Save Blair Ewing

 The Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) proposes demolishing the Blair G. Ewing Center - formerly the Mark Twain School  (on Avery Road in Rockville) and redeveloping the site to accommodate the Shady Grove Transportation Depot. The Alternative Education Program (AEP) students would then be relocated to the former English Manor Elementary School (currently housing the School for Tomorrow), located at 4511 Bestor Drive in Aspen Hill.  As usual, no local communities or neighborhoods were contacted about these plans.

We received this from SaveBlairEwing.org and are reprinting it here:

Apparently, the Board of Education staff are encouraging our callers to NOT leave phone messages and instead email a central email for all Board members. As you know, the Board of Ed has refused to meet with us... and now they do not want to accept calls? Consider politely refusing to email the central email and ask to leave a message for one Board Member.   Then, call back again (doesn't hurt to space out the calls a little) and leave a message for one more member.... We want to jam their phone lines.  That's the point... We have less than a week to make sure English Manor is not chosen for a feasibility study for a potential Alternative Education Program (AEP) move. April 7: We will learn if English Manor is the MCPS proposed location for a feasibility study. April 14: Board of Ed will vote to approve a feasibility study. Tell the Board: 1) Do NOT do a feasibility study on English Manor for the AEP. 2) Make English Manor a community elementary school to ease area overcrowding. 3)  Now that the County Council has given the Board more time to keep buses at Jeremiah Park, there is no need to rush AEP's move to build a bus depot at Blair Ewing. Please call each Board member: • Rebecca Smondrowski: 301-279-3617 click here if you called. • Judith Docca: 301-670-3234 click here if you called. • Jill Ortman-Fouse: 301-279-3617 click here if you called. • Michael Durso: 301-924-3169 click here if you called. • Patricia O'Neill: 301-320-7600 click here if you called. • Philip Kauffman: 301-924-3133 click here if you called. • Christopher Barclay: 301-279-3617 click here if you called. • Dahlia Huh: 301-279-3617 click here if you called. Please forward this email to friends and neighbors.  We need to DOUBLE our calling and flood Board members with calls.

Atlanta Educators Convicted in School Cheating Scandal

ATLANTA — In a dramatic conclusion to what has been described as the largest cheating scandal in the nation’s history, a jury here on Wednesday convicted 11 educators for their roles in a standardized test cheating scandal that tarnished a major school district’s reputation and raised broader questions about the role of high-stakes testing in American schools.

On their eighth day of deliberations, the jurors convicted 11 of the 12 defendants of racketeering, a felony that carries up to 20 years in prison. Many of the defendants — a mixture of Atlanta public school teachers, testing coordinators and administrators — were also convicted of other charges, such as making false statements, that could add years to their sentences.

Judge Jerry W. Baxter of Fulton County Superior Court ordered most of the educators jailed immediately, and they were led from the courtroom in handcuffs. Judge Baxter, who presided over a trial that began with opening statements more than six months ago, will begin sentencing hearings next week....

 http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/02/us/verdict-reached-in-atlanta-school-testing-trial.html

MCPS principal kept child sex abuse case quiet to avoid ‘scandal,’ prosecutors say

Read more: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2015/04/mcps-principal-kept-child-sex-abuse-case-quiet-to-avoid-scandal-prosecutors-say-112833.html#ixzz3W9nBERer
Follow us: @ABC7News on Twitter | WJLATV on Facebook

“The principal asked for the victim and the mother not to contact Child Protective Services or the police. He told them he did not want to make a big scandal or harm the reputation of the school,”

...“The principal asked for the victim and the mother not to contact Child Protective Services or the police. He told them he did not want to make a big scandal or harm the reputation of the school,” Hagan said in court. “He told them he would take care of it, so that the defendant would not teach there again. And both mother and daughter believed, as a result of that meeting, that the defendant would not teach in Montgomery County public schools again. No report of this crime was made to law enforcement at that time.”...

...Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said after the hearing that Hagan’s statements were based on conversations that law enforcement officers had with the victim, her mother and the guidance counselor who was serving as a translator for the mother.
“We stand by the statements that were made in court,” McCarthy said...

