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Sleep, Glorious Sleep! By Radcliffe Creek School Head Meg Bamford

July 21, 2021 by Meg Bamford Leave a Comment

At night, when I used to get wound up in middle school (because Judy M. said to me in front of everyone that Barry Manilow wanted his wardrobe back), my parents would remind me to go to bed. The mantra, “Go to sleep. Things will be better in the morning,” really has credence. It can be incredibly hard to be in middle school, but we know for sure, a solid night’s sleep can really help.

In a world where there simply doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day, it sometimes seems hard to remember that sleep is a necessity, not a luxury. This is especially true for children from infancy through late adolescence. In our work at Radcliffe Creek School, when we problem solve how to help a child learn best and have meaningful social relationships, I find it is often important to discuss a child’s sleep patterns.

Children who do not get enough sleep will present with issues in the areas of attention, behavior, decision making, perception, and academics. We see that children (people) who don’t get enough sleep can struggle with their weight or other health ailments like a weakened immune system.

In my experience, it is not uncommon to see children and teenagers who are sleep-deprived wrestle with anxiety and depression. One of the most alarming research findings is that there is a very strong link between high school adolescents who get 6 hours or less of sleep and their increased risk for self-harm by engaging in high-risk behaviors. Therefore, it is critical to have a bedtime routine and to make sleep a priority before children are in high school so that when life becomes more demanding, they have strong habits in place for continued mental and physical health.

If your child is struggling in any of these areas, consider analyzing their sleep patterns. It would be good data for your family and for your child’s doctor to know how many hours of sleep your child gets each night. Are they sleeping peacefully or are they waking up due to sleep apnea? Do they have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep? Does your child have night terrors? One suggestion is that if you have a fitness tracker like a Fitbit, let them wear it to bed. It will track and graph your child’s sleep. For children who learn differently, sleep deprivation can compound the other challenges they are working so hard to overcome.

“We’ve learned that sleep before learning helps prepare your brain for the initial formation of memories,” says Dr. Matthew Walker, a sleep scientist at the University of California, Berkeley. “And then, sleep after learning is essential to help save and cement that new information into the architecture of the brain, meaning that you’re less likely to forget it.”

We know everyone needs to sleep and everyone’s body is different. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine offers us these guidelines:
Infants to a year: 12-16 hours per day including naps
Toddlers to 2 years: 12-14 hours including naps
3 years to 5 years:10-13 hours
6 years to 12 years: 9-12 hours
13 years to 18 years: 8-10 hours

(By the way, for adults, we should try for between 7-9 hours per night.)

With the intensity of COVID-19 and all we need to do to remain healthy and be safe,
sleep well, for everything will be better in the morning.

Meg Bamford is the Head of School at Radcliffe Creek School. For more information about Radcliffe please go here.

Governor Hogan Announces $1 Million Funding for New Endowment at WC

July 17, 2021 by Washington College News Service Leave a Comment

Governor Larry Hogan today announced that he will be providing $1 million to Washington College in his forthcoming Fiscal Year 2023 budget proposal to fund a new senior position within the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience to honor the historic legacy of long-time Maryland Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller, Jr., who passed away in January of this year.

The Miller Director of Civic Engagement will oversee programs that utilize history to address contemporary challenges and involve Washington College students in projects that imbue them with a sense of civic responsibility toward their communities, state, and nation.

“I can think of no better way to honor President Miller’s life and cement his legacy than to fund this directorship dedicated to supporting the very principles to which my good friend committed his historic career in public service,” said Governor Hogan. “The programs that this endowment makes possible will instill in future generations the same civic mindedness, appreciation of history, and love for our state that made President Miller a giant in Maryland politics for so many decades.”

The Starr Center is a nationally recognized interdisciplinary institute that combines liberal arts and public service through civic engagement programs that serve as models for other institutions of higher education throughout Maryland and across the country.

President Miller was a longtime friend and ardent supporter of Washington College. In 2007, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree in recognition of his leadership and commitment to the education and welfare of all Marylanders.

“I am delighted that Governor Hogan has taken this opportunity to celebrate the enormous scope of Mike Miller’s contributions to the State of Maryland through the establishment of the Miller Director of Civic Engagement,” said Jack S. Griswold, longtime chair of the Board of Visitors and Governors and former president of Washington College. “Mike was a great friend to the College and to me personally, and I am overwhelmed that his heritage of leadership and public service will be preserved through this important work, engaging our students with our communities, state, and nation.”

