WHEREAS, The Board of Education of Montgomery County is authorized by the Education Article and General Provisions Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland to conduct certain meetings or portions of its meetings in closed sessions; now therefore be it
Resolved, That the Board of Education of Montgomery County conduct a closed session
on February 23, 2015, in Room 120 of the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland, from 5:30 p.m. to approximately 6:00 p.m.; and be it further
Resolved, That the superintendent of schools brief the Board on operating and capital budget strategy, which is an administrative function outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act; and be it further
Resolved, That the meeting continue in closed session until the completion of business.
WHEREAS, As part of a centuries-old and ever-evolving American movement, countless women have contributed to progress; and
WHEREAS, Together, they have guided our nation toward equality, liberation, and acceptance of women’s rights—not only to choose their own destinies—but also to shape the future of peoples and nations; and
WHEREAS, Throughout our nation’s history, American women have led movements for social and economic justice, made groundbreaking scientific discoveries, enriched our culture with powerful works of art and literature, and charted bold directions in our foreign policy; and
WHEREAS, They have served our country with valor, from the battlefields of the Revolutionary War to the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, Montgomery County Public Schools celebrates the contributions of women throughout history and honors extraordinary women such as JoAnn Leleck—an outstanding educator and administrator—who impacted the lives of countless children by leading a remarkable turnaround at Broad Acres Elementary School; and
WHEREAS, Her legacy and memory are honored by the school’s renaming to JoAnn Leleck Elementary School at Broad Acres on October 1, 2014; now therefore be it
Resolved, That the Montgomery County Board of Education and the interim superintendent of schools hereby declare the month of March 2015 to be “Women’s History Month” and encourage staff and schools to recognize the victories, struggles, and stories of the women who have made our country and Montgomery County what they are today.
Executive Summary
Through its National Board Certification Program, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certifies highly accomplished educators who meet rigorous standards through intensive study, expert evaluation, self-assessment, and peer review. National Board Certification has been recognized by the National Research Council as having a positive impact on student achievement, teacher retention, and professional development. Since the program’s inception in 1987, more than 110,000 educators nationwide and 2,760 educators in Maryland have achieved National Board Certification. Maryland ranks thirteenth in the nation for the total number of educators who have achieved certification.
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) continues to lead the state in the number
of educators who are awarded this prestigious recognition of their proficiency, with 50 new National Board Certified Teachers this year. The 50 National Board Certified Educators are among the 162 Maryland educators who achieved certification from NBPTS in 2014. This brings the total number of educators who have earned National Board Certification while working for MCPS to 828.
NBPTS seeks to identify and recognize teachers who effectively enhance student learning and demonstrate the high level of knowledge, skills, abilities, and commitments reflected in the Five Core Propositions that define what National Board Certified Teachers should know and be able to do.
Recommended Resolution
WHEREAS, The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has established a voluntary certification program to recognize outstanding teacher competency; and
WHEREAS, The Maryland State Department of Education and Montgomery County Public Schools have participated in financial aid programs to encourage educators to engage in the rigorous process of becoming a National Board Certified Teacher; and
WHEREAS, Montgomery County Public Schools provides a variety of supports to assist candidates as they work through the process of National Board Certification; and
WHEREAS, Montgomery County Public Schools has identified the skills, competencies, and rigor of the National Board’s Core Propositions as the foundation for the Teachers’ Professional Growth System; now therefore be it
Resolved, That the Board of Education supports increasing the number of National Board Certified Educators; and be it further
Resolved, That Montgomery County Public Schools recognizes and appreciates the leadership skills and abilities of National Board Certified Educators that benefit our staff, students, and communities; and be it further
Resolved, That the Board of Education and the interim superintendent of schools urge
all Montgomery County residents to join in recognizing and expressing their appreciation for these educators and the skills they bring to the students of Montgomery County Public Schools; and be it further
Resolved, That the Board of Education hereby recognizes the educators named on the attached list for having completed the National Board Certification process and having received the certificate in November 2014.
The regular business meetings of the Board usually include a public comments period in which any citizen, group representative, parent, or student may make a statement regarding an item on a past, present or future Board open-session agenda, or a matter of general policy over which the Board has jurisdiction.
At most business meetings, 30 minutes are set aside for Public Comments from residents to encourage public participation. The first fifteen (15) speakers who contact the Board office by telephone on the Monday prior to the business meetings are granted two (2) minutes each to speak as follows:
This item provides you with information regarding proposed legislation that could impact Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). Each bill has been analyzed to determine any impact on MCPS, as well as whether or not it is consistent with the legislative platform that was adopted by the Board on November 11, 2014. Attachment A provides recommended positions on bills that are not covered by the platform. Attachment B provides, for your information, a summary of bills that are consistent with the Board’s platform and for which no action is needed.
