Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Board of Education Recap., 10


Question, "What do you think the job of a Board of Education member is?" Please address the following:

1. What power does the position convey?

2. What is the best use of that power?

3. To whom is the Board of Education member responsible?

Dan Furman

1. Mr. Furman states, "While no board member has individual power per se - the power conveyed to the Board, as a whole, is vast and wide reaching." He goes on to elaborate that the Board has "total and complete authority over the public education system in Howard County."

2. How to best use that power? Elected board members should take actions that benefit Howard County students and citizens, seeking out the opinions of constituents to inform their decisions. Board members should work to form consensus. He begins in the negative, "Board members should not be reactive and constantly wait for staff recommendations..." But goes on to explain, "...they should be more proactive in using their power, especially if decisions are being made at the staff level are inconsistent with the best interest of the county."

3. The Board of Education is responsible to the citizens of Howard County who "have the power to hold them accountable through the election process."

Keywords, or things that stuck in my mind: While Mr. Furman acknowledges that the power of the individual board member lies solely in successful participation in the body as a whole, he goes to great lengths to emphasize the power that this body, by law, may exercise. Keywords to me are forming consensus, proactive, seeking out opinions.

Did he answer the question I asked? Yes.

*****

Where do the Board of Education candidates come from? Here is my quick and dirty infographic to help you get a better picture.


*****

Howard County League of Women Voters

Primary Election Forum:

Board of Education

April 30 from 7:00 – 10:00 pm

Howard County Department of Education

All forums will be broadcast on local television and hosted online throughout the lead up to the Primary Election. GTV: Comcast 99/Verizon 44 HCPSSTV: Comcast 95/Verizon 42

 

 

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Board of Education Responses, Post 10

Here is the response from Dan Furman.

Question, "What do you think the job of a Board of Education member is?" Please address the following:

1. What power does the position convey?

2. What is the best use of that power?

3. To whom is the Board of Education member responsible?


The power of the position is given and defined by the Maryland General Assembly. While no board member has individual power per se - the power conveyed to the Board, as a whole, is vast and wide reaching. The Board, within the bounds of law has total and complete authority over the public education system in Howard County. The school system (i.e. the Superintendent and all staff that report to her) are completely and totally subordinate to the Board.

The best use of that power is for elected board members to take actions that they believe that are in the best interest of the students and citizens of Howard County. It would be impossible to run the board by poll but board members should actively seek out what citizen opinion is on educational matters they deal with.

The Board is ultimately responsible to the citizens of Howard County. The citizens elect them, and citizens are the ones who have the power to hold them accountable through the election process.

I believe that once a board a member is elected, their responsibility is to convince their fellow board members to form consensus to act on what they believe is in the best interest of the citizens and students of Howard County. Board members should not be reactive and constantly wait for staff recommendations – they should be more proactive in using their power, especially if decisions are being made at the staff level are inconsistent with the best interest of the county.

April 28, 2014 10:06 pm

250 words

 

Monday, April 28, 2014

Weeds?

What is this thing? Is it an ordinary local plant or an invasive variety that could wreak harm by spreading? I put that out to my Facebook network of friends yesterday after I came across a group of these while I was digging up dandelions.

I don't have an answer yet. I have a lot of suggestions...

For some reason this put me in mind of Columbia, and who are the "real" Columbians. A specious question, when you consider that the People Tree was meant to represent a vibrant community of diversity. And yet somehow the question keeps coming up. Election turnout results make it clear that fewer and fewer are even hearing the question, or know what the big deal is.

As if weeds and Columbia are not enough, I'm going to take a leap and play the Star Trek card.

Remember V'GER? Originally a NASA probe, it had been repaired and altered in such a way that it became a entity of massive destruction. It viewed human life forms as infestations that needed to be eradicated. It had begun its mission in exploration and discovery, but something about the way it was repaired along its journey had turned it into an annihilator whose overriding mission was to return to Earth to find its Creator.

What has happened along the way to the people who loved Columbia and have evolved into destroyers of worlds? It hasn't happened to everyone. There are many, many good people who proudly call themselves Pioneers. But clearly there are some who view people and ideas which are "different" as infestations, invasive species. They are single-minded in their march towards an earlier time, to be reunited with the Creator.

I don't have an answer. I have a lot of suggestions...

On a Monday morning when energy is low and rain is on the way, I want to stop and admonish myself:

Don't ever, ever take what is beautiful and cling to it with such intensity that it becomes an act of destruction. Don't let passion make vices out of your virtues.

Continue your journey of exploration and discovery.

 

 

 

Sunday, April 27, 2014

This I Believe

 

I believe

In neighbors who say hello, and smile,

help you dig out after the big snow, and

in the Dogfish 60-minute that comes in a heartbeat

at the Second Chance.

I believe in the beautiful photographs of nature

shared by friends who love our community

and the love of farms and local food that

opens our eyes to bounteous living.

I believe in moms who fiercely support their kids

and who stand up to power

when decision-makers

are wrong.

I believe in music and the arts, and in teachers who

talk the talk and walk the walk,

every single day.

I believe in friends who care and work for change,

serve, share, write, talk, listen, think,

and believe

when others do not care or understand.

On days when heartbreak

threatens faith,

and disillusionment clouds our precious truths, I

stop.

I think

about what I can believe

and do believe

and will believe.

I treasure what is beautiful

so that the darkness

cannot consume me.

 

 

 

While today's title is borrowed, the ideas expressed are my own. --jam

 

 

Saturday, April 26, 2014

The Ugly Truth

Columbia in a way, was an experiment.

Well, folks, the experiment has failed. Where James Rouse saw possibilities of a diverse community, the truth is that Columbia is enchained in segregation.

Segregation by age.

If ages were taken along with ballots, and if a requirement of generational diversity were as important as making quorum, we'd be doomed.

