Jack Smith Paying Kimberly Statham $230,500 a Year to Travel the Country Recruiting Teachers, While Simultaneously Pushing Out Teachers with ADA Accomodations.

Kimberly Statham is the third highest paid administrator in MCPS with a salary of $230,500 a year.

Only Jack Smith and Monifa McKnight make more than Kimberly Statham.  Statham's full-time job is to travel the Country recruiting high-quality teachers.  

MCPS Superintendent Jack Smith's Central Office Reorganization:  ...Data show the number of students entering teacher preparation programs has shrunk significantly over the last decade, which makes it harder for our school district to ensure each classroom has a high-quality teacher. Dr. Kimberly Statham, after seven years leading the Office of School Support and Improvement, has stepped forward to take on a new role leading this critical work for our system. As the higher education workforce liaison, Dr. Statham will use her experience leading large school systems on both coasts to visit colleges, develop strong relationships, and recruit the best and brightest students for our teacher workforce. Reporting directly to the deputy superintendent, Dr. Statham will focus on establishing relationships with colleges and universities so that, over time, MCPS will have a pipeline of high-quality teaching candidates that will serve us now and into the future. I thank Dr. Statham for taking on this work.

https://news.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/staff-bulletin/new-administrative-appointments-and-vision-for-the-future-of-mcps/

Meanwhile, back in MCPS, Superintendent Jack Smith is unable to find a way to keep a high-quality teacher on the payroll.  

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/education/mcps-teacher-quits-covid-fears/65-51687765-8c1a-4d2f-9f58-136843355eb9

Montgomery County school teacher quitting over COVID-19 fears [Are teachers easily replaced? No teacher shortage??] @BFESPotomac @mcps @mocoboe #ADA

...Johnson is among nearly 3,000 MCPS teachers who qualified for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, MCPS is not allowing Johnson to continue to telework citing the "essential functions" of her position...

Gazette Letter: County, state, feds engage in wasteful spending

We are told that the federal government is $14-plus trillion in debt, and that the state of Maryland has a shortfall of close to $1 billion. One would think that with such money problems, the governments would be prudent and not waste money, at least not until they are once more on a solid footing. Yet, the extreme waste I see in one small area is enough to make one give up on "good government." 

Beverly Farms Elementary School on Post Oak Drive in the Potomac area has been leveled to the ground. At the same time, Herbert Hoover Middle School is in the process of being demolished. But, both buildings [are] substantial. They are constructed of brick, are well built, and can last another hundred years. I do not know how many other sturdy structures are being torn down to make jobs. Such destruction is almost criminal since the existing structures are solid and can be modified if need be. 

What has probably occurred is that under the plan to create jobs with federal money, that is, money borrowed from foreign countries, make-work projects are undertaken. How can Maryland turn down free money even if it is wasted and frittered away on worthless projects?Similarly, I see that everywhere in at least Montgomery County, serviceable concrete curbs are being ripped out and replaced — at great cost to the taxpayers. Check out the miles of Veirs Mill Road’s curbs that are being destroyed, The County Council says that curbs must comply with disability laws. But these curbs on the highway divider strips are not used by anyone, and there is nothing wrong with them. This may be an example of political payoffs. It is almost like hiring men to dig holes and others to fill them. Have politicians lost all regard for the taxpayers? They will certainly raise our taxes to pay for all this. 

Murray Katz, Silver Spring

Beverly Farms Elementary School at Planning Board

Images show the plans for the forest around
Beverly Farms Elementary School and the
3 RETAINING WALLS planned for this site!








EXCERPTS OF PLANNING BOARD AGENDA FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2011
...

3  -  POTOMAC, Beverly Farms Elementary School Modernization  -  review 
Preliminary Forest Conservation Plan and Mandatory Referral for school 
modernization in R-90 Zone at 8501 Postoak Rd.
...

* Ex parte communication on these items is prohibited with any member of the 
Planning Board. Inquiries or communications will instead be redirected to the 
appropriate staff person.
__________________
Unless otherwise noted, public testimony allowed on individual items (except 
briefings and discussions).

Listen to live audio feed or view live video feed of Planning Board sessions 
over the internet with link on their website.  The Planning Board Viewer works 
best with use of Microsoft's Silverlight free plug-in.  Information on 
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To view entire Planning Board agenda, go to www.montgomeryplanningboard.org --in 
menu on left side of screen, click on "agenda".  The Board's agenda is now 
posted as an HTML document, which does not require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.

Sign up online to testify on an item before the Planning Board, up to 10 days 
prior to the hearing, by going to http://www.montgomeryapps.org:80/planning_board/testify.asp 
, or call 301-495-4600 before 4:00 p.m. the day before the meeting.  On the day 
of the meeting, see the clerk in the auditorium to sign up.

NOTE--CHANGED PROCEDURES: Written comments must be received in the Chair's 
office at least 24 hours in advance of the hearing date (referencing the hearing 
date and item) to be reviewed by the Board and included in the official record 
of the hearing.  Written comments received within 24 hours before a hearing will 
be placed in the file, but will not be considered by the Board or included in 
the official record.  Copies of testimony presented orally or copies of 
correspondence will not be distributed at the hearing.

Staff reports for upcoming agenda items are posted online--ten days prior to 
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_____________________
-Excerpts compiled and distributed by Jim Humphrey