On August 2, 2023, the Dorchester County Board of Education voted unanimously to end the Facilities Feasibility Study, which began in February 2023 and was conducted by Baltimore-based consultants Hord Coplan and Macht (HCM). The purpose of the study was to determine the condition of Dorchester County Public Schools’ aging infrastructure. This would assist the BOE in their assessment of the facilities during a time of declining enrollment and increasing financial pressures through the Maryland Blueprint Law.

According to DCPS Board Vice President Mike Diaz, the study was proving to be a “distraction” at a time when the Board’s focus should be on academics, safety, alternative education, and teacher retention. The BOE members feel the information from the study will assist them in decisions involving building maintenance, renovation needs, or proposed new buildings, but those decisions are for the future.

The online comment section of the feasibility study will remain open through the summer. The BOE will use HCM’s final report to glean information for use to improve school facilities. For the foreseeable future, no changes will be made.

Mr. Bromwell highlighted DCPS’s many accomplishments over the past four school years, including providing students and staff with technology devices for at-home learning, expanding tutoring and summer academy opportunities, implementing structural changes to teacher salaries, strengthening behavioral intervention programs, and installing weapons detection systems at the high schools. 

Mr. Bromwell then summarized the significant budgetary challenges facing DCPS going forward, such as regular replacement of obsolete technology devices and software, the ongoing teacher shortage, and the requirements of the Maryland Blueprint for Education relative to teacher salary increases and program improvements in early childhood education, teacher quality and diversity, college and career readiness, resources for students, and governance/accountability. 

Mr. Bromwell indicated that these requirements, along with declining DCPS enrollment, will necessitate changes in State and County funding formulas by the incoming Governor and legislature. Mr. Bromwell has met with Dorchester County’s State Legislators regarding school funding and Blueprint requirements.

Updated Information

Superintendent Bromwell presented the following updated information regarding the budget process:

Mr. Bromwell noted that he, President Morgan, and Vice-President Diaz are meeting regularly with Dorchester County Council members and that there will be a brunch event with Board Members and County Commissioners within the next few weeks.

Mr. Bromwell indicated that the budget process seems to be progressing well so far and provided an update on initial State aid and local share numbers as follows:

• On January 20, 2023, after the release of the Governor’s budget, we received draft State Aid and County Local Share projections.
• State aid to DCPS is projected to increase by $3,180,114 over FY23.
• The “Local Share” for Blueprint initiatives is projected to increase by $3,385,248 over FY23 Maintenance of Effort
• With changes in local receipts and use of fund balance, the total projected new revenue is $5,939,907.

He summarized the following budget requests that will affect the use of the projected new revenue:

• Hybrid Alternative Programs – Additional $369,900.
• Weapons Detection System (WDS) units & related costs – $502,800 for 12 support staff, $980,421 for 8 WDS units, or $1,840,500 for 15 WDS units (open floor plan schools may require more than one WDS unit).
• Salary Negotiations & Being Competitive.  Other counties are trying to recruit DCPS teachers. – to be determined.
• Major Capital Projects & unknown repairs (especially in our oldest schools) – $2,000,000

Superintendent Bromwell provided the following clarifications in response to questions raised by Board Members.

• ESSER III funding for 1 English as a Second Language (ESL) position, 7 IT positions, 1 special education coordinator, 1 HVAC position, 3 social worker positions, and several other positions will run out next year.  Most social workers are funded through Concentration of Poverty (COP) funding at eligible schools. Mr. Bromwell will provide a breakdown of funding sources for various positions. The Board would like to see performance measures that demonstrate impact of these positions. The Board stressed that expenditures should be justified by impact measures.  
• The Board Budget Committee would like to receive the requested grant information prior to its meeting on Wednesday.

There were no questions or comments from the public.

The Talbot County Board of Education has identified finalists for the Talbot County Superintendent of Schools.  The four finalists, in alphabetical order are:

James C. Bell, Jr., Ed.D., Director of Student Services and Secondary Leadership for the Seaford School District, Seaford, Delaware.  

Dr. Bell earned a Bachelor of Education in Secondary Mathematics from Southern University A & M,  and a Master of Education in School Leadership and a Doctor of Education in Innovation and Leadership from Wilmington University in Georgetown, Delaware.  He began his career as a mathematics teacher in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and was recruited by Talbot County Public Schools to teach at Easton High School, where he was later promoted to Assistant Principal.  Dr. Bell has also served as Principal of Maces Lane Middle School and Supervisor of Student Services for Dorchester County Public Schools.  

Carol E. Flenard, Ed.D., Interim Superintendent, Spotsylvania County Public Schools, Virginia. 

Dr. Flenard earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Penn State University, and a Master of Education in Administration and Supervision and Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University.  She began her career as an elementary teacher, and has served as an assistant principal, principal, director of education, executive director of instruction, deputy superintendent-chief academic officer and interim superintendent.   

LeTrecia M. Gloster, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent of Schools, The School District of the City of York, Pennsylvania.   

Dr. Gloster earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education from Bowie State University, a Master of Science in Administration from Trinity University, and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Bowie State University.  She taught secondary mathematics in Talbot and Prince George’s County, Maryland and Charlotte, North Carolina, before returning to Maryland and serving as a middle school principal in Caroline and Prince George’s counties. She has also been Executive Director of School Support and Improvement for Metro Nashville Public Schools, Tennessee, and Director of Learning for the District of Columbia Public Schools Leadership Development Division, Washington DC.  

