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Slight increases on Maryland’s annual report card, but changes could be coming

December 6, 2024 by Maryland Matters Leave a Comment

Maryland’s 1,303 public schools saw slight gains on the state Department of Education’s annual report card, which rates schools on measures including academic achievement, school quality and progress in English language proficiency.

The report card, released this week, grades schools on a scale of one to five stars, with five stars going to schools that earn a score of at least 75% on a formula that measures overall school performance. The report said 91 schools earned five-star status in the 2023-24 school year, up from 85 schools the year before.

About 41% of schools received a four- or five-star rating last year, compared with 38% in the 2022-23 school year.

Twenty Baltimore County schools earned five stars on this year’s report card, the most of any county. The county’s Eastern Technical High School received the most points in the state with 91, edging out the Academy of Health and Sciences at Prince George’s Community College and its 90.7 points.

Baltimore County Schools Superintendent Myriam Rogers said the county’s broad gains are “are evidence of the effectiveness of the targeted and comprehensive resources and supports we put in place to fast-forward student achievement.”

“We are encouraged by the growth our schools are making on key markers of progress and achievement,” Rogers wrote in a message to the school community. “We will continue to use multiple and frequent measures to evaluate student progress and assess where we need to intensify efforts to meet the needs of our students and bolster achievement.”

Montgomery County, the state’s largest school system, had the second-most five-star schools at 18, and about half of its schools scored either four or five stars. But the school system called the overall performance “disappointingly flat” in a statement, with schools receiving at least three stars increasing by less than 1%.

Approximately nine of Worcester County’s 11 schools received a four-star rating, in which schools scored at least 60 out of 100 points on the grading formula. Ocean City Elementary received five stars and Pocomoke Middle three stars.

“I continue to be in awe of our schools’ positive trajectory in Maryland’s accountability system,” Worcester County Superintendent Louis H. Taylor said in a statement. “Worcester continues to outperform our counterparts across the State, and today’s [Dec. 3] release is just another example of how we are delivering dividends on the investment our community has made in our educational system.”

The state began the star system in 2018 in response to the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. The state released a second report card in 2019, but the reports were suspended in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although 83% of schools recorded at least three stars in the latest report card, compared with 80% in the previous report card, there could be changes to assess overall performance.

Superintendent Carey Wright announced in April the creation of a task force to assess student achievement after disappointing scores on the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program, the state’s standardized tests known as MCAP. At the time of her announcement, only 47% of students in third through eighth grades scored “proficient” in English language arts and nearly 25% in math.

With the current MCAP contract set to expire in December 2026, Wright said at Tuesday’s State Board of Education meeting that it’s time to either search for a new assessment vendor, or retain the same vendor “with new requirements.”

“There were a lot of questions that were being raised about the assessment itself,” Wright said. “I’m a firm believer in accountability, always have been. This task force moved with a great deal of speed to get this done.”

The task force presented a report Tuesday with options that include revising the current ratings system, creating a system that meets federal requirements and reflects state priorities, and refining the framework on career and college readiness, which is one of the priorities in the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education reform plan.

“We reject the theory of action that simply reporting information and hoping that people make good decisions is complete,” said Chris Domaleski, the task force facilitator and associate director of the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment based in New Hampshire. “We think a more appropriate theory of action is that these systems integrate with the kinds of treatments that change curriculum, instruction and support that really uplift students in the state.”

The board voted to accept the report and continue to review it and assess any possible future changes.

by William J. Ford, Maryland Matters
December 5, 2024

Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: [email protected]. Follow Maryland Matters on Facebook and X.

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Middle School Moments Matter

November 21, 2024 by Kent School Leave a Comment

Driving home recently from The 1911 Group annual Heads Conference in Princeton, New Jersey, I passed a billboard on the highway that read Middle School Moments Matter. It was an ad for a school I do not remember, but I have been reflecting on these words for the past week because of their simple truth.

