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By Liz Bowie
Maryland may rank No. 1 in the nation for the percentage of its high school graduates who pass an Advanced Placement test, but behind that distinction is a wide disparity between counties and high schools. [Sun]
Governor would measure students against world's
By Liz Bowie liz.bowie@baltsun.com
February 25, 2009
Gov. Martin O'Malley laid out an ambitious education agenda for the state school board yesterday, saying that he wants to take Maryland's schools from being ranked No. 1 in the nation to being regarded as "the best public school system in the world."
In remarks that were both broader in scope and more detailed than he has been in the past on education, O'Malley laid out seven key goals that he wants the state board to meet. Several of the initiatives would take advantage of unprecedented levels of federal funding and would require Maryland to raise standards, particularly in middle and high school.
HERE
Associated Press
The State Board of Education has approved a model policy intended to stop bullying.
The policy applies to both physical bullying and bullying by way of cell phones or the Internet.
State Schools Superintendent Nancy Grasmick said the policy reflects the fact that "today's bullies come in many forms, including those who use electronic means."
It directs local school systems to submit copies of their anti-bullying policies to Grasmick by July 1 for review. [Sun]
Tonight I had the privilege of attending one of the many student recognitions taking place around the county. I went to Mcdonough where not only McDonough students were being recognized, but also Stoddert, James Craik, Eva Turner, and Brown. As always, Ms. Petty and staff were well prepared, the McDonough Wind Ensemble was phenomenal, but...the attendance by parents and students was once again lacking. I am very disappointed when looking out into the audience and see principals attending these recognition events, taking time away from their families, and have NONE of the students or parents show up. What is the answer? Should we not give out recognitions? Very sad right now.
Don't know MABE's or the BOE's position on this bill but have a request in to verify.
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SB 857
Sponsored By: Senators Pugh and McFadden
Entitled:
Education - Public High Schools and Public High School Students - Revisions and Requirements
Synopsis:
Requiring the State Department of Education to develop a data collection system for students who graduate from high school in 3 years, 4 years, or 5 years; requiring the State Board of Education to report the reasons students opt to take the GED; requiring county boards of education to partner with community colleges in order to offer a 50% discount on tuition to students who take college courses while still in high school; etc.
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The below comments are from an email I received. NG = Nancy Grasmick
IF there is a 50% reduction in tuition on college credits for hs kids that are dual enrolled, where is the $$ going to come from to pay the college professors for educating high school kids? NG is only behind this because she will have to educate fewer kids but gets to keep the full amount of $$ from the September 30 head count. As I see it (and I admit it was quickly read on my part) this bill is quite craftily worded to suit NG's never ending thirst for black hole money.
Why is she doing this? Because she is now seeing the financial gain as more and more parents have caught on to the AP bull shit games school systems play. Now, more parents are choosing to dual enrolling their kids rather than play roulette with AP classes and exams.
In other words, a kid sits in homeroom on September 30. Because he is enrolled in public school (no matter what % of the day) NG gets to charge the state's taxpayers what..... $6K and gets to charge the feds.... $2K (?) to educate just one kid. But the kid spends 50% of his time being educated by the college. NG keeps $8K but theoretically only has to shell out $4K. She makes the colleges do the work she should be doing and then has the nerve to tell them they need to do it for 50% less than the going rate. Now, mulitply that $4k net gain by hundreds or thousands of kids all over the state as parents slowly catch on to the AP scam. That's a tidy little sum NG can rack up.
While, as a parent, I love the idea of a 50% tuition reduction, this accounting system is BS. Now, if NG wants to prorate the amount of $$ she keeps and forwards the rest on to the corresponding colleges, then I say have at it. Better yet, only collect a prorated amount from the taxpayers to begin with. We all know that won't happen. Do you see that worded anywhere in the bill? (I did read it rather quickly.)
Tracking why people take GED's or why some graduate in 3 or 4 or 5 years - I have no problem with that. BUT...... what other information will Ms. G (as in KGB) be tracking? Sounds good, but the devil is in the details. And, I can guarantee you, even the state board members will not have a clue as to what NG is really tracking.
IF it sounds too good to be true and it involves NG, there's always a catch. She just thinks we're too dumb to figure it out. I'd bet $$ that this wasn't the sponsoring senators' ideas. None of them know about or give a rat's ass about education. This came from (or was seriously tweaked by) NG and the teachers unions. (more money available for raises and smaller class size)
Charles County's school system is upgrading its substitute-calling system to include more technology options and to increase its daily fill rate, according to a system press release.
The new system takes effect at 5 p.m. March 8.
School system human resources staff is training teachers on the new system, SmartFind Express.
Training for substitute teachers is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Feb. 24 at Westlake High School. Substitutes planning to attend the training must RSVP at 301-934-7233 or send an e-mail to info@ccboe.com.
