PRESENTATION OF 3 BID CALENDAR ITEMS

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff would like to inform the Board of Education of Frederick County of upcoming bid solicitations.

Bid 18M11, Water Heaters and Thermostatic Water Mixing Valves

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:   The intent of this solicitation is to establish a contract for the purchase of water heaters and thermostatic water mixing valves to be used by the Maintenance Department to replace existing units at various locations.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Shane Ryberg, Purchasing Agent

Randall Connatser, Maintenance Project Manager IV

Bid 18M13 Custodial Products and Supplies

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:   The intent of this solicitation is to establish a contract for the supply and delivery of custodial supplies for Frederick County Public Schools.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Shane Ryberg, Purchasing Agent

John Carnahan, MBA, FMP, Custodial Services Manager, Operations and Safety Department

Bid 18T8, Vehicle Parts and Supplies

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:   The intent of this solicitation is to establish a contract for the purchase of vehicle parts and supplies to be used by the Transportation Department.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Shane Ryberg, Purchasing Agent

Mark Maggitti, Fleet Maintenance Manager, Transportation Department

SUBMITTED BY: 

Stephen P. Starmer, C.P.M., CSBA, Purchasing Manager

Leslie R. Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff would like to inform the Board of Education that a price lock-in agreement was executed on March 15, 2018, to supply Natural Gas to Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) for 36 months, effective June 1, 2018 through May 31, 2021.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  FCPS issued a two-step solicitation:  to pre-qualify licensed third-party vendors to supply natural gas to all the schools and buildings that utilize this fuel; and then to issue a request for price quotes.  Bid packages were opened on October 27, 2017, and were received from:

          Direct Energy Business Marketing, LLC (Iselin, NJ)

          UGI Energy Services, LLC (Wyomissing, PA)

          WGL Energy Services, Inc. (Vienna, VA)

Pre-qualification requirements included:  licensing by the Maryland Public Service Commission; a company’s capacity to supply gas on a firm, non-interruptible basis; financial stability; the ability to provide a performance bond.  UGI was not pre-qualified due to their exceptions for supplying a performance bond and other financial limitations. 

Prices were requested on March 15, 2018, for 12, 24 and 36 months as indicated below: 

The 36 month term price received from WGL Energy Services, Inc. was the most advantageous to FCPS at $.3951 per therm.  The price lock represents a savings from the current rate of $.462 for 49 accounts and will yield an estimated $96,857 annual savings based on the 2017 usage of 1,447,788 therms. 

FCPS retains the right to extend this contract for an additional two years.

The authority for staff to lock-in utility rates was granted by the Board of Education in 2006. This procurement procedure is consistent with that used for electricity supply and is utilized by Frederick County Government and Frederick Community College.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Billie Laughland, Purchasing Agent

Charles Dalphon, Energy and Utilities Coordinator

SUBMITTED BY: 

Stephen P. Starmer, C.P.M., CSBA, Purchasing Manager

Leslie R. Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff would like to inform the Board of Education of Frederick County that Frederick County Public Schools is riding the above contract from Baltimore County Public Schools.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: This contract will be utilized for the purchase of new portable classrooms as needed to accommodate the projected enrollments for the 2018 – 2019 school year.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Bill Meekins CPPB, CSBO, CPCP, Purchasing Agent

Tony Ray, Project Manager III, Construction Management

SUBMITTED BY:

Stephen P. Starmer, C.P.M., CSBA, Purchasing Manager

Leslie R. Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: Staff has reviewed the attached contract renewal and recommends approval by the Board of Education of Frederick County.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: This recommendation is to renew the contract for professional auditing services for FCPS.  

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Stephen P. Starmer, C.P.M, CSBA, Purchasing Manager

Melissa Rollison, Financial Reporting Manager

SUBMITTED BY:

Stephen P. Starmer, C.P.M., CSBA, Purchasing Manager

Leslie R. Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff has reviewed the attached contract renewal and recommends approval by the Board of Education of Frederick County.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  This recommendation is to renew the contract to provide and install carpet and tile products in Frederick County Public Schools and offices. 

