Education

Rep. Harris Seeks Federal Probe of Montgomery Co. Decision Delaying Private Schools Opening

August 7, 2020 by Maryland Matters 2 Comments

Maryland’s lone Republican member of Congress is calling for the federal government to investigate Montgomery County’s decision to delay in-person learning at private and parochial schools.

In a letter sent Thursday to Dr. Robert R. Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Rep. Andrew P. Harris (R) blasted the county’s decision, announced late last Friday, to prevent private schools from opening their buildings to students in the first weeks of the academic year.

The decision by County Executive Marc B. Elrich (D) and his health director, Dr. Travis Gayles, prompted swift and significant outcry. Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) this week amended an emergency order in order to prevent local governments from forcing private and parochial schools to stay shuttered.

Montgomery County Public Schools, like many other school districts in the state, is staying with remote learning until at least January due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Gayles issued an additional order Wednesday seeking to counter Hogan’s edict.

Harris suggested that Montgomery County’s move is part of “a long-fought campaign against private primary and secondary education.”

The congressman’s 1st congressional district takes in the Eastern Shore and northern parts of Harford and Baltimore counties, and comes nowhere close to Montgomery County.

In his letter to Redfield, Harris — an anesthesiologist — argues that Montgomery County’s COVID-19 positivity and hospital rates remain relatively low.

“It is not appropriate for a county health officer to preemptively impose a blanket mandate that no school can safely open, regardless of circumstance,” Harris wrote to Redfield. “…With these current metrics as a backdrop, I fear that Montgomery County, through Dr. Gayles’ repeated attempts to preemptively foreclose the prospect of any schools reopening (county public schools having already decided not to reopen), is using public health as a stalking horse to further a long-fought campaign against private primary and secondary education.”

Harris argued that a federal investigation of Montgomery County’s actions would be appropriate “[g]iven the large sum of federal funds that flow into county health departments, particularly during the present COVID-19 pandemic.”

“I respectfully request that CDC or the appropriate
authority within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigate the particular situation within Montgomery County, to ensure that all decisions are being made exclusively with our children’s best interest and public health in mind,” Harris wrote. “Anything less would be an abuse of their authority, a dereliction of duty, and a misuse of our federal public health funds.”

Harris’ letter came as Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr.’s (R) administration reiterated its authority over county officials on Thursday, stating that any “blanket” restrictions on in-person learning in private and religious schools goes against state policy.

“At this time, it is the health policy of the State of Maryland that non-public schools not be closed in a blanket manner,” Maryland Health Secretary Robert R. Neall wrote in a memo sent to all local health officers.

Citing Hogan’s executive order, Neall echoed that every school, public or private, should have the power to decide their own reopening plans, as long as they align with CDC recommendations and the Maryland State Department of Education’s recovery plan.

“Those determinations should be made in close consultation with the affected schools and local health departments with Maryland Department of Health guidance,” he wrote.

The memo came in response to Gayles’ order, prohibiting nonpublic schools in Montgomery County to reopen in-person through at least Oct. 1.

Over the last week, the county and the state have been disputing over who has the authority to decide when and how private schools should reopen.

In his letter to the CDC, Harris expressed concern about the detrimental behavioral effects on children if they continue to stay at home during the next school year.

“The continued rise in suicide and opioids death, coupled with the recognized mental health consequences of keeping children isolated, are of great concern to myself, Maryland’s First Congressional District, and the country at large,” he wrote.

Harris said the appropriate role of a local health officer should “to inspect the school to ensure proper guidelines are in place and being followed, not to override decisions made by a school or school system in compliance with the best available science and guidance.”

Harris wasn’t the only member of Maryland’s congressional delegation to weigh in on the controversy.

When asked Thursday what he thinks about the clash between Montgomery County and the state, U.S. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D) wrote in an email, “We all want schools to reopen but it has to be done safely.”

By Elizabeth Shwe

Much to Consider, Much At Stake in Who Makes School Closing Decisions and How

August 5, 2020 by Maryland Matters Leave a Comment

After months of deferring to local health officials for reopening decisions, Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) issued an emergency order Monday, overturning Montgomery County’s order prohibiting private and religious schools from holding classes on-site, in-person.

Reactions were strong and divided.

Some say Hogan seems to be contradicting himself.

“On the one hand, Hogan gave authority to local officials, but not any leadership. But then he doesn’t accept a situation that he does not like,” said Sen. Paul Pinsky (D-Prince George‘s). “He is cherry picking what group should get what.”

Sen. Paul G. Pinsky (D-Prince George’s). Photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters

At a press conference last week, Hogan said that it is the local governments’ job to enforce public health orders. “What the county leaders wanted was to make their own decisions,” Hogan said. “They don’t have to follow our plans when deciding when to close, they can do what they want.”

All counties must follow state law, but they can decide to be more restrictive than the state law, Hogan said. “That’s what the state constitution allows for, that’s what the federal plan calls for, what the state plans call for,” Hogan said. “They have those powers.”

But when Hogan issued his executive order Monday, in a statement, he called Montgomery County’s decision to shutter all schools “overly broad and inconsistent with the powers intended to be delegated to the county health officer.”

Public systems and private schools across the state are in the process of determining what instructional model they will adopt this fall. While Montgomery and other larger counties have indicated they will hold online classes, Hogan predicted last week that smaller systems will opt for on-site instruction.

While Montgomery County’s public schools have announced plans to hold virtual classes at least until January, the county’s order on private schools was to last only until Oct. 1, “to give people time to figure out appropriate plans and to give us time to get the numbers [the infection rate] down,” Elrich told Maryland Matters.

