The Board of Education has continued to make significant progress in decreasing the ratio of students to teachers in the various Montgomery County special education programs, according to a report issued Thursday, May 30 from Dr. Jerry D. Weast, superintendent of schools.
The report said student-to-teacher ratios, authorized in the Board of Education’s budgets, have decreased or stayed the same in all but three of the 24 special education service areas since Fiscal Year 1999. In particular, there has been significant effort to reduce the student-to-staff ratio in the Learning/Academic Disabilities (LAD) program, which has gone from 14.9:1 to 12.7:1 in the last two years.
Dr. Weast provided the report to the Board of Education in response to “considerable misinformation being circulated in the community regarding the Board of Education’s action this week on staffing for special education services.”
The report, including a detailed table providing the yearly student/teacher staffing ratios for special education services, is available on the Internet at http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/info/press/SpEdStaffRatios.pdf.
Washington Episcopal School’s (WES) sixth-grade band won first place in Elementary Band Class A competition with a rating of Excellent in a multi-state educational festival sponsored by Music in the Parks on May 18. In order to make the day possible, the school faculty raised $360 for the band competition by going to work at McDonald’s on River Road. They made ice cream, greeted customers at the door and assisted at the drive-through and drink stations. Many WES families enjoyed a McDonald’s dinner that night, and a percentage of the proceeds went to WES. The sixth-grade held a bake sale that raised another $245 to defer the cost of competition, during the school’s Used Book and Media Sale on May 11.
Montgomery County Public Libraries will kickoff the “Race to Read” Summer Reading Club 2002 with a performance by Jaster, a mime, at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5 at the Quince Orchard Library, Gaithersburg. The Club will be held at all Montgomery County Public Libraries from June 20-Aug. 17. Participants will receive an activity log, a coupon sheet with prizes from sponsors, graded reading lists and flyers for library programs. Call the children’s librarian at any Montgomery County Public Library or 240-777-0200.
A public hearing has been scheduled for Thursday, June 6, from 7-9 p.m. by the Montgomery County Public Schools to receive community comments on proposed revisions to the administrative regulation governing student and staff use of computer systems and networks. Changes are being made in compliance with the requirements of the federal Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA).
The hearing will be held in the auditorium of Carver Educational Services Center at 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. Individuals wishing to speak at the meeting may call Sharon Patten at 301-279-3582. Each individual will be allotted three minutes to speak in the order that calls are received. Groups will be allotted five minutes.
A draft of the proposed revisions to administrative regulation IGT-RA is available at http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/info/press/Draft-IGT-RA.pdf or call 301-279-3582.
The Metropolitan Ballet Theater and Academy, 10076 Darnestown Road in Rockville, is offering three classes in drama and dance for all ages and levels. Dance and Drama Camp, for 8-11 year-olds requires no experience and offers two sessions. Both run Monday-Friday, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., either June 24-July 5, or July 8-19. The Choreography and Performing Workshop is an intermediate-level through professional-level class for dancers. The workshop offers two sessions. Both run Monday-Friday, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., either June 24-July 5, or July 8-19. Evening classes are offered for one six-week session for children and adults in creative movement, ballet and jazz. The session runs from June 24- Aug. 2. Call Maria Guerrero at 301-762-1757.
The Center for Adoptive Families is offering an all-day camp to help adoptive children make and keep positive friendships. The self-esteem and social-skills camp will help adoptive children feel less “different” through arts, crafts, music, games and role plays, and discuss topics like family, identity and feelings that adoptive children share. There are three 1-week sessions offered. Sessions 1 and 3 are offered in Rockville. Session 1 is held July 8-12 from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Session 3 is held from Aug. 5-9 from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Both will take place in the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy, 13300 Artic Ave. Cost is $275 per child and $250 for each additional child. Call 301-439-2900 or contact caf@adoptionstogether.org for more information.