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/montgomery-principal-told-7th-grader-not-to-report-abuse-prosecutor-says/2015/04/01/7fd8e882-d882-11e4-8103-fa84725dbf9d_story.html

Clemente Middle School: "A student found a bullet in school."

A message from ROBERTO CLEMENTE MIDDLE SCHOOL

April 1, 2015 Dear Parents: I want to share with you information about an event that affected our school today and how it was handled by our staff.  A student found a bullet in school.  The bullet was confiscated from the student by MCPS staff. Police were notified and the incident is under investigation. This is a very serious matter, and we ask that you to remind your children that weapons of any kind - even toy weapons-are not allowed on school property. If your child becomes aware that someone at the school has a weapon, remind them to tell a member of the staff immediately. If you have further questions, please call the school at 301-601-0344.  We will make every effort to answer your questions as quickly as possible.                                                                                     Sincerely,                                                                                      Khadija F. Barkley                                                                                     Principal KFB/ts Copy to:  Dr. Williams, Community Superintendent

Board of Education Members Refuse to Meet with Community on Bus Depot Issue

From the Save Blair Ewing community group:

We represent several communities. Our issues involves millions of dollars, serious environmental impacts, traffic and safety issues, student needs and widespread school overcrowding. We have been demanding more openness and transparency, and better decision-making.

We have been instrumental in pushing for a delay in the declaration of "no further need" for the CSP East/Jeremiah Park property, where MCPS currently parks over 400 school buses... because MCPS clearly still needs that depot on Crabbs Branch Way.

And we have been asking to meet with the Board of Education members to discuss these issues. Their response? See below:

"Dear Mr. Smilowitz,

You recently contacted the Board office requesting meetings with individual Board members to discuss issues with the use of the English Manor property and overcrowding. I regret to inform you that Board members’ tight schedules currently make it a huge challenge to arrange face-to-face meetings. I suggest that you send the Board your thoughts via email correspondence. If you send it to boe@mcpsmd.org, they will all receive your correspondence.
Again, I am sorry we cannot accommodate your request at this time.

Ikhide Roland Ikheloa
Chief of Staff-Ombudsman
Montgomery County Board of Education
301-279-3617"

Data Breach at Westland Middle School Releases Student Locker Combinations

Information technology professionals are trying to determine today how students were able to access a secured computer file at Bethesda’s Westland Middle School and distribute the names, locker numbers and locker combinations for that school’s 1,400 lockers.

Montgomery County Public School’s Westland Principal Alison Serino told MyMCMedia Wednesday that a substitute teacher saw the students making copies of the list on Tuesday and the administration was made aware of what happened this morning.
“I’m not sure how this happened,” she said, adding that the locker file is kept on a password protected file on an office computer...

 http://www.mymcmedia.org/data-breach-at-westland-middle-school-release-student-locker-combinations/

Plea deal for teacher charged with molesting students

ROCKVILLE, Md. – A former substitute teacher in the Montgomery County public schools system pleaded guilty on Wednesday to sexually abusing students.
Jose Pineda, 50, appeared in court and accepted a plea deal. His trial was set to begin Monday.
Pineda was charged with abusing four students. He pleaded guilty to sex abuse of a minor and third-degree sex offense.
Police arrested Pineda in October after he was accused of inappropriately touching a 12-year-old girl at Roberto Clemente Middle School.
Numerous students from other schools stepped forward in the subsequent weeks with similar allegations.
One alleged victim, now 23 years old, claims she was abused in 2004 when she was in seventh grade at Forest Oak Middle School. According to court records, she called police late last year after the allegations against Pineda went public...

 http://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2015/04/plea-deal-for-teacher-charged-with-molesting-students/

Former #MCPS sub Jose Pineda has pleaded guilty to 2 of 10 cts of child sex abuse. Sentencing May 29th. @wusa9

Former #MCPS sub Jose Pineda has pleaded guilty to 2 of 10 cts of child sex abuse. Sentencing May 29th. @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/bVj4TdY57J
— Andrea McCarren (@AndreaMcCarren) April 1, 2015

MCPS Teacher Pleads Guilty to Sex Abuse of Students

A former substitute teacher accused of inappropriate contact with several students entered a guilty plea Wednesday.