Montgomery County health officer Dr. Travis Gayles noted that school systems in Indiana, Texas, Mississippi and elsewhere were forced to close soon after reopening because students, teachers and/or staff tested positive for COVID-19.

Even under the executive order as Hogan revised it Monday, local health officials can still close individual schools if they are considered unsafe.

In times of emergency such as COVID-19, the governor has absolute authority to issue emergency orders, which takes precedence over any county order, said former Maryland attorney general Douglas F. Gansler (D).

Still, it is unclear where the line is on how much authority local health officials have, said Maryland Association of Counties’ executive director Michael Sanderson.

Sanderson said it is also ambiguous for related organizations, such as daycare and camp, that can be shut down at the county level. Some of these facilities might also want the same blank slate that the governor has given to private schools, he said.

Del. Eric G. Luedtke (D-Montgomery) called the governor’s actions hypocritical.

“To tell local governments to take responsibility and then take away their power to do their job — that’s frustrating,” Luedtke said.

Del. Trent Kittleman (R-Howard). Photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters

But Del. Trent M. Kittleman (R-Carroll & Howard) said she’s concerned that so much power had been delegated to one top health official in each county.

“It doesn’t sound very democratic,” Kittleman said. “For one person to have that much power and to make that decision for private schools is simply wrong.”

Luedtke said people should trust public health officials more than politicians during this pandemic.

Through his executive order, Hogan is suggesting that “public health decisions should not be made by a public health expert,” Luedtke said.

Luedtke and Pinsky expressed doubt that Hogan’s emergency order was scientifically driven, but rather politically driven to secure himself in the Republican party. After Friday’s announcement that Montgomery County banned in-person learning at private schools, the Republican caucus penned a letter, urging the governor to act.

“There is not a different science for private schools and public schools,” Pinsky said.

Kittleman did not view Hogan’s emergency order as a political decision, but instead, consistent with his general perspective that people should have a choice.

It is enough for the state to lay out the data of COVID-19 transmission rates and deaths and offer no more than guidance to local counties, she said. After parents review the data and the state’s suggestions, they should be able to decide for themselves whether they want to keep their children out of school or not, Kittleman said.

However, Pinsky criticized the state’s lack of specific “reopening metrics” for each county.

“If there are no metrics set as to what are the right conditions to reopen schools and they open prematurely, it is going to endanger the whole population,” Pinsky said.

Although keeping children at home may lower COVID-19 transmission rates, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines have also highlighted the negative impacts of extended school closure on children, especially on social and emotional development.

It is important to understand that there are downsides to both keeping children at home and bringing children back into school buildings, Kittleman said.

“The impact [of school closures] on children is more important to me than even if Hogan’s emergency order was somewhat inconsistent with his previous orders,” Kittleman said.

Gansler noted the ambiguity involved. “In some sense, there is some politics underscoring Hogan’s decision, but also actual health concerns,” he said. “This isn’t one of those things where there is a right or wrong answer.”

Independent schools have spent the summer figuring out how to balance academics and well-being of their students, so having the rug pulled out from under them on Friday is also something to consider, Gansler said.

As first reported by the Bethesda Beat, six families in Montgomery County private schools filed a federal lawsuit against Gayles on Monday, outlining the benefits of attending schools in-person and safety measures that the schools planned.

When lawmakers wrote the provisions of law under emergency declarations, they were mostly considering natural disasters, which typically last for just a few days, Sanderson said. “I am not sure all those laws hold up perfectly in the current circumstance, where we have been in a state of emergency for months.”

“It’s breathtaking how broad the emergency declaration powers are and what comes with it,” Sanderson said.

This executive order in response to a county order is a very rare situation in recent history because we haven’t had an emergency of this magnitude, Gansler said. “It is very unusual on many levels.”

By Elizabeth Shwe

Hogan Strips Counties of Power to Issue Blanket Restrictions on In-Person Instruction

August 4, 2020 by Maryland Matters Leave a Comment

Amid pushback against a Montgomery County order that impacted the school President Trump’s son attends, Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) moved on Monday to prohibit counties from issuing “blanket” restrictions on in-person instruction.

The two-word revision to the emergency order Hogan issued in early April follows Montgomery County’s decision to ban classroom instruction at private schools until Oct. 1. That decision, made on Friday, meant that Barron Trump would be unable to attend classes at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac.

The decision generated national headlines and was immediately denounced by General Assembly Republicans and Hogan, who reacted on Twitter. The president did not address the matter directly, but at 8:03 a.m. Monday he tweeted “Cases up because of BIG Testing! Much of our Country is doing very well. Open the Schools!”

Hogan’s revision to his April 5 executive order added “(except schools)” to a section granting the counties and Baltimore city the power to impose tighter restrictions on business activity and social interaction than the state’s.

His revised order was issued at 12:45 p.m., moments after Montgomery County Executive Marc B. Elrich (D) and Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles began an online interview with reporters.

“Private and parochial schools deserve the same opportunity and flexibility to make reopening decisions based on public health guidelines,” Hogan said in his statement. “The blanket closure mandate imposed by Montgomery County was overly broad and inconsistent with the powers intended to be delegated to the county health officer.”

Local health officials would retain the power to shut down individual schools for not following public health guidelines.

Montgomery County Executive Marc B. Elrich (D). Photo by Bruce DePuyt/Maryland Matters

Elrich and Gayles vigorously defended their decision to bar private schools from holding in-person classes at this stage of the coronavirus crisis.

“We’re operating in a pandemic situation,” Gayles said. “We continue to see increases in cases across the country, across the state and across the region, suggesting that we do not have control over the virus to date.”

