From Harford County Public Schools:
Following the recent announcement by Governor Larry Hogan of appointments to the Harford County Board of Education (Board), the next Board is complete and will take office beginning on July 1, 2019. All members, but the student member, will serve a four (4) year term. The Board consists of nine citizen members and one student member. Completing a hybrid board structure, six of the citizen Board members are elected, one from each of the councilmanic districts in the County, and three are appointed by the Governor.
The following individuals have been appointed to serve on the Board:
Dr. Joyce Herold
Dr. Joyce Herold is the mother of a HCPS student, an active school volunteer and a participant in the Parent-Teacher Association. Professionally, Dr. Herold serves as the vice-president of True Life Wellness, LLC, a community health organization and parent company of Maryland Spine Institute (MSI), which she and her husband founded in 2007. In this capacity, Dr. Herold functions as chief of staff at MSI overseeing leadership development and brand management. She also serves as academic program manager at Towson University in Northeastern Maryland (TUNE) where she oversees academic program development and helps transfer students make successful transitions within the institution’s bachelor’s degree articulation pathways. Dr. Herold holds a doctorate in Higher Education Administration, a Master of Arts in Secondary Education, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from West Virginia University. She and her husband, Dr. Rochelin Herold, are residents of Bel Air, MD, and have two young children. They are longtime members of The Church of the Redeemed of the Lord in Baltimore, Maryland.
Dr. Roy Phillips
Dr. Roy Phillips graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts and received his medical degree from the Chicago Medical School. Originally from Long Island, New York, he migrated back to the east coast for his internship and residency in internal medicine, and fellowship in endocrinology and metabolism, all at the University of Maryland Hospital. In 1982, after completion of his fellowship, he relocated to Harford County where he started a solo practice and became Harford County’s first endocrinologist. He was instrumental in the development of Harford Primary Care, LLC, and sat on its board for five years. Following private practice for 28 years, he joined the endocrinology practice at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in 2010 where he remains today. Additional health care responsibilities over his professional career have included division chief of endocrinology at Fallston General Hospital, Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, and Harford Memorial Hospital.
Dr. Phillips also served in the capacity of physician advisor for quality assurance and utilization review for 15 years at Fallston General Hospital. He sat on the Harford County Health Planning Commission which reviewed initial plans for both Upper Chesapeake Medical Center and Lorien Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Facility. He spent 13 years as volunteer team physician for C. Milton Wright football from 1982-1995. He has delivered scores of lectures to physicians and other health care providers in the field of endocrinology, primarily in the areas of diabetes, thyroid, lipid and bone disorders. Dr. Phillips has a son and a daughter, both with advanced degrees, and two granddaughters. His wife of 41 years, Rhodora, died from breast cancer in 2018. In her honor and memory, he has started an endowed scholarship in her name in the nursing program at Harford Community College.
Patrice Ricciardi
Patrice Ricciardi is the director of Business Development at Freedom Federal Credit Union and is responsible for developing strategic business partnerships, which enable their employee groups to enjoy the benefits of the credit union. As a summa cum laude graduate of Siena College, she is a member of the Delta Epsilon Sigma National Scholastic Honor Society, with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and graduate studies at Georgia State University.
Ms. Ricciardi has been a longtime advocate for education and serves on the Harford County Public Schools Citizens Advisory for Career and Technology Education, acting as chair for the past four years. She served as a PTA president in Baltimore County and was instrumental in the renovation of Carroll Manor Elementary School, and the upgrade of the science labs at Dulaney Valley High School. She has served on the Maryland State Department of Education Parent Advisory Council for Education, participates annually with the culminating assemblies for the HCPS Patriot Program, and is a regular volunteer across the school system, contributing to financial literacy education in the classroom.
