The Board of Education of Charles County held two meetings in April to address important updates and topics regarding the school system. The regular meeting on Tuesday, April 11, and the work session on Monday, April 24, covered a wide range of issues and updates related to the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS). All Board meetings are streamed live and can be found on the CCPS YouTube page. Here are some of the important updates discussed during the meetings.
Recognition of Student State Winners
During the April 11 meeting, the Board recognized the student state winners from Henry E. Lackey High School’s girls’ basketball team. Superintendent Maria Navarro, Ed.D., highlighted upcoming events, including high school graduations, and a change in the last day of school for students and teachers.
School Climate Update
Marvin Jones, Ed.D., chief of schools, Kathy Kiessling, director of student services, Westlake High School Principal Diane Roberts, Benjamin Stoddert Middle School Principal Erica Williams, and Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School Principal Michael Hoffman shared a PowerPoint on the school climate in CCPS. The presentation included how school climate is measured, current data, student violations to date, and data on the percentage of students committing violations in a three-year comparison. Dr. Jones also shared an update on the CCPS Code of Student Conduct and revision plans to align it with Maryland State codes.
Blueprint Oral Update
Christina Miller, coordinator of district innovation, shared an update on the status of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future implementation. The Board asked Miller questions on the process after submitting the draft implementation plan to the Maryland State Department of Education.
Legislative Update
Eric Schwartz, staff attorney, updated the Board on various House and Senate bills that passed and/or failed during the recent legislative session.
Recognition of Resolutions, North Point Mock Trial Team, Students, and Employees
During the recognition portion of the meeting, the Board presented resolutions for May. The North Point Mock Trial team was also recognized for their achievements for winning first place in the circuit championship, making it to the state regional level championship in the final four and being one of the first CCPS teams to be named finalists at the state regional level.
Calendar SY2024-2025
Linda Gill, Ed.D., executive director of schools, and Shelley Mackey, director of communications, shared a detailed PowerPoint on the CCPS 2024-2025 calendar planning process. Highlights included three different calendar proposals, committee recommendations, and the Board’s review and approval process.
Project Status Update
Michael Heim, chief of operations and supporting services, shared an oral update on projects underway throughout the school system, such as upgrading HVAC systems, and plans for the groundbreaking ceremony for Elementary #23.
Equity Taskforce Workgroup Update
Sylvia Royster, director of community engagement and equity, and Christine Paul, community engagement and equity specialist, shared a PowerPoint highlighting the scope, vision, mission, objectives, and various workgroup presentations. Other presenters were Lora Bennett, executive director of IT Strategy, Michelle Reeves, science teacher at Milton M. Somers Middle School, Tangie Scales, principal at Gale-Bailey Elementary School, Tavon Myers, assistant principal at Malcolm Elementary School, Lewan Jones, CCPS director for compliance, Phil Jones, assistant principal at John Hanson Middle School, Doria Fleisher, community engagement coordinator with the Charles County Government, and community member, Pascale Small.
Textbooks: Heritage Speaker Course (Spanish) Part II and History
Kevin Lowndes, chief of teaching and learning, Jack Tuttle, social studies content specialist, and Linda McLaughlin, world language lead teacher, shared a PowerPoint highlighting feedback from the community on the “U.S. History Interactive” textbook and the “En Voz Alta” textbook.
Action Items
During the April 11 meeting, the Board approved minutes, personnel recommendations, Board work session minutes, Town Hall minutes, and Board retreat minutes. During the April 24 work session, the Board approved personnel items.
Overall, the meetings covered many important updates related to the Charles County Public Schools system. From recognizing student state winners to updating the CCPS Code of Student Conduct, the Board addressed various issues impacting the school system and its students. The Board also presented resolutions for May and recognized exemplary students and school staff members. Updates on projects, textbooks, and the Equity Taskforce Workgroup were also discussed during the meetings. The Board will continue to meet and address important Charles County Public Schools system updates.
