used, they will be deducted from the end of the school year. If you look at your school calendar for the month of June, you see the four days indicated.  We had an unusual winter by any ones standards and that harsh weather caused conditions requiring the use of more than four inclement weather days.  In my ten years on the board (if my memory serves me correctly), this is the first year, other than 2002 when we had the tornado, that these four days were not sufficient.  In 2002 we applied for a waiver and was granted the waiver of making up the additional days because 1) we had a state of emergency in Charles County, and 2) it happened at the end of April (hence after Spring Break) and there wasn't any other days to use to make it up.  (all of our snow days were used). This year, we used our four snow days at the end of the year and had to make up additional days.  Even though we applied to the state for a waiver, because we still had Spring Break days to use, we were denied.

All in all, i know its unfortunate for those planning vacations, etc but our overall goal is to educate the students.  In all future calendars, the Spring Break section of the calendar will be more clearly identified as "TENTATIVE" or "PENDING". 

My Stance on the Teaching of Creationism & Evolution

Time and time again this topic has been a political "hot button" for education campaigns.

As it relates to the public school setting, I support the teaching of evolution in science and creationism in a study of world religions or even world history involving different cultures and religions. The public school setting is a diverse community—there are devout Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, pagans, atheists and agnostics. Students, as well as staff, should be educated on and respect the varying belief systems. No one should ever be condemned, embarrassed, or bullied because of what he or she does, or does not, believe in.    I believe all of these belief systems contribute to the study of world history – wars have been fought and cultures have changed.

My Stance on Common Core Curriculum

My stance on the highly controversial "Common Core Curriculum" is not necessarily black and white because I believe there is alot of misconception. In addition, the old saying of "you can't believe everything you read on the internet holds quite true. The numerous emails. links, videos, etc., i have received against the Common Core Curriculum, cite other states, other systems, etc. We (CCPS) cannot be held accountable for the how and why the standards are implemented in other areas, or the curriculum they are teaching. Hopefully, my explanation below will help clarify. If it doesn't, I'll try again and as always I'm open to suggestions.
To start with, I was one of the board members voting "No" from the the very beginning for the Race To the Top grant back in March of 2010.  This grant obligated CCPS to proceed and implement, with the assistance of federal funding, what is now known as the "Common Core Curriculum.” 

• Official Board Minutes can be found here, https://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/ccpsmd/Board.nsf/legacy-content/89M9Z4733A1C/$FILE/030910brdmingood.pdf
• My personal notes of this meeting can be found here, http://abell4edu.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html
• Here is the link to the actual presentation in February 2010, https://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/ccpsmd/Board.nsf/Public
• My notes from the above presentation, http://abell4edu.blogspot.com/2010/02/notes-from-board-of-education-meeting.html
• An additional post, http://abell4edu.blogspot.com/2010/02/race-to-top.html

With that being said, (and noting the EACC was adamantly against Race To The Top also), I was in the minority and the proposal passed, funds were received, RTTT was initiated and implementation began.  Our system became one of the "lucky" few to be guinea pigs and receive federal funding.

While I was being sarcastic with the word "lucky" above, as "luck" would have it, we later discovered,  the local school systems still retained control over the actual curriculum and implementation.  The mandates only pertain to the actual "Standards" that must be met by each student (and later teachers evaluated).  How we achieve those "Standards" is up to the individual system.  Hence CCPS has modified the curriculum, for what is best for our students to achieve those mandated standards.

The concerns about the new Common Core curriculum are not limited to Charles County – they are nationwide concerns by both parents and educators.  It is change, and change is always difficult.  We need to focus on our students achieving the standards– and with a positive attitude – to the extent that we are able…and voice all the concerns – whether about funding, resources, implementation, content, etc. to CCPS in a collaborative fashion.  

The MSTA Legislative priorities states:

“Poorly planned implementation of new curriculum, student assessments, educator evaluations, and school accountability systems are all hitting at one time. This tsunami of education reforms threaten the pillars of our world-class schools. While accountability and student achievement are important goals, we cannot let unproven and unreliable testing and evaluation systems punish our teachers and principals, unfairly label our students and schools, and usurp local school systems’ abilities to make policy decisions that work for their communities.”

