Latest news with #FCPS
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
School board adopts districtwide cellphone policy for students
After months of discussion, the Frederick County Board of Education in a split vote approved a districtwide cellphone usage policy for students. The school board began drafting Policy 118 in September 2024. Frederick County Public Schools Superintendent Cheryl Dyson at the beginning of this school year added new regulations in the Student Code of Conduct for device use in school. She has said the guidelines intended to build a foundation for the policy. The school board voted 4-3 on May 21 to approve the policy. School board members Rae Gallagher, Dean Rose, Karen Yoho and Janie Inglis Monier voted in favor of the policy. Colt Black, Jaime Brennan and Nancy Allen voted against the policy. Although expectations for device usage in school was outlined in the Student Code of Conduct, consequences for violating the policy were not enforced in Term 1, which began Aug. 21, 2024, and ended Oct. 29, 2024. The school district has said it wanted to familiarize students, staff members and families of the expectations without consequences. FCPS in Term 2 began enforcing those consequences. Consequences for violating cellphone usage expectations could include a school administrator confiscating the device. This would require a parent or guardian to come to the school and get the device back. Repeated offenses would result in an administrative referral. Guidelines for device use differ between grade levels. The word 'devices' includes smart watches, tablets and e-readers, and is flexible to include new technology created in the future. Elementary school students must have devices silenced and out of sight throughout the entire school day. This means elementary school students cannot use cellphones during non-class periods, on FCPS transportation to and from school, and at lunch. Middle school students are permitted to use cellphones for 'expressly approved instructional purposes,' as well as on FCPS transportation. They are prohibited from using devices at lunch and between classes. High school students are allowed to use cellphones also for instructional purposes, on FCPS transportation, at lunch and between classes. To create the policy, FCPS has said it spoke with community members, including school administrators and students. School board discussion At the school board meeting on May 21, FCPS chief legal counsel Steven Blivess said while the draft policy contained a mandatory annual review and potential update, staff members were recommending a two-year review instead. He said an annual review of the policy would be too cumbersome. 'Every year, the technology changes a lot, but I don't know that it changes quite that quickly,' Blivess said. He added that three school board members together can bring the policy back to the Policy Committee for further revision. Yoho mentioned at the meeting that five bills attempting to govern student cellphone use in schools all failed in the Maryland General Assembly this past legislative session. Brennan said she liked the policy, but her concern is that the school district will not be 'significantly enforcing' the policy. She mentioned an incident that happened when FCPS students accessed a video chatting website called Thundr on school-issued Chromebooks and on FCPS Wi-Fi. A parent of a student at Oakdale Middle School said he spoke with parents of students who accessed the website, and said students saw sexual content during live video chats while they watched on their Chromebooks in school and on the school bus. FCPS in response said staff members at Oakdale Middle submitted requests to block the website on March 5 and 6, and that the website was blocked on March 7. Tom Saunders, the director of middle schools at FCPS, said at the school board meeting that he meets with the middle school principals every two weeks to discuss different problems to ensure consistency across the 13 middle schools in the district. Black said at the meeting that he was concerned about the section of the policy that discusses violations because the policy reads: 'Examples of violations may include, but are not limited to ...' The policy then lists 20 examples of device use that would violate the policy, including racism, sexual harassment, and installing or using unauthorized software. Black said this part of the policy was too open to interpretation, and asked if there were more examples the school board would need to list for that section to not be open-ended. 'And if not, I think we need to close the door on that, so it's very specific and spelled out, so that this can be clearly followed by administration,' he said. Black said an open-ended section like this leaves room for uneven implementation and application across schools. Blivess said the policy has a 'pretty comprehensive list,' and there was no way the policy could predict every example of a violation of the policy. 'We have some very smart students who may find ways to make use of it that we didn't anticipate, and to create a closed system, like you're suggesting, would mean that if they found a way to use it that was outside of this 20-item list,' FCPS couldn't invoke the policy for appropriate consequences, he said.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