This article by Luke Lavoie looks at lack of participation in Village Elections. I care a lot about these elections, and so do many of my friends, but as a whole, most people my age and younger don't know or care about them. While I implore you to get out and vote in your village today, my underlying feeling is that the whole election thing is broken.

I have nothing but admiration for Village Managers and staff who publicize and encourage voting, plan activities, and keep residents informed throughout the year. Despite their best efforts, important decisions about Columbia's present and future are largely being determined by one generation. One angry generation, I might add.

I have heard too many stories of younger residents trying to get involved at the Village level and being scorned, spurned, dismissed, and beaten back by angry "Pioneers". It is no wonder to me that younger residents feel disenfranchised. I have lived here since 1999 and am still treated by some as a newcomer without the right to have a say in my community.

Yes, it is the responsibility of the individual to vote. But how successfully are we educating voters, including younger generations, encouraging participation in leadership roles? What can we do to make the process relevant to today's world? Villages have had success with e-newsletters and social media outreach. What about online voting?

I can tell you right away who wouldn't like that. While Pioneers lament that people just don't seem to care anymore, an increase in voting by other generations would mean one thing--a loss of control. If you look at tactics taken during this election season, it is pretty clear that control is what it is all about.

This is segregation. It is ugly. And unless we stand up to to truth of it, segregation wins and the experiment of Columbia will have failed. Okay, I know I started out saying it already has failed. But I don't want to give up yet.

Do you?

Vote. And work for change.


Friday, April 25, 2014

Friday Links

Recaps for Board of Education Responses 1-5 are here.

Recaps for Board of Education Responses 6-9 are here.

I'm not going to name the four who haven't answered yet because it feels wrong to give extra name recognition for late responders. (And because I have already nagged once.)

The HCEA has announced their endorsements for Board of Education. Read about it here.

Blair Ames, new Education Reporter for the Sun, has begun profiles of the Bd of Ed. candidates.

Yesterday, Instructional Facilitator for Music for Howard County Public Schools, Rob White, announced his retirement after 36 years with the county. His staff of music teachers stopped the meeting to give him a long and heartfelt standing ovation. His leadership will be sorely missed. All eyes will be on this space to see the direction of Music and Arts education in hcpss.

Village elections are tomorrow. Vote.

*****

Sometimes it feels like the bad guys are winning. I'm going to try to live today like they're not.

 

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Board of Education Recap., 6-9

Question, "What do you think the job of a Board of Education member is?" Please address the following:

1. What power does the position convey?

2. What is the best use of that power?

3. To whom is the Board of Education member responsible?

Cynthia Vaillancourt

1. Ms. Vaillancourt comes right out of the starting gate challenging the notion of "power conveyed" by the office of Board of Education member. Such power as the Board of Education may wield is given to her/him to be expressed as a body, and not to individual members, she asserts. The individual member has the "opportunity and access to represent the voices as advocate for the needs of the community..."

2. The best use of that power, then, is to advocate for the education of citizens through good decisions on educational matters, use of funds, and providing a "safe, nurturing and supportive community..."

3. The Board of Education is responsible to "all the citizens of the county in matters related the the HCPSS."

Keywords, or things that stuck in my mind: clearly the clarification or redefinition of power as conferred only upon the body as a whole rather than to the individual members got me thinking. In addition, as this comes from an incumbent candidate, I am inclined to believe that this distinction is significant in how we look at how the Board of Education functions. The combination of the words "opportunity and access" indicates to me that Ms. Vaillancourt values the unique responsibility board members have in listening and advocating for stakeholders.

Did she answer the question I asked? Yes, she did.

Olga Butler

1. Ms. Butler describes important roles that the Board member is tasked with: "to provide direct over sight of the school superintendent" and "to influence the current and future path of education..." and "to ensure that every child is given equal opportunity to excel and succeed." However, I was unable to pin down a specific response to "what power does the position convey?"

2. Again, I find that rather than describing the best use of the power conveyed, Her answer describes good qualities that a Board of Education members should have: should be a good listener and observer, should be respectful. Should be "a liason between the parents, children, educators,and the community."

3. The Board of Education member is "accountable to the citizens of Howard County."

Keywords, or what stuck in my mind: again, the use of the word liason makes me uncomfortable in this context. The idea of forging "positive, healthy relationships amongst all stakeholders" is a laudable goal and I'll admit that appeals to me, given a climate of sagging morale in the school system.

Did she answer the question I asked? No, not entirely. Ms. Butler gave a fine general statement on the topic, but I wish she had zeroed in more specifically in her answer.

Sandra French

1. Ms. French, the other incumbent candidate, uses material from the Annotated Code of Maryland to address the question of power conveyed to the Board. Like Ms. Vaillancourt, she clarifies that "individual board members have no authority other than powers of presence, persuasion, relationship-building and collaborating to effect change." She then outlines what the Board as a whole may do: adopting policies, evaluating Superintendent's performance, adopting budget, and so on.

2. Therefore, if the individual board member has no power on his/her own, the best use of power must be "individual networking and respectful collaboration...to convince a majority of the Board to vote a certain way." The Board member brings individual expertise and learns from others in order form a position on topics at hand.

3. Throughout her response, Ms. French uses statements like "sacred trust with the community" , "responsible for listening to" stakeholders and also mentions being "required to comply with all laws." She does not specifically address the question, "To whom is the Board of Education member responsible."

Keywords, or what stuck in my mind: again, the assertion that the Board member as an individual has no power (see CV) stands out. In its most logical conclusion, the primary function of the Board member is to "convince a majority of the Board to vote a certain way." The best use of power would be do it in a "positive way." I find it rather disconcerting that Ms. French does not truly answer question 3, at least not to my satisfaction.

Does she answer the question I asked? Almost. Pretty close. Ms. French offers an abundance of detail on the nitty-gritty of the statute but leaves us hanging when it comes to responsibility.

