MCCPTA Delegates
Assembly
September 27, 2005
Carver Educational
Business Meeting
MCCPTA Committee Fair:
From 7 PM to 7:30 PM prior
to the business meeting a committee fair was held.
Opening Business:
Presentation of the Colors: Gaithersburg High School ROTC led by MSgt. Beatty,
USMC Retired
Pledge of Allegiance: Sharon St. Pierre
PTA Mission: Juan Johnson
Call to Order: President Cindy Kerr called the meeting to order at 7:35 PM. She asked
for a moment of silence for the families and those communities involved in the
recent violent events in
Welcome:
Cindy Kerr’s opening remarks
included references to the recent violence that has occurred in the community
and MCCPTA’s response. She was in contact with: County Executive, Doug Duncan;
Chief of the Montgomery County Police, Tom Manger; President of the County
Council, Steve Silverman; and Superintendent of Montgomery County Public
Schools, Dr Jerry Weast to discuss the roles that parents can take to protect
our children in the community. Our October Delegate Assembly program will focus
on bullying and gangs.
Our advocacy priorities that
are posted on the walls this evening are based upon the visits that the
officers made throughout the county this summer aided by area vice presidents, cluster
coordinators and PTA leaders. The advocacy points in italics are the areas that
are new compared to last year’s list. Please indicate your top priorities
tonight, if known, with the dots from your packet, or if not discuss it with
your locals and come back at the October meeting to indicate them. We have
included sticky notes, too for comments. In November we will have a business
only meeting and make a focus list based upon your feedback. We use the
advocacy priorities for testimonies and throughout the year to support MCCPTA.
The delegates represent 179 local PTAs. Each
local PTA is allowed two delegates and the PTA president is also considered a
delegate. The MCCPTA officers want to work cooperatively with you. Cindy
summarized the role of the president. Her role is to represent MCCPTA and
always represent children. She has no personal opinion or voice in her role as
MCCPTA president. The officers introduced themselves to the delegates. Cindy
explained how they work with the executive board of elected members. The
executive board is area vice presidents, cluster coordinators and committee
chairs. She went on to clarify that the question of the ability of the
executive board to act in between meetings of the delegates was brought to the MD
PTA. MD PTA confirmed that the executive board can act in between meetings (for
example, summer) if it acts in the name of the executive board only. An action
originated in the delegate assembly becomes an action of MCCPTA as an
organization.
Cindy gave a brief personal
description including her opinion of the list serv, family background, PTA
experience and that she is an employee of MCPS. She does not belong to the
union. It’s important for you to know my experience, where I come from and my
comfort level with advocacy. Cindy’s position as elected, and her charge, is to
work cooperatively with MCPS, the county council and the state legislators to
promote the work of MCCPTA. Cindy was elected to be a part of the MD PTA, too. MCCPTA
is the largest council in MD PTA. Cindy is trying to increase our presence and
the influence of
discussion, consensus and
bringing the locals together. Cindy wanted us to understand how we make the
decisions that we do.
Nominating Committee: Election of
Treasurer
Last year’s treasurer resigned
in the spring. Jane de Winter became acting treasurer. She was also the chair
of the nominating committee and that committee brought Juan Johnson’s name to
the executive board. Juan Johnson became interim treasurer as of July 1 based
upon executive board action taken at the June 2, 2005 executive board meeting.
Jane de Winter made a motion on behalf of the nominating
committee to nominate Juan Johnson to become the MCCPTA treasurer. Vicki Rafel
seconded the motion. No additional nominations were made from the floor and
Juan Johnson was elected treasurer by a voice vote.
Approval of Minutes:
The minutes from the April
26, 2005 delegate’s assembly were reviewed and stand approved as written.
Treasurer’s Report: Presentation
of Budget for Approval
Juan Johnson presented for
filing the treasurer’s report and statement of cash flows for July 1 through
September 27, 2005, and the balance sheet as of September 27, 2005. Based upon
these he showed the delegates the proposed 2005-2006 budget which includes
total income of $ 51,200; total expenses of $64,600; net profit(loss) of $13,400;
carry forward of $17,764 (not including $25,000 insurance premium reserve) and
projected cash on hand by June 30, 2006 of $4,364. When the budget is approved
it will become official. It isn’t included in the delegate packet until after
approval. It is a short budget based upon Juan’s conversations with and
recommendations of MD PTA.
Juan Johnson made a motion to approve the budget as
presented. The motion was seconded and passed on a voice vote.
The treasurer’s report will
be filed for audit.
President’s Report:
Please consider bringing as
many members in as possible. That is one way to look for new leaders. Delegates
were asked to look in their packets as Cindy reviewed the reminders included in
them, such as committees, trainings, and the “Three for Me” program. Future
mailings will be sent through the pony in the name of the delegate to the
president to your school to save on postage costs. We’ll post electronically,
too, on the bulletin. Please give us feedback on this system.
MCCPTA will be doing bylaws.
There is a bylaws committee meeting on October 6 and we will be bringing them
to you for your approval. The bylaws chair, Vicki Rafel, gave a summary of her
committee’s actions to date. (See business items below.)
There was a work group put
together by MCPS to focus on the new concept high school proposed by Dr. Weast.
MCCPTA was contacted “late in the game” and we only had three parents serve in
this group. The concept high school involves six overcrowded clusters –
Cindy also worked on policy
The steering committee for
middle school reform is working and will be very active. Shirley Brandman and
Juan Johnson serve on this committee.
We still have parents, like
Shirley Brandman, working on grading and reporting.
MCPS wants us to work with
them in a work group on Baldridge. MCPS has signed a commitment to the unions
to work in a climate of respect and is offering us that same respect and want
us to work with them on this and the parent
involvement piece of the strategic plan.
