Silver Spring International MS students work with local artist Arturo Ho on their book, Transitions.
A class of eighth graders in a Lights, Camera, Media Literacy class at Silver Spring International Middle School has written, illustrated, published and is selling a book of stories on Amazon.
The book, Transitions, is a collection of original stories based on life experiences and is themed around coping with transitions. The book offers tales of divorce, therapy, making new friends, having the courage to follow your dreams, coping with the death of a loved one, and adjusting to new environments. They are stories of courage and inspiration.
Already, 69 copies have sold.
The class is part of the Lights, Camera, Literacy! program. The book was funded in part through a mini-grant from the school’s PTSA, which brought in local community artist, Arturo Ho, to work with the students on their illustrations. The book is priced at $15.
Silver Spring International Middle School
Students at Rosa Parks Middle School brought the stage to life with their musical production of Little Shop of Horrors. Drama teacher Natalie Roots had more than 50 students and dozens of volunteer parents collaborating on sets, costumes, lighting design, acting, dancing and singing. The students offered three performances to sellout crowds.
The newly found focus on theatre arts at Rosa Parks is thanks in part to Principal Donna Redmond Jones, who appreciates how theatre helps build community and makes connections to language arts.
Rosa Parks Middle School
Washington Redskins receiver Leonard Hankerson and 20 volunteers from FedEx visited Longview School in Germantown to deliver books, to read to students and to discuss the value of reading. Sponsored by the Redskins Charitable Foundation, the Redskins Read program has delivered more than 280,000 books to students throughout the D.C. metro area. The Longview School provides services for children with significant disabilities and facilitates student inclusion into the general education program.
The girls’ and boys’ basketball teams at Paint Branch and James Hubert Blake high schools raised more than $3,500 for cancer research. All donations will go to the Jimmy V Foundation, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and Team Tyler. Before the basketball games, there was a silent auction and raffle, featuring items such as signed basketballs from coaches such as the University of Tennessee’s Pat Summitt and the University of Maryland’s Brenda Frese and Mark Turgeon and footballs signed by Joe Jacoby; Washington Capitals and Wizards tickets, and restaurant gift certificates. Members of the boys and girls basketball teams collected "Coins for Cancer Research" during lunch at Paint Branch. They brought in more than $600 in student and teacher donations. The teams wore pink "One Team. One Cause"T-shirts and donned pink shoelaces and pink ribbons.
Whitman HS students raised more than $10,000 in the Polar Bear Plunge on Jan. 27.
Several MCPS high schools raised thousands of dollars for Special Olympics Maryland during the 16th annual Polar Bear Plunge on Jan. 27. MCPS schools were among the top MCPS fund-raisers: Walt Whitman High School collected more than $10,000. Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Sherwood high schools each collected nearly $6,300, and Quince Orchard donated more than $5,000.
Blake High School students also participated in the event, which raised money for Special Olympics.
Other participating schools included: Blake, Wootton, Einstein and Magruder high schools. The plunge invites students to brave the frigid waters of the Chesapeake Bay to support the Special Olympics organization.
Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary School students dressed in costume and held music and dance performances during the school’s 11th annual Lunar New Year celebration on Jan. 26.
This year’s celebration included a visit from Ki-Bong Lee, Minister of Education, and Eunjoo So, Director of the Korean Education Center, from the South Korean Embassy.
Along with Principal Judy Brubaker, Matsunaga ES students dressed in traditional garb for the annual Lunar New Year celebration.
Matsunaga, the only MCPS campus named for an Asian American, has been celebrating Lunar New Year since the school’s opening. The school assembly began with a Chinese dragon parade, a dance highlighting the New Year and symbolizing good luck. Students proudly showed off their artistic talent with handmade dragons. Students demonstrated martial arts, played musical instruments and performed a variety of dances. Parents, students, staff and teachers dressed in traditional Asian attire.
Every year, classroom teachers routinely teach students the significance of the holiday, and students prepare for months by practicing dance, music and martial arts.
Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary School
If you are an employee who had a flexible spending account (FSA) in 2011, it’s time for you to review your account and make plans to use any remaining balances before March 15, 2012.
Qualifying expenses from your medical and/or dependent care FSAs incurred between Jan. 1, 2011 and March 15, 2012, may be reimbursed from your 2011 plan election. Any remaining 2011 balances after March 15, 2012, will be forfeited. All 2011 plan year FSA claims must be submitted by April 30, 2012.
For additional information about FSAs or to download a form for filing an FSA claim, visit the ERSC website. To review your account, log in to the SHPS website.