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Bill Meekins CPPB, CSBO, CPCP, Purchasing Agent

Gary Barkdoll, FMP, Manager of Maintenance Projects and Grounds, Maintenance Department

SUBMITTED BY: 

Stephen P. Starmer C.P.M., CSBA, Purchasing Manager

Leslie R. Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: Staff has reviewed the attached contract renewal and recommends approval by the Board of Education of Frederick County.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  This recommendation is to renew the contract for property and casualty insurance coverage for Frederick County Public Schools.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Kim Miskell, Assistant Purchasing Manager

Leslie Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

SUBMITTED BY:

Stephen P. Starmer, C.P.M., CSBA, Purchasing Manager

Leslie R. Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff has reviewed RFP 18MISC6 and recommends approval by the Board of Education of Frederick County.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  This recommendation is to establish a contract for providing medical and vision benefits to eligible employees and their dependents.  Staff presented a recommendation for award at the March 14, 2018 BOE meeting. However, United Healthcare (UHC), citing eight specific points relating to the analysis methodology, formally protested the bid award in writing, on March 12, 2018.

The Purchasing Manager responded to the award protest, in writing on March 13, 2018, and concluded the following:

“FCPS considers the criteria and the tentative staff recommendation to be valid and within the rights of FCPS as stated in the original bid solicitation.  Based on the information as stated above, I would conclude that there is no basis or legal justification to make changes from the original consideration of the bid recommendation for RFP No. 18MISC6, Medical and Vision Insurance Benefits.  Furthermore, it was concluded that staff had acted reasonably and in accordance with the discretion allowable under Maryland state law and Board Policy and Regulation.”

United Healthcare formally protested the bid award at the BOE meeting following staff’s presentation.

Following a brief discussion by the Board, a decision to delay a vote on the recommendation until the next scheduled BOE meeting was made so that additional information could be provided.  The following documents are included:  Protest of Award from UHC; FCPS Protest Response Letter; and Trion’s (A Marsh & McLennan Agency) Response to Protest.

UHC’s main concerns were methodology, discount percentage and utilization penetration that was used to determine the cost savings.  Based on the analysis conducted by Trion utilizing a combination of methods, FCPS staff, including the Insurance Council, have found no grounds for their specific points of concern and recommends award of bid to CareFirst, Inc.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Kim Miskell, Assistant Purchasing Manager

Penny Opalka, Senior Manager, Human Resources

SUBMITTED BY: 

Stephen P. Starmer, C.P.M., CSBA, Purchasing Manager

Leslie R. Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:

FIRST READING

PROCESS STATEMENT:

On February 28, 2018, the Policy Committee discussed a new policy related to an ombudsman position and is being presented for discussion.  

Sample policies and regulations from other Maryland systems are provided for information.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S)

Elizabeth Barrett, Ken Kerr and Joy Schaefer, Board of Education Members

Jamie Cannon, Chief of Staff and Legal Counsel

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  

County Executive Gardner will speak to the Board about the county budget and potential impacts related to legislation and state decisions.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Jan Gardner, County Executive, Frederick County

SUBMITTED BY: 

Dr. Theresa Alban, Superintendent of Schools

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  

SECOND READING

PROCESS STATEMENT: 

On August 23, 2017 and January 24, 2018, the Policy Committee reviewed changes to Policy 439 Dress Code for Students.  At the Policy Committee’s request, Jamie Cannon, Chief of Staff and Legal Counsel, solicited feedback from the Frederick County Association of Student Councils Executive Board and the Principals Advisory Council.

On March 14, 2018, the Board of Education (Board) reviewed recommended edits to Policy 439. Some principals and students joined the Board’s discussion to provide their thoughts and perspectives for the Board’s consideration.

Policy 439 is presented today for the Board’s second reading. (backup1) 

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Elizabeth Barrett and Joy Schaefer, Board of Education Members

Jamie Cannon, Chief of Staff and Legal Counsel

SUBMITTED BY: 

Jamie Cannon, Chief of Staff and Legal Counsel

In accordance with Maryland’s Open Meetings Act, General Provisions Article § 3-305(b), (9) and (14), the Board will meet in Closed Session at 3:45 pm. in conference room 5A to consider matters related to negotiations with the Frederick Association of School Support Employees (FASSE), the Frederick County Teachers Association (FCTA) and a lease negotiating strategy for Prospect Street building.

