School System

School districts across Maryland are being asked this week to engage in discussions and activities addressing the issue of school bullying after several recent high-profile cases in Baltimore and the nation. Maryland first lady Katie O'Malley and state schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick have designated May 24-28 as Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week. O'Malley, along with state education officials, will kick off the week Monday morning with a visit to Pikesville Middle School.

City schools CEO Andrés Alonso's performance was marked by, "a series of cheating scandals - found by the state to have taken place during the year the district's progress was most celebrated" and further under his tenure, "The system had paid $14 million in overtime over several years, with the top earner being Alonso's driver. " ("City schools chief Alonso resigns," May 6.) This track record will help recruit the next "great urban education reformer"? Lauding this man's "leadership," or I should say, "oversight," of Baltimore City schools, is bizarre.

A federal lawsuit has been filed against the Harford County Public Schools and two school officials on behalf of a disabled student, who the suit claims was subjected to years of continuous bullying and threats from other students beginning when he was a student at Church Creek Elementary School and continuing when he was a student at Aberdeen Middle and High schools. The suit contends the school system not only failed to address the problem, but also failed to protect the student from the abuse.

Harford County Public Schools announced last Friday that it will implement a four-day work week schedule for an eight-week period – from mid-June to early August – to save money and to have its facilities open into the early evening for parents who need to meet with school personnel. As a result, all but a handful of school buildings and other facilities will be closed on Fridays this summer, and the school system's 12-month employees will work four 10-hour days from the week of June 17 to 21 through the week of Aug. 5 to 9. "This new cost-saving strategy will save the school system approximately $120,000 by closing buildings for one day each week during an eight-week period throughout the summer," Superintendent Dr. Robert M. Tomback said in a news release announcing the change.

The city school board is considering proposals for seven charter schools that include two named for female trailblazers, another attempt at an all-male, college-preparatory program in East Baltimore, and an elementary school for at-risk youths. The new programs were presented to the Baltimore school board Tuesday as part of the district's annual charter application process. The applicants, the majority of which want to open in 2014, had made it through at least one round of interviews with a district charter advisory board.

Transparency should be the rule, especially with organizations supported by public funds. It seems as if the officials and governing body of the Baltimore City Public Schools raised the draw bridge without granting public access regarding the obvious and odorous actions of a principal who was pressuring Filipino teachers to purchase Mary Kay cosmetics ("School system defends response," March 16). Who will watch the watchers? McNair Taylor, Baltimore

City schools CEO Andrés Alonso's performance was marked by, "a series of cheating scandals - found by the state to have taken place during the year the district's progress was most celebrated" and further under his tenure, "The system had paid $14 million in overtime over several years, with the top earner being Alonso's driver. " ("City schools chief Alonso resigns," May 6.) This track record will help recruit the next "great urban education reformer"? Lauding this man's "leadership," or I should say, "oversight," of Baltimore City schools, is bizarre.

I was sorry to read of Mamie Perkins' retirement from the Howard County Public Schools. She proved her ability when she was deputy superintendent during the absence of Sydney Cousin. I heard no complaints about her leadership, ability or loyalty to the educational system of Howard County. In reading the article ("Deputy superintendent retires from school system," Aug. 9), I was amazed that a person with her experience (39 years) was not promoted to the position of superintendent and feel that Howard County lost an extremely qualified leader.

The Board of Education of Harford County is seeking applications from interested county citizens to fill one opening on the school system's Audit Committee. The purpose of the five-member committee is to assist the board in fulfilling its fiduciary oversight responsibilities. The committee serves as an independent and objective party to monitor the school system's financial reporting process and internal controls. The committee meets at least quarterly to review financial performance and may meet annually, in separate sessions, with management, the internal auditor and the external auditor.

Principal Rhonda Richetta can vividly recall days when students have come to her office door at City Springs School gasping for air. The school has a large population of asthmatic elementary- and middle-school-age students who receive critical services — including daily breathing treatments — from a nurse practitioner in its health center. Richetta fears that could change next year if the school is one of six that are slated to reduce their health care services because of proposed funding cuts from the city.

