County, schools see hike in graduation rates

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) graduation rate hit 91.4 percent in 2014, its highest rate since 2010, according to data released by the Maryland State Department of Education this week. As student graduation rates increase, the CCPS dropout rate continues to decline.

The CCPS four-year cohort graduation rate jumped from 89.8 percent in 2013 and has improved more than five points since 2010. Additionally, CCPS students also improved across all subgroups. The CCPS average exceeds the state graduation rate of 86.39 by five points.

 “I can’t tell you how proud we are of the accomplishments of our students,” Superintendent Kimberly Hill told high school principals. She credited principals, teachers and staff for helping students stay in school and graduate with their class. “None of this would have been possible without your hard work and your commitment to being the difference,” Hill said.

Four of six high schools posted graduation rates greater than 90 percent. Henry E. Lackey High School’s graduation rate jumped from 87.25 in 2013 to 90.51 in 2014. La Plata High School posted a 2014 rate of 92.82, down from 94.64, and North Point High School’s graduation rate remained the highest in the county at 95.94 percent, despite a slight decrease. Westlake High School improved its graduation rate to 91, up from 88.3 percent in 2013. Maurice J. McDonough High School increased its graduation rate from 88.75 to 89.07 in 2014, and Thomas Stone High School increased by nearly 7-points, raising its rate from 80.65 in 2013 to 87.36 in 2014.

 Gradation rates for students of all races/ethnicity were above 90 percent. Four-year cohort graduation rates by race/ethnicity are:

• Asian: greater than 95 percent;
• African American: 90.06 percent;
• Hispanic/Latino: greater than 95 percent;
• White: 91.94 percent; and
• Two or more races: greater than 95 percent.

While gaps in graduation rates between some student groups remain, the numbers improved across the board in 2014:

• The graduation rate for students receiving free or reduced-price meals (FARMS) increased more than three percentage points, from 79.06 percent to 82.2 percent.
• The graduation rate for special education students improved more than 10 percentage points, rising to 75.16 in 2014 from 64 percent in 2013.
• Both girls and boys improved four-year cohort graduation rates. Females bettered their four-year cohort graduation rate to 94.37, up from 93.27 in 2013. A higher percentage of males graduated in 2014, up 2 points from 86.42 in 2013 to 88.56 in 2014.

Hill said, “Even though we surpassed the state average for FARMS and special education students, we still have work to do to close the achievement gaps for these subgroups.”

 The percentage of students dropping out of school also has declined. The CCPS four-year cohort dropout rate has declined from 6.13 percent in 2013 to 4.97 percent in 2014. The State’s dropout rate was 8.35 percent in 2014. Dropout rates provide a cumulative dropout rate across the four years since the cohort first entered grade 9. This rate includes as dropouts those students who did not graduate after four years but did not return for a fifth year. There were 2212 students in the four-year adjusted cohort, with 2,022 earning diplomas in four years.

Maryland five years ago moved to the cohort graduation rate, which follows a set group of students from freshman year through their senior year. The State includes both the four-year cohort and five-year cohort rate in its accountability program. Data released this week is for the four-year cohort graduation rate for the class of 2014 and includes summer graduates. The calculation follows students from the time they first entered grade 9 and includes those who graduate after four years. The five-year cohort rate does not include summer graduates and is released in June.

Graduation Rate – Four-year Cohort Rates at a Glance All Students – Charles County Public Schools   High School                                       2013 Cohort                                       2014 Cohort Henry E. Lackey                                87.25                                                   90.51 La Plata                                            94.64                                                   92.82 McDonough                                       88.75                                                   89.07 North Point                                        97.67                                                   95.94 Thomas Stone                                   80.65                                                   87.36 Westlake                                           88.3                                                     91.0 Charles County                                  89.8                                                     91.4 Maryland                                           84.97                                                   86.39

REMINDER: Board of Education Work Session, 1/26/15

The Board of Education of Charles County is holding a public work session at 6 p.m., Monday, Jan. 26, in the boardroom at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building. The agenda is as follows and is subject to change:

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

Public Forum

Work session

• 2021 goals
• FY 2016 operating budget

Adjournment

Notes from Board of Education Meeting, 1/13/15

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, January 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, North Point High School JROTC

Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman

Nomination Abell for Chair by Lukas; Second by Crawford

Yes = Abell, Crawford, Lukas

 

Nomination of McGraw for Chair by Marshall; Second by Palko

Yes = Kelly, Marshall, McGraw, Palko

 

Nomination of Lukas for Vice Chair by Abell; Second by Palko

Yes = Abell, Crawford, Kelly, McGraw, Marshall, Palko

 

Superintendent’s  Update - See report

 

Correspondence/Board member updates

• Palko - Thank you for support and training
• Marshall - Thank you for support and training; Thank you to chorus' band and culinary students

Education Association of Charles County (EACC) update - See Update

Student Board member update - See Report

 

School Administration - BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)

Supporting Services: CIP update - See Report

 

World History Textbook - See Report

 

