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

The Board of Education Work Session on Monday, April 30 will be re-broadcast on Comcast Channel 96, Verizon FIOS Channel 12 and is available via webstream at http://www.ccboe.com/ . To view the full agenda and the various reports, please visit BoardDocs.
The below notes are my personal notes and are not intended to be all-inclusive or official minutes for the Board of Education meetings and are provided as a request from my supporters and the general public in a personal effort to be more transparent. Although I have diligently tried to make these notes as unbiased and accurate as possible, I am only human and do make mistakes.

Call to order – 6 p.m.

• Pledge of Allegiance

Public Forum - none

Work Session

Charles County Public Schools Common Core Transition Plan

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

Superintendent Search

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

Goals

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

Adjournment

Mercury Exposure Investigation Completed at Two Schools

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Pledge of Allegiance

Public Forum

 
Work Session

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

Adjournment

Struggle over how to evaluate special ed teachers

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more HERE.

Parents wire kids to prove teachers' verbal abuse

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

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

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

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

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

Read more HERE.

National School Board Association Conference 2012 - Boston

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

Please click HERE.

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

The Rutherford Institute
April 11, 2012

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

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

Read more HERE.

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

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, April 10 will be re-broadcast on Comcast Channel 96, Verizon FIOS Channel 12 and is available via webstream at http://www.ccboe.com/ . To view the full agenda and the various reports, please visit BoardDocs.

The below notes are my personal notes and are not intended to be all-inclusive or official minutes for the Board of Education meetings and are provided as a request from my supporters and the general public in a personal effort to be more transparent. Although I have diligently tried to make these notes as unbiased and accurate as possible, I am only human and do make mistakes.

Executive session – 12 p.m.

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

Correspondence/Board Member updates

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

Education Association of Charles County update - read report

Student Board Member update - read report

CIP update - read report

Reading Recovery program - read report

FY 2012 financial update - read report

Budget amendment FY 2012 - read report

School calendar 2013-2014 - read report

Legislative update

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

Board goals - postponed to the end of the month

Unfinished business - Superintendent's Rule #5126

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

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

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

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

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

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

New business

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

Future agenda items

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

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

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

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

Action items

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

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

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

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

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

Adjournment

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

The Board of Education's next monthly meeting is Tuesday, April 10, at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building on Radio Station Road in La Plata. The public portion of the meeting begins at 1 p.m. and student and staff recognition starts at 4:30 p.m. The meeting is televised live on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOS Channel 12 and is rebroadcast throughout the week. The meeting is also streamed live on the Charles County Public Schools Web site. Visit http://www2.ccboe.com/boe/live/ to watch the meeting.

Executive session – 12 p.m.

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

Reports of officers/boards/committees

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

Unfinished business

New business and future agenda items

• New business
• Future agenda items

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

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

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

Action items

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

Adjournment

REMINDER: Board of Education Work Session, 3/26/12

The Board of Education of Charles County is holding a work session at 6 p.m., Monday, March 26, in the staff development room at North Point High School. The agenda is as follows:
Call to Order- 6 p.m.

Pledge of Allegiance

Public Forum

Work session


FY 2013 budget

Adjournment


Public hearing on redistricting – 7 p.m., North Point auditorium

The work session and public hearing on redistricting will be available as a video on demand on the Charles County Public Schools Web site, www.ccboe.com, later next week.

