The Rockville City Police Department has released a traffic statement letting residents know to prepare for an event which could cause possibly widespread traffic delays/backups during the evening rush hour in the area of Mannakee St. & Rt. 355 today (10/26/21) between the hours of 4-7pm.

Per Rockville Police: “Motorists should seek alternate routes to avoid potential traffic jams.”

The event referred to is the “MCEA Informational Car Picket & Rally at MCPS Headquarters,” which is scheduled to take place around 4pm at MCPS headquarters (850 Hungerford Drive).

The car picket and rally is to “stop the exploitation of staff” and has been described as a collective action to demand that the MCPS Board of Education address outstanding educator concerns around workload.

MCEA Negotiates Wage Increase for Teachers

Several teachers across Montgomery County reached out to us to let us know that MCEA (Montgomery County Education Association), the teacher’s Union, was able to negotiate a wage increase for MCPS teachers.

The wage increase will include an adjustment of +2% as well as a step increase for those eligible. Montgomery County teacher salaries increase based on steps that are taken based on how many years of service a teacher has put in.

The wage increase will go into effect on May 3, 2021 and will include the previously mentioned step increase that was supposed to have been received in July of last year.

Statement from the Board of Education and Superintendent Jack R. Smith on The MCEA Resolution on MCPS’ Return-to-School Plan

Yesterday the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) took a vote of of no confidence in the MCPS reopening plan.

Today, the Montgomery County Board of Education and Superintendent Jack Smith both released statements. Both statements can be seen below.

Statement from the Board of Education:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been and continues to be a significant challenge for our public education system.  As a system, we have worked collectively to meet the moment by being  resilient and focused on serving our students.  Given the challenges we have faced, and the challenges ahead of us,  the Montgomery County Board of Education (Board) is deeply disappointed in the Montgomery County Education Association’s (MCEA) recent actions regarding school reopening.   During the last 11 months, the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) administration has spent hundreds of hours engaging with MCEA leadership and reached tentative agreement on a Memorandum of Understanding on February 12. The Board believes in collaboration with all stakeholders, including our teachers’ union. However, collaboration does not supplant the singular responsibility and authority of the Board to make decisions about MCPS. The Board always welcomes feedback to enhance and improve our recovery plan, but we must work together constructively to ensure the best outcomes for all students, particularly during this pandemic.

The pandemic has strained us individually and as a community. There is no perfect plan and no decision without consequences. We will continue to review and adjust our strategies to fulfill our core mission of ensuring that every student will have the academic, creative problem solving, and social-emotional skills to be successful in college and career.”

Statement from Superintendent Jack R. Smith:

“Montgomery County Public Schools has developed a comprehensive recovery plan that prioritizes the safety of students and staff and the continued academic growth of all students. While we understand that staff may have some questions and concerns, these plans were developed with input from a diverse set of MCPS stakeholders and are reflective of the district’s commitment to fostering a partnership that benefits our students, staff and community.

I am deeply perplexed by the vote of no confidence from the teachers’ union, coming on the same day we released the joint Memorandum of Understanding . Our recovery plan and discussions with the association followed months of tremendous collaboration and interaction in development of this work. MCPS staff benchmarked with school districts across the state and nation for best practices and applied important guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and our state and local health officials. Physical distancing, face coverings, hand-washing, COVID-19 case tracking, testing and personal attestation will all be a part of the experience once students return to ensure safety for all.

We have worked diligently to ensure thorough mitigation protocols, personal protective equipment (PPE) and professional development are in place for staff to make in-person learning as safe as possible. We are focused on providing an equitable and high-quality instructional experience for all students, whether virtual or in-person. Many students and families are eagerly awaiting this return and  school leaders and support professionals are committed to this.

We look forward to welcoming the first group of students back to our buildings on March 1 and March 15, and know that our staff is dedicated to meeting the needs of all our students. ”

You can read the press statement made by MCEA (Montgomery County Education Association) on the Board of Education vote below:

“MCEA is deeply troubled by the irresponsible reopening plan approved Tuesday by the MCPS Board of Education. The administration’s presentation was riddled with misleading remarks leading to a host of unanswered questions. The plan fails to deliver on necessary safety measures for students and educators, and it siphons vital resources away from Black, Brown, and low-income students.  

This is just the latest offense in a bungled effort to return students to school buildings. Central office administration continues to provide everchanging guidelines and parameters, forcing local school staff to constantly pivot and waste precious time and energy revising school-specific plans.  

The current MCPS plan requires more space, more people, and more resources than are now available to successfully implement this planned reopening of school facilities. Moreover, MCPS is refusing to acknowledge that the lack of available vaccines is preventing educators from receiving the protection they need, and exposing them to unnecessary risk of harm in the in-school setting.  

Educators are anxious and angry, and rightfully so; there is a clear disconnect between what students need and what the System will provide.   

Thousands of MCEA members responded to a last-minute call for an emergency meeting last night to discuss the MCPS plan and chart a course forward.

We look forward to sharing updates in the coming days.”