Anne Arundel Co. Public Schools: most elementary schools will start at 8:00 a.m., middle schools will start at 9:15 a.m., and high schools will start at 8:30 a.m.

 https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/anne-arundel-co-schools-shares-preliminary-start-times-for-2022-23-school-year?fbclid=IwAR2iV9ff-b1MB0yq4tlQzYa1dNR-MDaM1lHSCWc8_elQSwa78WY_6Gpdu54

Montgomery Co. Board of Education to Discuss Virtual Learning on Snow Dates in CLOSED Session while Anne Arundel Co. Discusses in OPEN Session.

Montgomery County Board of Education Closed Session for February 1, 2022 to discuss Virtual Learning on Snow Days.

 https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/CB4SXK74A6A6/$file/220201%20Resolution%20for%20Todays%20Closed%20Session.pdf

Meanwhile in Anne Arundel County their Board of Education will be discussing the same topic in an Open Session with an opportunity for Public Comment.

https://www.aacps.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=24362&dataid=91434&FileName=Agenda%2002-02-22.pdf

PRESS RELEASE from Anne Arundel County Board of Education: 

Anne Arundel County Public School: Board To Receive Presentation On AACPS' Virtual Learning Plan For Inclement Weather Days

Anne Arundel County School Board Will Not Renew Arlotto’s Contract [@mcps Former Wheaton High School Principal]

Superintendent George Arlotto today announced he will leave Anne Arundel County Public Schools when his contract expires at the end of June.

In a letter to AACPS employees, families, and the community at large, Dr. Arlotto said although he would have preferred to remain as Superintendent, the Board of Education has informed him it will not offer a third contract...

...Dr. Arlotto arrived in AACPS in 2006 after teaching and serving as a high school administrator in Virginia, the District of Columbia Public Schools, and Montgomery County Public Schools. As a member of the superintendent’s senior and executive staffs from 2006 through June 2014, Dr. Arlotto held roles as Director of High Schools; Chief School Performance Officer; Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction & School Performance; Associate Superintendent; and Chief of Staff...

https://www.eyeonannapolis.net/2021/12/anne-arundel-county-school-board-will-not-renew-arlottos-contract/?fbclid=IwAR2RYjlfy0LyfGXefEtVGgS2pO_0DdvbozDVgM6D5Nlx79pZGRJpUKWsLcg

Classes To Start Later In Day Beginning Next Year In Anne Arundel

 

School start times were pushed back in Anne Arundel County. Classes will start later in the morning beginning next fall.

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Classes will start later in the morning beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, the Anne Arundel County Board of Education announced Thursday. Officials think this will create healthier start times for students when the policy takes effect next fall. Classes will then start:

• between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. in elementary schools
• between 8:30 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. in middle schools
• at 8:30 a.m. in high schools

Dismissal times will also get pushed back. Exact school hours won't be known for several months.

"This has been years in the making," school board President Melissa Ellis said in a press release. "There is more work to be done between now and then, but the certainty is that change is coming."

The board of education in March contracted Prismatic Services, Inc. to study school start times and the effects of a potential shift on bus schedules...

https://patch.com/maryland/annapolis/classes-start-later-day-beginning-next-year-anne-arundel?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_term=schools&utm_campaign=autopost&utm_content=annapolis&fbclid=IwAR14pkBC_JtOVr_HZGioAHoeQmMhYd2cpElP1t3lL72Gwq78EBwViBc7YPo

Anne Arundel offers to find alternatives to disputed cell tower site at Shady Side Elementary

Anne Arundel County has offered to look for alternatives sites for a cell phone tower proposed at Shady Side Elementary School that has divided the community and angered school board members.