Notes from Board of Education Meeting, 3/13/12

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, March 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 – 12 p.m.
Call to order – 1 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance, Thomas Stone High School's JROTC unit

Superintendent's update - see report

Correspondence/Board Member updates

• Abell - MABE budget meetings in June and July
• Bowie - thanks for the student shadowing us at the last board meetings. Suggests board members shadow a student. Liked the Bunkyo University farewell party. Library - bullying seminar.
• Pedersen - senior portfolio interviews at Westlake and Lackey were very good. Enjoyed time at Read Across Charles County; congratulations to basketball teams
• Cook - Destination Imagination - very impressed
• Wise - Science Fairs, very impressed with second place winner who built a robot to clean up leaves in the yard

Education Association of Charles County update - see report

Student Board Member update - see report

CIP update - see report

Superintendent's redistricting recommendation - see reports

• Cook - miscommunication and disparaging remarks about Barnhart from fellow citizens was disappointing.
• Bowie - transportation issues?
• Lukas - Neal redistricting, growth numbers?
• Barrett - projections based on units: some factual, some subjective.
• Lukas - Some children will be attending 3 different elementary schools; special consideration for 5th graders to stay at Neal
• Wade - Wants to know the number of students Lukas is talking about

Career technology education - see report

Proposed FY 2013 operating budget - see report
Update on 2013-14 school calendar - to be posted on the website for comment later this week

Legislative items

• maintenance of effort waiver legislation
• teacher pension
• length of time a bus can be in service

Non-discrimination policy - see report
Board goals - see report

• Abell - quantitative measures
• Wade - doesn't believe the board should be issuing goals for the system
• Richmond - we should wait until next year after the new Superintendent is in place and discuss with him/her any new goals and their implementation.
• Lukas - review the "goals" and use them as a monitoring device over the next year
• Richmond - add virtual high school to #4
• Bowie - new library will have tutor rooms
• Abell - HSA, SAT, ACT; read the definition of a goal, should be something striving to attain.
• Richmond - should be achievable and have resources

Unfinished business -

• Wade - 4 athletic teams at state level; if state champions in a particular area, we recognize at the board level

New business

• Bowie - continue with plan to meet with commissioners on planning and budget

Future agenda items

• Wade - Black History month at La Plata HS via tele-presence. Requests a board meeting be done this way
• Wade - Ms. Arnold should be addressed by Dr.
• Abell - students are requesting the possibility of drug dogs patrolling in schools
• Pedersen - Requests presentation by the Southern Maryland Food Bank for backpacks home with needy kids on the weekend.

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

• Students - Shad Kirkham, fifth grade, Academic Achievement, William A. Diggs Elementary School; Elijah Neagle, fifth grade, Career Readiness, Arthur Middleton Elementary School; Geneva Long, eighth grade, Personal Responsibility, Piccowaxen Middle School; Amanda Hobgood, eighth grade, Academic Achievement, General Smallwood Middle School; Bianca Watson, twelfth grade, Personal Responsibility, Thomas Stone High School;
• North Point High School senior and national winner in the 2012 National Future Educators Association (FEA) essay competition - Elijah Steele
• Mattawoman Middle School's first-place MathCounts team
• Employees - Leroy Pressley, vocal music teacher, Diggs; Barbara Woods-Miazza, reading recovery teacher, Middleton; Nancy Buter, language arts teacher, Piccowaxen; Tamra Nissen, mathematics teacher, Smallwood; Philip Jones, science teacher, Stone
• Charles County's Outstanding Educator for Use of Technology - Courtney Brunone
• Resolutions: Month of the Young Child and National Student Leadership Week

Public hearing on FY 2013 budget - none

Public Forum – 6 p.m. (names are approx. spelling)

• Kristen Cuttner - Project Lead the Way at North Point is by application into the engineering program only. They do NOT offer the program to students actually zoned for North Point. All other high schools offer the program to the students within their zone.
• Roseman Dia - redistricting at Davis Middle School, PG County students are allowed to pay tuition and attend
• Jennifer Dugan - Redistricting at Davis. Should not move current students to accommodate future construction
• Paul Handwork - Redistricting at Diggs and after school care would need to change to accommodate him driving to North Point campus and Henson. Get rid of PG students and illegally attending students.
• Dawn Sutherland - Redistricting, at previous hearing and commissioners hearing. portable trailers.
• Cindy Handgarter - Redistricting. Berry Hill Manor. Davis to Henson, after school activities would be harder, longer bus rides, making room for children that are not even here.
• Leanne Evans - Redistricting. Bensville corridor. One daughter at North Point and one at Davis and convenience to go to one campus. Hopes both can stay at current schools for the coming years.
• Jose Schwam - Redistricting. Eutaw Forest. 3 children. Will affect bottom line when selling house.
• Lourdes Saignon- Redistricting. Davis. Thank you for meeting with me during the recess. Apology for being disrespectful during the last hearing. Allocations. Reassign new developments, not current neighborhoods.
• Irene Fletcher - Redistricting. Son bullied during last redistricting. Daughter at Henson. Don't move the children, they suffer. Children are not a number. The board is going to be held responsible for her children's medical bills for their counseling