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:

Frederick County Public Schools has partnered with Families Reaching, Influencing, Educating, & Networking for Down Syndrome (F.R.I.E.N.D.S.) to create posters representing students with Down syndrome in Frederick County. These posters were distributed to all of our schools for display in recognition of World Down Syndrome Day, in order to promote and foster awareness and inclusive opportunities for all. Katie Routzahn, parent of a student with Down syndrome, will briefly share with the Board the importance of this recognition day, after which staff will seek the Board’s recognition of March 21, 2018 as World Down Syndrome Day in Frederick County Public Schools. A PowerPoint presentation of all the posters created by F.R.I.E.N.D.S. will also be shared.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:

March 21, 2018 marks the 13^th Anniversary of World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD), a global awareness day which has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012. The date for WDSD being the 21st day of the 3rd month was selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome. The original idea was proposed by members of the European Down Syndrome Association and Down Syndrome International.

Down syndrome is a naturally occurring chromosomal arrangement that has always been a part of the human condition, being universally present across racial, gender or socio-economic lines, and affecting approximately 1 in 800 live births, although there is considerable variation worldwide. Down syndrome usually causes varying degrees of intellectual and physical disabilities and associated medical conditions. The Secretary-General of the United Nations said on March 21, 2012, "On this day, let us reaffirm that persons with Down syndrome are entitled to the full and effective enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. Let us each do our part to enable children and persons with Down syndrome to participate fully in the development and life of their societies on an equal basis with others. Let us build an inclusive society for all.”

PROCESS STATEMENT: N/A

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Michelle Concepcion, Director of Special Education & Psychological Services

Katie Routzahn, Parent of Brunswick School Community

SUBMITTED BY:

Dr. Keith Harris, Executive Director, Accelerating Achievement & Equity

In accordance with Maryland’s Open Meetings Act, General Provisions Article § 3-305(b), (9) and (14), the Board will meet in Closed Session at 3:45 pm. in conference room 5A to consider matters related to negotiations with the Frederick Association of School Support Employees (FASSE), the Frederick County Teachers Association (FCTA) and a lease negotiating strategy for Prospect Street building.

The Board welcomes and encourages public comment. With the exception of confidential and personnel related matters, and issues pending in appeals to a local or State Board, individuals may speak about matters relating to the school system. If individuals have specific concerns relating to the actions of staff members, such concerns may be communicated to the superintendent who will address the concern with the appropriate staff or if the concern is about the superintendent an individual may share that concern with the Board through written or private verbal communication.

If you are speaking as an individual you have up to 3 minutes and I ask that when the buzzer goes off that you complete your thoughts.  On behalf of an organization you have up to 5 minutes.

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Board approval of Quarterly Agenda.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:   At the January 14, 2015 meeting the Board voted to adopt the new quarterly agenda process and instituted a new process for submitting requests for future agenda items.

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.   

The April - June 2018 Quarterly Agenda is attached for board approval.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Mr. Young, Board President

SUBMITTED BY:  Mr. Young, Board President

The 2018-2019 Board of Education meeting calendar has been revised and posted below.  If approved, the June 2019 retreat will be held on June 19, 2019.

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: To review progress measures, as well as relevant accomplishments, challenges, and strategies, for Goal 4, Priorities 7 and 8 of the FCPS Strategic Plan.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: In the 2015-16 school year (SY), Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) initiated a new five-year Strategic Plan containing five aspirational goals, 10 priorities (two per goal), and subsequent measurable goals. Goal 4 states that FCPS will nurture relationships with families and the entire community, sharing responsibility for student success and demonstrating pride in all aspects of our school system. In support of Goal 4, Priority 7 states that FCPS will encourage and sustain collaborations with families and the entire community to support student success. Priority 8 states that FCPS will equip staff with the knowledge and tools necessary to be positive ambassadors who build support for our goals and initiatives. Thus, indicators relevant to measuring the progress for Goal 4, Priorities 7 and 8 include utilization of FCPS communications tools, parent engagement (via online grading, FOF subscriptions, conference attendance, volunteering, and social media), and stakeholder perception on communication . Baseline data from the 2015-16 SY were shared last year and progress will be discussed today as a second year of data are presented from the 2016-17 SY. Supporting data on accomplishments, challenges, and strategies related to Goal 4, Priorities 7 and 8 will also be shared.