Dates to remember: October 5
MCPS is involved in a US Supreme Court case brought by a special education
parent against the system regarding burden of proof. There will be parents
meeting at the court I opposition to this passing.
October 1 is MCCPTA training,
October 6 is a bylaws committee meeting and community forum, October 27 CIP
forum and in November the MD PTA convention.
We’ll send everything out in
a written form. Cindy answered a question from Dana Wilson from
Committee Reports:
CIP – Policy FAA
Update/CIP Testimony:
Marney Jacobs, CIP co-chair
thanked those who wrote to the county council re: the Spending affordability
guidelines. The county council approved the spending affordability. Continue to
contact them, please.
Operating Budget: Jane de Winter said that the last MCPS operating
budget forum is Thursday, October 6 from 7 to 9:30 PM at
Vacancy in Spotlight
Committee Chair
Business Items:
Update on MCCPTA Bylaw
renewal:
Bylaws Chair, Vicki Rafel
stated that every non-profit is required by the IRS to regularly review their
bylaws. MD PTA has a new format for council bylaws with a few changes. The
bylaws committee welcomes others to join them at their four meetings over the
next month. They will bring a draft to the executive board meeting probably in November;
the delegates will receive it at the November meeting. You’ll have time to look
over them and then we will vote on it at the January delegate’s assembly.
Following the vote we will submit it to MD PTA. Until that time we are
operating under the current bylaws found in the “blue book” and on the MCCPTA
website.
Presentation of Executive
Board Summer Resolutions/Motions:
Directory Resolution
This summer the executive
board passed a resolution in the name of the executive board in response to
outside use of school directories piloting the sex education curriculum by an
organization opposed to it. (It was shown to the delegates on the overhead.) A pro bono attorney came back and we made
changes to the resolution and we will be sending this to the CRC asking them to
cease and desist from using our directories without permission. Suggested
language was sent to you that you can use on your directories to stop outside
organizations from using directories for mass mailings. Our blue book will use
it.
A question was raised about
the opt out form. What does the disclaimer do to control who gets it? We can’t
control individuals. It controls organizations that don’t come to the locals.
FAA Work Group Resolution:
Our stand on Policy FAA
(long range facility planning) was ignored, but we have been asked to come to
the table and work on the resolutions. Jane de Winter’s resolution from the
June 2 executive board meeting that passed and was shown to the delegates on
the overhead. MCPS put together a work group of which ten positions were
allocated for MCCPTA representatives of the total sixteen to twenty community
and organization positions. A resolution at the September executive board
meeting asked that we put together a work group. Our Area Vice presidents serve
as representatives. MCPS will move forward with FAA regardless and write
regulations. The executive board wanted participation, so we voted to
participate so we could send back reports to the executive board and delegates.
We still have the opportunity to write a minority report if we choose. Jane de Winter gave a summary of her
resolution. The other action in response to that we added that we would work
cooperatively with MCPS through our area vice presidents. If delegates want to
participate they can contact their area vice president. This will be in the
pony and put out electronically for you to look at and we’ll report back at the
October meeting after we have had our first meeting with this group and have
more information.
Motion to Add a May
Delegates Assembly:
We’ll discuss the motion
from the executive board this summer to have a May delegate assembly at our
next meeting.
No new business, motions or resolutions
were presented by delegates tonight.
Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned at
8:35 PM. It was followed by a program of meet and greet with MCPS staff.
MCCPTA Delegates Assembly
September 27, 2005
Carver Educational Services Center
Program
Meet and Greet:
Superintendent, Dr. Jerry D. Weast, Montgomery County
Board of Education Vice President Dr. Charles Haughey and MCPS staff
MCPS staff in attendance:
George Margolies – Board of
Education Staff Director
Frieda Lacey – Deputy
Superintendent of Schools
John Q. Porter – Deputy
Superintendent of Strategic Technologies and Accountability
Brian Porter – Office of the
Chief of Staff
Don Kress – Chief School
Performance Officer
Bruce Crispell – Director,
Division of Long-range Planning
Steve Bedford – Community
Superintendent - Blair/Einstein/Kennedy/Northwood
LaVerne Kimball – Community
Superintendent - NW/Poolesville/Quince
Orchard/Seneca
Valley
Aggie Alvez – Director,
Department of Communications and Public Information
Brian Edwards – Director of
Public Information Office
Frank Stetson – Community
Superintendent - BCC/WJ/Wheaton/Whitman
Carey Wright – Associate
Superintendent, Special Education and Student Services
Jody Leleck – Associate
Superintendent, Curriculum and Instructional Programs
Karen Woodson - Director,
Division of ESOL/Bilingual Programs
Lois Wions – Program
SupervisorESOL Instruction
Faith Connolly –Director,
Department of Shared Accountability
Vickie Strange – Director, Department
of Special Education
Gwendolyn Mason – Director,
Department of Special Education
Betty Collins – Director,
Staff Development and Initiatives
Mark Kelsch – Community
Superintendent - Churchill/RM/Rockville/Wootton
Kevin Maxwell Community
Superintendent-Damascus/Gaithersburg/Magruder/Watkins
Mill
Ida Lou Polcari - Acting
Community Superintendent - Blake/Paint Branch/Springbrook/Sherwood
Ed Clark – Director,
Department of School Safety and Security
Marshall Spatz – Director,
Department of Management, Budget and Planning
Erick Lang – Director,
Department of Enriched and Innovative Programs
Betsy Brown – Director, Department
of Curriculum and Instruction
Jane Butler – Director,
Family and community Partnerships Unit
Carol Blum – Director, High
School Instruction
Linda Ferrell – Director, Middle
School Instruction
Janice Fadden Director,
Elementary School Instruction