Program analysis concerns

[Anonymous]

Their webpage https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/academic-programs-analysis/ says:

"A design team, made up of families, community members, and school-based staff are meeting now and will recommend what programs should be offered within a reasonable geographic area and what programs should be offered at all schools."

Who are these families and community members? What qualifies them to be on this team? Why are we allowing a handful to have such an outsized influence?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Their webpage https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/academic-programs-analysis/ says:

"A design team, made up of families, community members, and school-based staff are meeting now and will recommend what programs should be offered within a reasonable geographic area and what programs should be offered at all schools."

Who are these families and community members? What qualifies them to be on this team? Why are we allowing a handful to have such an outsized influence?

Are you worried Bethesda parents can't use their extensive resources to shout over everyone else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Their webpage https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/academic-programs-analysis/ says:

"A design team, made up of families, community members, and school-based staff are meeting now and will recommend what programs should be offered within a reasonable geographic area and what programs should be offered at all schools."

Who are these families and community members? What qualifies them to be on this team? Why are we allowing a handful to have such an outsized influence?

Are you worried Bethesda parents can't use their extensive resources to shout over everyone else?

No. I want to know who they are. Is it a secret?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Their webpage https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/academic-programs-analysis/ says:

"A design team, made up of families, community members, and school-based staff are meeting now and will recommend what programs should be offered within a reasonable geographic area and what programs should be offered at all schools."

Who are these families and community members? What qualifies them to be on this team? Why are we allowing a handful to have such an outsized influence?

Don't expect transparency from MCPS. They likely have predetermined outcomes and aren't looking to engage in an authentically democratic process.

IF they are engaging with families and community members for this process, which they might not be, it is likely with:

1) Known friendlies who won't openly challenge or conflict with MCPS's goals and objectives from their preferred advocacy organizations such as the MCCPTA, the NAACP Parents Council or the Black and Brown Coalition and of course the unions, MCEA and MCAAP.

OR

2) They've stacked the deck with MCPS employees who are also parents and have students in the system. This is how MCPS often gets away with community engagement policy mandates: They use employees who are also MCPS parents to fill in those spots.

[Anonymous]

I mean, just their survey along was crap…what did you expect?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Their webpage https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/academic-programs-analysis/ says:

"A design team, made up of families, community members, and school-based staff are meeting now and will recommend what programs should be offered within a reasonable geographic area and what programs should be offered at all schools."

Who are these families and community members? What qualifies them to be on this team? Why are we allowing a handful to have such an outsized influence?

Don't expect transparency from MCPS. They likely have predetermined outcomes and aren't looking to engage in an authentically democratic process.

IF they are engaging with families and community members for this process, which they might not be, it is likely with:

1) Known friendlies who won't openly challenge or conflict with MCPS's goals and objectives from their preferred advocacy organizations such as the MCCPTA, the NAACP Parents Council or the Black and Brown Coalition and of course the unions, MCEA and MCAAP.

OR

2) They've stacked the deck with MCPS employees who are also parents and have students in the system. This is how MCPS often gets away with community engagement policy mandates: They use employees who are also MCPS parents to fill in those spots.

Interesting -- good to know where to set my expectations. Maybe we should ask that poster who keeps confidently stating what program will stay, be moved, be replicated, or be sunset.

I feel that while we are all arguing about the boundary studies, which at least are being done by an outside firm with no skin in the game, this is flying under the radar and will have influence on the boundaries eventually.

[Anonymous]

They announced this group of community members recently. Mabe they have some influence?

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/boe/committees/communication-engagement/

[Anonymous]

Don't worry, they don't actually let any family and community members make decisions, they just do what they want anyway, so the exact makeup isn't that important anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They announced this group of community members recently. Mabe they have some influence?

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/boe/committees/communication-engagement/

Thomas E. Anderson, II
Sharon Barr
Melvin Freeman
Theo Holt - case manager in special education for Montgomery County Public Schools
Brigid Howe - MCCPTA President
Samira Hussein - MCPS Family Service Worker
Dawn Kum -
Samantha Kupferman - Advocacy Chair of Ashburton Elementary PTA
Adam Lee - Member of MCPS's Asian Pacific American Student Achievement Action Group (APASAAG)
Cindy Lotto - MCPS Teacher
Rosa Hernandez Rodriguez
Anthony Rosado - MCPS Special Ed Teacher
Samantha Ross - Former SMOB Candidate and current MCPS Curriculum Apprentice
Keisha Smith -
Stephanie Tsacoumis
Natale Zimmer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They announced this group of community members recently. Mabe they have some influence?

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/boe/committees/communication-engagement/

Thomas E. Anderson, II
Sharon Barr
Melvin Freeman
Theo Holt - case manager in special education for Montgomery County Public Schools
Brigid Howe - MCCPTA President
Samira Hussein - MCPS Family Service Worker
Dawn Kum -
Samantha Kupferman - Advocacy Chair of Ashburton Elementary PTA
Adam Lee - Member of MCPS's Asian Pacific American Student Achievement Action Group (APASAAG)
Cindy Lotto - MCPS Teacher
Rosa Hernandez Rodriguez
Anthony Rosado - MCPS Special Ed Teacher
Samantha Ross - Former SMOB Candidate and current MCPS Curriculum Apprentice
Keisha Smith -
Stephanie Tsacoumis
Natale Zimmer

I think this is a different group (in charge of communication).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Their webpage https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/academic-programs-analysis/ says:

"A design team, made up of families, community members, and school-based staff are meeting now and will recommend what programs should be offered within a reasonable geographic area and what programs should be offered at all schools."

Who are these families and community members? What qualifies them to be on this team? Why are we allowing a handful to have such an outsized influence?

Get a life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Their webpage https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/academic-programs-analysis/ says:

"A design team, made up of families, community members, and school-based staff are meeting now and will recommend what programs should be offered within a reasonable geographic area and what programs should be offered at all schools."

Who are these families and community members? What qualifies them to be on this team? Why are we allowing a handful to have such an outsized influence?

Get a life.

This is (part of) my life. If it isn’t part of yours, I suggest you are the one wasting it by commenting on topics that don’t concern you.