Montgomery County Public Schools developing plan to address above average truancy rates

WASHINGTON - As the academic year comes to a close for students in Montgomery County Public Schools, new numbers showing just how many students are skipping class have district leaders concerned. 

A meeting to address the problem has been pushed back to next month as officials try to address an epidemic of cutting schools...

...District-wide, Montgomery County Public Schools are seeing a 26.2% chronic absenteeism rate across the district and the problem reaches across the economic landscape. For example, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School has a 28.6% absenteeism rate, which is higher than average, while Kennedy High School in Wheaton is at 54.7%...

Montgomery County Public Schools developing plan to address above average truancy rates (fox5dc.com)

Breaking: Montgomery County Public Schools Join Federal Lawsuit Against Social Media Companies

SAN DIEGO, June 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Frantz Law Group announces that the Montgomery County Public School District joined 500 school districts nationwide in a lawsuit filed in Federal District Court in San Francisco against Meta, TikTok, Snap, YouTube, and other social media companies. In the lawsuit the plaintiff school districts allege that these companies are knowingly causing emotional harm to children through their platforms.

With over 160,550 students in 210 schools, the Montgomery County Public School District is the largest school district in the state of Maryland. The lawsuit alleges that various social media companies have caused a mental and emotional health crisis marked by higher proportions of anxiety, depression, thoughts of self-harm, body dissatisfaction, disordered eating behaviors, and low self-esteem among children and students. Many are further subjected to often harmful, exploitative and addictive content that encourages disorderly behavior, unhealthy social comparison, and cyberbullying. This litigation seeks to provide the funding and staffing resources needed to mitigate the damage that school districts are currently encountering.

In May of this year, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a new Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health, in which he states, "…there is growing evidence that social media use is associated with harm to young people's mental health." The Advisory cites research finding that one-third or more of girls aged 11-15 say they feel "addicted" to certain social media platforms, that 46% of adolescents aged 13-17 said social media makes them feel worse, and that 64% of adolescents are "often" or "sometimes" exposed to hate-based content through social media. The Advisory also points to studies that show "a relationship between social media use and poor sleep quality, reduced sleep duration, sleep difficulties, and depression among youth."

Moreover, in October 2021, former Meta employee Frances Haugen testified before Congress that Meta's own internal research indicated how harmful their products are to the mental health of child users and, in particular, teenage girls.

Montgomery County Public Schools Join Federal Lawsuit Against Social Media Companies (prnewswire.com)

Governor Appoints a Superintendent to Maryland State Board of Education

 Governor Moore Announces Appointments to Maryland State Board of Education and Maryland Public Service Commission

Published: 6/14/2023

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today announced appointments to the Maryland State Board of Education and Maryland Public Service Commission.

"The work of the Maryland State Board of Education and Maryland Public Service Commission have an enormous impact on Marylanders’ lives every day," said Gov. Moore. “I am grateful that Dr. Goldson, Mr. Paul, Ms. Ayoola, and Ms. Suchman have answered the call to serve and am confident that their expertise and experience will serve Marylanders well.”

The Maryland State Board of Education’s mission is to ensure a rigorous and world-class educational experience for every Maryland student, in every neighborhood, that prepares each to be college and career ready, through strategic direction and leadership; policy making and resource allocation; and engagement and advocacy.

Under its authority, the board sets the educational policy and standards for pre-kindergarten through high school and vocational rehabilitation services, and passes regulations. The board also reviews and approves three annual budgets (the Department of Education headquarters budget, the state aid to local education budget, and state-aided institutions budget) before they are passed on to the governor's office for approval or revision, then on to the General Assembly for final action. 

Governor Moore made the following appointments to the Maryland State Board of Education:

Dr. Monica Goldson
Dr. Monica Goldson is a student-led and community-focused leader, most recently known as the  transformative leader and Prince George’s County Public Schools Chief Executive Officer. Under her leadership, Prince George’s County Public Schools gained national recognition from The College Board for higher passing rates on Advanced Placement exams, enhanced access to the county’s premier Science and Technology specialty program, and forged partnerships within the Prince George’s County Government’s Transforming Neighborhood Initiative @ Schools team.

