Longtime MCPS teacher and coach Larry Hurd has accepted the Athletic Specialist (formerly known as “Athletic Director”) position at Walter Johnson High School. Hurd, who has been the football coach at the school, will be stepping down as coach in order to take the position. He will be replacing the legendary Tom Rogers. Below is Hurd’s full statement:
“Wildcat Nation,
New York Times bestselling author Sheree Renee Thomas spoke to Northwood High School students during a visit to Maryland last month. Thomas wrote Marvel’s Black Panther: Panther’s Rage novel, adapted from the legendary comics. She is the editor of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, founded in 1949, and Obsidian, founded in 1975. Last year, she co-curated Carnegie Hall’s historic, citywide Afrofuturism Festival. She also spoke at the Rockville Library on afrofuturism and diversity in sci-fi.
The featured photo, courtesy of MCPS, shows Sheree Renee Thomas speaking to students at Northwood High School.
Congratulations to the following MCPS high schools that won recent athletics championships:
Basketball County Champions
Per MCPS: The Montgomery County Alliance of Black School Educators (MCABSE) is accepting submissions for its annual Distinguished African American Scholars.
Applicants must be graduating MCPS high school seniors who plan to pursue post-secondary studies at an institution of higher learning, including community college and technical training schools, for the 2023–2024 school year. Scholars must be committed to academic excellence and to leadership in their high school schools and communities. Principals, resource counselors and college and career information coordinators are asked to submit the name of one student to represent their school.
By a unanimous vote during its business meeting on Feb. 23, the Board of Education (BOE) approved a $3.2 billion Operating Budget recommendation for Fiscal Year 2024. The request includes a $296 million increase—10%—over the current budget and $272 million above the minimum amount required by the maintenance of effort law.
The budget reflects amendments based on BOE feedback to provide focused investments to improve literacy and math across the district. This includes the addition of supervisors, instructional staff and coaches to increase math and literacy support; oversight and progress monitoring for schools, and increased professional development opportunities for staff. The budget also prioritizes salary increases to support recruitment and retention and the addition of security assistants to promote a safe and inclusive school climate.
This article was written by Ashley Huynh, Editor-in-Chief of Watkins Mill’s student newspaper The Current
Watkins Mill High School principal Carol Goddard will retire at the end of the 2022-23 school year, spending almost 50 years working in education and 30 years in Montgomery County Public Schools.Goddard’s retirement comes with mixed emotions for the community, including herself. “I love this place. Love the kids. Love what I do,” Goddard said. She will miss the kids and staff, and “all the tight, tight friendships I’ve made in the professional world.” “I am happy for Ms. Goddard to retire,” social studies teacher Lauren Squier said. “I’m sure it was a very difficult choice for her to ‘hang up her pencils,’ but I’m excited for her to enjoy a new chapter in her life.”
Kimani Gray, supply services coordinator for the Supply and Property Management Unit, doesn’t have an easy job. Even though it regularly pulls him in multiple directions, he always remains calm and focused. Colleagues call him the “behind-the-scenes glue” that keeps schools and offices running. Gray has been named this year’s Supporting Services Employee of the Year, an annual award given by SEIU Local 500.
He has exceptional customer service skills, exceeds expectations with his attention to detail and has in-depth knowledge of the school system’s inventory, which help him meet design and spatial needs for all offices. He deftly juggles several projects at once, and is described as a flexible, positive and kind leader. He also works closely with local businesses as he coordinates the furniture donation program, which allows the Department of Materials Management to obtain new or gently used furniture for MCPS facilities.
On Thursday, February 23, 2023 fifty-one student leaders from the Montgomery County Regional Student Government (MCR) and the Montgomery County Junior Council (MCJC), the countywide high school and middle school student government associations, traveled to Annapolis to meet with legislators that represent Montgomery County. The students researched upcoming legislation in the general assembly, wrote a one-pager on their advocacy centered around the legislation, and scheduled meetings with the legislators to advocate for these bills and share the student experiences and youth impact related to them. The topics of legislation they supported were:
Lt. Governor Aruna Miller also met with the student leaders to hear their advocacy on these bills.
Public testimony for the Superintendent’s Recommendation to Relocate Burtonsville Elementary School to the Northeast Consortium Elementary School #17 Site and the Superintendent’s Recommendation for the Boundary Study Scope for the Reopening of Charles W. Woodward High School.
The Montgomery County Board of Education will hold a public hearing on March 9, 2023, at 6:00 p.m., to hear testimony regarding the Superintendent’s Recommendation to Relocate Burtonsville Elementary School to the Northeast Consortium Elementary School #17 Site and the Superintendent’s Recommendation for the Boundary Study Scope for the Reopening of Charles W. Woodward High School. Video, audio and in-person testimony will be accepted and will be made available to the public on BoardDocs. Individuals who wish to provide public comments will register using the online registration form.
The Montgomery County Board of Education (Board) held a business meeting on Tuesday, February 7, 2023. During the meeting, the Board discussed Human Resources and Development Key Practices for a Diverse Workforce; discussed Wellness and Restorative Practices; took final action and adopted updated Policy ABA, Community Engagement; took tentative action on Board of Education Policy ABC, Parent and Family Involvement and Policy BBB, Ethics; and made four administrative appointments. The agenda for the meeting, with related links, can be viewed on the Board website. Watch the meeting recording.
Human Resources and Development Key Practices for a Diverse Workforce: MCPS staff presented teacher hiring data for fiscal year 2023, shared data-driven approaches to recruitment and highlighted increased efforts for the current year. Staff also outlined the Grow Your Own program for both current staff and students, and shared higher education partnerships for employees and community members, and various other supports, trainings, and professional development opportunities for staff. Read the memorandum to the Board. View the PowerPoint Presentation
MCPS addressed safety concerns regarding student restrooms in a recent update sent out to the community, titled MCPS Commitment to Safety, Security and Well-Being in All Schools. The portion on student restrooms can be seen below:
Our restrooms must be safe places for students and cannot be places for activities that violate our code of conduct, such as drug and tobacco use. Staff are increasing the frequency of their visual monitoring and checks inside restrooms throughout the school day, between class periods and during lunch periods.