PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: Staff has reviewed the above contract and recommends approval by the Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE).
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: This recommendation establishes a contract for the purchase of sheet music, instructional aids, small equipment and music supplies.
PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):
Billie Laughland, Buyer Specialist
Susan Thomas, Visual Performing Arts, Curriculum Specialist (PreK-5)
Dr. Randy Rumpf, Visual Performing Arts, Curriculum Specialist (6-12)
SUBMITTED BY:
Stephen P. Starmer, C.P.M., Purchasing Manager
Leslie R. Pellegrino, Executive Director of Fiscal Services
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: Staff has reviewed the above contract and recommends approval by the Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE).
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: This recommendation is to establish a contract to purchase a 12 classroom unit mega pod for Hillcrest Elementary School.
PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):
Bill Meekins, CPPB, CPCP, Buyer Specialist
Tony Ray, Project Manager III
SUBMITTED BY:
Stephen P. Starmer, C.P.M., Purchasing Manager
Leslie R. Pellegrino, Executive Director of Fiscal Services
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: Staff has reviewed the above contract and recommends approval by the Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE).
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: This recommendation is to establish a contract for the replacement of deteriorated HVAC piping and domestic water piping at Rock Creek School.
PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):
Kim Miskell, Assistant Purchasing Manager
Thomas Mulligan, Project Manager III
SUBMITTED BY:
Stephen P. Starmer, C.P.M., Purchasing Manager
Leslie R. Pellegrino, Executive Director of Fiscal Services
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: Staff has reviewed the above contract renewal and recommends approval by the Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE).
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: This recommendation is to renew the contract for health and medical supplies to be used in classrooms and health rooms throughout Frederick County Public Schools.
PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):
Scott Bachtell, Buyer Specialist
Jenifer Waters, Health Service Specialist
SUBMITTED BY:
Stephen P. Starmer, C.P.M., Purchasing Manager
Leslie R. Pellegrino, Executive Director of Fiscal Services
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: Staff has reviewed the above contract renewal and recommends approval by the Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE).
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: This recommendation is to renew the open requirements contract for the purchase of repair parts and consumable supplies for various makes and models of building maintenance custodial equipment.
PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):
Billie Laughland, Buyer Specialist
John Carnahan, Custodial Services Manager
SUBMITTED BY:
Stephen P. Starmer, C.P.M., Purchasing Manager
Leslie R. Pellegrino, Executive Director of Fiscal Services
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:
Staff seeks Board of Education approval of School Construction Budget Amendment #15-12.
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:
Budget amendment #15-12 transfers a portion of the projected surplus for the Urbana High School Track Resurfacing project to the Hillcrest Elementary School 12-Room Portables project.
Phase I of the project, the installation of the first 12-room portable at Hillcrest Elementary School, was completed during the summer of 2014. The remaining budget balance was allocated to Phase II of the project, the installation of the second 12-room portable at Hillcrest Elementary School. Bids received for phase II exceeded the remaining project balance. The budget transfer is required to complete phase II during the summer of 2015.
This budget transfer is consistent with terms and conditions for capital budget transfers included in the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the County Commissioners and Board of Education dated May 30, 2013.
PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):
Heather Jo Clabaugh, Accountant
SUBMITTED BY:
Leslie Pellegrino, Executive Director of Fiscal Services
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: The staff recommends approval of Grimm and Parker as the architect and engineering (A/E) firm to conduct the Rock Creek School (RCS) Educational Specification and Feasibility Study.
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: RCS , located at 191 Waverley Drive in Frederick City, opened in 1972 as a special education day school. The school provides special education programs for Frederick County Public Schools students with complex medical conditions and intellectual, physical, emotional, hearing, vision, and learning disabilities from age 3 through 21.
This project will review the programs offered at RCS, examine the building’s physical plant, and prepare an educational specification and a feasibility study that will result in a recommendation for the modernization of RCS that is both visionary and forward thinking.
Following a solicitation to all A/E firms on the Purchasing Department’s approved list, based on both a technical proposal evaluation and interview, three firms were identified as most highly qualified to lead the study. The fee proposal for those three firms was then opened and the firm with the lowest bid is recommended for award of the contract. That firm is Grimm and Parker with a fee proposal of $137,280. This fee proposal is within the $140,000 budget for the project.
PROCESS STATEMENT: The modernization of RCS was also included in the 2014 Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE) approved Educational Facilities Master Plan and the proposed FY2016-2021 Capital Improvement Plan. Funding for the educational specification and feasibility study was approved by the BOE through two budget transfers in May 2014 and January 2015.
PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):
Beth Pasierb, Supervisor, Facilities Planning
SUBMITTED BY:
Ray Barnes, Executive Director, Facilities Services Division
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: To gain approval of the April - June 2015 Quarterly Agenda.
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: At a previous meeting, the Board discussed the option of moving to a quarterly agenda posted on Board Docs regarding future meetings, and instituting a new process for submitting requests for future agenda items. At the January 14, 2015 meeting the Board voted to adopt the new quarterly agenda process.