2015 testing update - See Report

• Lengthy discussion on number of tests and timing and teacher evaluations

Proposed FY2016 operating budget - See report

Legislative update - wish  i could say see report but unfortunately after repeated request for a note sheet to be added to boarddocs monthly, one is still not available

 

Unfinished business

• Abell - Where are we losing teachers to? Surrounding Counties. - Provided in update
• Abell - Portable classroom update; condition

New business

 

 Motion to approve the location of Elementary School #3 by Abell; Second by Kelly
Yes = Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko



Future agenda items

• Palko - School Bus Cameras
• Hill - Advertising on school buses
• Lukas - Security issues with doors being blocked

Motion to move into Executive Session by Abell; Second by Kelly

Yes = Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko

 

Recognition - 4:30 p.m.

• Students - Manita Opoku, 5th grade, Academic Achievement, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary School, Principal: Nancy Siefert; Kallyn Gold, 5th grade, Personal Responsibility, William B. Wade Elementary School, Principal: Penny Nye; Andi Bailey, 5th grade, Academic Achievement, Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School, Principal: Kimberly Hairston; Terrence Griffin, 8th grade, Career Readiness, Matthew Henson Middle School, Principal: Sonia Jones; Dejane Vera, 11th grade, Academic Achievement, Robert D. Stethem Educational Center, Principal: Wayne Freeman
• Staff - Beth A. Sorsby, Reading Resource teacher, Jenifer; Nathaniel L. Yake, Technology Facilitator, Mudd; Steven J. Baldo, Special Education teacher, Wade; Stephen P. Fitzgerald, Media Specialist, Henson; Doreen E. White, Special Education Instructional Assistant, Stethem
• Resolutions: African-American History Month; Career and Technology Education Month; National School Counseling Week; and Gifted and Talented Education Month
• Educator of the Year Award presented by the Arc of Southern Maryland, to Larry Johnson, instructional specialist at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building.

Public Forum - 6 p.m.

• Joseph Cormier - Middleton PTO Pres. Kid in Kindergarten. PARCC testing.  Students with disabilites, IEP's and testing.  Urge research on special needs community.
• Deb Vahle - bus driver. support for a raise but not part of the unionization.5 years since a raise.
• Margaret Martin - bus driver.  lack of increase in hourly wage. lack of support from CCPS when issues arise.  cost of living increase statistics

Action items

• Minutes

Motion to accept the Minutes by Abell; Second by Lukas
Yes = Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko

• Personnel

Motion to accept the Personnel by Abell; Second by Kelly
Yes = Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko

• New textbooks: Microsoft Office 2013

Motion to accept the New Textbooks by Abell; Second by Lukas
Yes = Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko

Adjournment

Public hearing on proposed FY2016 operating budget

Board of Education elects chairman, vice chairman

The Board of Education of Charles County elected Virginia McGraw as chairman and Michael Lukas as vice chairman at its Jan. 13 meeting. The Board elects a chairman and vice chairman each January, and officers serve one-year terms.

McGraw, a former Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) principal, is a new Board member, elected to her first term in November. She retired from CCPS in June following a 25-year career as a teacher, vice principal and principal. McGraw was the 2009 CCPS Principal of the Year, and volunteers with Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church. She has served as past president and recording secretary of Delta Kappa Gamma Educational Sorority, and is also a member of the Charles County Retired School Personnel Association. She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary special education and her master’s degree in special education. McGraw is a resident of Waldorf.

Mr. Lukas is serving his second term on the Board and first as vice chairman. He is an engineer and branch manager at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division. Mr. Lukas works with the Boy Scouts and enjoys playing and coaching soccer. He has volunteered with several community organizations, including the Greater Waldorf Jaycees, Waldorf Kiwanis, Christmas in April and Relay for Life. He earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, and has completed graduate studies in systems engineering at George Mason University and the Naval Post Graduate School. Mr. Lukas lives in La Plata with his wife and son. First elected in 2010, he was re-elected to a second term in November 2014.

REMINDER: Board of Education Meeting, 1/13/15

The Board of Education’s next monthly meeting is Tuesday, Jan. 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 www.ccboe.com. Select CCPS TV and then choose the Live Broadcast tab. The following is a tentative meeting agenda.

Executive session - 12 p.m.

Call to order - 1 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance, North Point High School JROTC

Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman

Superintendent’s update

Reports of officers/board/committees

·         Correspondence/Board member updates

·         Education Association of Charles County (EACC) update

·         American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) update

·         Student Board member update

·         CIP update

·         2015 testing update

·         Proposed FY2016 operating budget

·         Legislative update

Unfinished business

New business and future agenda items

·         New business

·         Future agenda items

Recognition - 4:30 p.m.

·         Students

·         Staff

·         Resolutions: African-American History Month; Career and Technology Education Month; National School Counseling Week; and Gifted and Talented Education Month

·         Educator of the Year Award presented by the Arc of Southern Maryland, to Larry Johnson, instructional specialist at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building.