Ms. Ricciardi is also very involved with many non-profit organizations throughout Harford County, including the Upper Chesapeake Health Foundation and is a member and past treasurer of Women’s Giving Circle of Harford County. She recently joined the Harford Community College Foundation Board and is the incoming chair for the Harford County Chamber of Commerce. She has been acknowledged twice as a Harford Community College Athena finalist, a Harford Leadership Academy graduate, is a member of the Colonie Central High School Hall of Fame, and is a proud resident of Harford County.
In addition, the following individuals were elected on November 6, 2018, to serve on the Board:
Jansen Robinson, Councilmanic District A
Jansen Robinson is currently serving on the Board and was elected to serve a second term. Mr. Jansen Robinson is a Vietnam-era veteran and currently serves as a security specialist/antiterrorism officer with the Department of Defense. Mr. Robinson earned an Associates of Applied Science in Criminal Justice from the Georgia Military College in Milledgeville, Georgia; a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice; and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia. Mr. Robinson and his wife, Bertha, have resided in Harford County since 1991. They live in the Forest Oaks Community in Edgewood and are the parents of three adult children who were educated in Harford County Public Schools. Mr. Robinson has served his community as a member of the Harford County Human Relations Commission and the Harford County Public Schools Citizens Advisory Committee; he is the former chair of the Edgewood Community Council; and is currently a member of the Edgewood Community Advisory Board.
David Bauer, Councilmanic District B
Dr. David Bauer is an engineer working on the evaluation side of test and evaluation with the Department of Defense. He earned his Ph.D. in the field of computer engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has long had an interest in education and did a variety of tutoring and student teaching in high school, college, and graduate school. Dr. Bauer and his wife, Annelise, have lived in Harford County since early 2010. They have a daughter who attends HCPS.
Kathryn Carmello, Councilmanic District C
Kathy Carmello is retired as the Harford County Public Schools Governmental Relations Facilitator. Her proficiency in understanding the budget process as well as the legislative process, regulations and policy changes will be beneficial as a member of the school board. As the Charter School Coordinator, Ms. Carmello was involved in writing the first charter school policy and application for the state of Maryland.
Mrs. Carmello is married to Ed Carmello and they have four children and 13 grandchildren. Mrs. Carmello served as a member of the Harford County Council Budget Advisory Board, the Harford County Core Service Agency, and the Harford County Health Planning Commission. She has served as the Legislative Chair for the Maryland Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) and is currently a member of the Chesapeake Cancer Alliance. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and also worked for a tobacco industry international and research group as a legislative analyst. Mrs. Carmello served on the Harford County Council of PTA’s and was president of the Bel Air High School PTSA as well as vice president at Bel Air Middle School and Ring Factory Elementary School PTA’s where her children attended, and now has grandchildren attending Harford County Public Schools.
Tamera Rush, Councilmanic District D
Tamera Rush is the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TENAX Technologies which focuses on communications, cyber security, and engineering for government customers. Ms. Rush founded TENAX in 2014. Some of her accomplishments include the Hammer Award given by Al Gore for significant work reinventing government principles that support development of nontoxic ammunition, 50 Women to Watch (Baltimore Sun), one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women (Daily Record, 2012), and the 2011 Athena International Award for Women’s Leadership. Her company is the proud 2018 Harford Award Recipient in the R&D/Technology Category. Ms. Rush was educated in State University of New York School at Potsdam where she earned her master’s degree in Organic Chemistry and her bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry and Secondary Education. She is involved in the community with the Spousal Abuse/Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC), CharHope, and the Association of the United States Army (AUSA). Ms. Rush and her husband Jim have three children, Hope, Theodore, and Colin, and reside in Forest Hill.
