What the Board of Education doesn't seem to make clear is that there will also be other "focus group" meetings next week. The focus groups appear to be by invitation only. Did you get an invitation? Do you wonder who did get an invitation? All good questions, but since the Board of Education has apparently discussed and decided on all these little details in closed sessions your guess is as good as mine.
Here's what an invitation to a "focus group" looks like. What message would you like conveyed at these meetings if you didn't get an invitation? Post your thoughts and those that got invited can relay your message...
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Dear Community Member:
Dr. Jerry D. Weast, superintendent of schools, has announced his retirement effective June 30, 2011. As a result, the Montgomery County Board of Education has initiated its search for a new superintendent of schools. We have retained the services of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA), a consulting firm that specializes in assisting Boards with recruiting superintendent candidates.
A key step in this process is to identify the characteristics we will be seeking in our new superintendent of schools. We are delighted to invite you to participate in a focus group meeting to be conducted by a consultant from HYA. The meeting will be held at the following time:
Date: Monday, January 31
Time: 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Room: 127
Location: Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland
If you cannot attend this focus group meeting, we hope that you will attend one of the public forums listed below. We also ask your assistance in publicizing these public forums to members of your organization and other community members.
Monday, January 31, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
· Northwest High School, 13501 Richter Farm Road, Germantown(Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese)
· White Oak Middle School, 12201 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring (Spanish)
Tuesday, February 1, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
· Bethesda Elementary School, 7600 Arlington Road, Bethesda (Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese) (accessible from Bethesda Metro station)
· Montgomery Village Middle School, 19300 Watkins Mill Road, Montgomery Village (Spanish)
Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
· Wheaton High School, 12601 Dalewood Drive, Silver Spring(Spanish)
· Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville (Spanish, French, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese)
Child care or translation/interpretation services are available for the evening events by contacting the Board of Education office at 301-279-3617 by January 24, 2011. For sign language interpretation, please call 301-517-5539 by January 24, 2011.
If you have questions regarding the scheduling of focus groups, please call the Board office at 301-279-3617. Questions regarding the search process must be referred directly to Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates at 847-724-8465.
We look forward to your participation as we engage in this process to identify a new educational leader for our community.
Sincerely,
Christopher S. Barclay
President
No teachers can attend these private meetings. They are being held during the school day.
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