Action items

• Minutes
Motion to accept Minutes by Cook; Second by Pedersen
Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise
• Personnel
Motion to accept Personnel by Abell; Second by Cook
Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise
• Policy #3430 Accounts: opening and closing accounts
Motion to accept Policy #3430 by Pedersen; Second by Lukas
Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise
• Superintendents rule #5126 – student transfers
Motion to accept Rule #5126 by Cook; Second by Abell for discussion
Pedersen - doesn't feel there is enough change
Cook - If we vote against, we are stuck with our current policy
Pedersen - it could be brought up again
Lukas - questions for staff on transfer report issued in December; have to look at specific schools to recognize there is a problem
Bowie - Supt recommendation says ALL employees and the sub-committee recommendation says only certificated
Pedersen - staff members should only be allowed to bring students to school in their building.
Abell - a seat is a seat. You cannot MAKE a seat that doesn't exist.
Pedersen - go back to subcommittee's recommendation with additional work
Abell - agree but add additional clauses to address a grandfather clause & not to supercede any previously arranged negotiated agreement
Lukas - agree with Abell about a seat needs to be there, but doesn't want to shut down ALL transfers. Doesn't think it should only be available to employees
Bowie - parents upset by non-taxpaying students taking seats
Call for the Vote by Abell
Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Pedersen, Wade, Wise; No = Lukas


Yes = Wade, Wise; No = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen
Motion for the sub-committee to reconvene and come back with recommendation by Pedersen; Second by Abell
Wade - do we have authority to do this; request staff on committee
Abell - This is the only rule we have to approve and staff was previously on the committee and will still be
Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wise; No = Wade

Adjournment

REMINDER: Board of Education Meeting, 3/13/12

The Board of Education's next monthly meeting is Tuesday, March 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. The meeting is also streamed live on the Charles County Public Schools Web site. Visit http://www2.ccboe.com/boe/live/ to watch the meeting.

 

Executive session – 12 p.m.

 

Call to order – 1 p.m.

 

Pledge of Allegiance, Thomas Stone High School's JROTC unit

 

Superintendent's update

 

Correspondence/Board Member updates

 

Education Association of Charles County update

 

Student Board Member update

 

CIP update

 

Superintendent's redistricting recommendation

 

Career technology education

 

Proposed FY 2013 operating budget

 

Update on 2013-14 school calendar

 

Legislative items

 

Non-discrimination policy

 

Board goals

 

Unfinished business

 

New business

 

Future agenda items

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

• Students
• Elijah Steele, North Point High School senior and national winner in the 2012 National Future Educators Association (FEA) essay competition
• Mattawoman Middle School's first-place MathCounts team
• Employees
• Courtney Brunone, Charles County's Outstanding Educator for Use of Technology
• Resolutions: Month of the Young Child and National Student Leadership Week

Public hearing on FY 2013 budget

 

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

  

Action items

• Minutes
• Personnel
• Policy #3430 Accounts: opening and closing accounts
• Superintendents rule #5126 – student transfers

Adjournment

'Creative...motivating' and fired

Bill Turque

March 6, 2011

The Washington Post

By the end of her second year at MacFarland Middle School, fifth-grade teacher Sarah Wysocki was coming into her own.

