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Distance Learning Especially Challenging for Students With Disabilities

September 14, 2020 by Maryland Matters Leave a Comment

Noah, a pseudonym for a middle school child with autism, had been doing well in his public education program until school buildings closed in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unable to understand why his routine was disrupted, he sometimes displayed aggressive behavior with his mother when she encouraged him to participate in distance learning. Once, he headbutted her so hard that she blacked out.

Despite these hardships, Noah’s mother was unsuccessful in getting in-person services for her son, Leslie Margolis, managing attorney of Disability Rights Maryland, told state lawmakers during a briefing Friday on students with disabilities and virtual learning. Instead, Noah’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) team, which helps create a plan with specialized services for students with disabilities, told his mother they could only provide those services virtually.

Similarly, Eduardo, a pseudonym for a 6-year-old boy with autism, has not been able to engage with people on a screen and his mother does not speak English. As a result, he has gotten no educational services from March to August and his IEP team did not recommend in-person services because “it’s not the policy of the school system to do that,” Margolis said.

These are the realities of families with special needs students — who make up 12% of the Maryland student body.

“Our clients face huge barriers and they’re often not successful in obtaining the appropriate services for their children, despite the guidance coming from [the Maryland State Department of Education], despite the PowerPoints, the reality for families looks very different from the ground,” Margolis said.

The main challenges facing students with disabilities during distance learning include the need for additional assistive technology that goes beyond having reliable internet connection and a laptop — such as customized keyboards and audiobooks, Rachel London, executive director of the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council, said. It has also been difficult when students with disabilities cannot return to school buildings for small group in-person learning because they are immunocompromised.

The state Department of Education has given guidance to local school systems to enforce IEPs as best as possible during distance learning, but there is a huge variance among the 24 districts, Margolis said.

Del. April Rose (R-Carroll) asked how the state will push counties that currently have no plans for any in-person services for students with disabilities to do so. She noted Harford County Public Schools, which is all-virtual through the first semester, as an example.

Schools that had originally planned to stay online until the second semester are looking for ways to bring small groups of students for in-person instruction in the fall, Carol Williamson, Deputy State Superintendent of MSDE, said. In late August, State Superintendent Karen B. Salmon and Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) strongly urged schools to do this by the first quarter of the school year, which is in November.

While there are special education liaisons in five regions of the state who are trained to coach and support IEP teams and local school systems in instruction during distance learning, “the best for this response is that our children re-enter schoolhouses in a safe environment,” Marcella Franczkowski, assistant state superintendent of MSDE, said.

Like many teacher unions, local school systems and state officials, Margolis expressed disappointment in the “lack of leadership” from MSDE.

There’s a difference between the state creating a framework for local school systems to choose from and delegating local school systems to develop a framework almost entirely on their own, she said.

The result has been a “complete patchwork collection of approaches that vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, not necessarily based on the needs of the jurisdiction or the children within that jurisdiction, but seemingly based on whim,” Margolis said.

Local school systems must offer other options for students who are unable to participate in distance learning, whether it means bringing small groups of students into school buildings or contracting with private providers, Margolis said. Schools cannot simply default to all-virtual learning, she said.

“We will monitor, there’s no question,” Franczkowski of MSDE said. “Monitoring is not for an ‘I gotcha’ monitoring, it is for a support of technical assistance and need so that we can see where there are gaps and provide feedback to support.”

However, some experts do not think that schools should open solely for students with disabilities, but should be more nuanced in how they select students to return for face-to-face learning.

“If schools are going to open, they can’t just open for students with disabilities,” London said. “Not only are there other students in need of critical supports, there is a variety of reasons students with and without disabilities may need to return or may not need to return…it is based on an individual assessment.”

By Elizabeth Shwe

On Untraditional First Day of School, Hogan Still Hopes For More In-Person Instruction

September 10, 2020 by Maryland Matters Leave a Comment

Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. visited three schools in Caroline County as they opened for limited in-person instruction on Tuesday, marking the start of a less-than-traditional school year for thousands of Maryland students.

Hogan, along with State Superintendent of Schools Karen B. Salmon, visited North Caroline High School, Lockerman Middle School, and Denton Elementary School on Tuesday. Caroline County is one of 16 jurisdictions that plans to slowly phase in limited in-person instruction this fall.

Plans for in-person instruction vary by jurisdiction, with most counties planning a phased return to masked, socially distanced instruction for certain students. Students with special needs, and those who may not have access to the internet at home, are among those being brought back for in-person instruction, Caroline County Public Schools Superintendent Patricia Saelens said.

Hogan said eight jurisdictions declined to open for any in-person instruction for fall semester, but said he hopes those school systems reconsider and offer some in-person instruction to students who need it.

“We asked them to go back and take another look at that by the end of the first quarter to see if there weren’t some special needs kids and some folks that are really going to suffer by not having in person instruction,” Hogan said of the jurisdictions that decided not to reopen. He noted that the decision ultimately rests with local school boards.