Public Forum - 6 p.m.

Action items

·         Minutes

·         Personnel

·         New textbooks: Microsoft Office 2013

Adjournment

Public hearing on proposed FY2016 operating budget

Scholarship opportunities available for county students

The Charles County Scholarship Fund, Inc. is offering more than 50 scholarships to Charles County high school students. Applications for scholarships are available at all county high schools and must be submitted by Monday, March 2, to the student’s College & Career Advisor. Award notification will be announced at each high school’s senior awards ceremony later this spring.
Applications are also available on the school system website, www.ccboe.com, under the students/parents section. Click on the Scholarship & College information link. Students can contact the school counselor or college and career advisor at their school for more information.
Each scholarship has specific eligibility criteria and information regarding eligibility is located on page three of the application. The following scholarships are available:

• Apartments of St. Charles Scholarship, $500;
• Ashley Jayne Younger Memorial Scholarship, $1,000 (for Westlake High School students);
• Charles County Chamber of Commerce Scholarship, $1,000;
• Charles County Health Department and School Nurses’ Scholarship, $250;
• Charles County Retired School Personnel Association Scholarship, $500 (one for each Charles County public high school);
• Charles County Teacher Education Assistance Grant, $1,000 (renewable);
• Edward Rorer Memorial Scholarship, $500;
• Eric Sawchak Memorial Scholarship, $1,000;
• GFWC, Charles County Woman’s Club, $500;
• Grote Memorial Scholarship, $500 (for La Plata High School students);
• Harding Memorial Future Educator Scholarship, $1,000;
• Harold Allen Levy Scholarship, $1,000;
• Jeremiah and Elijah Borgnis Memorial Scholarship, $500;
• John H. Cox Memorial Scholarship, $1,000;
• John Howie Memorial Scholarship, $500 (two awards);
• Kate Donahue Scholarship, $400 (for Henry E. Lackey High School students);
• Katherine D. Racey Memorial Scholarship, $1,500 (for Lackey and Maurice J. McDonough high school students);
• Ken Stump Memorial Scholarship, $500;
• Kenneth Bernard Proctor, Sr. Scholarship, $500;
• La Plata Garden Club Scholarship, $1,000 (two awards);
• Lizbeth Frazer-Fatig Helping Hand Scholarship, $4,000 (for North Point High School students);
• Maria A. Torres Memorial Scholarship, $1,000 (for Thomas Stone High School students);
• Mary H. Matula Scholarship, $500 (for La Plata students);
• Michael J. Anderson Memorial Scholarship, $1,000 (for La Plata students);
• Michael S. Tayman Memorial Scholarship, $1,000 (for McDonough students);
• Michael S. Tayman Memorial Music Scholarship, $1,000 (for McDonough students);
• Michael S. Tayman Memorial Nursing Scholarship, $1,000 (for McDonough students);
• Mildred Rice O’Callaghan Scholarship, $500 (for Lackey students, two awards);
• Nicole Pitonyak Memorial Scholarship, $1,000 (for North Point students);
• Parker Financial Literacy Scholarship, $250;
• Patricia Sugg Weiers Memorial Scholarship, $250;
• Professor V. Phillips Weaver Scholarship, $1,000;
• Rachel Myers Trade School Scholarship, $500;
• Richard J. Abela Scholarship, $2,000 (for North Point students);
• Robert Dean Stethem National Memorial Scholarship, $1,000;
• Robert Dean Stethem Thomas Stone Scholarship, $1,000 (for Thomas Stone students);
• Ronald G. Cunningham Scholarship, $2,500 (one for each Charles County public high school);
• Ronald G. Cunningham Nursing Scholarship, $500;
• St. Charles Community Scholarship, $500 (three awards);
• Starkey Memorial Scholarship, $500;
• Stephen E. Mitchell Educational Scholarship, $500;
• Thomas B.R. Mudd Nurse Scholarship, College of Southern Maryland, full two years;
• Thomas B.R. Mudd Teacher Scholarship, College of Southern Maryland, full two years;
• Thomas Kurtz Memorial Scholarship, $1,000 (for Lackey students);
• Thomas W. Weirich Scholar-Athlete Award, $1,000;
• Timothy Minor Criminal Justice Memorial Scholarship, $500;
• Timothy Minor Memorial Scholarship, $500;
• Tiny Hopes Scholarship, $1,000 (three awards);
• Unnae Pak-Borgnis Memorial Scholarship, $500;
• William and Vivian King Scholarship, $1,000 (one for each Charles County public high school); and
• Zonta of Charles County Scholarship, $1,000 (two awards).

The Charles County Scholarship Fund, Inc. is a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to Charles County students. The Charles County Commissioners, Charles County Public Schools, the College of Southern Maryland and the Chamber of Commerce are always represented on the Scholarship Fund Board. All other community members are selected from the community at large.
Contact Alicia Jones, Charles County Scholarship Fund, Inc., at 301-934-7334 or aajones@ccboe.com, for more information.