County Executive Steuart Pittman said his administration would look for other locations that would both address the need for better cell service on the isolated Shady Side peninsula while addressing parents’ concerns about a cell tower on the school property, said Michelle Corkadel, president of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education...

https://www.capitalgazette.com/education/ac-cn-transportation-report-20200108-urm2ol73fnd5ri5vnuocajssji-story.html

Anne Arundel Administrator Blocks Parents from PTO Meetings To Talk about Cell Tower Proposal at Elementary School #freespeech #ACLU

From: "Bibeault, Raymond E" <RBIBEAULT@AACPS.org>
Date: October 1, 2017 at 7:40:22 PM EDT
To: Parent
Cc: "Casey, Geoffrey R" <GRCASEY@AACPS.org>
Subject: RE: Cell Tower at Shady Side Elementary School

Dear Ms. M

Both the PTO and the school administration are not in positions to change the course of the proposed cell tower.  The BOE made a decision to allow the company to work with AACO officials in zoning, permits, etc. to weigh in on the construction.  This is where your concerns and those of others on either side can express their opinions.  The school must stay out of this as it is an agent of the BOE and represents the interest of the community; those who want the tower and those who do not.

The PTO meeting is not the avenue to express concerns, it is now with county officials.  Those wishing to come to a PTO meeting to discuss the cell tower from either side of the argument will not be given an audience for this. 

The willingness of community members to volunteer and support the school should not obligate Mr. Casey or the PTO to entertaining the continued distractions of the cell tower debate.  I appreciate the emotionality of this issue but I will continue to support the school’s decision to not enter into this discussion and to remove those from the school who choose to try to change the conversation at PTO or other meetings away from issue controlled by the school.

Thank you for your email and understanding.

Raymond E. Bibeault

Regional Assistant Superintendent

Meade/Southern Clusters

For additional information on this incident:
 http://nocelltoweratpgcpsschools.blogspot.com/2017/10/elementary-school-parent-blocked-from.html

Exclusive Video: Parents Appeal Cell Tower on School Playground to MD State Board of Education

Exclusive video of the September 22, 2015  of the

MEETING OF THE MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

This video clip shows the oral argument of parents appealing the decision of their Board of Education to build a cell tower on their local public school's playground.  

Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Nancy S. Grasmick State Education Building
200 West Baltimore Street
7th Floor Board Room
Baltimore, Maryland

Oral Argument
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 heard additional arguments from the parties and then will issue their final Decision based on the Administrative Law Judge's proposed decision.

Parents Take Cell Tower Fight to MD State Board of Education on Tues. Sept 22nd

MEETING OF THE MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

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

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.

Directions and parking information at this link.

Breaking: Parents File for Circuit Court Injunction to STOP Cell Tower on Playground .@MABE_News .@milestonecomm .@AACountySchools .@mocoboe .@pgcps

Case Information

Court System:	Circuit Court For Anne Arundel County - Civil
Location:	Anne Arundel Circuit Court
Case Number:	C-02-CV-15-002363
Title:	Colin Murphy Et. Al. vs. Anne Arundel County Board of Education
Case Type:	Injunction
Filing Date:	07/28/2015
Case Status:	Open

---

Involved Parties Information

Plaintiff

Name:

Murphy Et. Al., Colin

Address:
City:

Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff

Name:	O'Kane, Jessica
Address Line 1:
City:

---

Defendant

Name:

Anne Arundel County Board of Education

Address:	C/o P. Tyson Bennett
	888 Bestgate Road, Suite 316
City:	AnnapolisState:MDZip Code:21401

---

---

---

---

Document Information

File Date:	07/28/2015Close Date:
Filed By:
Document Name:	Complaint / Petition
Comment:	Complaint for Temporary Restraining Order and/or Preliminary Injunction and Permanent Injunction

---

File Date:	07/28/2015Close Date:
Filed By:
Document Name:	Supporting Exhibits
Comment:	(Photographs)

---

File Date:	07/28/2015Close Date:
Filed By:
Document Name:	Supporting Exhibits
Comment:	(Proposed Decision)

---

File Date:	07/28/2015Close Date:
Filed By:
Document Name:	Case Information Report Filed
Comment:

---

File Date:	07/28/2015Close Date:
Filed By:
Document Name:	Attorney Appearance - No Fee
Comment:

Breaking: Judge says that cell towers do not fall in line with Maryland's educational code #milestone .@MABE_News .@milestonecomm .@AACountySchools .@mocoboe .@pgcps

Parents hoping the Maryland Board of Education will permanently halt construction of a cell phone tower in Arnold when it meets this fall are asking an Anne Arundel County judge to stop the work before it can be completed.
Construction on the tower at Magothy and Severn River middle schools is on target to wrap up in early August, more than a month before the state board will consider a preliminary opinion that cell phone towers on school grounds do not meet the state's educational code. The two schools are on the same property on Peninsula Farm Road.

Crews are currently using a crane to put up the tower.
Schools spokesman Bob Mosier said the timeline is to have the project completed by the week of Aug. 10.
Last year, a group of Arnold parents aligned with a state group opposed to putting cell phone towers on school property, filed an appeal with the state board to protest a cell phone tower planned at the middle schools.
Vanessa Haneberg of Arnold said she joined the appeal because she was concerned about many of the same things parents have been concerned with across the county: marring the landscape, property values and safety.
"We couldn't afford a lawyer," she said. "It's a matter of David and Goliath."
The appeal went to Maryland's Office of Administrative Hearings, where Judge Stephen Nichols said that the towers do not fall in line with Maryland's educational code to use schools for the benefit of the public school system...

 http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/schools/ph-ac-cn-cell-towers-0731-20150731-story.html#

Breaking: AA BOE Defies State Board - Builds Cell Tower Before Appeal Decision Released

Make no mistake about it.  Your children do not matter in Maryland. 

Maryland public schools can and will defy even the Maryland State Board of Education in their quest to appease private corporations.  What are the school administrators getting out of this? Please ask them.

Parents from Anne Arundel County appealed the decision of the Anne Arundel Board of Education to build a cell tower on the Magothy River Middle School playground to the Maryland State Board of Education.  The parties brought their case to an Adminstrative Law Judge, as directed by the Maryland State Board of Education, and the judge's decision has been transmitted to the Maryland State Board of Education.

And, guess what?  The parents have a very good chance of winning their appeal!  Yet, the Anne Arundel County Board of Education is permitting the construction of this cell tower to proceed before the Maryland State Board of Education releases their decision.  

The cell tower will be up in a few days and the parents who have played by the rules and followed the appropriate administrative procedure will be steamrolled.  The cell tower will be up.

What's the lesson here for our children?  Cheat, lie and scam the people you serve.  Get away with anything you can when you are a public school administrator or Board of Education member.  We look forward to seeing our children carry this lesson from their role models with them out into the world. This is what we want in young adults, right?

The pictures below were taken today, July 23, 2015, and show the construction of a cell tower on the Magothy River Middle School playground despite the fact that the Anne Arundel Board of Education knows that the decision to build this cell tower has been appealed to the Maryland State Board of Education, that the parents have a high likelihood of prevailing, and that the Maryland State Board of Education has not released their final Opinion.  

Today: Support House Bill 727 - Moratorium on Public School Playground Cell Towers

House Bill 727 only puts forward a moratorium on public school playground cell tower construction projects in one county, Anne Arundel, and only for one year.

However, HB 727 sends the message that the issue of commercial companies constructing HAZMAT compounds on public school playgrounds needs to be examined and evaluated before going any further.  

If you believe that Maryland public school playgrounds are for the use, education and enjoyment of public school children, and that the issue of cell towers on playgrounds needs to be studied thoroughly before any more cell towers are built, please send a note of support for House Bill 727 to the list of Maryland House Delegates shown below. 