While I believe that every moment matters in schools, it is particularly important to focus on the moments in Middle School. Middle School is the time when students grow and change rapidly, while navigating the awkwardness of puberty. And, while it might seem like a blur, the truth is, Middle School moments matter in ways that often aren’t fully understood until later in life. The friendships formed, the challenges faced, and the lessons learned during these years have a profound impact on who students become as individuals.

Middle School is the place where our students start to figure out who they are. It is the time they begin to test boundaries, explore interests, find passions, and begin to establish independence. These moments of self-discovery are crucial. Whether it is trying out for a sports team, joining a club, or simply figuring out how to communicate with others, each experience helps students learn more about themselves. Sometimes, students fail, but even those failures are valuable because they teach resilience and help refine a sense of identity. In this way, Middle School is truly foundational to adolescent development.

Middle School is often where lifelong friendships are begun. These relationships, though they may be tested by growing pains, peer pressure, and drama, can shape our social lives for years to come. It is in Middle School where one often first experiences the complex dynamics of friendship – how to trust, how to forgive, how to work through conflict. These early social lessons make our students more empathetic, understanding, and capable of forming deeper connections which carries over into adult relationships.

Middle School is a time when students first encounter difficult situations: academic pressure, social struggles, and even moments of doubt about who they are or where they belong. The courage to overcome these challenges teaches students perseverance. Middle School moments matter because they build emotional resilience, and teach students how to navigate the ups and downs of life.

Middle School teaches the power of kindness and understanding. Students are learning to interact with a wider variety of people, often from different backgrounds and with different perspectives. It’s a time when they start to truly understand the importance of inclusion, empathy, and respect for others. These values can serve as guiding principles throughout their lives.

Middle School may seem like a small chapter in the larger story of our students’ lives, but it is a chapter that sets the stage for everything that comes after. The moments of joy, frustration, growth, and connection that are experienced during these years matter because they shape the adults our students will become, and give them the tools they need to navigate the world with confidence, empathy, and resilience.

To anyone looking back on their own Middle School years, and to our brave teachers teaching Middle Schoolers now – remember that these moments, big and small, matter more than we can imagine.

Nancy Mugele

Head of School

Kent School

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Radcliffe Creek School awarded grant to support students with ADHD and anxiety

November 20, 2024 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

RCS students Addison and Emma using Sensory Resource items during instruction time with Mrs. Simon, English and Orton-Gillingham Teacher at Radcliffe Creek School.

Radcliffe Creek School (RCS) was recently awarded a grant from the Queen Anne’s County Mental Health Committee (QACMHC) to provide the School’s faculty and parent community with resources to support students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and anxiety in the classroom and at home. This grant will fund a new Sensory Resource Room at RCS, expand the School’s Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Library, continue the SEL program for older students, as well as support a full day of training with parents and teachers on ways to support mental health in neurodivergent children.

The new Sensory Resource Room at RCS will be filled with tools and equipment for teachers to check out for their classrooms as needed, helping students calm and regulate their sensory systems. When a child is in a heightened state due to an issue like anxiety, it can interfere with a student’s ability to be present in the classroom setting. Depending upon whether a child’s body is overly sensitive to sensory stimuli or seeking more sensory input, this equipment will help students regulate their bodies to be more available for learning. Debbie Cohee-Wright, a special education learning specialist at RCS, explained, “At Radcliffe Creek School, we recognize the needs of our students and how sensory integration will enhance their learning experience based off their own individual needs and strengths. The new Sensory Resource Room will enable our teachers to have the appropriate tools at their fingertips for ease and accessibility throughout their day.”

Equipment in the Sensory Resource Room will include noise-canceling headphones, weighted lap and shoulder pads, indoor hanging sensory chairs, bean bags, chair bands, fidgets, white noise machines and sound-absorbing wall panels. The integration of these resources will support students by addressing their fine motor skills, gross motor skills, social skills, cognition and play skills.