“Governor Hogan’s decision will benefit students throughout Washington College, as well as members of the broader community,” said Adam Goodheart, the Starr Center’s Hodson Trust-Griswold Director. “The Starr Center’s new Miller Director of Civic Engagement will work with faculty from many departments to create dynamic learning and service opportunities on and off campus. This educator will instill a deep commitment to social justice, personal ethics, and public service — setting our undergraduates on course to lead lives of purpose and passion.”

Programs initiated, led, and supported by the Miller Director of Civic Engagement will include:

Internships, fellowships, and research projects that allow Washington College students to work with some of America’s most distinguished institutions.
Collaborations with local grassroots Maryland nonprofits on projects related to history, civic engagement, and the humanities.
Chesapeake Heartland: An African American Humanities Project, a major collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, fostering research, public programs, and community outreach that promote the Chesapeake region as the heartland of African American heritage.
A program in ethics and civic engagement that teaches students an ethos of integrity and public service through hands-on programs that bring them into communities on the Eastern Shore.

Chartered by the Maryland General Assembly in 1782, Washington College is the oldest institution of higher education in the state and was the first college founded in the newly independent United States.

Washington College’s Starr Center Places 27 Students for Summer Internships

July 17, 2021 by Washington College News Service Leave a Comment

The Apollo Theater, Smithsonian American Art Museum, National Portrait Gallery, the National Constitution Center, the Human Rights Campaign, and Library of Congress—these are just a few of the institutions where Washington College students are interning this summer through the College’s Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience. The Starr Center has placed 27 students with internships as part of its Explore America internship program. Representing thirteen majors and all four class years, students are gaining valuable experience while earning stipends in the process.

“This program is truly unique, offering Washington College undergraduates opportunities unmatched at other small liberal arts schools,” said Adam Goodheart, the Starr Center’s Hodson Trust-Griswold Director. “Working with the leadership at major national nonprofits, we arrange for them to set aside positions each summer specifically for our students. Faculty members who know the applicants well carefully match them with the opportunities that will benefit them the most. Finally, we pay the students stipends of up to $5,000 for their summer work.”

Kyle Roberts, Associate Director of Library & Museum Programming at Philadelphia’s American Philosophical Society, has been hosting Explore America summer interns for several years.

“The American Philosophical Society greatly values its partnership with the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience. Each summer we look forward to inviting bright Washington College undergraduates into ongoing archival and digital projects at the nation’s oldest learned society,” he said. “From historic immigration records to a revision of the guide to our African American history collections, the paid interns from the Starr Center work alongside our professional staff to unlock new knowledge that is changing how we understand the past.”

Mackenzie Boughey, a resident of Arnold, MD, is a rising sophomore at WaShington College. She is a Research Intern for the Public Religion Research Institute in Washington D.C.

Although most of the internships are indeed virtual this summer, due to COVID precautions, several are not. The National Aquarium in Baltimore is providing soon-to-be senior and chemistry major Hannah Flayhart with a hands-on experience in conservation education.

“Working with guests and children at the National Aquarium this summer has given me a better understanding of what I want to do in the future. I want to continue to engage with people, not only to inform them about animals or science, but also to get across conservation tactics that can help protect our planet,” said Flayhart.

Since the program’s inception at Washington College a decade ago, it has offered over $700,000 in funding to more than 160 students. Financial support comes from an array of private donors and institutional grants.

“By paying the recipients enough to support summer living expenses, the Explore America program levels the socioeconomic playing field and brings more diverse young people into the world of nonprofit leadership,” said Goodheart.

“The work that our students do — from helping plan Smithsonian exhibitions to doing research for forthcoming books — gives them valuable experience and introduces them to mentors who sometimes change the course of their lives.”

It’s also an impressive line for students’ resumes when they enter the work world, and in some cases, the realization of a childhood dream.

“The Explore America internship program is one of the reasons I chose to attend Washington College,” said 2021 Washington College graduate Katy Shenk. “I’m so grateful to the Starr Center for making these experiences possible. Both of my internship positions have allowed me to explore the field of public history through hands-on work and truly rewarding projects.”