Bess Altwerger

1. I see throughout Dr. Altwerger's response a strong sense of the Board member's responsibility "to provide the best education possible for all of our students." However, she doesn't clearly state what power the position conveys to fulfill that responsibility.

2. Board of Ed. members can best use their power to "solicit input and be responsive to all of their constituents." Although working cooperatively, they must "act as an independent (of the Superintendent's Office) body and take bold actions as needed in order to be responsive..." She also stresses collaboration and negotiation throughout.

3. Dr. Altwerger takes the opportunity to address responsibility numerous times throughout her response. The Board of Education member is responsible to constituents including teachers and their Union, parents and the PTA, voters and members of the community.

Keywords, or things that stuck in my mind: openness. Open-minded, open meetings, being responsible and responsive. In addition, she stresses the importance of local control of curriculum and assessment. It is also significant that she takes the time to describe the working relationship of the Board and the Superintendent, valuing both cooperation and independence.

Did she answer the question I asked? Again--almost, in that questions 2 and 3 are well-supported but the answer to question 1 is not clearly articulated.


That's all for now, with great thanks to the candidates who have responded so far. We have four more to hear from...

 


 

 


 

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Digging Dandelions

It's that time of year again. Warmer weather, sunshine, and rain bring a lush, green lawn and...dandelions. And the battle begins. I get my old paring knife and spend ten or fifteen minutes trying to eradicate them. I almost always tire of bending over before I have gotten them all.

What is this voice inside me, year after year, that tells me to dig up dandelions, to cut down to the root and extract them?
It's my mother.
My mother went after dandelions like a revival preacher casting out sin. Why? I don't know. Probably because she felt they were bad for the lawn. But deeper than that was this: if you don't dig up the dandelions, other people will think you are a bad person. Neighbors will look askance at the person who doesn't maintain a dandelion-free lawn. They may not say anything, but...
"Cluck, cluck, cluck. Look at all those dandelions. There goes the neighborhood."
Now, this was before weed killers and lawn services. It was Mother and the paring knife against the yellow enemy. And woe be unto the child who picked a fuzzy one and blew to make a wish...
It is amazing to me, smack dab in the middle of middle age, how many behaviors we cling to from our childhoods, even if they make no sense. I have to shake myself a bit sometimes and look at things anew. It is all too easy to go on automatic pilot, to fight the things we have always fought without considering if circumstances have changed. Or if our reasons ever made any sense in the first place.
This Saturday many angry people will vote in Village elections in an effort to beat back the enemy. In Hickory Ridge, Town Center, and Harpers Choice the battle is on to dig up the Inner Arbor plan for Symphony Woods by the roots. And these are people who turn out to vote with the same dedication that my mother brought to her war on dandelions. Because they have something to be against.
Columbia has to be about more than angry people. Doesn't it? Should the future of our community be shaped solely by people who have something to be against? Eleanor Roosevelt said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
What do you believe in? Are you willing to vote to make it so?

 

 

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

For Our Students

I found a well-used tote bag yesterday, given to my husband at work.

It made me think about what is going on in our school system right now. As I have said before, it is not about the money. Or, if you will, it's not only about the money. We all need to be fairly compensated for what we do, so it is silly to ignore that. But the heart of the matter is not the amount of an increase in wages or the number of years in a contract.

It is about appreciation. Appreciation that means something. Placing a value on teachers which is shown through actions: sincere negotiation. Truly including teachers as valued stakeholders in program changes. If teachers go to work in the morning and come home at the end of the day feeling supported and respected by our school system, from the top down, we have succeeded.

If they do not, we have failed.

Why? Because they are actually performing the task that the whole system is set up to achieve. They hold our children, and their futures, in their hands. Every day.

Our culture used to value teachers. Now that big companies peddle standardized tests, and new curriculum changes require the purchase of all new textbooks, and private industry markets entire schools at the expense of our public school systems--the teacher has become nothing but a cog in a machine. You don't value a cog. You don't negotiate with a cog. It is merely there to perform a function, to do the bidding of the one who runs the machine.

Is that what we want for our students in Howard County? We entrust what is most precious to us to our teachers. Should we not truly value their work? Take a moment today to think about how we, in Howard County, can show meaningful appreciation for our teachers.

 

Monday, April 21, 2014

What Is Wrong With This Picture?

Take a look at the photos from Saturday's rally for the old (Cy Paumier) Symphony Woods park plan. As the old controlled vocabulary readers would say,

Look, look, look!

See, see, see!

Are you ready? Who do you see? No, really. This is a test. Look at the pictures. I'll wait.

*****

These photographs are shocking in their complete absence of generational diversity. To give you an idea of what I mean, I'm going to run down a list of the kind of people I know and hang out with in Columbia:

  • Kids under the age of five.
  • Elementary aged kids.
  • Middle school kids.
  • (We don't socialize with many high schoolers, but my husband teaches them daily. Same with college-age kids, the ones we know are primarily my husband's former students.)
  • Twenty-somethings making their start in Columbia.
  • Folks in their thirties and forties: parents, bloggers, community activitists, school volunteers, some getting involved in politics.
  • Folks in their fifties--more of the same but perhaps less school stuff and more politics.
  • Active, involved sixty and seventy/somethings who love Columbia and are excited about its future.

These are my friends. These people are Columbia. And NONE of them are in the picture. What kind of a plan for the future of Symphony Woods doesn't include them and doesn't care?

If you care, speak up. One narrow slice of the community wants to take away the voice of diversity that the People Tree was meant to represent. If you don't speak up, you are giving your voice away.

Vote in your Village Election, and vote for the candidate who advocates for all generations in Columbia.

