Montgomery County Public Schools

The board work session focused on student discipline and the School Resource Officer program, as directed by a June 2020 resolution. Discussions included presentation of out-of-school suspension data across elementary, middle, and high schools for the 2017-2019 period, highlighting disproportionality in suspension rates for Black or African American and Hispanic Latino students, as well as Special Education students. The presentation also covered office referral data comparing 2019 to 2020, showing a decrease in referrals at the secondary level but an increase at the elementary level. Furthermore, data on the utilization of restorative justice responses was presented, indicating positive trends in middle schools but opportunities for growth in elementary schools. A board member inquired about the high referral rates in elementary schools, citing trauma-related challenges and resource constraints as potential factors.

The document records the student member of the board (SMOB) swearing-in ceremony. Key discussions involved saying farewell to the 41st student member, Ananya Tatakonda, and welcoming the 42nd student member, Nate Invite. The event included remarks from board members focusing on the core mission of ensuring academic and social-emotional excellence for every child, and the importance of the student board member's voice. The ceremony featured the official swearing-in of Nate Invite by the Clerk of the Montgomery County Circuit Court. The outgoing SMOB provided a recorded farewell message expressing gratitude to board members, staff, teachers, principals, counselors, former board members, friends, and family, while highlighting major themes of her tenure such as advocating for underrepresented voices, environmental standards, racial inequity, and socio-economic equity. State and County officials presented citations to the outgoing SMOB in recognition of her service.

The meeting included the approval of the agenda, followed by Human Resources and Development agenda items concerning recommended appointments for several Director positions: Pamela B. Wheeler Taylor as Chief Safety Officer, Margarita Borquez as Director in International Admissions and Enrollment, Tamara Hewlett as Director in English Learners and Multilingual Education, Jewel A. Sanders as Director in School Support and Well-being, Stephanie D. Brandt as Director in Pre-K through 12 Curriculum Operations and Support, and the appointments of Joel Beidelman as Principal of Paint Branch High School and Michelle Fortune as Principal of Snowden Farm Elementary School. The agenda also covered recognitions, including the recognition of Distinguished Hispanic Scholars, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated Scholars, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Scholarship Award Winners, and Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association Scholars. The meeting concluded with the introduction of the Public Comments section.

This document outlines an analysis of facility utilization within Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), focusing on school capacity and its implications for maintaining reasonable class sizes and accommodating population growth. The analysis identifies variations in utilization rates across elementary, middle, and high schools, noting instances of both under-utilized and over-utilized facilities, often in adjacent areas. It projects an increase in over-utilization if current conditions persist and seeks community feedback on the analysis for potential boundary changes.

The Minority Scholars Program is a student-led initiative by Montgomery County Public Schools designed to address the opportunity gap. Its five key initiatives are academic achievement, student leadership, student voice, equity, and community engagement. The program empowers students to advocate for themselves and their peers, develop leadership skills, and fosters a more inclusive school culture across high schools and middle schools.