Shenk said that her 2019 Explore America internship with the prestigious Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History in New York City inspired her to later design and lead an independent World War II curriculum project when she returned to the Starr Center the following year. This summer, Shenk is interning through Explore America with the Smithsonian American Art Museum, as a curatorial research assistant.

“I’m doing the work of a historian—locating, interpreting, and critically evaluating primary and secondary source materials—a process I refined through many engaging, well-taught history seminars at Washington College. I’m confident these experiences not only helped me secure a place in American University’s graduate public history program but have provided me with the skills and knowledge of the field necessary to thrive there as well.”

About the Starr Center

Washington College’s Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience explores the American experience in all its diversity and complexity, seeks creative approaches to illuminating the past, and inspires thoughtful conversation informed by history. Through educational programs, scholarship and public outreach, the Starr Center bridges the divide between the academic realm and the broader world, while offering dynamic hands-on opportunities to Washington College undergraduates from a wide range of majors. More information can be found at starrcenter.washcoll.edu.

About Washington College

Founded in 1782, Washington College is the tenth-oldest college in the nation and the first one chartered after American independence. It enrolls approximately 1,250 undergraduates from more than 35 states and a dozen nations. With an emphasis on hands-on, experiential learning in the arts and sciences, and more than 40 multidisciplinary areas of study, the College is home to nationally recognized academic centers in the environment, history, and writing. Learn more at washcoll.edu.

Eastern Shore Food Lab Transitions to Independent Non-Profit

July 16, 2021 by Spy Desk 1 Comment

The Eastern Shore Food Lab (ESFL) created in 2017 as a research and teaching laboratory at Washington College, has become an autonomous nonprofit. Dr. Bill Schindler, who was instrumental in creating ESFL, will continue to direct the food lab and expand its programs. Dr. Schindler, who recently left his position at Washington College, has conducted internationally recognized research focused on identifying and documenting ancestral dietary approaches that create the safest, most nourishing food systems possible. He will continue that research at ESFL and will offer hands-on, immersive classes on a range of topics including cheese making, sourdough bread, nose-to-tail butchering and cooking, fermenting, and foraging. ESFL will begin offering international tours that immerse participants in the history and science of transitional foodways around the world. It will become a destination for individuals and groups drawn to Chestertown by the prospect of learning from ESFL programs.

Wendy and Larry Culp, active participants in many local organizations, observed “Bill Schindler and the Eastern Shore Food Lab are important members of the Chestertown Community. We are long-time supporters of his work and are excited to see him realize the full potential of the ESFL.”

The ESFL will share its 236 Cannon Street location with the Modern Stone Age Kitchen (MSAK) which Dr. Schindler has established with his family to bring to Chestertown an array of nourishing food made entirely from scratch using ancestral techniques. Joining Schindler are his wife, Christina, and their three teenage children, Brianna, Billy and Alyssa. Brianna’s popular sourdough bakery, Rise, which she began out of the family home at the beginning of the pandemic, will continue to operate under the new entity.

MSAK, in coordination with ESFL, will offer themed, sit-down meals designed to nourish, educate and entertain. These dinners will feature world-renowned chefs and innovators, bringing cutting-edge culinary experiences to Chestertown. The dinners will provide the additional opportunity to experience locally-sourced ingredients prepared in healthy, creative ways, all while educating and entertaining participants.

“We are excited to be able to take this next step to make a larger-scale impact as we work to replace the foods people eat every day with the most nourishing versions possible,” says Schindler. His book, Eat Like a Human: Nourishing Foods and Ancient Ways of Cooking to Revolutionize Your Health, will be published in November by Little, Brown, Spark. “We are excited to add our unique approach to the already dynamic and growing food scene in Chestertown,” adds Schindler.

For more information, visit www.modernstoneagekitchen.com and contact Bill Schindler at bill@eatlikeahuman.com

The Chromebook of Executive Function Skills by By Radcliffe Creek School’s Meg Bamford

July 14, 2021 by Meg Bamford Leave a Comment

It happened, AGAIN. I went to the supermarket after work to get some bread. I spent over $100 on groceries, loaded them into the car and then as I was about to get into the driver’s seat, I remembered the forgotten bread. How could I forget my sole reason for going to the grocery store on a dark, wet evening?

