MCCPTA Delegates Assembly
October 25, 2005
Carver Educational
Program
Welcome:
Pledge of Allegiance: Sharon St. Pierre
PTA Mission: Victor Salazar, Vice President - Administration
Program Opening:
students from Project Change; Ed
Clark Director, Department of School Safety and Security from
executive director of Identity, a
non-profit organization that serves Latino youth in
Goals for the presentations:
Project Change students discussed their mini grant for “You Have the Power! – Stop Bullying Now” and they presented the show, “In the Mix”, as aired on PBS. It will air again locally in November.
Ed Clark presented, “A Multi-Disciplined Approach to
Bullying and Gang Violence”. This year the
Candace Kattar, co-founder of Identity,
focused on her non-profit organizations work with Latino youth. Currently they
are working with students in five high schools and five middle schools in
Draft Minutes- MCCPTA Delegates Assembly
October 25, 2005
Carver Educational
Business Meeting
Call to Order: President Cindy Kerr called the meeting to order at 8:40 PM.
Agenda: The nominating committee report and ballot was added to the agenda. Agendas are not sent in advance. Agendas are basic and last minute additions can be made.
Approval of Minutes:
The minutes from the September 27, 2005 Delegate Assembly were reviewed and stand approved as written.
Treasurer’s Report:
Treasurer Juan Johnson presented the treasurer’s report of
September 27 through October 24, 2005 and profit and loss budget vs. actual for
July 1 through October 24, 2005. Dues payments should be made to
President’s Report:
Cindy Kerr reported on her visit to
Cindy had a list of MCCPTA and MCPS acronyms for delegates. Explanation was given on how letters are given to policies, and that they aren’t acronyms. She briefly explained the difference between policies and regulations.
Officer Reports:
Vice President for Educational Issues: Shirley Brandman directed delegates to the handout on MCCPTA committee updates for October. She asked that elementary schools complete the survey, “MCPTA Health Committee Elementary School Survey to Assess Impact of the Reduced Class Size Initiative on Physical Education, Art and Music”. This survey will be posted electronically on the bulletin, too. Advocacy priorities marked tonight and at the last delegate assembly will be tallied and reported back to the Delegates by category. No issues will be completely cut from the list. Middle school reform committee has had its official start. Shirley and Juan Johnson are parent representatives on the steering committee, so see them with questions. They’ll continue to update us before it is presented next fall. Reminders of upcoming committee meetings:
Oct. 26 Special Education Committee meeting at 7:30 PM at Carver discusses grading and reporting and how it affects students with disabilities.
Curriculum Committee will meet Monday, Nov. 14 at Carver.
Grading and Reporting Committee will meet at Carver, Monday, Nov. 14
Nov. 2 Gifted Child Committee will meet 7:15 PM at Carver
Thurs., Nov. 3 at White Oak MS at 7 PM and Wed., Nov. 9 at Gaithersburg HS at 7 PM –workshops will be held for parents on the application process for magnet ES, MS and HS programs.
The Board of Education has taken up the issue of academic eligibility policy. To be eligible in high school and middle school you must have a 2.0 GPA to participate in extracurricular activities. It’s significant in the county since about 20% of our high school students are academically ineligible. Parents on the work group want more emphasis academic support and perhaps re-examine provisional eligibility. As soon as revisions to the policy are available for public comment we’ll let you know. Extended public comments will be taken until Feb. 14.
Vice President – Administration: Victor Salazar discussed the November 5
community leader’s forum on youth violence and gangs co-sponsored by MCCPTA and
the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board. A flyer was distributed for the
summit to be held at
Committee Reports:
Nominating Committee:
Vice President – Administration Victor Salazar read from Article VIII section 6 of the MCCPTA bylaws. A mailing did go out with these names. A written ballot for the MCCPTA Nominating Committee for 2005-2006 was distributed to all delegates. These nominees had been presented at the last executive board meeting. Hearing no nominations from the floor the following people were elected to the nominating committee on a voice vote.
At-large Chris Barclay
Magruder,
Northwest,
Poolesville, Quince Orchard,
Churchill,
Richard Montgomery, Wootton,
Blake, Paint Branch, Sherwood, Springbrook Leslie Ridgway
Blair, Einstein, Kennedy, Northwood Ana Janckson-Curtis
BCC, Walter
Johnson, Whitman,
Bylaws: Vicki Rafel reported that the bylaws committee has completed its review and revision of the MCCPTA bylaws. Their report will be taken to the executive board meeting next week. It will be presented to the delegates at the November delegate assembly meeting. Vicki’s committee is willing and able to help local PTAs with their bylaws or incorporation papers. Cindy added as a point of information that MD PTA has a new template for council bylaws. Hard copies will of the bylaws revisions will be sent through the pony, not electronically. Likewise, information for the next month will be sent through the pony, the bulletin and to the PTA presidents. Let Cindy know if you’re not receiving information.