School board adopts districtwide cellphone policy for students
After months of discussion, the Frederick County Board of Education in a split vote approved a districtwide cellphone usage policy for students. The school board began drafting Policy 118 in September 2024. Frederick County Public Schools Superintendent Cheryl Dyson at the beginning of this school year added new regulations in the Student Code of Conduct for device use in school. She has said the guidelines intended to build a foundation for the policy. The school board voted 4-3 on May 21 to approve the policy. School board members Rae Gallagher, Dean Rose, Karen Yoho and Janie Inglis Monier voted in favor of the policy. Colt Black, Jaime Brennan and Nancy Allen voted against the policy. Although expectations for device usage in school was outlined in the Student Code of Conduct, consequences for violating the policy were not enforced in Term 1, which began Aug. 21, 2024, and ended Oct. 29, 2024. The school district has said it wanted to familiarize students, staff members and families of the expectations without consequences. FCPS in Term 2 began enforcing those consequences. Consequences for violating cellphone usage expectations could include a school administrator confiscating the device. This would require a parent or guardian to come to the school and get the device back. Repeated offenses would result in an administrative referral. Guidelines for device use differ between grade levels. The word 'devices' includes smart watches, tablets and e-readers, and is flexible to include new technology created in the future. Elementary school students must have devices silenced and out of sight throughout the entire school day. This means elementary school students cannot use cellphones during non-class periods, on FCPS transportation to and from school, and at lunch. Middle school students are permitted to use cellphones for 'expressly approved instructional purposes,' as well as on FCPS transportation. They are prohibited from using devices at lunch and between classes. High school students are allowed to use cellphones also for instructional purposes, on FCPS transportation, at lunch and between classes. To create the policy, FCPS has said it spoke with community members, including school administrators and students. School board discussion At the school board meeting on May 21, FCPS chief legal counsel Steven Blivess said while the draft policy contained a mandatory annual review and potential update, staff members were recommending a two-year review instead. He said an annual review of the policy would be too cumbersome. 'Every year, the technology changes a lot, but I don't know that it changes quite that quickly,' Blivess said. He added that three school board members together can bring the policy back to the Policy Committee for further revision. Yoho mentioned at the meeting that five bills attempting to govern student cellphone use in schools all failed in the Maryland General Assembly this past legislative session. Brennan said she liked the policy, but her concern is that the school district will not be 'significantly enforcing' the policy. She mentioned an incident that happened when FCPS students accessed a video chatting website called Thundr on school-issued Chromebooks and on FCPS Wi-Fi. A parent of a student at Oakdale Middle School said he spoke with parents of students who accessed the website, and said students saw sexual content during live video chats while they watched on their Chromebooks in school and on the school bus. FCPS in response said staff members at Oakdale Middle submitted requests to block the website on March 5 and 6, and that the website was blocked on March 7. Tom Saunders, the director of middle schools at FCPS, said at the school board meeting that he meets with the middle school principals every two weeks to discuss different problems to ensure consistency across the 13 middle schools in the district. Black said at the meeting that he was concerned about the section of the policy that discusses violations because the policy reads: 'Examples of violations may include, but are not limited to ...' The policy then lists 20 examples of device use that would violate the policy, including racism, sexual harassment, and installing or using unauthorized software. Black said this part of the policy was too open to interpretation, and asked if there were more examples the school board would need to list for that section to not be open-ended. 'And if not, I think we need to close the door on that, so it's very specific and spelled out, so that this can be clearly followed by administration,' he said. Black said an open-ended section like this leaves room for uneven implementation and application across schools. Blivess said the policy has a 'pretty comprehensive list,' and there was no way the policy could predict every example of a violation of the policy. 'We have some very smart students who may find ways to make use of it that we didn't anticipate, and to create a closed system, like you're suggesting, would mean that if they found a way to use it that was outside of this 20-item list,' FCPS couldn't invoke the policy for appropriate consequences, he said.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
