This is to inform the Board that Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) is riding the above contract from the National Cooperative Purchasing Alliance (NCPA), for office supplies and services.

Approximately $910,000 was spent in FY14 for office supplies.

The contract was awarded to:  American Office Products Distributors, Inc. (AOPD), Impact Office Products is a member of this organization and will service the FCPS account.

Utilizing the above contract will save FCPS approximately $42,000 based on historical usage.  FCPS will also receive a yearly 2% rebate on the total amount spent the previous year.

The contract will be administered by Scott Bachtell, Buyer Specialist.

Staff reviewed the above referenced contract renewal and recommends approval by the Board of Education as part of its consent agenda.

Staff reviewed the above referenced contract extension and recommends approval by the Board of Education as part of its consent agenda.

Staff reviewed the above referenced contract renewal and recommends approval by the Board of Education as part of its consent agenda.

Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) has been awarded a three-year, $1,032,579 grant from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to establish 21^st Century Community Learning Center summer programs at Hillcrest, Lincoln and Waverley Elementary Schools.  The summer programs will operate as Fun Academics in the Summer Time #2 (FAST2).

The 21^st Century Community Learning Center program, a federal discretionary grant administered by state departments of education, was created in 1998 and reauthorized in 2001 under No Child Left Behind.  The purpose of the 21^st Century program is to create community learning centers that provide students with academic enrichment opportunities and other services designed to complement their regular academic program.  Federal legislation requires that activities target students who attend Title I school-wide programs or serve a high percentage of students from low income families.

FCPS currently operates a 21^st Century-funded summer program, FAST1, at Monocacy Elementary and Monocacy Middle Schools through a grant that was awarded by MSDE in 2013.  From 2004-2014, FCPS operated after school 21^st Century programs at Hillcrest, Lincoln and Waverley Elementary Schools.

Staff seeks the Board of Education’s approval for a three-year grant that will allow Lincoln, Hillcrest and Waverley Elementary Schools to develop and implement summer programs that would be designed to reduce summer learning loss for participating students.  Grant funds would be used to operate a five-week program at each school and serve approximately 120 students each summer.

The amount awarded by MSDE for Year 1 is $368,757.  If approved by the Board of Education, grant funds would be used to:

• Cover the costs of FCPS teachers, who would provide three hours of academic instruction each day.
• Fund FCPS teachers who would engage students in service learning activities.
• Cover the costs of teacher specialists, community liaisons, and translators in their efforts to promote family engagement and student attendance.
• Provide bus transportation for students, through the FCPS Department of Transportation.
• Purchase instructional materials for use during the summer program.
• Hire an external evaluator, as required by MSDE.
• Support a Program Administrator, who would provide overall management of the program.

Community-based partners would provide comprehensive enrichment activities to students at all three schools.  Partners include the Boys & Girls Club of Frederick County (site supervision, staffing), FC Frederick (soccer), Maryland Science Olympiad (hands-on science, technology, and engineering), Teamlink (youth development), YMCA of Frederick County (sports, fitness, drama, dance), and Young Rembrants (art).  Grant funds would be used to support the work of these partners, as well as provide school nurses at each site through our partnership with the Frederick County Health Department.

Breakfast and lunch would be provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program, in collaboration with the FCPS Department of Food and Nutrition Services. 

Acceptance of this grant award does not obligate FCPS to expend additional local resources.  The listed in-kind contributions detailed in the budget are an estimate of already existing local expenditures and are used to demonstrate FCPS’ commitment to FAST2. 

This item will be placed on this evening's Consent Agenda for action.

Goal 2 – Every student will learn in a safe, caring and engaging environment, prepared to participate as a productive citizen and contributing member of our global society.

Goal 4 – Every family will have access to the programs and services needed for their children to enter school ready to learn.

Goal 5 – All sectors of the community will be engaged in the education of our children.

PRESENTERS:   Dr. Keith Harris, Director of Schools

                         Doreen Bass, Grants Coordinator

The Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE) is asked to accept the transfer of a school site located in southeastern Frederick County in a development known as Harvest Ridge.  Harvest Ridge is a single family home development located along Lomar Drive between Penn Shop Road and Bill Moxley Road. It is located in the Green Valley Elementary School (GVES) attendance area on the boundary with both Kemptown Elementary School (KES) and Twin Ridge Elementary School (TRES).  The property is 16 acres in size.  