A former public school teacher, Elrich suggested that Hogan — a potential 2024 presidential candidate — “may be under a different set of political pressures.”

“These kids deserve to be safe. The teachers deserve to be safe. And the staff deserves to be safe,” Elrich said.

In a follow-up interview, Elrich said he’s “really disappointed with the governor.”

“His change talks about plans but it doesn’t talk about conditions,” the executive said. “He has done the thing that really bothers me — you can have the best plan in the world for conditions that don’t exist. And since he started opening up the state, our numbers have traveled in the opposite direction. And this is just one more decision that I don’t think is based on any scientific basis and could cause us more problems, not less problems.”

“That really bothers me,” he added. “There’s nothing in there that talks about caseload and risk in the context of the decision he’s making. Nothing.”

Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City), also a former school teacher, criticized Hogan’s executive order on Twitter.

Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City). Photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters

“One might think there’s been sufficient evidence that science should trump politics during a pandemic, apparently not,” he said. “Clarity and certainty are essential for Marylanders. Arbitrary, discretionary second-guessing will only worsen this crisis.”

What was unclear in the immediate aftermath of Hogan’s revised executive order is whether Elrich could issue his own executive order prohibiting private schools from holding live classes — and if he has that authority, would he choose to use it, given the potential impact on the president’s son and the many influential people whose children attend elite schools in the county.

“As long as schools develop safe and detailed plans that follow CDC and state guidelines, they should be empowered to do what’s best for their community,” the governor said in his news release.

Gayles noted that school systems in Indiana, Texas, Mississippi and elsewhere were forced to close soon after reopening because students, teachers and/or staff tested positive for COVID-19.

Every day an average of 80 additional people become infected, Gayles said; 16% of the new cases involved individuals under the age of 20.

Gayles said the county’s order was prompted by reports that some private schools were thinking about starting classes — news that led to a town hall meeting.

“From that conversation it was very clear that there were significant gaps in terms of understanding COVID, understanding the principles of transmission, understanding very clearly the types of things that should be implemented to keep students safe, and the types of environment and the types of best practices that have been recommended as transmission-mitigation strategies,” he added.

Elrich and Gayles said the county’s daily infection rate dropped to 40-50 cases a day prior to the state’s move to Phase 2 of its reopening plan and Ocean City’s easing of restrictions on visitors. Since then, they said, the county’s “progress” against the virus had slipped.

Gayles noted that Montgomery County’s prestigious private schools draw from across the Washington, D.C. region and around Maryland. “In these jurisdictions, we’re seeing increases in cases, which again confirms that we are not seeing lower community transmission and we have not put a firm hold on the impact of the virus,” he said.

Within hours of Friday’s announcement that Montgomery County banned in-person classes at private schools, Republicans in the House of Delegates called on Hogan to take action.

“The Maryland Board of Education has said schools can open to in-person instruction if they comply with CDC guidelines and the guardrails established by the state,” said Minority Leader Nicholaus R. Kipke (R-Anne Arundel). “Every public school administration in the state has been given the opportunity to make a decision on reopening, the same opportunity should be afforded to private and religious schools.”

”This is a blatant abuse of power by an unelected bureaucrat,” House Minority Whip Kathy Szeliga (R-Baltimore and Harford counties) said, apparently referring to Dr. Gayles.

“To threaten imprisonment for the act of reopening a religious schools is draconian and flies in the face of the religious freedoms this state was founded on,” Szeliga added.

But Gayles said the numbers don’t support reopening schools of any kind.

“Reopening is built upon the premise of having lower community transmission and lower daily case loads,” Gayles said. “That is what should be driving the decision.”

On Twitter, Maryland Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot (D) stood with Elrich and Gayles against Hogan’s move.

“I disagree with Gov. Hogan’s decision here. If counties can decide when our public schools can re-open for on-site instruction, then why aren’t they empowered to follow the science and exercise basic common sense on behalf of all students & teachers?” Franchot tweeted.

“The top priority must be preserving public health — without which there will not be an economic recovery or a functioning education system. This is particularly true now that we can see that the COVID-19 disease is surging throughout the country at a truly alarming rate,” Franchot added.

But the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington was “grateful” to learn about the order, it said in a statement Monday afternoon, WTOP News reported. “We will continue to work with our educators and communities to ensure the safe re-opening of the schools of the Archdiocese of Washington and continue to place the health and well-being of our children at the forefront of our efforts.”

By Bruce DePuyt

Gunston Announces Modified Reopening Plans

August 4, 2020 by Gunston School Leave a Comment

The Gunston School has announced it will move forward in September with a Phased Reopening of its campus. In consultation with the Queen Anne’s Department of Health, Gunston’s Health Advisory Team and School Nurse/Health Coordinator, Gunston’s senior leadership team has spent the past three months devising a plan that balances the clear educational and psychological benefits of reopening its campus with the maximization of health, safety, and welfare of the community.

Building a new foot bridge to facilitate one-way travel through campus.

Phase 1 will begin with inviting new 9th grade students to campus for a modified Orientation. Tenth through 12th grade students will begin the academic year via distance learning, with the goal of having further class groups re-enter the campus in phases starting in late September.

Phase 2 prioritizes 12th grade students as the second group to return, given their seniority and college guidance needs. Exact dates will remain fluid, however in a best-case scenario, all students will be reintegrated by the end of the first quarter. Gunston will finalize the relevant benchmarks for determining when to greenlight further phases of re-entry over the next few weeks.

