The Board of Education met on Tuesday [September 14] and, among other items, approved a community advisory process for the Middle School Magnet Consortium. The Board also reviewed updates on the SAT and the Baldrige-guided School Improvement Process. The Board participated in an oral report on the opening of school. An administrative appointment and approval of preliminary plans for College Gardens Elementary School also were among Board actions. Ten high schools were recognized for outstanding SAT performance by students. The Board also approved the observance of Hispanic Heritage Month in Montgomery County Public Schools.

Student Assignment Process for Middle School Magnet Consortium

The Board approved an accelerated community advisory process for a choice assignment plan for the Middle School Magnet Consortium that includes Argyle, Belt, and Parkland middle schools. The superintendent will present his recommendation on the choice areas for the student assignment plan by October 15, 2004. The recommendation will be reviewed by the Board in a process that provides for a work session and public hearings before Board action in November.

Update and Discussion on SAT

The Board discussed the systemwide reform efforts that contributed to the record-breaking SAT scores achieved by the class of 2004 and the short- and long-term intervention plans designed to further expand academic opportunities for students.

Update on the Baldrige-guided School Improvement Process

The Board reviewed the progress of the Baldrige-guided School Improvement Process, including next steps that would build capacity through additional training, expand the process to the remaining 105 schools, and identify exemplar schools that would become visitation sites for other schools and school systems throughout the state

Oral Report on the Opening of School

The Board reviewed the opening of school with a focus on Board member observations in visits during the first week of classes.

Appointment

The Board approved the following administrative appointment:

· Tania Jarosewich, currently associate director, Research, Indiana Center for Evaluation and Education Policy, Indiana University in Bloomington, as coordinator, Program Evaluation, Department of Shared Accountability

Preliminary Plan, College Gardens Elementary School

The Board approved preliminary plans for the modernization of College Gardens Elementary School.

Outstanding School Performance on the SAT for 2004

The Board recognized the excellent achievements of the 23 high schools in the SAT for 2004, in particular the six high schools achieving average scores above 1100 and the four high schools with scores above 1200.

Hispanic Heritage Month

The Board approved the observance of Hispanic Heritage Month in Montgomery County Public Schools from September 15 through October 15 in recognition of the continued successful educational efforts of Hispanic American students and partnerships with Hispanic parents, staff, and community members.

Board of Education: Ms. Sharon W. Cox, president. Mrs. Patricia B. O'Neill, vice president. Members: Mr. Kermit V. Burnett, Dr. Charles Haughey, Mr. Walter N. Lange, Dr. Henry Lee, Mr. Gabe Romero, and Mr. Sagar Sanghvi, student member. Dr. Jerry D. Weast, superintendent and secretary treasurer. Office of the Board: 301-279-3617.