Board Discusses State Technology Requirement; Honors Counselors of the Year

May 23, 2012

The Montgomery County Board of Education met on Monday, May 21, 2012, at the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. Among other items, the Board discussed the Maryland State Department of Education technology education credit graduation requirement, recognized the winners of the 2012 School Counselor of the Year Awards and made administrative appointments. The agenda for the meeting, with links to related materials, can be viewed on the Board of Education website

Maryland State Department of Education Technology Credit
The Board discussed the current Maryland State Department of Education technology education credit graduation requirement and the challenges it has presented for MCPS students. Effective with the class of 2012, all Maryland high school students must earn one credit in technology education in order to graduate. There are only four courses currently offered in MCPS that fulfill the technology education credit: Foundations of Technology, Introduction to Engineering Design, Principles of Engineering, and Designing Technology Solutions. Members of the Board of Education have been contacted by students and members of the community who feel the requirement is too narrow and focuses only on International Technology and Engineering Education, and may have a negative effect on students who desire to pursue computer science study and/or other technology related coursework. The Board also expressed concern over the inflexibility of the requirement, and committed to pursuing multiple avenues of advocacy including appealing to the Maryland State Board of Education to expand the definition of technology education and the selection of courses offered to fulfill the requirement. Read the Board Memo

2012 School Counselor of the Year Awards
The Board of Education recognized the recipients of the 2012 Montgomery County Public Schools Counselor of the Year Award. The School Counselor of the Year Award highlights the many important contributions of school counselors and the essential role they play in the social, emotional, and educational development of students. One counselor from each school level is selected for the award. The 2012 awardees are:
-Mrs. Deborah L. Danielson, counselor, Sargent Shriver Elementary School
-Mrs. Ellen P. Fellows, resource counselor, Rosa Parks Middle School
-Mrs. Theresa M. Dethlefsen, resource counselor, Northwest High School

Appointments
The Board of Education approved the following administrative appointments:

-Kimberly A. Statham, currently principal, Wheaton Woods Elementary School, as deputy superintendent of teaching, learning, and programs
-Deborah C. Ryan, currently principal intern, Oakland Terrace Elementary School, as principal, Rosemary Hills Elementary School
-Gay E. Melnick, currently principal intern, Cloverly Elementary School, as principal, Flower Valley Elementary School
-Nina Y. Khouri, currently acting coordinator, Division of ESOL/Bilingual Programs, as coordinator, Division of ESOL/Bilingual Programs.

Resolutions
The Board of Education approved the following resolutions:
-A resolution recognizing the 2012 Champions for Children Award recipients.
-A resolution acknowledging the Asian American Education Association Scholarship Recipients.
-A resolution recognizing MCPS higher education partners and graduates.

About the Board of Education
The Montgomery County Board of Education is the official educational policymaking body in the county. The Board is responsible for the direction and operation of the public school system. The Board consists of seven county residents elected by voters for a four-year term and a student elected by secondary school students for a one-year term. Board members are elected countywide but run at-large or from the Board district in which they reside.

Montgomery County Board of Education: Ms. Shirley Brandman, president; Mr. Christopher Barclay, vice president. Members: Ms. Laura Berthiaume, Dr. Judy Docca, Mr. Michael Durso, Mr. Phil Kauffman, Ms. Patricia O’Neill, and Mr. Alan Xie, student member. Dr. Joshua P. Starr, superintendent and secretary-treasurer. Office of the Board: 301-279-3617.

<<Back to browse