The Board of Education met on Monday [May 24] and, among other items, approved revisions to the strategic plan and appointed six principals. The Board also recognized 43 teachers who received national certification this year, the recipients of awards at the recent Champions for Children ceremony, and the winner of this year's Interages Award.

Revisions to Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence

The Board approved revisions to Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence, the strategic plan for the Montgomery County Public Schools. The revisions reflect the work of the Executive Leadership Team during FY 2004 and ongoing stakeholder involvement and feedback. The revised plan documents and focuses the priorities of the Board and school system for the next several years. Our Call to Action continues to serve as the basis for the Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools Act Master Plan. The superintendent will disseminate critical components of Our Call to Action to staff, parents, and the community.

Appointments

The Board approved the following administrative appointments:

· Meredith Casper, currently assistant principal at Wheaton Woods Elementary School, as principal, Pine Crest Elementary School.
· William M. Gregory, currently acting principal, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School, as principal of the school.
· Niki T. Hazel, currently principal intern at Weller Road Elementary School, as principal, East Silver Spring Elementary School.
· Dr. Pamela Kinsey-Barker, currently principal, Morrisville Year Round Elementary School, Morrisville, N.C., as principal, Fox Chapel Elementary School.
· Ebony Langford, currently principal intern at Greenwood Elementary School, as principal, Forest Knolls Elementary School.
· Ann Marie Samm, currently principal intern at Dr. Sally K. Ride ES, as principal of the school.

NBPTS-Certified Teachers

The Board recognized 43 teachers who received certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in November 2003 and expressed appreciation for the leadership skills and abilities of National Board-certified teachers that benefit staff, students, and communities.

Margaret Cutler Interages Award

The Board recognized Dr. Robert Shoenberg, past chair of the Interages board of trustees and former president of the Montgomery County Board of Education, as the recipient of the Margaret Cutler Interages Award for 2004.

Champions for Children

The Board recognized staff members who were honored at the Champions for Children Awards Gala May 5, including MCPS Teacher of the Year Eleanor Goodwin, teacher at Winston Churchill High School; Edward Shirley Award for Excellence in Educational Administration and Supervision award winner Phillip Gainous, principal of Montgomery Blair High School; SEIU Local 500 MCCSSE Supporting Services Employee of the Year S. Thomas Lange, media services technician at Quince Orchard High School; and Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher award recipient Mary D. P. Wagner, teacher at James Hubert Blake High School.