The selection of Barbara Canavan to be the interim superintendent of Harford County Public Schools was a very good choice. In some ways, it's perhaps a brilliant choice. Time, as it always does, will say for sure, but it certainly seems that Canavan is exactly the right person to lead Harford County Public Schools for the coming year, if not beyond. Canavan, who has worked in the county's public schools for 40 years, potentially could not only take good care of the public school system, but be more than just a caretaker.

We share the editorial view that outgoing Baltimore City Schools CEO Andrés Alonso created a strong platform to sustain ongoing improvement in our schools ("School reform 2.0," May 12). But the editorial's call for more standardization around the system is off the mark. Instead, we urge the system to use this moment to engage parents, school leaders and others in a discussion about how we define a high-quality school. What does a good school look like and how do we measure it? In some ways, we know a good school when we see it: children are loved for who they are and challenged to be their very best.

Being called to a congressional hearing can be an intimidating experience for national leaders, business executives and even elected officials. But Gorman Crossing Elementary School fifth-grader Tobi Arewa is getting used to it. "At first when I am called to do public speaking I would be so scared. There was a time when I would speak and I just froze," Tobi said. "Now that I know I just did it, it's fun and awesome to do it. " Tobi and other Gorman Crossing fifth-graders recently took part in the Howard County school system's Simulated Congressional Hearings, a performance-based assessment that challenges groups of four students to present oral statements before a panel of professionals who portray a congressional committee.

The deputy superintendent for the Baltimore County school system will step down next month, officials confirmed Thursday. Kevin Hobbs, who was brought on by Superintendent Dallas Dance last year, will return to his family in North Carolina, said schools spokesman Mychael Dickerson. Dance informed the county school board of Hobbs' planned departure, saying that he "vigorously recruited [Hobbs]," who was a top administrator in the Wake County, N.C., public schools, to help him during his transition.

Harford County Executive David R. Craig issued the following statement regarding the appointment by the Harford County Board of Education of Barbara P. Canavan as interim superintendent of Harford County Public Schools: "I was delighted to hear that the Board of Education of Harford County wisely chose a long-time teacher and administrator with Harford County Public Schools to serve as the interim superintendent of schools. I have the utmost respect for Barbara Canavan and had the honor and pleasure to work with her for 12 years during my career as an educator with Harford County Public Schools.

Here we go again. Our dear mayor and the clowns on the city school board are going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their search for the replacement to schools CEO Andrés Alonso. Why not look at the current assistant chief, Tisha Edwards, who I'm sure is more than capable to be the new school superintendent. She has the experience and knowledge of the entire school system. We do not have the money to spend on searching all over the country for a person. Keep the money here.

As Dr. Cousin's duty as school superintendent comes to a close, I wanted to recognize his leadership over the past eight years. Dr. Cousin has always had a commitment to continuous improvement for central and building administration. His clear and explicit goals have increased student achievement across the county. What stands out the most to me is Dr. Cousin's belief that all students can achieve under the right conditions. His leadership has provided adequate support services to make schools an overall learning environment for both students and employees.

As Carroll County's largest employer, Carroll County Public Schools should be considered a good investment, according to Superintendent Steve Guthriet. During a Tuesday, Feb. 5, budget hearing and forum, one of several scheduled to be held around the county, Guthrie outlined the various issues facing the school system and stressed that the system was an excellent investment. "It is valuable to Carroll County as an entity," Guthrie said to the 75 people gathered in South Carroll High School's auditorium for the evening session.

The city school board is considering proposals for seven charter schools that include two named for female trailblazers, another attempt at an all-male, college-preparatory program in East Baltimore, and an elementary school for at-risk youths. The new programs were presented to the Baltimore school board Tuesday as part of the district's annual charter application process. The applicants, the majority of which want to open in 2014, had made it through at least one round of interviews with a district charter advisory board.

Why doesn't Baltimore's schools CEO need teaching experience, like other superintendents in the state? It was a question on the mind of many education observers last week, after hearing that the city's schools chief is not bound by the same requirements. It was also an issue of confusion for city school officials who, early in the day Tuesday, believed Tisha Edwards, 42 - who will soon become the city's interim schools CEO - would need to apply for a state waiver because while she has been a principal, she has never been a teacher.