Additionally, this grant will allow the expansion of the School’s SEL library and continued SEL curriculum for older students, as well as a speaking event to be hosted for RCS parents and teachers in early 2025 with Dr. Vincent Culotta, an expert in mental health and neurodivergent children. Head of School Peter Thayer explained, “We remain grateful to QACMHC for their continued support of our school and for making these important educational and therapeutic mental health resources available to our parents, faculty and students.”

This is the second year in a row that QACMHC has awarded a grant to Radcliffe Creek School. “The Queen Anne’s County Mental Health Committee is excited to see Radcliffe Creek School utilizing the grant funds from us to reach the goal of maintaining their social-emotional learning program “Brain Talk” as well as faculty training, supplying the sensory room, and adding to their social-emotional learning library,” stated QACMHC President, Kelly Phipps. “The scheduled visit of Dr. Vincent Culotta to train faculty in helping students with ADHD and anxiety in the classroom will further enrich Radcliffe Creek’s program. The committee is proud to be a part of the school’s dedication in educating their students on achieving and maintaining sound, positive mental health.”

To learn more about the immersive, individualized education program offered at Radcliffe Creek School, as well as the school’s robust transportation program, visit www.radcliffecreekschool.org online or call 410-778-8150.

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Kent School to host open house November 19

November 14, 2024 by Kent School Leave a Comment

Kent School is hosting an Admission Open House for families interested in learning more about the Kindergarten through Grade 7 program for the 2025-2026 academic year. Join us on Tuesday, November 19 from 9:00 a.m until 11:00 a.m. for coffee and conversation with School leaders, tour our riverside campus, see students and teachers in action.

We are an inspired learning community for your child’s bright future

At Kent School, we balance rigorous academics, hands-on discovery, and inclusive values, preparing students from Preschool to Grade 8 to thrive and lead.

Kent School is committed to balancing academic growth with social and emotional well-being. We focus on applying research-based strategies to inform teaching and learning, embracing our environment, and building community. Educators use best practices in mind, brain and education (MBE) science. Their continuing education paired with invaluable classroom experience affords our educators the agility to guide students through an experiential academic journey. We encourage our students’ growth and achievement while meeting their unique needs, thus providing each individual with academic and social confidence that promotes success and fosters the development of honorable, responsible citizens.

Kent School’s riverside campus and outdoor learning environment are unparalleled. Our location on the Chester River makes possible our signature Chesapeake Bay Studies program, which fosters hands-on environmental science and stewardship of the natural world. We strive for trust-based relationships among teachers, students, and families that build character, contribute to a student-centered culture, create active, independent learners, and nurture a sense of belonging so that even the youngest students can feel at home and focused on learning.

This clear understanding of who we are – an inclusive school community designed for effective teaching and learning, driven by research and immersed in the natural environment – means we can remain committed to what is most important for students.

For more about Kent School, go here.

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WKHS makes international contact with amateur radio

November 6, 2024 by Spy Desk 1 Comment

Kent County High School broadcasting student Aidan Maxey operates an amateur radio setup during class Thursday, Oct. 21. Assisting him are Chris Cote, left, and Austin McClain, both of the Kent Amateur Radio Society.

Broadcasting students at Kent County High School extended the reach of their voices beyond their radio station’s distance, making contact with people throughout the country and around the globe.

Chris Singleton, broadcasting teacher and manager of the high school’s radio station 90.5 FM WKHS, introduced students to amateur (ham) radio on Monday, Oct. 21.

With an antenna mounted in one of the back parking lots at the high school and less 100 watts of power, the students made more than 33 contacts — all without the assistance of the internet.

“It was really cool seeing the students’ faces light up when they each made their first contact, which reminded me of my own experience with this almost 40 years ago,” Singleton said.

Amateur radio allows people to connect around the world via air waves. There are no internet, cell tower or other connections required.

While often thought of more as a hobby, ham radio is also an important means of maintaining communication should disaster strike.