Ask the following Delegates to please support HB727, Anne Arundel County Board of Education - Wireless Telecommunications Towers - Moratorium and Report

 sheila.hixson@house.state.md.us; frank.turner@house.state.md.us; kathy.afzali@house.state.md.us; Darryl.Barnes@house.state.md.us; Jason.Buckel@house.state.md.us; Eric.Ebersole@house.state.md.us; Diana.Fennell@house.state.md.us; Kevin.Hornberger@house.state.md.us; carolyn.howard@house.state.md.us; anne.kaiser@house.state.md.us; Bob.Long@house.state.md.us; eric.luedtke@house.state.md.us; Ric.Metzgar@house.state.md.us; Edith.Patterson@house.state.md.us; Andrew.Platt@house.state.md.us; Teresa.Reilly@house.state.md.us; Haven.Shoemaker@house.state.md.us; Meagan.Simonaire@house.state.md.us; Jimmy.Tarlau@house.state.md.us; jay.walker@house.state.md.us; mary.washington@house.state.md.us; alonzo.washington@house.state.md.us

  Sheila Hixson  sheila.hixson@house.state.md.us    (Chair)
Frank Turner  frank.turner@house.state.md.us           (Vice Chair)
Kathy Afzli  kathy.afzali@house.state.md.us
Darryl Barnes  Darryl.Barnes@house.state.md.us
Jason Buckel Jason.Buckel@house.state.md.us
Eric Ebersole  Eric.Ebersole@house.state.md.us
Diana Fennell    Diana.Fennell@house.state.md.us
Kevin Hornberger   Kevin.Hornberger@house.state.md.us
Carolyn Howard   carolyn.howard@house.state.md.us
Anne Kaiser  anne.kaiser@house.state.md.us
Robert Long  Bob.Long@house.state.md.us
Eric Luedtke  eric.luedtke@house.state.md.us
Ric Metzgar  Ric.Metzgar@house.state.md.us
Edith Patterson  Edith.Patterson@house.state.md.us
Andrew Platt  Andrew.Platt@house.state.md.us
Teresa Reilly  Teresa.Reilly@house.state.md.us
Haven Shoemaker   Haven.Shoemaker@house.state.md.us
Meagan Simonaire  Meagan.Simonaire@house.state.md.us
Jimmy Tarlau  Jimmy.Tarlau@house.state.md.us
Jay Walker   jay.walker@house.state.md.us
Mary Washington  mary.washington@house.state.md.us
Alonzo Washington  alonzo.washington@house.state.md.us

Please share and post this link on all the websites and Faceboook pages affiliated with opposition to Cell towers on public school property.

Channel 45 news coverage:

Del. Herb McMillan, R-Annapolis, pushed for a bill to suspend construction of cell towers on public school property for one year starting June 1.

http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/government/ph-ac-cn-delegation-0307-20150307,0,140164.story

Newest Thing in School Signs: 105' Cell Tower!

This is not an article in The Onion.
This is an actual proposal for a cell tower at an Anne Arundel County middle school.  The cell tower will be placed right on the street and will become the sign for the school.  Of course, the name of the school will be 100' off the ground.

 Here's what the cell tower is going to look like. The large red tower on the left of this picture is where the cell tower will be located.

See the current school sign on the right side of the picture?  Who needs that when you can have a 105' sign!








Below on the left is the cell tower company's mock up of the tower, and on the right is the overview of where the cell tower will be located at the school (cell tower location is shown in red, next to the tennis courts at the entrance).

No Documents Exist to Support Cell Tower Construction Curriculum

The Maryland Critical Area Commission has received a request to approve the construction of a cell tower on the Magothy River Middle School playground.  Magothy River Middle School is in Anne Arundel County and sits within the land that is part of the Critical Area of the Chesapeake Bay.
The Critical Area application is shown below.

The application references a cell tower construction curriculum that has been developed with the Anne Arundel Board of Education as a special circumstance that justifies the construction of this cell tower in a Critical Area of the Chesapeake Bay.  

In an attempt to verify that such a curriculum existed, we filed a Maryland Public Information Act request with the Anne Arundel County Public Schools.  The response was that AACPS "has no such curricular documents."