Dr. Goldson is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including an appointment from President Joseph R. Biden to the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. She holds a bachelor’s in mathematics from Florida A&M University, master’s in elementary and secondary school administration from Bowie State University, and doctorate in educational administration and policy from Howard University. 

Samir Paul
Samir Paul is an attorney, educator, and organizer committed to sustaining and improving public schools as engines of economic opportunity where skilled and respected educators work with families and community members to train curious, compassionate, civic-minded problem-solvers. A strong advocate of early science and math exposure for kids, Paul helped start the STEM Talent Pipeline pilot program, which identified 40 girls, low-income students, and underrepresented minority students in the third grade to provide three years of accelerated and enriched math coursework. 

Paul earned his bachelor's in computer science at Harvard University, where he was awarded the Derek Bok Certificate of Distinction in Teaching and the F. Skiddy von Stade Award for personal excellence. He also holds a master's in teaching from American University and a juris doctor from Columbia Law School, where he was a James Kent Scholar, a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, a Dean's Scholar, a Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow, and head teaching assistant to Columbia University President Lee Bollinger.

Abisola Ayoola
Abisola Ayoola is the Maryland State Board of Education’s newest student member. Ayoola is a rising senior at Wilde Lake High School in Howard County, where she is a participant in the school’s Gifted & Talented Independent Research program; a member of her class council, the National Honor Society, and the Spanish Honor Society; and a leader with programs dedicated to advancing social justice and promoting mental health resources for students. 

During the 2022-23 school year, she served as the student member of the Howard County Board of Education as an elected voting member and a member of the policy committee that advocated for student issues. In her role, Ayoola will be an advocate and powerful voice for Maryland’s K-12 students. 

For more information about the Maryland State Board of Education, visit marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard.

Governor Moore Announces Appointments to Maryland State Board of Education and Maryland Public Service Commission - Press Releases - News - Office of Governor Wes Moore

Illiteracy at the top: MCPS Red Pencil marks up McKnight memo

https://twitter.com/MCPSRedPencil/status/1648792432329342977

 

Board of Education Adopts $3.165 Billion Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2024

 Board of Education Adopts $3.165 Billion Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2024 - Montgomery County Public Schools (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)

Delayed justice: 3 states remove all time limits on child sex abuse lawsuits

Advocates for survivors of child sexual abuse say momentum is growing for completely removing the statute of limitations for such crimes

PORTLAND, Maine -- Ann Allen loved going to church and the after-school social group led by a dynamic priest back in the 1960s.

The giggling fun with friends always ended with a game of hide and seek. Each week, the Rev. Lawrence Sabatino chose one girl to hide with him. Allen said when it was her turn, she was sexually assaulted, at age 7, in the recesses of St. Peter’s Catholic Church.

“I don’t remember how I got out of that cellar and I don’t think I ever will. But I remember it like it’s yesterday. I remember the smells. The sounds. I remember what he said, and what he did," she said.

Allen, 64, is one of more than two dozen people who have sued the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, Maine, over the past year, seeking delayed justice since lawmakers allowed lawsuits for abuse that happened long ago and can't be pursued in criminal courts either because of time limits or evidence diminishing over time.

More survivors are pursuing cases as states increasingly consider repealing time limits for child sex crime lawsuits. Vermont was the first state to remove the limits in 2019, followed by Maine in 2021 and Maryland this year...

Delayed justice: 3 states remove all time limits on child sex abuse lawsuits - ABC News (go.com)

Millard House chosen as new public schools leader in Prince George’s

Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) announced Wednesday that Millard House II will lead the county’s school system, the second-largest in Maryland and one of the 20 largest in the nation.

House, 51, comes from the Houston Independent School District. With a student population of nearly 190,000, it is the biggest in the state of Texas and eighth-largest in the country.

“To walk into this position is something that I do not take lightly,” he said at a news conference at the Wayne K. Curry Administration building in Largo.

