Employee promotions and appointments for next year, a decision on awarding high school credit to middle school math students, and a presentation on long range plans to improve and expand school facilities are among the items on the June 13 agenda of the Harford County Board of Education.
The last time Superintendent Robert M. Tomback sought approval for a proposed list of promotions and appointments, he got pushback from a majority of board members, who objected to having only a weekend to consider the list. Days later and following a rare emergency board meeting, Tomback’s list was approved without changes in a 5-2 vote. Another round of promotions and appointments are up for school board approval Monday.
School board members will also decide whether and how high school credit will be awarded when middle school students complete high school level courses in Algebra I and Geometry. Superintendent Tomback will recommend that students be awarded elective high school credit only, meaning that any such credits will not count toward the four high school math credits required for graduation. Also recommended by the superintendent, grades earned in middle school will be excluded from the calculation of high school grade point average and class rank. The new program is proposed to take effect for the 2011-12 school year.
Among the presentation items on the agenda, school board members will get a report on long term plans for school facilities, such as the modernization and renovation of existing school buildings. The plans also include a new elementary school on Schucks Road in Bel Air known as Campus Hills Elementary, and construction of a new middle school to relieve overcrowding in the Bel Air area – when the need arises and when county government can acquire the necessary land.
Not appearing in the planned presentation Monday, and still unknown, is where a major modernization of Havre de Grace High School will be inserted on the school board’s priority list. The Havre de Grace project had not been in the school board’s plans until $250,000 for a feasibility study was included by Harford County Executive David Craig in his proposed fiscal year 2012 budget and subsequently approved by the County Council. Craig’s move prompted behind-the-scenes discussions resulting in board approval of the project as part of the schools’ budgeted 2012 Capital Improvement Program.
The complete published agenda for the June 13 meeting of the Harford County Board of Education appears below. Published agendas are subject to change.
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2011
HCPS A. A. ROBERTY BUILDING
102 S. Hickory Avenue, Bel Air, MD 21014
Board Open Session – 6:00 P.M. – Board Room
Board Closed Session – 6:05 P.M. Board Executive Conference Room
Board Business Meeting – 7:00 P.M. – Board Room7:00 P.M. Call to Order – Mark M. Wolkow, President
Quorum Roll Call
Adoption of Agenda
Pledge of Allegiance*7:05 P.M. Recognition
• Musical Composition Contest Winners
• 2011 Spring MPSSAA Interscholastic State Champions
• Destination Imagination Global Winners*7:20 P.M. Public Comment
*7:30 P.M. Board Committee Reports and Comments
Old Business
Action Item(s):
*7:45 P.M. A. Consent Agenda:
1) Affirmation of Monthly Contract Awards (Goal 3)
2) Monthly Report on Personnel (Goal 4)
3) Minutes of Previous Meetings: (Goal 3)
• May 23, 2011
• May 26, 2011
4) Resolution OPEB Investment Trust Agreement (Goal 3)
5) Decision on Copier Contract (Goal 3)
6) Decision on Computer Refresh Equipment (Goal 3)
7) Decision on Manufacturer Direct Food Products (Goal 3)*7:50 P.M. B. Decision on Earning High School Credit for Mathematic Courses taken in Middle School,
Mr. William A. Lawrence (Goal 2)*8:00 P.M. C. Decision on Amended FY2012 Budget, Mr. Edward Fields (Goal 3)
New Business
Action Item(s):*8:10 P.M. D. Decisions on Promotions and Appointments, Dr. Robert M. Tomback (Goal 3)
Presentations(s):
*8:20 P.M E. Presentation of 2011 Educational Facilities Master Plan, Informational Report,
Capital Improvement Program Overview, Facilities Planning & Master Plan 2011,
Mr. Cornell S. Brown (Goal 3)*8:40 P.M. F. Benefits Advisory Committee Status on 2010-2011 School Year, Mr. Jay Staab,
Mr. Brian Rheinhardt (Goal 3)*9:00 P.M. G. Superintendent’s Report
Gee I can’t wait to hear who it will be. My guess is either some more Baltimore County people or under qualified Harford County ones.
That is a very bitter statement.
Even in stereotypes there is at least a kernel of truth. Recent history would support the Baltimore County comment.
This guy is a joke and all he does is piss away our tax money on all of the new positions he created…. Take this model department chair BS for example or Bill Lawrence and the other 2 assistants supers, please Board do something!
Lawrence and Brown have seen the Boards frowns and have the dribbles.
IDIOT ALERT! If you want to see how much Bill Lawrence knows about his job, watch the Board of Education meeting from last night. He didn’t know how many credits students need to graduate and he made this presentation reading of a piece of paper with very little information. Anyone who cares about where or school system is headed should watch.
The other thing that was so bothersome was that Tomback was talking how kids should all take 4 years of math because they should be “aiming high” and thinking about college. Now all the students are college bound?? No wonder he isn’t doing anything for vocational education. Apparently the flavor of the month is “STEM” and everyone should be doing it…
Realize that pushing 4 years of math and AP classes for EVERYONE as well as cutting fundamental classes such as Earth Science for 9th graders is more modeling from Baltimore County- along with the costly restructuring of department chairs- We are emulating BCPS- a system which is outperformed by HCPS as it IS now without these changes- And there is one goal- to be rated in Newsweek magazine (the schools are rated by numbers of kids who take AP exams)and get better press results. Nevermind whether those kids should be in an AP class or not- or should begin high school with Biology without the fundamental class that every kid should have like earth science. Nevermind what may actually benefit our kids or what has proven to work already for years here.
This math policy was THE topic of discussion and there was much disagreement on the BOE. We saw the same breakdown of votes among the BOE with Frisch, Grambo, and Osman in one corner and Wolkow, Wheeler, Krchnavy, and Evans in the other. Hopefully this logjam will break in favor of Frisch and Grambo (Wolkow, Evans, and Osman will be leaving) when several new BOE members arrive next month.
Dear also a teacher,
Your interest in the math program sounds intriguing and genuine.
What is your opinion of “everyday math”?