A LONG but interesting day of conferences &business meetings.... Swearing in of new officers now @MABE_News @mocoboe pic.twitter.com/jKQ3ohPbTe
— Rebecca Smondrowski (@RebeccaOnBoard) September 30, 2015
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Board of Education Members on Vacation, Charging Taxpayers #mabe #expenseaccounts #surf&turf
TODAY: Public School Education $$$$ Being Spent in Ocean City, MD #party #nobidVendors #openbar #dinners #oceanview
The Montgomery County Board of Education spends over $60,000 a year on dues and fees for their membership in the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE). On top of those dues and fees, the Board of Education uses MCPS Operating Budget dollars to attend a MABE annual vacation in Ocean City, Maryland. That includes registration fees, hotel, meals, travel and perks.
Taxpayers fund this trip, what do we get out of it? Board members come home with no bid contracts from the vendors that they meet off site and out of public view. Not only does this event divert public school education dollars from classrooms, but taxpayers get zapped with no bid contracts that are obtained without public oversight. All we get are pictures of the cocktail parties, dinners and trips.
September 30, 2015 – October 2, 2015
Conferences & Retreats
3 Days
Annual Conference
Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel
10100 Coastal Hwy.
Ocean City, MD 21842
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Who Needs Exams. Lets give everyone an "A".
Eliminating Exams…..
Would you fly on a plane if you knew the pilot did not pass
the flight exam?
Would you allow a surgeon to operate on you if the surgeon
did not pass their medical exam?
NO.
And, for this reason alone, throwing out exams (or dictating
their worth and/or quantity) due to a backlash of time spent on administering
the PARCC tests does not justify ‘throwing the baby out with the bath water’.
Why? (2 reasons)
1 1. Testing
is to ensure understanding, retention, build confidence, manage time and
expectations, improve study skills, extract group study habits, and ‘prepare’
for failing, just to name a few life skills that are critical for success. These skills are taught while taking ‘tests’
(quizzes or exams), not when you eliminate them.
Every day presents ‘tests’…from learning
right from wrong, to making the ‘big’ work presentation, to the ‘new’ sport we take
on. Any of these important learning experiences prepares one for life….well
beyond the classroom.
2. Teachers are smart:
We educate and hire the best teachers and now we want to dictate if they give
tests and if they do, how many and how they will be graded/valued. This is a clear sign of suffocating out
teachers with nonsensical rules, regulations, and requirements. When do our kids’ teachers get to use their
education and experience? Why not hire robots? Each teacher must be provided the
proper tools, content, and goals – but in no way should we (parents/MCPS/State)
dictate how and when they deliver, utilize, and expose these tests to our
children. Customizing to the classroom
needs and topic must not be eliminated! English teachers might want quizzes per book
while science teachers might want a mid and final exam due to accumulative
knowledge learning. All topics and
classrooms are different…and dictating one system is a flawed idea. If you believe the commercially driven PARCC
test is bringing this issue to light, then lobby the State, don’t micromanage
our teachers.
It is time MCPS stops
this madness! (Montgomery County Public Schools "MCPS")
Parents need to make their opinions known since MCPS’ recent
decisions are making our kids their Guinea Pigs:
1. Students
are the Guinea Pigs for Google and
Pearson when MCPS rolled out chrome notebooks with a lack of sustaining funds
and a vision of ‘what success looks like’ by adding this new teaching tool.
2. Students
are Guinea Pigs when MCPS changed the
start times for the entire county.
3. Students
are Guinea Pigs when the State and
MCPS rolls out a commercial version of the assessment testing without piloting
and teaching students how to type (since typing skills are critical for an
online test)
4. Students
are Guinea Pigs when MCPS wants to
eliminate or micromanage the exams within the classroom, without regard to the
teacher and subject matter.
Stop the madness!
MCPS has put forth four
options in response to the ‘get-rid-of-test’ lobbying. Take two minutes and make a difference before OCTOBER 19!
Posting September 18
, 2015
Many of you have
commented and followed the PARCC testing issue over the past year, nationwide.