PROCESS STATEMENT: To provide quarterly agendas that will be posted on Board Docs at each Board meeting. This process will enable the public and staff to plan for upcoming Board meetings. The quarterly agenda is a dynamic document that will be revised as needed to accommodate time sensitive business items and items requested using the form adopted for the Board.
PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):
Mr. Young, Board President
SUBMITTED BY: Mr. Young, Board President
Pledge lead by the Yellow Springs Singers.
Musical selection "My America" performed by Yellow Springs Singers under the direction of Rosanne Fraley and Lois Kuhn, from Yellow Springs Elementary School
In accordance with Maryland’s Open Meetings Act, General Provisions Article § 3-305, the Board met in Closed Session at 3:30 p.m. in Conference Room 5A to receive information regarding upcoming collective bargaining negotiations with the Frederick County Teachers Association and the Frederick Association of School Support Employees; to approve Closed Session Minutes of October 8, 22 and 28, 2014; to discuss a personnel matter and receive advice of counsel.
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:
To showcase science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in Frederick County Public Schools and bring awareness to STEM experiences taking place during the week of March 14-21, 2015.
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:
Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) provides students in grades preK-12 with STEM experiences to prepare them for 21st century careers. STEM experiences focus on awareness and exploration in elementary and middle schools with advanced preparation in high school.
To increase awareness in the community about STEM education and career opportunities, FCPS requests that the Board of Education designate the week of March 14-21, 2015 as the third Annual STEM Education Week. Furthermore, we are requesting approval of a proclamation which will be read by students from Monocacy Middle School. These students will also share their STEM work that named them a state winner in the 2015 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest and a short video will be shown.
Members of the Board of Education and citizens of the community are invited to attend the upcoming STEM events:
PROCESS STATEMENT: N/A
PRESENTERS/TITLES:
Kim Day, Coordinator, STEM PreK-12
Dr. Kimberly Mazaleski, Curriculum Specialist, Elementary Science
Andrea Maruskin, Science Teacher and STEM Leader, Monocacy Middle School
Monocacy Middle School Students: Lauren Beck, Drew Bumgardner, Brianne Helmstetter, Athena Higgins, Mei Homman, Samyak Jain, Abby McGee, Jordan Miller and Elizabeth Shannon
SUBMITTED BY:
Kevin Cuppett, Ed.D., Executive Director, Curriculum, Instruction & Innovation
Mike Markoe, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:
This presentation will provide an overview of activities and initiatives implemented by the Human Resources Division focused on recruitment of a highly effective and diverse workforce.
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:
The Human Resources Division has designed recruitment strategic plans, processes and programs that support the systemic aspiration to hire, support and retain staff who will champion individual, professional, and student excellence. Our priority is to implement action items that will ensure a high quality and diverse workforce.
Significant components to the recruitment program are marketing, quality control selection processes, aggressive timelines, and improvement of the candidate experience as the first step in eventual retention. The presentation will include a summary of the currently implemented and anticipatory action items.
The Talent Acquisition Team designed our body of work to support the FCPS aspirations and priorities as identified in the newly adopted FCPS Strategic Plan. Top talent identification, employee engagement and employee retention are the pillars supporting the thematic category of an effective and engaged staff. A linkage to the FCPS Strategic Plan is evidenced by Human Resources’ established key performance indicators (KPI) that measure time to fill, open contract offers, workforce diversity, and candidate experience.
Teachers hired during the 2014-15 school year will share reflections on the journey to their FCPS classroom.
PROCESS STATEMENT:
Staff from Human Resources sought input from stakeholders to identify process improvement opportunities. Significant adjustments to the screening/interview and reference components evolved from an HR led workgroup involving curriculum specialists, central office administrators and experienced recruiters.
PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):
Gina Keefer, Senior Manager-Talent Acquisition
Carrie Artis, Teacher Recruiter-Talent Acquisition
SUBMITTED BY:
Paula Lawton, Executive Director, Human Resources Division
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: The Board will discuss and take additional action on the make-up days for the 2014-2015 school year.
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: Five snow days were built into the 2014-2015 school calendar. To date, eight snow days have been used and per the 2014-2015 Calendar Handbook, students now must attend school on April 1, 2015, April 2, 2015 and June 16, 2015. April 1 was designated as part of Spring Break as well as the teacher work day for the end of Term Three. The Board will make a decision as to how to adjust the calendar to incorporate the teacher work day as well as the student day needed as a make-up day.
PROCESS STATEMENT: The Board of Education approves the school calendar.
PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S): Tracey Lucas, Executive Director of School Administration and Leadership Development and co-chair of the Calendar Committee
SUBMITTED BY: Tracey Lucas, Executive Director of School Administration and Leadership Development
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: The Board will discuss the charge of the 2015-2016 Calendar Committee.
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: The Board provides a charge to the Calendar Committee each year to define the scope of work of the committee.