Working memory is our ability to hold, use, and manipulate information in our mind for brief intervals of between10 to15 seconds. Things like shopping lists, multi-step directions, or (remember when this was necessary?) someone’s phone number, are all executive function skills that our working memory performs. Our working memory is central to cognitive functioning skills. One thing we know is that like a Chromebook, our working memory has limited capacity to hold onto information before it is replaced by other information. In order to hold onto information in our working memory, we have to make the conscious decision to keep it there. Neuroscientists have determined that our working memory can only hold a certain amount of information at a time and for a very limited amount of time. Our working memory capacity can vary depending on the type of information we are trying to remember and how the information is chunked in our brain as we try to remember it. I love the trivia fact that the reason why our phone numbers have 7 digits has to do with average number of digits most people can hold in their working memory at once.

Many school psychologists believe that an intact working memory is critical for allowing other skills to develop. It incorporates the ability to draw upon past learning experiences to apply to a situation at hand or to project into the future. For example, when we review cognitive testing, a lower score in the area of working memory can explain why a young student may struggle to decode unfamiliar words. Often the act of breaking down a word, sounding it out and then blending the sounds together can cause the reader to forget the first sounds of the word. Has your child ever got off the phone with someone she just spoke with and completely forget what the message was that she needed to relay? Long division and working memory deficits are not compatible unless there are supports in place.

Think about how frustrating it is for children (or adults) who struggle with working memory deficits. A child goes upstairs to get her shoes and socks on, brush her teeth, and grab her reading book. She comes down with her socks on and reading book. She is sent back upstairs by a frustrated parent because she didn’t follow directions and now the family is running late. She knows she needs to remember something, but can’t because the information has gone out of her working memory.

How can we help the child with working memory deficits build this critical skill? Teach your child to repeat or even sing the instructions to herself to put the information into their auditory memory. Model chunking the information for them. Instead of remembering individual digits 7-7-8-8-1-5-0, teach them to remember 778, 81, 50. Consider the idea of “off-loading” so the child doesn’t have to hold as much in his working memory. Teach your child to use agenda books and calendars, make “to do” lists (keep that white board displayed prominently in your kitchen) and have your older children use their phones as assistive technology tools for prompting. There are great apps such as Todoist and BugMe! that can be helpful.

Children develop their working memory from infancy until about late adolescence when it peaks. A young child may be able to hold onto one step directions in her mind while a middle school student will need to remember the expectations of multiple teachers.With repeated rehearsal, visualization, and active association to past experiences, over time a child with working memory deficits will learn ways to hold on more efficiently to information. The size of their storage capacity, may not change. However, like the Chromebook, there are many different ways to extend its capacity to get things done. There is limited storage capacity but the platform exists to get things into our longer term memory.

Meg Bamford is the Head of Radcliffe Creek School in Chestertown

Chesapeake College Refocuses on Workforce Training, Changes Program for 55+

July 14, 2021 by Chesapeake College Leave a Comment

With a renewed focus on the mission to provide workforce training and the need to balance multiple priorities with limited resources, Chesapeake College has made the difficult decision to discontinue administration of the Institute for Adult Learning. The IAL membership program was developed 20 years ago to provide enrichment and education opportunities to adult learners over age 55.

Through a unique collaboration with IAL members, Chesapeake expanded educational services to the vibrant senior community of the service area. The College will continue to serve this and other populations with a variety of credit, non-credit, and personal enrichment offerings. Fortunately, since the IAL was first established at Chesapeake, other local community organizations have developed programming for seniors. Dave Harper, Vice President for Workforce & Academic Programs commented, “There are more educational opportunities for the over 55 population now, and we’re pleased that this group has a variety of enrichment options on the Mid-Shore.”

With service demands increasing and the landscape of higher education changing, the resources and administrative support required to sustain the IAL program must be refocused toward maintaining traditional academic programs and expanding workforce training programs.

Harper continued, “It has always been an important part of Chesapeake’s mission to prepare residents of the service area for both (1) 4-year college and university transfer and (2) direct entry into the workforce. County and state leaders, local business leaders, students, and families increasingly ask that we rebalance our programming to include a full complement of workforce training. Our current Strategic Plan acknowledges these requests and motivates us to fulfill the full mission of our College and to—especially in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic—support regional economic recovery as our students seek better lives for themselves and their families.”