As a result, a group of Montgomery County parents lobbied the Board of Ed
last year to take a look at final exams and perhaps eliminate them, primary b/c
of the time dedicated to the PARCC testing. Consequently, a group of
parents, staff, and community reps have been tasked with the job of looking
into testing in middle and high school.....which is just around the corner for
us!
As some background,
which is not easily condensed, final grades in some classes of middle school
students need a final exam in order to get credit in HS for the class.
These exams are 1-2 hours.
On a related note, how
schools/MCPS weighs the exam seems to be worth noting. Today, the final
grade is not the result of the 4 quarters, averaging them out. Instead,
in some cases, the 2nd marking period might be weighed more or the final might
be given a % like 25% of the total grade.
Some discussions are
focused on replacing exams with projects, nixing the final exam weight, and a
new formula to include the final exam.
While you might not
have time to participate at your school as much as you would like, here is an
opportunity to help your child - who is headed to middle school shortly, right
from your desk. Take this brief survey BEFORE the Board of Ed makes 'A
DECISION' that will directly impact your child.
The survey link: http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/sharedaccountability/policy-feedback.aspx.
DEADLINE FOR Online
Feedback – October 19, 2015
Board of Education
Action – November 10, 2015
Monday, September 28, 2015
Montgomery County DOT says "Pimp your school child for a chance to win"
Yes, this is real. For a chance to win a $50 Chipotle gift card, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation wants MCPS students to post a photo of themselves walking to school.
Point your child to this web site to enter (if you're stupid enough):
Point your child to this web site to enter (if you're stupid enough):
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-PedSafety/SRTS/school_contest.html
We want to see how you walk to school! Do you walk with a friend? Do you smile while you walk? Do you take a particular path? Show us with a photo and you could win a $50 Chipotle gift card.
Today: Council to Review MCPS Financial Report, Moving Cash Around and $2 Million for Chromebooks #found$$$ #notforteachers #slushfund
September 28, 2015
Montgomery County Council Education Committee9:30 AM- Room 3CCR at Montgomery County Council building
State Board of Ed to Decide Cell Tower Constroversy
Watch WBAL's coverage of the Maryland State Board of Education meeting at the link below.
http://www.wbaltv.com/news/group-wants-cell-towers-gone/35420012?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=wbaltv11
Friday, September 25, 2015
Lower test scores for students who use computers often in school, 31-country study finds
For those of us who worry that Google might be making us stupid, and that, perhaps, technology and education don’t mix well, here’s a new study to confirm that anxiety.
“Those that use the Internet every day do the worst,” said Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director for Education and Skills, and author of “Students, Computers and Learning: Making the Connection,” the OECD’s first report to look at the digital skills of students around the world. The study controlled for income and race; between two similar students, the one who used computers more, generally scored worse.*...
http://hechingerreport.org/lower-test-scores-for-students-who-use-computers-frequently-in-school-31-country-study-finds/
All the women claim administrators turned a blind eye to numerous complaints of abuse by students and teachers ... over a six-year period, and did nothing.
MORAGA, California -- A
fifth alleged victim of former Moraga middle school teacher Daniel
Witters has filed a claim against the small East Bay school district in a
sex abuse scandal that has already resulted in legal settlements
totaling more than $18 million.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_28859431/moraga-fifth-former-student-files-claim-district-sex
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Breaking: State BOE Rules County Does Not Have to Pay MCPS $1.4 Million
The Maryland State Board of Education has just released their decision in the appeal of the MSDE determination that Montgomery County had underfunded MCPS for this fiscal year.
WPost: These kids were geniuses — they were just too poor for anyone to discover them
The result was an atlas of inequality.
“All of them were scattered in the suburbs and in the wealthier communities, where parents were more involved in education,” recalls Park, who oversaw the county’s gifted students program. “The map was virtually void in other areas."
Park's map helped convince board members for the school district, which serves over a quarter-million children in and around Fort Lauderdale, that it needed to work much harder at identifying precocious children from all neighborhoods. In 2005, Broward began giving a short test to all students in the second grade. Those who scored well were sent off for further evaluation to determine their aptitude for the system's gifted program.
