The Montgomery County Board of Education met on Thursday, May 26, 2016, at the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. The Board received an update and held a discussion on MCPS’s professional learning plan and the connection between the improvement of teaching and enhanced student achievement; and made several administrative appointments. The agenda for the meeting, with links to related materials, can be viewed on the Board of Education website. You also can watch the video of the meeting by clicking here.

Professional Learning Plan
The Board received an update and held a discussion on the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) professional learning plan. The goal of the professional learning plan is to ensure that the district’s workforce is committed to building a culture of high expectations for all students so that they may achieve at high levels, socially and academically. MCPS has moved from a system of one-time trainings to a system of ongoing professional learning experiences. Professional learning helps to enhance instructional strategies that promote relevance and rigor in the curriculum, improve student achievement, and prepare students for ongoing education and the workforce. Budget reductions and organizational changes in recent years have challenged the district’s capacity to coordinate and design effective professional learning initiatives for administrators, teachers, and staff members. However, by creating a multiyear professional learning plan, the district will begin to accelerate professional learning to meet the diverse needs of students and focus on three strategic goals to provide high-quality professional learning including:

1. establishing a focus on ongoing and continuous professional learning for all employees;
2. aligning professional learning with budget initiatives; and
3. measuring the impact of professional learning.

Read the Memorandum to the Board

2016 Counselor of the Year Award
The Board recognized the recipients of the 2016 Montgomery County Public Schools Counselor of the Year Award. The 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 2016 awardees are:

• Mr. Ravon L. Austin, Col. Zadok Magruder High School
• Mrs. Heather M. Cohen, Kingsview Middle School
• Mrs. Anne R. Moran, Washington Grove Elementary School

Appointments

The Board approved the following administrative appointments:

Loretta M. Favret, currently director, Elementary Leadership Development, as director of school support and improvement of elementary schools, Office of School Support and Improvement

Denise Bracalilly Stultz, currently supervisor, Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships, as director, Department of Family and Community Engagement

Sheila J. Berlinger, currently instructional specialist, Teacher Leadership Unit, Department of Instructional Leadership Support, as supervisor, Elementary Mathematics, Department of Elementary Curriculum and Districtwide Programs

Darlene M. Harris, currently assistant principal, Montgomery Blair High School, as assistant to the chief of staff, Office of the Superintendent of Schools

Darrian McCarter, currently assistant principal, John Philip Sousa Middle School, District of Columbia Public Schools, as supervisor, Secondary Mathematics, Department of Secondary Curriculum and Districtwide Programs

Kristin M. Secan, currently instructional specialist, Autism Spectrum Disorders Services, as supervisor, Autism Spectrum Disorders Services, Department of Special Education Services

Sharron Steele, currently director, Financial Planning and Analysis, USMD Inc., as supervisor, Continuous Improvement and Strategic Planning, Department of Strategic Planning and Resource Management

Traci L. Anderson, currently assistant to the chief engagement and partnership officer, as assistant to the associate superintendent, Office of Student and Family Support and Engagement

Dyan L. Harrison, currently principal intern, Tilden Middle School, as principal, Kingsview Middle School

Shahid A. Muhammad, currently principal, Brookhaven Elementary School, as principal, Forest Oak Middle School

Cheryl E. Booker, currently acting principal, Pine Crest Elementary School, as principal, Pine Crest Elementary School

Sundra E. Mann, currently principal intern, Piney Branch Elementary School, as principal, Georgian Forest Elementary School

James A. Sweeney, currently principal, Rosemont Elementary School, as principal, Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary School

Galit Zolkower, currently principal intern, Flower Valley Elementary School, as principal, Highland View Elementary School

Facilities and School Construction
The Board approved several items related to school construction projects and facilities, including a contract for school bus safety cameras.

• Contract approval for the school bus safety camera program  
• View all approved contracts during the meeting

 Recognitions
The Board approved the following resolutions:

• A resolution recognizing the League of Educators for Asian American Progress Scholarship recipients
• A resolution recognizing the retirement of MCPS personnel
• A resolution recognizing MCPS educators who earned certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in 2015
• A resolution recognizing Montgomery County Public Schools Higher Education Partnerships

 Future Meetings
The Board will hold its next regular business meeting on Tuesday, June 14. 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. Michael Durso, president; Dr. Judith Docca, vice president. Members: Mr. Christopher Barclay, Mr. Philip Kauffman, Mrs. Patricia O’Neill, Ms. Jill Ortman-Fouse, Mrs. Rebecca Smondrowski, and Mr. Eric Guerci, student member. Mr. Larry A. Bowers, interim superintendent of schools and secretary-treasurer. Office of the Board: 301-279-3617.