“It is a pleasure to visit a classroom in which the elements of sound teaching, motivated students and a positive learning environment are so effectively combined,” Assistant Principal Kennard Branch wrote in her May 2011 evaluation.

He urged Wysocki to share her methods with colleagues at the D.C. public school. Other observations of her classroom that year yielded good ratings.

Two months later, she was fired.

Wysocki, 31, was let go because the reading and math scores of her students didn’t grow as predicted. Her undoing was “value-added,” a complex statistical tool used to measure a teacher’s direct contribution to test results. The District and at least 25 states, under prodding from the Obama administration, have adopted or are developing value-added systems to assess teachers.

Read more HERE.

'Bully' Problems: The MPAA Gives A Scarlett 'R' To A Thoughtful Documentary

Linda Holmes

NPR.org

February 24, 2012

The Weinstein Company has lost an appeal to the MPAA, which has smacked an R rating on the painful documentary Bully (which I saw at Silverdocs last year when it was called The Bully Project), from filmmaker Lee Hirsch.

The rating is for language — meaning that the reason the ratings organization is taking the position that the movie isn't appropriate for kids to see without their parents is not that it depicts violence and trauma and the aftermath of the suicides of children, but because an environment full of teenagers, when realistically portrayed, includes swearing.

The MPAA sent out a polite statement that says, in part:

Bullying is a serious issue and is a subject that parents should discuss with their children. The MPAA agrees with the Weinstein Company that Bully can serve as a vehicle for such important discussions.

The MPAA also has the responsibility, however, to acknowledge and represent the strong feedback from parents throughout the country who want to be informed about content in movies, including language.

The rating and rating descriptor of 'some language,' indicate to parents that this movie contains certain language. With that, some parents may choose to take their kids to this movie and others may not, but it is their choice and not ours to make for them. The R rating is not a judgment on the value of any movie. The rating simply conveys to parents that a film has elements strong enough to require careful consideration before allowing their children to view it. Once advised, many parents may take their kids to see an R-rated film. School districts, similarly, handle the determination of showing movies on a case-by-case basis and have their own guidelines for parental approval.

Read more HERE.

Redistricting Update

The Board of Education on Feb. 14 received the Redistricting Committee suggestions for the rezoning of Theodore G. Davis Middle School, William A. Diggs Elementary School and Mary B. Neal Elementary School. Students attending Matthew Henson Middle School and Milton M. Somers Middle School,  J.C. Parks Elementary School and Berry Elementary School may also be affected by the rezoning.

Visit our Redistricting Web page at http://www2.ccboe.com/parentscomm/transportation/redistricting.cfm to find out more about redistricting, opportunities for input to the Board and if your neighborhood is possibly affected by the rezoning.

The first public hearing is 7 p.m., Feb. 28, at Thomas Stone High School.

Notes from Board of Education Meeting, 2/14/12

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, February 14 will be re-broadcast on Comcast Channel 96, Verizon FIOS Channel 12 and is available via webstream at http://www.ccboe.com/ . To view the full agenda and the various reports, please visit BoardDocs.
The below notes are my personal notes and are not intended to be all-inclusive or official minutes for the Board of Education meetings and are provided as a request from my supporters and the general public in a personal effort to be more transparent. Although I have diligently tried to make these notes as unbiased and accurate as possible, I am only human and do make mistakes.
Executive session – 12 p.m.