Salmon said local boards of education will be tracking COVID-19 cases in their districts throughout the year. She said she’s hopeful that limited in-person instruction won’t pose a huge threat of infection for students, and pointed out that Worcester and Calvert counties held in-person summer school with no reported cases.

Hogan and Salmon’s visits to Caroline County schools came a week after the State Board of Education mandated school systems across the state to have an average of 3.5 hours a day of live virtual learning by the end of 2020.

The 3.5 hours of live learning was criticized by local school boards and teachers’ unions, with some saying schools weren’t given enough time to meet the new standards.

Some, including Democratic Maryland Comptroller and 2022 gubernatorial candidate Peter Franchot, have warned that in-person instruction could lead to the spread of COVID-19. In a Board of Public Works meeting last Wednesday, Franchot called in-person instruction a “huge medical experiment.”

“I want to applaud the majority of county school boards that have chosen to heed the advice of experts and follow science, and not cave in under pressure from folks down the road in Washington who want to downplay the gravity of this disease,” Franchot said.

By Bennett Leckrone

State Ed. Board Mandates Average of 3.5 Hours of Live Learning a Day by Year’s End

September 2, 2020 by Maryland Matters Leave a Comment

The Maryland State Board of Education Tuesday approved a measure to require all school systems to have an average of 3.5 hours a day of live virtual learning by the end of 2020.

State Superintendent of Schools Karen B. Salmon emphasized that this standard is to ensure equity and consistency for all students across the state, especially those in school districts that were “planning last minute to go virtual for a whole half of the school year, which is 90 days,” she said.

The board also asked school systems that have indicated that they were not returning students to in-person learning until the second half of the school year to reevaluate their reopening plans by the end of the first quarter — or after nine weeks — and to submit their new plans to the Maryland State Department of Education.

Prince George’s and Montgomery counties, the two largest school districts in the state, have announced that they are remaining virtual for most of the first semester.

Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) applauded MSDE for its decision.

“I want to thank the State Board of Education for their vote today, which calls on those counties to at least go back and reevaluate their modes of instruction before the end of the year,” he said during a late afternoon news conference Tuesday.

Late last week, Hogan announced that every local school system is allowed to begin safely reopening their buildings for in-person learning due to low COVID-19 case numbers. He urged the eight districts that planned to remain virtual for most of the first semester to reconsider their plans to include for at least some face-to-face learning.

Many local school boards, elected officials and the teachers’ union pushed back last week, saying that local schools were not given enough time to change their schedule to meet these newly established standards, especially with only a week left before the first day of school.

“I’m still really disappointed in the timing and manner at which this has played out,” Lori Morrow of Prince George’s County, the parent member of the state school board, said during Tuesday’s board meeting. The board only received these new recommendations Friday evening and the presentation slides were not posted publicly to MSDE’s website until Saturday morning, she said.

In response, the state board revised the requirement to an average of 3.5 hours of synchronous learning across all grades (K through 12) every day, instead of a minimum, to give schools more flexibility. Half-day pre-K school days must include a minimum of 1.5 hours of live learning spread out over the half day, according to the new regulations.

A school district can offer more hours of synchronous learning one day and less on other days, as long as the average is 3.5 hours, school board member Gail H. Bates said.

The deadline to meet these standards was deferred to the end of the calendar year, instead of the end of this month.

The Maryland State Education Association hailed the more than 20,000 Marylanders who signed an online petition in recent days that called for no mandated schedule changes until after the first quarter of the school year.

“We appreciate that the State Board of Education rejected Superintendent Salmon’s last-minute proposal to rip up local school schedules in a matter of weeks without thought for the confusion, stress, and chaos that would ensue,” Cheryl Bost, the president of Maryland State Education Association, said in a statement during the board meeting.

This conversation would have been useful months earlier, Bost said. “The poor communication and sudden changes coming from the State Department of Education and state leadership are deeply concerning and in dire need of improvement.”

School superintendents similarly expressed their frustration with the late timing of these new standards.

Kelly Griffith, superintendent, Talbot County Public Schools

“These untimely requirements after our plans have been approved are a powerful departure from the traditional cooperation between the LEAs (local education agency) and the Board. These recommendations are rigid, lack basis in any specific academic research, and are extremely severe in what to date, has been a partnership during this crisis,” Kelly Griffith, the president of the Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland, wrote Monday in a letter to Salmon and Clarence Crawford, the president of the state Board of Education.

Superintendents said they appreciate statewide standards and the goal to ensure equity, but believe these decisions should have been made collaboratively with local superintendents, Griffith continued.

‘You can’t have a blanket number for all students’

Some educators doubt that mandating a set amount of live learning would achieve more equity.

There are hundreds of students who do not have resources at home where they can sit quietly and log on for class, Kevin Shindel, a social studies teacher at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, said in an interview. Children of working class families, who cannot help younger children as much, will especially will be at a disadvantage

“That’s [mandated average of 3.5 hours of live learning], not equality, it actually further diminishes their capacity to keep up,” Shindel said.