With regard to Gunston’s athletic season, the school is in close communication with the Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference (ESIAC) to formulate a plan that may permit limited conference competition starting in late September. Should ESIAC decide to suspend the season, Gunston will offer a robust intramural program.

Restructuring classrooms to accommodate social distancing.

“By starting with 25% of the student body on campus, as well as smaller numbers of faculty, the school has the opportunity to integrate a complex set of new health, screening, and safety policies with lower campus density,” explained Head of School, John Lewis. “New 9th grade students possess the greatest need for direct connection with their teachers and classmates, and they are easier to cohort, given their schedules.”

This approach also allows Gunston to maximize the use of indoor and outdoor teaching space, as well as the opportunity to resolve any glitches related to concurrent teaching (where classes have students both inside the classroom and students connected online), lowers the initial student density on school transportation, and minimized a campus outbreak, should it occur.

“Most importantly, our Phased Reopening gives us opportunities to effectively adjust policies and procedures as they are implemented. Indeed, it is our belief that a cautious, phased reopening raises the chances of Gunston remaining open over the longer term,” said Lewis.

With regard to distance learning, Gunston has prepared all summer for this possibility, and expects to offer a best-in-class experience for those students participating. Every Wednesday since graduation, faculty and staff have spent the summer exploring and mastering various new technologies and the creative possibilities they offer. When not experimenting with how to integrate software, faculty attended weekly virtual professional development with educational experts.

This is a draft example of a “4+1 schedule” that will be implemented in Gunston’s phased reopening.

Gunston is switching to a 4+1 block schedule with a mid-week Wednesday of distance learning for all students. In addition to providing for a midweek deep cleaning (recommended by the QAC Health Department), this “+1” day allows the delivery of key elements of their mission—clubs, tutorials, advisory, and other individual meetings—that are constrained in a restricted, physically-distanced environment. It also gives students much needed screen breaks.

“Having evaluated the landscape, we are simply unwilling to make sweeping, months-long determinations about the structure of our school year, (e.g. distance learning until January, or guaranteed 100% on-campus attendance on September 1st),” said Lewis. “Of course, should the Health Department or the Governor mandate that we need to move to 100% distance learning, we must do so.”

“The decision has been made using the best-available science and after a thorough evaluation of our capacity to maximize learning and minimize risk. Given what we know, “throwing the doors open” is clearly a recipe for chaos; at the same time, starting the year with 100% distance learning does not align with what we know about mitigating COVID-19 and the negative psychosocial impacts of campus closures. We are also prepared to accommodate those students who wish to attend 100% remotely in the fall,” added Lewis.

“Over the next few days and weeks, we will be releasing communications with granular details on scheduling, health and safety policies, calendar events, transportation, and other important Q&A’s,” said Gunston School Nurse & Health Coordinator Fairuz Manion.

The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Learn more at gunston.org.

Gunston Students Receive Advanced Placement Scholar Awards

August 1, 2020 by Gunston School Leave a Comment

The Gunston School is very proud to announce 15 students received advanced placement (AP) scholar awards from the College Board this spring.

“This spring was a tough one. The format of the exams completely changed— they were administered at home, which was tough for students with spotty internet access or distractions, and the format changed from multiple choice questions to only free-response questions, meaning you can’t guess—you just had the questions and the knowledge in your brain to work with. So this was a big shift from how students were used to preparing for AP exams, but like everything else this year, they handled it really well,” explains Director of College Guidance, Kellee Webb.

Photo: top row (l-r): Gunston School AP Scholars with Distinction include William Newberg ’20 (also a National AP Scholar and Gunston’s Valedictorian), Aeropl Bai ’20, Isabella Santoboni ’20, and Qirui Wang ’20. AP Scholars with Honor include Andrew Amygdalos ’20 (top row, right), (second row, l-r) Annie Bamford ’20, Max Scott ’20, Peter Sharpless ’20, Charles Shifrin ’21, and Yaxuan Zhuo ’20. Third row (l-r) pictured are AP Scholars including Abigail Miller ’22, Sydney Nittle ’21, Ethan Nuessle ‘21, Sean Riley ‘21, and Owen White ‘20.

AP Scholars (students who scored a 3 or more on at least three AP exams) include Abigail Miller ’22, Sydney Nittle ’21, Ethan Nuessle ‘21, Sean Riley ‘21, and Owen White ‘20.

AP Scholars with Honor (students who average a minimum of 3.25 on the AP exams they take and score 3 or more on at least four of those exams) include Andrew Amygdalos ’20, Annie Bamford ’20, Max Scott ’20, Peter Sharpless ’20, Charles Shifrin ’21, and Yaxuan Zhuo ’20.

AP Scholars with Distinction (students who average a minimum of 3.5 on all their AP exams and score 3 or more on at least five of these exams) include Aeropl Bai ’20, William Newberg ’20, Isabella Santoboni ’20, and Qirui Wang ’20.

In addition, Will Newberg ’20 was also named a National AP Scholar, which is awarded to students who average at least a score of 4 in all the AP exams they take and score 4 or more in at least 8 of those exams. Newberg was the valedictorian of Gunston’s graduating class of 2020.

“We’re incredibly proud of our AP Scholars,” noted Head of School, John Lewis. “They have challenged themselves to meet the highest standards of academic excellence, and succeeded.”

The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Learn more at gunston.org.

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Talbot Schools to Start Year with Virtual Instruction, Phase in Classroom Learning

July 31, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Talbot’s public schools will start the school year Sept. 8 with virtual learning for all students with in-person instruction phased in throughout the fall semester depending on COVID-19 trends.

The Talbot County Board of Education approved the phase-in model for the 2020-21 school year during a special July 30 meeting.