 

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Spring

Margo and I are doing yard work. Alice is getting her house ready for Easter guests. Kids are playing outside. Friends are enjoying Ellicott City's Spring Festival. There's Beer Club down at the Second Chance.

It's warm and I wish I had a sun hat, maybe even shorts. Neighbors pass by, waving, remarking on the change of season.

The pictures on the left are from February 24th. On the right are the same bushes today. Where hungry deer had munched them down to almost nothing, they are now lush with new growth.

Around me there is a mood of renewed life: gardening, cleaning, enjoying temperate outdoor weather. I feel the urge to get out and walk more, be more active and get healthier this year.

While I am out here enjoying plants and bird song and new life and getting excited about plans for the future, Richard is at the Oakland Mills Interfaith Center, providing music for a community memorial service for Tyler Johnson.

I don't know how to feel.

 

"To everything there is a season,

And a time for every purpose under Heaven"

--Ecclesiastes

 

Friday, April 18, 2014

Board of Education Responses, Post 9

Thanks to candidate Bess Altwerger for submitting her response:

Question, "What do you think the job of a Board of Education member is?" Please address the following:

1. What power does the position convey?

2. What is the best use of that power?

3. To whom is the Board of Education member responsible?

As a parent of two HCPSS graduates and current HCPSS teacher, a career-long teacher educator, and passionate public school advocate, I believe that the primary responsibility of the BOE is to provide the best education possible for all of our students. We are fortunate to have elected rather than appointed school boards in our state. This means that the BOE is a representative body that should solicit input and be responsive to all of their constituents. These include teachers and their representative body (HCEA), parents and families and their representative body (PTA) and various segments of the general community. I believe strongly that all BOE decisions regarding policies and budgeting should be based upon input and collaboration with these constituencies. The BOE has a responsibility not just to hold open meetings and community events for public input, but to consider very seriously the concerns and issues that are expressed. While the BOE must work with the Office of the Superintendent in a spirit of cooperation, it must act as an independent body and take bold actions as needed in order to be responsive to the voters and educators of our county. The BOE must be willing to enact policies that protect local control over curriculum and assessment. It should also advocate for the necessary budgetary resources to ensure that we provide a high quality, fully equitable education for all of our students. Finally, it must negotiate with the HCEA for a fair and respectable contract that sustains and rewards our outstanding teachers.

 

April 18, 2014 2:35 pm

262 Words

Board of Education Responses, Post 8

Here is the response from Sandra French, a current member of the board:

Question, "What do you think the job of a Board of Education member is?" Please address the following:

1. What power does the position convey?

2. What is the best use of that power?

3. To whom is the Board of Education member responsible?

The Annotated Code of Maryland assigns power to the entire Board as a corporate body when a quorum acts in a legally constituted meeting. Individual Board members have no authority other than the powers of presence, persuasion, relationship- building and collaboration to effect change. Legally, the Superintendent manages the day to day operations of the system, and serves as public advisor to the Board. The Board governs by adopting policies and goals for the future direction of the system, and then evaluates the Superintendent’s performance in meeting them. It adopts a budget that reflects both legal requirements and community preferences. More details on responsibilities can be found in the Board of Education’s Handbook, adopted 11/18/10, which is a public document.

Individual networking and respectful collaboration are positive ways to convince a majority of the Board to vote a certain way. Each board member has unique skills and expertise as a layperson. Sharing that knowledge, and asking the right questions to ensure equity and alignment of practices with vision and goals, strengthens the Board and assists in sending a clear message to the Superintendent and staff. While the Board formally evaluates the Superintendent once a year, feedback and advice are shared frequently on an informal basis.

We have a sacred trust with the community, that we will provide a rigorous and enriching education so that the student will be college and career ready upon graduation. We are forever responsible for listening to students, community members, parents, teachers and the Superintendent; and then for seeking common ground since we are also required to comply with all laws. My decisions are based upon what would be best for the students in the classroom.

April 18, 2014 1:12 pm

282 words

 

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Throwback Thursday

On April 1, 2012, I wrote this post to address naysayers of the Symphony Woods park plan. Recall that this was the plan before the Inner Arbor Plan. Take a moment to read it, if you haven't before. I went as over the top as I could to paint a picture of folks who couldn't see the forest for the trees, as it were.

This week it is all coming true.

Yes, now life is imitating art in the wackiest of ways and Cy Paumier has announced he and his group will be leading a protest to the current plan in order to build support for his (rejected) plan. It is as though they have taken their strategy from a satirical April Fool's Day post and are carrying it out in dead earnest.

Anyone who tells you that everything was hunky-dory before the introduction of the Inner Arbor plan for Symphony Woods is just plain wrong. Are they fibbing? Is their memory poor? I don't know.

But you need to know the truth. Many of the same people who are fighting the current plan were actively fighting the previous plan. Really, the same people. Jan Clark was refuting protesters in February, 2012.

On Throwback Thursday we like to post photographs from the past. We ooh and ahh over baby pictures, wedding pictures, impossibly beautiful memories of our pasts. But today I want you to look at a different sort of picture.The fight against a community park in Symphony Woods is not a new one. And it has nothing to do with trees or the beauty of nature. It's about control.

It's not a pretty picture. In fact, this fight has brought out some of the ugliest behavior I have seen in Columbia. But sometimes we need to look at those pictures, to remind ourselves that we can do better.

***

A shout-out to Frank Hecker, whose post got the wheels turning in my head this morning.

 

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Board of Education Responses, Post 7

Thanks to candidate Olga Butler for submitting her answer:

Question, "What do you think the job of a Board of Education member is?" Please address the following:

1. What power does the position convey?

2. What is the best use of that power?

3. To whom is the Board of Education member responsible?

As an elected official, a member of the Board of Education is accountable to the citizens of Howard County. Board members are responsible for establishing policies and procedures, which enhance the teaching and learning experience. In addition, they are to provide direct oversight of the school superintendent.

