MCPS paying 'expert' $130 an hour for COVID-related public relations help, records show

ROCKVILLE, Md. (7News) — Montgomery County Public Schools is paying a new, part-time employee $130 an hour to help improve its pandemic-related public relations, records obtained by 7News reveal.

On Sept. 14, the Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County filed a Maryland Public Information Act request with MCPS. It centered on a woman by the name of Aggie Alvez...

https://wjla.com/news/local/mcps-paying-expert-130-an-hour-for-covid-related-public-relations-help-records-show

MCPS Provided Buses for March

...Buses to transport students to and from the march as well as use of facilities were donated by MCPS.
Local businesses and organizations including American Institute for Research, Identity Inc., Impact Silver Spring, Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company, Planet Cotton, and So Fresh Entertainment helped support the cost of t-shirts and banners for the march...

 http://www.mymcmedia.org/students-march-through-rockville-to-close-achievement-gap-photos/

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Thanks to MYMCMedia for reporting on the funding for this event!

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Who is on the Board of Impact Silver Spring?

Laura Steinberg, Board Chair
Intergovernmental Affairs Staff, Montgomery County Board of Education

Prince George's schools tosses PR department | Lisa Gartner | Capital Land | Washington Examiner

Prince George's schools tosses PR department | Lisa Gartner | Capital Land | Washington Examiner

Little-known fact: most public school systems have a public relations office. They do everything from sending out press releases to helping reporters find data, with an occasional dab of yelling at reporters who write unflattering things about their press releases and/or data. In fact, Montgomery County's Office of Communications and Family Outreach was worth $10.6 million as of fiscal 2011. The more you know!

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/capital-land/2011/01/prince-georges-schools-tosses-pr-department#ixzz1C0uv0z6P

Weast: "I'm about to cry on the inside on this thing."

Excuse me Superintendent Weast, before you start crying could you please explain why the American Express credit card bill for 1,400 MCPS employees is $5.2 million? 


That averages out to $3,755 per card. Please provide the monthly American Express statements showing what these funds were used for. 


And before you grab a tissue, could you explain why MCPS paid Deutsche Bank NTC $22,095,384 in FY10? Yes, we know it's a silly question. But the word "Deutsche" doesn't show up anywhere in published Board of Education minutes so it's a little tricky for the public to figure out this $22 million payment. Thanks ever so much. 


The Washington Post: Montgomery schools chief wants $60M more, raises for employees

"I'm down to bare bones here," Weast said. "I'm about to cry on the inside on this thing."

Here is the list of MCPS payments to vendors over $25,000 sorted from highest to lowest.
FY10 MCPS Database Highest to Lowest

MCPS Water pipe break closes school

From MCPS: William H. Farquhar Middle School is CLOSED on Monday, November 8, due to a water main break. All school activities are canceled.

Farquhar Middle School is located in Olney, Maryland. MCPS' public relations department has not given out any further information about where this water main break is or how it is impacting the school.  


UPDATE 11/8/10 - 9:30 AM:  The Parents' Coalition has learned from WSSC that an MCPS plumber called the WSSC at 2:20 AM (last night) to shut off the water to the school.  The break is on MCPS property, and is not the responsibility of the WSSC.    The WSSC does not know whether the break is in the building or outside. 


The title of this post has been corrected to reflect that the pipe in question is within the control of MCPS and does not impact water to the surrounding community. 

Examiner: "Montgomery schools officials did not reply to requests for current data."

Fairfax schools budget high number of asst. principals | Washington Examiner

Fairfax County bankrolls a higher ratio of assistant principals per school than any other large district in the Washington suburbs.

The school system's 195 principals are supported by 360 assistant principals, a ratio of nearly two per school chief. In neighboring district Loudoun County, that proportion is 1.4, and in Prince William County, it falls to 1.2.

Across the Potomac, rival Montgomery County flanked its 202 principals with 283 assistants last year, for a ratio of 1.4. Montgomery schools officials did not reply to requests for current data. Prince George's County echoed the 1.4 norm with 280 assistants for 203 principals.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Fairfax-schools-budgets-high-number-of-asst_-principals-1439840-106650828.html#ixzz14JuPShsk