The board also voted to make Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, the start date for students.

Kelly Griffith, superintendent, Talbot County Public Schools

“After preparing our buildings with safety precautions and in consultation with the Talbot County Health Officer, I am recommending we begin the school year with virtual instruction and learning the first week of school for all students,” Kelly L. Griffith, Talbot’s school superintendent said in a statement. “Starting the second week of school we will begin following a phase-in model to bring more and more students back into the building quickly and safely.”

The plan includes five phases, and transitions of any of these phases will be pending a daily evaluation of health statistics with Dr. Fredia Wadley, the county’s health officer.

The phases are:

• Phase 1/Red Model: All students will participate in virtual instruction four days per week. Talbot County Public Schools will provide a schedule for each level, lessons will be synchronous and traditional grading and attendance practices will be in place. Teachers will provide asynchronous instruction one day per week. This will begin on the first day of school.

• Phase 2/Orange Model: Priority special population groups will be offered face-to-face instruction some days per week with virtual instruction on other days. This will begin on Sept. 14 if surveys indicate sufficient participation.

• Phase 3/Hybrid Yellow Model: Prekindergarten, kindergarten, Grade 6, and Grade 9 students will be offered face-to-face instruction two days per week on the AA/BB plan. Virtual learning will take place on off-site school days. This provides time for various groups new to a school setting to get acclimated to the learning environment. This would begin on Oct. 5, which is the fifth week of school.

• Phase 4/Hybrid Yellow Model: All students in prekindergarten through Grade 12 will be offered face-to-face instruction two days per week on the AA/BB plan. Virtual learning will take place on off-site school days. This will start Nov. 9, the ninth week of school and the beginning of second quarter.

• Phase 5/Green Model: All students in prekindergarten through Grade 12 return to face-to-face instruction five days per week. This transition will only occur when authorized by the governor and the Maryland State Department of Education.

“So much changed in our world this past March,” Griffith said in a letter to parents. “What did not change was the way TCPS staff handled adversity while still doing what is right for children, and the unwavering commitment of the community to assist us in coming back this fall stronger.

“I commend everyone for working with us in planning for recovery, connecting households, and feeding our children throughout the summer,” she wrote. “This fall will definitely be different for both students and staff. I would like to thank all families for your support and vote of confidence in working the plan!”

The next steps as presented to the board are as follows:

• Continue to revise the recovery plan to include a more robust plan for starting the school year.

• Survey parents and staff of priority special populations in order to be able to transition small groups.

• Continue to increase connectivity in homes.

• Continue to monitor stage development by the governor and be ready to respond quickly.

• Continue development of blended virtual program as an alternative for second semester.

The final plan will be presented to the school board at its Aug. 12 meeting and will be posted as required by MSDE on or before Aug. 14.

Schools Hold Virtual Community Partner Event

July 30, 2020 by Talbot County Public Schools Leave a Comment

Since 2016, Talbot County Public Schools has been celebrating and thanking their Community Partners at an annual breakfast. A District Community Partner of the Year is recognized, as well as a partner of the year for each school and for the Internship Program. The event has grown from about 50 attendees to nearly 200. This year, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, TCPS opted to hold a virtual celebration that was shared on the school district webpage, through Social Media and by email. The virtual celebration included testimonials about each partner of the year, as well as remarks from Dr. Kelly Griffith, Superintendent and Ms. Juanita Hopkins, Board of Education President.

In the weeks following, representatives from the schools personally presented awards to each Community Partner of the Year.

“I’m so sad that we can’t have you all in the Firehouse with us this morning with the wonderful food from our Culinary Arts program,” said Dr. Kelly Griffith, Superintendent in her “welcome”. “We could not do this job alone. As Henry Ford once said, ‘Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. We’re making that progress, and we are being successful and we need you to continue your partnership with Talbot County Public Schools.Thank you so much for all you do to support us.”

The full virtual celebration can be found at this link:

https://www.tcps.k12.md.us/2019-20/community-partner

District Partner of the Year – ShoreRivers

L-R: Rebecca Murphy, Community Programs Manager, Suzanne Sullivan, Director of Education, Bill Keswick, Supervisor, Science K-12

Thanks to Suzanne Sullivan and the team at ShoreRivers, Talbot County Public Schools was able to provide a top rate Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience for students in third and tenth grades. ShoreRivers assists the school system in many ways, from providing teacher professional development to delivering lessons to the students to financial support. Students look forward to the visits where educators from ShoreRivers come into the schools to provide lessons as well as lead the field experiences and environmental action projects. The lessons delivered are a result of collaboration between ShoreRivers, teachers and the science supervisor to ensure that they are truly meaningful for the students involved. Teachers are also provided with professional development opportunities throughout the school year and during the summer.

Also this year, the 7th Grade Gifted & Talented Program worked with ShoreRivers to create a Plastics Podcast as part of ShoreRivers plastics education initiative. With their help, students researched, wrote, interviewed, recorded, and edited group based podcasts that help inform the public of the pros and cons of plastic. These podcasts were then shared through ShoreRivers media outreach. The podcasts were also entered in the NPR Student Podcast Challenge. Because the podcasts were part of an educational outreach, the students were able to earn 60 service learning hours.

ShoreRivers has made extensive contributions to teaching and learning for Talbot County students, so we are very pleased to recognize this great organization as the 2019-2020 TCPS District Community Partner of the Year.

Chapel District Elementary – Willow Construction

Chapel District Elementary School would like to recognize Mike Hiner with Willow Construction for his outstanding dedication and commitment to the school community. Mr. Hiner has helped the Grandparents Club to spearhead the electronic sign project, by serving as the general contractor for the project at no cost for Chapel District Elementary School. With Mr. Hiner’s leadership and expertise, he was able to assist with filing permits, drawing up blueprints, coordinating electric, and countless other tasks, in order to make the electronic sign installation at Chapel District Elementary School a reality. Mr. Hiner also assists the school in many other capacities. Mr. Hiner and Willow Construction have generously donated to adopt classrooms for needed supplies, and have also donated toward the 5th grade class. He has dedicated his time during the week to coach one of the PTO Basketball teams here at school, participates in our Junior Achievement program, has made generous donations to the Breakfast with Santa event, and has donated to the CDES playground project. Mr. Hiner continues to give back to his community, thus improving the lives of youth at Chapel District Elementary School and within the entire Cordova community.

Easton Elementary – Dobson – Educational Systems Federal Credit Union

Easton Elementary Dobson has recognized Dominic Powell with Educational Systems Federal Credit Union for his amazing support of the students and staff and Easton Elementary School Dobson. Throughout this school year, Mr. Powell has reached out to offer support in any way we needed. He generously supported educational projects by attending the Mission Possible fundraiser for Talbot County Public Schools. Mr. Powell reached out in early September to see how he could help the families at our school. When he learned that many families could not afford to buy winter coats for their children, Mr. Powell came through with a donation of four hundred dollars which paid for twenty-five brand new coats, hats and gloves to needy students. His kind donation brought many smiles to the faces of students! Mr. Powell also provided lunch for our professional development sessions. Easton Elementary School is so thankful to have the support of Mr. Dominic Powell and Educational Systems Federal Credit Union!

Easton Elementary – Moton – Amy Cool’s Ice Cream Express

Amy Carroll of Amy Cool’s Ice Cream Express has been an outstanding community partner at Easton Elementary School-Moton. She supports school-wide initiatives at Easton Elementary through generous donations and partnership. This year Amy approached Mrs. Bowen and wanted to know how she could directly support the students at the school with our PBIS program. Amy’s Cool Ice Cream Express came to school and gave free ice cream as an incentive for students who demonstrated excellence with the school wide PAWS. She worked to make connections with the students and even spoil the staff. Every time Amy visits she says, “call if you need anything” and she means it. During the recent pandemic, Amy has reached out to offer support in feeding our children. She continues to go above and beyond for our school community. We are so grateful for her generosity and dynamic partnership!

Easton Middle – NOAA Environmental Science Training Center

Krysta Hougen and Bart Merrick, from the NOAA Environmental Science Training Center, led 6th grade Easton Middle School students on an amazing real life research project that was not only a learning experience for them but a benefit for the town of Easton. Just behind Easton Middle School is a stream in desperate need of restoration. Ms. Hougen and Mr. Merrick led our students on a mission to begin the restoration of the Papermill Branch stream. They planned thoughtful lessons, gathered all of the resources, and began carrying out the extensive restoration project behind the school. They carefully took into consideration the needs of teachers and students while coordinating with the town and the school district so that we could take part in this awesome opportunity.

Down at the stream the 6th graders at Easton Middle tested the physical, biological, and chemical aspects of the stream habitat. Ms. Hougen and Mr. Merrick helped our students think like scientists and taught them how to do thorough observations and precisely record their findings. After collecting data, students compared findings between all 6th grade classes and calculated averages to report the overall health of the stream. This important data will be given to the Town of Easton to make decisions as we monitor the progress throughout the years.This will be a project that our students will remember from their middle school careers. We are so appreciative to Krysta Hougen and Bart Merrick, from NOAA Environmental Science Training Center, for providing this opportunity to our students.

Easton High – Konsyl Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

This school year, Konsyl supported our CTE Biomedical and Science programs with a large donation of required supplies and materials for student lessons and labs.

Konsyl’s generosity included donations of personal protective equipment, incubators, lab materials and other products that supplemented all the scientific lab programs and the biomedical science career completer. The donations were far more than we could have expected and were invaluable to Easton High School. They were so generous that Easton High was also able to assist and support programs at SMMHS as well! We are very fortunate to have Konsyl Pharmaceuticals as a Community Partner!

St. Michaels Campus – Perkins Family YMCA

The St. Michaels community has benefited greatly from the opening of the new Perkins Family YMCA last spring. It is for this reason that St. Michaels Elementary School and St. Michaels Middle High School joined forces to nominate one organization as our Community Partner of the Year for 2019-20. This community partner impacted families and staff members year-round in many ways. The Perkins Family YMCA staff are welcoming and accommodate sixth-grade students as they benefit from a free student membership throughout the school-year. In addition, all middle school students may participate in safe and healthy after school programs. Secondary students have a place to go where they have a positive social and physical environment between school and afternoon/evening activities. Elementary students continue to benefit from our partnership each year when we plan for our summer learning program. Select students in grades 1^st through 4^th have participated in school-based enrichment activities in the morning, and games and swimming in the afternoon. Staff members were surveyed and offered group exercise classes geared toward their health needs and schedules. Finally, during the closure due to the COVID19 crisis, the YMCA has served as a day care facility for the children of our most essential workers- our health and emergency professionals in the community. All of these examples are in just the first year of partnership. A huge thank you from the entire St. Michaels campus to this amazing partner!

Tilghman Elementary – American/Holiday

Timothy Law from American/Holiday has created a design plan for the Common Room at TES. It is a wonderful nod to all things Tilghman and the special culture we have here on the eastern shore. He is planning to donate both his time and products to rejuvenate this space into a warm, welcoming multi-purpose room for TES students and staff. They will be able to engage in rigorous instructional activities and teaching while being comfortable and mindful in this area. Mr. Law’s goal is “to create a fun, interactive, functional, and modular space that celebrates and honors Tilghman Island and encourages children to feel great about themselves and their community.” Every detail and special touch have been included from the handcrafted pillows to the beautiful indoor/outdoor rugs.

White Marsh Elementary – American Legion Talbot Post 70

This school year, under the directorship of Commander Danny Adams, the American Legion Talbot Post 70 supported the three largest events held for White Marsh families.

The American Legion’s generosity includes donations made to the Annual Family Fun Fair, our Thanksgiving Gift Baskets and Christmas/Holiday Gift Baskets for WMES families. For our Family Fun Fair, Post 70 donated bicycles, bike helmets and several sports balls to be raffled. For Thanksgiving, a cash donation of $750 was received and for Christmas, a cash donation of $1,000 was provided by Post 70 to purchase food for baskets which were contributed to and organized by our Grandparents’ Club. WMES is very fortunate to have the American Legion Post 70 and Mr. Adams as a Community Partner, and the staff, students and families are all extremely grateful for their kindness and generosity!

Internships – Easton Utilities

Talbot County Public Schools relies heavily on their partnerships with community stakeholders to assure meaningful opportunities for our students. Easton Utilities has exemplified this by not only providing a number of careers to explore, but also genuinely preparing them for the working world. Melissa Book and the staff at Easton Utilities have gone above and beyond to help students with the interview process, soft-skill development and sharpen their public speaking skills. Thanks to the high expectations that are set, students who complete an internship with Easton Utilities have a better understanding of the real world and deeper appreciation for their community. Thank you Easton Utilities.

“Our theme for today is “Engagement builds Connection”, said Juanita Hopkins, Board President, in her closing remarks.“You have enthusiastically engaged in what I consider to be our most essential function as a community, preparing ALL of our children to be ready to transition to college or a career. As we look ahead to our next school year, we hope you will seek opportunities to build an even greater connection to our school district. THANK YOU!”

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Chesapeake Forum Fall 2020 Semester

July 30, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Chesapeake Forum’s fall semester is right around the corner! The semester begins in September with Wayne Bell’s Birds and Birding in our Eastern Shore Backyard, and concludes in mid-November with Ron Lesher’s, A Traveler’s Guide to Black Holes. We will keep you in suspense regarding the rest of the curriculum, but rest assured, our fall semester courses are educational, inspirational, and fun!

Because of COVID-19 concerns, our curriculum will be presented via Zoom video conferencing. We hope to plan for in-person classroom sessions in 2021 when actual classroom space is available. If you are not getting our monthly Chesapeake Forum Newsletter, please send an email to info@chesapeakeforum.org with your name and preferred email and we will add you to the list. August 24th is the day that registration begins. Some of the classes have limited numbers so be sure to register early. For more information about Chesapeake Forum be sure to follow the link to the website at www.https://chesapeakeforum.org/ or follow us on Facebook.

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The Summer of Upskilling: Gunston’s Faculty Ups its Game

July 26, 2020 by Gunston School

After the spring’s crash course in distance learning, the faculty and staff at The Gunston School have spent the summer upping their game by exploring and mastering various new technologies and the creative possibilities they offer.

When not experimenting with how to integrate software—FlipGrid, Nearpod, Edpuzzle, Pear Deck, Quizlet, and others to name a few—Gunston’s faculty attended weekly virtual professional development with educational experts every Wednesday this summer. In addition, every faculty member is now Level 1 Google Educator Certified.

Some of the weekly topics discussed include leveraging mind-brain education strategies, integrating social-emotional learning, incorporating diversity, equity and inclusion in lesson plans, as well as thinking deeply about extended instructional time. Faculty members are also becoming Apple Teacher Certified, documenting their micro-credentialing process using individual Google Sites, which allow them to share their ideas, progress, and advice with each other.

Click on https://flipgrid.com/+morningmeeting and enter the password GoGunston to see an example of a FlipGrid.

“Planning for teaching this fall feels a bit like packing for the study abroad program I did in Wales,” says Emily Beck, Director of the Chesapeake Watershed Semester and Environmental Programs, who currently also serves as the Director of Distance Learning and Co-chair of the Distance Learning Steering Team. “I knew I spoke the language, would be traveling with other students from Colgate University, and had a place to stay, but beyond that, so much was unknown to me. As I packed my bags, the piles grew higher and higher. Clothes for three seasons—hiking and trips to the city—sheets for my bed, camera, laptop, etc. My suitcase, dubbed ‘the body bag,’ was stuffed to the gills and probably earned an overweight baggage fee.”

In a way, Gunston’s faculty is doing the same thing—they’re packing their teaching plans with instruction for different scenarios, including shifting guidance from health professionals, and with attention to new and enduring student needs.

Music Department Chair and Performing Arts Teacher Jessica Newell created a distance learning music website for students using Google Sites, which included resources, a feedback form students could use to make suggestions or express a concern, and fun activities students could do online together such as Soundtrap, which offers collaborative music-making. Each student adds their own track, creating beats, and implementing effects.

In another project, Newell used Screencastify to make an instructional video to help students use the Music Map program to complete an assignment in which they navigate the world of music genres.

Watch video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw0zTSQ7DHA&feature=youtu.be

“I’ve enjoyed adding all these new tools to my teaching toolbox,” says Newell, who attended a two-day virtual conference for Maryland Music educators. In addition, she attended the Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS) Equity Playbook Workshop by the Wells Collective with several other members of faculty and administration. The workshops focused on how to create anti-racist curriculum and understanding school culture.

