POTOMAC, Md. (WJLA) — Farmland Child Development Center ran Potomac's Wayside Elementary after-school program in Montgomery County the past 27 years. But a new company bumped out the non-profit group when after-school care came up for bid this year: for-profit company Kids Adventures.
"I was shocked, honestly," said one father who requested anonymity with children still going to Wayside Elementary. “I couldn't believe that a provider that had a record like that was in business, let alone winning contracts.”
A Kids Adventure employee faces 50 years in prison, charged this April for allegedly assaulting and robbing a co-worker at a Takoma Park elementary school parking lot.
In a separate incident, an after-school care employee working with Kids Adventures pleaded guilty to sex crimes victimizing a 10 year old girl at another Potomac school.
Whac-A-Mole games
ReplyDeleteLetter Regarding U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Janus v. AFSCME
ReplyDeleteJune 27, 2018
Dear MCPS Employees:
Earlier today, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision in the Janus vs AFSCME case that threatens to weaken public sector unions across the country. We opposed this outcome in our friend of the court (Amicus) briefs [brief 1/ brief 2] and remain concerned that the decision has the potential to create divisions that can only make our work as educators more challenging than it already is.
That is why this must be a moment for us to come together as a school system, as educators and as union members.
We know from our own experience that strong unions, collaboratively engaged with our school system, mean better outcomes for our students. Employees have a far greater voice in how those results can be achieved as a direct result of our long-standing partnership between MCPS and MCEA, MCAAP, and SEIU Local 500. Higher compensation and excellent benefits have resulted from our collective bargaining relationships and contribute greatly to attracting and retaining a professional work force that is second to none.
Equally important, MCEA, MCAAP and SEIU Local 500 are strong and influential organizations who use that influence to contribute to the success of Montgomery County Public Schools each and every day. More than 22,000 MCPS employees make up our three unions and we are proud of our collective contributions. We want every employee to know that all of us are committed to our unions remaining strong and our collaboration and strategic partnership growing ever stronger.
Our communities depend on it, school system employees depend on it, our parents depend on it, and – most importantly – our students depend on it.
Though we might not agree with this decision, our shared commitment and our important work together will continue for years to come.
Sincerely,
Michael Durso, President, Board of Education
Jack Smith, Superintendent of Schools
Christopher Lloyd, President, Montgomery County Educators Association
James Koutsos, President, Montgomery County Association of School Administrators and Principals
Merle Cuttitta, President, Service Employees Internal Union Local 500
###
For more information contact the Public Information Office
850 Hungerford Drive, Room 137, Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: 240-740-2837 | Fax: 301-279-3221
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org | pio@mcpsmd.org | Follow us on Twitter