All of these are valid concerns, but I want to be sure that we set an example for students, parents, and staff too – that we will approach change with an open mind and strive to succeed and meet the standards, and be positive about it.  Failure is guaranteed – for everyone – if we dig in, refuse to try, and not work collaboratively.  We MUST listen to our teachers and our administrators about the handicaps they face in trying to meet these standards.  At the same time, we MUST listen to our parents and students about their concerns and obstacles being faced with the achievement of the standards.   Working collaboratively together, altering the curriculum to the needs of our local community and working toward solutions at the local, state and national level will ensure the success we all want for our students.

In closing, as I previously stated, my answer isn't neceessarily black and white.  Am I against Common Core Curriculum.  Yes.  However, I want to make it very clear....the Common Core Curriculum is NOT what is taught in Charles County Public Schools.

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

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, May 13 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 – 11:30 a.m.

Call to order – 1 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance, Henry E. Lackey High School JROTC

Recognition of 2013-14 student liaisons

Superintendent’s update

• superintendent's report May 2014.pdf (11 KB)

Correspondance/Board Member updates

• Pedersen - Safety in Schools; Resource officers presentation
• Bowie - Conference sessions on immigration, smart snacks in school, music in elementary schools; Summer Library Reading Program
• Lukas -Financial Literay Course over the summer; Conference sessions
• Wise - Elementary math challenge; AP Pep Rally at Westlake; Somers Recognition

Education Association of Charles County update

• EACC Board of Education Report May 2014.pdf (83 KB)

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees update

• Commissioners public forum, helping Lifestyles, support staff helps the teachers - hopes the newly elected board members believes as the current board does, it takes ALL to make the system work.  Steps need to be given.

Student Board Member update

• May 13 2014 SMOB report.pdf (14 KB)

 CIP update

• May 13 2014_ State CIP Project Status.pdf (281 KB)

 GWWO school survey presentation

• Board Report GWWO Item_ Presentation May 13 2014.pdf (6,142 KB)

Digital radio updateProject Graduation

• Transportation_Digital 2 Way Radio Presentation.pdf (570 KB)

Educational Facilities Master Plan

• Board Report_EFMP_FullDocument_May13 2014.pdf (4,319 KB)
• Lukas - enrollment projections done by CCPS staff; yes in conjunction with county and state officials and mandates.
• Pedersen - emphasis to state on development district on number of students per household.

Principal evaluations

 Advanced Placement test

• AP_Proposal.pdf (265 KB)
• students will pay for all AP test, which are now optional but if passing grade is received (3 or better), CCPS will reimburse full amount
• students in need of financial assistance will still be assisted

Legislative update

• HB209/SB203 - increase board salary; passed
• HB1167/SB - (couldn't get)
• HB1164/SB674 - establishes work group college and career standards
• HB265 - how to approve student achievement in middle school; come back in December
• HB198/SB779 - Burden of proof bills did not pass
• HB1181/SB1166 - Sunset Labor Relations Board
• HB812 - requires defibrillators in middle schools
• HB??? - CPR and defribillator instruction in middle schools
• HB1332 - Task Force to study sports injuries of females
• HB883 - Task Force to study Safe and Healthy School Hours

Board policies on nondiscrimination

• Board Policy Non-Discrimination.pdf (10 KB)
• add gender identity to list of items we do not discriminate against.

Unfinished business - none

New business - none
 
Future agenda items

• Lukas - Review of Policy 5126

LEFT FOR APFO COMMITTEE'S PRESENTATION AT THE COMMISSIONERS MEETING

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

• Students
• Staff
• Resolutions: Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leadership Award – Kristin Shields, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

Action items

• Minutes
• Personnel
• Board policy on student discipline

Adjournment

Commissioners Get Hands Slapped By State Again! SURPRISED? NO!

Please see the letter below, received by the Board of Education today from Dr. Lever, Executive Director of the Interagency Committee on School Construction.  The county is set to lose funding for all future school construction and renovation projects, thanks to the commissioners actions...oops, no, I'm sorry, due to the commissioners INACTIONS.

Letter from Dr. Lever

Board Seeks Ethics Panel Members

**DEADLINE EXTENDED**

The Board of Education of Charles County is looking for applications from county residents interested in serving on the Charles County Board of Education Ethics Panel.