As a condition of original development approval, the owners of Harvest Ridge were required to dedicate an elementary school site to the BOE. The school site was created and recorded in 1996. However, the owners did not move ahead with the transfer of title as the development was not moving forward due to other unrelated issues.  The school site has remained in the developer’s ownership since that time. Recently, the development has begun to move forward again and the original requirements to dedicate the school site are being enforced by the Frederick County Planning Commission.

This site is not in a location where construction of a new school is planned within the next 10 years. As such, it will be included with other sites in a land bank to address future long-range enrollment growth needs. This is entirely appropriate since the GVES attendance area has several large developments within it, including the Monrovia Town Center near Rts. 75 and 80. This development, along with growth elsewhere within the GVES, TRES and KES attendance areas, could result in the need for an elementary school at this location.  The site is identified as a future school site location in both the Frederick County Comprehensive Plan and the Frederick County Public Schools Educational Facilities Master Plan.

The property has been reviewed using FCPS criteria and is judged to be acceptable. While not located in an approved “priority funding area,” the site is located in an approved development on the corner of Lomar Drive and Autumn Crest Drive.  Public water and sewer can be extended to the site and the property has reasonable physical characteristics. In addition, the property has been reviewed by consulting attorney Offit-Kurman and there are no known encumbrances or title issues that would prevent use of the site by the BOE.  There are also no memoranda of understanding or conditions attached to the transfer of this property.

Staff recommends approval of the school site and will be available at the meeting to present further information as requested.

This item will be placed on this evening's Consent Agenda for action.

PRESENTER: Ray Barnes, Executive Director, Facilities Services Division

In July 2013, the Frederick County Planning Commission approved a concept plan for Oakdale Village community located on the north side of MD 144, between the Oakdale Elementary School (OES)/Oakdale Middle School (OMS) campus and Oakdale High School. 

A condition of the concept plan approval was to:  “Prepare a plan, acceptable to Frederick County Public Schools’ Facilities Staff, for reconfiguring the parking, access and circulation at Oakdale Elementary School to accommodate Street A’s connection to the Oakdale School access lane.  Execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the Board of Education regarding timing and construction details of the reconfiguration plan.” 

At the October 15, 2013, Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE) and Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) joint meeting, the BOE, county staff and the developer met to discuss the best approach to connect Oakdale Village community to the access road.  County staff presented a plan that would transfer the current OES/OMS access road to become part of the county public road system following connection of Street A with the access road.  Both the BOE and BOCC were in favor of the plan and directed both BOE and county staff to draft necessary agreements.

The following documents are included for BOE review and/or approval:

• Attachment 1:  Drawing of the area to be transferred
• Attachment 2:  Memorandum of Understanding between the BOE and developer
• Attachment 3:  Construction Agreement between the BOE and developer

Staff and consulting attorney will be available to discuss the agreements and answer questions. 

PRESENTERS: Beth Pasierb, Facilities Planner, Facilities Services Division

                     Dave Severn, Consulting Attorney, Offit-Kurman

Urbana Elementary School (UES), located at 3554 Urbana Pike, was initially constructed in 1960, with additions in 1965 and 1975.   A portion of the building was renovated in 1975, but no other major renovations have occurred in this building during the past 39 years.   

The current building totals 64,133 square feet. The building houses grades pre-k through 5 and has a state-rated capacity of 511.  It is currently operating at 134% of capacity with 15 portable classrooms.

The Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE) has identified the modernization of older schools as a priority in the capital improvement program.  A recent facility assessment study evaluated the physical condition of the school, as well as the ability to provide the current required curriculum.  UES is the next elementary school prioritized for complete renovation/modernization. 

The first step in the modernization of this school is to perform a feasibility study. The purpose of the study is to identify school facility renovation/modernization needs and the cost of meeting those needs.

The BOE commissioned Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Associates (CRA) to complete the feasibility study beginning in April 2014.  A feasibility study committee was established to review and direct the work of the consultant.  CRA collaborated with the committee and presented work as it progressed.  CRA and the committee also collaborated with the Urbana community at several points in the study to gauge their opinion on potential options for modernizing UES.

CRA presented many options that were reviewed and discussed by the committee and the community, resulting in four options for consideration.  The UES Feasibility Study culminated over a seven-month period.  It recommends an option which meets space needs, provides the required educational program, limits disruption to students and staff, and remains economically viable (see backup documents 1 and 2).  The feasibility study committee and CRA recommend approval of Option 3A.  This option replaces the existing building on the site with a new building while the students and staff are temporarily located to the new Sugarloaf Elementary School. 

This item will be placed on this evening's Consent Agenda for action.