PROCESS STATEMENT: FCPS has convened a Calendar Committee for many years; however, the group now functions as a committee under the direction of the Board of Education.
PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):
Tracey Lucas, Executive Director of School Administration and Leadership Development and co-chair of the Calendar Committee
SUBMITTED BY: Tracey Lucas, Executive Director of School Administration and Leadership Development
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:
On March 11, 2015 the Board of Education will begin a discussion, anticipated to last for multiple meetings, regarding testing and assessments. This first component of the discussion (March 11) will focus on policies, COMAR regulations, and Federal and State law. The purpose of the discussion is for the Board and public to understand regulatory requirements and for the Board to begin to evaluate policy/regulation changes that may present opportunities to (1) relieve real or perceived over-testing and (2) innovate and streamline testing and assessment in Frederick County. Decisions need to be informed by best practices and the feedback of parents, students, and educators. Additionally, our Board will discuss taking a position on HB 452/SB 497--Commission to Review Maryland's Use of Assessments and Testing in Public Schools.
During the March 25 meeting, the Board will continue its discussion by examining and evaluating its own testing and assessment policy/regulations as well as discussing the framework for a Board-sponsored town hall/public meeting on testing and assessment. Feedback from students, teachers, and the public on the Partnership for Assessment of College and Career Readiness (PARCC) tests will form a component of the March 25 discussion.
To facilitate both the March 11 and March 25 discussions, we have provided links to policies, COMAR regulations, and Federal and State laws regarding this topic. Additionally, members of the public and teachers have begun sharing their feedback regarding testing via the website timetolearnfrederick.com, which is considered supplementary background reading for these meetings.
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:
Vice President Barrett, supported by President Young and Board members Bengali, Cusimano, and Miller proposed a discussion of testing and assessment based on on-going feedback from teachers and parents that time for testing is encroaching on already-stretched instructional time. County tests and those mandated by the State and Federal government may not be providing data that is useful for improving instruction. Socioeconomic, racial, ELL, and special education achievement gaps have not declined during the period when testing and assessment has increased, and significant budget and human resources have been dedicated to testing and assessments. Although discussions about testing have generated a significant amount of controversy at the Federal and State level, Barrett proposed that the Board's discussion focus on the local situation and local policy/regulation solutions and that a revised testing and assessment policy/regulation contribute to the goals of the new FCPS Strategic Plan.
PROCESS STATEMENT:
PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S): Theresa R. Alban, Ph.D.
SUBMITTED BY: Liz Barrett, Vice President, Board of Education
Policies
438 Test Administration and Data Reporting
440 Charter Schools
500 Curriculum and Courses of Study
511 Assessments
Regulations
400-22 School IEP Team
400-62 Test Administration and Data Reporting
400-66 Section 504
400-88 Elementary Magnet Program
400-89 Kindergarten Early Entrance
400-90 Charter School Renewal Program Review
400-94 College and Career Readiness Completion Act
500-05 Grading - Secondary
500-06 Grading - Elementary
500-26 High School Final Exams
500-34 English Language Learner Program
The Board will discuss current legislation generally, and specifically whether to take formal positions on the following bills:
House Bill 452/Senate Bill 497 - Commission to Review Maryland's Use of Assessments &Testing in Public Schools
House Bill 486/Senate Bill 595 - Public Charter School Expansion and Improvement At of 2015
SUBMITTED BY: Joy Schaefer, Board of Education Member
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: N/A
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: N/A
Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) has received a $1,538 grant from the Community Foundation’s Impact Grant Program to support the music program at Brunswick Middle School. Grant funds will be used to purchase musical instruments that will be used by students in the school’s band and orchestra.
Acceptance of this $1,538 grant does not obligate FCPS to expend additional local resources.
PROCESS STATEMENT: N/A
PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S): N/A
SUBMITTED BY: Mike Markoe, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: N/A
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:
Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) has received a $1,538 grant from the Community Foundation’s Impact Grant Program to support the elementary instrumental music program.
Many fourth and fifth grade students throughout FCPS are unable to participate in the elementary instrumental music program because family financial constraints preclude them from buying or renting an instrument. Grant funds will be used to purchase instruments that will be loaned to students to allow their participation in the elementary instrumental music program.
Acceptance of this $1,538 grant does not obligate FCPS to expend additional local resources.
PROCESS STATEMENT: N/A
PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S): N/A
SUBMITTED BY: Mike Markoe, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: N/A
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:
Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) has received a $500 grant from Walmart’s Community Grants Program to support a book drive at Monocacy Middle School. Grant funds will be used to purchase fiction and non-fiction books in both English and Spanish. Students at Monocacy Middle will shop for “free” books, with the goal of each student selecting at least one title to keep.
Acceptance of this $500 grant does not obligate FCPS to expend additional local resources.
PROCESS STATEMENT: N/A
PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S): N/A
SUBMITTED BY: Mike Markoe, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent