BoardNotes: November 2022

Caroline County Board of Education meetings are livestreamed and may also be viewed after the meeting has concluded. For information about the Board of Education, including agendas and meeting schedules, please visit the Leadership page of our website.

Board Member Reports

• Mark Jones highlighted the school assembly at Denton Elementary to introduce the schoolwide book “Adventures According to Humphrey”, and noted that the excitement of the students was palpable.
• Michele Wayman highlighted her time at Denton Elementary as a Mystery Reader to a 1st grade classroom, the FACES and MD Arts Council Black History Month Celebration, and the Federalsburg Elementary School 5th grade assembly with the Buffalo Soldiers.
• Troy Plutschak highlighted various sporting events, MABE Open Meetings Act Training, and the budget workshop with CFO Erin Thornton.
• Donna DiGiacomo highlighted the Purse Bingo that raised over $26,000 for the Backpacks program to ensure students have adequate food when not at school. She also enjoyed her time being a Mystery Reader at DES and the NCHS Unity Fair. She commented that being with our students is the highlight of being on the board.
• Rick Barton highlighted the Black History Month Program at NCHS and the special recognition given to Mr. Leroy Potter.

Superintendent's Report

Dr. Simmons highlighted the final steps the team has taken before submitting the CCPS Blueprint Implementation Plan. He reviewed where we are in the timeline, including the last Steering Committee meeting, the presentation to stakeholder groups (SSIC and CAC) and the community survey results received so far. He advised that the team did not expect to have any issues with submitting the plan before the due date of March 15.

Directors Report

Director of Operations Bill Mengel highlighted the coordinators that provide support to the supervisors in the various Operational divisions. He also updated the board on the status of some larger projects his team has been working to complete such as the NCHS softball dugouts, installing a new kiln, installing a generator at the Technology building, a new bus (with one more coming), and new dry storage for Food Services. He also updated the Board on the new Ridgely Elementary School playground, new shade structure on the Denton Elementary School playground, and the Greensboro Elementary School athletic fields which will begin mid- late April. He advised the work is expected to begin early next week to fix a roof leak at Preston Elementary School as long as needed supplies arrive and weather permits.

Director of Special Programs & Student Services Elizabeth Anthony highlighted the most recent Prek Parent/teacher conferences resulting in meetings with 242 families attending (85% of families). She also highlighted the success of the new before-school high dosage tutoring with 84 students and 42 teachers. The results are showing significant progress for those that attend tutoring sessions regularly.

Director of Instruction Lindsey McCormick highlighted a fun drug prevention assembly at secondary schools, various black history month celebrations across all schools, current progress on state assessments, and the importance of SAT.

Student Representative Reports

North Caroline High School Student Board Representative Leslie Monter Casio highlighted events and information for the schools in the north county including: Black History Month celebrations, student assemblies, Read Across America Day celebrations, spirit weeks, book fair, grandparents day, community service projects, spring sports, Unity Day celebrations, CTE Information night.

Colonel Richardson High School Student Board Representative Shelbi Briggs highlighted events and information for the schools in the south county including: testing season, spirit weeks, spring sports, Black History Month celebrations, National School Counselor Week and National School Resource Day celebrations, National Reading Month, book fair, and SAT Day. She updated the board on upcoming events such as the State Superintendent visit, Junior Achievement Workshop, and prom.

Finance Report

Chief Finance Officer Erin Thornton provided a finance report to the Board for the period ending February 28, 2023.

Graham Gleockler, a senior at North Caroline High School, was selected for this year's All State Jazz Senior Band. This event is sponsored by the Maryland Music Educators Association (MMEA). Graham's music teacher at NCHS is Mr. Wayne Martin.

The Board approved personnel items as presented by Dr. Robert Willoughby, Supervisor of Human Resources.

Free State PTA President Marla Posey-Moss spoke about the organization's perspective and legislative agenda. She advised they are a member based advocacy group and distributed the attached collateral.

Supervisor of Instruction Renee Hesson reviewed proposed novels and explained they align with the Maryland College and Career Ready standards for English Language Arts and match well with the existing units of study in English. The novels were selected for their academic use and engagement value as well as for their accessibility to all students as part of a student-centered and culturally responsive curriculum. All books have been reviewed by a team comprised of district and building administrators, English teachers, Literacy Coaches, and families from across Caroline County with students in the targeted grade levels.

● Alexander, Kwame. The Crossover. Clarion Books, 2019.

● Alexander, Kwame. Rebound (The Crossover Series). Clarion Books, 2021.

● Draper, Sharon M. Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books, 2012.

● Philbrick, Rodman. Freak the Mighty. Scholastic Paperbacks, 2001.

Supervisor of Instruction Renee Hesson reviewed proposed novels and explained they align with the Maryland College and Career Ready standards for English Language Arts and match well with the existing units of study in English. The novels were selected for their academic use and engagement value as well as for their accessibility to all students as part of a student-centered and culturally responsive curriculum. All books have been reviewed by a team comprised of district and building administrators, English teachers, Literacy Coaches, and families from across Caroline County with students in the targeted grade levels.

● Hinds, Gareth. The Odyssey. Candlewick, 2010. (graphic novel)

● McDonald, John. The Tempest. Classical Comics, 2009. (graphic novel)

● Takei, George. They Called Us Enemy. Top Shelf Productions, 2019. (graphic novel)

● Hinds, Gareth. Beowulf. Candlewick, 2007. (graphic novel)

● Gardner, John. Grendel. Vintage, 1989.

● Viney, Brigit. Frankenstein. Lucent Books, 2010. (graphic novel)

Award Exhibit

The Board accepted the bid as shown on the attached exhibit and awarded a contract to CDW Government, LLC, in the total amount of $222,113.76 (five years), for the provision of Firewall Appliance Upgrades (eRate). The estimated annual (fiscal year) cost is $44,422.76.This award provides all labor, materials, equipment and services necessary for, and incidental to, providing, monitoring and maintaining, upgraded firewall appliances at the CCPS’ Central Office and Central Office Annex. In addition to the buildings where the upgraded hardware will be located, these new firewall devices will provide content filtering, ISP & Local LAN routing, and general inbound and outbound firewall services via the private CCPS Fiber WAN for the remaining 11 CCPS buildings. The term of this contract shall be from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2028. There are no renewal options. CCPS intends to seek E-Rate reimbursement for all E-Rate eligible products and services provided under this contract. The funds associated with this project are provided for in the unrestricted operating budget.

The bid process and procedures complied with Board policy and applicable state laws and regulations.

Dr. Simmons and Mr. Jones updated the Board on education bills pending in the Maryland Legislature.

• SB 828 / HB 988 Time to Care Act: A similar bill passed last year but this version has two distinct differences. The first provision does not force employees to exhaust all of their employer provided leave prior to requesting paid FMLA. The second provision sets the contribution rates for both the employee and employer at 75% (employee) and 25% (employer) rather than changing every 2 years as previously set.
• SB 893 / HB 1219 Maryland Educator Shortage Act: The bill seeks to take a statewide approach to recruiting and retaining teachers including PreK teachers. This bill would require Higher Education to set goals for teacher candidates, and require the state to create a dashboard and allow for interstate teacher mobility.
• SB 820, SB 610, Virtual Programs - There are currently three bills addressing virtual schooling. SB 820 and SB 610 are similar and do not allow districts to use a private for profit provider. They do allow districts to continue using those vendors for two years before they will need to adjust.
• SB 829 does not specify that we cannot use for-profit vendors but we would have to switch to a different vendor. It also allows districts up to five asynchronous days (currently allowed three days) and no more 2.5 hours of synchronous virtual instruction a day. It was noted there are currently no non-profit entities on the Eastern Shore that could offer virtual school options for our local districts.
• HB 119: Amendments have changed the bill entirely to not include language specific to the Health Education Framework but require all frameworks be codified, allowing the State to withhold funding if requirements are not met. Dr. Simmons recommended the board take a position with MABE and send a letter to our legislators.

FY24 Proposed Budget Summary

CFO Erin Thornton reviewed the current budget summary with the board drawing attention to the Maintenance of Effort figure. She explained this formula uses a three year average of enrollment (excluding 2021) which has caused the local funding to decrease by $156,000. Dr. Simmons reminded the board that this is a fluid document and to anticipate more changes.

Ms. DiGiacomo requested staff look into increasing the allocation for PBIS to schools based on a specific dollar amount per student per year.

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Email: pio@ccpsstaff.org
Website: carolineschools.org
Location: Caroline County, Maryland
Phone: 410.479.1460
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