Rose Li, a school board member from Montgomery County, asked multiple times how Salmon decided on 3.5 hours as the optimal synchronous learning allotment. If the requirement was 3 hours rather than 3.5 hours, 16 of the 24 districts would not need to change their schedules, Li said.

“We believe an average of 3.5 hours of synchronous instruction daily across all grades allows students to remain connected to their teachers and is the best solution for replicating a level of beneficial interaction in a physical classroom with the synchronous time spread out throughout the day more like a real instructional situation when not virtual,” said Lora Rakowski, a spokeswoman for MSDE.

Henry Smith, an assistant professor at John Hopkins School of Education, said he thinks these new standards are not going to help anyone except the school board and superintendents to use as metrics and to be able to record the total hours of live learning they have offered to students.

“You can’t have a blanket number for all children,” he said in an interview. “Especially younger students, special needs students and ESL students cannot have the same metric as a high school student whose first language is English.”

Having a qualitative metric, instead of a quantitative one, that thoroughly assess the quality of synchronous learning, no matter how long they are, would be much more effective, he said.

“The debates about the amount of time of synchronous learning are so off target from what we should be talking about,” Shindel said. “If you really wanted to enhance student engagement, you have to give teachers training and time to plan, not just make them put students in a Zoom [meeting] more often.”

“Quantity is not the same as the quality of instruction.”

By Elizabeth Shwe

University of Maryland Examines Its Role in Structural Racism

August 28, 2020 by Maryland Matters Leave a Comment

After a summer of national reckoning on racial injustice, the University System of Maryland is taking proactive steps to examine structural racism that may be inherent in its own system and across its 12 affiliate institutions.

The first part of this process within USM involves introspection, officials said Wednesday.

University System of Maryland Chancellor Jay A. Perman

“This is the gap analysis, measuring whatever that space is between what we say, what we stand for…on the one hand, and our actions on the other hand,” Chancellor Jay A. Perman said during a Board of Regents special meeting.

The board will examine indicators within its system, like diversity among faculty and its fairness with promotions and tenure. Board members will begin to collect data soon, Perman said.

The university system will also review how each campus is teaching issues of race, racism and social justice and where they can contribute additional scholarship to advance understanding on diversity and implicit bias.

The last piece of the plan involves ways in which the system’s institutions can be “anchors” in their communities by using their knowledge to eliminate racial disparities, Perman said. This means partnering with anti-poverty, criminal justice and health care organizations to create sustainable learning programs and to encourage students to participate in this kind of work.

Several USM universities gave updates on how they will implement this plan.

As a historically Black institution, Coppin State University has expanded its conversations on diversity into discussions about multiculturalism, Anthony Jenkins, the president of the university, said. “You can have diversity and not have multiculturalism, but you can’t have multiculturalism without having diversity.”

Coppin State is working with the Baltimore City Police Department on issues about police brutality, as well with community organizations to help address food deserts in Baltimore City, Jenkins said.

Although Frostburg State University has 46% students of color and has “achieved” diversity on campus, the challenge now is encouraging “inclusion” on campus, said Ronald Nowaczyk, the president of Frostburg State. Getting different groups together in social life on campus has been the bigger challenge, and student leaders are working together now to address that concern, Nowaczyk said.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore initiated a search for a chief diversity and equity officer who will report to the president, Bruce Jarrell, president of UMB, said.

Along with the University of Maryland College Park, UMB launched a new master’s degree in Public Safety Leadership and Administration that will start this fall for law enforcement officers and social workers to strengthen police-community relationships.

To successfully implement the system’s plan, universities must also incorporate its community residents into its efforts to address racial injustices, Jarrell said. UMB has a community engagement center for West Baltimore residents to access services that promote neighborhood and economic development, for example.

The broader problem may stem from the fact that over half of children of color in the state graduate from high school unable to read at an 8th grade level, one regent said. Even as the University System advances this plan to address structural racism, the crux of the solution may be to figure out how to increase the number of Black children who can read and work at a level that adequately prepares them for University, he said.

By Elizabeth Shwe

Mullen Takes Helm at WRUS

July 24, 2020 by Wye River Upper School Leave a Comment

What started out as a plan to retire evolved into the next chapter of Dave Mullen’s life, as he moved to the Eastern Shore to serve the community, staff, and students at Wye River Upper School.

On July 1, Mullen took over as the Interim Head of School at Wye River, a school with a familiar mission and job requirements to where he spent almost 30 of his 41 years in education.

Having served as Head of School at The Nora School in Silver Spring, Md, for 29 years, moving into this position came naturally to Mullen. He aims to serve as the bridge between the founding Head of School, Chrissy Aull, and her long-term successor to be chosen later this year.

“The work that is done here at WRUS is the work I’ve done for most of my career,” Mullen said. “I really enjoy working with teens who have been frustrated in school, and for whom learning does not always come easily.”

