From the Harford County Board of Education:
The Board of Education of Harford County met for an open business meeting at 6:30 p.m., on Monday, October 14, 2013, in the Board Room of the HCPS/A.A. Roberty Building and took the following actions and received the following presentations:
Approved the Consent Agenda:
– Affirmation of Monthly Contracts
– Minutes of Board Business Meeting: September 23, 2013
– Appointment of the Negotiating Teams for the 2014-15 Contract Year
– Ratification of Negotiated Agreement: Harford County Educational Services Council (HCESC)
Received a presentation on Citizen Advisory Committee Reports:
– Career and Technology Education
– Family Life
Approved the following Promotions and Appointments:
– Ms. Kathleen A. Griffin: From Homestead/Wakefield Elementary School Teacher-in-Charge, Pre-K to Coordinator of Early Childhood Education.
– Ms. Helen E. Miller: From Aberdeen Middle and High School, Instructional Facilitator, to the 12-month Assistant Principal pool.
– Mr. Brad M. Spence: From Assistant Principal 10-month, Edgewood High School, to the 12-month Assistant Principal pool.
– Mr. John D. Stearns: From Assistant Principal 10-month, Bel Air High School, to 12-month Assistant Principal pool.
Approved the following HCPS Board Policies:
– Advertising Policy (06-00024-000)
– Collection of Funds (06-0017-000)
Approved the Annual Audit for Year End June 30, 2013.
Received a presentation on the Strategic Plan Update:
– Teaching, Empowering, Leading and Learning (TELL) Survey
– Student Motivation Survey
Received the Superintendent’s Report:
– HCPS will once again host an American Education Celebration this year in all our schools, and we invite our parents to join their children in their classrooms beginning on Monday, November 18. Certain days are designated for specific grade level visitations in an effort to balance the number of visitors on any given day throughout the week. However, we welcome our parents whenever their schedules allow. I do have an important announcement regarding a significant change this year. New this year, a new safety and security measure, suggested by the Safety and Security Citizens Advisory Committee, will be implemented at all schools. All guests planning to visit our buildings during our American Education Celebration should be pre-registered. Our schools have asked their parents to provide a list of approved visitors for their child. This list should include anyone they wish to visit their child and will be used upon check-in at each school. All visitors will be required to present photo ID at check-in. This registration process will provide additional security and facilitate the check-in process in an expedient manner. Parents will receive more information and the pre-registration form from their child’s school. In addition, the parent letter and registration form have been posted to the school system website. We are happy and excited to open our buildings to our parents to experience the great things happening in Harford County Public Schools each day, but as always, the safety of our students is in the forefront of our minds.
– All community members have been invited to Budget Input Sessions that will take place next week. I wanted to reiterate that parents are welcome to provide feedback to me in whatever format suits their needs. Two input sessions and one presentation will occur next week:
Tuesday, October 22 – beginning at 5:00 p.m. at C. Milton Wright High School
Thursday, October 24 – live presentation at 10:00 a.m. via live stream which can be viewed at any time after that point on demand.
Friday, October 25 – beginning at 3:30 p.m. at Patterson Mill High School
Although the public input sessions begin at 5 and 3:30 p.m., respectively, we will stay until there is no further comment. We understand the scheduling demands of our community. In addition, the budget@hcps.org is open for input and will remain open through the remainder of the year-long budget input process. I invite everyone to become involved no matter the means – each piece of input will be taken into consideration. Budget development updates will be available throughout the year at www.hcps.org/budget.
The next Board of Education business meeting will be held on Monday, October 28, at 6:30 p.m. All Board meetings are held at the A.A. Roberty Building in Bel Air. To access all future Board meeting dates, log onto the school system website at www.hcps.org.
HCPS needs to spend money a weight room as bad as we need obama for a third term…
Explain that to the member of the county council who felt differently.
Those are the same county council members who have decided that educators in this county should be paid less than 19 out of 23 counties in the state and that our students should be in classes of 30-35 on average…
Given that school enrollment is expected to decreased over the next couple decades and that current stats do not indicate anything close to 35 students avg. per class that last comment is total fabrication. As far as the pay scale perhaps teachers would consider reducing thier pensions and/or increasing thier own portion of payment for both that and health benefits in exchange for higher wage? Something closer to what the private sector pays like 30-40% of costs. That would seem fair don’t you think?
Money tree I personally have 3 classes of 30 or more. These are not at all fabrications, your silly stats are skewed because for every special ed class that had 20 students there are 3 general Ed classes that have 30-35. That means that our “average” or gifted students get significantly less attention and are not able to be challenged as needed. As for the health care and pension, we have given more each year to both. So much so that many now make less than they did 5 years ago. You are clueless and believe the numbers pushed by politicians. Walk I to any 6th or 7th grade classroom at Bel Air middle and you will see standing room only. I’m not interested in persuading people of your ilk but getting the truth out there about what is truthfully going on
Also I’d be happy to be paying more in line with private sector employees as long as when times are “good” I’m compensated as such with bonuses and perks that would be similar for someone with multiple college degrees
OMG…this dude is so out of touch.
Bonuses and perks? Most people in the private sector do not get bonuses and perks so in that case sure of course you can get the same bonuses and perks.
