Village Green/Town²

Just fooling with you. I'm going to try another week of gratitude, actually. This week's reasons to be grateful: 1. We seem to have acquired all the needed school supplies and signed all the correct forms. So far. 2. The date for this year's Oakland Mills Cultural Arts Festival has been set--October 8th--it's one of my favorite days of the year. 3. Candidate forums aplenty for the HoCoBOE race! 4. First meeting of the Citizens Review Committee of the HCPSS Budget occurred yesterday. And here is Bill Woodcock's blog post about it. 5. HoCo PATH-IAF members are out in the community sharing information on Strong Schools, Affordable Homes. If you see the friendly folks in the green shirts while you are out and about, take a minute to listen to their goals--they might be your goals, too.  

I highly recommend this article shared by Just Up the Pike's Dan Reed about generational differences when it comes to housing density. Although written in Canada it could easily have been written in Howard County. It's definitely worth the read. The author takes a look at the differing desires of Millennials and Baby Boomers when it comes to the development of new housing and communities. If, after reading the article, you feel that it has been too hard on Baby Boomers, you might wish to cleanse your palate by reading this piece . I frankly think that Millennials take too much bashing but this one is almost funny. And it makes you think. I am, technically, a Baby Boomer. My older daughter is a Millennial. We have differing opinions about things but those opinions help us learn about each other, rather than condemn. I get tired of seeing articles about what's wrong with her generation. Heck, I get tired of getting lumped in with all the sins of the Baby Boomers. Yes, there ...

Today is the first day of school for many in Howard County. The first day is full of possibility and it can been exciting. Or scary. Or both. Teachers and staff will be working hard to make schools welcoming and to create positive learning environments. Most importantly, they will be building the relationships with students that make that learning possible. Ahead there will be challenge, adventure, good days, bad days, boredom, and breakthrough but above all there will be relationship. Without it, students are nothing but widgets and teachers nothing but robotic "deliverers of content". I am now working in a school where we focus our efforts in the workplace by trying to "bring our best selves" to the task at hand: to teaching, relating with coworkers, students, and parents, and to building community. This is a school where the ultimate goal is to produce students who will make the world a better place. As we work to make our school welcoming and to create positive...

300 500 600 700 800 These are not just random numbers. These are dollar amounts that Howard County teachers were missing out of their paychecks this week because of an accounting error in the HCPSS payroll department. Would you be able to cover a loss this big without adequate warning? Most Howard County teachers don't earn enough to be able to take that kind of a hit. Howard County Times covers this briefly, but read the comments, too, to get a clearer picture of what actually occurred. It is the job of the people who handle HCPSS payroll to manage two different pay schedules: one that pays over ten months, and one that pays over twelve months. Most school systems throughout the country offer both options as a way of responding to teachers' need to have a steady paycheck year round. If you are in the business of making payroll decisions, you should have the ability to work out things like the length of the teacher contract, the dates that the school year begins and ends. This...

This post first appeared on August 27, 2012. It refers to this event. Love for Ellicott City lives on and on. Is No News "Good"? Once upon a time, there were places that everybody knew and loved. You know what I mean, right? Places like The Last Chance Saloon, Michael's, Rocky Run, Produce Galore, Bun Penny. Everybody went there. At least, that's what I've heard. You can probably name some others, equally treasured. But times changed. People changed. The economy changed. And then, one day, they weren't there. Not all at once of course--little by little. Well-known pieces of the community broke away and crumbled. Some people were angry, some were grieving. Some asked, "why?" "Why didn't we know?" "If we had known they were in trouble, we would have made a point of supporting them." "It's not our fault this happened." If someone had just told us, we would never have let this happen." I don't know...

I just want to start by acknowledging that I had no idea of the truly bad pun coming your way when I wrote this post last week, "Ball in Your Court, #HoCoGov". So the following is not intentional. Yes, when it comes to mold in our schools and getting transparency and accountability, we seemed to be at a standstill when the the firm commissioned to investigate by the County Executve's office was basically discredited by a contractor hired by the school system. Top it off with the news that the (independent?) investigators were not permitted to speak publicly without permission of the school system. Ball in your court, #HoCoGov. It turns out that there is indeed a chance to turn this game around because the ball in HoCoGov's court is Calvin Ball, Chair of the County Council. (I know, I know, but stay with me here.) The saga of mold has gotten so complicated that I had forgotten that Dr. Ball authored and got legislation passed to have the Environmental Sustainability B...

Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Since 2003 I have worked part time in one way or another and all household chores, grocery shopping, and cooking fell to me by default. And that was fine. I was the one with the most time. Now I'm not. I'm going back to work full time and I have absolutely no clue how dinner is going to happen. So, to those of you who've been parenting and working full time and making dinner happen all this time: I salute you. I bow down before you. Long ago, in another life, I knew how to do this. But I have lost my chops. Educate me. What are the best local options for busy parents to get food on the table fast? What tricks have you learned for juggling everything and staying sane? When my daughter was an infant and I was commuting to Baltimore to work every day, we fell back on take-out and cereal as dinner much more than I would have liked. We survived. But it wasn't pretty. Howard County has plenty of grocery stores, and several grocery delivery option...

Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Since 2003 I have worked part time in one way or another and all household chores, grocery shopping, and cooking fell to me by default. And that was fine. I was the one with the most time. Now I'm not. I'm going back to work full time and I have absolutely no clue how dinner is going to happen. So, to those of you who've been parenting and working full time and making dinner happen all this time: I salute you. I bow down before you. Long ago, in another life, I knew how to do this. But I have lost my chops. Educate me. What are the best local options for busy parents to get food on the table fast? What tricks have you learned for juggling everything and staying sane? When my daughter was an infant and I was commuting to Baltimore to work every day, we fell back on take-out and cereal as dinner much more than I would have liked. We survived. But it wasn't pretty. Howard County has plenty of grocery stores, and several grocery del...

Last week's little list idea is growing on me. It might even get to be a regular thing. What's on my local appreciation list this week? Ellicott City Main Street businesses the Judge's Bench and the Wine Bin are slated to re-open today and tomorrow, respectively. Now, that's progress. There's going to be a Hops & Harvest Festival at the Lakefront in October. Reporter Fatimah Waseem of The Howard County Times "who has been a one-woman flood bureau over the last 3 weeks. " (Tom Coale, Ellicott City Partnership) A bit outside the Bubble, but extremely significant in re HCPSS achievement gap issues--take a look at this information from UMBC:   (Photo credit Candace Dodson Reed) Last, but not least, a grateful shout-out to all of our Howard County teachers and staff who are working their tails off this week to get schools and classrooms ready for students, all while struggling with punitive budget reallocations. Thank you--we support your wor...

  I can't visit Rehoboth without stopping in to Fun For All! Toys on Penny Lane. Something about paying homage to the candy and toys of my childhood gives me a sense of reassurance. My childhood is still there. It hasn't been forgotten. I really lived in that world which now feels so different and far away.   I sometimes wonder if the people who grew up in a nascent Columbia have that same feeling. It must be difficult to see little pieces of their childhood slipping away. No matter how useful or exciting the evolution of their town, it is still different. And sometimes different just feels like loss.   The Columbia Archives is preparing for Columbia's 50th birthday celebration in 2017. You can learn more on their Facebook page . They are posting all kinds of historical photos and interesting tidbits. You can also read "Columbia at 50" by Len Lazarick, an ongoing memoir of our city, which is being shared on the page.   It feels particularly appropriate to me to ta...

This cartoon appeared in last week's paper. Funny, huh?     Back-to-school time is often a bit wistful as we say goodbye to summer. Students may be a little nervous about what lies ahead. Parents may be anxious about big transitions for their children. We don't often think about what it's like for teachers and staff fearing to go in a building because it makes them sick.   The following quotes are from the "Mold in Howard County Schools - Information for Parents" Facebook Page.   Here is a statement from a current teacher:   "At this point, we'll keep fighting this fight and I'll have to do what I can to keep my health the best that I can while we're doing it. Sadly, I've come to know that I've had mold related illnesses for several years due to HCPSS negligence. When I left (prior) school -- years ago, I'd had a chronic sinus infection for over a year. The trailer I taught in - requested an air quality check on and was told it wa...

