Parent Advisory Council 2011-12
Introduction
The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Parent Advisory Council (PAC) provides input on ways to improve communication and parent engagement at the district and local school levels and also provides parent advocacy trainings to support student learning. PAC members are parents who have at least one child in the school system and who reflect the diversity of the MCPS community. PAC meetings are facilitated by staff in the MCPS Department of Family and Community Partnerships.
Mission
The mission of the Parent Advisory Council is to provide feedback and advice to the school system on parent involvement efforts related to the research-based national PTA standards for family–school partnerships described in Board of Education Policy ABC, Parental Involvement. These six standards are 1) Welcoming All Families into the School Community, 2) Communicating Effectively, 3) Supporting Student Success, 4) Speaking Up for Every Child, 5) Sharing Power, and 6) Collaborating with the Community. PAC is proactive and innovative in identifying and sharing ways to enhance the school system’s communication and parent engagement efforts and parent advocacy training.
Meet the PAC
What is the structure of PAC?
PAC is composed of 30 parents who serve two-year terms. The term "parent" refers to the parent or legal guardian of a child enrolled in a Montgomery County public school. Of the 30 seats on PAC, one seat is reserved for a representative of the Montgomery County Council of PTAs and one for a representative of the NAACP Parents’ Council. Fifteen PAC members completed their second terms during the 2010–2011 school year. Therefore, 15 new members will be selected in fall 2011.
What is the process for parents interested in serving on the Parent Advisory Council?
Nominations are welcome from parents, staff, community organizations, and other members of the MCPS community. Self-nominations will be accepted. The deadline for submission of nominations for the 2011–2012 PAC is September 16, 2011. Nomination forms are available in local schools or by calling DFCP at 301-279-3100.
How are members chosen to serve?
To ensure broad representation, the nominations of potential members will be evaluated on a variety of factors, including geographic location of residence, child’s grade level, and areas of interest and experience related to MCPS programs and services including, but not limited to, special education, gifted and talented, and ESOL. The membership of the PAC will reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the student population.
When will the PAC meetings be held?
PAC will meet eight times during the 2011–2012 school year. The meetings will be held at the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville. Interpretation services will be provided as needed. The meetings will last approximately 90 minutes, beginning at 6:30 p.m., on the following dates:
- Monday, February 13, 2012
- Monday, March 12, 2012
- Monday, April 16, 2012
- Monday, May 7, 2012
What will be expected of PAC members?
Each member will serve a two-year term. Members may not serve for more than two consecutive terms. PAC representatives will agree to have personal contact information posted on the DFCP website to allow area stakeholders to communicate and provide input. Council members will be expected to attend all scheduled meetings; prepare for each meeting as needed; work in a collaborative fashion with each other and with school system staff; express views and opinions openly, constructively, and respectfully; and help facilitate parent advocacy trainings and welcoming environment walkthroughs. Although staff will develop an agenda for each meeting, PAC representatives may submit discussion items for consideration.
What will be expected of Department of Family and Community Partnerships staff?
Staff will collaborate with PAC co-chairs to develop an agenda for each meeting and send genda materials to PAC members sufficiently in advance of each meeting. A DFCP staff member will take minutes at all PAC meetings and disseminate them as appropriate. Staff will provide materials for review as needed.
Click here for information from previous years' Parent Advisory Councils.
For more information, please contact the Department of Family & Community Partnerships at (301) 279-3100.
PAC Bios
Reva Gambrell
Reva Gambrell is a very active member in her local PTSA and NEC/Sherwood community. She currently serves on the board of the Montgomery County Council of PTAs (MCCPTA) as a Cluster Coordinator. She is also a member of her daughter’s middle school PTSA serving as NEC Representative and MCCPTA Delegate. Ms. Gambrell was drawn to this opportunity to serve on the Parent Advisory Council because of her passion for student/parent advocacy. She believes that strong student/parent advocacy will strengthen the Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) community as a whole. Ms. Gambrell also volunteers as a parent/student trainer on topics such as time management and project management. As a practitioner of project management, she believes project management skills are “life skills” – a repeatable discipline that can be a very valuable tool for students and parents alike.
Sara Geller
Sara Geller and her husband have one daughter who attends Sherwood High School in Sandy Spring and one daughter in college. Sara has been working in the faith-based community for 25 years. As a parent she seeks to help other parents navigate school culture. As a music education specialist, she respects the efforts of classroom teachers. As a nonprofit staff person, Sara is passionate about providing excellent services to a community’s stakeholders. Sara enjoys talking about education with the other members of the PAC.
Norine James
Norine James is a Project Manager and a wife and mother of three. For the past five years, she has gladly volunteered in her children’s classrooms, currently at Little Bennett Elementary School and formerly at S. Crista McAuliffe Elementary. Because she and her husband believe in the power of giving, they are strong advocates of volunteering and of donations. Her volunteer work for Montgomery County Public Schools ranges from being a classroom assistant helping children in reading and math to working with the PTA to conduct fundraising events. She has enjoyed working with children but also likes being an eyewitness to her own children’s success. Being parents actively engaged in their children’s schools has become just one more way to ensure education remains a top priority.
Angela Jones
Angela Jones is a Risk Specialist who is married with three children (a college graduate, a junior in college and a high school student.) Her goal is to give back to the community and she strongly believes that you can not move forward without knowing where you are from. As a result, she has remained involved in the PTA and NAACP Parent Council for the last fifteen years. As a member of the Parent Advisory Council she hopes to share her experiences with MCPS with other parents and looks forward to learning from other PAC members. She believes that MCPS has a wealth of information and resources that should be shared with all who want to embrace it. She has followed the footsteps of other parents and MCPS administrators and as a result proudly says her that children continue to succeed due to the school system. She wants to help other parents to have the same experience.
Deborah Missal
Deborah Missal has been involved with MCPS for nearly a decade. She spent four years as Cluster Coordinator for the B-CC Cluster, and served as PTSA president at B-CC in 2010-11. Before that she was the 1st Vice President and a cluster representative at B-CC and has also served on the Board of Directors of the B-CC High School Education Foundation.