Walter Johnson High School Charging Students $71 to Attend Free Public School Graduation. FYI: There are no fees to attend MCPS graduations.

The Maryland legislature and the Montgomery County Board of Education have not authorized the charging of any fees for attendance at MCPS graduations.  There are no legal senior dues or fees to attend Montgomery County Public Schools.  That fact becomes clear when a comparison of high schools shows that some MCPS high schools don't have any senior dues or graduation fees. 

As the Parents' Coalition has shown over the years, Kennedy High School students are charged the highest "senior dues." 

If any Montgomery County Board of Education members would like to explain why Kennedy High School students have been targeted for these illegal fees, we would be happy to post their explanation.

wj-senior-letter---class-of-2023.pdf (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)

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

PCMC Exclusive: Firm hired by MCPS to perform equity study pays their two executives six-figure salaries while apparently paying most other employees minimum wage

Montgomery Community Media is reporting that MCPS has hired Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium of Bethesda, also known as MAEC, Inc. to perform an "anti-racist audit."

https://www.mymcmedia.org/board-of-education-hires-firm-to-conduct-anti-racist-audit/

Susan Shaffer
$185,000 + $51,000 extras

According to their most recent IRS form 990 on file, MAEC Executive Officers Susan Shaffer and Maria Del Rosairo Basterra were paid annual salaries of $185,000 and $130,000, respectively, a total of $315,000.  They each received additional compensation of about $51,000 and $13,000, respectively. 

Maria Basterra
$130,000 + $13,000 extras

The IRS 990 also reveals that MAEC paid $1,102,000 to their 35 employees. After subtracting the $315,000 paid to the executive officers, that leaves $787,000 for the remaining 33 employees. 

This works out to average pay of $23,848 per year for each of the remaining 33 employees.  It's possible that some of the 33 employees were employed only part of the year, in which case the average pay would be higher, but it would still likely be well below a living wage.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY RANKS LOW IN EQUITY AMONG MARYLAND SCHOOL DISTRICTS

https://www.mymcmedia.org/montgomery-county-ranks-low-in-equity-among-maryland-school-districts/?fbclid=IwAR26tEID0t6R7kod_XkdzPkpVghtQwa6F0u6DgqSf1iiqgHUz1E5QMJSKGg

WTOP Exclusive: ‘They don’t care’ — Rodents, crowding, maintenance problems in a Montgomery County school

One of the elementary schools with one of the highest minority populations in Maryland’s Montgomery County has been plagued with overcrowding, collapsing ceilings, overheating and other problems for years, say parents, activists and educators. One teacher shared video of vermin running around her classroom at night. And scheduled fixes, already years off, have been postponed.

In this story only on WTOP, those problems have some parents claiming race is involved. At the same time, county officials, including a Black council member, deny the charge and say help is on the way, and the president of the PTA recently said, “I don’t believe anything they actually have to say.”

At South Lake Elementary School, on Contour Road in Gaithersburg, the students are more than 90% either Black or Latino. More than 90% have received free meals through the county’s FARMS program...

...LaDuca also described dead mice on the classroom floor, along with rodent droppings in student lunch bins and torn-up shreds of school materials.

Dr. Barton Behravesh, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said a rodent infestation is “definitely a concern for children’s health and something that needs to be addressed.” He added, “Any school that has a rodent problem of any level should take that seriously.”..

...“If this were a restaurant,” she said, “it would’ve been shut down.”..

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2020/07/south-lake-elementary-school/

Baltimore County School Board Members Say Divided Board Not Doing Enough For Poor Students

The COVID-19 pandemic is making clear the divide between the rich and the poor students in Baltimore County schools, according to members of the school board.

Closing that divide may be made more difficult because the board itself is divided and distracted.

School board member Cheryl Pasteur said the board has not been focused on those children most at risk, especially now while they are distance learning.

Pasteur asked, “What do we think is happening to those children while they are out of school?”

Earlier this month, the board did agree to form an equity committee. Board member Moalie Jose said the idea was first brought up more than one year ago, but at the time was dismissed.

“So what does it say about us as a board? Where is our direction?” Jose asked...

https://www.wypr.org/post/baltimore-county-school-board-members-say-divided-board-not-doing-enough-poor-students#:~:text=Baltimore%20County%20School%20Board%20Members%20Say%20Divided,Doing%20Enough%20For%20Poor%20Students&text=Board%20member%20Moalie%20Jose%20said,at%20the%20time%20was%20dismissed.