 

This is a very important position in that Board members hold the combined power to influence the current and future path of education in our public school system.

 

As a liaison between the children, parents, educators and the community, board members must be cognizant of the power of the position and use it to forge positive, healthy relationships amongst all stakeholders. Decisions and policies must be carefully thought out and collaboratively worked through to provide the best possible result.

 

The ability of a board member to listen, observe and respect the viewpoints of all while still maintaining focus on the children and their well being is essential. The quality of their education and experience in our school system lies in the hands of our elected board. Board members must remain informed, use common sense and exhibit patience and due diligence to ensure that every child is given equal opportunity to excel and succeed.

April 16, 2014 5:51 pm

200 words

Monday, April 14, 2014

Board of Education Responses, Post 6

Current board member Cindy Vaillancourt leads off our next round of responses:

Question, "What do you think the job of a Board of Education member is?" Please address the following:

1. What power does the position convey?

2. What is the best use of that power?

3. To whom is the Board of Education member responsible?


1. "Power" feels like a weird word when applied to individual Board of Education members, unless it is defined as the opportunity and access to represent the voices and advocate for the needs of the community, the students, the teachers, the administrators, parents, and other supporting staff when decisions are being made about the direction of the school system, allocation of resources, and philosophy of education that are the most effective, efficient, and valued by the residents of Howard County.

2. Board members can and should be the ultimate advocates for the most important civic responsibility of our society, the education of our citizens.

3. Howard County's Board of Education is an elected body, and as such is responsible TO all the citizens of the county in matters related to the HCPSS. It is responsible FOR making the best possible decisions about education matters, use of tax dollars, and providing a safe, nurturing and supportive community service for all community members.

April 14, 2014 7:09 pm

161 words

 

Board of Education Recap, 1-5

Question, "What do you think the job of a Board of Education member is?" Please address the following:

1. What power does the position convey?

2. What is the best use of that power?

3. To whom is the Board of Education member responsible?

Corey Andrews

1. Mr. Andrews gives the most weight to "providing oversight" and "providing vision."

2. He appears to suggest there are times the best use of power is to "step in", "change direction", and/or "provide direction," rather than to "micro-manage the day to-to-day operation of the school system."

3. The Board of Education member is "accountable to every citizen of Howard County" and to that end should be "responsive, visible, and open-minded."

Keywords, or things that stuck in my mind: use of the term vision (perhaps consistent with this definition) and the mention of micro-management as something he doesn't want. Dwelling on what you don't want can sometimes be counter-productive when trying to get your point across. He uses another negative when he states that Board of Education members are "not there to represent themselves." (my wording)

Did he answer the question I asked? Yes.

Leslie Kornreich

1. Ms. Kornreich places the primary powers of the Board of Education member in the "power to collaborate" and to "make...decisions abut the direction and future of our school system."

2. It is my understanding that she sees the best use of power in encouraging stakeholders (principals, teachers, students and parents) to "offer their expertise, ideas, suggestions and criticisms openly..." so that the Board Member may listen and act on that knowledge.

3. The answers to questions 2 and 3 and inextricably linked in this response, as Ms. Kornreich clearly states that the best of power is to "serve the community of voters that have elected you."

Keywords, or things that stuck in my mind: Ms. Kornreich places strong emphasis on collaboration and stakeholders. She, like Mr. Andrews, mentions a negative, "You cannot assume that you know everything," although she uses it to support a collaborate approach.

Did she answer the question I asked? Yes.

Thomas Baek

1. Mr. Baek lays out the power of the Board of Education members as a two-pronged one: a charge to "sustain, oversee, and guide our schools..." And to "work on the Board as a member of a team."

2. This sentence lays out his view of the best use of power: "first listen well, volunteer often, demonstrate leadership by way of deeds, and to actively listen before proactively speaking..."

3. He states, "The Board is empowered by the citizens of our county to be accountable for our schools and for our children."

Keywords, or things that stuck in my mind: collaboration and cooperation, combined with an overall sense that the Board Member must come to the job with a sense of humility and a deep capacity for listening to others.

Did he answer the question asked? Yes.

R. Michael Smith

1. Mr. Smith describes the power of the Board of Education member as in serving as a liason between the community and the Superintendent.

2. I had some difficulty discerning his views on the best use of power. He mentions a desire to "dispel the misperception among some Howard County residents that all is well in our schools." He also emphasizes the importance of participating in "reform."

3. I don't find this question directly addressed, but it does seem that he feels that participating in reform will "satisfy my obligation to the electorate." This would indicate that he feels that the Board of Education member is responsible to the electorate.

Keywords, or things that stuck in my head: the use of the term "liason" in explaining the power the position conveys is an interesting one. Another clearly important term here is "reform."

Did he answer the question I asked? No, not really. I see here an emphasis on the candidate's beliefs and priorities, but not a clear response to the question and its component parts.

Dr. Zaneb Beams

1. Dr. Beams uses a quote from the school system website itself to define the power conveyed by the position of Board of Education member. The Board of Education (BOE) "is responsible for setting local education policy consistent with state and federal laws governing public education."

2. The best of use of that power would be to "use their position to ensure optimal education, creating the best available learning and development environment for all learners." She elaborates, "The Board of Education should be seen as a policy engine that supports, and presents checks and balances to, all stakeholders in the schools."

3. This sentence manages to answer all three question, despite its comparative brevity: "BOE members set educational policy, representing all stakeholders, to create the best learning environment for all." She also states earlier, "Elected leadership is responsible to constituents- students, their families, teachers, staff, and administrators."

Keywords, or things that stuck in my head: emphasis on learning and development of students. Her use of the term "checks and balances" in articulating the role of the Board of Education as a whole is intriguing.

Did she answer the question I asked? Yes.