Now, newly released research by economists David Card, of the University of California at Berkeley, and Laura Giuliano, of the University of Miami, shows that Broward's initiative was, at least in its initial years, a huge success at identifying poor, minority students qualified for gifted programs. Crucially, the process laid bare the surprising — and disturbing — reasons that the school district hadn't been finding these kids in the first place...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/09/22/these-kids-were-geniuses-they-were-just-too-poor-for-anyone-to-discover-them/?tid=sm_fb
Floreen on MCPS Report: "That leaves $47 million in funds designed to close the gap unaccounted for. "
Councilmember Nancy Floreen writes:
...Each year, the Board of Education asks the County Council for additional funding over Maintenance of Effort to meet the needs of its increasingly diverse and low-income student enrollment. According to the OLO report, though, MCPS only allocated two-thirds of the $151 million it received in additional federal and state aid for low-income students to compensatory education programs designed to meet their learning needs. That leaves $47 million in funds designed to close the gap unaccounted for. Why should the County Council ask taxpayers to chip in more resources for closing the achievement gap when MCPS hasn’t used all the money it already has precisely for that purpose?...http://nancyfloreen.blogspot.com/2015/09/report-resources-and-staffing-among.html
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
87 of 91 tested ex-NFL players had brain disease linked to head trauma
(CNN) Eighty-seven
of 91 former NFL players who donated their brains to science after
death tested positive for a brain disease that is believed to be linked
with repeated head trauma and concussions, researchers said.
The
former players were found to have had chronic traumatic encephalopathy,
known as CTE, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and
Boston University...
Monday, September 21, 2015
Parents Take Cell Tower Fight to MD State Board of Education on Tues. Sept 22nd
 |
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Nancy S. Grasmick State Education Building
200 West Baltimore Street
–
7th Floor Board Room
Baltimore, Maryland
Oral Argument
9:25 a.m.
Colin Murphy, et al. v. Anne Arundel County Board of Education
9:25 a.m.
Colin Murphy, et al. v. Anne Arundel County Board of Education
Click here for the Proposed Decision that has been issued by an Administrative Law Judge in this matter. The Maryland State Board of Education will hear additional arguments from the parties on Tuesday and then issue their final Decision based on the Administrative Law Judge's proposed decision.
BOE has $318,581 for Commercial Lease for Classrooms while Existing School Space is Unused
 |
| 4 Choke Cherry Road, Rockville |
The BOE has decided that they can spare $318,581 each year for administrators to have spacious offices and for classrooms for training. Yes, you read that correctly. MCPS is leasing CLASSROOMS. Meanwhile, existing, paid for, rent free MCPS public school buildings are not in use by the Board of Education. An entire wing of Sligo Middle School is even unused and available! But, the MCPS budget is so flush with cash that the Board of Education has no problem spending these funds on perks for administrators.
Teachers, you still buying your own classroom supplies?
Tonight: MCPS Training in How to Prevent & React Responsibly to Child Abuse (How can they teach what they do not know?)
If you can not make it to this evenings MCPS presentation on how to prevent and react to child abuse, do not worry. The message from this presentation should be simple: DO NOT DO WHAT MCPS DOES!
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/parentacademy/workshops.aspx
"...the same old acting like a panhandler holding your hat out in the streets asking for money, how pathetic is that?” Franchot said. “Do your job.”
Franchot rebukes Kamenetz for panhandling for school air conditioning
A call by County Executive Kevin Kamenetz for more money for air conditioning for some schools was met with sharp criticism from state Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot.
Maryland’s tax collector and one-third of the board that approves funding requests for school construction and renovation funding rebuked the county executive and compared him to a beggar.
“I certainly feel very strongly that the some old tired excuses, the same old acting like a panhandler holding your hat out in the streets asking for money, how pathetic is that?” Franchot said. “Do your job.”
Kamenetz and county school officials came under heated attack from Franchot and Gov. Larry Hogan because of a lack of air conditioning in some schools.
The two-term county executive responded by saying that the county was engaged in a plan of systemic renovations to its schools, which collectively are the second oldest in the state behind Baltimore City, and said the state could help by putting its money where its mouth was.