He added, “A renewed focus on workforce training also reflects a national trend among two-year colleges, which are committed to providing career preparation for post-high school students and to supporting the full spectrum of human growth and potential.”

Mr. Harper emphasized that Chesapeake College continues to serve area seniors in several ways.

Seniors receive a tuition waiver for Chesapeake’s credit classes and can register for non-credit personal enrichment courses. Chesapeake will also continue to offer classes at area senior centers. Class topics include fitness, music, computers, foreign languages, and art. The College will also continue to build upon Personal Enrichment options available to all age groups.

For more information about personal enrichment at Chesapeake or senior center offerings, please contact Lois Thomas at lthomas@chesapeake.edu or PACE@chesapeake.edu.

Q&A with New State School Superintendent Mohammed Choudhury

July 12, 2021 by Maryland Matters Leave a Comment

On July 1, Mohammed Choudhury began his new job as the state superintendent of Maryland. Choudhury arrived in Maryland two weeks ago from Texas, where he was known for his innovative initiatives when it came to poverty and race in the San Antonio and Dallas school districts.

Maryland lawmakers and education leaders have said they are looking forward to a reinvigoration of the state’s public school system with his arrival, but also warn that he is undertaking a difficult job, especially coming from out-of-state and with a multi-billion-dollar, decade-long education reform plan that starts this year.

In an interview with Maryland Matters reporter Elizabeth Shwe, Choudhury talked about how he is settling in Maryland and how he plans to lead the state school system.

This is a transcript of the conversation, lightly edited for length and clarity.

Maryland Matters: What do you think of Maryland so far and what are you most looking forward to doing in this state?

Choudhury: Maryland is known as America in Miniature, so I am excited to live that experience out. I’m excited to taste all kinds of crab cakes in Maryland, which sets the standard for what a good crab cake is. I recently tried Jerry’s Seafood in Prince George’s County and G&M Restaurant, and both have been really great. I have a list that is like 20 deep and counting, and so I plan to form my own opinion on what the best crab cake is.

I feel the diversity in Maryland, whether I’m just getting coffee or at the gas station or walking here in downtown Baltimore or figuring out where I’m going to do my dry cleaning — Maryland is very diverse and it reminds me of my upbringing in the Hollywood region. I went to school with Korean Americans, Latinos and Blacks, and I was the only Bengali kid. But it also reminds me of what the future face of this country will be.

I’m also looking forward to putting down roots and expanding my family here. Right now, it’s just me and my wife. I’m looking forward to having children here — how exciting would it be to have children go through an education system during the Blueprint era? That should be fun and exciting.

MM: How has your first week as a state superintendent been so far?

Choudhury: It’s been very exciting. It is what I hoped it would be, which is a lot of positive energy and a feeling of what’s possible in the next decade to bring high-quality education to every child. I want to be able to channel that energy into the next phase of educational progress here with our local school systems.

Right now my goal is to look, listen and learn, so I am talking with every subdivision here at the Maryland State Department of Education. I’d like to meet the entire team. I am a high-energy person, I like to stay busy, I like to have purpose in what I’m doing. My interactions so far have reinforced all of those things about myself.

MM: How do you plan to foster good relationships with local school systems and teachers? What do you want them to know about you?

Choudhury: I am very much an experiential learner, so I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time in our local school systems, visiting schools, and hosting roundtables with groups of students and families throughout every county.

I’m looking forward to shadowing students — that is something that I especially like to do … just hang out with this student and take classes and do assignments with them for a couple of hours or half the day. I did that a lot in San Antonio and within a school year, I would end up shadowing between 45 to 60 students across the pre-K to 12 spectrum.

I usually ask the school principal to choose a student for me to shadow, and the only thing I want beforehand is a profile of who the student is. But then for the next student, I put some general guidance — I would ask to shadow an English language learner, or a student who is having behavioral challenges or a student who is performing at an advanced level or two levels behind. My goal is to experience that day as that student, and then I meet with the principal and I just share what I experienced.

For me, it informs what’s happening in our school systems because what happens each and every day in the classroom is what we’re all here to do, from all the way up from the state board on down. It helps me become a much more informed and smarter person when I come to think about what we need to do to enhance that experience of that child or to continue to reinforce it.

I’ve been making calls to introduce myself to the school superintendents of our local school system. I’m not all the way through all 24 yet, but one of the things I’ve been asking them is if I have permission just to shadow students, and so far, they have all said yes.

