Changes since Taylor came onboard

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am primarily concerned with the curriculum and actual instruction. Both are in need of desperate attention.

I’d also like to see action to clean up and ensure safety in the restrooms at middle and high schools. Anyone else have kids (particularly boys) who avoid the bathrooms?

In MS, students have PE every day so they can use locker room bathroom when necessary if they don't want to use hallway bathrooms.

In HS they have bathroom in Health room that posters on other threads have mentioned can be used if students don't want to use other school bathrooms and or can't if bathrooms are locked. At a board meeting early on this school year, one of those guys said "we are not locking bathrooms." Is that true or are bathrooms still locked?

[Anonymous]

I at least like the discussion of priorities - academics and safety. That is a big step in the right direction imo

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I at least like the discussion of priorities - academics and safety. That is a big step in the right direction imo

Talk is good. Hope positive actions are taken before the "it was just his first year etc." Will changes be made before his term expires? The curriculum thing is same as for eons - finding a new curriculum every few years because "the last one didn't work."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He’s having Magruder HS renamed. Wonder when he’ll have Richard Montgomery renamed.

He didn’t initiate that - the community did. Same opportunity exists for the RM community if they want.

True. Class sizes were increased. Amazing that mcps has $650k to spend to rename a school in a school system with such a budget deficit.

It's actually $1 million, because $350K was already earmarked. I think that was his point to the board, putting it under discretionary spending: if you decide to change the name, be aware that it has a hefty price tag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He’s having Magruder HS renamed. Wonder when he’ll have Richard Montgomery renamed.

He didn’t initiate that - the community did. Same opportunity exists for the RM community if they want.

True. Class sizes were increased. Amazing that mcps has $650k to spend to rename a school in a school system with such a budget deficit.

It's actually $1 million, because $350K was already earmarked. I think that was his point to the board, putting it under discretionary spending: if you decide to change the name, be aware that it has a hefty price tag.

A board member brought up a good point. Magruder is on the Capital Budget list for building upgrades in the next cycle. This always includes signage updates. They may decide to wait on renaming until then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He’s having Magruder HS renamed. Wonder when he’ll have Richard Montgomery renamed.

He didn’t initiate that - the community did. Same opportunity exists for the RM community if they want.

True. Class sizes were increased. Amazing that mcps has $650k to spend to rename a school in a school system with such a budget deficit.

It's actually $1 million, because $350K was already earmarked. I think that was his point to the board, putting it under discretionary spending: if you decide to change the name, be aware that it has a hefty price tag.

A board member brought up a good point. Magruder is on the Capital Budget list for building upgrades in the next cycle. This always includes signage updates. They may decide to wait on renaming until then.

I thought that was an excellent point. That the renaming itself could be approved but be tied to updates in the CIP. At the very least, the school and any CIP related changes should be evaluated as to ensure no overlap or duplication in the near future.

[Anonymous]

The technology has got to improve. like Canvas.

[Anonymous]

He has also banned cell phones in HS and I have heard behavior issues are lessened (no hard data on this, just word on the street from middle and high school teachers I know)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He has also banned cell phones in HS and I have heard behavior issues are lessened (no hard data on this, just word on the street from middle and high school teachers I know)

At which of the 25+1 HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He has also banned cell phones in HS and I have heard behavior issues are lessened (no hard data on this, just word on the street from middle and high school teachers I know)

No he hasn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He has also banned cell phones in HS and I have heard behavior issues are lessened (no hard data on this, just word on the street from middle and high school teachers I know)

Cell phones have not been banned. There are a handful of middle and high schools engaged in an “Away All Day” pilot, but any parent, teacher or student can tell you that that the pilots are a joke. The enforcement of the pilots are inconsistent and subjective and there aren’t mechanisms for tracking the efficacy of these pilots either.

[Anonymous]

Honestly I think you all are expecting too much from any superintendant. MCPS is just too large to change quickly or in any significant way. If I could do it all over again, I would not have moved to an area where decisions about my kids' education have to factor in such a huge population and geography. It's just not possible to be thoughtful or nimble in a system that has to meet the needs of 160k students. Inevitably you end up with the lowest common denominator.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has also banned cell phones in HS and I have heard behavior issues are lessened (no hard data on this, just word on the street from middle and high school teachers I know)

Cell phones have not been banned. There are a handful of middle and high schools engaged in an “Away All Day” pilot, but any parent, teacher or student can tell you that that the pilots are a joke. The enforcement of the pilots are inconsistent and subjective and there aren’t mechanisms for tracking the efficacy of these pilots either.

I thought those pilots are just at middle schools. Are high schools doing it too?

And it’s not a joke at our middle school. After some kids had phones confiscated at the start of the year and had to have their parents pick it up, compliance has been much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched the most recent budget working meeting. I thought Taylor had really good points about financial management, the lack of training for principals, and the need for project management training in general for central office folks. A lot of the budgetary and contract mismanagement over the past tens years happened because there aren’t clear processes for oversight internally. I’m happy he’s working to improve that.

A few decades late but ok

Ha! I’ve got all the project management certs - waste of time & money for mcps

[Anonymous]

Change is slow in a bureaucracy this large. He has told staff that essentially things will get worse before they get better as they address budget shortfalls and get their priorities aligned.