Rachel Gauthier, Councilmanic District E
Rachel Gauthier is currently serving on the Board and was elected to serve a second term. Mrs. Rachel Gauthier is a school counselor for Baltimore County Public Schools. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Towson University, where she double majored in psychology and sociology. She is a cum laude graduate of McDaniel College, where she received her Master of Science in Counselor Education. She holds certification from the Maryland State Department of Education as a school counselor, pupil personnel worker, and administrator I, and has earned ancillary credits in special education. Mrs. Gauthier has been honored with an Excellence Merit Award for exemplary service to advance minority achievement by the Achievement Initiative for Maryland’s Minority Students and the Maryland State Department of Education. Mrs. Gauthier and her husband Chris, a math teacher, are proud parents of two children who attend HCPS. Mrs. Gauthier, a native of Los Angeles, CA, has lived in Bel Air since 2002, and spends her spare time running her kids to theater rehearsals, baseball practice and going on adventures with her friends and family.
Sonja Karwacki, Councilmanic District F
Sonja M. Karwacki has been a resident of Harford County for 40 years. She and her husband raised three children, all of whom graduated from Edgewood High School. Mrs. Karwacki holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Towson University, and a master’s degree in Instructional Technology from Johns Hopkins University, Administrator I and II certification from the state of Maryland, and a certificate in Public Education Leadership from Harvard University. Her experience includes 25 years as an educator in Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS). During her tenure in BCPS, Mrs. Karwacki achieved diverse experience including classroom teacher, library/media specialist, districtwide resource teacher in the Office of Gifted and Talented, assistant principal, assistant to the superintendent of the southeast area of BCPS, and Executive Director of Special Programs.
Christian Walker, an upcoming senior at C. Milton Wright High School, will serve as the student member for the 2019-2020 school year.
Christian Walker, a junior at C. Milton Wright High School, will become the 31st Student Member on the Harford County Board of Education. At C. Milton Wright, he is a member of the National Honor Society and a founder of the school’s Principal’s Advisory Committee. He also serves as a peer helper to students who move to C. Milton Wright during the school year to help acclimate them to the school. During his junior year, he has been part of a committee led by school counselors and the school psychologist to expand peer counseling to all incoming freshmen and promote awareness for mental health resources. Outside of school, Mr. Walker serves as a tutor in mathematics to elementary students in the Route 40 corridor and often volunteers at local food drives and temporary housing programs. He has also served as a member of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council under both Mrs. Canavan and Dr. Bulson.
Growing up as a small child in tornado-prone northern Alabama, Mr. Walker grew a great interest and passion for weather, which evolved into a part-time job in Maryland as forecaster for a number of local weather forecasting pages, most notably Harford County Weather Watch from winter 2015 to its shutdown in 2017. Mr. Walker still works as a freelance forecaster and the social media and online marketing coordinator for the Bryan Michaels State Farm office in downtown Bel Air.
After high school, Mr. Walker plans to pursue a four-year degree in fields related to business or science.
Once again people with the title of Dr. that will do nothing for this county as we sink deeper into education failure. No more cuts in jobs, not the art teacher, asst principal, science teacher…etc enough is enough. There are classrooms
In this county that already have 30+ kids at the elementary level. That is ridiculous and is unfair to not only the student but also the teacher. The swimming pools and upper level management need to be trimmed first before the classroom teachers. The board of Ed needs to request more and put it on the county council to say no that will be interesting.
You are ill-informed and mistaken. While no one can argue that art and the arts are essential to a quality education, art classes in a secondary school cannot have 10 kids in them. Folks have to find ways to include electives in the schedule without impacting staffing metrics. There are many ways to accomplish this. Likewise, there must be staffing metrics for assistant principals which related to the number of children enrolled in the school and the funding. HCPS has not employed any kind of equitable staffing model previous to this year. The cuts must happen to get to a point of equity and to make the budget sustainable.
There are very few classes, if any, in elementary schools which have over 30 kids. Principals must look carefully at how their staff is deployed. Class sizes between 25 and 30 are typical across the state.
Swimming pools are not a substantial expense in the operating budget. Closing them would not net a significant savings. However, it would deprive athletes of opportunities and it would put the lives of children at risk when they no longer are able to receive swimming lessons.