PROCESS STATEMENT: A cross-departmental Strategic Plan Reporting workgroup was established to facilitate reporting on each goal. The System Accountability and School Improvement (SASI) department collects data on strategic plan measures from various FCPS departments. The first year of baseline data was presented across seven board meetings from August 2016-February 2017. In May 2017, the Board refined their measurable goals with consideration to baseline data. For all measures that incorporate survey favorability, the board is seeking >80% favorability from all respondent groups. Favorability is defined as the top two positive responses.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Jamie Aliveto, Director, System Accountability and School Improvement

Michael Doerrer, Director, Communications

Tracey Lucas, Executive Director, School Administration and Leadership

SUBMITTED BY:

Jamie Aliveto, Director, System Accountability and School Improvement

Mike Markoe, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: To provide the Board of Education of Frederick County with an overview and update on Maryland’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Consolidated State Plan.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: The ESSA Maryland State Plan has undergone an extensive planning process. The first round of official reporting and the updated Maryland Report Card will be unveiled in the fall of 2018. The 2018-19 school year will be the first time schools in Maryland are functioning under official state accountability reporting since the state’s School Progress Index (SPI) last reported in the 2013-14 school year. This presentation contains a high-level overview of the plan and includes information on measures, reporting, scoring, and identification of Comprehensive and Targeted Schools for Improvement.

PROCESS STATEMENT: In December of 2015, ESSA was signed into federal legislation. In the spring of 2016, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) began internal and external workgroups to begin drafting the state’s plan. A series of listening tours and stakeholder engagement opportunities occurred. On June 29, 2017, MSDE submitted the state plan to the Governor and General Assembly for comment. After responding to feedback, the plan was approved on August 22, 2017. MSDE submitted the plan to the U.S. Department of Education on September 15, 2017 and the plan was approved in January of 2018. The first round of reporting is slated for September/October of 2018. Data from the school year 2016-17 serves as a baseline. All data reported from the school year 2017-18 will serve as the first official year of reporting.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Jamie Aliveto, Director, System Accountability and School Improvement

SUBMITTED BY:

Jamie Aliveto, Director, System Accountability and School Improvement

Mike Markoe, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent

SB 639 / HB 1758 - Education - Public School Personnel - Disciplinary Hearing Procedures

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2018RS/bills/sb/sb0639T.pdf

On March 14, 2018, the Board alerted the Frederick County delegation's Senators to its opposition to this legislation. SB 639 passed in the Senate and will be heard in the Ways & Means Committee in the House on Thursday, March 29, 2018. On March 27, the Board alerted Delegate Afzali, who serves on this committee, to its opposition based on the following points:

• This bill would transfer the board responsibility to an arbitrator, an independent third party who is not required to balance of the employee’s interests and the school system’s on behalf of all students;
• Outside arbitrators, who by definition have no connection to the school system, should not be empowered to determine who should remain employed by the school system;
• Local boards represent the interests of the entire community – students, teachers, parents, businesses, government leaders – and must be able to decide when any specific individual’s actions should disqualify that person from teaching the students in that community, either temporarily or permanently;
• This bill would place these decisions in the hands of a single individual without any option to for the local board to consider and deliberate on the appropriate response to the employee actions at issue.

HB 1783 21st Century School Facilities Act

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2018RS/bills/hb/hb1783T.pdf

Key amendments to this bill, which addressed concerns of school boards in general, as well as FCPS facilities staff, and the Board's legislative principles, include:

• No action will be taken on developing a school facility index or ranking system to override local priorities;
• The removal of the section of the bill calling for a study of no longer providing state funding for systemic renovation projects (roofs, HVAC, etc.);
• creation a $10 million annual school facility safety fund.

