The Montgomery County Board of Education met on Tuesday, June 8, and, among other items, adopted the final FY 2011 Operating Budget and approved agreements with the Montgomery County Education Association and the Service Employees International Union Local 500. The Board approved a contract with Pearson to develop an integrated curriculum for elementary school. The Board also approved nine administrative appointments and congratulated employees who are retiring. In addition, the Board approved preliminary plans for the Glenallan Elementary School modernization project and rejected two charter school applications. The Board appointed members to advisory committees and recognized recipients of the Distinguished Hispanic Scholarship, Youth Community Leadership, Gates Millennium Scholars Program, and Montgomery County Alliance of Black School Educators awards.

Final Adoption of the FY 2011 Operating Budget
The Board of Education approved the final FY 2011 Operating Budget of $2.1 billion. The MCPS budget, as passed by the County Council, is about $160 million less than the Board of Education requested in February and is nearly $100 million lower than this year’s operating budget, a reduction of 4.4 percent. To meet the budget reductions, the Board of Education also approved budget cuts and cost savings for FY 2011, including an increase of the average class size by one student; the elimination of 444 positions and reductions to numerous instructional, school, and student service areas, including reduced funding for textbooks, fewer maintenance workers, and no after-school buses for elementary school activities. Central office funding also is being reduced by 6.5 million.
Read the superintendent’s memo to the Board, with the approved reductions.

Recommendation to Approve the Agreement with the Montgomery County Education Association
The Board approved an agreement with the Montgomery County Education Association for the period of July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2014, concerning salaries, wages, hours, and other working conditions. (See related news release.)

Recommendation to Approve the Agreement with the Service Employees International Union Local 500
The Board approved an agreement with the Service Employees International Union Local 500 for the period of July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2014, concerning salaries, wages, hours, and other working conditions. (See related news release.)

Approval of Contract with Pearson Education, Inc.
The Board approved a contract with Pearson to develop an integrated curriculum that will prepare elementary school students for a lifetime of learning. The integrated curriculum will be aligned to the new Common Core Standards and is based upon the successful and highly rigorous curriculum already implemented in MCPS. (See related news release.)

Human Resources Appointments
The Board approved the appointments of the following administrators:

Jeffrey M. Martinez, currently consulting principal, Leadership Development Team, as director, Department of Recruitment and Staffing
Marla R. Caplon, currently acting director, Division of Food and Nutrition Services, as director, Division of Food and Nutrition Services.
Myriam A. Rogers, currently principal intern, Montgomery Blair High School, as principal, Francis Scott Key Middle School
Renee D. Stevens, currently principal intern, Potomac Elementary School, as principal, North Chevy Chase Elementary School
Laura F. Evans, currently teacher, reading initiative, College Gardens Elementary School, as supervisor, Elementary Integrated Curriculum Team
Niki T. Hazel, currently principal, Gaithersburg Elementary School, as supervisor, Elementary Integrated Curriculum Team
Andrew W. Miller, currently acting supervisor, Innovative Professional Development Team, as supervisor, Pre-K–12 Student Online Learning and Online Professional Development
A. Raymond Myrtle, currently principal, Highland Elementary School, as supervisor, Elementary Integrated Curriculum Team
Victor B. Caroscio, currently acting coordinator, Bridge Plan for Academic Validation, as coordinator, Bridge Plan for Academic Validation

Retirees
The Board passed a resolution expressing appreciation to the more than 550 individuals who are retiring or have retired from Montgomery County Public Schools this year. The Board expressed appreciation to each person for their dedication to the education to the children of the county and their contribution to the school system.

Preliminary Plans for Glenallan ES Modernization Project
The Board approved the architectural preliminary plans report for the Glenallan Elementary School modernization project.

Charter Schools Application Recommendations
The Board voted not to approve two applications to open charter schools in Montgomery County. Applications received for Global Garden, a proposed Grade K–8 International Baccalaureate school, and Crossways Community Montessori, a proposed Grade K–6 Montessori school with wraparound services, were reviewed extensively by a panel consisting of internal and external representatives.

Recognition of Distinguished Hispanic Scholars
The Board congratulated the 23 recipients of this year’s Distinguished Hispanic Scholars Awards, selected by the Hispanic Employees Association of MCPS. The organization awarded scholarships totaling $4,350 to distinguished scholars with the highest grade point averages who are committed to exemplary community involvement. The students honored are:
Sofía Vega-Ormeno from Northwest High School
Isabelle Zeledón from Walt Whitman High School
Sonia Matos from Wheaton High School
César López from Winston Churchill High School
Javier Vandeyar from Paint Branch High School
María Escobar from James Hubert Blake High School
Angelica Joya from Seneca Valley High School
Vanessa Salgado from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School
Enid Acosta from Clarksburg High School
Nicole Urps from Damascus High School
Milton García from Albert Einstein High School
Julia Navarro from Gaithersburg High School
Irma Méndez from Walter Johnson High School
Mileyni Alvarenga from John F. Kennedy High School
Rodrigo Lozada from Col. Zadok Magruder High School
Paola Aldana from Richard Montgomery High School
Carlos Cuéllar-Castil from Poolesville High School
Patricia García from Quince Orchard High School
Gabriela Perla from Rockville High School
Ariana Rodríguez-Gitler from Sherwood High School
Michell Salinas from Springbrook High School
Dennis Anaya-Granados from Watkins Mill High School
Zohair Asmail from Thomas S. Wootton High School