As always, the rules for commenting are as follows: you must be willing to affix your real name to your words. Thanks!

I look forward to hearing from candidates 6-13.




 

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Board of Education Responses, Post 5

Response number five comes from Dr. Zaneb K. Beams:

Question, "What do you think the job of a Board of Education member is?" Please address the following:

1. What power does the position convey?

2. What is the best use of that power?

3. To whom is the Board of Education member responsible?

The Board of Education (BOE) "is responsible for setting local education policy consistent with state and federal laws governing public education." (www.hcpss.org) A BOE member should use their position to ensure optimal education, creating the best available learning and development environment for all learners. That means working to craft policies that address the needs of every child, teacher, and staff, in every school, in every corner of our great county.

Any power conveyed by the position represents the voice of voters. Elected leadership is responsible to constituents- students, their families, teachers, staff, and administrators. A BOE member should reflect these stakeholder voices. The power inherent to the position is an opportunity for leadership in shaping the nature and quality of education.

The BOE is part of the governing body for our schools, one that can check and balance leaders and stakeholders. Federal, state and local legislators, the superintendent, teachers, and administrative staff, and families, impact the BOE’s work. We Americans enjoy a dynamic, flexible, government with features creating stability and longevity. “Checks and Balances” are an important aspect of this design. The Board of Education should be seen as a policy engine that supports, and presents checks and balances to, all stakeholders in the schools.

BOE members set educational policy, representing all stakeholders, to create the best learning environment for all. Howard County can achieve world class education in every school, for every learner, if we prioritize appropriate paths to policy and procedure, to ensure we serve all stakeholders.

April 13, 2014 1:44 pm

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Taking a Breather?

Now that we have four responses in our survey of Board of Education candidates, we appear to be at a natural pausing point as other candidates work on their own answers. I'm going to use this moment to review the question.

 

Question, "What do you think the job of a Board of Education member is?" Please address the following:

1. What power does the position convey?

2. What is the best use of that power?

3. To whom is the Board of Education member responsible?

(250 word maximum)


Tomorrow I will offer some analysis on the responses received so far. Specifically, I will be looking to see if the respondent actually answered the questioned I posed, and, if so, what their answer is. I chose my question quite carefully. I truly hope candidates will understand that, and address it in a meaningful way.

 

Apparently candidates have been given a number of surveys to complete from a variety of groups. I really look forward to seeing the results of these. At the moment there is very little information available to the public, which is why I jumped in with a question of my own.

 

Take a moment today to review the first four posts. Do you think they answered the question? Do their answers make sense to you?

 

Tune in tomorrow and we'll compare notes.

 

 

 

 

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Old Dogs

I have been teaching in Howard County for eleven years. When I first started traveling from school to school I sat at a desktop computer and went on Yahoo maps and printed out every single connection. Timing is important. If I can't get between schools in well under thirty minutes, I can't make my schedule work. I kept all my printouts in a folder in my car until I memorized the routes. Now I have a smartphone and an ipad and directions are much easier to come by.


This year I got to travel to a brand new school: Ducketts Lane. I figured a route from Oakland Mills to Ducketts Lane in only minutes. It's a beautiful school; the teachers and staff I work with are great. The kids are wonderful. But due to a fluke in scheduling, I have to teach there an hour earlier than I normally teach. Not the end of the world, but I almost always arrive wishing I had more coffee.

Every other week as I would follow my plotted route I'd grumble that there was no convenient place to quickly grab coffee. "This place is in the middle of nowhere," I'd be thinking. "How can you build a new school with no access to coffee?"

Friday I left extra early to scrutinize each place along the way for coffee possibilities. Nothing. And I arrived at my turnoff with a good half-hour to spare. "Well, heck!" I thought. "I'll just keep going for awhile on Route 1 and see what's out there."

In less than five minutes, to my right: Dunkin Donuts. Boom.

Right up until that moment I would have sworn there was no place nearby to get coffee. Why? Because I had plotted my route, I only drove one route, and it wasn't there. Not to make a religious experience out of this, but the solution to my problem appeared only after I looked at things in a new way.

People coming to the school from the other direction, for instance, would have easily seen the answer than I was looking for. But, of course, I never asked because I already knew the answer.

Also on Friday, I participated in an online discussion about Frank Hecker's series of blog posts on Symphony Woods. Overall, the discussion was thoughtful, and the tone civil. However, it was clear that one of the participants was capable of looking at the topic in only one way. He had plotted his route, and he only traveled that one route. He was not open to other routes because he already knew the answer.

It made me think of myself and how I had been so sure I knew everything when I had never bothered to drive even five minutes beyond my turnoff. How often do we do that in life? How often do we forget that things can be approached from more than one direction? How easy is it to plot one route and forsake all others, even in the face of obvious drawbacks in our choice?

Pushing myself off my route actually made me a little nervous. What if this makes me late? What if I can't find a good place to turn around? But the reward for going "off-map" was more than an energizing cup of coffee. I learned something I had been wanting to know for a long time:

"Hey! That's where Cindy's Soft-Serve is!"

And now, a whole world of possibilities is open to me, just in time for warmer weather.

 

Friday, April 11, 2014

Raising a Toast

A brief tribute this morning to a group of women I will call the Mominators, for want of a better term. I have been incredibly lucky this year to fall in with a group of wonderful moms who are going through the travails of having a middle school daughter with me. They have become my go-to group for any number of questions.

Whether the topic is teen behavior, a question about a difficult teacher, community issues, local politics, or changes in the school system, I know I have someone to talk to. Just as we hope our daughters have a support network of friends to get them through the difficult years, we need that, too.

The other night the conversation turned musical. What is the song that makes you think most about your spouse? Best breakup song? Song whose message you would choose for your daughter? After a while it was clear we were sharing the most precious playlists of our lives.