During the amateur radio day at Kent County High School, students gathered in a room at the station, watching displays and making contacts.

“This looks like something out of ‘The Matrix,’” said one student.

The Kent County high schoolers made contact stateside with operators in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and others.

They also reached international ham radio operators in the Cayman Islands, Croatia, the Czech Republic, England, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Spain and Wales.

“Almost every one of the students attempted to call out to other ham radio stations using the K3ARS (Kent Amateur Radio Society) call sign and to their amazement, many stations called back to them from all over the U.S. and beyond,” Singleton said.

Community members Chris Cote, president of the Kent Amateur Radio Society, and Austin McClain, the society’s vice president, helped Singleton and the students throughout the day.

Brad Russum of the Kent County Office of Emergency Services and David Irby from Chesapeake College stopped by the broadcasting classroom to see the amateur radio setup.

The event appears to have helped generate a new generation of ham radio enthusiasts.

“The students had so much fun that many have expressed a willingness to commit to taking afterschool classes and studying to get their own Amateur Radio License,” Singleton said.

Learn more about Kent County High School’s broadcasting program and WKHS at wkhsradio.org.

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Setting sail with KCPS environmental education program

October 22, 2024 by Kent County Public Schools Leave a Comment

Environmental Education1: Galena Elementary School students get a close look at a blue catfish they hauled onboard the schooner Sultana during a field trip earlier this fall. The Sultana Education Foundation partners with Kent County Public Schools to provide hands-on environmental education experiences.

Kent County is recognized for its outdoor spaces: the open farmland, nature preserves like the park at Turner’s Creek and the scenic, thriving waterways leading to the Chesapeake Bay.

Kent County Public Schools is taking full advantage of the area’s natural habitats by partnering with local organizations to provide a comprehensive environmental education program.

From the start of the academic year, students have participated in immersive environmental education experiences with sailing and canoe trips and overnight camping.

“Kent County Public Schools’ environmental literacy initiative provides students with hands-on outdoor learning experiences that foster a deeper connection to the greater community and promote environmental stewardship,” said Amelia Markosian, the school system’s coordinator of accountability and instruction.

It is through partnerships with the Sultana Education Foundation, Echo Hill Outdoor School, ShoreRivers and other environmental groups that students have the opportunity to enjoy such memorable learning experiences.

This start-of-the-year snapshot of Kent County Public Schools’ environmental education program begins aboard Chestertown’s famed schooner Sultana.

Just two weeks into the school year, fourth-graders from Galena Elementary School climbed aboard the replica 1700s vessel at the Chestertown Marina on Sept. 17.

Kent County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mary Boswell-McComas joined for her first Sultana sail since taking the helm of the school system in July.

Markosian and Director of Teaching and Learning Gina Jachomwicz also hopped aboard Sultana with Dr. McComas.

Using a net hauled over the side of Sultana, students caught and learned about a variety of aquatic species that call the Chester River home, including catfish, hogchokers and blue crabs.

They toured below decks, learning about the history of the vessel and its colonial maritime activities, and studied historical charts and maps topside.

Kent County Public Schools and the Sultana Education Foundation have a long partnership in bringing environmental education to life for students.

The foundation also assists with instruction through projects like Watershed Watch, teaching middle school students about the importance of getting actively involved in preserving natural habitats and protecting against pollution.

The foundation also hosts field trips that see students commanding their own vessels, like a Sept. 20 canoe excursion with Kent County High School students.

They launched from the landing at Turner’s Creek and paddled themselves out about a mile to the Sassafras River and around the bend to a beach at Gilchrest Pond.

The students learned how to use a seine net, which yielded a healthy catch of baitfish. Those minnows landed catches of larger fish, such as perch, and made for a hands-on lesson in the food chain.

“Our students always enjoy our trips to Turner’s Creek,” said Tishara Collins, assistant principal and leader of the high school’s alternative program. “Students and staff both look forward to this time of community building with a lot of fun attached.”