I want teachers to know that I am obsessive about uncovering best practices, and my job is to channel the energy of best practices and push that up and down and across our state so it reaches more kids with urgency.

I want teachers to know that my calendar will have sacred time, in which I will be out of downtown Baltimore on a bi-weekly basis. During those times, I do not want meetings other than what I am doing out in the community: shadowing a student, walking with a superintendent, or meeting an advocacy organization to better understand their needs.

MM: How do you feel about going from leading a school district of around 50,000 students to an entire state education system? How do you feel about holding a job that will require working with lawmakers and the governor?

Choudhury: Scale to me is not scary. I come from Los Angeles, California, where I was groomed as an educator and served about 700,000 students, and I worked also in the nonprofit community as well as with the district school system there.

Then I worked in Dallas, as their Chief of Transformation and Innovation, and they have about 160,000 students. And then in San Antonio I held a similar role with expanded responsibilities and they have around 50,000 students.

But one of the things I would hope people would see is the work that I do — I’m constantly thinking about scale. A lot of my work shaped legislation at the state level in Texas, and Texas serves 5.5 million children. Texas adopted a different way to measure poverty and respond to poverty, and that is touching every single school system, including charter schools, in Texas.

Texas has a very different legislative body, but at the end of the day, it requires sharing the research on why this matters and working with leaders of the legislative body, as well as within the community to help come to the best idea.

I feel like, in Maryland, I will get to do that more frequently, but this is not a foreign concept to me. The work that I have done — it has resonated nationally. So, I am looking forward to being able to shape the educational landscape in Maryland with the Blueprint as a very strong guide towards what comes next.

I left the classroom because I was frustrated with the central office messing things up for educators. The schools I taught at — we would do great things for students, and they would go off to the next school. But then somewhere across that pre-K to 12 spectrum, some of the kids would fall off. They would get lost in the system or that success would get set back, and I told myself — I need to be in the rooms where these decisions are being made to get it right for kids and educators. That’s the path I set myself on when I left the classrooms and here I am today.

MM: What are you most looking forward to with the Blueprint?

Choudhury: There’s so many great things in the Blueprint. It really is a super bill and roadmap towards building a great education system for our state, which can mean many, many things for our country.

I really do call it a true guide that came about as a result of an adequacy study. You normally don’t see states opt into adequacy studies on their own — usually they have to get forced into an adequacy study, or be pushed for by advocates to really truly uncover what it costs to provide a high quality education.

The famous Rodriguez vs. San Antonio case — at the end of the day what that case came down to was: what was the cost to provide a high quality education to children living in abject poverty in that school district? Because the other school districts that were not that far away in a highly segregated setting were getting a completely different educational experience.

The Blueprint is a long bill, but I read through it and I will continue to read through it multiple times. I am excited about the fact that it is focusing on expanding early childhood education — it all starts there. I am looking forward to the Blueprint expanding how we prepare educators in the state, the career ladders of educators, and raising the pay for educators, because that is long overdue.

I am also excited about looking at the funding disparities across different school systems and making sure that targeted funding is differentiated based on the depth of poverty. Given my background, that is something that’s going to tug at my heartstrings … it’s just an obsession about getting that right, given my background in that area.

This Blueprint is a once-in-a-generation moment to build a high-quality education system and I don’t not want to miss this opportunity to get it right with all of our stakeholders. Everyone is fully engaged right now. I bet other state education superintendents are jealous of me.

MM: In San Antonio, you didn’t always see eye-to-eye with the teachers union — can you tell me more about that relationship? And what kind of relationship do you hope to forge with the teachers unions here?

Choudhury: I have always had working relationships with every stakeholder, including our professional associations and unions. That is the relationship our administration had in San Antonio — we had something written into our policy that is very unique for a school system in a right-to-work state like Texas, where we met with our union once a month to talk about various issues.

That relationship was always a working relationship and collaboration for specific initiatives. Did we always agree? No, we did not always agree. I would like for anyone to point me to something where everyone is in universal agreement with something. People debate over the color of a wall. But at the end of the day, my decisions will be guided by what’s best for kids and what the research says is best for kids.