PRESENTERS: Beth Pasierb, Facilities Planner, Facilities Service Division

                     Larry Levato, Senior Project Manager, Crabtree, Rohrbaugh &Associates

Based on discussion at the October 22, 2014, Board of Education (Board) work session, attached is a draft document for the Board’s review concerning its core values and legislative advocacy for the 2015 Maryland General Assembly Legislative Session (see backup).

Also, in an effort to respond promptly to legislative developments during the Legislative Session, the Board will consider designating individuals to serve as the Legislative Response Team (LRT) to assist in the role of alerting Board members of legislative developments and to provide responses on behalf of the Board during the Legislative Session.

Finally, since the Board has scheduled its meeting with the Delegation on December 10, 2014, I would recommend the Board review its legislative positions and adopt them as part of this evening's Consent Agenda.

Presenters:  Jamie Cannon, Chief of Staff and Legal Counsel

The Board will consider the draft Citizens Advisory Council Charge.  Action on the Charge will be taken during this evening's Consent Agenda.

During the week of November 17-21, 2014, school systems across the nation will celebrate the 93^rd annual American Education Week.  This year’s theme is “Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility.”  This theme supports the Frederick County Public Schools Master Plan Goal to engage all sectors of the community in the education of our children.

It is requested that the Board of Education of Frederick County recognize American Education Week in Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) by adopting the following proclamation and inviting the citizens of Frederick to visit schools and support public education.

Representatives of the FCPS employee associations and PTA Council of Frederick County (PTA) will read the following proclamation:

WHEREAS, public schools are the backbone of our democracy, providing young people with the tools they need to maintain our nation's precious values of freedom, civility and equality; and

WHEREAS, by equipping young Americans with both practical skills and broader intellectual abilities, schools give them hope for, and access to, a productive future; and

WHEREAS, education employees — be they substitute educators, custodians, teachers, bus drivers, or media specialists — work tirelessly to serve our children and communities with care and professionalism; and

WHEREAS, schools are community linchpins, bringing together adults and children, educators and volunteers, business leaders and elected officials in a common enterprise; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the Board of Education of Frederick County designate November 17-21, 2014, to be a week of recognition of the value of public education and of those who are employed in public education in Frederick County; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the members of the Board invite citizens of Frederick County to visit schools during American Education Week and to continue their strong support of public education.

Representatives from the Frederick County Teachers Association (FCTA), Frederick Association of School Support Employees (FASSE), Frederick County Administrative and Supervisory Association (FCASA), and PTA will provide brief comments about the important work done in Frederick County by their members.

PRESENTERS:  Gary Brennan, FCTA president; Norma Davis, FASSE president; Jethro Reid, FCASA president; and Julie Marker, PTA president.

Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) has been awarded a three-year, $1,032,579 grant from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to establish 21^st Century Community Learning Center summer programs at Hillcrest, Lincoln and Waverley Elementary Schools.  The summer programs will operate as Fun Academics in the Summer Time #2 (FAST2).

The 21^st Century Community Learning Center program, a federal discretionary grant administered by state departments of education, was created in 1998 and reauthorized in 2001 under No Child Left Behind.  The purpose of the 21^st Century program is to create community learning centers that provide students with academic enrichment opportunities and other services designed to complement their regular academic program.  Federal legislation requires that activities target students who attend Title I school-wide programs or serve a high percentage of students from low income families.

FCPS currently operates a 21^st Century-funded summer program, FAST1, at Monocacy Elementary and Monocacy Middle Schools through a grant that was awarded by MSDE in 2013.  From 2004-2014, FCPS operated after school 21^st Century programs at Hillcrest, Lincoln and Waverley Elementary Schools.

Staff seeks the Board of Education’s approval for a three-year grant that will allow Lincoln, Hillcrest and Waverley Elementary Schools to develop and implement summer programs that would be designed to reduce summer learning loss for participating students.  Grant funds would be used to operate a five-week program at each school and serve approximately 120 students each summer.

The amount awarded by MSDE for Year 1 is $368,757.  If approved by the Board of Education, grant funds would be used to:

• Cover the costs of FCPS teachers, who would provide three hours of academic instruction each day.
• Fund FCPS teachers who would engage students in service learning activities.
• Cover the costs of teacher specialists, community liaisons, and translators in their efforts to promote family engagement and student attendance.
• Provide bus transportation for students, through the FCPS Department of Transportation.
• Purchase instructional materials for use during the summer program.
• Hire an external evaluator, as required by MSDE.
• Support a Program Administrator, who would provide overall management of the program.