“If the state gives us more money then I am sure we can reduce the number of schools without air conditioning more quickly,” Kamenetz said. “This year we got less under Governor Hogan than the years under Governor O’Malley.”
For his part, Kamenetz is dismissive of Franchot’s remarks.
“He does this to tweak me,” Kamenetz said on the Midday with Dan Rodricks show on WYPR. “It’s ok, it’s what he does.”
Kamenetz went on to call Franchot’s solution of purchasing window air conditioning units a “band-aid” approach.
“Some people like to lead by grandstanding,” Kamenetz said on the radio program. “Others lead by example and I think our position in Baltimore County is to lead by example.”
Hogan Wednesday said he would call on Kamenetz to appear before the board, possibly as early as Oct. 7, to answer questions about the lack of air conditioning in some schools. The governor said the state could play hardball with the county and threatened school construction funding.
“The fact that they can’t get the air conditioning situation straight is really unacceptable,” Hogan told WMAR television. “If we have to cut off funding, if we have to play hardball, we’re going to make sure that Baltimore County takes the steps that’s necessary.”
http://thedailyrecord.com/2015/09/18/franchot-panhandling-kamenetz-air-conditioning-schools/
Friday, September 18, 2015
Wootton HS Parent was at Party that Led to Fatal N. Potomac Crash
Source: http://on.wusa9.com/1F7655A via @wusa9
NORTH POTOMAC, Md. (WUSA9) -- A parent was present at an alcohol-fueled party in North Potomac that led to a fatal car crash in June, according to documents obtained by WUSA9.
The documents also show that the car carrying Alex Murk, Calvin Li, Sam Ellis and Cameron Siasi was also traveling at least more than 30 miles above the speed limit before the crash.
The four were leaving a house party on June 25 on Dufief Mill Road in North Potomac when their car, driven by Ellis, flew into a fence, hit a tree and landed upside down in a nearby yard. Murk and Li, both riding in the back seat, were killed in the accident. Ellis and Siasi, who was the front-seat passenger, both suffered serious injuries.
The documents show that Ellis was driving at a minimum speed of 65 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone. In an interview with investigators, Siasi said he saw the speedometer at 105 miles per hour and said "Sam’s eyes widened" and "Calvin let out a faint scream."
. . .
In their investigation, police encountered difficulties getting community members to provide any information. Police had to subpoena more than a dozen teenagers to testify before a grand jury and sources say as many of three-quarters of them lawyered up. The teens agreed to provide information to police on the promise of immunity.
Yea, no final exams! Yea, no more SAT/ACT! Where are we headed with these decisions?
Many of you have commented and followed the PARCC testing issue over the past year, nationwide. As a result, a group of Montgomery County parents lobbied the Board of Ed last year to take a look at final exams and perhaps eliminate them, primary b/c of the time dedicated to the PARCC testing. Consequently, a group of parents, staff, and community reps have been tasked with the job of looking into testing in middle and high school.....which is just around the corner for us!
As some background, which is not easily condensed, final grades in some classes of middle school students need a final exam in order to get credit in HS for the class. These exams are 1-2 hours.
On a related note, how schools/MCPS weighs the exam seems to be worth noting. Today, the final grade is not the result of the 4 quarters, averaging them out. Instead, in some cases, the 2nd marking period might be weighed more or the final might be given a % like 25% of the total grade.
Some discussions are focused on replacing exams with projects, nixing the final exam weight, and a new formula to include the final exam.
While you might not have time to participate at your school as much as you would like, here is an opportunity to help your child - who is headed to middle school shortly, right from your desk. Take this brief survey BEFORE the Board of Ed makes 'A DECISION' that will directly impact your child.
DEADLINE FOR Online Feedback – October 19, 2015
Board of Education Action – November 10, 2015
Articles about this topic:
.@MCPS: When They Say "It's Our Policy"
SCHOOL SCENE • BY A.J. CAMPBELL
It is important was dealing with your child’s school that both sides are using terms that are clearly understood. When dealing with Montgomery County School Board staff it can be challenging sometimes to understand the difference between a teacher’s opinion and the school’s opinion and actual Board of Education written policy.