Prosecutors asked the judge to impose a five year prison sentence as a part of Jose Pineda's plea deal. If the deal is accepted, Pineda, who is not a U.S. citizen, could face deportation back to Honduras.

Three 12-year-old girls came forward last year to say that they were touched multiple times by Pineda. One said she requested to go to the bathroom to get away from Pineda. The other said she assumed the first time was an accident until it continued to happen.

Pineda also is accused of touching a 12-year-old girl at Forest Oak Middle School in 2004, police said. The victim told police she reported the sexual assault to her mother and that the principal was notified. A school district spokesperson said the principal has retired and it's unknown if he reported the allegations to police...

 http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Teacher-Pleads-Guilty-to-Sex-Abuse-of-Students-298324171.html

Montgomery council delays decision on bus depot land disposition until after December 31st

...Some council members said Monday that they wanted more concrete plans in place before voting to say the land is no longer needed.
Councilwoman Nancy Navarro wasn’t convinced the county should give up the land without knowing the next steps for the depot’s move. She said she understood there is a larger redevelopment plan at work.
“Nonetheless, I’m also very concerned about the fact we’re trying to pursue one particular goal while compromising another very important issue that also is a policy goal of ours, which is what we do with all these buses,” she said.
A possible short-term solution involves relocating buses to multiple properties. The school system would park buses at some high school lots, the district’s Carver Educational Services Center in Rockville and the county’s Equipment Maintenance and Transit Operations Center.
Staff also are exploring an idea to park about 130 buses on leased property. Greg Ossont, deputy director of the county’s Department of General Services, said Monday that recommendations for such sites are expected soon.
James Song, director of the school system’s Department of Facilities Management, said the district has narrowed its list of high schools that could be used for parking from 10 to nine, taking Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School out of consideration.
On Monday, Councilman Sidney Katz cautioned that figuring out only an interim plan and not a permanent plan “is not going to work.”
A few possible permanent solutions are under consideration, though council staff have said these sites need to be studied to determine if they could work.
The list includes a Montgomery Village-area site on Woodfield Road that the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission owns, the county-owned Oaks Landfill in Laytonsville, the site of the county’s old animal shelter, and the school system’s Blair G. Ewing Center...

 http://www.gazette.net/article/20150401/NEWS/150409853/1261/montgomery-council-delays-decision-on-bus-depot-land-disposition&template=gazette

Interim Superintendent Larry Bowers estimated that day will cost the system up to $750,000 more...

MCPS Last Day of School Year to Cost Big Bucks

Students continue to fail math final exams in Montgomery high schools

...The continuing exam failure comes about 18 months after Montgomery high schools created math action plans to target struggling students and nine months after a five-point plan was announced by then-Superintendent Joshua P. Starr, who resigned last month amid faltering support from the school board...

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/students-continue-to-fail-math-final-exams-in-montgomery-high-schools/2015/03/30/54211628-cf0a-11e4-a2a7-9517a3a70506_story.html?hpid=z3

Action Alert - Deadline tomorrow April 1 by 10am to Protect our Children's Data being collected by "Educational" Companies

We need you to write a letter to your Senator by tomorrow, April 1, 2015, by 10am EST.  Links and sample letter below.  Large Social Media Companies are lobbying as you read this and tomorrow morning as well.  Don't let money trump your voice!

We had a meeting with over two dozen parents from various ends of Montgomery and Prince Georgia's Counties yesterday, 3/30/15, and provided parents some background on the new technology in our schools.

Recording of meeting link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmsfFXOXbo4

One important effort with a deadline of tomorrow, April 1st, deadline at 10am is to write your Senator to PASS the Student Privacy Bill - to stop "Educational" companies from collecting and selling data on your child's activities online.  States like CA, NY, and NJ have already taken legal initiatives, as well.  If we have some of the top schools in the nation, then we should be taking the lead on this matter!

With all the technology and devices our students use constantly, the privacy of the data collected during their use of technology is a much discussed topic.