Proposed revisions to the policy on parental involvement have been tentatively adopted for community comment by the Board of Education to ensure that there are successful strategies in place in every school to encourage and sustain active parent involvement.
The revised Policy ABC, Parental Involvement, would ensure that “parent involvement efforts reflect the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of local school communities.”
Individuals who wish to comment should respond in writing by July 12. Write to the Office of the Superintendent of Schools, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, MD 20850.
The revised policy is available at http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/info/press/DraftPolicyABC.pdf.
Montgomery County Public Schools is seeking volunteers to assist children in its “Summer Adventures in Learning” program. The program is offered at 18 county elementary schools and runs from July 15-Aug. 9. Volunteers are needed to work in the classroom and help with reading, writing and math. Extensive training is provided and will be held the week of June 24. Call 240-777-2600.
The Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission is seeking volunteers to work as nature camp counselors at the Locust Grove Nature Center in Bethesda and the Meadowside Nature Center in Rockville. Volunteers work under the direction of naturalist staff helping to prepare crafts, snacks and learning activities. They also accompany campers on hikes and field trips and lead games. Weekday, weekend and evening hours are available. Call 240-777-2600.
Six local girls received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award achievable in Girl Scouting. Only one percent of the nation’s Senior Girl Scouts win the award each year for a two-year project they design themselves.
Anna Britton, of Bethesda, with her partner, gave brief lectures to assist Junior Girl Scouts on the “Art to Wear” sewing badge; Lisa Byrne, of Rockville, designed a program to help children appreciate the value of reading and to prepare them for upcoming exams; Diana Ducey, of Bethesda, gave a lecture accompanied by displays and hands-on activities to help Junior Girl Scouts earn the “Art to Wear” badge; Sarah Tanno, of Bethesda, created puppet shows for children with various disabilities, to introduce Hans Christian Andersen stories to them; Margaret Wheltle, of Rockville, donated costumes for C&O Canal Costumed Interpretation Program and gave presentations to increase awareness; and Alexandria Kelli Wilson, of Bethesda, created brochures with information on the planning involved in selecting a pet and responsibilities that come with it.
College-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards were given to 11 local students: Phillip A. Anderson of Rockville, University of Maryland; Clifford C. Kaplan of Potomac, New York University; Stephen R. Bloom of Rockville, Vanderbilt University; Zachary J. Crystal of Potomac, Oberlin College; Rebecca L. Balon of Rockville, University of South Florida; Eugene H. Cook of Rockville, University of Maryland; Stanisla Datskovskiy of Rockville, University of Maryland; Benjamin D. Maggin of Rockville, University of Maryland; Danila S. Apasov of Bethesda, University of Maryland; Yuri Awanohara of Rockville, University of Southern California; and Shira Kolnik of Rockville, University of Maryland.
Matthew Boyle of Bethesda received his B.S. degree in television- radio-film at Syracuse University in New York during ceremonies held May 12.
Amy Burstyn and Evan Zatt, both of Potomac, received Bachelor of Science degrees from the Syracuse University School of Management.
Burstyn’s degree is in marketing management, and Zatt’s degree is in entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises and marketing management.
Daniel Mark Cohen, of Potomac, graduated from Johnson & Wales University with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management at the May ceremony, held at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Army Pvt. Michelle A. Daly, of Rockville, recently graduated from the automated logistical specialist advanced individual training course at Fort Lee in Petersburg, Va. Daly is the daughter of Eugenia S. Daly.
Michael Dirksen, of Bethesda, is a member of the Young Actors Theatre Group at Syracuse Univerisity, which received a Chancellor’s Award for Public Service.
Nicki Lehrer, of Thomas S. Wootton High, received a Discover Card Tribute Award scholarship. She is one of nine winners from the state of Maryland and was selected from a pool of nearly 7,500 applicants. The winners in each state go on to compete for nine national scholarships, each worth $25,000.
Sang Pong Yi, of Potomac, received a Doctor of Medicine degree from Duke University in North Carolina.