House will take the job as school systems across the state continue to implement the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education reform plan. Some of the those reforms include recruiting and retaining high-quality and diverse teachers, upgrading college and career readiness standards and providing additional resources for students.

Locally, the county school board remains influx as the state Board of Education must decide whether to allow one of the board members, Juanita Miller, to stay...

Millard House chosen as new public schools leader in Prince George’s - Maryland Matters

Two groups rallied on Tuesday in front of the Montgomery County Public Schools Board Of Education building.

 Two groups rallied on Tuesday in front of the Montgomery County Public Schools Board Of Education building. (dcnewsnow.com)

Montgomery Committee Against Hate Violence Panel Will Discuss Hate/Bias/Violence/Bullying-in County Public Schools Monday, June 12

Surprise! The county committee 'Against Hate Violence' issued an announcement of a meeting yesterday, Sunday, June 11th, for a meeting today! Guess they don't want you to show up.  But please attend if you can. It's at the Gaithersburg Library this evening at 7pm.

For Immediate Release: Sunday, June 11, 2023

The Montgomery County Committee Against Hate Violence (CAHV) of the County Office of Human Rights, at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 12, will sponsor a “Second Conversation” panel discussion focusing on “Hate/Bias/Violence/Bullying” within the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). The program will be held at the Gaithersburg Library and also will be livestreamed.

The Gaithersburg Library is located at 18330 Montgomery Village Ave. in Gaithersburg. There is no charge to attend and audience participation will be welcomed. The discussion will be streamed at https://www.facebook.com/CountyCableMoCo .

Scheduled to be on the panel are Attorney Guila Siegel, the associate director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Washington, D.C.; Stephanie Sheron, the chief of strategic initiatives of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS); Demon Monteleone, the associate superintendent of MCPS; Ryvell Fitzpatrick, the ombudsman of the Montgomery County Board of Education; and Lisa Taylor, chair of the Montgomery County Committee Against Hate Violence.

The “First Conversation” of the CAHV series, which was held in March, focused on “Anti-Semitism in Montgomery County.”

For more information on the event, contacts Richard W. Allen, the CAHV moderator/coordinator, at or 301-366-9361©; Craig or 818-406-4953; or James Stowe, the executive director of the County’s Office of Human Rights, at 240-888-5502 or .

# # #

Release ID: 23-247
Media Contact: Neil H. Greenberger 240-205-1915

Clean Slate Moco: Where Is the Watchdog? Montgomery County’s Office of Internal Audit Last Posted a Report Seven-Plus Months Ago

We don't often link to other blogs for stories but this is a biggie.

https://www.cleanslatemoco.com/where-is-the-watchdog-montgomery-countys-office-of-internal-audit-last-posted-a-report-seven-plus-months-ago/1253

It has now been seven-plus months since the last review/report, of the MoCo Recreation Department’s Cash Management Internal Controls, was issued.  In 2022, per this database and the dates provided, at least six reports were issued by MCIA on various functions and County government departments.  In 2023, nearly six months into the year, not a single new internal audit report has been issued.  Is the watchdog asleep?

Has County Executive Elrich shut down the internal auditor?  We'd like to know.

Newest Clarksburg School Officially Named Cabin Branch Elementary

The newly-named Cabin Branch Elementary School opens to students this fall.

On Tuesday, the Montgomery County Board of Education unanimously voted to rename Clarksburg Elementary School #9 following a series of community and committee meetings.

According to a Google survey of area residents, Cabin Branch was the first choice of 58% of the respondents. Waverly Woodson placed a distant second with 16% followed by Maya Angelo at 13%...

Newest Clarksburg School Officially Named Cabin Branch Elementary - Montgomery Community Media (mymcmedia.org)

Another Survey Monkey non-statistical survey from MCPS, this time on School Counseling

Here is a survey from MCPS on School Counseling. The public comment period ends September 4, 2023. The survey is available here. The proposed revised policy and the original policy is here.

The original policy spoke very specifically about counselors and their role. The new policy appears to have deleted almost all references to school counselors and their role, instead talking about a "multi-tiered system" of "drop-in support," "student well-being teams," community partners, and volunteers.