For parents who have raised concerns about data collected while students use the technology required by MCPS, the Student Data Privacy Act should be of interest. Here's a link to the bill:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&stab=01&id=hb0298&tab=subject3&ys=2015RS

Generally, the bill would apply to operators who control websites, online services, online apps and mobile apps used by students at the direction of schools or the state Dept. of Education. Operators are required to protect student data from access, destruction, use, modification or disclosure, required to constantly meet certain security standards, and are prohibited from creating targeted ads, creating profiles, selling information, or disclosing data.

HB298 passed the House last week, but has no Senate crossfile.  The House bill has been presented to the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs committee, and will be heard by that committee on April 1.

If you support this legislation, contact the members of the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs committee immediately, particularly the Montgomery County members - Senators Montgomery and Kagan --- and urge them to support the bill as is to prevent weakening the protections through amendments.  Here's the membership list for the committee - each name a hyperlink to the contact info:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=cmtepage&stab=04&id=ehe&tab=subject7&ys=2015RS

Letter to Type:  Sample:

I am a parent of a child in ____________ County and am in full support of the Student Data Privacy Act (HB0298).  This Bill is necessary to fill the gaps that FERPA and COPPA cannot reach - as it pertains to protect our children's data collection by third party vendors.  The Student Data Privacy Act (HB0298) should be adopted as is. It is critical we provide protection for our youth, as the consequences of data collection, starting in Kindergarten - all the way through High School, and the ability to sell such data to for profit companies is not the business of education that the State of Maryland should be engaged in.

Respectfully,

[name]

[county]

Thank you for your quick action and engaging in this important issue

Ellen Zavian

Del. Luedtke's Bill 642 would permit person convicted of crimes against children on school grounds if supervised

Statement from MCPS parent Jennifer Alvaro regarding House Bill 642

Children – Child Care Facilities, Public Schools, and Nonpublic Schools –  Contractors and Subcontractors

Support with Amendment

I am graduate and parent of two Montgomery County Public School students. I am bilingual (Spanish speaking) Licensed Clinical Social worker (MD & VA) and a Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider (VA). I have worked in the field of child sexual abuse for twenty one years. Among other things, over the years, I have conducted child protective services investigations for local county governments. I have provide treatment for convicted sex offenders in Maryland, Washington DC and Virginia. I have worked for a national child abuse prevention agency. For a local archdiocese of the Catholic Church I volunteer to teach their mandatory sex abuse prevention seminar; as well as teaching a nationally recognized secular prevention program.

As you are well aware, Montgomery County has had a long standing issue with sex offenses committed by school employees and contractors. For the past three years I have been advocating to make MCPS schools safer for all our children.

I commend all those who are working to schools and communities safer for our children and vulnerable adults.

Bill 642 would seem to close a loophole and strengthen safety measures to ensure our children are not victimized by those who are already known to law enforcement as being a danger to children.

My concern and my request for action on this legislation is to change the amendment which follows:

(B) A NONPUBLIC SCHOOL CONTRACT SHALL PROVIDE THAT A CONTRACTOR OR SUBCONTRACTOR FOR THE SCHOOL MAY NOT KNOWINGLY ASSIGN AN EMPLOYEE TO WORK ON SCHOOL PREMISES WITH DIRECT, UNSUPERVISED, AND UNCONTROLLED ACCESS TO CHILDREN, IF THE EMPLOYEE HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF A CRIME IDENTIFIED UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION.

I would submit to you, no such person referenced should be on school grounds at all while children are present. To suggest this be allowed only if said person does not have "direct, unsupervised and uncontrolled access", is to create an untenable situation. Who is going to define "direct", "unsupervised" or "uncontrolled"? If this new amendment is allowed to remain, those convicted of crimes against children will still not only have access to our children but also still have opportunities to offend against them.
If this amendment is allowed to stand, I would request the following information:

• Who will pay for the supervision of this person while on school grounds (to insure they have no direct, unsupervised or uncontrolled access)?

• Who will meet with said supervisor to educate them about what it means to supervise someone who has offended against children?

• Who will draft a written safety plan about such things as where this person will go to the bathroom, where they can make / take calls, what they should do if a child approaches them?

• Who will provide supervision when the supervisor needs to go to the bathroom or make a call?

• Will parents be given a written safety plan for each convicted offender who will be in the schools?

I fail to see, despite being necessary, how any school would implement these necessary steps to protect children.