Community-based partners would provide comprehensive enrichment activities to students at all three schools.  Partners include the Boys & Girls Club of Frederick County (site supervision, staffing), FC Frederick (soccer), Maryland Science Olympiad (hands-on science, technology, and engineering), Teamlink (youth development), YMCA of Frederick County (sports, fitness, drama, dance), and Young Rembrants (art).  Grant funds would be used to support the work of these partners, as well as provide school nurses at each site through our partnership with the Frederick County Health Department.

Breakfast and lunch would be provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program, in collaboration with the FCPS Department of Food and Nutrition Services. 

Acceptance of this grant award does not obligate FCPS to expend additional local resources.  The listed in-kind contributions detailed in the budget are an estimate of already existing local expenditures and are used to demonstrate FCPS’ commitment to FAST2.

Goal 2 – Every student will learn in a safe, caring and engaging environment, prepared to participate as a productive citizen and contributing member of our global society.

Goal 4 – Every family will have access to the programs and services needed for their children to enter school ready to learn.

Goal 5 – All sectors of the community will be engaged in the education of our children.

PRESENTERS:      Dr. Keith Harris, Director of Schools

                            Doreen Bass, Grants Coordinator

The Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE) is asked to accept the transfer of a school site located in southeastern Frederick County in a development known as Harvest Ridge.  Harvest Ridge is a single family home development located along Lomar Drive between Penn Shop Road and Bill Moxley Road. It is located in the Green Valley Elementary School (GVES) attendance area on the boundary with both Kemptown Elementary School (KES) and Twin Ridge Elementary School (TRES).  The property is 16 acres in size.  

As a condition of original development approval, the owners of Harvest Ridge were required to dedicate an elementary school site to the BOE. The school site was created and recorded in 1996. However, the owners did not move ahead with the transfer of title as the development was not moving forward due to other unrelated issues.  The school site has remained in the developer’s ownership since that time. Recently, the development has begun to move forward again and the original requirements to dedicate the school site are being enforced by the Frederick County Planning Commission.

This site is not in a location where construction of a new school is planned within the next 10 years. As such, it will be included with other sites in a land bank to address future long-range enrollment growth needs. This is entirely appropriate since the GVES attendance area has several large developments within it, including the Monrovia Town Center near Rts. 75 and 80. This development, along with growth elsewhere within the GVES, TRES and KES attendance areas, could result in the need for an elementary school at this location.  The site is identified as a future school site location in both the Frederick County Comprehensive Plan and the Frederick County Public Schools Educational Facilities Master Plan.

The property has been reviewed using FCPS criteria and is judged to be acceptable. While not located in an approved “priority funding area,” the site is located in an approved development on the corner of Lomar Drive and Autumn Crest Drive.  Public water and sewer can be extended to the site and the property has reasonable physical characteristics. In addition, the property has been reviewed by consulting attorney Offit-Kurman and there are no known encumbrances or title issues that would prevent use of the site by the BOE.  There are also no memoranda of understanding or conditions attached to the transfer of this property.

PRESENTER: Ray Barnes, Executive Director, Facilities Services Division

In July 2013, the Frederick County Planning Commission approved a concept plan for Oakdale Village community located on the north side of MD 144, between the Oakdale Elementary School (OES)/Oakdale Middle School (OMS) campus and Oakdale High School. 

A condition of the concept plan approval was to:  “Prepare a plan, acceptable to Frederick County Public Schools’ Facilities Staff, for reconfiguring the parking, access and circulation at Oakdale Elementary School to accommodate Street A’s connection to the Oakdale School access lane.  Execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the Board of Education regarding timing and construction details of the reconfiguration plan.” 

At the October 15, 2013, Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE) and Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) joint meeting, the BOE, county staff and the developer met to discuss the best approach to connect Oakdale Village community to the access road.  County staff presented a plan that would transfer the current OES/OMS access road to become part of the county public road system following connection of Street A with the access road.  Both the BOE and BOCC were in favor of the plan and directed both BOE and county staff to draft necessary agreements.

The following documents are included for BOE review and/or approval:

• Attachment 1:  Drawing of the area to be transferred
• Attachment 2:  Memorandum of Understanding between the BOE and developer
• Attachment 3:  Construction Agreement between the BOE and developer

PRESENTERS: Beth Pasierb, Facilities Planner, Facilities Services Division

                    Dave Severn, Consulting Attorney, Offit-Kurman

Textbooks listed on the attached memorandum were on electronic display from October 6 – 11, 2014.  Please follow the link http://mycapstonelibrary.com/login/ to review a textbook electronically, and use fredco as the login and fredco as the password.  Staff recommends approval of these textbooks.