Call to order – 1 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance, Maurice J. McDonough High School's JROTC unit

Superintendent's update - See report

Correspondence/Board Member updates

• Bowie - Mac Middleton says hello; attended Lobby Day and encourages taxpayers to call, email, visit; No Child Left Behind bills at a standstill
• Pedersen - attended CCASC Middle School meeting; discussion on bullying and food service
• Lukas - Tri-County Concerts for Orchestra & Band; Congratulations to all
• Wise - State Superintendent visit - impressed with telepresence; space flight presentation at McDonough; Richmond won award from Alpha Kappa Alpha

Education Association of Charles County update - See report
Student Board Member update - See report

Student transfers - See recommendation

• Abell - Specific changes from the current policy to this committee's proposal
• Schwartz - employee's child to attend school at place of work or closest school to place of work; space available only for academic and hardship consideration
• Abell - Space available should be for ALL instances
• Schwartz - Benefits to employees outweigh the costs
• Wise - All three levels requested
• Pedersen - Requests numbers from the next few years to observe impact and statistics
• Lukas - Full time employee?
• Hettel - Works for us on a full time permanent basis under the negotiated agreement.
• Cook - Certificated & non-certificated will impact over enrollment
• Lukas - Certificated vs non-certificated ratio for an elementary school

Athletic trainers - Rehabilitation Center of Southern Maryland

• Powerpoint presentation about duties & statistics
• Inclusion of student athletic training services
• Wise - Knee injuries more prevalant in women; Does student athletic trainer abide by GPA?
• Pedersen - Commend company
• Richmond - What can we do to prevent injuries?
• RCSM - Strengthening, conditioning and access
• Abell - Requests presentation to be placed on BoardDocs; How was this company selected?
• Cornette - Bid process
• Cook - Background in exercise physiology -- some coaches still do stretches that are no longer considered current
• RCSM - Therapists build relationships with coaches and work with them.
• Lukas - Stretched thin
• RCSM - Definitely
• student - Why more knee injuries than others?
• RCSM - Prone to overuse and impact and posture and weight
• student - Thought there would be more concussions than ankle injuries in football
• RCSM - Coach works with students to teach them proper tackle techniques, etc.
• student - Why does lacrosse have more knee injuries than football?
• RCSM -Lacrosse is nothing but running and pivoting

CIP update - see report

• SMECO program exchange to LED lights
• discussion on replacing light bulbs in all the schools, hues, affects on students

Redistricting update - see report

• Abell - Did the committee look at how many times we're moving specific neighborhoods or area?
• Weslowski - Based on the policy, we cannot move neighborhoods within a three year time period.
• Wise - Includes allocations already given and potential growth
• student - Special needs students that have relationships
• Weslowski - Not under this plan but through the student transfer policy

Educational Showcase - see report

Policy #3430: Accounts (opening and closing accounts) - see report

Budget update - see report

Teacher evaluation pilot - see report

Legislative update

Non-discrimination policy

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

• Students - Rida Dhanani, 5th grade, Academic Achievement, Berry Elementary School; Chidera Onyekuru, 5th grade, Academic Achievement, J.P. Ryon Elementary School; Kevon Douglas, 4th grade, Personal Responsibility, Eva Turner Elementary School; Mary Lavery, 12th grade, Academic Achievement, La Plata High School; Kelly Dingess, 11th grade, Career Readiness, Robert D. Stethem Educational Center
• Employees - Erica Strass, science teacher, Berry; Jillian Genua, physical education teacher, Ryon; Pamela Shorter, food service worker, Turner; Brian Craley, alternative school teacher, Stethem; Stephen Williams, administrative assistant, La Plata
• Resolutions: Read Across Charles County; Women's History Month; and Fine and Performing Arts Month
• Rotary Clubs of Waldorf and La Plata - recognition of dictionary donations to schools

Unfinished business

• Pedersen - Subcommittees, such as for goals; work sessions are full
• Lukas - Will send committee's information out tomorrow and then an information item at board meeting
• Lukas - Scouts here for Merit Badge