Policy FAA- RA work group:
Marney Jacobs summarized the work group’s actions to date
including having established ground rules and criteria. They have four meetings
left with the chair Joe Lavorgna. Their next meeting is tomorrow night at
CIP: Marney Jacobs, CIP co-chair said that the CIP forum on Thursday night, October 27 is geared toward writing testimony and the CIP process, but anyone is welcome to attend. CIP books will be available at the forum. This is the six year CIP, so make sure that presidents tell cluster coordinators know your school facility issues. She anticipates that there won’t be any surprises - just that things cost more. Include facilities issues like restrooms. Every child is entitled to a safe, secure and modern facility. Our goal is to build a record and to be heard by the Board of Education, County Council and state. The theme is to maintain the CIP which means fund the dollars and do the projects. Responding to a question about the new concept high school, Marney said that we have to wait for the superintendent’s recommendation. Nothing is imprint, yet. A budget line item may appear for a feasibility study for attempting to purchase land. Nothing has been firmly established. Overall the enrollment for MCPS has flattened.
Business Items: Presentation of Executive Board Summer Resolutions/Motions
Options available to the delegates include accepting them as written by the executive board, or changing them to be from the entire organization. The option of taking the proposed resolution (see new business) from the Gifted and Talented Committee and bringing it back to the locals to discuss and taking action later is available, too.
Policy FAA Work Group Resolution: (as shown on the overhead)
The
MCCPTA Executive Board resolves that a work group consisting of 6 AVP’s or
representatives, the CIP Co-Chairs and two Executive Board Officers will
participate
with
the MCPS Division of Long Range Planning in developing “long-range educational
facilities
planning regulations” to implement the FAA-RA policy. Through this process
the
work group will publicly identify those portions of the policy they believe
should
remain
policy. This work group will develop specific regulatory language to address
provisions
relating to public participation and other MCCPTA concerns. This work group
will
hold meetings throughout the County to further engage and solicit input from
parents,
PTAs
and the general public. The MCCPTA members of this work group will keep the
MCCPTA
Executive Board informed throughout the process, and make specific
recommendations
as to what changes the Board of Education should make when they
review
Policy FAA.
A
motion was made by Debbie Selecman for the delegate assembly to endorse this resolution
of the MCCPTA Executive Board on the FAA workgroup. It was seconded. Discussion
concluded that it was acceptable to the delegates to wordsmith the sentence,
“This work group will develop specific regulatory language to address
provisions relating to public participation and other MCCPTA concerns”, so that
it ensures stronger language to emphasize public participation and involvement.
A change was also made stating that, “The MCCPTA members of this work group
will keep the MCCPTA Delegate Assembly informed throughout the process,…”. The motion to endorse the resolution with the
stated changes was passed on a voice vote.
Directory Resolution: (as shown on overhead)
WHEREAS each school year the local PTA units of the
Montgomery County Council
of
PTAs (MCCPTA) typically compile and publish student directories that include
personal
and potentially sensitive information such as names, street addresses and
telephone
numbers of students whose parents have agreed to have such information
included,
and
WHEREAS
by common knowledge and accepted practice these directories are intended
exclusively
for the private use of the PTA and the local PTA communities to facilitate
communication
within their communities, and are not intended to be used for any other
purpose,
and
WHEREAS
the president of an organization calling itself the Citizens for Responsible
Curriculum
(CRC) has privately conceded to MCCPTA officers that CRC obtained
copies
of selected student directories and used the information in these directories
to
develop
a mailing list for a purpose inconsistent with the intended or appropriate use
of
the
directories, and
WHEREAS
this misuse of student directories by CRC has caused substantial concern
among
parents within the affected communities, and
WHEREAS
the PTAs in the affected communities are justifiably concerned that fears
about
potential future misuse of student directories could lead parents to withhold
student directory information, thereby impairing a critical PTA asset,
NOW
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the MCCPTA Executive Board objects in
the
strongest terms to the misuse of student directories by the CRC, and
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the MCCPTA Executive Board strongly believes
that
the CRC should respond promptly and completely to all questions and concerns
raised
by local PTA units about the sources and intended uses of their student
directory information, specifically identifying any instances in which this
information may have
already
been sold or otherwise made available to another individual or entity, and
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the MCCPTA Board strongly believes that the CRC
should
agree in writing to cease using information obtained from PTA student
directories,
and
to return to the affected PTAs all copies of their directory information now in
the
possession
of CRC, in whatever form the information may exist, or certifying in writing
that
this information has been destroyed, and
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Executive Board strongly believes that the CRC
should
concede in writing that its use of student directory information was
inappropriate
and
agree that it will refrain from any future use of PTA student directory
information.
Changes to the resolution were made based on the pro bono attorney input. It has not been forwarded.
A
motion was made to endorse the directory resolution as passed by the executive
board by the delegates. It was seconded.
A
motion was made to amend the motion to remove any specific references to CRC,
and their background information, to make it a general statement. It was seconded.
