Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Forum gives community members a chance to weigh in on the MCPS budget and strategic plan.
Community members have a chance to help shape the future of Montgomery County Public Schools as the county school board holds a “Community Conversation” from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville. Attendees will engage in small group discussions about the values they think should guide the board as it updates the MCPS strategic plan and begins preparing its operating budget request for the 2013-2014 school year. Click here to register or call 301-279-3617. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The strategic plan, known as Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence, is the guiding document for the school system. “The strategic plan provides an accountability structure for measuring academic performance and operational …
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
See who prevailed in the tight race for the District 2 seat.
Update, 5:30 a.m., Wednesday Rebecca Smondrowski of Gaithersburg appears to have edged out Rockville resident Fred Evans in a close general election race for the District 2 seat on the county's Board of Education. Election night unofficial results from the Montgomery County Board of Elections showed Smondrowski with 117,294 votes (50.59 percent) and Evans, a former Montgomery County Public Schools principal, with 113,642 votes (49.02 percent). When combined with early voting numbers, this gave Smondrowski a total of 149,184 votes compared to Evans' 141,049--a lead of more than 8,000 votes. The unofficial results show board members Phil Kauffman and Christopher Barclay with enough votes to be reelected to their respective at-large and …
Thursday, September 27, 2012
A new policy by the Montgomery County Board of Education would authorize school nurses to use EpiPens on any student experiencing a life-threatening allergic reaction.
Nearly 100 Montgomery County students experienced life-threatening allergic reactions last school year, leading school officials to authorize school nurses to use EpiPens when necessary. According to Montgomery County Board of Education data, 27 of the 97 students who developed anaphylaxis were not known to be susceptible to serious allergies and even more did not have life-saving medicine on file with the school’s nurse. The Board voted last week to authorize nurses and other school administrators to give any student in anaphylaxis an injectable medication, even if that student doesn’t have the medication on file or isn’t known to have an associated allergy. Policy JPD, as the edict is named, is in response to a Senate law that requires…
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Schools Superintendent Joshua Starr announced Tuesday that Montgomery County Public Schools is considering a district-wide baseline testing program for student athletes.
With concussions on the rise among high school and collegiate athletes, Montgomery County Public Schools is investigating a program to try to do something about it. MCPS Superintendent Joshua Starr announced Tuesday that MCPS is considering a district-wide baseline testing program to assist in identifying student athletes who suffer concussions and to help in determining when they can safely return to the playing field, according to a news release. Starr told the Montgomery County Board of Education that MCPS will request proposals from outside providers that can administer and maintain the baseline testing program, according to the release. MCPS also will form a work group to determine what information should be included in the request. “…
Monday, July 23, 2012
Patch is excited to be joining with First Lady Michelle Obama for Olympic Fun Day.
There’s something about watching Olympic athletes that makes you want to get off the couch and go break a world record. Well, maybe not a world record. But at least run around outside. Which is why Patch is excited to be joining with First Lady Michelle Obama for Olympic Fun Day. The first lady is leading the U.S. Olympic delegation at the Summer Games opening ceremonies in London on Friday, July 27. Her fitness initiative—Let's Move—and Patch are teaming up to bring Olympic sports to life for you and your family in Montgomery County. Here's how: 1. If you (or anyone you know) are interested in trying an Olympic sport, check out Partnership for a Healthier America’s website, where you can track down professionals who offer instruction in…
Monday, June 18, 2012
The budget allows for raises for school employees and accounts for more than 2,400 additional students.
Montgomery County Public Schools will operate next year with a $2.16 billion budget after the Board of Education approved the budget for the 2013 fiscal year at its last meeting. The budget is an increase of about $73.2 million, or 3.5 percent, over last year’s, accounting for an estimated 2,400 additional students in the system. It also includes pay raises for administrators, teachers and staff—the first in three years. “This budget is not only an investment in our students, it is an investment in sustaining the future of Montgomery County as a great place to live and work,” Superintendent of Schools Joshua P. Starr said in a release. “MCPS has a national reputation for excellence and if we are going to sustain that excellence, we must …
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
In the Montgomery County Board of Education primary, Morris Panner took the No. 2 spot for the At-Large ballot; Fred Evans and Rebecca Smondrowski took the top spots for District 2.
Although the Republican presidential primary bolstered Maryland into national headlines Tuesday, locally Montgomery County voters also narrowed the field for the Board of Education’s general election in November. The unofficial results show that Phil Kauffman and Morris Panner beat out the two other candidates on the ballot to advance to the general election for the at-large seat. Kauffman received 60.3 percent of the vote, and Panner received 17 percent of the vote. The next runner-up, Lou August, received 11.9 percent of the vote. "I am really honored to have received the support I did," Panner, a resident of the Town of Somerset in Chevy Chase, told Chevy Chase Patch. "It is such an important time in our [c]ounty's history and a …
Monday, April 2, 2012
Head to the polls Tuesday to vote for at-large candidates along with representatives for Districts 2 and 4.
Romney, Santorum and Gingrich may be the stars of Maryland’s Tuesday primary election, but Montgomery County residents will also have the chance to cast votes for school board representatives. This year, one of the at-large seats and seats in two districts, districts 2 and 4, are up for grabs. (The district 4 race only has two candidates and both will automatically advance to the November general election.) Seven residents serve on the Board of Education at all times—two at-large members and five members representing geographical districts. Members are elected to four-year terms. Four residents are competing for the at-large seat: Lou August – Owner of a high-tech business and father of four MCPS-educated children, August says education “…
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Decision brings proven Montessori school methods to county public school students.
The Montgomery County Board of Education recently approved, 6-2, a proposal by Crossway Community Montessori to open the county’s first public charter school. This is big news. Not only will this be the first charter school in the county, it will also be the first public Montessori school in the county. Other surrounding jurisdictions have had public charter schools for years, with results ranging from spectacular to dismal. While Montgomery County is arriving late to the charter-school party, there is every reason to expect this particular proposal to be on the positive side of that spectrum. For one thing, this proposal went through a lengthy review process, with significant revisions the second time through, to win approval from the …
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
After its contract is negotiated, Crossway will become the county's first charter school.
The Board of Education voted to approve Crossway Montessori's charter school application at its meeting Monday, paving the way for Montgomery County's first charter school. "We're very excited for this opportunity," said Kathleen Guinan, CEO of Crossway Community Inc. "We're looking forward to this partnership with the board and with (Montgomery County Public Schools)." Now that Crossway's application has been approved, Superintendent Joshua Starr has 30 days to negotiate a contract with the school. After that, the board and the school will begin a one-year planning process before starting the four-year charter, Guinan said. The measure passed 6-2, with Judith Docca (District 1) and Michael Durso (District 5) opposing it. Patricia O'Neill…
Esther French
3:51 pm on Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Thanks for the clarification, Theresa! Yes, voters should vote countywide for the Board of Education races. more ›