Policy IJA, School Counseling

Public Comment Sought on new draft Policy IJA, School Counseling

The Montgomery County Board of Education is seeking comments on proposed amendments to Board Policy IJA, School Counseling, to help the public understand the programs, services, and professionals responding to the social-emotional and mental health needs of students.

The policy has been available for comment since April 26, 2023. The public comment period will extend through September 4, 2023.    

The draft amendments propose-
• A name change to Policy IJA, Social-Emotional and Mental Health Programming and Services for Students, to include school psychologists, school social workers, and other pupil personnel who work with school counselors to address the social-emotional and mental health needs of students,
• Teams at each school to organize available professionals to respond to students’ needs,
• Regular opportunities for students to meet with professionals at their schools, and
• Communication to students to families to understand the professionals, programs and services at each school.

1. Do you have a concern about social-emotional or mental health programs or services?
2. Is there an issue about social-emotional or mental health programs or services that you would like the Board to address in policy?
3. Do you have a specific comment about the draft amendments to Policy IJA?

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org

Per U.S. Gov Air Quality Index, Montgomery County is now in Code Purple (11am Thursday June 8th)

 

From airnow.gov, the U.S Air Quality Index, here. Code Purple: Very Unhealthy. Stay indoors. Please keep your pets indoors.

Close MCPS Schools 6/8/23 Due to Poor Air Quality & Smoke

 Petition · Close MCPS Schools 6/8/23 Due to Poor Air Quality & Smoke · Change.org

NYT: Schools Received Billions in Stimulus Funds. It May Not Be Doing Enough.

Pandemic aid was supposed to help students recover from learning loss, but results have been mixed.

When the pandemic shut down schools across the country, the federal government responded with billions of dollars to help districts support remote learning, serve free meals to students and safely reopen schools.

In 2021, the Biden administration gave districts another $122 billion through its $1.9 trillion stimulus package, an amount that far surpassed previous rounds. Districts were required to spend at least 20 percent of those funds on helping students recover academically, while the rest could be used on general efforts to respond to the pandemic.

Yet, while most schools have since deployed various forms of interventions and some have spent more on academic recovery than others, there are ample signs that the money has not been spent in a way that has substantially helped all of the nation’s students lagging behind.

Recent test scores underscore the staggering effect of the pandemic, which thrust much of the nation’s students into remote learning for extended periods of time. Students in most states and across almost all demographic groups experienced major setbacks in math and reading after many schools closed their doors. In 2022, math scores underwent the largest declines ever recorded on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which tests a broad sampling of fourth and eighth graders dating back to the early 1990s...

Pandemic Stimulus Aid May Not Be Doing Enough to Help Schools - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

MCPS Summer School Focuses on ‘Highly Impacted’ Students by Invitation Only

This year MCPS Summer School will be invitation only. 

“The school system is shifting back to its pre-pandemic structure that targets students that would benefit most from a summer program,” according to MCPS spokesperson, Jessica Baxter.

Registration for summer school opened May 15, but not all students were able to register. MCPS says this shift focuses on the students most impacted.  Jessica Baxter, the school system’s spokesperson, noted emergency funds the district received to address pandemic-related learning loss, is winding down...

MCPS Summer School Focuses on 'Highly Impacted' Students by Invitation Only - Montgomery Community Media (mymcmedia.org)

Case of Measles in Montgomery County

A case of measles has been identified in the county. If you were at the Cabin John Ice Rink on Wednesday, May 24th between 6 - 9 pm, or at a professional office building at 16220 Frederick Road in Gaithersburg on Tuesday May 30th between between 11 am - 2 pm you may have been exposed to the measles.

This is a serious disease that can lead to blindness, and if you are pregnant, can affect the fetus.

Measles vaccines are easily available.

County Press Release below, link here. 

