In accordance with Maryland’s Open Meetings Act, General Provisions Article § 3-305(b), (1), (9) the Board met in Closed Session on 6/24/20 at 5:41 p.m. via teleconference to consider matters related to personnel and to receive updates on negotiations with the Frederick County Administrative and Supervisory Association (FCASA), the Frederick County Teachers Association (FCTA) and the Frederick Association of School Support Employees (FASSE).

PRESENTATION OF 1 BID CALENDAR ITEM

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: Staff would like to inform the Board of Education of Frederick County of an upcoming bid solicitation for Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS).

Bid 21M1, Snow Removal Services

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  The intent of this solicitation is to establish a contract for snow removal and de-icing services on school and office parking lots and roadways not serviced by FCPS staff.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Bill Meekins CPPB, CPPO, CSBO, CPCP

Larry Phillips, FMP, Custodial Services Manager

SUBMITTED BY: 

Kerrie Koopman CPPB, CPPO, Purchasing Manager

Leslie R. Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

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

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: The intent of this solicitation is to establish a contract for the upgrade of security and access controls for 58 school locations within Frederick County Public Schools. The upgrade will be in two phases. Phase I will include the replacement of hardware, with ancillary wiring and cabling. Phase II will include the installation of new door readers.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Bill Meekins CPPB, CSBO, CPCP, Purchasing Agent

Scott Blundell, Supervisor, Security and Emergency Management

SUBMITTED BY: 

Kerrie Koopman CPPB, CPPO, Purchasing Manager

Leslie R. Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

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

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:   The intent of this solicitation is to qualify Construction Management “Agency” (CMa) and Construction Management “At Risk” (CMAR) firms for future school construction projects.  Qualified Construction Management firms shall provide construction management services associated with the planning, design, cost estimating, bidding, construction management and consulting, warranty and close-out of a project.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Kim Miskell, CSBO, Assistant Purchasing Manager

Adnan Mamoon, Director of Capital Programs

SUBMITTED BY: 

Kerrie Koopman CPPB, CPPO, 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 our contracts with qualified non-profit mental health service providers for the delivery of mental health services to students.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Kim Miskell, CSBO, Assistant Purchasing Manager

Dana Falls, Director of Student Services

SUBMITTED BY:

Kerrie Koopman CPPB, CPPO, 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 the purchase and delivery of processed commodities to Frederick County Public Schools.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Shane Ryberg, Purchasing Agent

Robert Kelly, Senior Manager Food & Nutrition Services

SUBMITTED BY:

Kerrie Koopman CPPB, CPPO, Purchasing Manager

Leslie R. Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff seeks approval of School Construction Budget Amendment #21-01.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  Budget Amendment #21-01 proposes to transfer a portion of the surplus balance from the closed Catoctin High HVAC Replacement Phase II project into the Security Access Control Upgrades project.  Bids received for the Security Access Control Upgrades project exceeded the total budget.  A budget transfer is required to complete the project.

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):

Dawn Worrell, Accountant

SUBMITTED BY: 

Leslie Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  

The current Negotiated Agreement between the Frederick County Administrative and Supervisory Association (FCASA) and the Board of Education of Frederick County (Board) is in effect through June 30, 2022.  Salary and insurance, as well as one item at the discretion of either party, were open for negotiations.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: 

The negotiating teams for the Board and FCASA have reached tentative agreement for fiscal year 2021. FCASA conducted a ratification vote of its members and received a majority vote for approving ratification.

In summary, the following are highlights of changes with specific language attached:

1. Article VII – Salaries:  Effective July 1, 2020, eligible members of the FCASA unit will receive a step increment.   

2. Article VIII – Leave Benefits, Section 8.1: Effective July 1, 2020, an increase in annual leave shall be provided to twelve-month employees based upon Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) service time.

3. Article VIII – Leave Benefits, Section 8.11:  A unit member will be paid his/her salary, less the amount of workers’ compensation award, for a period not to exceed six (6) months or the remainder of the fiscal year, whichever is greater.

4. Article IX – Benefits/Insurance:  A 2.5% medical, prescription, vision, and dental insurance premium increase effective July 1, 2020; and, thereafter, a 2% insurance premium increase effective August 1, 2020.

5. Article XVI - Reimbursements, Section 16.1:  Updated to represent current practice regarding education expense reimbursement approval for non-doctoral graduate coursework and expanded timeframe for reimbursement.

Staff is recommending action by the Board for ratification and execution of the attached Addendum to Negotiated Agreement. (backup1)

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Tim Thornburg, Director of Human Resources - Chief Negotiator, Board of Education

Daniel Besseck, Jr. – Chief Negotiator, FCASA

Amy Schwiegerath – President, FCASA

SUBMITTED BY: 

Tim Thornburg, Director of Human Resources - Chief Negotiator, Board of Education

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: 

Staff and representatives from Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) law enforcement partners will present an overview of the school safety and the School Recourse Office (SRO) program.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:

FCPS has three law enforcement agencies that provide SRO coverage and staffing in schools, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO), the Frederick Police Department (FPD), and the Brunswick Police Department (BPD). The coverage provided is an in-kind service and is not funded from the FCPS budget. The FCSO assigns a deputy to all high schools, except Brunswick, which is staffed by the BPD. The SROs also provide coverage to the associated feeder schools. The FPD supplements SRO coverage at schools in the city limits and assigns officers to middle and elementary schools to support adequate coverage of all FCPS buildings. Staff will provide an overview of the program, the role of the SRO, the training that SROs receive, legislative requirements, and how they support the school community. 