The exemplary reputation of WRUS drew him to seeking the position.

“It’s important for me to be working with teachers and colleagues who have a true calling and commitment to improving the lives of kids, and I knew I’d find that at Wye River,” Mullen said.

A graduate of New England Conservatory of Music, Mullen earned a Master’s degree in Education in Administration and Supervision from the University of Maryland in 1991. For the past 29 years, he led The Nora School, a small independent college preparatory high school focusing on students with diverse learning styles. He retired as Head of School on June 30.

“I understand our students’ and families’ challenges because I’ve been doing this work for a long time. My own kids have had their learning struggles at various points,” Mullen said. “I know how challenges in school can impact families’ lives, and now they have even more turbulence to navigate as they work around COVID-19. The interim role is new [to me], and I’m excited to be seeing new ideas, learning, and meeting new people.”

Mullen also added he is “happy to help the school ‘set the table’ for the next leader and the next phase of the school’s growth.”

One of the challenges with which Mullen is grappling is how COVID-19 is affecting students. He has been working with the staff at WRUS in planning for both hybrid and online scenarios next fall.

Mullen also understands that the disease may be a factor for the foreseeable future. For him, that face-to-face interaction is critical to both academic learning and emotional health whether it is in person or virtually.

“Wye River did a terrific job moving online last spring and having classes meet every day, virtually, through the end of the school year. That kind of commitment shows real planning, thoughtfulness and attention to detail,” Mullen said.

Rather than having students constantly on a computer screen, he is enthusiastic about Wye River’s commitment to integrating daily physical education. He also hopes to develop the school’s mindfulness program to assist students, parents, and teachers in coping with the anxiety of today’s world.

Tackling a few elements of the Strategic Plan this year, Mullen will keep Wye River moving in the positive direction that has been the hallmark of the school’s 18-year history.

“I want to support the folks who’ve made a career here, and help them fulfill their hopes and dreams for the school going forward,” Mullen said. “We’ve been living in an age of anxiety for the last 20 years, from Sept. 11 to the great recession to the turmoil of the last several months. These kids have grown up having known nothing different.”

He continued saying “there’s a great need to take care of the people in our small

communities and help them navigate and get through these challenges in healthy and productive ways.”

One person who knew that Mullen could take on this leading role was founding WRUS Head of School Chrissy Aull, who said “with Dave at the helm of WRUS, I can rest well knowing that he is up to the daunting task of readying the school for all the matters Corona related. I don’t think there is any aspect of this challenge that Dave is not ready to address. He will lead the staff and families through this unforeseen situation.”

About Wye River Upper School:

Wye River Upper School is an independent high school serving the strengths and needs of bright students with learning differences. Located in Centreville MD approximately 20 minutes east of the Bay Bridge, WRUS offers daily bus transportation. For more info, contact Nicole Sophocles at 410-758-2922.

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Superintendent Stresses ‘Flexibility’ for Local Schools in Decision on Starting Academic Year

July 23, 2020 by Maryland Matters Leave a Comment

Almost one month away from the beginning of the academic year, Maryland’s schools superintendent on Wednesday provided additional guidance for public schools as they set their reopening plans during the COVID-19 outbreak. But she left it to the local school districts to decide whether to start the school year virtually or not.

“The imminent safety and health of students and staff must and always be the first priority,” State Superintendent of Schools Karen B. Salmon said during a State House news conference alongside Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R).

Local school systems will have the flexibility to choose how they reopen in the fall and which students to prioritize for in-person learning, Salmon said.

“We want to get our students back in school as soon as possible for in person instruction, and this should be the driving goal and basis for all of our decisions,” Salmon said, citing the American Academy of Pediatrics position on whether to provide in person instruction at the beginning of the academic year.

All school systems that reopen buildings must follow CDC guidelines, specifically for handwashing, physical distancing and face coverings, Salmon said. All students and teachers will be required to wear masks in buildings.

School systems must also have a clear process of what to do in the case of a COVID-19 outbreak, which is defined as one positive case among students, educators and staff in a school building. Schools are responsible for providing a written notification to all identified contacts of coronavirus, as well as specifying how long they should remain in quarantine.

Last week, a group of Maryland teachers’ unions and parents wrote a letter to state officials, asking for all public schools to reopen entirely virtually in the fall. Already nine local school systems, largely in Central Maryland, have announced that they will begin the school year fully online: Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Caroline, Charles, Harford, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

In a statement shortly after Salmon’s news conference, Maryland State Education Association President Cheryl Bost, a Baltimore County elementary school teacher, urged more school districts to follow suit.

“Virtual learning is not a perfect solution, but it’s the safest and focusing on just one mode of education enables educators to direct their total attention to making it more rigorous and equitable,” Bost said.

However, Salmon did not specify whether she is thinking of imposing a statewide mandate for first semester distance learning. School districts have until Aug. 14 to inform state officials of their reopening plans.