For Immediate Release: Friday, June 2, 2023

 Montgomery County and Maryland health officials announced this evening that one case of measles has been confirmed in a Montgomery County resident.  Anyone who visited the Cabin John Ice Rink, located at 10610 Westlake Drive in Bethesda on Wednesday, May 24, between the hours of 6 and 9 p.m. and a professional office building located at 16220 Frederick Road in Gaithersburg on Tuesday, May 30 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., may have been exposed to measles.

Measles is a contagious vaccine-preventable viral infection which is easily spread to unvaccinated persons through coughing, sneezing and secretions from the mouth. The measles virus may remain in the air for up to two hours.

There were five confirmed measles cases reported in Maryland in 2019, and there have been no measles cases reported since then.

People, especially those who are not vaccinated against measles, who were at either of these locations during the possible exposure times should monitor themselves for any early symptoms of measles, especially fever. People who develop a fever or other symptoms of measles should contact their health care provider. Those with symptoms should not go to childcare, school, work or out in public, as they might have the early symptoms of measles and might be contagious. People with these symptoms should call their doctor about their symptoms before showing up in the waiting room so that the office can take measures to prevent spread to other patients.

Measles symptoms typically develop 10-14 days after exposure to the virus but can develop as soon as seven days and as long as 21 days after exposure. Early symptoms of measles are fever more than 101 degrees F; runny nose; cough; and red, watery eyes. Usually, one to four days after the early symptoms, a red rash appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.  A person with measles is contagious beginning four days before the rash appears until four days after the rash begins. People are considered immune to measles if they were born in the United States before 1957, previously had measles or have had two measles vaccine shots.

Those who are most at risk of complications from measles infection are pregnant women, infants less than one year old, and those who are immune compromised. Such persons who might have been exposed on May 24 or May 30 should consult with their healthcare provider to see whether or not treatment with a medicine called immune globulin, which can help prevent measles if given within six days of exposure, is indicated.

Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to measles or who might have measles infection should call their doctor’s office for instructions prior to going for an evaluation.  Those who may have potentially been exposed may also call Montgomery County Health and Human Services’ Disease Control Office at 240-777-1755 to determine their risk of contracting measles.

Families’ college savings values still unclear as treasurer takes over Md. 529 program

As the State Treasurer’s Office assumes oversight of the troubled Maryland 529 prepaid college trust and investment plans, it remains unclear when, or if, families’ account values will be restored to previous, higher balances that the state has said were the result of a calculation error.

The treasurer’s office, which took over responsibility for the program on Thursday, is working “expeditiously … to enable account holders to access all funds they are entitled to,” Shareese Churchill, deputy treasurer of communications and public affairs, wrote in an email.

Treasurer Dereck Davis, though, has been hesitant to give a specific timeline for when families might be able to access their earnings...

Families’ college savings values still unclear as treasurer takes over Md. 529 program | Maryland Daily Record (thedailyrecord.com)

MCPS considers requiring students to take a financial literacy course before graduating

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — The Montgomery County Public Schools Board of Education is taking a closer look at a resolution approved in November of 2021.

"Requiring a .5 credit for financial literacy with it being considered for graduation as a graduation requirement," said MCPS Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight at a school board meeting on May 25.

If the School Board approves the idea, MCPS would join a growing number of school systems in the area and across the country that require students to take a financial literacy course to graduate...

MCPS considers requiring students to take a financial literacy course before graduating | WJLA

Structural Antisemitism at MCPS schools Part 2

Two students gave public testimony at the May 10, 2023 Board of Education meeting on the antisemitism in our MCPS schools. The second speaker was Anya Kleinman, who is a freshman at Richard Montgomery High School. Her testimony in full is below, both on video and in print.

She spoke movingly about the antisemitism in MCPS schools districtwide. She spoke about "Swastikas etched onto school desks and bathroom stalls, hate speech in classrooms, and graffiti on school walls." She stated that "This is creating an unsafe and non-inclusive learning environment for the Jewish students of Montgomery County."

One of her main points is that there is "an astounding lack of Holocaust education."

She pointed out that according to the Montgomery County Police Department there has been "a disturbing 55% surge in anti-Jewish incidents between 2021 and 2022." 

Anya Kleinman - BOE Testimony by freestategal