A major amendment would remove from the Board of Public Works any final decision making authority on school construction projects. Instead, all final decisions on 100% of state funding for school construction projects would be made by an expanded and restructured Interagency Commission on School Construction.

SB 1262 - Public Safety - Background Information for Firearm License Investigations - School Crisis Welfare Officers (School Safety Act 2018: Prevention)

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2018RS/bills/hb/hb1262F.pdf

• As the bill title indicates this legislation would create a State Police workgroup on accurate and integrated background information on applicants for firearm licenses.
• The bill would also require the Department of Human Resources to provide the sheriff of each county at least one individual to work as a school crisis welfare officer.
• The duties of the school crisis welfare officer would be to: (1) investigate cases of potential violence in the local school system, particularly individuals that have been reported on more than one occasion to or by school officials and law enforcement agencies within the jurisdiction as potential dangers to the individual or the community; (2) assist schools in crisis response programs and in taking steps to prevent violence in the schools; and (3) assist in the investigation and prosecution of violent crimes that occur in or near the schools within the jurisdiction.
• SB 1262 is sponsored by Senators Astle, Miller, and Waugh.

SB 1263 - Public Safety – School Mental Health Services and Mental Disorder Weapon Restraining Order (School Safety Act of 2018: Anticipation)

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2018RS/bills/hb/hb1263F.pdf

• The bill would require local superintendents to enter into MOUs to foster coordination of mental health intervention and behavioral health services. The MOUs are to be between the school system and the County Sheriff’s Office; Department of Juvenile Services; Maryland Department of Health; Department of Human Services; State Police; and Local Health Departments that provide behavioral health care services.
• Beginning in the 2019–2020 school year, each local board would be mandated to establish mental health counselor services at each public school in the local school system based on a model policy developed by MSDE.
• A school mental health counselor providing services may not hold another position of employment at the school.
• A school mental health counselor providing mental health counseling services would be required to: (i) once each school year, meet with each student at the school in a private, exclusive meeting; (ii) provide ongoing mental health counseling services to students based on the individual needs of the student; (iii) provide crisis intervention and crisis management services; and (iv) provide additional mental health services deemed necessary.
• This bill would require MSDE to develop a model policy for the establishment of a threat assessment team, including: (i) policies on the assessment of student behavior and intervention with a student based on behavior that poses a threat to the safety of school staff or other students; and (ii) procedures for referral of a student to: 1. the local law enforcement agency; or 2. health care providers for evaluation or treatment, if appropriate.
• Beginning in the 2019–2020 school year, each local board would be required to establish a threat assessment team at each public school in the local school system based on the model policy.

The bill would also establish detailed procedures for the issuance of mental disorder weapon restraining orders; and create the new crime of knowingly threatening to commit or threatening to cause to be committed a crime of violence that would place five or more minors at substantial risk of death or serious physical injury.

SB 1264 - Primary and Secondary Schools – Law Enforcement Presence (School Safety Act 2018: Deterrence)

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2018RS/bills/sb/sb1264F.pdf

• This bill would require that each public school shall have an armed school resource officer present on school grounds during regular school hours on school days.
• The armed officer would be expected to perform screenings at the entrance to the school; regularly patrol school grounds; interact with students; participate in any fire drill or other school drill; and may use a dog may use a dog licensed under the Public Safety Article in performing their duties.
• SB 1264 is sponsored by Senators Jennings, Miller, and Waugh.

SB 1265 (Fiscal Note) - Education – School Safety Protection Standards and Grant Program – Established (School Safety Act of 2018: Protection)

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2018RS/bills/sb/sb1265F.pdf

• By July 1, 2019, MSDE, in collaboration with the Maryland Center for School Safety, must adopt school safety facility requirements for all public schools in the state.
• Beginning with the 2020–2021 school year, each public school must have: (1) secure and lockable classroom doors for each classroom in the school; (2) an area of safe refuge in each classroom in the school; and (3) surveillance and other security technology for school monitoring purposes.
• SB 1265 is sponsored by Senators Klausmeier, Miller, and Waugh.