New business - none

Future agenda items

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

• Eldridge Proctor - resident of Laurel Branch, redistricting concerns, both Plan A & Plan B are the same options for their neighborhood. Wants a Plan C. Doesn't feel the communities perspective was taken into consideration.
• Lordis (?) - both Plan A & Plan B are the same, wants kids to go their community school, lives under 4 miles from current school, petition online, reconsider
• James (BJ) Proctor III - student affected by new rezoning plans, has a 4.0, lives less than 4 minutes away, in numerous clubs and activities, please reconsider and let him go to neighborhood school.
• Lisa Powell - resident for 12 years, has a student at Mudd, 16 students per class now it's 28. Students not doing as well. Why have we not added another teacher and what to do?
• Denise Yates - son at Piccowaxen Middle School - Mandatory after school band rehearsals

Action items

• Minutes
Motion to accept Minutes by Pedersen; Second by Lukas
Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise
• Personnel A
Motion to accept Personnel A by Pedersen; Second by Bowie
Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise
• Personnel B
Motion to accept Personnel B by Cook; Second by Pedersen
Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Pedersen, Wade, Wise; Abstain = Lukas

Adjournment

REMINDER: Board of Education Meeting, 2/14/12

The Board of Education's next monthly meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 14, at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building on Radio Station Road in La Plata. The public portion of the meeting begins at 1 p.m. and student and staff recognition starts at 4:30 p.m. The meeting is televised live on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOS Channel 12 and is rebroadcast throughout the week. The meeting is also streamed live on the Charles County Public Schools Web site. Visit http://www2.ccboe.com/boe/live/ to watch the meeting.
Executive session – 12 p.m.


Call to order – 1 p.m.


Pledge of Allegiance, Maurice J. McDonough High School's JROTC unit


Superintendent's update


Correspondence/Board Member updates

Education Association of Charles County update


Student Board Member update


Student transfers


Athletic trainers


CIP update


Redistricting update


Educational Showcase


Policy #3430: accounts (opening and closing accounts)


Budget update


Teacher evaluation pilot


Legislative update


Non-discrimination policy


Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

• Students
• Employees
• Resolutions: Read Across Charles County; Women's History Month; and Fine and Performing Arts Month
• Rotary Clubs of Waldorf and La Plata; recognition of dictionary donations to schools

Unfinished business

New business


Future agenda items


Public Forum – 6 p.m.


Action items

• Minutes
• Personnel

Adjournment

No Child Left Behind: 10 States Receive Waivers From Education Law's Sweeping Requirements

Huff Post
KIMBERLY HEFLING and BEN FELLER 02/ 9/12 07:04 AM ET

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama on Thursday will free 10 states from the strict and sweeping requirements of the No Child Left Behind law, giving leeway to states that promise to improve how they prepare and evaluate students, The Associated Press has learned.
The first 10 states to receive the waivers are Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Tennessee. The only state that applied for the flexibility and did not get it, New Mexico, is working with the administration to get approval, a White House official told the AP.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the states had not yet been announced. A total of 28 other states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have signaled that they, too, plan to seek waivers – a sign of just how vast the law's burdens have become as a big deadline nears.

Read more HERE

In schools, self-esteem boosting is losing favor to rigor, finer-tuned praise

Michael Alison Chandler
The Washington Post
January 15, 2012

For decades, the prevailing wisdom in education was that high self-esteem would lead to high achievement. The theory led to an avalanche of daily affirmations, awards ceremonies and attendance certificates — but few, if any, academic gains.

Now, an increasing number of teachers are weaning themselves from what some call empty praise. Drawing on psychology and brain research, these educators aim to articulate a more precise, and scientific, vocabulary for praise that will push children to work through mistakes and take on more challenging assignments. Consider teacher Shar Hellie’s new approach in Montgomery County.

To get students through the shaky first steps of Spanish grammar, Hellie spent many years trying to boost their confidence. If someone couldn’t answer a question easily, she would coach him, whisper the first few words, then follow up with a booming “¡Muy bien!”

But on a January morning at Rocky Hill Middle School in Clarksburg, the smiling grandmother gave nothing away. One seventh-grade boy returned to the overhead projector three times to rewrite a sentence, hesitating each time, while his classmates squirmed in silence.