The Board will be appointing new members in July to the all-volunteer, five-member panel, which interprets ethics regulations and provides advisory opinions to Board Members and employees subject to the regulations. The panel also reviews complaints concerning any alleged ethics violation and receives and maintains all forms required to be filed under the ethics regulation. Ethics panel members meet at least once annually to review disclosure forms and as necessary to respond to inquiries.

Members of the Charles County Board of Education Ethics Panel must be eligible to vote in Charles County; and one member of the panel must be an attorney licensed to practice in the state of Maryland but who is not considered to be the Ethics Panel’s attorney.

Panel members may not be current members of the Board of Education; candidates for the Board; officials, employees, contractors or students of Charles County Public Schools; owners of or persons employed by a business entity doing business with the Board; any person registered with the Board as a lobbyist; or spouses of such persons.

 

Panel members serve four-year terms and may be reappointed. Anyone interested in serving on the panel should send a letter of interest and resume to Board Chairman Roberta Wise, Charles County Board of Education, Ethics Panel, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646, by May 2.

Shame on Eicholtz! & School APFO Committee Report Presentation, 5/13/14

This report and presentation to the commissioners will FINALLY take place (fingers crossed) tomorrow, Tuesday, 5/13/14 at 5:15 pm after much delay.  You can view the full report and briefing materials below.

Note:  I think it's ironic, no maybe that's not the word for it....WRONG!  Yep that's the word for it, that Mr. Eicholtz attended most of the committee meetings over the past year and knew exactly the recommendations the committee was going to be recommending as a means of solving the school funding issue.  The items we were putting forth would restrict these funds for school construction and renovation.  THEN, just  a week before our much delayed presentation, Mr. Eicholtz presents the county budget with a majority of the VERY SAME recommendations (according to the INDY) for solving the overall county budget with the funds being unrestricted.  After over a year of this committee working diligently to come up with solutions, Mr. Eicholtz takes our hard work and presents them as his own solutions for the overall budget.  UNRESTRICTED.  (TSK! TSK! SMH!)  Too bad his position isn't an elected position!

School APFO Briefing	School APF Committee Briefing 5-13-14.pdf (6,441 KB)
School APFO Committee Final Report	School APFO Committee Final Report 4-14-14.pdf (3,805 KB)

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

The Board of Education’s next monthly meeting is Tuesday, May 13 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. Board meetings are also streamed live on the school system website at www.ccboe.com. Select CCPS TV and then choose the Live Broadcast tab. The following is a tentative meeting agenda and is subject to change.

Executive session – 11:30 a.m.

Call to order – 1 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance, Henry E. Lackey High School JROTC

Recognition of 2013-14 student liaisons

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
• Project Graduation
• Principal evaluations
• CIP update
• GWWO school survey presentation
• Digital radio update
• Educational Facilities Master Plan
• Advanced Placement test
• Legislative update
• Board policies on nondiscrimination

Unfinished business

New business and future agenda items

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

• Students
• Staff
• Resolutions: Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leadership Award – Kristin Shields, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

Action items

• Minutes
• Personnel
• Board policy on student discipline

Adjournment

Takes a Village Just to Watch the Commissioners

Unfortunately, just like it takes a village to raise a child...it too also takes a village to keep our local government in check.  I received a tip to take a closer look at the Commissioners April 25th agenda, specifically on the Budget Report, and even more specifically on the DRRA CashFlow Report.



If you take a close look, there is $6.4M in DRRA funds being used for the Indian Head Science and Technology Park.  Ladies and gentleman, this has NOTHING, not one iota, to do with school seats.  While it is completely under the discretion of the commissioners as to what they spend this money on, the original intent of the DRRA funds WAS for school construction.   In addition, IF i was a developer and had paid DRRA's into this fund with the impression it would be going towards school construction and now it was going towards a Science and Technology Park, I would be furious!  AND, if i was one of those home buyers who in turn had the cost of my house increased because the developer had to in turn roll the cost of that DRRA over into the cost of my home and now it was going to a Science and Technology Park, I would be furious!

