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FYI - I did request verification from CCPS as to their status with the peanut situation.
The food service department does not use or stock bulk peanut butter. In addition, Smuckers offered a letter of assurance stating their "Uncrustables" are NOT involved with the recall.
Arlington, Va. - For students at Arlington's Wakefield High School, today's lessons included more than reading and writing: arithmetic in the billions was a part of the lesson plan as well, as Education Secretary Arne Duncan paid them a visit to pitch the president's stimulus plan. [WJLA-TV]
By Bill Turque
D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee said yesterday that the deteriorating economy will force the District to cut the wage proposal in its contract offer to the Washington Teachers' Union. At the same time, Rhee spoke in upbeat and conciliatory terms about negotiations with the union, now in their 15th month.
The financial package Rhee offered in July called for a minimum increase of 28 percent over five years, depending on which salary "tier" teachers selected. But with the District expected to collect at least $456 million less in tax revenue during the 2010 fiscal year, she said the situation has changed. Rhee said she would soon submit a revised final offer. [Wash. Post]
By DAVID CRARY
NEW YORK – Scholastic Corp., the U.S. publisher of the Harry Potter books, has come under criticism from a children's advocacy group for using its vast, venerable network of school-based book clubs to market toys and other non-educational items such as video games to lip gloss.
The world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books, Scholastic earned nearly $337 million last year from the book clubs, which it inaugurated in 1948. The company estimates that three-quarters of U.S. elementary school teachers — and more than 2.2 million children — participate annually in the clubs. [AP]
Educators Rush to Offer Help Amid Bad Economy
By Maria Glod
The economic plunge has generated a growing wave of children nationwide who are sleeping in shelters, motels, spare bedrooms or even the family van as their parents seek to keep them in school. Educators are scrambling to help, with extra tutoring, clothes, food and cab fare. [Wash. Post]
For the record, I was in Central Office today for a couple of meetings. One was the policy review committee which Maura, Pam, and myself serve on and will be presenting policy update recommendations to the board and public over the next several months. Second was a phone conference with all board members to discuss next week's action item, Health (Sex Education) Curriculum. I relayed my concerns over the topic of the conference and the fact that, in my opinion, it was a topic and discussion that should be discussed during public session. I believe this conference was in violation of the Open Meetings Act. I dismissed myself from the meeting and left the room.
Schools in California, Minnesota and Idaho received the suspected peanut products between January and November 2007
By Lyndsey Layton
Peanut Corporation of America sold 32 truckloads of roasted peanuts and peanut butter to the federal government for a free-lunch program for poor children even as the company's internal tests showed that its products were contaminated with salmonella bacteria. [Wash Post]
Yes there was an incident of alleged sexual assault at Lackey High School. A student has been charged. I cannot release specifics of the incident, but here is a news report.
Teen Arrested for Sexual Assault at Lackey High School
LA PLATA, Md. (Feb. 5, 2009) -- Serious violence in the public schools seems to be Charles County's latest social issue. In early January, a 16-year-old female student was stabbed in the back by a like-aged male student at Maurice McDonough High School in Pomfret. Yesterday, a student at Henry Lackey High School in Indian Head says she was sexually assaulted in an empty classroom around 2 pm. Anthony Hansley, 18, of White Plains, was arrested today and charged with second-degree rape and second-degree assault in connection with the incident.
Read more HERE
Below is some statistics sent to me by a reader. I've taken out the commentary, just statistics comparing Lackey to Paint Branch HS in Montgomery County (designation as the school in the U.S. with the highest percentage of African American students passing an AP exam)...interested in seeing what my readers think.
Teacher Qualifications
Lackey ---Paint Branch
31.4------- 34.6 Standard
50.0 -------56.8 Advanced Professional
0----------- 0 Resident
10.--------- 2.5 Conditional
12.3 --------6.3 % of classes not taught by HQ teachers
STUDENT MOBILITY
11.9 --------7.4
STUDENT POPULATION
1521 -------1784 Total Enrollment
876---------- 829 African American
568 ----------401 White
25 -----------189 Hispanic
28 -----------357 Asian
769 ----------883 Male
752 ----------901 Female
FREE/REDUCED PRICE LUNCH
2008 -25.6 ------22
2007- 22.5 ------20.1
2006 -20.3------ 18.7
2005 -18.1 ------14.8
2004 -19.3 ------12.9
2003 -22.3 ------12.9
2002 -22.9 ------11.3
2001 -24.4 ------11.3
2000 -24.8------ 11.8
SPECIAL EDUCATION
2008 -8.6------ 8.4
2007 -7.7 ------8.6
2006 -8.0 ------8.8
2005- 8.2 ------8.8
2004 -9.0------ 8.8
2003- 8.1 ------9.7
2002 -9.4 ------8.6
2001 -11.0 -----9.2
2000- 14.9 -----7.6
1999 -12.4 ------8.5
LIMITED ENGLISH
2008 -.6-------- .9
2007 - *-------- .8
2006 - * --------1.0
2005 -*--------- 1.0
2004 -* ---------.7
2003 -*--------- .5
2002- .4 ---------1.1
2001-- .5 ---------1.0
2000 --*---------- 1.3
1999 --* -----------.4
SECTION 504
2008- .9 -------.8
2007 -.8 -------2.0
2006 -.9 -------2.4
2005- 1.4 ------2.7
2004- .8 -------2.6
2003- .5------- 1.8
Reminder... there is a Board Meeting Tuesday, February 10th. Can't attend...you can watch it live on Channel 96. It will also be re-broadcast on Wednesdays at 6 p.m.; Fridays at 9 a.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. . To view the full agenda and the various reports, please visit BoardDocs.