In recent discussions with the my daughter’s school, I found two members of staff, who were asserting their opinion,, as the official policy of MCPS. The staff, the math resource teacher and the grade level math chair, both asserted as POLICY that a student does not get promoted a math grade level.
It is important for parents to understand the difference between policy, that is set by the school board and customer, opinion or practice that the school staff might characterize as policy. When presented with “THAT’S OUR POLICY” it is important for you to understand the difference.
If it is a school level policy, then there maybe other alternatives that you might want to talk to Rockville HQ about. As different schools might have different practices that they also characterize as POLICY.
If you are interested in the official polices of MCPS, they are published on the document sites of the Montgomery County Board of Education. Click on menu button “Policies.” Policy documents have a number assigned to them.
Don’t be afraid, to politely ask for a copy of the policy that the school staff is referring to. They may not know the number off the top of their heads, but should be able to point you to a MCPS department office in Rockville, MD who will know it. Or you can look it up yourself.
When I asked them for a copy of the policy, they immediately back-peddled, saying it wasn’t policy but their experience that it was better for the kids. They refused to speak to me further on the mater and referred me to the someone at their office who told me flat out that there was not a POLICY per se but it was based on their experience that it is not recommended.
The use of the term policy shuts the door to discussion. I think of a policy as county wide and evenly applied. There is a big difference, in my mind, between” not recommended” and flat out “against policy.” The staff in these discussions were surprised that I would question whether their assertions were based on actual Board of Education policy or on options, experience or practice.
What might be true in your home school may not be practice in another. Maybe the way other schools’ approach the problem is better. Clarifying the terms makes your discussions more producing and ultimately more successful.
Article posted by permission of the author.
It is important was dealing with your child’s school that both sides are using terms that are clearly understood. When dealing with Montgomery County School Board staff it can be challenging sometimes to understand the difference between a teacher’s opinion and the school’s opinion and actual Board of Education written policy.
In recent discussions with the my daughter’s school, I found two members of staff, who were asserting their opinion,, as the official policy of MCPS. The staff, the math resource teacher and the grade level math chair, both asserted as POLICY that a student does not get promoted a math grade level.
It is important for parents to understand the difference between policy, that is set by the school board and customer, opinion or practice that the school staff might characterize as policy. When presented with “THAT’S OUR POLICY” it is important for you to understand the difference.
If it is a school level policy, then there maybe other alternatives that you might want to talk to Rockville HQ about. As different schools might have different practices that they also characterize as POLICY.
If you are interested in the official polices of MCPS, they are published on the document sites of the Montgomery County Board of Education. Click on menu button “Policies.” Policy documents have a number assigned to them.
Don’t be afraid, to politely ask for a copy of the policy that the school staff is referring to. They may not know the number off the top of their heads, but should be able to point you to a MCPS department office in Rockville, MD who will know it. Or you can look it up yourself.
When I asked them for a copy of the policy, they immediately back-peddled, saying it wasn’t policy but their experience that it was better for the kids. They refused to speak to me further on the mater and referred me to the someone at their office who told me flat out that there was not a POLICY per se but it was based on their experience that it is not recommended.
The use of the term policy shuts the door to discussion. I think of a policy as county wide and evenly applied. There is a big difference, in my mind, between” not recommended” and flat out “against policy.” The staff in these discussions were surprised that I would question whether their assertions were based on actual Board of Education policy or on options, experience or practice.
What might be true in your home school may not be practice in another. Maybe the way other schools’ approach the problem is better. Clarifying the terms makes your discussions more producing and ultimately more successful.
Article posted by permission of the author.
MCPS - Still Ripping Off Students, Now with the Chromebook Excuse
Once again we remind Montgomery County Public Schools and the Board of Education that the Maryland Constitution guarantees ALL children a FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION.
Let's make this really simple: If the CURRICULUM requires headphones, they are to be SUPPLIED for FREE by the public school system.
For College Gardens Elementary School students that means you do not have to pay $3 for headphones and you do not need to bring them from home. If you need them for your classes, MCPS will be supplying them to you as part of their $2.4 BILLION dollar operating budget. That's what those billions of dollars are for, that is Maryland law.