Echo Hill Outdoor School is another long-time partner of Kent County Public Schools in providing immersive environmental education.

In early October, Kent County Middle School continued its annual tradition of a weeklong camping trip at Echo Hill for all sixth-graders. The educational component this year focused on investigating the presence of microplastics in the Chesapeake Bay.

This trip has provided a generation of students a shared bonding experience as well as a unique opportunity to get in touch with the natural world they will continue learning about in their environmental education studies.

“Through partnerships with organizations like Echo Hill Outdoor School, Sultana Education Foundation, ShoreRivers, the University of Maryland Extension, Washington College and Kent Soil and Water Conservation District, students engage in meaningful activities that enhance their understanding of local ecosystems,” Markosian said. “These collaborations enrich the curriculum, empowering students to become informed citizens who can positively impact their environment.”

To learn more about Kent County Public Schools and the dynamic programs that engage students, visit www.kent.k12.md.us.

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Kent School welcomes best selling authors

October 3, 2024 by Kent School Leave a Comment

Kent School’s 2024 Kudner Leyon Visiting Writers are Cara Natterson, MD and Vanessa Kroll Bennett. Natterson and Bennett are the authors of This is so Awkward: Modern Puberty Explained. The bestselling book is described as “Eye-opening and reassuring, This Is So Awkward will help adults understand the turbulent pubescent decade and become confident guides for today’s kids.” The author/experts will visit Kent School on Tuesday, October 15. There will be a student workshop during the academic day. Later that afternoon Natterson and Bennett will lead a parent meeting at Kent Cultural Alliance in Chestertown. The parent meeting begins at 4:00 p.m. and is open to the public. There is no fee to attend. The Bookplate will have books available for sale and signing.

The publisher’s website goes on to say, “Almost everything about puberty has changed since today’s adults went through it. It starts, on average, two years earlier and stretches through high school . . . and for some, beyond. Gens Z and Alpha are also contending with a whole host of thorny issues that parents didn’t experience in their own youth but nonetheless need to understand: everything from social media and easy-access pornography to gender identities and new or newly-potent drugs. Talking about any of this is like puberty itself: Awkward! But it’s also critical for the health, happiness, and safety of today’s kids.”

Dr. Cara Natterson, is a pediatrician and the author of the bestselling The Care and Keeping of You series, Guy Stuff and Decoding Boys. She is a graduate of Harvard College and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and is the founder of Order of Magnitude, a company dedicated to flipping puberty positive.

Vanessa Kroll Bennett is the founder of Dynamo Girl, a company focused on building kids’ self-esteem through sports, puberty education and parent workshops. She co-hosts The Puberty Podcast with Dr. Cara Natterson and writes the Uncertain Parenting Newsletter about the messy process of raising tweens and teens,

Previous Kent School Kudner Leyon Visiting Writer Lisa Damour, PhD author of Untangled, Under Pressure and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers said, “How are loving adults supposed to guide tweens and teens when everything – even puberty- has changed since their own Adolescence? Cara Natterson and Venessa Bennett have the answer! This is So Awkward is an accessible, enjoyable and detailed road map for addressing even the most delicate topics with confidence and compassion.”

Nancy Mugele, Head of Kent School said, “With gratitude to the support from our Kudner Leyon Memorial Endowment, I am really looking forward to welcoming Cara and Vanessa to Kent School. Their book is so relatable and I am confident that their presentation to our students will be equally so. I am truly proud that Kent School can bring a program of this caliber of excellence to our community and to the greater community of Chestertown. I hope to see you at the Kent Cultural Alliance on October 15 at 4:00 p.m.” For more information contact Kent School at410-778-4100 ext. 110 or email [email protected]

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Kent School to host annual secondary school fair