I'm not a photographer. I am in awe of people like Michael Oberman who really and truly understand and practice the art of photography. Still, I like to take pictures. And the camera on my iPhone is a big step up from my childhood Kodak Instamatic or my high school Polaroid. Three years ago I snapped this at a HoCo Blogs party at the Second Chance Saloon. It has become affectionately known as, "when Bill Woodcock speaks, people listen." I'm rather proud of this one. Bill and I both live in Oakland Mills, have both served on the Village Board, both write blogs. We're both interested in local affairs, and generally have something to say about them. Our opinions are frequently quite different. Or sometimes our opinions are similar but our methods are radically different. It doesn't matter. We keep at it. In this picture Bill is being interviewed by two members of the local media, Luke Lavoie and Jon Sham. Neither of them still works for the Howard County Times. ...

It's back! Or at least it will be. Yesterday this announcement popped up on Facebook: Yes, Symphony of Lights is back and it looks to be refreshed and rejuvenated after a one-year absence. So that's something to look forward to as we're suffering through end-of-summer August heat and humidity. In the category of What May Come is this blog post from Harry Schwarz at HoCoMDcc, entitled: Life at the new Hickory Ridge Village Center (circa 2024) As you may know, the owners of the Hickory Ridge Village Center are working with the community on a redevelopment plan. As with anything that involves change in Columbia, there are plenty of opinions. I have only been following this in the most basic of ways, so I'm not offering any point of view whatsoever on Kimco's plans or the community's responses. I love Harry's post simply because it is that rare example of someone imagining a Columbia future that isn't a doom and gloom story. What if things changed and they...

The turnaround in the local press concerning mold in Howard County Schools has been breathtaking. We went from results of the County's independent investigation one week to an article discrediting the same report based solely on the say-so of an HCPSS contractor. My, that was fast. What does the firm that completed the independent investigation think of this? "Skelly and Loy Inc. representatives denied a request for an interview, stating they could only release information approved by Howard County Public Schools." Wait, what? Let's review the basics: Parents experience loss of confidence in how HCPSS is handling the mold issue. They ask for an independent investigation. Howard County Government responds to constituents and makes this possible. Report is released, showing mold in schools. School system hires their own contractor who discredits the independent report. Firm who completed the independent investigation at the behest of hocogov is not permitted to speak to...

As of today, here is what the Howard County School System says* we can't afford: Adequate funds for materials of instruction Adequate number of para-educators Adequate support staff for special education students Adequate teaching staff to support reasonable class sizes Frequent and conveniently timed BOE meetings and time for public input A diversity coordinator Adequate support of students' IEP goals Here is what they say we can afford: Increased MAP testing (in addition to PARCC testing) A privately contracted consultant to challenge the County's recent air quality report A brand new Public Relations magazine to be published online and in print A teacher recruitment advertising campaign on radio and online Continued costs of the Gallup Strengths Finder program Continued money to litigate against special education parents Do you see priorities here? I do, and they're not student-centered. The school system has been entrusted both with our children and our tax dollars...

Five local things I'm grateful for right now, in no particular order: First Responders Challengers running for the Board of Education Everyone helping in any way with the Old Ellicott City recovery Sandy Cederbaum, amazing Village Manager in Oakland Mills Barbara Kellner of Columbia Archives, gearing up for Columbia's 50th Why a gratitude list? To be honest, there are so many things I find outrageous right now that a moment to look at what I'm grateful for is in order. It's all in one's perspective, right? I still wake up every day in a nice home in a comfortable bed with a loving family. I live in a community that allows me to be involved and express my views. Oh! One more thing to be grateful for: the Chysalis project in Merriweather Park/Symphony Woods is coming along nicely and posting daily updates. The future of Columbia isn't something that's going to happen at some date far out in time. It's happening now. What's on your list t...