PROCESS STATEMENT: N/A

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Scott Blundell, Supervisor of Security & Emergency Management, FCPS

Chief Milton Frech, Brunswick Police Department

Acting Chief Patrick Grossman, Frederick Police Department

Lt. John “Steve” Corbett, Frederick Police Department

Sgt. Rebecca Carrado, Supervisor, Frederick Police Department

Captain Ron Hibbard, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office

Lt. Mike Easterday, Commander, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office

SUBMITTED BY: 

Paul A. Lebo, Chief Operating Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: 

To provide the Board of Education (Board) a draft plan for the reopening of Frederick County Public Schools for the start of the 2020-2021 school year.  Staff members from the four stakeholder workgroups will be present to answer any questions that the Board may propose. 

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:

Dr. Karen Salmon, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, has required all local school systems to publish a Recovery and Reopening Plan pursuant to guidance provided by the Maryland State Department of Education in collaboration with the MD Department of Health and guidance from the Center for Disease Control.

PROCESS STATEMENT:

Staff asks the Board to consider the draft plan for recovery and reopening.  With Board consent, staff will seek public feedback on the proposal and will return with a final plan for Board approval no later than August 5, 2020.

PRESENTER/TITLE:

Mike Markoe, Ed.D.

Deputy Superintendent

SUBMITTED BY:

Mike Markoe, Ed.D.

Deputy Superintendent

Due to the critical health situation that our community is currently experiencing, the July 8th Board meeting will take place via teleconference. Should anyone wish to provide public comment, please send an email that includes your full name to: FCPSBoEmtg@fcps.org. Your message may be read on air if time allows. Please note that public comment is for statements, not questions. Questions that are submitted will be directed to the appropriate staff member for response.

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.  Public comment is not intended to be a question and answer platform with the Board.  Generally, the Board will not respond to comments made.

If you are speaking as an individual you have up to 3 minutes and will be asked to complete your thoughts when the buzzer sounds.  On behalf of an organization you have up to 5 minutes.

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff seeks Board of Education acceptance of the Elementary & Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund grant.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) has been awarded $4,008,532 ESSER grant from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.  Acceptance of this grant does not require FCPS to expend any additional funds.

The MSDE approved activities include:

1. Health and Safety, including face masks for staff and hand sanitizer for secondary schools.
2. Food Services, including elementary school lunch monitors and supplies to support meals served in the classroom.
3. Supplemental Services, including virtual summer school for selected elementary and middle schools, grades K – 2 in-person summer school, mobile literacy initiative, language foundations boost, and additional home and hospital teachers.
4. Recovery services for Challenges, Learning for Life, Pyramid, SUCCESS, and Special Education Pre-K programs, as well as Rock Creek School, including itinerant services, as well as services for remaining students with an IEP.
5. Professional Learning, including additional mentors for new teachers, distance learning mentors, and online training.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):      

Heather Jo Clabaugh, Budget Officer

SUBMITTED BY: 

Leslie Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: 

To seek Board of Education approval of a Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Prekindergarten (PreK) Expansion Grant to support students at Lincoln Elementary, Monocacy Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary, and Waverley Elementary Schools.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: 

Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) was notified on Friday, July 3, 2020 that it had been awarded a grant from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to continue expanding full day prekindergarten classrooms.

Grant funds will be used for teacher and instructional assistant salaries, classroom start-up costs, outreach and family engagement events, and field trip costs. This grant will provide prekindergarten slots for 180 four-year-olds.

The amount awarded by MSDE for the FY21 Prekindergarten Expansion Grant is $900,000.  If approved by the Board of Education, grant funds would be used to:

• Hire certificated and support staff for new positions or changes in current staffing.
• Purchase start up materials and furniture for two classrooms.
• Identify and purchase resources and materials needed to enhance classroom environments.
• Strengthen parent outreach through home visits, family involvement nights, and community events.
• Complete quarterly program monitoring efforts including student data review meetings, structured visits, etc.
• Provide funding for four English Learner Instructional Assistants to support classrooms.
• Provide funding for two field trips per PreK Expansion Grant classrooms.
• Provide substitute coverage so that PreK Expansion Grant teachers can attend Ready at Five Conferences (fall and spring dates).An essential component of the Prekindergarten Expansion Grant is to improve slots from half-day to full-day. Students attending Hillcrest (HES), Lincoln (LNES), Monocacy (MOES) and Waverley (WAVES) represent a diverse population with many students qualifying for prekindergarten through family income limitations. All four schools currently offer full-day prekindergarten programs and the data proves that full day programming increases student achievement, social development and school readiness and students enrolled in the full-day programs outperform their peers in half-day programs as Kindergarten Readiness Data (KRA) shows. This grant will provide a full-day experience for all prekindergarten students in both the Lincoln and Monocacy districts.

Acceptance of this grant would 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 prekindergarten expansion.

Staff recommends approval of this grant.

PROCESS STATEMENT:  N/A

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Kevin Cuppett, Ed.D., Executive Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Innovation

SUBMITTED BY: 

Mike Markoe, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent

In accordance with Maryland’s Open Meetings Act, General Provisions Article § 3-305(b), (1), (9) the Board will meet in Closed Session at 4:00 pm via teleconference to consider matters related to personnel and to receive updates on negotiations with the Frederick County Teachers Association (FCTA) and the Frederick Association of School Support Employees (FASSE).