In this specific example below, not only is College Gardens ES charging students for something that should be supplied for free, but College Gardens is overcharging students ($3.00) what MCPS is paying for these headphones ($2.75). That's a rip off on top of a rip off with no accounting for where the extra funds are going.
For readers that wonder why we track the expense accounts of administrators, here's why!
How many headphones did Board of Education members "party" away last year? 2,398
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let's make this really simple: If the CURRICULUM requires headphones, they are to be SUPPLIED for FREE by the public school system.
In this specific example below, not only is College Gardens ES charging students for something that should be supplied for free, but College Gardens is overcharging students ($3.00) what MCPS is paying for these headphones ($2.75). That's a rip off on top of a rip off with no accounting for where the extra funds are going.
For readers that wonder why we track the expense accounts of administrators, here's why!
How many headphones did Board of Education members "party" away last year? 2,398
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January
28, 2015
Dear
Parents/Guardians,
College
Gardens has received chrome books for all students in grades 3 and 5.
These are in addition to the 90 chrome books purchased by the PTA.
With the use of the chrome books, students will need headphones.
Students may bring
their own from home or purchase KOSS headphones from the school for
$3.00.
The
chrome books are used in the classrooms to enhance creativity and
collaboration in the classroom. All students will have access to a
Google Apps for Education account. These accounts are secure to the
learning environment and staff members are able to access their
accounts. The staff and student accounts enable document sharing,
collaborative work, and assessment opportunities in this cloud-based
platform. For MCPS, participating students and staff are assigned an
“@mcpsmd.net” G-mail like account. With this e-mail account
students only have access to w-mail with people inside the MCPS
system. Student progress and engagement will be monitored via a
learning management system integrated into the platform that allows
teachers to send information to students, offer real-time feedback,
and monitor progress on activities.
As
an added precaution to safeguard students, MCPS has enabled a feature
of Google Search called “Safe Search” within our Google Apps
domain. With “Safe Search” enabled, sexually explicit video and
images are filtered from Google Search result pages, along with
results that might link to explicit content when logged into their
account. In essence, students’ internet searches are safer and
more secure than if they were not using their accounts to conduct the
same searches.
If
you have questions or want additional information on the MCPS
initiative to bring chrome books into the schools, please contact the
Office of the Chief Technology Officer at 301-279-3581, or if you
have questions regarding the use of chrome books at College Gardens
you may contact me at 301-279-8470.
Sincerely,
Stacey
Rogovoy
Principal
SR:cb
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Parks' fake grass can reach a scorching 162 degrees
It's like walking on hot coals.
Artificial turf installed in city fields can heat up to a blistering 162 degrees even on a mild summer day, a Daily News investigation has found.
"My feet are burning! I had to dump cold water on my shoes just to walk around," Yannick Pena, 9, complained to his mom on a recent visit to Macombs Dam Park in the Bronx, where The News found the turf hit temperatures of 145 to 160 degrees on an 80-degree day.
At Staten Island's Greenbelt Recreation Center, where turf temperatures reached 149, park regular Diana Stentella, 58, wondered how kids survived the heat.
"When they play soccer here, do they have an ambulance to take the kids away?" Stentella said. "On a hot, humid day you would faint out here."
Over two mildly warm days last month, The News took surface temperature readings at five synthetic fields across the city accompanied by NYC Park Advocates, a group that has been critical of the fake grass.
At all five, temperatures at the synthetic fields soared roughly twice as high as at nearby natural grass ones, from a low of 144 degrees at the Greenbelt Recreation Center on Staten Island to a scorching 162 at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens.
"It's sadistic that the city is installing a product which gets so hot and is actually expecting the public to play on it," said NYC Park Advocates President Geoffrey Croft...
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/parks-fake-grass-reach-scorching-162-degrees-article-1.347132
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Special Education Staffers In Harford County School Accused Of Abusive Practices
A Maryland nonprofit law center says staffers at a Harford County special education program abused elementary school children by spraying them with water bottles and penning them in with furniture.