THIS LADIES AND GENTLEMAN IS PART OF THE REASON WHY WE ARE IN THE PREDICAMENT WE ARE IN TODAY!!!    SPEAK UP, LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!

 

In addition, and possibly MORE importantly, it shows that they should have $13M in FY2015 of which they promised the Board of Education on more than one occasion (on camera, I may add)$10M (and may now renege on that promise). Even if they spent the $6.4M on the tech park, they should still have over $7M left to still give the Board of Education.

P.S. and what the heck is $14K in Credit Card Fees....good grief, no wonder the county is in debt!

On the campaign trail....about me

Report: Md. high school graduation rate is 84 percent

AP/ WTOP
April 28, 2014

An annual report on high school graduation says Maryland's high school graduation rate is 84 percent, slightly above the national high school graduation rate.
The "Building a Grad Nation" report released Monday shows that in 2012, the latest year for which data is available, schools nationwide posted the highest graduation rate ever. For the first time, the report says, the national high school graduation rate has hit 80 percent.
In Maryland, the 2012 graduation rate was 84 percent. That's up from 82.8 percent in 2011.
Iowa had the highest high school graduation rate, 89 percent. Nevada had the lowest, 63 percent.
Maryland did see an increase in what the report calls "dropout factories," schools where graduation is not the norm. In 2002 there were 17; in 2012 there were 26.

Using tablets to reach kids with autism

Heather Kelly
CNN
April 10, 2014

Two 5-year-old boys, one with autism, were having some friendly playtime when they had a communication breakdown. One boy didn't respond to the other and walked away. The ignored kid got frustrated and pushed over a small staircase, causing the first boy to fall.
Their speech therapist, Jordan Sadler, decided to address the issue by recreating it in an iPad app called Puppet Pals. She restaged the scenario as a movie, even taking photos of the room for the background and of the kids for the characters. Using the app to show an instant replay of the scuffle, Sadler and the kids identified what went wrong and then recreated the scene, this time making better decisions.

Creating custom stories to help kids learn communication skills or understand complex situations is just one of the ways parents, therapists and educators have taken advantage of tablets to work with kids with autism.

How do you communicate with a loved one with autism?

Tablets as tools, not miracles

When the iPad made its debut in 2010, it was hailed as something of a miracle device and there was a rush among parents of kids with autism to get the $499 gadget.

"They were throwing them at their kids expecting miracles, but it didn't happen. The reason is they are tools, not miracles," said Shannon Rosa, an author and former educational software producer who has written about using tablets with her own son, Leo, who has autism. "I think a lot of parents now are more realistic about the level of support that is needed to help kids use them."

Four years later, tablets still play a big role in the autism community. But the expectations for the technology have come down to earth a bit. Now app creators, autism educators and parents are exploring new ways of using tablets and apps to work with the 1 in 68 kids in the U.S. with autism.

They've had time to discover what works best for kids with autism when it comes to tablets. The uses vary from child to child, and often the best apps aren't even created with kids with autism in mind.

Rosa said it allows her son, now 13, to think visually, to interact with content directly without the cognitive hurdle of a mouse, and it breaks complex concepts up into more easily understandable chunks. Siri is even helping him with articulation.

The tablet has also given him more independence. Leo used to have a really hard time figuring out what to do with himself when someone didn't structure his day for him. Now he can use the iPad on his own and have a good time independently. Rosa, though, like many parents, is careful about letting her son have too much screen time.

Sadler gives iPad workshops all over the country, teaching people about the most effective ways to use the device. She tries to move parents away from using mobile devices as a reward, letting children just play games or watch YouTube videos. She encourages parents to seek out dynamic apps that can help with the core challenges of autism while also being fun.

"It's really important to learn and improve social communication skills," said Sadler. "But it has to be something that grabs them."

Read the entire article HERE.