The state has committed a total of $255 million in CARES Act funding for education, Salmon said. Included is $100 million dedicated to address the digital divide and another $100 million for tutoring and relearning programs for students who experienced significant learning loss during the crisis learning phase last spring. $20 million has been used to expand rural broadband services, as well as $5 million for urban broadband.

Bost said robust funding is a must for this pandemic-influenced school year.

“We also know that the success of this school year and our ability to reopen schools as soon as possible will depend on a commitment to funding from federal, state, and local levels that we have not seen to date,” she said.

By Elizabeth Shwe

WC-ALL Announces Fall Semester Courses

July 21, 2020 by WC-ALL Leave a Comment

The Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning, a continuing education program for adult learners, has announced an exciting schedule for the fall semester, which runs from August 31st to December 4th, 2020. Ed Minch, WC-ALL’s curriculum chairperson, has put together a team of new and returning instructors and stimulating topics for both six-week sessions. This semester, because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the constraints this brings to Washington College, we have canceled Showcase and will be offering all events online, via Zoom. In these difficult times, Zoom classes offer us distinct advantages. They can accommodate large numbers, are not difficult to negotiate, and allow for relatively easy discussion. Many of us have already used it, but if you feel you need help, please consult our website for clear and simple instructions.

Otherwise, we are operating as usual. Students may register for as many classes as they wish for one inclusive membership fee. Courses are taught by community members with interesting life experiences and expertise in a wide variety of fields. There are no educational requirements for membership and no papers or exams.

This fall we are offering a wide range of courses which address both important and popular topics. Three courses continue for both Sessions. Maria Wood continues to unpack the magic of Hamilton, now even more widely enjoyed thanks to television; Raymond Vergne looks at the many faces of Fascism; and Kevin Brien leads an exploration of the Confucian Way. Sign up for both sessions, or enjoy just one course.

Other courses in Session One, which begin on August 31st, include some timely topics: “Dangerous Infections and How they get the Upper Hand” (taught by Wendy Cronin); “Gun Control and the Second Amendment” (taught by Jim Astrachan); and financial advice for retirees, offered by Michael Durstein in “Passport to Retirement: Estate/Financial Planning for Retirees.” Movie buffs will be happy to know that Charles Leary is examining “1974: American Film,” and some much-needed nostalgia is sure to be found in “The Golden Age of Ocean Liners,” taught by Jack Shaum. Last, but certainly not least, Larry Lagattuta’s “History and Making of Bread” is bound to attract a crowd as the popularity of home-baking increases with our ongoing lockdown.

Highlights in Session Two include perennial favorite “Supreme Court,” in which John Christie leads two separate discussions of key cases heard during the 2019 term. Art and literature are also recommended, as Beverley Hall Smith discusses “Artists of the 19th Century, Up Close and Personal,” and Jean Austin looks at “Short Stories Everyone Should Know.” Financial tips continue with “Doc” Smith’s class on “Money and the Art of Contrary Thinking.” And finally our environment, near, far and virtual, is not forgotten. Dick Lance helps us understand our Apple technology (“Some Tips to Ease Everyday Use of Your Apple ‘Toys’”); Dennis Herrmann introduces us to “Backyard Astronomy;” and Larry Vetter helps us consider “Practical Environmental Field Response.”

In addition to sponsoring fall and spring classes, WC-ALL continues to host a series of Learn at Lunch lectures. These will also be offered via Zoom and are free to all our members, though members will have to provide their own lunch. The first lecture will be on September 15th. Alexandra Kirtley, Curator of Decorative Arts at the Philadelphia Museum, will be discussing early Eastern Shore history. On October 19th Mike Roberts will talk about Amelia Earhart, and on November 18th Melissa Deckman of Washington College’s Political Science department will offer comments on the national election.

To learn more about all these activities, visit WC-ALL’s table at the Chestertown Farmers’ Market on August 8th and 15th. The full course catalog and registration information are available at www.washcoll.edu/people_departments/offices/wc-all/index.php or email wc_all@washcoll.edu.

Registration for both fall sessions, by web or mail-in, runs from July 20th to August 21st. Please note that classes are filled as reservations are received; we recommend online registration. All mailed registrations and check payments should be sent to S. Calloway, POBox 7885, Newark, DE 19714. PLEASE NOTE: the WC-ALL campus office is closed and WC-ALL is not responsible for registrations sent to the campus at this time.

Gunston’s 109th Commencement Honors the Class of 2020

June 10, 2020 by Gunston School 1 Comment

The Gunston School honored its class of 2020 with a week-long celebration. It began with seniors and their families arriving individually to campus to partake in the annual tradition of laying a brick engraved with their name and graduation year on the pathway leading up to Gunston’s original building, called Middleton House, followed by a diploma parade, and concluding with a virtual commencement ceremony featuring an Emmy-award winning alumna.

