Report from the PTA Council of Howard County

CLES representatives: Corinne Happel and Blene Bekure (ptachc@clespta.org)

HCPSS Budget Updates

The HCPSS Operating Budget is being funded ~$3+ million dollars less than what was requested. The requested budget already had many cuts built in.

  • Some extraneous funds were found that the County Executive has asked to be used to restore elementary GT teachers and orchestra teacher positions and several other requested items. These have not yet been approved by the Board of Education in writing.

  • Many cuts still remain including increased student/teacher ratios at the middle/high school levels,cuts to support staff in special education (temporary positions), cuts in custodians, MPIA staff position cut, and more.

Consider Signing up to Speak at Upcoming Public Hearings

Operating Budget: $55.8 million above Maintenance of Effort Requested. ~$52 million being given.

PTACHC Updates

The Board of Education Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, May 14th

The Policy 5200 Review Committee has recommended that School Bus Service be Expanded.

HCPSS has made recommendations to keep the same school start times for next school year (8:45 AM at CLES). [Discussions have considered 8:55 AM]

Join in Thursday, April 11th at 3:30 PM in front of the School Board Building

Thank you for ALL your work in ADVOCACY WEEK over the past 5 days. 

Our advocacy week efforts culminate tomorrow with an in person showing in front of the school board building at 3:30 PM. Civic engagement is considered a lawful absence/early dismissal per Policy 9010 and we encourage you to consider picking up child(ren) early to bring with you.

An Early Teacher Appreciation Week April 4-11

Having teachers & staff know that we are advocating for them can be an excellent way to show appreciation. Even teachers & staff who are not being cut are feeling strains of budget cuts.

We are encouraging you to participate as much as you can and to share what you write and what you do with your teachers & staff.

Many children love to write letters to their teachers. In this advocacy week, we encourage them to write these letters about how great their teachers & staff are and address them to the elected leaders who are making budget decisions.

We are not telling you what to write because the best letters are personal ones. They can be as short as "I have learned so much from ____________! Please don't cut our teachers, staff, and programs." Share the specific cuts you are concerned about.

The week will culminate with an in person gathering before/during the Board of Education meeting on Thursday, April 11th. We encourage those who are able to gather with signs from 3:30-4:30 PM at the Board of Education Building: 10910 Clarksville Pike Ellicott City MD. We'll gather outside and walk in when the meeting starts around 4:00 PM.

Invitation to Support G/T & Music Teachers Scheduled to be Cut

An Invitation for Civic Engagement

You are invited to come with your child(ren) to hold signs in front of the George Howard Building on Wednesday, March 20th at 8:00 AM in support of teachers and staff who are scheduled to be cut from the Howard County Public School System this summer in the proposed 2024-25 HCPSS Budget that is currently in the hands of the Howard County Executive.

Most elementary school children in Howard County will lose beloved GT and music teachers this summer if no change is made to the current proposed budget by the Howard County Public School System. Due to these staffing cuts, many GT classes and 3rd grade orchestra will be cut in most schools. 

In schools with GT and orchestra teacher cuts:

·      Curriculum extension units would no longer be offered to second graders.

·      Seminars would be cut. 

·      GT math classes would be reduced to one section.

·      Students will no longer have the opportunity to join orchestra in third grade.

We can teach our children about the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights by showing them what it means to stand up for something we care about when we disagree with a decision that is being made by elected government leaders. If we stand by idly, we are complicit in decisions that our school leaders make.

We do not endorse any violent or uncivil behavior and encourage all to show respect and decorum in front of a government building. Children should be supervised by their accompanying adult(s) at all times.

We recommend making your own sign with cardboard or foamboard that will hold itself upright when raising it with your arms. Short messages with strong action verbs are impactful like “Save our Schools, Howard County!” Using broad letter strokes with paint or filling in bubble letters with a marker will allow for greatest visibility from a distance and will show up best in media photographs.

Children who participate in orchestra may consider bringing their instrument to play as a visible representation of what hundreds of students will be losing next year.

Under Policy 9010 on Attendance, civic engagement is considered a lawful absence/tardy from public school in Howard County. Some children with 9:15 AM start times may even be able to attend this civic engagement without being late for school.