Read more HERE
School superintendents in the Washington region work punishing hours as a rule, with duties that blur day and evening, week and weekend. Some ease the strain by getting away from the office -- far away, and often.
[...]
Several superintendents from the Maryland suburbs traveled relatively infrequently, including Charles County's James E. Richmond, who nonetheless squeezed in six days in Stockholm for a conference and Nobel Peace Prize events. [Wash. Post]
Charles County Board of Education member Jennifer Abell will hold a question & answer session for interested residents on Thursday, February 19 from 6:00-8:30 p.m. at Unique Sports Academy, 109 Post Office Road, Waldorf. For more information call Jennifer Abell 301-659-4112 or e-mail abell4edu@verizon.net .
NEW PROCESS
Will be taking place at all six high schools on Monday, February 23rd at 6:00 p.m. Since they are all at the same time, board members will be dividing to conquer :)
Wade - Westlake
Wise - Lackey
Abell - McDonough
Bailey - Thomas Stone
Carrington - LaPlata
Cook - LaPlata
Pedersen - North Point
ANNAPOLIS, MD (February 17, 2009) – Governor Martin O’Malley, joined by state and local education officials, students, and teachers, today unveiled the first ever statewide survey of Maryland educators, an initiative titled “TELL Maryland.” The survey serves as a unique opportunity to gather information about school conditions, teacher satisfaction, and opportunities for improvement in the teaching and learning environments throughout the State. This web-based tool will be available to over 70,000 educators in Maryland’s 1,433 public school locations.
“We know the recruitment and retention of quality, dedicated teachers has a direct impact on student achievement,” said Governor O’Malley. “This data has the potential for both dramatic and subtle improvements in teaching and learning environments throughout Maryland, each with its own unique impact on student achievement. We honor our educators by listening to them, by including them in the process, and by engaging them so that we may continue to build upon our progress as the number one public school system in America.”
Read more HERE
By Brian Witte
Proposed reductions in state aid to Maryland schools will be more than offset by the federal stimulus measure President Barack Obama is poised to sign, Gov. Martin O'Malley said today.
Of Maryland's 24 school jurisdictions, 16 received a total of about $69 million less in O'Malley's current budget proposal, which was submitted last month, compared to last year. Prince George's County and Baltimore city received the biggest reductions, about $35 million and $23 million, respectively. [Balt. Sun]
By GRETCHEN PHILLIPS
A Charles County Board of Education member publicly cried foul on other members after an unannounced meeting regarding the health curriculum.
For several months, a hot topic around the community and the school system has been a health curriculum addressing sex education.
Recently a brief meeting held by the Charles County Board of Education raised a red flag with board member Jennifer S. Abell about whether or not there was a discussion on the topic in violation of the Maryland Open Meetings Act. [Indy]
Related: Dismissed Myself...
By Jenna Johnson and Megan Greenwell
The Charles County Board of Education on Tuesday tacked $4.1 million for salary increases on the preliminary schools budget for next fiscal year. The revised $308.7 million spending plan now goes to county commissioners.
In January, Superintendent James E. Richmond presented the board with a $304.6 million budget. It called for an increase of $5.1 million over this fiscal year's budget so that the school system could cover mandatory cost increases in health insurance, student transportation, utilities and service contracts. The budget did not include money for employee salary adjustments. [Wash.Post]
By GRETCHEN PHILLIPS
After nearly 50 years and many recent efforts to stay a float, St. Mary, Star of the Sea School in Indian Head will close its doors at the end of the school year. [Indy]
The Board Meeting Tuesday, February 10th will be re-broadcast on Channel 96 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.
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.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
BOARD CORREPONDANCE
EACC
STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS
DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT
CIP UPDATE
HUMAN RESOURCES
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
NEW BUSINESS
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Motion by Wise to renew Superintendent's contract. Second by Pedersen. Vote was unanimous.
Motion by Wise to approve the minutes from 1/13/09 and 1/26 09. Seconded by Carrington. Vote was unanimous.
Motion by Wise to approve the minutes from the February 6th conference call. Seconded by Cook. Vote was all to approve; Abell abstained.
Motion by Wise to approve Personnel. Second by Pedersen. Vote was unanimous.
Motion by Bailey to approve the Health Curriculum. Second by Carrington. Bailey motioned to amend the motion to include specific changes that he distributed to board members. No second. Amendment failed. Vote was unanimous to approve original motion.
Motion by Abell to approve the Superintendent's proposed FY 2010 Budget. Second by Cook.
Cook motioned to amend the motion to add the cost of the salary step and level. Second by Wise. Vote was unanimous for the amendment.
Vote was unanimous for the original motion.
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]