“I want to thank our teachers and faculty for putting together a week of celebration. We didn’t have a traditional end to our senior year but this week was such a memorable experience. I really enjoyed the diploma parade because it was a chance for the entire senior class to be together one last time,” says Student Government President Mason Rudolfs.

Senior Class President Isabella Santoboni announced the senior class gift to the World Health Organization. Photo by Torrey Pocock, Riggo Pro Productions.

On Friday, June 5, the virtual Green & White Awards ceremony announced 26 different awards for students and various recognitions from the greater community, as well as the much-anticipated announcement of the Green & White Cup. Twice each year, Gunston declares a “Green & White field day” as students, faculty and staff divide into two teams and compete in activities that range from canoe races to math competitions, creative writing challenges, and more. The team accumulating the most points from both days wins the Green & White Cup. This spring, the second field day was cancelled due to the pandemic, so students and faculty were able to accumulate points by doing various social media challenges, volunteering, and completing assignments. Click here to see a full list of awards and recipients.

Senior Class President Isabella Santoboni announced the senior class gift to the World Health Organization’s COVID Solidarity Response Fund. “Our donation is a way of giving the class of 2020 a voice: in a situation in which we feel so powerless, this donation is a way for us to be a part of the solution.” In addition, the 2019-2020 school year marked several milestones for faculty, including 35 years of service for Assistant Head of School Christie Grabis, and ten years of service for Head of School John Lewis.

Assistant Head of School Christie Grabis celebrated 35 years of service at the Gunston School. Photo by Torrey Pocock, Riggo Pro Productions.

Later in the day on Friday, a procession of vehicles with seniors and their families made its way down the circular drive on Gunston’s campus for a Diploma Parade, waving to faculty and staff lining the road before receiving their diplomas from Lewis. The rest of the Gunston Community was invited to watch the event live via Gunston’s YouTube Channel and interviews by Bruce Grove of Queen Anne’s County Television (QACTV).

“For the class of 2020, the Coronavirus stole their traditional graduation ceremony. However, Gunston did an incredible job of showing their support for the students and their families,” says parent Karen Talbott. “Thank you for what was undoubtedly lots of hard work and countless meetings. This was a graduation experience that we will never forget. Every detail was so well planned, from the pictures and videos that we were able to share with family and friends, to the thoughtfulness of the parting gifts, awards, and diploma parade! We are so proud and honored to be a part of the Gunston community.”

Head of School John Lewis celebrated 10 years of service this year as he navigated the Gunston Community through the COVID pandemic. Photo by Mike Stog.

In keeping with tradition, Saturday’s virtual commencement began with Bagpiper Robert Wallace and was followed by several speakers. Highlights include remarks from Senior Class President Isabella Santoboni, Chair of the Board of Gunston’s Trustees Jim Wright, and Middleton Award (Valedictorian) winner William Newberg.

“Will Newberg has been the kind of citizen and human being who has gained the admiration and respect of every member of his class; someone who not only always shows up to work hard, but also wants to support the hard work of others,” says Lewis. “The Middleton Award is an academic award, but Will embodies all of those other qualities in our Responsibilities of the Community—respect, camaraderie, and honesty—that carried him far at Gunston, and will carry him even farther in life.”

Newberg began his speech thanking the entire staff and faculty of Gunston, as well as all of the Gunston parents for their support over the last four years. Newberg reflected on what he began to miss the most during quarantine. “I remember when I first learned that we weren’t going back to campus this semester. My mind went immediately to the big events left in the year—Green and White Day, prom, junior/senior day—it seemed obvious to mourn the big events before all else. But eventually, as daily life in quarantine began to sink in, I realized I wasn’t exactly right and I began to miss all the little things about Gunston.” Newberg described the little things as sitting with his friends in the Atrium and walking through campus on a beautiful spring day on his way to class.

Gunston’s faculty and staff lined Gunston Road. Pictured (l-r) are Jess Newell, Moe Weimer, Tammy Boone, Eliot Bamford, Kellee Webb, Owain Heyden, Erin Ferguson, Sarah Lipchock, Jessica Coner, David Miller, and Anastasiia du Hoffmann. Photo by Shea Springer.

“Not only had I not recognized the small experiences throughout the day that made life better, but I wasn’t taking full advantage of them either. […] I can’t tell you how many times I walked to my classes and didn’t notice how beautiful campus was because I was stressed about something that, in hindsight, wasn’t important. As both a graduate and having lost this last quarter to the Coronavirus, I can say that all of these little moments matter. Take advantage of them while you have the chance.”

Gunston alumna Rita Baghdadi, class of 2003, gave this year’s commencement address. Baghdadi graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Film from Columbia College Chicago before starting her career in international film sales in Los Angeles. In addition to running her own company, Baghdadi is a member of Free The Bid, Brown Girls Doc Mafia, Film Fatales and the ICFC : International Collective of Female Cinematographers. When she’s not in the field, Baghdadi is dedicated to empowering girls and women through film training. She is an Advisor for the Sundance Co//ab Documentary Film Course, co-founder and organizer of the group Women in Documentary Filmmaking and an active mentor with GlobalGirl Media. Recently, Rita was hired to produce and direct City Rising. The film earned three Emmy awards including Best Social Issue Film.

