State Superintendent Search

Baltimore Sun reporter Liz Bowie is following the story of the state superintendent search, as current state superintendent Nancy Grasmick will step down on June 30th.  The state superintendent is appointed by the state Board of Education.  All 12 members of the state Board of Education have been appointed by Governor O'Malley (D).

Here are excerpts:

A number of observers say that it would be best if the next superintendent is from Maryland but that it is more important to have a great leader who is a quick study. They also listed a set of priorities that include focusing on reducing the achievement gap of students of color and low-income students, figuring out ways to be innovative within the constraints of tight economic times, working collaboratively with the teachers unions and higher education, and making science and math a priority.


Robert C. Embry, president of the Abell Foundation, said the state board will have to first decide what their agenda will be for the coming years. It may be, he said, that Marylanders are happy with the status quo and will not want to embrace a more radical agenda that might lead to a change in the often-criticized charter school law or the practice of getting rid of teachers based on seniority. "I don't know what the present school board has as its priorities. There are a lot of very controversial issues nationally," he said.


But more importantly, experts also said, the state school board should focus on the next superintendent's personality and background as much as the agenda.

and:

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller would like to see that in the next superintendent. "We need someone with a great deal of teaching experience and supervisory experience," he said, adding that the next leader also must place children first and draw authority from the assumption that student needs are behind all of their actions.

"She transcended politics. Her loyalty was always to the students," Miller said of Grasmick.

To read the full story, go here.

Cabin John: We've been Duped!

Yes, you have!

This is the message on a sign on the fence outside the construction site for the new Cabin John Middle School. Just last week this community saw that the plans for the new school had been radically changed. The community was alerted by the pouring of concrete into forms along the sidewalk. See the result below.

The school is now going to sit 12 to 14 feet above street level. At the street level a 12 to 14 foot retaining wall will hold the dirt for the school site in place. Above that will be a black metal fence 4 feet high. Total height of this wall will be 16 to 18 feet above the sidewalk.

This wasn't the plan for the site that was reviewed by the community. When did the plan change? Who approved the changes? How much will the construction of this massive retaining wall that covers much of the perimeter of this site cost? Where is the funding for this massive change in the plans for this school site coming from - the County Council or the State of Maryland?

These photographs show the huge retaining wall that is being constructed along the side of the Cabin John Middle School site that borders the Georgetown Hill Early Childhood Center. Will bungee jumping be a new activity at the pre-school?