Supreme Court reverses decision that tossed out Michigan’s ban on racial preferences

Robert Barnes and William Branigin
The Washington Post
April 22, 2014


The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld Michigan’s ban on the use of racial preferences in university admissions, reversing a lower court decision that had tossed out the prohibition.
By a 6 to 2 vote, the court concluded that neither the Constitution nor Supreme Court precedents provide authority for the courts to overturn Michigan laws that allow the voters to determine whether racial preferences may be considered in decisions such as school admissions.
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote an opinion for a plurality in the case, joined by Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. filed a concurring opinion, and Justices Antonin Scalia and Stephen G. Breyer separately wrote opinions concurring in the judgment. Scalia’s was joined by Justice Clarence Thomas.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented, joined by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Justice Elena Kagan did not take part in the decision.
An appeals court had said that a Michigan constitutional amendment banning the use of racial preferences in university admissions, approved by 58 percent of the state’s voters in 2006, had restructured the political process in a way that unfairly targeted minorities.
At issue at the Supreme Court was language that says state colleges and universities “shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin.”
The amendment was approved by voters after the Supreme Court, in another case from Michigan, in 2003 allowed the limited use of race as part of an “individualized, holistic review of each applicant’s file.”
But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, which narrowly tossed out the Michigan amendment, ruled that there was a difference between not using affirmative action and banning it in the state constitution. The latter violates the principle that minorities must be allowed to fully participate in creating laws and that “the majority may not manipulate the channels of change so as to place unique burdens on issues of importance to them,” Judge R. Guy Cole Jr. wrote.
His comparison was that while residents of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula may lobby decision-makers to grant preferences to their underrepresented students, minority groups would now have to change the constitution before even having a chance to advocate racial considerations because of the amendment.
The case is Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action. Only eight justices decided the case, because Kagan recused herself. As is customary, she gave no reason, but she may have worked on the issue while previously serving as the Obama administration’s solicitor general.
Last term, in a case challenging the University of Texas’s use of race in making some admission decisions, the court declined to revise its holding in a previous case. The justices sent the case back to a lower court for a closer look at whether the university had used all the tools at its disposal to increase racial diversity before resorting to considering race in admissions.
Read the original post HERE.

Letter to the Editor: 3 commissioners wrong on school allocations

April 9, 2014
Southern Maryland Newspapers

I’m writing in reference to the April 2 article, “Commissioners OK school seat allocations,” which states the commissioners approved the January cycle school allocations, which could potentially allow only 32 new homes. On its face, this doesn’t sound too bad, so why such an issue regarding the granting of school allocations? Besides the fact that the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance committee final report to the commissioners is delayed as the article stated, there’s other information the article didn’t discuss.
There are roughly 1,132 previously granted school allocations pending countywide for houses that haven’t yet materialized, representing approximately 546 new students. Developers are sitting on these pending school allocations, supposedly waiting for improved housing market conditions to restart construction. Many of these allocations were granted many years ago and actually should’ve expired years ago if rules were being followed. However, commissioners have been granting extensions every year based on “precedent and current economic trends” as the resolution states and as requested by Maryland National Capital Building Industry Association.
Here’s the problem: 475 of the pending allocations are for projects now in overcrowded school zones. When originally granted, there apparently was capacity in schools for these allocations, but now there isn’t due to multiple school redistrictings and population growth.
Using September 2013 enrollment, our current school situation is that 14 of 21 elementary, three of eight middle and three of six high schools exceed state-rated capacity. Five elementary schools are over local core capacity, meaning that additional school seats in trailers aren’t even enough to hold all students, and four other elementary schools are close to reaching local core capacity. The Charles County Public Schools education facilities master plan projects that the situation will only get worse in coming years.
Maybe allocations shouldn’t be extended beyond their expiration dates. This potentially causes worse overcrowding situations than already exists. Planning for potential new students and building school capacity to match growth can be very difficult, especially when granted allocations aren’t acted on by developers for many years. When the housing market turns and developers redeem old allocations in the backlog, school enrollment will increase.
Obviously, the housing market governs when developers build. However, the commissioners shouldn’t perpetually grant time extensions for allocations. Everybody’s suffered in tough economic times, but why are certain groups receiving special treatment?
At recent school allocation meetings, the board of education expressed significant concerns over old pending allocations, asking the commissioners to defer approving additional allocations. The usual three commissioners ignored the best interests of our county’s students and approved allocations.
Parents, thank Charles County Commissioners Candice Kelly and Ken Robinson and the board of education for their support. It’s clear the other commissioners aren’t interested in what’s best for students, but rather consistently make uninformed decisions benefiting only one entity: developers.
The total disregard of school board advice by these three commissioners concerns me and should alarm every voting citizen. Our youngest residents and teachers are bearing the heavy burden of their decisions.