October 1, 2024 by Kent School Leave a Comment

On Wednesday, October 9, Kent School will host the annual Secondary School Fair for students in Grades Six, Seven and Eight and their parents or guardians. Kent School’s Secondary School Fair is open to all families in the area and there is no fee to attend. The event will be held in the “Mike” Williams Gymnasium (or outside on our riverside field weather permitting) from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. To date, twenty-five schools are registered to attend including several independent, parochial, and area public schools, both day and boarding schools. The confirmed attendees are: Blair Academy Cate School

Christchurch School Episcopal High School Foxcroft School

Grand River Academy Kent County High School Linden Hall School for Girls Mercersburg Academy Miller School of Albemarle Northfield Mount Hermon Oldfields School

Queen Anne’s County High School Saint James School

Severn School

St. Andrew’s School St. Margaret’s School Sts. Peter and Paul Tabor Academy

The Gunston School The Hill School

The Peddie School The Putney School Tower Hill School

Woodberry Forest School

More schools will be added as the event date approaches.

According to Tricia Cammerzell, Assistant Head of School for Advancement, “this year, we are delighted to welcome secondary schools from throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, New England and California. The purpose of the event is to bring as many secondary schools together in one place at one time so students and parents can get an overview of the wonderful options for high school. This is an opportunity for families to speak with admission representatives and decide if they want to delve further into the admission process for a particular school.

Cammerzell continued, “This year, we are also hosting a boarding school information session prior to the start of the fair. Representatives from the Mid-Atlantic Boarding Schools (MABS) which include Mercersburg Academy, The Peddie School, Episcopal School, Blair Academy and St. Andrew’s School will be on hand to talk to students and parents about the opportunities that boarding schools offer.” The MABS session begins at 3:00 p.m. in the Library and is also open to the public.

The secondary school process at Kent School is an intentional one. Nancy Mugele, Head of Kent School said, “At Kent School we are proud of the work we do for each student to prepare them for success in their chosen high school. We meet with families, conduct student mock interviews, create classroom situations similar to high school classes, and write in-depth recommendations. As stated in our mission, ‘Kent School prepares students for active citizenship through joyful and rigorous academics, arts, and athletics in an inclusive community that fosters moral excellence.” The Secondary School Fair is an important tool to help guide students and parents through the discovery, application, and enrollment process.”

For more information about Kent School’s Secondary School Fair, please email Tricia Cammerzell, Assistant Head of School for Advancement at [email protected] or call 410-778-4100 ext. 110. Kent School, located on the bank of the Chester River in historic Chestertown is an independent day school serving boys and girls in Preschool through Grade Eight.

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Prekindergarten Expansion For Private Providers Off To A Slow Start

September 25, 2024 by Maryland Matters Leave a Comment

Shayna Cook, left, assistant state superintendent in the state Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood, gives a presentation on prekindergarten expansion. Sitting next to Cook is Tara Phillips, executive director of operations, policy and strategy in the early childhood division. Photo by William J. Ford

One of the requirements for the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future 10-year education reform plan was to expand prekindergarten, but it’s off to a slow start.

None of the state’s 24 school districts came anywhere close in the past two school years to the Blueprint’s requirement that at least 30% of pre-K students should be in privately run facilities, according to data presented Tuesday to the state Board of Education.

Because no one reached the mark, it was lowered to 10% for this school year, a level that only four counties were able to achieve last year.

The Blueprint plan requires school districts to provide a mixed-delivery system, serving young students in both public and private child care centers. But local school districts said in Blueprint plans that some private providers find it challenging to participate in the state’s prekindergarten expansion due to lack of space, finding qualified personnel and other challenges.

However, state Department of Education officials said Tuesday that the state is actually moving faster on pre-K when compared to other states.

One benchmark is allowing families earning incomes at or below the 300% federal poverty level, said Shayna Cook, assistant state superintendent in the department’s Division of Early Childhood. Cook said other states chose 100% or 200% of the federal poverty level.

And the 31,873 students enrolled in pre-K in the 2022-23 school year — 30,718 public and 1,155 private — grew to nearly 33,000 in the 2023-24 school year, with 31,381 in public and in 1,601 private facilities.