Upper level management is being cut. Unfortunately, cuts must be made to teaching positions to fill the giant funding hole which has been created over the years.
While Harford County certainly must continue to do more to fund our schools. This is not primarily a county problem. State funding is the largest issue. Harford County under the leadership of Mr. Glassman has increased education funding by over $22 million in just four years. Had the state just match this, many of these cuts would not be necessary.
If folks really want to make change in HCPS and get the required funding they must hold the state, the governor and our state delegation accountable. You can help advocate by joining the March for Our Schools on March 11th.
https://www.marylandeducators.org/events/march-our-schools
Ryan Burbey don’t give us your BS claims. You live in a misinformed world yourself if you think “Just the Truth” is ill-informed and mistaken. You sir are part of the problem and how we got here. How did you let the financial state of HCPS get to the point where it is? There are elementary classrooms in this county that have over 30 kids per class, that’s a fact. Maybe if you made your rounds you would know that as it’s been that way for years. You are too busy blowing smoke up in the air and not fixing the actual issues. Great job sir, I hope you are proud. I just find it comical that we have a huge budget deficit and you play the act of oh really I didn’t know, well I guess Barbara never told you Ryan. I mean really ??
You are off base. Burbey had no control over the budget or class sizes. You can start by blaming Craig for his severe under funding of the school system and Canavan for refusing to deal with the budget in a reasonable manner. Asking for pie in the ski budget requests year after year which had no chance of being funded only put off the inevitable. Glassman doesn’t escape blame either. Dumping tens of millions into ag preservation at the expense of the school system is his choice. I disagree with Burbey when he constantly pushes blame on the amount of State funding coming to Harford County. Everyone needs to come to the reality that Harford County is small fish in Annapolis and we will never give an increase in funding at the expense of Montgomery and PG Counties, and Baltimore City. The source of funding most easily changed is with our own county government. Glassman decides what amount the school system gets. While the County Council plays a part in this process they are weak in statutory power to chance Glassman’s figure and even weaker in their will to do so.
Other “small” fish have gotten supplemental funding. When the small fish band together with some bigger fish, they win.
I told Barbara several years ago when we lost over 300 teachers that we should make the necessary cuts for a sustainable budget then. I also begged for the elimination of the IFs and reductions in central office. I am not HCEA President anymore and don’t “Make Rounds”.
Ryan did make rounds and it wasn’t his job to make the HCPS budget or to make the decision to underfund it for years. Fact is we need to pay 40 dollars more in property tax to properly fund it
Why are we still hearing from you? You are a past president that did more harm than good.
Burbey is sadly misinformed and as the former president of the union it is truly sad. Our school has math classes with more than 40 kids in them. An average 7th or 8th grade classroom has 33-36 students in them many of which have IEP’s. He supports the cuts and has supported them because the only thing the union cares about is continued pay increases and not the quality of education or the loss of jobs. This is not only the fault of local and state government but also the union and it’s pathetic leadership.
Absolutely spot on #micdrop. The union could care less about the kids, it’s all about pay increases. It’s sad because there are kids that are trying and need extra help from the teachers. The kids on 504 or IEP plans are written off for pay raises.
Let’s talk facts. Kids on 504 an IEP are mandated by law to receive services. If they are not receiving the services parents should contact the school and/or exercise due process rights. Neither I nor any other teacher nor any union rep has ever advocated for raises at the expense students.
Glassman has given more additional funding than any CE in recent memory and more in 4 years than Craig gave in 7.
FY 10 210,914,800 0
FY 11 214,061,789 3,146,989
FY 12 214,291,627 229,838
FY 13 219,821,368 5,529,741
FY 14 221,300,729 1,479,361
FY 15 223,667,301 2,366,572
FY 16 228,208,971 4,541,670
FY 17 233,534,504 5,325,533
FY 18 238,715,645 5,181,141
FY 19 245,815,645 7,100,000
There are far too many general education classes that operate with less than 20 kids particularly in high schools. The high schools that are losing the most teachers had many niche classes with extremely low enrollment. These schools also are operating well below capacity largely due to community groups successfully blocking residential development projects.