Discussion followed for and against. It failed on a standing vote.
A
motion was made to amend the original resolution to add a further resolve that the
MCCPTA organization also similarly opposes other non-school sanctioned
organizations from using this information in the future for any purpose. It was
seconded. Discussion followed and the wording school sanctioned changed to
PTA/PTSA sanctioned was accepted. Also, the references to the MCCPTA Executive
Board were changed to MCCPTA. It failed on a standing vote.
A
motion was made to add e-mail addresses to the first paragraph, but then it was
agreed by the body to be acceptable to add that without a motion.
A
vote on the original motion that accepts this resolution with changes from
MCCPTA Executive Board to MCCPTA Delegate Assembly passed on a standing vote.
The resolution will be changed for language and it will be forwarded to CRC on
our behalf.
A
motion was made to keep the first two paragraphs including e-mail addresses and
then add, “Be it resolved that the Delegate Assembly opposes use of the student
directories for purposes not approved by the PTA/PTSA.” It was seconded. It was
a moved to table this to the next Delegate Assembly and then send it to the
executive board for language clarification. The executive board will refer back
to the Delegate Assembly at the November Delegate Assembly meeting for voting.
It was seconded. It passed on a voice vote.
Motion to Add a May Delegates Assembly:
A motion was made at the August 25 executive board to have a May Delegate Assembly.
Rich
Edelman made a motion to have a May delegate assembly. The motion was seconded.
The discussion included importance of meeting to conduct business and how local
PTAs would handle “lame duck” or newly elected officers attendance. The body
decided that is was acceptable for a specific date in May will be announced
later. The motion passed on a standing vote.
New Business Item: New motions or Resolutions presented by delegates
MCCPTA Gifted Child Committee Proposed Resolution:
WHEREAS,
o
The MCPS Board of
Education has stated that increasing rigor is on e of its main goals
o
Providing a
general continuum of services is one of the MCPS guiding policies
o
Over 300 students
prepared for accelerated work will be graduating this school year
from
the competitive middle school programs in MCPS, while only 200 slots are
available
at the high school level for the whole county
o
Expanding the
number of spaces available in these programs increases opportunities
for
all students down county and upcounty
o
Existing programs
of this nature generate and share best practices of excellence within
the
communities where they operate, thus indirectly improving the educational level
for
all students
o
The current
upcounty middle school program at Roberto Clemente enrolls significantly
higher
proportions of African American students than its sister down county programs
o
The name
recognition and prestige of
great
school system, of which its well-known magnet programs are a highly visible
element; thus attracting desirable organizations and increasing job
opportunities for all
o
The existing HS
magnet programs were created a long time ago when the student population
of
spaces
has not grown at all since then
o
The bulk of new
development and growth in the county is taking place within the upcounty area
o
Current busing of
upcounty students to won county programs incurs significant costs:
Financial
(the cost of transportation) and human (wasted student-hours each day and
disruption to family schedules
o
Deserving
upcounty students who currently miss the opportunity for more enriched
education as either themselves or their parents are unwillingly/unable to make
the sacrifices implicit in attending at locations far removed from their homes
o
The recent Report
from the Deputy Superintendent Advisory Committee on GT Education indicates as
one of its recommendations that : “MCPS must meet the need for additional seats
In
centers and secondary magnet programs. Of critical concern is the establishment
of an upcounty high school program to align with the Roberto Clement model.”
o
The cost of this
program (expected to be less than $500,000 p.a. when fully operational; less
during its initial years of operation)
represents approximately 3/100 of 1% (three hundredths of one percent) of the
overall MCPS yearly budget of $1.7 billion; and
MCCPTA
RESOLVES,
That
MCPS should establish, by Fall 2006, upcounty high school programs for the
highly gifted, along the lines of the successful middle school programs at
[1] /The word “upcounty”, as
normally used by MCPS, refers to the northern area of
[2]/the expression “along the
lines of the successful programs at
Copies of the above resolution were in the delegate packets. In the interest of time the chair of the GT committee made a motion:
Diane
McHale made a motion to have the MCCPTA Gifted Child Committee Proposed
Resolution
put on the agenda for action at the November delegates assembly. It was
seconded. Discussion included the FY budget for ’06. FY ’07 will cover the
2006-2007 school year. Questions may be sent to Diane McHale our GT chair.
Please contact your locals regarding this resolution.
Delegates List Serve Survey:
Patti Twigg, MCCPTA listserves moderator, included in delegate packets the MCCPTA listserves administration and subscription information. She also is requesting feedback on regulations and guidelines. Her survey was distributed tonight in packets. The list serve survey is to be taken back to local PTAs. You can add to this, too. We’ll work out a way to vote on this in November. We’ll use a similar method to the advocacy priorities list to determine the outcome at the next delegates’ assembly in November.
No other business was proposed.
Adjournment:
The business meeting was adjourned at 9:55 PM.