Anne Arundel County, MD – The Board of Education of Anne Arundel County will convene its next meeting on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, where they will be presented with Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell’s recommendation for the first phase of comprehensive redistricting.
The recommendation will primarily focus on the northern part of the county. It will include the establishment of boundaries for the newly constructed Old Mill West High School and West County Elementary School, slated to open in the 2024-2025 school year. The proposed plan is part of a process initiated in February and is expected to be adopted by the Board in November, taking effect in August 2024.
Following its presentation to the Board, detailed information about the redistricting recommendation will be available on the official Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) website at www.aacps.org/redistricting. Subsequently, the Board will host a public workshop on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, at 6 p.m. in the Board Room. While the workshop is open to the public, there will be no provision for public comment during the session.
The upcoming Board meeting will commence at noon on July 12 and will be held at the Parham Building’s Board Room at 2644 Riva Road in Annapolis. The meeting will be open to the public, with attendance subject to space limitations in the Board Room.
In addition to the redistricting recommendation, the Board will conduct its third reading and vote on the proposed Policy IS, Display of Flags. Initial discussions on this policy were held during the Board’s meetings on May 24, 2023, and June 26, 2023.
This meeting will also mark the inauguration of Eric Lin, a student from Severna Park High School, as the 50th Student Member of the Board. Lin holds the distinction of being the only student nationwide with full voting rights on a local board.
Interested individuals can access the details here for a complete overview of the meeting’s agenda. More information regarding specific agenda items will be posted on the AACPS website in the Board Docs section under the Board of Education tab. Those planning to attend the meeting can find protocols, procedures, and expectations for attendees here.
Before the general session, the Board will convene at 10 a.m. in a public session for the sole purpose of voting to proceed into a closed session. Confidential matters permitted by the Maryland Open Meetings Act, such as legal advice, personnel, and negotiations, will be discussed during the closed session. The closed session will not be open to the public.
To facilitate public input on agenda items, the Board will hear public comments during two specific periods at the meeting. The first public comment section, which occurs early in the meeting, will accommodate 10 speakers (including virtual and in-person participants) per agenda item, excluding personnel items, reports, and recognitions. The second public comment section, held towards the end of the meeting, will also allow up to 10 speakers on non-agenda items, excluding student-specific or personnel matters.
Interested individuals can access the registration link at www.aacps.org/boardcomment to provide public comment before the Board. The registration link will be available from 3 p.m. on the Friday before the meeting until noon on the Monday before the meeting. Registering through the provided link is essential, and speakers can sign up for a maximum of two agenda items, limited to one slot per agenda item.
In cases where more than 10 individuals have registered to speak on a particular agenda item, a lottery process will be employed to select the speakers. Registered speakers who secure a slot will receive email notifications at the address provided during registration. Each speaker will be allocated two minutes to address the specific agenda item they signed up for. Detailed information about agenda items can be accessed by clicking on the Board Docs link available at aacps.org/board. Comments regarding student-specific items and personnel matters will not be accepted during the meeting. Due to planned hearings on future redistricting plans, the Board will not entertain public comment during this meeting.
Alternatively, individuals can submit written comments on agenda items through an online form accessible at aacps.org/boardcomment. The form will be available from 3 p.m. on the Friday before the Board meeting until noon on the day before the meeting. Written comments must be limited to 250 words and can also be physically delivered to the Parham Building at 2644 Riva Road in Annapolis.
Individuals requiring interpreter services or other accessibility accommodations for Board of Education meetings can make arrangements by calling 410-222-5311.
For those unable to attend the in-person meeting, the general session will be broadcast live on AACPS-TV, available on Channel 96 on Comcast and Astound, and Channel 36 on Verizon. High-definition broadcasts can be accessed on Channel 996 on Comcast, Channel 496 on Astound, and Channel 1961 on Verizon. Additionally, the meeting will be streamed live on the AACPS YouTube channel. Archived videos of past Board meetings can be found on the AACPS website.
With the Superintendent’s recommendation on redistricting being the focal point of the upcoming Board meeting, Anne Arundel County residents eagerly await the deliberations and subsequent decisions that will shape the educational landscape of their community.