 ---------------------------------------------------

February 19, 2015

This email is in response to your request under the Public Information Act, Annotated Code of Maryland, General Provisions Article (GP) § 4-101, et seq., seeking information “curriculum in place in Anne Arundel Public Schools that deals with the placement, construction, maintenance, and landscaping of telecommunications towers.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools has no such curricular documents.

Pursuant to GP §4-362, in the event you disagree with any determination regarding this Maryland Public Information Act request you may seek judicial review by filing a complaint with the Circuit Court in Anne Arundel County.

Please contact me at 410-222-5312 should you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Bob Mosier

Chief Communications Officer

Anne Arundel County Public Schools

Phone: 410-222-5312

Fax: 410-222-5628

Web: www.aacps.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/aacps

Twitter: @AACountySchools

   2014 Dec 17 Magothy River Critical Area Application by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland

 

AA Board of Education Introduces Milestone Cell Tower Construction Curriculum

Breaking news from Anne Arundel County Public Schools!

The Anne Arundel County Board of Education is apparently introducing curriculum designed around the construction of a cell tower at an Anne Arundel Middle School.

At least that's what the cell tower construction application shows in the document below.

According to the Application, students at Magothy River Middle School will be able to:

• design the location of the cell tower (but, already done by engineers)
• evaluate the coverage area of the cell tower (but, already done by engineers)
• design the site mitigation and water quality initiatives (but, already done by engineers)
• learn about paving over green spaces (isn't there an online video on this?)
• decide if the cell tower should look like a tree (but, decision has already been made)
• plan the maintenance of the mitigation plantings (but, decision has already been made)

Aren't you jealous? Don't you wish your child could go to the Anne Arundel County public school and participate in a totally non-existent curriculum? 

That's right, we don't believe this curriculum actually exists, if it does the Anne Arundel Board of Education completely forgot to announce it on their cell tower Fact Sheet.  

The "How to Build a Cell Tower Curriculum" is being used to justify the construction of a cell tower in a Critical Area of the Chesapeake Bay.  The Maryland Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Commission must approve of this cell tower before it can be constructed.

Obviously, linking the construction of this cell tower to Anne Arundel Board of Education curriculum will make approval of this construction project on a public school playground on land that drains into the Chesapeake Bay a breeze!

 

   2014 Dec 17 Magothy River Critical Area Application by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland

https://www.scribd.com/doc/255113311/2014-Dec-17-Magothy-River-Critical-Area-Application

Cell Tower to be Built on Chesapeake Bay Critical Area #milestone #dougduncan

Daly Elementary School cell tower compound

The Maryland Coalition to Halt Cell Towers at Schools has learned that the Anne Arundel Board of Education's plan to build a cell tower at the Severn River/Magothy River Middle School will place the cell tower within 1,000 feet of the Mean High Water Line of tidal waters or the landward edge of tidal wetlands and all waters of and lands under the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. 

This land is governed by the Maryland Critical Area Commission for the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays and will require approval of the Commission before construction can be commenced. 

The Maryland Critical Area Commission will now spend time reviewing a construction project that the land owner hasn't even officially approved.  That' right, the land is owned by the Anne Arundel Board of Education and the Board of Education hasn't even bothered to vote on this construction project.  

Apparently the Anne Arundel Board of Education couldn't care less about what gets built on land that is in the Critical Area of the Chesapeake Bay.

MABE Cell Tower "Partner" Gives $5,000 to PG Referendum. More Cell Towers for Public Schools!

Remember that the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE) "partnered" with a Virginia Company to push for cell towers on public school playgrounds in Maryland. The company is called Milestone and has about 5 or 6 different company names, all run by the same man.

Former Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan was a spokesmodel for Milestone.  

We know that in Prince George's County the Milestone cell tower projects are being allowed to SKIP the Prince George's Special Exception process, even though the PG Regulations call for these construction projects to go through the Special Exception process. 

Now we find out that one of the numerous Milestone companies donated $5,000 to a referendum effort supported by the Prince George's County Executive, Rushern Baker.  