John Hayes, Waldorf
The writer is a parent member of the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance committee.

Another one bites the dust: South Carolina drops out of Common Core testing group

April 17, 2014
by Ben Velderman
EAGnews.org

COLUMBIA, S.C. -“ South Carolina's top education leader announced on Monday that the Palmetto State is pulling out of the Common Core standardized testing group, Smarter Balanced.



Superintendent of Education Mick Zais sent a letter to state Board of Education members informing them of the move - after he learned he had the unilateral authority to do make it, PostAndCourier.com reports.

Zais was spurred to action by bills in the state legislature that, among other things, would prevent South Carolina from using the Smarter Balanced tests in schools.

"My recommendation was to get ahead of these actions of the General Assembly and show the members of the General Assembly that we believe exploring assessment options is the most prudent course of action for South Carolina," Zais wrote in the letter.

The state was expected to begin using the Common Core-aligned Smarter Balanced tests during the 2014-15 school year. South Carolina students will still be tested on the new, nationalized math and English learning standards next year, but they may be given a re-worked version of the current state test or an alternative Common Core-aligned assessment, such as the ACT Aspire test, reports BeaufortGazette.com.

Read more HERE

Worth your time --

April 1, 2014 Joint Meeting Charles County Board of Education and Commissioners

For all of you concerned about overcrowding and how we fund and build schools, this link (also available from the Charles County Government CCTV Digital Library ) to video specifically addresses what happened with the year's worth of work the APFO Committee did, and what happened to the report that was prepared for the Commissioners by that committee. I know the video is long: if you start at about 37:30, I think you will get a sense of the issue quickly.

APFO/Jt Mtg BoE and CC Commissioners

Federal Court Dismisses Case of Chicago School Teacher Who Was Suspended, Accused of Weapons Possession for Lesson on Wrenches, Pliers

The Rutherford Institute
April 17, 2014

CHICAGO, Ill. — An Illinois federal court has ruled that Chicago school officials did not violate the rights of a second-grade teacher who was charged with possessing weapons on school grounds after he displayed garden-variety tools such as wrenches, pliers and screwdrivers in his classroom as part of his second grade teaching curriculum that required a “tool discussion.” In granting a motion to dismiss the complaint in Douglas Bartlett v. City of Chicago School District #299, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Dow, Jr., held that school officials at Washington Irving Elementary School acted properly when they applied a definition of “weapons” contained in a student handbook to the actions of teacher Douglas Bartlett.
Attorneys for The Rutherford Institute filed the civil rights lawsuit in April 2013 on behalf of Bartlett, a 17-year veteran in the classroom, who was suspended without pay for four days on the grounds that his use of the tools as visual aids endangered his students, despite the fact that all potentially hazardous items were kept out of the students’ reach.
“In an age where public schools face an unprecedented number of real challenges in maintaining student discipline, and addressing threats of real violence, surely no one benefits from trumped up charges where no actual ‘weapons’ violation has occurred and no threat is posed to any member of the school community,” said John W. Whitehead..."Education truly suffers when school administrators exhibit such poor judgment and common sense, especially when it comes to their zealous misapplication of misguided zero tolerance policies. However, what makes this case stand out from the rest is that this victim of zero tolerance policies run amok happens to be a veteran school teacher.”
Doug Bartlett teaches second graders at Washington Irving Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois. On August 8, 2011, Bartlett displayed several garden-variety tools he used around the classroom, including wrenches, screwdrivers, a box cutter, a 2.25” pocketknife, and pliers, as visual aids for a “tool discussion” which is required by the teaching curriculum. It is common for teachers to use such visual aids to help students retain their lessons. As he displayed the box cutter and pocketknife in particular, Bartlett specifically described the proper uses of these tools. None of the tools were made accessible to the students. When not in use, the tools were secured in a toolbox on a high shelf out of reach of the students.
On August 19, 2011, Bartlett received notice that he was under investigation for, among other things, “possessing, carrying, storing, or using a weapon,” and for negligently supervising children.  Bartlett subsequently received a four-day suspension without pay...
Read the complete article HERE.