MCPS gets more-detailed picture of equity problems

ROCKVILLE – A consultant hired by Montgomery County Public Schools found that schools with elevated levels of poverty had fewer high-quality teachers despite spending more money per student than schools with low levels of poverty.

In a presentation in front of the Montgomery County Board of Education on “resource allocations analysis” June 11, the consultant – Education Resource Strategies Inc. (ERS) explained aspects of that equity gap.

During the presentation, ERS partner Johnathan Travers discussed teacher quality as well as “instructional time and attention,” both of which, he said, can be used to measure equity.

“What does access to high-teaching quality look like now, across the system?” asked Travers. “There are a lot of ways of being able to look at and measure this.”

MCPS hired Education Resource Strategies, Inc. to examine spending per student in all schools, which will be required next fiscal year under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This act replaced the No Child Left Behind Act a few years ago.

“In accordance with the new regulations set forth in the Every Student Succeeds Act, school districts will be required to publish per-pupil spending by individual schools,” according to the request for proposal released in June 2018. “MCPS must prepare for the technical changes needed to report spending by individual schools.”

In the fall, per-pupil spending in schools will become public...

https://mont.thesentinel.com/2019/06/20/mcps-gets-more-detailed-picture-of-equity-problems/

Somerset Mayor Gives $25,000 + to Plastic Grass Fund for Somerset Elementary School #perks #artificialturf

The Somerset Elementary School fundraising to buy plastic grass for the elementary school playground has released the names of their top donors.  The top donor for the plastic grass fund is the Somerset Elementary School PTA, raising $80,000 toward the cost of the plastic field.

In the $25,000 and above category, we see the Mayor of Somerset.  How much "above" $25,000 is not shown. 

Remember, the cost of maintenance and replacement of this plastic grass field on a stone/concrete base will be on the citizens of Montgomery County.  Get ready to kick in your share of the cost in the coming years.  This is what we call "equity" in Montgomery County.

   Somerset Elementary School Artifical Field Donors Dec7 by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland

Welcome Back to School

Its hard to believe that summer is almost over and MCPS starts school next week.

Teachers are already heading back to classrooms across the county to prepare for the first day of school

And parents - don't forget those checkbooks.

On this blog, we've posted many time about how school is supposed to be free in Maryland.

But what happens when public funding doesn't cover everything?

Westbrook ES has the answer. Since 1999, the Friends of Westbrook School Foundation, a 501(c)(3) entity, raises funds for school improvement that are not funded by MCPS or otherwise fall within the PTA guidelines.  From the website:

Past projects include a security system upgrade, technology equipment like computer lab, Promethean Boards and ELMO projectors, full suite of playground equipment, and overall grounds and drainage enhancement.

These folks seems to have so much fun.  Look at what they planned just in the last few months of school last year (names of hosts are deleted):

Yoga for Parents [-]	4		$25.00
Come join us on Sunday, March 29th from 2:50-4:30 pm at Simon Says Yoga located at 4611 Sangamore Road, Bethesda, MD 20816. This is the first of two events to help you get into the "ZEN ZONE" before Spring Break. Co-sponsors . . .  will be leading us in an hour of yoga at nearby Simon Says Yoga, followed by refreshing and healthful tea and light snacks. A big thank you to Simon Says Yoga for donating use of their studio: http://simonsaysyoga.com.
Manicures and Mojitos [-]	3		$30.00
Join us on Tuesday, March 31st from 5:30-8:00 pm at AquaNails located in the Shops at Sumner Place at 4701 Sangamore Road, Bethesda, MD 20816. This always-popular event could not come at a better time. Get your nails done while also enjoying some delicious mojitos and snacks with friends before Spring Break.
ZENGO Spinning Party [-]	4		$40.00
Join us on Saturday, April 18th at 2:00 PM at ZENGO Cycle located at 4866 Cordell Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814. This energy-fueled and inspirational event is always a blast. We will cycle hard for an hour and then enjoy some healthy snacks. If you have never tried spinning before, what better way to try than in a room filled with supportive friends? There is no shame and no judgment in the spinning studio! It is just like dancing until dawn in some awesome college bar. You will get hot and sweaty and listen to great tunes with your friends. Except you will feel so much better in the morning! Ticket price includes shoe rental. . Big thanks to ZENGO Cycle in Bethesda for donating use of their studio. Check out their class schedule at: http://www.zengocycle.com.
Kids Movie Night [-]	SOLD OUT		$20.00
It will be the kids turn on Friday, April 24th from 6:00-8:00 pm in the Westbrook All-Purpose Room. Kids are invited to hit the "Red Carpet" and enjoy a screening of BIG HERO 6 (popcorn included). Moviegoers will get some hands-on inventing time in our mini "Pop-up" maker space before and after the movie. Sponsored by the Friends of Westbrook Board and