Items that may be of interest:
**Please see the link to the agenda above. I will no longer be rewriting the full agenda on this blog due to time constraints on my part. If any reader really uses my agenda postings, please contact me and we can see what I can work out. Otherwise, click on the link above for the complete agenda and review my items of interest.
By Daniel de Vise
For the first time, Maryland ranks first among states for the share of graduating seniors who passed at least one Advanced Placement exam, a measure of college preparation that has become the new standard for accelerated instruction in high school. [Wash. Post]
By Katie Carrera
Five Thomas Stone varsity wrestlers have been charged by the Charles County Sheriff's Office with misdemeanor hazing for their involvement in an incident on the team bus last month. All five have been suspended from school indefinitely, and first-year coach Michael Larson has been removed from his position for at least the remainder of the season. [Wash Post]
By JUSTIN POPE
The number of Americans who think a college degree is essential for success has risen dramatically in recent years, a new survey shows, but two-thirds of them also believe that higher education is priced out of reach for some qualified students.
The survey, released Wednesday by the groups Public Agenda and the National Center on Public Policy and Higher Education, underscores the uptick in public anxiety about college affordability during the current recession. [AP]
By ERIKA LOVLEY
There’s been plenty criticism of the hefty economic stimulus package. But here’s a new one: Could it make your kids fat?
The American Heart Association warns that confusing language in both the $819 billion-plus House and Senate stimulus bills could dissuade some schools from spending money on gymnasiums and stadiums and other shovel-ready projects that combat childhood obesity.
With the slumping economy curtailing family funds for expensive gym memberships and traveling soccer teams, health lobbyists say the school gym is vital to keeping students healthy. [Politico]
By Maria Glod
In the first stop of a planned series of visits to federal agencies, first lady Michelle Obama went to the Department of Education today to energize workers by announcing: "I am a product of your work."
During a 10 minute speech with a pep rally atmosphere, Obama plugged the president's stimulus plan, which would pay to renovate thousands of schools, add funding for preschool for disadvantaged children and increase federal dollars for Pell Grants for college students. She said the infusion of cash would prevent teacher layoffs and help children in poverty and those with disabilities. [Wash. Post]
By Leah Fabel
Urban faith-based schooling options have declined by nearly 20 percent in 20 years, according to a recent report by the White House Domestic Policy Council, and officials warn that poor and minority students are most adversely affected.
Nationwide, the number of students enrolled in urban religious schools declined by 18 percent to about 1.8 million between 1989 and 2006, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, an arm of the Department of Education. [WTOP]
By JOHN SEEWER | Associated Press Writer
TOLEDO, Ohio - Adding four weeks to Ohio's school year will create a shorter summer travel season and hurt everyone from big amusement parks to family-run campgrounds, those in the travel industry say.
Some argue that the proposal for an extended school year announced last week by Gov. Ted Strickland will cost jobs and shrink tax revenue at a time when the state can't afford it.
[...]
Adding 20 days to the school year is just one piece of Strickland's plan to overhaul Ohio's public schools and increase learning in the classroom.
School districts will be able to determine when to add the extra days that will be phased in over the next decade, Strickland spokeswoman Amanda Wurst said. [Chicago Tribune]
Local Effort Will Dovetail With Statewide Policy
By Jenna Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writer
In response to a statewide crackdown mandated by last year's General Assembly, the Maryland State Board of Education plans to release a model policy next month about how schools should confront and counsel bullies.
But the Tri-County Youth Services Bureau in Southern Maryland is getting a head start on the initiative by launching anti-bullying programs in communities and schools. The organization's Community Conferencing Project facilitates meetings between bullies and their victims to discuss incidences of bullying and how the people involved are affected. [Wash. Post]
Legislators worry that cap limits growth for state's universities
By Stephen Kiehl and Gadi Dechter
The freeze on state university tuition - which Gov. Martin O'Malley wants to extend into a fourth year - is sure to score points with recession-weary voters. But critics wonder if it's in the best interests of the universities.
Keeping tuition artificially low limits growth at a time when colleges are seeing record numbers of applications, and it stalls university improvements. And while state university students benefit from the freeze, those attending community colleges are not as fortunate. O'Malley has not provided money to hold the line on tuition for the 128,000 credit-earning students at community colleges. [Balt. Sun]
Suspect Is Accused of Posing As St. Mary's Superintendent In Notes to School Officials
By Megan Greenwell
Washington Post Staff Writer
A former St. Mary's County school system employee was charged last week with sending lewd e-mail messages to two school officials while posing as Superintendent Michael J. Martirano.
Brian L. Still, 45, of Issue is accused of harassing Board of Education member Mary M. Washington and Esperanza Middle School Principal Jill Snyder-Mills from Martirano's e-mail address, through a process known as "spoofing." Spoofing, commonly used to send spam, changes the "from" line in an e-mail to appear as though it were sent from a different address. [Wash. Post]
