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Board of Education Discusses Food and Nutrition; Makes Administrative Appointments, and Recognizes Recipients of the 2014 Counselor of the Year Award

June 4, 2014
The Montgomery County Board of Education met on Tuesday, June 3, 2014, at the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. Among other items, the Board received an update from the Division of Food and Nutrition Services, made several administrative appointments, and recognized the recipients of the 2014 Montgomery County Public School Counselor of the Year Award. The agenda for the meeting, with links to related materials, can be viewed on the Board of Education website. You can also watch the video of the meeting by clicking here.


Division of Food and Nutrition Services
The Board of Education received an update and held a discussion on work within the Division of Food and Nutrition Services (DFNS) to promote the health and well-being of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students, staff, and communities. More than 15 million meals are served to Montgomery County schoolchildren each year.

DFNS continually revises its menus to ensure that student’s received well-balanced, nutritious meals at an affordable price. MCPS school breakfast and lunch meals meet or exceed the nutritional requirements established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Current regulations require that 51 percent of grains served are whole grains; more than 90 percent of the grains in MCPS are whole grains. DFNS has five registered dietitians on staff. In addition to menu planning, the dieticians work with school nurses, parents, and teachers to accommodate nutritional needs for specific students. MCPS was a leader in the elimination of trans fat, and all food items sold in conjunction with the school meals program are below the acceptable 0.5 gram or less of trans fats.

Currently, 74 Montgomery County schools participate in the Maryland Meals for Achievement (MMFA) program, which provides a daily breakfast in the classroom for all students at no cost. DFNS continues to provide after-school snacks and after-school dinners to eligible programs. Daily, more than 1,300 after-school snacks are served and more than 1,500 dinners are provided.

The design of the new DFNS Central Production Facility, currently under construction, will allow additional products to be prepared from scratch and support the preparation of a greater variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Plans are in place for a garden to be planted adjacent to the new facility. The garden will be a collaboration among the MCPS Culinary Arts Program, the Thomas Edison High School of Technology, the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center, the Health Education program, and the Physical Education program. As student groups tour the DFNS facility, the operation of the garden will be included as part of their visit and students will be able to make the connection between the school meals programs and healthy eating.

Read the Board memo

2014 Counselor of the Year Awards
The Board recognized the recipients of the 2014 Montgomery County Public Schools Counselor of the Year Award. The Counselor of the Year Award highlights the 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 2014 awardees are:

-Miss Karen A. Adams, counselor, Strathmore Elementary School
-Ms. Karen E. Luensman, resource counselor, Lakelands Park Middle School
-Mrs. Kristy A Poker, resource counselor, Damascus High School

Read the resolution

Administrative Appointments

Prior to the Board of Education’s consideration of administrative appointments, Superintendent Joshua P. Starr announced the following changes to the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) leadership team:

Kimberly A. Statham, currently deputy superintendent for Teaching, Learning, and Programs, as deputy superintendent for School Support and Improvement

Karalee Turner-Little, currently executive director, Office of School Support and Improvement, as executive director, Office of the Superintendent of Schools

The Board of Education then approved the following administrative appointments at its June 3, 2014 meeting:

Maria V. Navarro, currently acting chief academic officer, Baltimore City Public Schools, as chief academic officer

Diane D. Morris, currently principal, William H. Farquhar Middle School, as director of School Support and Improvement of Middle Schools, Office of School Support and Improvement

Brian W. Scriven, currently principal, Woodlawn High School, Baltimore County Public Schools, as director of School Support and Improvement of High Schools, Office of School Support and Improvement

Sylvia Spencer, currently instructional assessment specialist, Department of Student Services, as supervisor, Division of Early Childhood Programs and Services

Robert Sinclair, Jr., currently principal, Redland Middle School, as principal, John Poole Middle School

Harold A. Barber, currently principal, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Elementary School, Baltimore City Public Schools, as principal, Watkins Mill Elementary School

Jane Q. Ennis, currently principal, Adelphi Elementary School, Prince George’s County Public Schools, as principal, Glen Haven Elementary School

Linda M. Jones, currently principal intern, Fairland Elementary School, as principal, Stonegate Elementary School

Ayesha M. McArthur Moore, currently principal, Twin Ridge Elementary School, Frederick County Public Schools, as principal, Greencastle Elementary School

Daniel Walder, currently principal Bannockburn Elementary School, as principal Diamond Elementary School

Other Action: The Board also took action on several items, including: 


-Appointed an architectural firm for the Lake Seneca ES addition project feasibility study
-Appointed an architectural firm for the A. Mario Loiederman MS addition project feasibility study
-Accepted the Herbert Hoover MS revitalization/expansion project
-Accepted the Paint Branch HS revitalization/expansion project
-Approved the installation of artificial turf at Winston Churchill High School in partnership with a private organization, after expressing a preference for the use of cork in the turf
-Approved the execution of stadium field use agreements for Gaithersburg HS and Richard Montgomery HS

Resolutions: The Board approved the following resolutions:

-A resolution recognizing the recipients of the 2014 Champions for Children Awards
-A resolution recognizing the recipients of the League of Educators for Asian American Progress Scholarship Recipients
-A resolution recognizing MCPS Higher Education Partnerships
-A resolution recognizing the retirement of Montgomery County Public Schools Personnel
 
Future Meetings

The Board’s next regular business meeting will be held on June 17, with public items scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.  Please check the Board of Education meeting calendar for further information. 

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: Mr. Philip Kauffman, president; Mrs. Patricia O’Neill, vice president. Members: Mr. Christopher Barclay, Ms. Shirley Brandman, Dr. Judy Docca, Mr. Michael Durso, Mrs. Rebecca Smondrowski, and Mr. Justin Kim, student member. Dr. Joshua P. Starr, superintendent and secretary-treasurer. Office of the Board: 301-279-3617.

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