Staff reviewed the above referenced contract renewal and recommends approval by the Board of Education as part of its consent agenda.

Staff reviewed the above referenced contract extension and recommends approval by the Board of Education as part of its consent agenda.

Staff reviewed the above referenced contract renewal and recommends approval by the Board of Education as part of its consent agenda.

Based on discussion at the October 22, 2014, Board of Education (Board) work session, attached is a draft document for the Board’s review concerning its Legislative Principles for Advocacy for the 2015 Maryland General Assembly Legislative Session (see backup).

Also, in an effort to respond promptly to legislative developments during the Legislative Session, the Board will consider designating individuals to serve as the Legislative Response Team (LRT) to assist in the role of alerting Board members of legislative developments and to provide responses on behalf of the Board during the Legislative Session.

Finally, since the Board has scheduled its meeting with the Delegation on December 10, 2014, I would recommend the Board review and adopt for approval its legislative positions at today's meeting.

Presenters:  Jamie Cannon, Chief of Staff and Legal Counsel

Urbana Elementary School (UES), located at 3554 Urbana Pike, was initially constructed in 1960, with additions in 1965 and 1975.   A portion of the building was renovated in 1975, but no other major renovations have occurred in this building during the past 39 years.   

The current building totals 64,133 square feet. The building houses grades pre-k through 5 and has a state-rated capacity of 511.  It is currently operating at 134% of capacity with 15 portable classrooms.

The Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE) has identified the modernization of older schools as a priority in the capital improvement program.  A recent facility assessment study evaluated the physical condition of the school, as well as the ability to provide the current required curriculum.  UES is the next elementary school prioritized for complete renovation/modernization. 

The first step in the modernization of this school is to perform a feasibility study. The purpose of the study is to identify school facility renovation/modernization needs and the cost of meeting those needs.

The BOE commissioned Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Associates (CRA) to complete the feasibility study beginning in April 2014.  A feasibility study committee was established to review and direct the work of the consultant.  CRA collaborated with the committee and presented work as it progressed.  CRA and the committee also collaborated with the Urbana community at several points in the study to gauge their opinion on potential options for modernizing UES.

CRA presented many options that were reviewed and discussed by the committee and the community, resulting in four options for consideration.  The UES Feasibility Study culminated over a seven-month period.  It recommends an option which meets space needs, provides the required educational program, limits disruption to students and staff, and remains economically viable (see backup documents 1 and 2).  The feasibility study committee and CRA recommend approval of Option 3A.  This option replaces the existing building on the site with a new building while the students and staff are temporarily located to the new Sugarloaf Elementary School.

PRESENTERS: Beth Pasierb, Facilities Planner, Facilities Service Division

                      Larry Levato, Senior Project Manager, Crabtree, Rohrbaugh &Associates

The Board of Education has charged the Calendar Committee with developing two calendar proposals for the 2015-2016 school year. The proposed calendars include one calendar with an August start date and one with a post-Labor Day start date. The post-Labor Day calendar was prepared in anticipation of a potential change to Maryland law that would institute a state-wide, post-Labor Day start for all school districts.

The Calendar Committee seeks feedback from the Board for both calendars. Calendar Committee members include FCPS staff; parents; a student member; and PTSA, FASSE, FCASA, and FCTA representatives.

Goal 1    Every student will learn in an intellectually challenging environment, prepared as a life-long learner to excel in college, further study and the workplace.

Goal 5    All sectors of the community will be engaged in the education of our children.

PRESENTERS:  Mike Markoe – Deputy Superintendent

                      Debbie Gilmartin – Coordinator of Testing and Accountability

                      Julie Marker – Committee Co-chair, Frederick County PTA President, Parent

Frederick County Public Schools will be transitioning from the Maryland School Assessment to the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) Assessment during the 2014-2015 school year.  Staff will provide an overview of timelines, item examples, and potential challenges to the transition. In addition, staff will be sharing updates on local assessments.

Goal 1   Every student will learn in an intellectually challenging environment, prepared as a life-long learner to excel in college, further study and the workplace.

Goal 2   Every student will learn in a safe, caring and engaging environment, and be prepared to participate as a productive citizen and contributing member of our global society.

Presenters:

Dr. Kevin Cuppett, Ex. Director, Curriculum, Instruction & Innovation (CII)

Dr. Jeanine Molock, Director, Research/Development & Accountability

Jamie Aliveto, Supervisor, Research/Development & Accountability

Eric Rhodes, Coordinator, Research/Development & Accountability