We encourage you to consider joining. Whether you attend or not, please write to the county executive in the next week with your school budget concerns asking him to fully fund the Howard County Public School System budget and to provide additional funds to restore these programs by emailing: cball@howardcountymd.gov and BudgetTestimony@howardcountymd.gov 

If you have any questions about this opportunity, you may reach out to SaveOurGTTeachers@gmail.com and/or Neighbors4Buses@gmail.com

School Budget Info Session on Proposed Cuts to Elementary GT & Orchestra Teachers and Programs

Recording of the info session that took place on Thursday, March 14.

https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/I1TvqaKzn8IRQWwdseffoEf4OUuAFOMzON4NfPiZ8HmmbYeOjQzm7_mm-W8mj7JE.OsTzuaONfHAdkcw2?startTime=1710463395000
Passcode: j1n$^8j6

BOE has voted to cut G/T and Elementary School Education programs

Gifted and Talented Programming is being cut at Centennial Lane Elementary School and other public elementary schools in Howard County. The Board of Education voted this week to NOT restore Gifted and Talented Programs slated to be cut at the start of next school year. These cuts will affect G/T teachers.

 

  • Curriculum Extension Units (Science and Social Studies for 2nd-5th graders) will be cut.

  • Recess seminars will be cut.

  • $1.3 million and 20 staff positions will be cut.

 

Elementary Music Education is also being cut. 

  • 3rd graders will no longer have the opportunity to join the orchestra at CLES and other Howard County elementary schools.

  • $795,600 and 12 staff positions will be cut.

Please consider writing to your elected leaders to express how this may affect your family/community and to request change. If you want more information about how to advocate for change to the HCPSS budget, please review the information posted by the PTA-Council of Howard County that includes e-mail addresses for elected leaders that you may wish to reach out to: https://www.ptachc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/How-to-Advocate-for-the-HCPSS-Budget.pdf

 

The CLES Music Boosters have put together a petition to restore 3rd grade orchestra. Please consider signing it: https://chng.it/M2DjQkNdvJ

here's the petition promoting to keep G&T programming:

https://www.change.org/p/save-our-gt-teachers-howard-county

One of our members provided this very helpful article to better understand what’s going on and why:
https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/education/k-12-schools/maryland-school-budgets-blueprint-3TDIQVKEORBEXF6DGJICKZALAI/

Healthier Choices Coalition: School Food Survey

The Healthier Choices Coalition from the Horizon Foundation is interested in learning what you think of the current school meal services. They would appreciate families’ feedback via this survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HJ9RMBH

School Safety Advocacy

The Safety Committee created a Recommendations Report on School Safety Advocacy that was presented to HCPSS in August 2023 and the HoCo Police Department.

Next steps include meeting with interested PTACHC members to move recommendations forward, presenting before the school board, and meeting with key HCPSS staff.

Questions/Interest, Please Contact: lisalkrausz@comcast.net

BOE Report

Upcoming Public Hearings

Thursday, March 7, 7 p.m., hybrid hearings

The Board of Education will hold three hybrid public hearings on Thursday, March 7. Community members must pre-register by 4:30 p.m. on March 6 to testify. Details on pre-registration and testimony are available online.

HCPSS Report

New Lightspeed Parent Portal

Parents/guardians now may select to receive Lightspeed weekly emails summarizing their student’s HCPSS Chromebook internet usage. The same email contains an option to sign up for the Lightspeed Parent Portal, which provides near real-time information on a student’s HCPSS Chromebook internet activity, and offers the ability to pause web browsing and block social media sites when not on the HCPSS network. Learn more about Lightspeed for parents/guardians online.

2024 Summer Programs Registration

Online enrollment requests for currently enrolled HCPSS students are open through Feb. 29 for the Innovative Pathways High School (math and science courses only), STARTALK Chinese Language Summer Camp, and Summer Math Scholars programs. Enrollment requests for registration-based programs can be made by a parent, guardian, school counselor or achievement liaison. Please note: All programs will meet in-person; there are NO virtual courses for Summer 2024.

4th Grade Art Showcase

Members of the public are invited to view the 4th Grade Art Showcase. The artwork is on display through April 19 in the main hallway of the Howard County Department of Education building. Showcase hours are Monday-Friday, 8 - 4 p.m. The building will be closed March 29-April 1.

HCPSS Advisory Group News

Join the Citizen's’ Advisory Council (CAC)

Please consider signing up to join the Citizens’ Advisory Council (CAC) that helps the Howard County Board of Education make important decisions for our schools, regarding:

  • Cultural Proficiency

  • High School Athletics

  • Equity

  • Canvas in the classroom

  • Digital Education

  • Elementary School Model

  • PARCC testing

  • G/T and AP Education

  • World Language Instruction

  • 6th Grade Outdoor Education

The CAC is a volunteer organization and is open to all community members who have both an interest in Howard County education and attend our monthly meetings (about a two hour commitment monthly). Any interested party can attend one of our open meetings.

For more information about the CAC, please call 410-313-6600 or email CAC.hcpss@gmail.com with your questions.

Community News

HCPSS Pride is sponsoring a collection for Baltimore Safe Haven

To donate, go to their website:

https://sites.google.com/hcpss.org/hcpssrainbowconference/home

or send items directly from their Amazon Wish List.