Summer school staffing problems lead to virtual learning for special needs students in Montgomery Co.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - Staffing problems in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) now mean some students with special needs will have to move to virtual learning for a summer school program. 

The school system said they're short about 20 teachers for the Extended School Year program. 

About 4,400 students are in the program and most will have an in-person teacher, however, 172 students will have to learn online —  leaving some parents concerned.  

"You know, honestly, I couldn’t sleep last night. It made me so nervous, and it brought back so many memories of the pandemic," said MCPS parent Christina Hartman...

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/summer-school-staffing-problems-lead-to-virtual-learning-for-special-needs-students-in-montgomery-co?taid=62be97f13e1ad60001a99704&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

Heather Graf @ABC7HeatherGraf ·Special delivery! Remember the @MCPS student who was pushing for 2-ply toilet paper in school bathrooms? #Charmin #CabinJohnMiddleSchool #MCPSFail

Special delivery!
Remember the @MCPS student who was pushing for 2-ply toilet paper in school bathrooms?https://t.co/A4PTJLwaCb
Yesterday this truck showed up at his school in Potomac.
Inside: a donation from @Charmin — nearly 2,000 rolls of toilet paper!
🧻🧻🧻🧻🧻🧻🧻🧻🧻🧻 pic.twitter.com/jsUBzJW7E7

— Heather Graf (@ABC7HeatherGraf) March 7, 2020

Here’s 14-year-old Sekayi Fraser with the cases of toilet paper he received as a surprise gift from Charmin. 🚽🚽🚽
The rolls will all be used in bathrooms at Cabin John Middle School. pic.twitter.com/0e7SKzw2gn

— Heather Graf (@ABC7HeatherGraf) March 7, 2020

And here’s the response from @Charmin:

“Charmin was blown away by Sekayi and his determination to bring better toilet paper to his school. We immediately knew we wanted to support him and are thrilled we were able to give him and his classmates the best TP!” pic.twitter.com/ON7Gvgp0uE

— Heather Graf (@ABC7HeatherGraf) March 7, 2020

MCPS selects another "parent portal, student portal, and gradebook into one big system"

..."We had over 900 people participate in the selection process, including parents, students, and all of our union partners," said Dr. Kara Trenkamp, Director of Technology Integration and Learning Management Systems. "Our teachers were wowed by Synergy. For the first time they had a vision of a student information system that could truly serve them by connecting the parent portal, student portal, and gradebook into one big system in which all of the parts communicate, giving users a complete profile of what they're looking for."..

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/montgomery-county-public-schools-md-120000547.html

Montgomery County Council President Admits Public Hearings are Staged

Thanks to County Council President Hans Riemer for admitting in print what the Council has been doing for years.  County Council public hearings are not public at all, but staged to support the pre-determined Council position.  Likewise, County agencies take their lead from the County Council and exclude public comment in favor of industry representatives speaking freely and often at Tower Committee meetings.   

...Council President Hans Riemer (D-at large) said members from his staff picked the people who testified at the meeting based upon the analysis of the bill they gave in their requests to speak at the public hearing.

“We wanted people who had some content... Those who were here had written us extensive emails, you know, even providing a thorough analysis of the issue, so we felt that they would be constructive and helpful.”...

...But even when members of the public can ask to speak, it is not an absolute right.

“Just because you request does not mean you we will be accepted,” Reimer said...

http://www.thesentinel.com/mont/news/local/item/6240-ficker-banned-from-speaking-claims-bias