Dr. Sarah Lipchock, who teaches Chemistry has had her own YouTube Channel since 2015, when she developed and implemented a “flipped classroom.”

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRwfyFJOjxRly1qPMuHoAaw?view_as=subscriber

“Using a flipped classroom model (where students watch video lectures as homework and do labs and problems in class) improved student outcomes,” explains Lipchock. In this video, she used the Notability App as a whiteboard during a synchronous Google Meet with chemistry students. “The whiteboard function allows me to talk through problems in the same way that I would in class, or in a tutoring session,” explains Lipchock, who edits students out of the recording sessions to protect privacy before adding to her YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=93&v=vmTmaqPqdDY&feature=emb_title

Director of College Guidance Kellee Webb used Nearpod to bring her students up to speed about the rapidly changing college admissions process. “News was changing so frequently for juniors, who were understandably anxious about their college options this spring,” explains Webb. “I created this Nearpod of the most current information as it came in and students could post on the collaboration cork board and discuss their answers in a synchronous class.”

Over the course of the summer, Webb has attended the National Association of Independent Schools Diversity Leadership Institute in addition to a variety of workshops on anti-racist educational practices, bystander intervention and de-escalation training. “All of these are hot topics on university campuses. We would needlessly place our students at a distinct disadvantage if we didn’t discuss these issues before they head to college.”

Head of School John Lewis, who himself continues to teach a section of AP Government, shared, “In the face of these unprecedented circumstances, our teachers continue to rise to the challenges placed in front of us. As a teacher myself, I’ve also been deeply supported by our summer upskilling program, and I’ve grown more this summer as a teacher than in any other summer I can remember. Whatever the fall brings, I feel confident that we’ll be ready.”

In a rapidly changing world, Gunston is at the forefront of an educational renaissance, be it daily in-person instruction, distance learning, concurrent instruction, or a mixture of all three. As Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius said, “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

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Mullen Takes Helm at WRUS

July 24, 2020 by Wye River Upper School

What started out as a plan to retire evolved into the next chapter of Dave Mullen’s life, as he moved to the Eastern Shore to serve the community, staff, and students at Wye River Upper School.

On July 1, Mullen took over as the Interim Head of School at Wye River, a school with a familiar mission and job requirements to where he spent almost 30 of his 41 years in education.

Having served as Head of School at The Nora School in Silver Spring, Md, for 29 years, moving into this position came naturally to Mullen. He aims to serve as the bridge between the founding Head of School, Chrissy Aull, and her long-term successor to be chosen later this year.

“The work that is done here at WRUS is the work I’ve done for most of my career,” Mullen said. “I really enjoy working with teens who have been frustrated in school, and for whom learning does not always come easily.”

The exemplary reputation of WRUS drew him to seeking the position.

“It’s important for me to be working with teachers and colleagues who have a true calling and commitment to improving the lives of kids, and I knew I’d find that at Wye River,” Mullen said.

A graduate of New England Conservatory of Music, Mullen earned a Master’s degree in Education in Administration and Supervision from the University of Maryland in 1991. For the past 29 years, he led The Nora School, a small independent college preparatory high school focusing on students with diverse learning styles. He retired as Head of School on June 30.

“I understand our students’ and families’ challenges because I’ve been doing this work for a long time. My own kids have had their learning struggles at various points,” Mullen said. “I know how challenges in school can impact families’ lives, and now they have even more turbulence to navigate as they work around COVID-19. The interim role is new [to me], and I’m excited to be seeing new ideas, learning, and meeting new people.”

Mullen also added he is “happy to help the school ‘set the table’ for the next leader and the next phase of the school’s growth.”

One of the challenges with which Mullen is grappling is how COVID-19 is affecting students. He has been working with the staff at WRUS in planning for both hybrid and online scenarios next fall.

Mullen also understands that the disease may be a factor for the foreseeable future. For him, that face-to-face interaction is critical to both academic learning and emotional health whether it is in person or virtually.

“Wye River did a terrific job moving online last spring and having classes meet every day, virtually, through the end of the school year. That kind of commitment shows real planning, thoughtfulness and attention to detail,” Mullen said.

Rather than having students constantly on a computer screen, he is enthusiastic about Wye River’s commitment to integrating daily physical education. He also hopes to develop the school’s mindfulness program to assist students, parents, and teachers in coping with the anxiety of today’s world.

Tackling a few elements of the Strategic Plan this year, Mullen will keep Wye River moving in the positive direction that has been the hallmark of the school’s 18-year history.

“I want to support the folks who’ve made a career here, and help them fulfill their hopes and dreams for the school going forward,” Mullen said. “We’ve been living in an age of anxiety for the last 20 years, from Sept. 11 to the great recession to the turmoil of the last several months. These kids have grown up having known nothing different.”

He continued saying “there’s a great need to take care of the people in our small

communities and help them navigate and get through these challenges in healthy and productive ways.”

One person who knew that Mullen could take on this leading role was founding WRUS Head of School Chrissy Aull, who said “with Dave at the helm of WRUS, I can rest well knowing that he is up to the daunting task of readying the school for all the matters Corona related. I don’t think there is any aspect of this challenge that Dave is not ready to address. He will lead the staff and families through this unforeseen situation.”

About Wye River Upper School:

Wye River Upper School is an independent high school serving the strengths and needs of bright students with learning differences. Located in Centreville MD approximately 20 minutes east of the Bay Bridge, WRUS offers daily bus transportation. For more info, contact Nicole Sophocles at 410-758-2922.

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