These stats are all listed on the HCPS website and you can find population projections on the county website. There may be some classrooms with 30 kids but if the average is 25 then they’ll be another class out there with 20. Statistics are not about outliers. So all these people are lying?
Money Tree, class sizes varies significantly from school. Some schools have very small class sizes ) for example, last year FHS had class sizes in the low 20 (or even in the teens for most subjects) while classes at other schools are practically standing room only with 30-35 students in a class. At some schools even when the class size is in the mid-20’s that’s a bit deceptive because some of those classes have mainstreamed special needs students in them which dramatically impacts (negatively) the teacher’s ability to teach the rest of the class due to the mandated extra attention those students require and frequent outbursts disrupting the rest of the class from some of those students. When these types of students are mainstreamed, it’s not into honors or AP classes where most (if not all) the students can work independently for a little bit while the teacher devotes all of their attention to one or two students for and extended period of time. They’re mainstreamed into the lowest level classes where the rest of the “regular” students already struggle with the work and need a lot of extra help.
Class sizes are also skewed significantly when special ed classes are taken into account since those may have as few as 5 students in them.
As usual, you don’t have much idea what you’re talking about and think looking at general statistics really can tell you exactly what’s happening in the classroom.
George – I already acknowledged that class sizes can vary but I don’t buy this false notion that all teachers are in the classroom with “Helen Keller” and 35 other kids struggling in ways none of us can possibly know…that’s not real either. Honest dialogue and assessment of the real situation in education would go farther than the melodrama the teacher’s unions want us to believe. There’s a set budget and now the county is paying pensions – no small feat with a fixed budget. You teachers ought to be more ticked at O’Malley than anybody.
It’s not all teachers, and it’s not 35 students w/ Helen Keller in a classroom. I know for a fact that at some schools many teachers don’t have a class size under 30 unless there are some extreme special needs kids “mainstreamed” into the class. Those kids don’t even have to do any of the work or get a grade for the class, but they suck up a tremendous amount of the teacher’s energy and time and make it very difficult for the rest of the class to learn anything.
I’m also not a teacher (never have been and never wanted to be one.) I do have several close family members and friends who are teachers at various schools in Harford County.
Mr. Tree,
The nonsense that spews from your fingertips onto this blog is hysterical. Are you related to Kharn? You two would make an awesome team. There should be some new seats opening up on the county council now that Boniface is not running for re-election and Slutzky will surly be replaced for incompetence. I think you two should run. I would also appreciate a thank you once and a while. The taxes out of my paycheck help to pay for your medicare. I look forward to your posts and check every day for a good laugh. Stay classy Mr. Tree, Stay Classy.
On*
Que the follow the leader comments from disgruntled school employees that its the county executive fault for spending money on a weight room and not pay increases.
Or is the weight room “for the children” and that’s tip top good to go?
Personally I think one should go big, I think they should gold plate every bench in the stadium.
Well……since the individual on the county council who put it in the budget…..the BOE did not ask for it……also coaches at Aberdeen High…….What do you think?
I’m sorry for always seeming like a troll but I hate my life and only get my jollies by demeaning those more intelligent than myself… My name in and of itself shows my narcissistic attitude.
Finally money tree admitted to being a world class D-Bag!
Thanks, your honesty explains so much
Is that what qualifies as acceptable public dialogue in your world?
Sure beats the hell out of being overly critical and disrespectful of those charged with babysitting, raising, and educating our children!
This is a must for Aberdeen otherwise you will start to hear that Harford County is racist and holding them down. We need more college grads going to the NFL, Basketball that cant speak.
So, Aberdeen is getting a new gym, because Harford County doesn’t want to appear racist toward black students (the ones being held down)? And then you follow this bit of stunning logic up with the blatantly racist observation: “We need more college grads going to the NFL, Basketball that cant speak.”
So… you decry the threat of a county being labeled racist, and then follow it up with a racist comment? Awesome. Well done.
I’ll bet you’re a hit at social gatherings…
No, he is just a jackass
PLEASE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT: Time for a requisition of funds to combat the ongoing rodent infestation at Edgewood Middle. Also, could there be a mold issues at this school following the water issue in August???? I think it is time to contact OSHA and the Health DEpartment. The children and employees are at risk at this school.
Oh my god, are people breathing air in Edgewood middle?
My class load this year is 171 students, which is nearly (30) students in every class I teach. I’ve got 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th graders of all ability levels mixed together along with special education kids and those with 504 plans and behavior issues. Because I’m not a, “tested,” area, I have no additional help or assistance during the day–it’s just me, managing all these kids and climbing over them (every seat is filled) as I try to instruct and give them some sort of learning experience. I do it because I love it, but it’s getting bad in here and there’s nothing worse than an outsider trying to tell me what’s happening when they’re not living it each day.
Money Tree, you’re clueless.
@Really. Special Ed classes have 30 students too; things are not plush on the other side either. It appears as you are lashing out and misdirecting your anger. Perhaps you don’t value your special education co-workers, but should because you are biting the hand that feeds you. Special education dollars don’t follow children with disabilities dollar-for-dollar. The funds are spent in whatever manner the central office deems appropriate. This kind of reminds me of the pay-to-play funds, the school system is likely paying more for this expansion than total dollars collected from athletes countywide.