DOJ probes top Virginia high school over alleged anti-Asian discrimination in admissions
[Source] The Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) in Virginia over allegations that its Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) discriminated against Asian American students in its admissions process. Driving the news The probe follows a referral from Virginia Atty. Gen. Jason Miyares, who announced on Wednesday that his office found reasonable cause that FCPS violated the Virginia Human Rights Act and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Internal communications allegedly show school board members acknowledging that its admissions policy overhaul was designed to decrease Asian American admissions, with one writing 'there has been an anti-Asian feel underlying some of this' and another saying the proposal would 'whiten our schools and kick ou[t] Asians.' DOJ Civil Rights Division Chief Harmeet Dhillon confirmed her office will investigate the matter, while the Department of Education separately launched its own Title VI investigation based on Miyares' referral. Trending on NextShark: Catch up In 2020, FCPS replaced TJ's merit-based system that included standardized testing and a $100 application fee with a holistic review process that considers 'experience factors' like special education status, socioeconomic background and English proficiency. Additionally, evaluators were unable to access information about the applicants' race. While the new policy boosted Black and Hispanic enrollment, it saw a sharp decline — from 73% to 54% — in Asian enrollment in just one year. TJ also dropped from the top national ranking to No. 14, with National Merit semifinalists falling from 165 to 81 for the first class admitted under the revised process. Trending on NextShark: Parent group Coalition for TJ sued the school board in January 2022, alleging racial discrimination against Asian American students. A federal judge subsequently found the revised process to be racially discriminatory, but an appeals court reversed that decision, noting that the policy did not disparately impact Asian Americans. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case last year. What the FCPS is saying FCPS defended its policy in response to the latest probe. 'This matter has already been fully litigated. A federal appellate court determined there was no merit to arguments that the admissions policy for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology discriminates against any group of students,' the school district said, promising a more detailed response in the coming days. Trending on NextShark: This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe here now! Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
School notes: FCPS recognizes Overall Support Employee of the Year
A Centerville Elementary School special education instructional assistant was named the 2025 Frederick County Public Schools Overall Support Employee of the Year. Courtney Prahl, who has been an FCPS employee for more than 15 years, was recognized at a Frederick County Board of Education meeting on Wednesday. According to FCPS, Prahl is 'known for implementing solutions that benefit students and staff.' Six support employees were recognized as category winners earlier this year. The winners, their school and their categories were: •Theresa Wisner, Central Office, administrative support •Casandra Allison, Middletown High, food service support •Livida Merlos, Ballenger Creek Middle, operations support •Curtiss Belcher, Brunswick High, school support •Tammy Barlow, Middletown High, technical support The category winners were also recognized at Wednesday's school board meeting. FCPS School Counselor of the Year Nikole Ramsay, a school counselor at Walkersville High School, was recognized as the 2025 School Counselor of the Year. Ramsay has served as a school counselor in FCPS for 20 years. She was recognized by the Frederick County School Counselor Association at an event on Wednesday and was awarded a plaque 'in recognition for her service, dedication and commitment to students within' the school district, according to FCPS. State grant for Food and Nutrition Services FCPS received a $35,000 grant from the Maryland State Department of Education to purchase a double combination oven for Frederick High School. A combination oven allows food to be roasted, poached, steamed or baked by using convection, steam and a combination of the two. The oven would be used for breakfast, lunch and after-school meal programs at Frederick High School. 'Leftovers heated in a combi oven do not dry out, resulting in less food waste,' according to FCPS. Social studies curriculum grant The Maryland 250 Commission, which was created in 2023 through an initiative by Gov. Wes Moore, awarded FCPS with a $4,000 grant to support the development of the social studies curriculum. The commission is funding the grant as part of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which will occur next year. The grant 'is providing support for organizations to share stories of Marylanders' struggle for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,' according to FCPS. Grant money will go toward developing lesson plans and resources for students to learn about the different perspectives of Maryland residents before, during and after the American Revolution. Teachers will also partner with local historical organizations to provide resources for lessons. The majority of the grant funding, $3,700 of it, will pay for teacher workshops. The remaining $300 will cover associated fringe benefits, according to FCPS. Send school-related news to Esther Frances at efrances@