Fallston HS 63%
North Harford HS 76%
North Harford Middle 72%
https://www.hcps.org/schools/docs/balancingenrollment/Sept2018Enrollment.pdf
You can also see how the lack of redistricting has created bubbles in enrollment at some schools while nearby schools have vacant seats.
Ryan, If “redistricting” is important to ensure the proper allocation and usage of resources, then why isn’t it done more frequently? Is the process of “redistricting” a county or a state function/responsibility?
It is a Board of Education function. It should be happening more frequently but it is very contentious. Part of the funding issues are due to some previous board of education members catering to requests which were not in the best interests of the schools. Look at the enrollment numbers.
Remember the vitriol in the last redistricting?
I was involved in a redistricting process around 20 years ago, and the biggest factor impeding it was the principal of one of the affected schools. His pathetic theatrical display of despair because we were going to ‘destroy his school’s community’ was sickening. Redistricting should be done by an impartial, disinterested panel and imposed without interference from individual school administration. Nobody wants to have their lines moved, but he who cries most effectively should not get to influence a plan that is for the good of the entire system.
This is entirely untrue. I have to assume you are talking about BAMS. The reason that some schools have some large classes is that the schools have not been redirected in many years.
First off worrying about state funding is not the solution to our problem. Control the controllable, and that means county funding. As a teacher of course I want my pay increases, but I also want decent class sizes. Teachers are just tired of being taken advantage of, and if we could I would strike in a second.
What do you mean by, “and if we could I would strike in a second”? What about public protests by teachers?
Crickets from “craziness.” Has no guts.
Teachers are prohibited by law from striking in Maryland.
Thanks for the response. I did not realize that teachers are prohibited by law from striking in Maryland. I am not sure whether that is/ isn’t a good law. What your opinion?
Teachers can protest in Maryland but they can protest! Look it up,Bob!
Of course its not a good law! The strike gives unions leveraging power!
https://www.marylandeducators.org/work-rule
A teacher can “strike” as it is a form of protest and is protected by the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution. The statute that says a teacher may not “strike” is unconstitutional, therefore it is NULL and VOID. If there is a “no-strike” clause in your contracts, that clause is NULL and VOID if the government has violated the collective bargaining agreement. You must first identify that there is a breach of contract and then you do as you please. Everyone needs to know that the “statutes” are not law and no statute can abrogate the rights guaranteed by our Constitution.
https://www.nlrb.gov/strikes
Still waiting for a response from spineless “craziness.”
It may be that “craziness” and “Concerned Teacher” are one and the same. The “Concerned Teacher” did answer for “craziness” once already. So I don’t think you’re going to receive a response from “craziness”….
Teachers in MD can not strike
What don’t you understand about unconstitutional statutes being NULL and VOID before they were even enacted? The Code of Rules and Regulations can NOT abrogate Constitutional rights and can only be applied to teachers in their official capacity, not their private person. Any statute that says teachers can NOT strike and is being followed by the educators of this State, shows that the educators really aren’t that educated. At this point, the teachers should all realize that they are being manipulated and controlled by the Democratic traitors that have created such statutes. This is the kind of thing that happens when the Democratic party is in charge of a State. A collective bargaining agreement is NOT binding if the State did not hold up it’s end of the bargain and the teachers CAN then strike with impunity. Statutes and contracts such as these are nothing but fraud….
Every teacher can call out sick, though?
They going to fire everyone?
State funding is the problem.
Ryan, the problem is there are not enough sharks in the suburbs of Sao Paula. I adore the Red Zinger coffee.