I will respect the views of everyone, and that doesn’t mean we will always agree when it comes to strategy and direction. But we will listen to one another, and so I’m looking forward to meeting with the Maryland State Education Association, to be able to share ideas and find points of collaboration. There might be moments where we won’t always agree. And that’s not just with the union, that can be other stakeholder groups as well too.

MM: What have you evaluated as strengths and weaknesses of Maryland’s education system so far?

Choudhury: I can’t answer that yet because I’m in the learning phase, but the only thing I could share is the findings from the Kirwan report, as well as what the data shows. Maryland has a reputation of high quality education, no doubt, but gaps exist, both in opportunity and learning, so there is work to be done.

The growth area is that excellence needs to be true for every child, regardless of their background, especially for our historically disadvantaged subgroups.

By Elizabeth Shwe

Seven Books Named as Finalists for the Annual George Washington Prize

July 8, 2021 by Washington College News Service Leave a Comment

Seven books published in 2020 by the country’s most prominent historians have been named finalists for the George Washington Prize. The annual award recognizes the past year’s best works on the nation’s founding era, especially those that have the potential to advance a broad public understanding of early American history.

“Every day we see evidence that Americans care deeply about the history of the founding of the United States,” commented Doug Bradburn, President of George Washington’s Mount Vernon. “Each of these books provides a window into that transformational era, and sheds light as well on the world we are all making together… all worthy finalists in a very competitive field.”

Created by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, and Washington College, the $50,000 George Washington Prize is one of the nation’s largest and most notable literary awards.

“At a time when questions about America’s past are so central to discussions of our nation’s present and future, books like these are essential reading,” said Adam Goodheart, Director of Washington College’s Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience.

Written to engage a wide public audience, the selected books provide a “go-to” reading list for anyone interested in learning more about George Washington, his contemporaries, and the founding of the United States of America.

The 2021 George Washington Prize finalists are (in alphabetical order):

Mark Boonshoft, Aristocratic Education and the Making of the American Republic (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press)
Vincent Brown, Tacky’s Revolt: The Story of an Atlantic Slave War (Cambridge: Harvard University Press)
Peter Cozzens, Tecumseh and the Prophet: The Shawnee Brothers Who Defied a Nation (New York: Alfred A. Knopf)
Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, The Age of Phyllis (Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press)
Michael W. McConnell, The President Who Would Not Be King: Executive Power under the Constitution (Princeton: Princeton University Press)
Mary Beth Norton, 1774: The Long Year of Revolution (New York: Alfred A. Knopf)
William G. Thomas III, A Question of Freedom: The Families Who Challenged Slavery from the Nation’s Founding to the Civil War (New Haven: Yale University Press)

The prize will be awarded to the 2021 winner at a ceremony held at Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home in Virginia, on October 20, 2021. The ceremony will also recognize past winner, Rick Atkinson, for his book The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777 (Henry Holt), as it was not possible to hold the event in person last year.

More information about the George Washington Prize is available at www.mountvernon.org/gwprize

ABOUT THE SPONSORS OF THE GEORGE WASHINGTON PRIZE

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Now celebrating its twenty-fifth year, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History was founded in 1994 by Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman, visionaries and lifelong supporters of American history education. The Institute is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to K–12 history education while also serving the general public. Its mission is to promote the knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is supported through the generosity of individuals, corporations, and foundations. The Institute’s programs have been recognized by awards from the White House, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Organization of American Historians, and the Council of Independent Colleges. Learn more at gilderlehrman.org.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon

Since 1860, more than 85 million visitors have made George Washington’s Mount Vernon the most popular historic home in America. Through thought-provoking tours, entertaining events, and stimulating educational programs on the estate and in classrooms across the nation, Mount Vernon strives to preserve George Washington’s place in history as “First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of His Countrymen.” Mount Vernon is owned and operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, America’s oldest national preservation organization, founded in 1853. In 2013, Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association opened the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington, which safeguards original books and manuscripts and serves as a center for research, scholarship, and leadership development. Learn more at mountvernon.org.

Washington College

Washington College was founded in 1782, the first institution of higher learning established in the new republic. George Washington was not only a principal donor to the college, but also a member of its original governing board. He received an honorary degree from the college in June 1789, two months after assuming the presidency. The college’s Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience explores the American experience in all its diversity and complexity, seeks creative approaches to illuminating the past, and inspires thoughtful conversation informed by history. Learn more at www.washcoll.edu.