As a teenager I was so obsessed with myself and my own problems that I don't think I was very good at making friends and being a friend. As I enter into the maelstrom of having a teen daughter (for the second time!) I find that I now have a lifeline, a beacon in the storm. Now matter how tough the challenge, we will get through it.

 

 

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Board of Education Responses, Post 4

We finish off the day with this response from R. Michael Smith:

Question, "What do you think the job of a Board of Education member is?" Please address the following:

1. What power does the position convey?

2. What is the best use of that power?

3. To whom is the Board of Education member responsible?

As a member of the Board of Education, I will be able to serve as a liaison between the community and the superintendent and as the people’s voice when decisions are made regarding the school system. I can best use my position to, among other things, dispel the misperception among some Howard County residents that all is well in our schools, when in fact, a large gap exists between the quality of education provided here and in several nations, such as Finland and Singapore. That gap is much worse for children from poorer families.

Renee Foose has been telling anyone who will listen about the need for fundamental reform to rectify that situation. We must first acknowledge, however, the gravity of the problem if we are to implement a strategy that must include:

1. Establishing a rigorous curriculum for ALL students that: (1) develops their knowledge and skills, such as the ability to write, read, and think critically; and (2) equips them to earn a living and be responsible citizens.

2. Devoting sufficient resources to enable disadvantaged students to take advantage of that program.

3. Improving the quality of classroom instruction by: (1) hiring only the brightest college graduates to teach; (2) supporting teachers; and (3) paying them commensurate with their critical role in educating children.

Unless we undertake reform, we will entrench the growing disparity in income and wealth, which has serious implications for our society. By participating in this endeavor, I will satisfy my obligation to the electorate.

April 10, 2014 8:01 pm

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Board of Education Responses, Post 3

Thanks to Thomas Baek for sending his response.

Question, "What do you think the job of a Board of Education member is?" Please address the following:

1. What power does the position convey?

2. What is the best use of that power?

3. To whom is the Board of Education member responsible?

 

A Board of Education elected member’s function is essentially two-fold: 1), To carry out the duties and responsibilities, as set forth by statute, to effectively sustain, oversee, and guide our schools regarding all relevant components of education, administration, and policy; and 2), To work on the Board as one member of a team of elected members in collaboration and in cooperation with all stakeholders and partners – including the Superintendent, Educators, Staff, Citizens, and Parents – for the singular purpose of making our schools the best that they can be for our children.

In carrying out this public service duty, an elected member of the Board is empowered by the citizens of our county to be accountable for our schools and for our children. Members should therefore exercise modesty, sound reasoning and good judgment, respect, civility, and courtesy. Board members ought to first listen well; volunteer often; demonstrate leadership by way of deeds; and to actively listen before proactively speaking whenever the citizenry has a just concern or cause.

April 10, 2014 12:10 pm

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Two Brave Souls

So far, Corey Andrews and Leslie Kornreich have submitted answers to the Board Of Education question I posed on Sunday. Six others have touched base with me by email: Allen Dyer, Zaneb Beams, Cynthia Vaillancourt, Sandra French, Michael Smth, Christine O'Connor. I have heard nothing from the rest.

One of the respondents told me that candidates wouldn't respond unless there was a deadline. I assured that person that they would, and that I would stick to my plan of printing responses as I received them.

Don't leave me hanging, people.

Two brave souls put themselves out there, willing to be seen without checking first to see what the others would say. I am looking forward to hearing from more candidates.

Aren't you?

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Focus on Follow Up

Sometimes we get really excited about things and go all out, and then the moment passes and our feeling of empowerment fades. We forget to keep paying attention. Often we lose the chance to influence the outcome because we don't keep our eyes on the prize. It's just human nature. But that doesn't mean we should just accept this state of affairs. If we truly care about the outcome, we have to find a way to stay focused.

So today, some follow up:

What has happened since the March 13th Board of Education meeting where parents expressed concerns for cuts to arts education? Do we have specifics on whether small-group instruction for instrumental learners will be maintained? Do we have specifics on maintaining instructional time for General Music and Art classes? Do we have specifics on how parents and teachers will be included in program changes? If you wrote a letter to the Superintendent and/or the Board of Education, were your questions adequately addressed?

Hmm. Still have questions? It is time to write another letter, attend a meeting, make a telephone call, join an advocacy group. Don't lose focus.

What has happened with the race for Board of Education.? There are 13 candidates. Have you heard from any of them? I opened up the blog for candidate responses on Sunday. So far we have answers from Corey Andrews and Leslie Kornreich, with emails from Allen Dyer, Dr. Zaneb Beams, Cynthia Vaillancourt, Sandra French, Michael Smith that they will participate.

If you know any of the other candidates, make sure that they know about this opportunity to have their voice heard. I have emailed them all individually, but they need to know that you are paying attention. Mark your calendar for the LWV Candidate Forum on April 30th. Make your own list of questions. And don't lose focus.

What has happened on the Merriweather Post Pavillion front? We all want to save Merriweather, but have we been paying attention? The County put forward one idea, the Howard Hughes Corporation countered. There were articles in the newspaper. Now what?

Well, on Thursday, April 17at 7:00 pm the Howard County Planning Board will be hearing testimony on an amendment to the Downtown Columbia Master Plan that would help Merriweather. So there's a chance for follow up. You can also share the Facebook page with local friends, and write a letter to the Sun. Don't lose focus.

It sounds hokey to say we're all in this together, but it's the truth. If we want answers, representation, and positive change, we have to work for it, and keep working for it. Each individual effort supports those made by others. One might say it's a marathon, not a sprint. But maybe it is more like a relay. We need to "spell" eachother so that the long, long process of community activism doesn't wear us down.

What will you set your sights on today?


 

 

 

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

The Life Everlasting

On Thursday, March 27th, Lisa B. Mrs. S. wrote: This Post Is A Little Bit About Dennis Lane. The title leapt out at me and I have been carrying it around in my heart ever since.