PIG PONG [-]	SOLD OUT		$75.00
Don't miss Pig Pong on Saturday, May 16th at 6:00 pm at . . .  We are back…Pig Pong 2.0 but with more hosts and inviting more of you: 75 people at $75 person to celebrate Westbrook’s 75th year. We will once again serve up a delicious 80lb pig smoked on site all day long, in addition to smoked chicken, smoked brisket, grilled veggies, baked beans, homemade coleslaw and watermelon. Drinks menu includes kegs, wine, prosecco, tequila and whiskey and water. Along with live music from Timi Ryalls from Charlottesville and Harry Faulkner from D. C., there will be a Ping-Pong tournament. With 24 competitors last year, ending in an intense championship duel between our two finalists, we can only hope our defending champion will be back to defend his title. We will have a 4th table this year for warm-ups between matches! More prizes, more tables, more pong...what's not to love! .
Dads Pub Crawl [-]	7		$60.00
The tradition continues on Friday, May 29th. Detailed coordinates for the Dads Pub Crawl will be emailed to ticket holders ahead of the event. This is the event that started it all! The last weekend in May, we will be taking to the streets! On Friday night, Dads are invited to sample refreshing and delicious beer and snacks at three different stops throughout the neighborhood.
Moms Unwined [-]	25		$60.00
It will be time of mom to unwind and "unwhine" at Moms Unwined on Saturday, 5/30. Detailed coordinates will be emailed to ticket holders ahead of the event. These are the events that started it all! The last weekend in May, we will be taking to the streets! On Saturday night, it will be Mom’s turn to “unwine” at three different spots for wine, hors d’oeuvres and desserts.
Westbrook's Sweetheart Dance [-]	18		$20.00
The lovely tradition continues on Sunday, June 7th from 4:00-5:30 pm. Girls and their favorite sweethearts, whether they are dads, granddads, uncles or friends, are invited to a lovely Sunday afternoon dance. Delicious punch and desserts will be served. Please remember to purchase a ticket for each attendee.

  Smoked pig, mojitos, and Moms and Dads taking to the streets!

We can't wait to see what FOWS come up with this year!

Community Conversations

Lots of happenings here in MoCo this week - and right before the holidays too.

So - how is Josh Starr's vision of schools working for you?

Do you agree with his plan?

How do you feel about the choices coming your way?

Math, special ed, classroom size, building conditions, athletic fields?

Hey - how about those fancy whiteboards coming your way?

Do you want more technology, artificial turf, or something else?

Come out to Dr. Starr's community conversation tomorrow night at Richard Montgomery HS and let your voice be heard.

Remember, Dr. Starr may have a PhD, but he isn't a mindreader.  He will only know your priorities if you let him know.

Have fun, and see you at Richard Montgomery.

Community Conversations

Instant Equity - and Dr. Doran's Wallet

That was fast.

Within hours of Dr. Starr's State of the Schools presentation here in Montgomery County, accompanied by his call for equity in the school system, we have a prime example of equity in action.

Wootton High School is getting an artificial turf field.

No ongoing construction at the school to bundle the new field.  

According to the memo from the school system,  as a result of a competitive award, a private company agreed to pay $900,000 for the field in return for guaranteed use of the field. 

The Wootton Booster Club agreed to fundraise to the tune of $200,000.  Just for artificial turf.  Even though the field isn't used by all the sports teams, such as swimming, tennis, basketball, etc. 

Wootton parents must be fairly wealthy.  Do they know they committed to this amount?

According to MCPS, but of course. 

At a meeting held last month at the school, attended by 40 parents, almost all favored the field.

Wootton is such a great school.  Imagine 40 parents at your school committing your high school's booster club to raise that amount of money.

I am amazed that the Wootton Booster Club can raise this amount of money.  At my kids schools, our PTSA and booster club budgets were much more modest.

What's in your wallet?  Dr. Doran wants to know.

Here is the memo:

5.2.12 Thomas S Wootton HS Rqst Fund Turf