How to Help Our Children Who Are “Wired and Tired.” By Radcliffe Creek School’s Meg Bamford

July 7, 2021 by Meg Bamford Leave a Comment

There is so much research that causes me to worry about the impact of technology on our children’s brains. In keeping with last week’s newsletter on sleep, this week I want to provide you with information to help you understand the link between sleep deprivation and the use of technology. Some nights, even after a busy-full-of-life-kind-of-day, do you find yourself wide awake staring at the ceiling, frustrated at why you cannot seem to connect your busy brain with your exhausted body? It’s the worst! I have come to understand that often the reason is that I went directly from my laptop to my pillow without allowing the opportunity for my brain to begin to quiet down, a necessity for quality sleep. I imagine this frustration, while tough for adults is even harder for children.

We know that engaging in technology before bed impacts our brains in different ways. First, whenever we use technology, we are either taking in or creating content and therefore, chemicals in our brain will stimulate its ‘wake centers’, making it harder to fall asleep. Furthermore, engaging in ”social media will signal the adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline and the stress hormone, cortisol,” says Beatrice Tauber Prior, PsyD, a clinical psychologist. We experience a “rush” when we are engaged in the experience of texting or Facebook. At school, we listen to our tweens and teens (especially our girls) who are so hungry for their peers to acknowledge them and respond to them on social media. I call it the curse of Instagram! I agree with Tauber who says, “The last thing you want your child to experience is a surge in adrenaline and cortisol when they are trying to fall asleep.”

A less obvious sleep interrupter is the bright light that our children’s devices emit. Exposure to these light emissions before bedtime can increase alertness. Consequently, the light from a device at night can also disrupt our child’s naturally occurring circadian (or daily) rhythms by suppressing the release of the hormone melatonin, which is critical for maintaining and regulating the sleep-wake cycles. I truly thought allowing my child screen time before bed would help him calm down and be ready for sleep. In fact, the impact was just the opposite!

With the technological demands of COVID, many children have computers, televisions, gaming systems, and their phones in their rooms at night. Children with impulsivity challenges are REALLY tempted by the draw of technology. And it is cool for 13-year-old to play video games late into the night (despite their teachers telling them it isn’t good for them). Choosing sleep over technology for an early adolescent is tough. I strongly recommend you help your children by removing the temptation.

In our house, we have a “tech bunk bed” ( a charging station) in our kitchen. All of our technology ranging from Chromebooks to the DS (especially when our girls were younger) needed to be “put to bed” before our kids took their nightly shower. It allowed a quick and easy visual for my husband and me to ensure our kids were able to sleep and to be safe. If your child has a system or a desktop computer and you can’t take it all out of the room, just take the most essential parts (i.e, power cord, remote control, keyboards, etc.) and put them in your bedroom.

As my girls aged, the tech bunk bed became less appealing. But the need to regulate what they were doing became more imperative! They wanted their phones next to them. In my experience as “the meanest mom in the world” and as Head of School, no positive communication from kid to kid happens in the wee hours of the morning. Working to help our children learn to establish a healthy relationship with sleep and establish boundaries with technology will serve them well.

Wishing you a peaceful night’s sleep!

Meg Bamford is Head of the Radcliffe Creek School in Chestertown.

Report: Md. Had Second-Lowest Rate of In-Person Learning During Pandemic

July 6, 2021 by Maryland Matters Leave a Comment

A States Newsroom report says “a new study shows that racial and geographic gaps persisted as K-12 students went back to their classrooms—with non-Hispanic white kids more often the ones attending a brick-and-mortar school full-time in most states.”

The study, featured in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, looked at in-person and online learning from last September through April.

According to the report:

“The study found that access to in-person learning varied by state: 100% of students in Wyoming and Montana had access to in-person instruction, while Hawaii, Maryland and Washington had the lowest shares of students in their classrooms full-time.

“Only about 2.3% of Maryland students had access to full-time, in-person instruction.

“The new data also found a racial disparity in most states on whether students were learning online or in person. In 43 states, access to full-time, in-person learning was higher for non-Hispanic white students compared to those of color.

“Racial disparities in Maryland were small — students of color were 3.5% less likely to have in-person learning access — because most schools were closed.”

Read the full article by States Newsroom reporter Laura Olson on the Maryland Matters website.

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