William Newberg is the 2020 Middleton Award winner and class valedictorian. He is headed to the University of Virginia in the fall. Photo by Torrey Pocock, Riggo Pro Productions.

“I’ll be honest, when I first sat down to write this, I was conflicted, wondering how am I going to say something inspirational about the future when the future looks so uncertain? And then I sat down and thought about it. Doesn’t the future always look uncertain?” began Baghdadi. “In fact, isn’t that what makes life beautiful, is that we don’t know where it is going to take us.”

She went on to recall her time at Gunston including the time she started a film club and attempted to orchestrate a filming where she threw a dummy out of a third floor window on campus. “Well that wasn’t going to happen so I had to figure out a way to fake it in the edit. I’m sure I drove the staff nuts, so thanks for putting up with me. But really, it was that nurturing environment, the freedom to be myself and try new things, the personal attention. That’s what made Gunston so special.”

Baghdadi also recalled forgetting her lines in a school play and laughing on stage while the audience joined in with laughter, as well as playing field hockey in freezing cold weather with numb fingers, squinting through the sleet.

“I share these experiences, because it’s often the challenging experiences I remember the most and that’s because hardship is the essence of a good story,” she said. “So my advice, which is something I wish someone had said to me a long time ago, is don’t wait for someone to tell you your idea is good. Don’t wait for someone to tell you that you’re good enough. […] These days we are living in a time of great change, […] we have the ability to reimagine what’s possible, to move forward in a different way. The world needs curious minds to fathom better futures. That is exactly what you represent. After graduating, it doesn’t matter what field you go into, […] just remember that your ideas and your decisions matter. They mean something. You’re one person, but you’re part of an entire world and everything you do has a cause and effect. They say it takes 10,000 hours to master something. What do you want to master? […] What if you started by mastering the art of listening to your instinct? The art of human connection, of trust, and empathy. What would the world look like if everyone cared as much as you? Be curious, and most importantly, help people, help others along the way.”

The virtual commencement ceremony concluded with artfully crafted senior tributes, featuring a montage of photos for each student from the last four years as Lewis reflected on their individual journey and shared anecdotal stories about each student that he had spent the last four years meticulously collecting especially for this day. In addition, each tribute included remarks from each student’s faculty advisor.

Behind the scenes, Gunston staff and faculty began to plan for the virtual ceremony in late April, after realizing that an in-person celebration would not be possible. Gunston parent Torrey Pocock, owner of Riggo Productions, in Annapolis, MD stepped in to help.

“We jumped at the opportunity to help Gunston create a special moment for students and families using video and live video content. Knowing they would not get to experience the graduation they looked forward to for years, we wanted to help create something special,” says Pocock. “The hours and work were intense over a six week period of time, but pale in comparison to the work the school, administration and faculty put in to make sure each student had an online learning experience needed to meet the demands of the school’s academic standards during the COVID-19 quarantine and physical campus shut down.”

All of the videos were pre-recorded in the month leading up to graduation and streamed live. Filming took place over the course of about 11 days and 175 hours, both on location at Gunston and at Riggo Pro’s studio. Pocock and 11 crew members spent an additional 241 hours of editing to produce 92 individual student tribute and senior quote videos; 30 individual Green & White Award videos; the diploma printing process with Mr. Kaylor; a 1.5 hour live stream with drone footage for the diploma parade; and a 2 hour live stream pre-produced commencement show with six speakers (although that number is seven, if you include the bagpiper).

“Torrey Pocock and his team have done a beautiful job of capturing the deep love and care that our faculty, students, and community have for Gunston’s seniors in these heartfelt productions. Their dedication and artistry shine through in what will be one of the most memorable graduations in Gunston’s 109-year history! Thank you to all who had a part in creating such a meaningful celebration for our 2020 Graduates!” said Mark Wiening, Dean of Students and chair of the Graduation Committee.

Gunston’s 46 graduates include Andrew Amygdalos, Eileen Ashley, Yuntian (Areopl) Bai, Annie Bamford, MacCallum Borghardt, Mark Bourdin, Stephen Brown, Cotter Buckley, Michaela Campbell, Jianna Casiello, Ni (Katherine) Chen, Ruwen (Sona) Chen, Zaria Dalton, Nina De Angelo, Kate Dieterle, Keller Evans, Francesca (Frankie) Fisher, Cedar Foster, Annabelle Gillespie, David (Gabriel) Hightower, Lynsey Hildebrand, Grace Holmes, Wyatt Howell, Nicholas Kellogg, Xingyi (Liz) Li, Zeyu (Sage) Liu, Payton Lord, Hunter Mansfield, William Newberg, Michael Nickerson, John Pettit, Daphne Provance, Erica Reece, Madison Rudder, Mason Rudolfs, Isabella Santoboni, Maximillian (Max) Scott, Peter Sharpless, Abigail (Abby) Silva, Jackson Talbott, Qirui (Allen) Wang, Owen White, Hansheng (Leo) Xiao, Shijie (Daniel) Ye, Jiamin (Jimmy) Zhao, and Yaxuan (Joey) Zhuo.