Sharon Pepukayi, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent of PreK-5 Schools, Appoquinimink School District, New Castle County, Delaware. 

Dr. Pepukayi earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, from Bennett College, a Master of Arts in Early and Middle Childhood Education from Ohio State University, and a Doctor of Education in Innovation and School Leadership from Wilmington University.  She previously served as Assistant Superintendent of PreK-12 Schools, principal, and assistant principal in the Appoquinimink School District.   She also taught in the Dublin School District and was a teacher and an administrator in the Red Clay Consolidated School District in Delaware.  

The four finalists will participate in interviews with the Talbot County Board of Education and with stakeholders to include members of the community, staff, students, and parents. 

The Board has been working with the Maryland Association of Boards of Education  (MABE) to conduct the superintendent search. 

Any questions regarding the search process should be directed to William Middleton, search consultant at MABE at 410-841-5414, or at [email protected].  

 

Dorchester County is taking a big step toward improving student success by joining the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (CGLR), a collaborative effort to improve reading proficiency, early learning, and early school success for children from economically challenged families. 

CGLR partner, Dr. Michael Collins, Director of Secondary Education with Dorchester County Public Schools says, “Reading is a life skill and the foundation of education. The CGLR is an opportunity to focus on 3rd grade proficiency as an entire community in collaboration with Dorchester County Public Schools.  We wholeheartedly support this initiative”.

Reading proficiency by the end of third grade is a critical milestone toward high school graduation and success later in life because it marks the transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” Students who have not mastered reading by that time are more likely to drop out of high school and struggle throughout their lives. Omeaka Jackson of Harvesting Hope, notes, “Improved literacy can expand a child’s hope of being successful in school and life.” 

The Dorchester County Campaign for Grade-Level Reading has a goal to double the number of 3rd graders reading at or above the proficient level in the next 10 years.

The community’s action plan addresses three underlying challenges that can keep young children, especially those from economically challenged families, from learning to read proficiently — school readiness, school attendance and summer learning/afterschool.

In Cambridge, the GLR campaign is supported by the John and Janice Wyatt Foundation, county and city governments, and community groups e.g., Chamber of Commerce, Moving Dorchester Forward, Harvesting Hope, Empowerment Center, New Beginnings, Dorchester County Public Schools, Boys and Girls Club, Dorchester County Local Management Board, Dorchester County Health Department, Hyatt Regency Chesapeake, Big Brothers Big Sisters, YMCA, Dorchester County Public Library, United Way, Shore Up Head start, Healthy Families, Bond Servants, Salisbury University, Cambridge City Council, and Dorchester County Council have collaborated to develop a multiyear action plan. 

Community partners will be critical to Dorchester County’s CGLR success. Julia Barker, Cambridge Empowerment Center says, “For our after school program, we are having monthly ‘Family Reading Nights’. The children are encouraged to read books and stories to their parents. We feel that parent involvement is crucial to their child’s reading success.”

“We welcome the newest members of our growing network of communities,” says Ralph Smith, managing director of CGLR. “Their commitment to this vital mission comes at a critical time when too many children are falling beyond the reach of schools. We need systems that can assure 24/7/365, two-generation supports and interventions. By taking up this challenge, each of these communities commits to do more, to do better and to make a difference in assuring more hopeful futures for the next generation.”

Membership in the GLR Network gives Dorchester County and Cambridge access to experts and policymakers focused on early literacy; assistance in addressing the challenges that keep many children from learning to read; and access to the new CGLR Community Learning for Impact and Improvement Platform (CLIP). CLIP is designed to deliver value by providing seamless access to relationships, content and data that can be used to drive impact and improvement on measures of early school success for children from low-income families.

The John and Janice Wyatt Foundation’s mission is to level the playing field for economically disadvantage students in early childhood education and out of school programming. The Campaign for Grade Level Reading is the start to fulfill this mission.  

Launched in 2010, the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is a collaborative effort of funders, nonprofit partners, business leaders, government agencies, states and communities to ensure that many more children from low-income families succeed in school and graduate prepared for college, a career and active citizenship. Since its launch, CGLR has grown to include more than 350 communities, representing 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and two provinces in Canada — with 5,000+ local organizations and 500+ state and local funders (including 200+ United Ways).

To learn more, visit gradelevelreading.net and follow the movement on Twitter @readingby3rd.

Last week at a special assembly, kids at Galena Elementary were treated to the magic of books and reading as magician Brian Curry showcased his favorite children’s books while performing magic tricks to engage the students.

The Book Club: The Magic Assembly was sponsored by Chestertown Rotary Club supporting Galena Elementary School One School One Book program, a national nonprofit whose mission is to “create a culture of literacy in every home.”

Curry, who travels from Florida to Vermont with his magic show promoting reading, says that each school engagement is unique and always satisfying. The contagious excitement in the room spoke for itself. Teachers and staff were not immune to being called to the stage to help perform some of Curry’s illusions, and there was a certain glee when physical education teacher Jillian Kinnamon got sprayed with silly string by one of the students.

Each of the four books covered during the Magic Assembly were donated to the school, along with copies of The Mouse and the Motorcycle for each student.

This video is approximately three minutes in length. For more information about the One School One Book Program, go here.