The bills before you today are listed below, including the web site where you can find the full text of each bill. To access the text online, left click each hyperlink.
Bills with Recommended Positions (Attachment A)
Health and Nutrition
SB0296 Public Schools - Thirsty Kids Act
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/sb/sb0296F.pdf
SB0672 Public and Nonpublic Schools - Student Diabetes Management Program
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/sb/sb0672F.pdf
Records
HB0166 Education – Maryland Seal of Biliteracy Act – Establishment
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/hb/hb0166F.pdf
HB0298 Education - Student Data Privacy Act of 2015
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/hb/hb0298F.pdf
Reporting
SB0440 Education - Expenditures of Revenues - Reporting by County Boards of Education
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/sb/sb0440F.pdf
Special Education
HB0344 Education - Due Process Hearings for Children With Disabilities - Burden of Proof
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/hb/hb0344F.pdf
SB0538 Blind or Visually Impaired Children - IEP - Orientation and Mobility Instruction
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/sb/sb0538F.pdf
Task Force
HB0452 Commission to Review Maryland's Use of Assessments and Testing in Public Schools
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/hb/hb0452F.pdf
Transportation
HB0471 School Bus Monitoring Cameras - Local Jurisdictions - Civil Penalty
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/hb/hb0471F.pdf
Bills Consistent with Platform (Attachment B)
CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENTS
HB0247 Elementary School Students - Daily Physical Activity (Student Health and Fitness Act)
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/hb/hb0247F.pdf
HB0383 Education - Sexual Abuse and Assault Awareness and Prevention Program - Development and
Implementation
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/hb/hb0383F.pdf
HB0248 State Board of Education - Financial Literacy Curriculum - Graduation Requirement
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/hb/hb0248F.pdf
FUNDING/ACCOUNTABILITY
SB0405 Maryland Education Credit
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/sb/sb0405F.pdf
LOCAL BOARD AUTHORITY
HB0389 Education - Beginning of School Year - After Labor Day
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/hb/hb0389F.pdf
HB0683 State Board of Education - Next Generation Schools - Established
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/sb/sb0683F.pdf
HB0486 Public Charter School Expansion and Improvement Act of 2015
WHEREAS, On July 15, 2014, the Montgomery County Board of Education authorized staff in the Department of Facilities Management to utilize a construction management process for the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement Program and awarded a contract for preconstruction services to Keller Construction Management, LLC; and
WHEREAS, The following sealed bids were received on February 3, 2015, for the S. Christa McAuliffe Elementary School Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement Project Phase I:
|
Bidder |
Amount |
|
|
|
|
Emjay Engineering and Construction, Co., Inc. |
$2,099,000 |
|
Mallick Mechanical Contractors, Inc. |
$2,174,000 |
|
Pro-Air, Inc. |
$2,198,500 |
|
Shapiro & Duncan, Inc. |
$2,285,000 |
|
W. L. Gary Company, Incorporated |
$2,295,000 |
|
M & M Welding & Fabricators, Inc. |
$2,306,000 |
|
Paramount Mechanical Corp. |
$2,340,000 |
and
WHEREAS, The goal for Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation established for this project was 10 percent; and
WHEREAS, The low bidder, Emjay Engineering and Construction, Co., Inc., has submitted 10 percent woman-owned Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation; and
WHEREAS, Emjay Engineering and Construction, Co., Inc. has completed similar work successfully for Montgomery County Public Schools; and
WHEREAS, Department of Facilities Management staff has negotiated a fee with Keller Construction Management, LLC for the construction management services; now therefore be it
Resolved, That a $2,099,000 contract be awarded to Emjay Engineering and Construction, Co., Inc. for the S. Christa McAuliffe Elementary School Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement Project Phase I, in accordance with drawings and specifications prepared by Gipe Associates, Inc.; and be it further
Resolved, That a contract in the amount of $115,500, to provide construction management services, be awarded to Keller Construction Management, LLC for the S. Christa McAuliffe Elementary School Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement Project Phase I.
We are pleased to share with the Board of Education our new, interactive online, Annual Report to the Community. This report on the 2013-2014 school year provides our community with stories and examples of how we are fulfilling the vision and mission of MCPS as delineated in the Strategic Planning Framework.