“You like that?” Hellie asked when he settled on an answer. He nodded. Finally, she beamed and praised the progress he was making — in his cerebral cortex.

“You have a whole different set of neurons popping up there!” she told him.

A growing body of research over three decades shows that easy, unearned praise does not help students but instead interferes with significant learning opportunities. As schools ratchet up academic standards for all students, new buzzwords are “persistence,” “risk-taking” and “resilience” — each implying more sweat and strain than fuzzy, warm feelings.

“We used to think we could hand children self-esteem on a platter,” Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck said. “That has backfired.”

Read more HERE.

Notes from Board of Education Meeting, 1/10/12

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, January 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 - 10 a.m.

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

Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman

Motion to elect Wise as Chair by Cook; Second by Abell

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

Motion to elect Cook as Vice Chair by Lukas; Second by Wise

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

Motion to elect Lukas as Vice Chair by Bowie; Second by Pedersen

Lukas respectfully removed his nomination

Superintendent's update to the Board - Spoke of Cunningham's passing. Read report

Correspondence/Board member updates

• all took turns speaking of Mr. Cunningham
• Lukas - visit to schools, thank you
• Bowie - anti-bullying correspondence from parents; parents' rights; forum at Jaycees on 1/23
• Lukas - donation of tickets to the Nutcracker ballet in DC for under-privileged children...thank you
• Richmond - Ms. Dorsey and Mr. Cornette will be in charge of school operations

Education Association of Charles County update - read report

Student Board member update - see report

School administration - enrollment update

• 9/30 enrollment = 26,778
• 12/15 enrollment = 26,924
• greatest growth in African-American, Hispanic, and multi-racial ethnic groups
• greatest growth at Diggs, Davis, Neal, and North Point

CIP update - see report

ESOL program and Bunkyo trip - See Report

Policy #3430, Accounts: Opening and closing accounts - See Report

FY 2012 budget update - See report - breakfast

Legislative update

• no increase in state funding, but will remain steady; 7 counties in MD did NOT meet maintenance of effort
• teacher retirement may be put on counties

Unfinished business - none

New business

• Wade asked for our position on MLK Breakfast. Tickets are to be bought individually if we want to attend.

Future Agenda items - None

Recognition - 4:30 p.m.

• Students - Caleb Caine, fifth grade, Academic Achievement, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary; Jaylyn Pinchem, fifth grade, Personal Responsibility, Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary; Micaela Patin, fifth grade, Career Readiness, William B. Wade Elementary School; Paul Adams, II, eighth grade, Academic Achievement, Matthew Henson Middle School
• Staff - Lauren Washington, first grade teacher, Jenifer; Velta Williams, Secretary to the Principal, Mudd; Audre Codrington, school psychologist IA, Wade; Immaculada Dove, special education, IA, F.B. Gwynn Educational Center; Michael Forrest, science teacher, Henson
• Resolutions: African American History Month - Accepting: AVID advocates and students; Jada Proctor, 7th grade and Michelle James, school counselor, General Smallwood Middle School; Loren Ward, 9th grade and Laura Buzzell, math teacher, Henry E. Lackey High School; Dielle McMillan, 11th grade, Daquan Patterson, 11th grade, and Jacqueline Cheaves, school counselor, Westlake High School
  Career and Technical Education Week: Accepting: Chitra Sharma, Chairperson, Charles County Commission for Women
  National School Counseling Week: Accepting: Michelle James, school couselor, General Smallwood Middle School; Wanda Proctor, school counselor, Benjamin Stoddert Middle School
• La Plata High School Thespian Society
• Nathan Freeman, winner of the 2011 Student Space Flight Experiments Program (SSEP) Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-135 mission patch design contest

Public Forum - 6 p.m. - None

Action items

• Minutes
Motion to accept the Minutes by Cook; Second by Abell
Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise
• Personnel
Motion to accept Personnel by Pedersen; Second by Cook
Yes = Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise

Adjournment