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FCPS budget gap reduced to $2.4M after school board approves cuts
The Frederick County Board of Education on Wednesday reduced the school district's budget gap for the coming fiscal year from $6.8 million to $2.4 million after several reductions in spending were approved. Some of the cuts included removing school district positions and reducing the board's contribution to the employee retiree fund. Board member Karen Yoho made a motion to decrease the salary resource pool by $925,000, but it failed in a 4-3 vote. The board-approved draft budget shows $17.1 million in the salary resource pool, which is used for employee raises. School board members Rae Gallagher, Dean Rose, Janie Inglis Monier and Colt Black voted against the reduction. Yoho and board members Nancy Allen and Jaime Brennan voted in favor of reducing the salary resource pool. The school board voted 5-2 to reduce the board's contribution to the employee retiree benefit fund by $600,000, dropping it to zero. Gallagher, Rose, Black, Brennan and Allen voted in favor of the reduction. Yoho and Monier voted against reducing the contribution. The Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) investment fund is what provides FCPS retirees with health care after they have left the school district. Retirees have to work at least 10 years in FCPS to receive the benefits. The school board contributes to that fund through its operating budget, but it has not contributed for the past two years. The board has either cut funds intended to go to OPEB to balance its budget, or has moved funds intended for OPEB toward another program. In February, Rose made a motion to contribute a total of $1.6 million to OPEB in the coming year. Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater allocated a one-time $1 million contribution to OPEB for the school district in April. Since then, the school board twice reduced its own contribution — first by $1 million on May 7, and then by $600,000 on Wednesday. The only contribution to OPEB this year will be through Fitzwater's one-time allocation. The school board agreed to take away two positions within the school district. FCPS Superintendent Cheryl Dyson had said she intended to 'deactivate' the deputy superintendent position after Michael Markoe stepped down earlier this year. Deactivating the position would mean the position would still be budgeted for, and Dyson could choose to reactivate the position. The school board on Wednesday voted unanimously to eliminate the position completely. The salary and full compensation package totaled $261,321. The school board also voted unanimously to reduce the Public Affairs non-salary budget by $76,641. Additionally, the school board voted to eliminate a supervisor position totaling $186,480. The school board also voted at Wednesday's meeting to keep the athletic fee for students at $185 per season, and voted unanimously to keep the fee to rent FCPS facilities the same for next fiscal year. In February, the board approved five ideas by Rose, but has since abandoned them due to a lack of funding. Two of those ideas were: * Reducing the athletic fee from $185 to $150, which would have reduced the district's revenue by $376,000 * Reducing the fee for organizations to rent out FCPS spaces, which would have decreased FCPS' revenue by $650,000. Additionally, the board members voted on Wednesday unanimously to take away $500,000 in funding for the textbook replacement cycle. The school board voted 6-1 to reduce the 'leadership allocation' by $256,714. Monier voted against the motion. The leadership allocation is supplemental pay for FCPS employees such as department chairs, team leaders and school improvement teams who perform duties that extend beyond their job descriptions. The school board also voted 6-1 to decrease the 'Language Foundations,' a reading intervention program, by $40,000. Allen voted against the decrease. The school board in February sent a $989 million fiscal year 2026 operating budget proposal to Frederick County and requested $455.6 million of that from the county. Fitzwater released her $1.02 billion county budget proposal on April 15. She allocated $431.5 million to the school board, which was $24 million below the board's request. After several budget discussions, the school board reduced the gap to $6.8 million, which is where the gap stood before Wednesday's meeting. The school board must approve a balanced budget by June 30.