Contrary to the quote from the Milestone president in the Washington Times article below, the County Executive runs the Executive Branch of the PG government that INCLUDES PERMITTING and the Cell Tower review committee that violated the Maryland Open Meetings Act this year.

*************
  

Milestone Tower Limited Partnership, a company owned by Leonard Forkas, who is working on plans to install cellphone towers on county school buildings, donated $5,000.

Mr. Forkas said his support of the ballot initiative was solely based on his support for Mr. Baker.
“We like Rushern Baker. I think he’s been doing a phenomenal job for Prince George’s County,” he said, noting that the review process for cell tower site selection does not involve either the county executive or the county council.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/9/prince-georges-county-term-limit-referendum-drew-d/#ixzz3LWXYjtFu
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter

PG County Leads the Way in Protecting Public School Land from Commercial Take Overs

Daly Elementary School cell tower

Should your local public school playground be turned over to commercial businesses that have no relationship to the educational purpose of the school?

The Prince George's County Delegation has proposed a bill that seeks to address that issue.

Congratulations to the Prince George's County Delegation for standing up for public school children! Discussing how public school land is used is the first step in protecting public school land from non-educational uses. 

Public school playgrounds have been bought, paid for, and dedicated to the use of public school children. Let's respect our children and keep public school land for the purpose that it was intended.  

  http://www.princegeorgeshousedelegation.com/legislation/bill-history?local=PG%20406-15

   PG 406-15 Prince George's County Delegation by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland

Exclusive: Parents' Coalition Releases Over 200 Pages of Cell Tower Planning Documents

Daly ES cell tower

Parents have the right to know what construction projects are being planned for their child's school.

Boards of Education constantly claim that they want parents to be involved in their child's education and school. 

It's time for Maryland Boards of Education to step up and prove they want parent involvement. 

It's time for Maryland Boards of Education to make public their plans for cell towers on public school playgrounds before the construction begins.

In an effort to shine some light on the construction plans for 5 Prince George's County Public School playgrounds the Parents' Coalition obtained and is making public over 200 pages of planning documents.  Even if these documents don't relate to your local school, they are a fascinating look inside the planning that goes on for the construction of a cell tower on a public school playground. 

Has the Montgomery County Board of Education ever made any of these documents public for the 13+ cell towers they have constructed on public school land?

How about the 6 cell towers that Superintendent Joshua Starr has tried to build on public school playgrounds? Has Superintendent Starr made any of these documents public?

~~~~~~~~~~

Flowers High School , Springdale, MD:  cell tower  application

Part 1:  Pages 1-50

• Please note in this application there is NO authorization to build from the Prince George's Board of Education or PGCPS.  We did see authorization in other files, but not in this one.
• Please see page 15 of the PDF shows that Milestone Communications provided refreshments for a neighborhood event.
• Starting on page 40 of the PDF are the lists of elected officials and HOAs that were notified of this project.  The principal was notified March 31, 2014. The PTSA at this school did not find out about the upcoming construction until the middle of September.  Why did it take 6 months to let parents know about this upcoming construction project at their local public school?

https://www.scribd.com/doc/241833577/2014-Flowers-HS-Tower-Committee-Part-1

Part 2: Pages 51-100

• These pages continue with the lists of HOAs that were notified and then there are additional pages about the actual cell tower compound.

https://www.scribd.com/doc/241835827/2014-Flowers-HS-Tower-Committee-Part-2

 

Tasker Middle School, Bowie, MD

 

https://www.scribd.com/doc/241839504/2014-Tasker-Middle-School-Tower-Committee

 

Green Valley Academy, Temple Hills, MD

 

https://www.scribd.com/doc/241838953/2014-Green-Valley-Tower-Committee

 

Kenmoor Middle School, Landover, MD

 

https://www.scribd.com/doc/241838279/2014-Kenmoor-Middle-School-Tower-Committee

 

Carroll Middle School, New Carrollton, MD

 

https://www.scribd.com/doc/241838105/2014-Carroll-Middle-School-Tower-Committee