Stephen L. Melvin, bus operator at the Clarksburg Depot, died on Jan. 18. He had been with MCPS for more than 11 years.
It's here: a chance to let your voice be heard! School staff members have an opportunity to express opinions on a variety of topics related to school community by filling out the School-based Staff Survey of School Environment. The survey, which should take approximately fifteen minutes to complete, is now online and will be available through Feb. 29. The higher the response rate, the more accurate and complete the representation of each school will be.
All responses are anonymous and cannot be tracked to any individual.
Principals will provide computer access and time during the workday for staff members to complete the survey. The goal is total participation.
Survey data from staff, students and parents—along with data from previous years—will be used to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of schools. They will not be used to evaluate schools, offices or individuals.
Contact Cynthia L. Loeb, Office of Shared Accountability, at 301-279-3848 for more information.
Campaign season is in full swing for this presidential election year. The primaries will be held Tuesday, April 3, and the general election is Tuesday, Nov. 6.
Employees are reminded that MCPS has a policy regarding participation in political campaigns and the distribution of campaign materials in schools and on campus. Be sure to read the Q&A for answers to many specific questions.
If you have questions, please refer them to your principal.
Read Regulation KEA-RA.
Deputy Superintendent of Schools Frieda K. Lacey is retiring at the end of the current school year. She has worked for MCPS for 41 years, serving as Deputy Superintendent for the past eight years.
Be sure to save the date for a celebration for Dr. Lacey planned for Friday, June 8, at 5 p.m. at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville. More information will be coming soon.
Dr. Lacey came to MCPS in 1971 as a special education teacher and, over the years, served in a variety of roles, including supervisor of Special Education Instruction, principal of the former McKenney Hills Learning Center, executive assistant to the Superintendent of Schools and Chief of Staff.
Superintendent Joshua Starr and Student Member of the Board Alan Xie listen to a student's question during the Student Town Hall meeting earlier today at Wootton High School.
Superintendent Joshua Starr held his third Town Hall meeting with students earlier today (Feb. 7) at Wootton High School in Rockville.
During the Town Hall, Dr. Starr took questions from students in the audience, and answered questions submitted in advance by email and Twitter. Watch a video of today's broadcast here.
A fourth Student Town Hall is scheduled for April 11 at Wheaton High School.
This past fall, Dr. Starr held Town Hall meetings at Blake and Quince Orchard high schools. They were hosted by Alan Xie, the student member of the Board of Education.
Student Town Hall meetings
The Bulletin has been highlighting specific themes and items raised in Superintendent Joshua P. Starr’s budget presentation, which he delivered on December 7, 2011. This is the final installment.
During his budget presentation, Dr. Starr discussed three strategic areas of focus for MCPS in the coming year: professional development, interventions and community engagement. These are areas in which there is already a lot of work going on across the district, but that work needs to be evaluated and, perhaps, refocused to meet the challenges ahead. Dr. Starr made it clear he was not asking for more money in these three areas for FY 2013, instead wanting to make sure current funds were being spent in the most effective and efficient way possible.
Professional Development: Dr. Starr emphasized the importance of professional development for all staff members, so our employees can meet the needs of our growing and changing student population. He said great professional development:
- Exposes employees to new ideas and gives them the opportunity to understand it before implementation;
- Is available “just in time,” right before staff has to use a new resource or teach a new lesson;
- Encourages every employee to have a coach who provides them with honest feedback and guidance;
- Develops instructional leaders that know how to organize the resources in a building; and
- Encourages learning communities in which professional collaboration and learning from each other are emphasized.
Interventions: Too often, interventions are confused with special education. Dr. Starr drove home the point that interventions should be available for all students and should:
- Accelerate learning so students can catch up;
- Offer a wide range of comprehensive supports; and
- Be timely and immediate.
Community Engagement: As MCPS enrollment grows and changes, we must make sure we are building an infrastructure for engaging all parents and all sections of the community. This engagement should include:
- Interagency collaboration amid governmental, non-profit and service agencies;
- Empowerment so that all parents know how to advocate for their child’s education; and
- A college-and-career-ready culture that means students leave with many options and opportunities.
In case you missed it, check out the discussion from the Jan. 31 Superintendent’s Book Club featuring Daniel Pink, author of the book club selection, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. More than 400 people participated in person, online, on MCPS TV and at the Bethesda Barnes & Noble viewing event.
Dr. Starr’s third Book Club event will be discussing The Global Achievement Gap by Tony Wagner. Details will be coming soon.
