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Board of Education Approves Employee Agreements; Discusses Interventions

March 22, 2013
The Montgomery County Board of Education met on Thursday, March 21, 2013, at the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. Among other items, the Board approved agreements for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 with the three MCPS employee associations and had a discussion on interventions. The agenda for the meeting, with links to related materials, can be viewed on the Board of Education website.

Fiscal Year 2014 Employee Association Agreements
The Board of Education voted to approve amended agreements for FY 2014 with its three employee associations—the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 500 and the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals (MCAAP). The agreements have been ratified by the members of MCEA and MCAAP. The SEIU Local 500 agreement is in the process of ratification, and votes will be counted on March 26. The Board of Education approved this tentative agreement contingent on ratification by the membership of SEIU Local 500.

Under the amended contracts, eligible MCPS employees will receive a step or longevity increase, effective on February 8, 2014. Employees who are not eligible for a step or longevity increase will receive a 2 percent salary increase, effective February 8, 2014. All other provisions in the current collective bargaining agreement remain in effect for FY 2014.

Read the press release

Update on Strategic Priority: Interventions
The Board received an update and held a wide-ranging discussion on interventions and supports that are offered to Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students. For more than a decade, MCPS has dedicated extensive resources to improve teaching and learning and address the wide variance in student learning. The use of interventions has been one part of the district’s efforts to improve student learning and narrow the achievement gap. In 2012, Superintendent Joshua Starr made improving interventions and supports a strategic area of focus for the current school year.

MCPS is implementing an integrated system of supports that will help move the district to a more balanced, technical, and adaptive approach to supporting students. In 2013-2014, MCPS will work closely with 15-20 schools, supporting their implementation of an integrated student support team. This team will bring together families, communities, and school staff to identify students’ growth areas and support their academic, behavioral, and social emotional needs. The integrated system of supports will be implemented in all MCPS schools by the 2015-2016 school year.  

Read the report to the Board 

Administrative Appointments

The Board of Education approved the following administrative appointments:

- Geoffrey T. Sanderson, currently chief accountability officer, McKinney Texas Independent School District, as associate superintendent, Office of Shared Accountability.

-Sarah E. Sirgo, currently principal, Woodlin Elementary School, as consulting principal, Department of Professional Growth Systems, Office of Human Resources and Development

-Kia Middleton-Murphy, currently acting assistant to the associate superintendent, Office of Special Education and Student Services, as assistant to the associate superintendent, Office of Special Education and Student Services

-Jennifer H. Lowndes, currently acting principal, Rock Creek Forest Elementary School, as principal, Rock Creek Forest Elementary School

-Stacey F. Rogovoy, currently acting principal, College Gardens Elementary School, as principal, College Gardens Elementary School

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

-Appointed an architectural firm for the Wheaton Woods Elementary School modernization project.

-Appointed an architectural firm for the relocatable classroom project.

Resolutions: The Board unanimously approved the following:

- A resolution in remembrance of Wayne E. Whigham

- A resolution recognizing the month of April 2013 as the Month of the Young Child

- A resolution recognizing April 22 through April 26, 2013 as Administrative Professionals Week

- A resolution recognizing the month of April 2013 as Arab American Heritage Month

- A resolution recognizing the month of April 2013 as National Autism Awareness Month

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

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