Leadership Montgomery—Youth Community Leadership Awards
The Board congratulated this year’s Leadership Montgomery–Youth Community Leadership Award recipients for their outstanding demonstration of leadership in community service. The Board also expressed appreciation to Leadership Montgomery and to Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy and Ecker, P.A., for promoting and honoring youth leadership in community service. Students honored are:
· Natalie Astor—Thomas S. Wootton High School
· Unheh Ok—Thomas S. Wootton High School
· Philip Smith—Sherwood High School
· Jigisha Srivastav—Poolesville High School


The Gates Millennium Scholarship Program Scholarship Recipients
The Board congratulated the six MCPS Class of 2010 Gates Millennium Scholars. The awards amount to four-year scholarships funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Recipients are:
· Leuk Mulugeta Woldeyohannes—Wheaton High School
· Cecilia Adriana Ramirez—Richard Montgomery High School
· Gabriela Monserrat Medina—Colonel Zadok Magruder High School
· Mehrit Tekeste—Montgomery Blair High School
· Hyun Min Park—Walter Johnson High School
· Sofia Milagros Vega-Ormeno—Northwest High School

Montgomery County Alliance of Black School Educators Scholarship Recipients
The Board congratulated the 25 recipients of this year’s Montgomery County Alliance of Black School Educators’ Distinguished African American Scholar Awards. The alliance promotes the academic, community service, and extracurricular achievements of some of MCPS’s most talented African American high school seniors. Students honored are:
Serge Amouzou from Clarksburg High School
Lammi Asrat from Springbrook High School
Holland Broadus from James Hubert Blake High School
Michelle Byamugisha from Poolesville High School
Yasmin Dagne from Richard Montgomery High School
Staci Daniels from Col. Zadok Magruder High School
Sarah Demeke from Watkins Mill High School
Sandrine Emambu from Montgomery Blair High School
Samirna Esteve from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School
Yohannes Ghenbot from Northwest High School
Serge Gould from Walt Whitman High School
Laura Hopkins from Gaithersburg High School
Quentin Jefferies from Winston Churchill High School
Lauren Lee from Sherwood High School
Jenay McNeil from Thomas S. Wootton High School
Lukwesa Morin from Walter Johnson High School
Grace Mutuku from Quince Orchard High School
Sandra Okonofua from Paint Branch High School
Joseph T. Smithey from John F. Kennedy High School
Miriam Stevens from Albert Einstein High School
Janelle Thomas from Northwood High School
Selorm Quist from Seneca Valley High School
Leuk Woldeyohannes from Wheaton High School
Denzel Woode from Damascus High School
Robel Yared from Rockville High School

Appointment to the Collaboration Board for Career and Technology Education
The Board appointed the following individuals to one-year terms on the Montgomery County Collaboration Board for Career and Technology Education:

Arts, Humanities, Media, and Communications - Joseph Malouf
Biosciences, Health Science, and Medicine - Lisa McDonald
Business Management and Finance - Beth Berk and
Miara A. Rasamoelina
Construction and Development - Mark Drury
Education, Training, and Child Studies - Stewart Edelstein
Engineering, Scientific Research, and Manufacturing
Technologies - Nafiz Karabudack and Sanj Malushte
Environmental, Agricultural, and Natural Resources - Marie Rojas
Human and Consumer Services, Hospitality, and Tourism - Andy Chaves
Information Technologies - Dalila Bonilla Wortman
Law, Government, Public Safety, and Administration - Wanda Martinez
Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics - Harold Redden
MCPS student member - Molly Long
MC student member - Adam Shirazi

Thomas DeGonia will continue as president of the Montgomery County Collaboration Board for Career and Technology Education for a term due to expire June 30, 2011. Appointees are named jointly with the Board of Trustees of Montgomery College.

Appointment to the Ethics Panel
Arielle Grill was appointed to serve a three-year term on the Ethics Panel. The panel was established by the Board of Education in 1984.

Student Appointments to the Citizens Advisory Committee
Two students were appointed to one-year terms on the Citizens Advisory Committee on Family Life and Human Development. The students are Lucia Campos and David Oganesyan.




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

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.