The report describes the forces driving change in the district and how we are responding to them, while providing readers with examples of how we are fostering academic, creative problem solving, and social emotional skills among our students. Each area of the online report includes photos, charts, video, and audio segments to take the reader inside the school building. The report discusses how we are implementing the Common Core State Standards in Curriculum 2.0 and preparing for the most significant shift in state assessment in more than a decade—the change to the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers tests. Our work to close the achievement gap is highlighted through the five core strategies contained in the District Implementation Plan with examples of some of the strategies being used in the district.
Importantly, the report is an accountability document for our community. The Strategic Planning Framework includes the five milestones monitored by the district and the Board. Each milestone is graphically presented by subgroup so that the reader can know exactly how our students are performing. In addition, the Board’s Strategic Planning Committee approved a monitoring tool—heat maps—last summer to help stakeholders quickly determine the areas of greatest strengths and needs on a variety of student performance metrics through color-coded matrices. School-by-school student performance by subgroup also is available through links to the School Support and Improvement Framework (SSIF) reports. SSIF reports give users a plethora of information about individual schools and how they are performing on the milestones. The annual report also provides a link to OpenDataMCPS—our online portal where parents and community members may download datasets to conduct their own analysis. In addition, OpenDataMCPS makes the MCPS operating budget searchable for those who wish to delve more deeply into the budgetary information.
As you know, organizational effectiveness is the foundation of the Strategic Planning Framework. The report includes examples of the district’s work in this area, such as environmental stewardship and—through the power of video—shows many the ways our outstanding support functions ensure that our schools operate smoothly every day. The Office of the Chief Operating Officer (OCOO), which is responsible for the majority of school support functions, is deeply committed to data-driven decision making and continuous improvement. While there are literally hundreds of measures used by OCOO to monitor performance, this report provides a data snapshot in four key areas: service to schools, financial management, environmental sustainability, and human resources. Basic information about the operating and capital budgets also is included on this site with links to more detailed data elsewhere on the MCPS website.
While this report was primarily designed to be viewed online, a downloadable version is being created that may be easily printed. The print version will not contain the same extensive amount of information that is possible to provide in an online platform, but it will provide community members with a good snapshot of the work happening across the district. Due to budget constraints, MCPS will only print a limited quantity of paper copies for the public. The print version will include Quick Response, or QR, codes that are scannable from any smartphone to take readers
to video and audio segments and longer versions of the features found online. It is important to point out that the entire annual report site has been responsively designed so that it is viewable on any device, whether it be a desktop computer, tablet, or smartphone. MCPS is employing Google Translate to provide instantaneous translation of the online Annual Report and will have a limited number of printed reports in Spanish, Amharic, Chinese, French, Korean, and Vietnamese.
The annual report may be found on the MCPS home page at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org or by searching annual report.
The foundation of the Strategic Planning Framework, Building Our Future Together: Students, Staff, and Community, is Organizational Effectiveness, which represents how Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) central services offices work together to support schools. The Office of the Chief Operating Officer works in collaboration with the offices of the Chief Academic Officer and School Support and Improvement to ensure processes, structures, and resources are aligned across all offices to serve principals and support schools to improve instructional practices. Our goal is to sustain a culture of high quality service to schools that is based on our commitment to improving instruction for every student in every classroom every day.
This presentation builds on previous milestone conversations with the Board of Education (Board) on the Strategic Planning Framework. The Organizational Effectiveness component of the Strategic Planning Framework is critical to the other milestones because it supports the transformation of our school system into one that is built on shared ownership and mutual accountability by all central services offices to serve and support schools. Organizational Effectiveness is the foundation of the Strategic Planning Framework because it sets the expectation that all offices provide high quality services that are essential to the success of our students. It is not possible to create a successful school system that serves all of its students well without building and sustaining a strong foundation of organizational excellence.
This evening’s presentation focuses on one process as an example of our organizational effectiveness—how the school system prepares for and responds to inclement weather and weather-related emergencies. The presentation highlights how various offices in central services work together to support schools during these challenging circumstances. We also will discuss how our work is connected to that of many other government agencies and explain how we collaborate to make decisions and get the work done to ensure the smooth operations of the district. In addition, we hope this presentation provides the Board and the public with a better understanding of how inclement weather decisions are made, as well as the procedures and processes to prepare our facilities when there is a weather-related event. Tonight’s presentation also will discuss the factors for making a decision to close schools separately from closing administrative offices.