In a report obtained by the Baltimore Sun, the Maryland Disability Law Center also found that staffers at Bel Air's Hickory Elementary School used a rolling pin as a noisemaker, despite the fact that autistic students can have adverse reactions to loud noises.
The nonprofit agency is designated by the state to independently investigate such allegations involving people with disabilities.
In its written response to the report, the district pledged to offer services to provide more training and professional development for staff.
Harford County officials declined to comment on any disciplinary actions levied against the school's staffers.
Leslie Margolis, attorney at The Maryland Disability Law Center, spoke with Mary Beth Marsden about the case. Listen below:
http://www.wbal.com/article/121817/3/special-education-staffers-in-harford-county-school-accused-of-abusive-practices
Governor: Baltimore County must account for un-air conditioned schools
The governor called the situation "absolutely disgraceful and unacceptable" and said "there's no excuse" that the county had still not installed air conditioning in more than four dozen in schools.
The pair said during Wednesday's Board of Public Works meeting that Baltimore County Schools Superintendent Dallas Dance and Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenentz need to be called to account.
The demand for a public explanation on why so many classrooms still lack proper cooling follows years of complaints from teachers and students. Already in this new school year, Baltimore County schools has three times shortened the school day or canceled after school activities to keep students out of the heat.
Fifty-two schools in the district - about 30 percent - lack air conditioning. While county officials say they have a plan to install it in nearly all those schools within the next six years, Franchot and Hogan say it should have been done already.
Franchot pointed out the county collected $27 million in state funds for school improvements over the past six years, and said the county could have chosen to spend that money on air conditioning.
"Clearly, it's not a question of resources," Franchot said. "It's a question of leadership, management and priorities ... They seem completely disinterested in dealing with this problem."...
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/bal-hogan-franchot-demand-explanation-on-sweltering-classrooms-20150916-story.html
Facing the Screen Dilemma: Young Children, Technology and Early Education | Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood
Did you know: that on any given day, 64% of babies
between 1 and 2 watch TV and videos for an average of slightly over 2
hours; that in 2011 there were 3 million downloads just of Fisher Price
apps for infants and toddlers; that estimates of how much time
preschoolers spend on average with screen media range from at least 2.2
hours to as much as 4.6 hours per day?...
Facing the Screen Dilemma: Young Children, Technology and Early Education | Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood
Facing the Screen Dilemma: Young Children, Technology and Early Education | Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Rock Spring and White Flint II Master Plan Meeting Sept 17
This is a reminder about the September 17 meeting at WJHS for the Rock Spring and White Flint 2 master plan efforts. The Planning Department staff and staff from MCPS will spend the first part of the meeting describing how their agencies address schools in the planning process. They will then take comments for thirty minutes before transitioning to smaller table discussions as show below:
I. Welcome and Introductions (Casey Anderson, Roger Berliner)- 10 minutes
II. Purpose of Tonight’s Meeting (Gwen Wright, Glenn Kreger)-5 minutes
III. Comprehensive (Master) Planning (Nkosi Yearwood)- 10 minutes
IV. School Facility Planning (Bruce Crispell)- 20 minutes
V. APFO and the Regulatory Environment (Pam Dunn)- 15 minutes
VI. Comment Period-30 minutes
VII. Individual Conversations with Staff @ 4 tables- 30 minutes
∙ Rock Spring (Don Zeigler, Nancy Sturgeon)
∙ White Flint 2 (Nkosi Yearwood, Andrea Gilles)
∙ MCPS (Bruce Crispell)
∙ APFO/Regulatory (Pam Dunn)
VIII. Wrap-Up/Next Steps (Glenn Kreger)- 5 minutes
The Planning staff is well aware of how important this issue is to the community. That’s why we have begun the schools discussion early in the Rock Spring and White Flint 2 master plan efforts. Some in the community are already familiar with the process and have been actively engaged. Other community members are not, however, and it is important for everyone to have a basic understanding of the process in order to provide effective input. We hope that all attendees will be patient while we try to explain the process.
Andrea Gilles
Area 2 Planning Division
Montgomery County Planning Department
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
8787 Georgia Avenue │Silver Spring, MD 20910
Direct: 301.495.4541│Web: www.montgomeryplanning.org
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