I therefore request this amendment be changed to state that if such convicted offenders are allowed to work in a school building, this only be at times when no children are on the premises.

I respectfully request that you act before the bills are passed to change the amendment in both the House and Senate bills so that children are protected and not endangered by the unintended consequences of this problematic amendment.

Stamford Investigation Continues: Starr was Board of Ed's Only Employee

...In 2011, the four Stamford High assistant principals asked to meet with then-Superintendent Joshua Starr to explain their concerns about Valentine's handling of multiple incidents at the school. The incidents included a report from a ninth-grade girl that a teacher had touched her breast.

Starr responded by transferring three of the assistant principals.
The members of the Board of Education accepted Starr's move. He then left Stamford for another job.

 But the assistant principals were adamant. All four of them took the unprecedented step of hiring their own attorney, who wrote a letter to then-board President Polly Rauh and the new superintendent, Winifred Hamilton, outlining the concerns about Valentine's leadership....

...But there has been reason to soul-search and get more involved for five years.
In 2010, Jackie Heftman, who was board president then and is now, explained to The Advocate why members were publicizing Starr's annual evaluation for the first time. "The superintendent is the only employee the Board of Education has," Heftman said.

 http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Angela-Carella-School-board-soul-search-should-6165359.php

Report: Pearson, big education firms spend millions lobbying for pro-testing policies, against student privacy protection

Washington Post reports that Pearson, the company administering the PARCC test and the new MCPS student information system, has spent (together with three other testing companies) millions of dollars lobbying for pro-testing policies and against student privacy protections.
The full report is available here:
http://www.sourcewatch.org/images/b/bc/Pearson_ETS_Houghton_Mifflin_and_McGraw-Hill_Lobby_Big_and_Profit_Bigger.pdf

Today: BOE to Discuss Bus Depot Move in Closed Session

Ewing school to be demolished for 

developer.

From the Agenda for today's Closed Session of the Montgomery County Board of Education: 

Resolved,
That the Board receive legal advice about pending litigation before the Maryland State
Board of Education concerning English Manor, the Blair Ewing Center, and the Shady Grove Bus Depot...

 http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/9UWBRF744427/$file/Resolution%20for%20Closed%20Session.pdf

15 Highest Paid Montgomery County Employees - Bethesda Beat

15 Highest Paid Montgomery County Employees - Bethesda Beat

...Here are the 15 highest paid county employees. The salary and overtime pay figures were taken from the county’s dataMontgomery web portal, which lists the salaries for all county employees, except those employed by Montgomery County Public Schools...

Exploring the Issues Surrounding Technology in the Classroom- join our meeting in person on online Monday 3/30/15 at 7pm

Are you concerned about PARCC testing issues?

Want to know about the sensitive student information collected and handled by Pearson and other operators?

Have concerns about the MCPS notebook rollout?

We will discuss these pressing questions and more….

With computers distributed to our students (or soon to be), it is time for parents to come together to learn about this the legal, ethical and privacy issues posed by the technology, its pros and cons, and to develop a plan of action to help our teachers planning the proper rollout strategy.

Join us for this important meeting.

MCPS parents with background in education, law, ethics, privacy, and information technology will present and facilitate the discussion.

Date:  March 30, 2015, Monday         

Time: 7pm to 8:30 pm EST

Location: Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd,

Bethesda, MD 20814  - Parking available on site.

AGENDA

1. Technology in the Classroom.

          A.  Preparation— students, parents, teachers.

          B.  Testing—PARCC & other testing;

          C.  Privacy—data mining by 3rd parties; access to health records;

          D.  Security—protection of data collected;

          E.  Safety– wireless vs. cable, code of conduct, cyberbullying

2.  Create working groups and a plan of action with measurable goals.

Webinar: join us onlin if you cannot make the meeting in person:

http://www.join.me/unitedbreakin

Once you log in, click on the Enter Meeting button, after you put your name in the code field box.

Once you see our screen/ppt, then please click on the tel icon at the top to join the audio via telephone or VOIP.  If you select VOIP, you will have to download a second software.

With questions before the meeting, contact

ellen@ellenzavian.com orrapascal2003@gmail.com