The topics that will be covered during tonight’s presentation include how:
We strive to provide as much quality instruction to all of our students within the 184-day school calendar as possible. In the state of Maryland, schools are required to operate 180 days per year—1,080 hours for elementary and middle schools and 1,170 hours for high schools. The Board-adopted calendar includes four more days than are required so that days do not have to be made up when schools are closed due to the weather conditions. In addition, elementary school students are scheduled to attend school 1,137 hours, middle school students 1,229 hours, and high school students 1,234 hours. The Board also adopts a contingency calendar in the event schools are closed for more than four days due to inclement weather. When we lose days of instruction, teachers often are unable to cover all of the curriculum material in a course. This impacts students being prepared for Advanced Placement exams, final exams, and state testing. This certainly was a factor last year when schools were closed 10 days as a result of inclement weather.
We do not want to close schools, open schools late, or dismiss students early if it is avoidable because we know that we will lose valuable instructional time. However, our staff and students’ safety is of paramount importance. When decisions are being made about school closures, the safety of our students and our staff is our first priority, which is why these decisions are so challenging. We often do not know what the conditions may be when the decisions have to be made. We wait as long as we possibly can to make the decisions so that we may have the most comprehensive information available to inform the decision-making process.
In general, we make a decision on school or office closure by 4:30 a.m. in order to notify families and employees before they would begin their travel to school or work. As for early closing decisions, we typically make these decisions by 10:30 a.m. in order to mobilize our bus fleet to return to schools for the pickup 2.5 hours before the normal end of the day. We do not want to make a premature decision the night before an event based on the weather predictions only to see that the predictions were wrong, the conditions are safe, and we unnecessarily lose a day of school. In addition, when schools are closed, open late, or close early, many families struggle to find child care for their children. For many of our parents who may be hourly workers, missing work due to school closures may mean they will not get paid. We try to be mindful of this significant economic impact when considering a closure or delay.
Another consideration that weighs on us when considering a possible closure is the fact that more than 45,000 of our students participate in the Free and Reduced-price Meals System program. Often, the meals these students receive at school may be the only meals they receive that day. We are often asked why we do not close or delay schools in a portion of the county, or zone, and open schools on time in other zones when weather conditions vary from one section of the county to another. This notion is based on the frequent variation of weather conditions in Montgomery County, typically between the northwest area of the county and the southeast area. It is not uncommon for the rain-snow line to run through Montgomery County. In fact, the National Weather Service recently categorized Montgomery County from a single forecast zone to two zones: northwest and southeast. Therefore, making different weather-related decisions for specific areas of the county might make sense if not for the tremendous complexity of school assignment patterns throughout MCPS.
Some years ago, a study focusing on zone closures was conducted. The findings identified that all but two of our clusters had at least one student from every other cluster. This pattern is due to the wide array of specialized special education services and choice programs available to MCPS students. There are more cross-cluster programs in MCPS now than there were when the study was conducted. Closing schools by zone causes some schools to operate fewer days than other schools, causing a disparity between schools.
Zone closures also would cause a disparity between students within the same school. For example, if schools in the southeast area of the county opened two hours late, but schools in the northwest part of the county were closed due to severe weather conditions, buses would not operate in the northwest part of the county to transport cross-cluster students to their schools in the southeast area of the county. In addition, as is the case for some families, one or two children may attend school while their siblings may not, because the school they attend is closed. This would disproportionately impact students with special needs as they cross cluster school boundaries more than other students.
Closing schools by zone also would impact staff. For example, a staff member may live in a zone in which schools are closed, but may work in a zone in which schools are open; in this case, the staff member still would be expected to work. Therefore, MCPS makes one systemwide decision, based on the most severe weather conditions in the county.
When we make the decision to close administrative offices, related concerns impact our families. If administrative offices remain open when schools are closed, all 12-month employees are expected to work or take leave, including all school-based administrative staff and 12-month secretaries. When the decision is made to keep administrative offices open when schools close, all child-care programs are allowed to continue their normal operations. However, if administrative offices are closed or open late, child-care providers are not able to open or may open late, causing additional hardships on families that depend on this child care. We have 112 schools that have before- and after-school child-care programs operating and 42 schools that have all-day child-care programs operating in our buildings.
The decision to close or delay the opening of schools is among the most complex decisions we make in MCPS. As is widely known, the weather conditions in this area may be unpredictable—along with the geographic diversity of the county. These factors alone often make this decision a difficult one. Our goal is to do everything we can to make sure our schools are open for the reasons discussed above—all while keeping student and staff safety foremost in our minds.