Just saw a meme which read, "August is the Sunday of Summer." I've been teaching and/or working in school settings since 1985 and I'd have to agree. I go back to work full time on the 22nd and every day of this week is filled with last minute things that need to get done. The summer, like most summers, has gotten away from us and we have not accomplished much of what we set out to do. For some reason the feeling of the school year bearing down on me is making it more and more difficult for me to write. My long established routines for getting up and writing will soon be changing and that bothers me. I'm worrying in advance, I guess. Not very productive but there you are. On my mind this morning are this article in the Baltimore Sun about Ellicott City, and word that long-time Columbia volunteer and environmental activist Rhoda Toback has died. The unifying thread here is trees and the watershed. I'd like to write about this in a more comprehensive way but I...

What a difference a year makes. About a year ago I wrote a post about the upcoming meeting between HCPSS and parents at Glenwood Middle School. In the post, this little gem: Although I understand that there have been some efforts to paint these parents as troublemakers (some even going so far to say they are nothing more than a front for the teachers union?) The rumor machine was hard at work even then. A front for the teachers union? I find that particularly hilarious because some of these same parents are now being targeted in a whisper campaign (by the very same people) as "dangerous Tea Party Republicans". Make up your mind. It's an astonishing leap from a front for HCEA to dangerous Tea Party Republican. The labels say nothing about the parents themselves but a good deal about those who are generating them. It doesn't matter what labels you try to stick on those troublesome community members, just make them stick. Discredit the messengers. This is where things ...

Yesterday the Howard County Muslim Council, with support from the United Maryland Muslim Council, distributed bag lunches in Ellicott City to volunteers, residents, and construction workers. In their appeal to members on the group's Facebook page: Please open your hearts and wallets and let's help to rebuild Ellicott City! # ECSTRONG Last night in New York City a Muslim imam and his assistant were shot and killed near the mosque where they had recently been offering afternoon prayers. An attack which feels so targeted cannot help but cause distress for Muslims anywhere in our country. In the current political climate a candidate for president uses and encourages false and incendiary language against Muslims. His followers feed on the anger and negativity and magnify it.   We do not know yet all the details surrounding this crime. We certainly know enough to know it is heartbreaking and is causing American Muslims to feel less safe. And yes, they are American, like our our Mus...

Two reports yesterday. They couldn't be more different. In one, an article in the Howard County Times, Beverly Davis describes a memo which details restrictions on hiring and purchasing as follows: The move will likely have "a minimal noticeable impact for students" and the school system is "not using it as an excuse to reduce its commitment to schools in any way," she said. Another view comes from the memo itself, released yesterday on social media by the BOE campaign of Vicky Cutroneo and Christina Delmont-Small. The memo clearly lays out cuts of as much as 50 percent in MOI, Materials of Instruction. These are the funds allocated to teachers which fund items needed for their programs. It is further stated that any shortfalls may not be submitted for reimbursement out of the total school budget, thus placing a stranglehold on teachers as they try to purchase necessary materials for the school year. Two things to consider: 1) how can cutting materials of inst...

I overslept. Woke up in the middle of dreaming, and my brain won't work. Happy Friday to you, too. I was going to write about some concerns I have about the Columbia Village Board system today, but that will need to wait until I can get my head on straight. If I tried now I suspect the result would be more like free associating. If you are following the many ways to support Ellicott City right now, I recommend you take a look at Totally HoCo . Jessie Newburn has been working to aggregate the EC-centric events. Totally HoCo is a great community resource and it is showing its value during a time like this by highlighting fundraisers and donation drives that support the flood victims. While you are taking a look at events to support, sign up for the Totally HoCo weekly email newsletter. It shows up in my box on Sundays and it's a great way to start the week. Also, if you are planning a local event, post it there. It's easy to do, and it's free. As I said recently: we don...

I have three things in my head today. 1. Monday's "Tipping Point" conversation about race, sponsored by AACR 2. The DOJ report released yesterday on Baltimore policing 3. The speech given by Marilyn Mosby, State's Attorney for Baltimore, on the decision to cease trials in the Freddie Gray case First of all, I have immense respect for the organizers of Monday's event, and for all who participated. To take a leap of faith that they could bring together so many people during a time which is so emotionally charged and have a positive outcome is no small thing. Handling the event moment by moment took patience and flexibility. When you allow people to speak out, it means you are relinquishing some control. You know you must expect the unexpected, and you try to be ready, but of course you won't know what that is until it happens. On Monday the number of people who wanted, not to ask a question of the panel, but to be heard, was overwhelming. One after another they ...