Stay tuned to the Superintendent’s Book Club website for more details.
In this month’s e-newsletter, see when you can attend an upcoming Heart Smart seminar. Read about the new MCPS fitness competition, beginning in March, which aims to get you walking. And get details on how even a little exercise can be beneficial to your heart.
Read it here.
Employee Wellness
There is still room in the next session of the Quit for Good tobacco cessation program, so register today!
Quit for Good is an eight-week tobacco cessation program offered by Well Aware and Kaiser Permanente that aims to teach you the skills it takes to live tobacco-free. The program is available to all employees and their spouses free of charge, regardless of whether you participate in MCPS employee benefits or carry Kaiser Permanente health insurance.
The next session begins Thursday, Feb. 9. It will be held at 4:30 p.m. at the Employee and Retiree Service Center at 45 West Gude Dr. in Rockville. To participate, you must be among the first 25 employees to confirm registration by sending an email here.
To learn more about the program, visit the wellness website.
Upcoming interest meetings are being held for the following programs:
Creative Initiatives in Teacher Education (CITE): CITE is an 18-month program at the University of Maryland, College Park, that begins in August 2012 and runs for five consecutive semesters. Successful completion of the program will result in a master’s degree in elementary education and Maryland certification in grades one through six. Upcoming information meetings will be held on Feb. 23 and March 22 at 4 p.m., at the Office of Human Resources and Development, 45 W. Gude Dr. in Rockville (meeting to be held in the Aspen Room). Check in with the first floor receptionist. Applications will be available. Register for this interest meeting on PDO. For more information, contact Russ Fazio at 301-315-7384.
Johns Hopkins University Professional Immersion Partnerships: The School of Education at Johns Hopkins University is offering the following master's degree programs in education: ProMAT for applicants interested in becoming a middle or high school teacher or ProSEMS for applicants interested in becoming special education teachers. ProSEMS coursework begins in the summer. The application deadline is February 15. All complete applications will be screened by March and candidates will be notified if they are selected for an interview. The ProMAT program option is scheduled to begin every January. The application deadline for the next cohort is October 1. Interviews are held every October with applicants notified of admission decisions in December. If you are interested in being considered for either of these programs, visit the Johns Hopkins website. Application forms are available online. For questions contact Russ Fazio at 301-315-7384 or Kathy Erkert at 301-294-7054.
George Washington University Teachers 2000 Partnership: The Teachers 2000 Partnership is seeking highly qualified teaching applicants in the areas of secondary special education (focus: LD, EBD, transition, LFI, SCB, autism) and early childhood/special education (Pre-K–Grade 3). Special education paraeducators in MCPS with bachelor's degrees are encouraged to apply. Tuition support is provided for all courses required for licensure and stipends are available. Classes will begin for the new cohort in May. The deadline for applications is March 1. For more information, contact Russ Fazio at 301-315-7384 or Jeanne Embich at 202-973-1108.
University of Maryland Partnership in Human Development: The University of Maryland, College Park is seeking candidates for the Human Development Master’s Degree partnership program beginning summer 2012. This master’s degree is a two-year, 30-credit program. An interest meeting will be held from 4–5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 6, at Universities of Maryland at Shady Grove, 9630 Gudelsky Dr., Rockville, Building 3, Room 4206. Register on PDO. For more information, contact Eileen Kramer at 301-405-1659 or Russ Fazio at 301-315-7384.
Hood College: Starting in the fall of 2012, Hood College will offer the Educational Leadership Certification Program. Through this program, you can earn a master's degree in educational leadership with Maryland certification in administration and supervision. For those who hold a master’s degree already, take the 18 credits needed for Maryland administrator certification. An information meeting will be held Wednesday, March 7, from 5–6 p.m., at the Center for Skillfull Teaching in the Festival Shopping Center (Large Training Room), 283 Muddy Branch Road in Gaithersburg. Register on PDO. For more information, contact Russ Fazio at 301-315-7384 or Joan Carroll at Joan_Carroll@mcpsmd.org.
McDaniel College Partnership in Administration and Supervision: McDaniel College is offering a master’s degree program and/or Administrator I Endorsement. Learn more during a meeting on Tuesday, April 10, 4 p.m. at the Office of Human Resources and Development, Aspen Room (1C-19), 45 W Gude Dr. in Rockville. RSVP to Andrea Selivan by April 6. Register on PDO. For more information, contact Nick Urick or Russ Fazio at 301-315-7384.