WHEREAS, The Board of Education of Montgomery County is authorized by the Education Article and General Provisions Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland to conduct certain meetings or portions of its meetings in closed sessions; now therefore be it
Resolved, That the Board of Education of Montgomery County conduct a closed session on
March 10, 2015, from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to approximately
2:00 p.m. in Room 120 of the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland; and be it further
Resolved, That the Board of Education anticipates that the closed session will include a discussion of personnel matters, as permitted under Section 3-305(b)(1) of the General Provisions Article and Section 4-107(d) of the Education Article; the review and adjudication of appeals in its quasi-judicial capacity; consultation with counsel to obtain legal advice on those appeals, as permitted under Section 3-305(b)(7) of the General Provisions Article; a discussion of matters constituting an administrative function outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act (Section 3-103(a) of the General Provisions Article); and the Board will publish more detailed Resolutions for Closed Session when particular topics for discussion are identified; and be it further
Resolved, That this meeting shall continue in closed session until the completion of business.
On February 10, 2015, the Board of Education voted unanimously among those present to conduct a closed session, as permitted under the Education Article Section 4-107(d) and General Provisions Article Section 3-305(b) et seq., of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
The Board of Education of Montgomery County met in closed session on February 10, 2015, from 8:35 a.m. to 9:29 a.m. and from 12:50 p.m. to 12:59 p.m. in Room 120 of the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland, and:
1. Received legal advice and considered the following Decisions and Orders involving a student transfer and a Complaint from the Public: T-2014-84 and 2014-36, as permitted under Section 3-305(b)(7) of the General Provisions Article and in its quasi-judicial capacity outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act.
2. Received a briefing by the superintendent of schools on the Human Resources Monthly Report, which is an administrative function outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act.
3. Received a briefing of the Quarterly Sexual Harassment Report by the superintendent of schools, which is an administrative function and outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act.
4. Received a briefing by the superintendent of schools on the capital and operating budget strategies, which is an administrative function outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act.
5. Received legal advice and considered the following appeal involving a student transfer:
T-2015-1, as permitted under Section 3-305(b)(7) of the General Provisions Article and in its quasi-judicial capacity outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act.
The Board decided the appeal as follows:
Board Matter No. T-2015-1: On motion of Mr. Barclay and seconded by
Mrs. Smondrowski, the Board of Education voted unanimously to accept, as part of the record, the document (dated February 9, 2015) submitted by the appellant on February 10, 2015.
Mrs. O’Neill made a motion to reverse the decision of the chief operating officer (acting as the superintendent’s designee). Mr. Kauffman seconded the motion, with Mrs. O’Neill and Mr. Kauffman voting to reverse and Mr. Barclay, Dr. Docca, Mr. Durso, Ms. Huh,
Ms. Ortman-Fouse and Mrs. Smondrowski voting not to reverse. Since five votes are needed for the motion to pass, the motion failed, for lack of a majority vote.
On motion of Dr. Docca and seconded by Mr. Barclay, with Dr. Docca, Mr. Barclay,
Mr. Durso, Ms. Huh, Ms. Ortman-Fouse, and Mrs. Smondrowski voting to affirm the decision of the chief operating officer (acting as the superintendent’s designee) and Mrs. O’Neill and Mr. Kauffman voting not to affirm, the Board of Education voted to affirm T-2015-1.
In attendance at the 8:35 a.m. closed session were Patricia O’Neill, Michael Durso, Christopher Barclay, Judith Docca, Dahlia Huh, Philip Kauffman, Jill Ortman-Fouse, Rebecca Smondrowski, Ikhide Roland Ikheloa, Joanne Causey, Suzann King, Laura Steinberg, and Patrick Clancy. At 8:46 a.m. the following staff joined the meeting: Joshua Starr, Larry Bowers, Kimberly Statham, Maria Navarro, Joshua Civin, Brian Edwards, Dana Tofig,
Karalee Turner-Little, and Andrew Zuckerman. Patrick Clancy left the meeting at 8:49 a.m. Closed Session adjourned at 9:29 a.m. In attendance at the continuation of the 12:50 p.m. afternoon closed session were Patricia O’Neill, Michael Durso, Christopher Barclay, Judith Docca, Dahlia Huh, Philip Kauffman, Jill Ortman-Fouse, Rebecca Smondrowski, Ikhide Roland Ikheloa, Joanne Causey, Suzann King, Laura Steinberg, Joshua Starr, Larry Bowers, Kimberly Statham, Maria Navarro, Joshua Civin, Brian Edwards, Karalee Turner-Little, and Andrew Zuckerman. The afternoon closed session adjourned at 12:59 p.m.