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Washington College President Landgraf to Leave in September

June 1, 2020 by Spy Staff 15 Comments

This morning, the Washington College community was greeted with the news that Kurt Landgraf, who became the 31st president of the 239 year old school, would be leaving his position by September.

In his statement, Landgraf outlined his decision to resign:

“My three year contract as President will expire at the end of June and I will move on to the next phase of my career. The past three years have been extraordinary and I am indebted to each of you for your support of my leadership. My immense respect for all faculty and staff has no limit. I will treasure the relationship I have established with each of you!

I have agreed to stay as College President long enough to allow the Board of Visitors and Governors to transition to new leadership and to facilitate the beginning of the new Academic year in this very difficult and challenging environment. I am prepared to stay through the end of September, if needed. I believe each of you will play an important role in helping to effect a smooth transition. I have a lot of confidence in each of you and the important roles you have in the mission of Washington College.”

Steve Golding, chair of the Board of Visitors and Governors, noted, “the Board and I are extremely appreciative of the leadership Kurt has shown these past three years, restoring stability to our campus and building bridges with our local, state, and philanthropic partners, in addition to the broader Washington College community.”

Non-traditional Tradition: Chesapeake’s Top Grads Will be Honored in Virtual Ceremony

May 20, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

WYE MILLS — This year, the two winners of the John T. Harrison Award — the highest student honor at Chesapeake College — will be lauded in a non-traditional, virtual commencement on May 20. The winners, Jonathan Cook and Sheryl Leavell, are also taking non-traditional paths to their careers.

Jonathan Cook, 23, a Worton native, was homeschooled. He has worked at Dixon Valve in Kent County since he was 16 years old.

He worked part-time at the company as he earned an associate’s of arts degree in liberal arts and sciences, plus a certificate in theatre and performance studies.

He also worked as an office assistant for the TRiO Program at Chesapeake. He holds a 3.93 grade point average.

Cook has siblings who attended Chesapeake and had good experiences, but when he entered the college, he wasn’t sure of his path.

At Chesapeake, Cook discovered new interests which he may use to forge an exciting career path in the future.

He was an active member of Chesapeake’s Peake Players theatre company as a performer and production assistant. He participated in multiple performances and played the male lead in Chesapeake’s Fall 2019 production “Dangerous Liaisons.”

“When I started my first theatre class, I was petrified at the idea of getting on stage,” Cook said. “In his classes, he (Dr. Thompson) creates a great low-stress environment in which to learn. I ended up loving the class and auditioned for a show.”

In addition to his part-time jobs, Cook worked with Dr. Thompson on theatre productions and also assisted Richard Peterson, executive director of the Todd Performing Arts Center at Chesapeake College.

Both mentors showed Mr. Cook the possibilities of combining his interests in technology and theatre.

“This really opened my eyes to all goes into any performance behind the scenes. Lights and sound, for example, are critical to every kind of event. Computers are used so much in production, and someone has to write the programs,” Cook said.

Most immediately, Mr. Cook would like to find work in the IT industry so that he can gain some hands-on experience. He plans to eventually earn both bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

A graduate of North Caroline High School, Sheryl Leavell, 25, of Greensboro, briefly attended Chesapeake in her late teens. She later enlisted in the United States Air Force where she trained as a dental assistant and achieved the rank of senior airman. When her service was completed, Leavell returned to Chesapeake to pursue a degree in elementary education.

“I’d never been a great student, so I carried that with me into college the first time,” Leavell said. “In the military, I learned how to focus, and learned that focus and persistence are what you need to get results. When I came back to college with that experience, I started having some success and could start to believe in myself.”

Leavell holds a 3.8 grade point average and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She is also an active member of Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society and participated in service projects at Talbot Interfaith Shelter.

Career inspiration, Leavell said, came from Education Professor Deanna Reinard.

“Dr. Reinard has not only been my advisor but a great mentor. She’s helped broaden my knowledge on various aspects of teaching and the world,” Leavell said.

She will transfer to Salisbury University in the fall to pursue a bachelor’s degree and plans to become an elementary school teacher.

Leavell said she believes her personal experiences will make her a better teacher and enable her to encourage her students as they tackle challenges.

Leavell and Cook are among the 325 graduates receiving certificates and associate degrees this year.

Chesapeake’s virtual 2020 Commencement will stream on the college’s Facebook page (@Chesapeake College) and YouTube channel at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 20. For more information, visit www.chesapeake.edu/commencement2020.

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