“This growth demonstrates the state’s commitment to expanding access to quality pre-K education and reflects efforts to begin to lay the foundation for the mixed delivery system,” Cook said.

Even with that increase of slightly more than 1,100 more seats added, nine of the state’s 24 jurisdictions had zero private providers to begin the 2022-23 school year.

Only Howard and Worcester counties were able to record double-digit percentage of private providers that year, with 14% and 13%, respectively. Howard County’s share was unchanged last year, but Worcester County’s percentage of private providers rose to 18% last year.

After being in single digits in the 2022-23 school year, Carroll and Wicomico counties exceeded double figures last school year at 12% and 11%, respectively.

Five counties still had no private providers last school year: Garrett, Kent, St. Mary’s, Somerset and Talbot counties.

Cook said there remains a lack of communication between private providers and local school districts.

One plan is for the department to promote its “Push to Pre-K Initiative,” which provides technical assistance on the prekindergarten expansion program. In addition, providers can also receive grants to help expand their business.

State Superintendent Carey Wright said during a briefing with reporters Tuesday that it’s difficult to “get a business off the ground,” especially in rural counties.

“Reach out to us. We’re here to help,” she said to private pre-K providers. “We can help you as much as we possibly can to get your feet on the ground. That’s the resource that we bring, so use us.”

More time needed

The board deferred action Tuesday on a controversial literacy policy that could result in third-graders being held back if they do not meet reading standards.

One reason for the delay was the presence of three new board members participating in their first meeting – Kenny Clash, Kimberly Lewis and Xiomara V. Medina. A decision on the policy will how be pushed back for at least another month.

“We decided that it was better for us to take more time to consider this policy, to give our new members an opportunity to get up to speed [and] take into account the best feedback we’ve received from stakeholders that’s guiding our additional development,” said board President Joshua Michael.

But reading intervention and other literacy programs would start in kindergarten for students who need additional support.

A few minor changes that could be made include an emphasis on local school district control with guidance from the department and to ensure support for all students in kindergarten through third grade.

“What was initially in the media as a retention policy is not a retention policy. It is really a parent-choice policy,” Wright said Tuesday. “It is not a finger-pointing exercise. It’s the ability for us to see what schools need the most help.”

Medina, an associate director of clinical training and field placement at Bowie State University’s Department of Counseling and Psychological Studies, said she would like the policy to reflect more cultural awareness.

“This whole thing has reduced our children to numbers. There’s not a single cultural consideration you’ve told me,” she said after state officials completed a brief summary of the policy. “I’m missing people in all of this.”

If approved, the policy wouldn’t be implemented until next school year. However, the retention portions wouldn’t begin until the 2026-27 school year.

Nikki Woodward, vice president of the Maryland State Education Association, said the union recommends delaying implementation of the entire policy until the start of the 2028-29 school year.

“This timeline allows for adequate training of educators and families on new curriculum and requirements,” she said to the board. “It also ensures enough time for data collection and tracking the success of interventions.”

by William J. Ford, Maryland Matters
September 25, 2024

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Mid-Shore Education: A Chat with Gunston’s John Lewis on AI in the Classroom, Centreville and Growth

September 24, 2024 by Dave Wheelan Leave a Comment

Giving credit where credit is due, it was John Lewis, the Head of School at The Gunston School, who gave the Spy the first idea that Artificial intelligence was a real thing almost two years ago. Joined by graduating senior Damian Rene in early 2023, John outlined how AI was starting to appear in the classroom. Unlike many educators then, he noted how he and his fellow teachers at a private day school in Centreville embraced its use.

With all that in mind, the Spy thought it would be interesting to receive an update from Lewis on how Gunston has adopted its use on our annual check-in with the headmaster. In addition, the Spy also talks to John about the school’s relationship with Centreville and how far Gunston can grow as the population of the Mid-Shore continues to increase.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. For more information about the Gunston School please go here.

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