Monday evening I attended the community discussion about race hosted by the African American Community Roundtable. Yesterday I was invited to participate in a small group discussion session by Howard Hughes Corporation on the upcoming pieces of Downtown Development. Later in the evening I stopped by the Oakland Mills Village Board Meeting because something important was on the agenda. This is not the preferred life experience for an introvert. Some days I despair of finding something to write about. Today there's so much swirling about in my brain that I can't find even one loose end where I can begin to unravel it all. If there is a mental equivalent to sorting laundry on wash day, I sure could use it now. In the meantime, word of increased cuts that directly affect teachers, students, and support staff are beginning to emerge from HCPSS Central Office. Strangely there don't seem to be significant cuts to ever-increasing Central Office staff, public relations, the Gallup p...

Sunday I wrote about driving forces in Howard County real estate and how parents might soon be making decisions based on the health quality of local schools. Monday the school air quality tests for twelve Howard County schools were released. The schools are: Centennial Lane Elementary School Elkridge Elementary School Glenelg High School Glenwood Middle School Laurel Woods Elementary School Lisbon Elementary School Mount View Middle School Pointers Run Elementary School Rockburn Elementary School St. John's Lane Elementary School Talbot Springs Elementary School Wilde Lake High School   Two important things for you to know: 1. Just because you don't see your child's school here doesn't necessarily mean there is no mold in your school. It means only that it hasn't been tested. I believe that these particular schools were chosen on the basis of pre-existing reports and concerns. I hope more schools will now be tested. 2. It is my understanding that these reports, pre...

Many years ago my older daughter was chosen to give the important monologue at the end of the 8th grade play. It was a BFD, as our Vice President might say, and she took her responsibility quite seriously. There was one line, however, that tripped her up every time. I can't remember all of it but it contained the words "symbolic symbols". What the what? Symbolic symbols? As opposed to __________? She nailed the monologue, but we never did figure out the symbolic symbols. This last week those words came to mind while we were at the beach reading the reports of destruction caused by the flooding in Ellicott City. As we sat and had cool drinks on sunny streets there were people back home coming to terms with total loss. It felt surreal, and it definitely colored our vacation experiences. I felt compelled to take this picture of the Penny Lane clock in Rehoboth to contrast with the many views I was seeing of the Main Street Ellicott City clock: toppled, washed aw...

Earlier this Spring HCPSS made much of a study which made the claim that: "Superior Public School System Performance drives 1.85 Billion Economic Impact in Howard County." (Did we we pay for this study? We probably did pay for this study. But that's another story.) The gist of the results is the following, taken from a piece on the Howard County Schools website: "As Students Achieve at High Levels, Home Values Rise, Jobs and Business Activity Increase" Of course, anyone who understands what is really going on here would tell you that this entire line of reasoning is based on the faulty notion that standardized test scores are a valid measure of school success. They aren't. The only thing high test scores indicate is the economic affluence of the test-taker. So the truth of what happens in Howard County when real estate agents steer buyers towards the areas with high tests scores is that the rich areas get richer and the poorer areas get poorer. ...

As a lifelong teacher, a parent, and the wife of a member of the Howard County Educators Association, I was heartsick to see that Governor Hogan put in writing the claim that members of teachers' unions who disagreed with his funding choices were "union thugs." Name calling is never the sign of a good leader. And the term he chose to smack down his adversaries is so heavily loaded with a cartoon-like villainesque quality that it basically stops any conversation in its tracks. "Union thugs" are something evil and to be feared. We don't really know what they are but we know they just have to be awful. Maybe we saw some in a movie. They were bad. Raising a spectre of an amorphous bogeyman to reinforce the hand of the person in power is a tactic to silence opposition. Governor Hogan wants us to believe that he ...respects the work of the state's teachers but believes the leadership of their union long ago "stopped truly representing" them and ...