Why?

Well, because every post I have written since Dennis has been gone has had a little bit of him within it. And I know I am not alone. Those of us whose lives were touched by his exuberance, insight, and wit carry a piece of him and it infuses our work. Whether in a blog, a morning jog or race, a song strummed on a guitar, a political campaign, or act of community service, our lives are a little bit (or a lot) about Dennis Lane.

Yesterday, on her birthday, my friend Mickey posted these words:

Some people are, "...like ghost stars, still shining their light upon us long after they are gone." - Neil deGrasse Tyson, from Cosmos

Although it wasn't her intent, the words made me think of Dennis. And what Lisa wrote. And the horrible void I felt when Harry Schwarz said to the blogging community, "You have big shoes to fill."

Now, almost a year later, I realize it is not his shoes we have to fill, but rather it is the amazing way that he has come to fill parts of us. And that we recognize that, and honor it.

 

 

Monday, April 7, 2014

Board of Education Responses, Post 2

Question, "What do you think the job of a Board of Education member is?" Please address the following:

1. What power does the position convey?

2. What is the best use of that power?

3. To whom is the Board of Education member responsible?


Leslie Kornreich writes:

Being a Board of Education member conveys the power to collaborate with the other Board members to make far-reaching decisions about the direction and future of our school system. It is one that should not be taken lightly, since Board decisions have the power to affect the educational paths of thousands of students and the career paths of thousands of teachers. Our school system is the reason many families move to Howard County, and those families deserve the best schools we can possibly deliver.

The best use of the power that comes with being a member of the Board of Education is to realize that, like any elected official, you serve the community of voters that have elected you. You cannot assume that you know everything, that you can possibly know the intimate details of the needs of 75 schools and unilaterally make powerful decisions that affect them. The principals, teachers, students and parents that give each school its identity are also the people who know its needs best. As a Board member, I will encourage all of them to offer their expertise, ideas, suggestions and criticisms openly and know that the representative they elected to the Board of Education is listening and acting on them.

 

April 7, 2014 9:47 pm

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Conflict in Oakland Mills

Last Spring, on a rainy evening in front of Oakland Mills Middle School, Reg Avery commiserated with me about my loss in the Oakland Mills election and told me, in front of my daughter, that he had voted for me. He also told me they were going to keep an eye on Alex Hekimian to make sure he didn't say one thing and then do another--hold him accountable.

I found this pretty stunning. It was generally known that Reg had been a part of Alex's campaign. Had he really gone to all that trouble to campaign for Alex and then vote for me, just to make sure all his bases were covered? Or, perhaps more stunning, did he think I was stupid enough to believe he voted for me?

I belong to an elite club of honorable Oakland Mills residents who ran against traditional, Pioneer-style candidates and lost. Ian Kennedy, Phil Engelke, and I share similar battle-scars. The way you win in Oakland Mills is to go around and whisper untruths about your opponent and get people riled up. So it is not surprising that, imagining another such deliberately rigged contest, no one threw a hat in the ring against Alex Hekimian.

And no one had any idea that Alex wasn't planning to run. No one but Reg Avery. I wonder how that happened?

I am just plain embarrassed for Oakland Mills. After a year that might be dubbed our "annus horribilis", our election for CA Rep gets decided in a back room someplace. I know at least one person who would have run if they had known Alex was not running. We might have had something close to a fair fight--hard to say, given our history--but now we'll never know, since Alex and Reg made that decision for us.

As Columbia Compass blogger Bill Santos would say, "Stay classy, Oakland Mills."

Can you feel me cringing?

But that's not all. No, it gets evening more stunning. CA Rep Heir Apparent Reg Avery is also a registered Republican candidate for County Council in District 2. This is a clear conflict of interest. If he is the CA Rep, his full attention and commitment should be to Oakland Mills and Columbia. If he wants to run for County Council, he should be unfettered of any other competing allegiance.

Mr. Avery was quoted in the newspaper as saying that people think that "Republicans have three heads and walk around eating babies." But the problem with his candidacy is not that he is a Republican. Nor does anyone believe he has three heads or eats babies. The problem is better described by the completion of that same statement, where he says, "I'm me. I will always be me."

What you need to know right now is that the same Reg Avery who told me he voted for me, and that they'd keep an eye on Alex Hekimian, the same one who appears in the newspaper in a photo with Alex Hekimian, and is taking over Alex's CA Rep seat, also thinks it is perfectly okay to run a County Council race at the same time. That's Reg Avery, and by his own words, that will always be Reg Avery.

Who will stand up to this? The Oakland Mills Village Board? CA? Howard County? I'd like to see something classy come out of all of this. Right now I am truly embarrassed.

 

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Board of Education Responses, Post 1

Question, "What do you think the job of a Board of Education member is?" Please address the following:

1. What power does the position convey?

2. What is the best use of that power?

3. To whom is the Board of Education member responsible?

 

Thanks to Corey Andrews for getting the ball rolling!

In the simplest terms, the job of a member of the Howard County Board of Education is to provide oversight of the Howard County Public School System. The Board is to provide a "vision," one that is consistent with the will of the people of Howard County, to guide the Superintendent and school system administration. The Board must step in when it sees the school system straying from the goals it has laid out or when it is time to change direction. It is not the Board's job to micro-manage the day-to-day operation of the school system. The Board provides the vision, while the school system administration determines the most effective way to implement it. In cases where an implementation of a policy or program is deemed ineffective or not appropriate by the citizens of the County, the Board shall intervene to provide direction.

Each Board member is accountable to every citizen of Howard County. Therefore, members must be responsive, visible, and open-minded. It is important that we elect people to the Board that are there to represent the citizens and not themselves.

Sunday, April 6, 2:53 PM,

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