Never been to Sao Paulo. Never had Red Zinger. I like Zeke’s, particularly the Royal Blue. Increased state funding is an attainable goal. Many other LEAs, including Carroll County Public Schools, have gotten it. We need our delegation to focus on this. We need all the outraged people to focus on this. If the state just matched the county increases over the past four years our problems would be solved for some time.
No teachers’ union in MD can organize a strike or they will be decertified. HCEA has negotiated and received a 6% raise over the past three years for all teachers, as well as, steps and make-up steps every year. Why would anyone propose a strike even if it were legal?
We finally have a superintendent who is working to right the ship. This will be challenging. We must support Dr. Bulson and seek additional state funding to rectify the issues.
Common Cents, since I am pretty clueless on the subject , I decided to take your advice and “look it up”. Your link was a good starting point for me. Below is an interesting link I found on “Teacher Strikes: 4 Common Questions”.
https://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/teacher-strike/index.html
My thought…if teachers’ unions just ignore the law and strike (or call it a “walkout”) then apparently they still have plenty of “leverage”.
At the end of the day, people still want their job and not anything else.
If all of the teachers called out sick at once, do you think everyone would lose their job? LOL These people can’t even fill a few dozen vacancies.
Prove me wrong.
If I were to organize or take part in a strike do you think I may be held accountable is some way? Look at HCPS’s reputation. They take care of their admin, but teachers they will trample over no problem.
Once again this has to be led by hcea. I for one think we should have done it years ago. Instead we just take what they give us. Crumbs usually. The 1% raise will really help this year.
You must challenge the jurisdiction of the administrative agency that seeks to stifle your rights. They will not be able to prove jurisdiction and you will win the case if they bring charges on you. Remember, when we say something is unconstitutional it is just a nice way of saying that same something is born of treason. It is NOT about your limited knowledge of the law or being a case by case review. It is about MASS TREASON against the US and Maryland Constitutions and the REAL law that they are breaking. As I said before, you can thank that wonderful group of Democratic traitors you guys keep electing into office.
“craziness” returns!
Where was this spineless man? He doesn’t know what he was talking about and I am a boiled egg.
No way, Regis Flibben.
Fedora.
According to the below article in the Baltimore Sun there is a development moratorium on 3 (Emmorton, Magnolia & Homestead-Wakefield) of the 30 elementary school districts in the county.
https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/harford/aegis/ph-ag-apf-fall-2018-1121-story.html
Do these moratoriums kick-in ‘automatically’ when a school district’s enrollment reaches 110% or are actual motions and votes by the BOE and/or APFAB required to impose such a moratorium?
Since “none of the county’s other 30 elementary districts is close to the moratorium trigger, nor are any of the high or middle schools”, it seems to me the “contentious” process of redistricting should be a county priority.
You are 100% correct. Also, part fo the reason HWES and Emmorton are over capacity is all the out of zone parents who figure out means to put their kids in what they perceive to be a “better” school. Likewise, the district for HWES stretches far and wide. HCPS must undergo structural change. Dr. Bulson has begun this hard work. We need to support the superintendent and encourage the BoE to make the tough decisions which benefit all not a select few.
Burbey, why are you kissing Bulson’s a@#? You know he’s the hatchet man, I bet he’s gone in four years after this Carnage is complete. Who makes all folks in their job reapply, and then it’s not done by seniority but more like a popularity contest. It’s not how good you are but who likes you. It’s ridiculous. Take a look up at central, it’s who is the biggest a@# kisser who are in the top spots. When HCPS implodes you’ll know why.
I often wonder why members (especially the elected ones) of the BoE do not take advantage of the opportunity to express their views and opinions on a well-managed, open forum like this one. It’s nice to be able to see a member’s bio, but I would also like to read their views on some of the issues.
Bob, Ryan Burbey has more integrity in his little finger than you have in your entire body. Your attacks on him were cheap and tawdry, and you owe him an apology.
Regards,
Lois
Shame on Bob.