Commissioners hold Community Meetings

"BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION!"

 

Commissioners Howard and Shoemaker will be hosting a series of community meetings entitled Around the County in 80 Minutes. Each meeting will be 80 minutes long and will discuss a variety of important topics including Education, Economic Development and Public Safety.

 

Please contact Roberta Windham at (410) 386-2876 or email: rwindham@ccg.carr.org, for more information.

 

              

Thursday, January 24 @ 7:00 pm

North Carroll High School, 1400 Panther Drive, Hampstead 21074

 

Monday, January 28 @ 7:00 pm

Mt. Airy Middle School, 102 Watersville Road, Mt. Airy 21771

 

Tuesday, January 29 @ 7:00 pm

Francis Scott Key High School, 3825 Bark Hill Road, Union Bridge 21791

 

Wednesday, January 30 @ 7:00 pm

East Middle School, 121 Longwell Avenue, Westminster 21157

 

Monday, February 4 @ 7:00 pm

New Windsor Middle School, 1000 Green Valley Road, New Windsor 21776

 

Tuesday, February 5 @ 7:00 pm

Charles Carroll Elementary, 3719 Littlestown Pike, Westminster 21158

 

Monday, February 11 @ 7:00 pm

Liberty High School, 5855 Bartholow Road, Eldersburg 21784

Board Meeting & Budget Work Session Tonight

Board Meeting, Budget Hearing and Work Session TONIGHT

The Board of Education of Carroll County will hold the following meetings on Wednesday, January 23, 2013. All meetings will be held in the Charles I. Ecker Boardroom at the Board of Education offices, located at 125 North Court Street in Westminster. The public is encouraged to attend.

5:00 p.m. Administrative Board Meeting (without citizen participation)

6:00 p.m. FY14 Superintendent's Operating Budget Hearing (with citizen participation)

7:00 p.m. Board Work Session - FY14 Operating Budget (without citizen participation)

The agenda and back-up materials for the Board meeting will be available for review on the CCPS website at www.carrollk12.org and clicking on Online Meeting Agenda at the bottom of the home page.

The Board meeting will be streamed live on the Carroll County Public Schools website at www.carrollk12.org. Click on CETV Channel 21 on the right side of the home page and then CCPS CETV Webstreaming, or go directly to:

http://www.carrollk12.org/admin/commedia/cetv/streaming/default.asp.

The Board meeting also will be broadcast live on Channel 21, with rebroadcasts on Thursday, January 24, at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, January 26, at 9:00 a.m.; Sunday, January 27, at 8:00 p.m.; and Thursday, January 31, at 8:00 p.m.

POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN PREPARING TESTIMONY ABOUT THE BUDGET

 

~ I support the Superintendent’s proposed budget, including a modest increase of 1% - primarily to cover inflationary cost including teacher pension costs passed back to the county, the new educational mandates (Race-to-the-Top) and the operating costs of opening a new middle school (Mt. Airy).

~ While asking for an increase, the budget also identifies reductions to help balance the budget. Over the past five years, the school system has reduced its budget by $20M dollars.

~ Should the school system see a decrease over last year’s budget ($164.9 in FY13) we will not have the necessary infrastructure (wireless capabilities) to meet our statewide testing mandates and our teachers will continue to leave the system for better opportunities elsewhere.

~ Finally, as our elected officials ponder over the future of our county, especially in terms of economic development and growth, I ask you to consider what type of work force will be anxious to move to a county or neighborhood with poor-performing schools or one where local government does not value to educational system.

 

Board of Ed. forced to consider drastic cuts

If the County Commissioners reduce the school system budget to Maintenance of Effort (MOE), more cuts will be required beyond what has already been identified in the Superintendent's proposed budget.  These include reductions to Outdoor School, Media Clerks and Instructional Assistants. 

Also, depending on State funding levels, even further reductions may be necessary, including teaching staff and central office personnel.

Visit the Carroll County Times for a more in-depth article.

http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/school-system-considers-cutting-media-center-jobs-if-it-receives/article_33a1fd84-fdab-50d5-93c9-c4c97ed46bcc.html

Here's an excerpt from the article...

 

Even though Superintendent of Schools Steve Guthrie released a balanced proposed Fiscal Year 2014 operating budget request Wednesday, more budget cuts could still be coming down the line for Carroll County Public Schools.

 

In his proposed budget, Guthrie requested a one percent increase in revenue from the county, or $1.7 million more than the previous year’s approved budget, for FY14. Even with that increase, the superintendent and staff member Christopher Hartlove, Director of Administrative Services, announced more than $2.6 million in budget cuts at the meeting.

 

The reductions already in the budget include 20.5 full-time equivalent custodial positions that were cut through attrition, staff turnover, four central office positions and a Carroll Association of School Employees work-year reduction.

 

What Guthrie will receive from both the county and state for the FY14 budget is still unknown. The school system could get funded lower than his request at about the same amount from the county as last year or even lower than that at Maintenance of Effort, which is four million less than last year's funding. Flat funding could cause about a $3 million budget shortfall and Maintenance of Effort could cause a $9 million shortfall.

 

Being funded at the Maintenance of Effort level would be a hit to the school system because it is experiencing declining enrollment. Maintenance of Effort is a state law that mandates counties at least fund school systems at the same per-pupil amount for the upcoming year as they did the prior year. State mandates and inflationary costs still cause the school system funding needs to increase each year, according to Guthrie.

 

Some possible budget cuts that were discussed at a December work session if the school system has to cut about $9 million from its budget for being funded at the Maintenance of Effort level this fiscal year include cutting the full-time equivalent of 38 teachers, 88 kindergarten assistants, 24 media clerks and 3.8 media specialists. Another possible cut includes closing Outdoor School.

 

Those additional reductions add up to about $7.4 million in savings to add to the $2.6 million in cuts that have already been made for FY14.

Superintendent introduces FY14 proposed budget

At last week's Board meeting, Mr. Guthrie introduced his "proposed" FY14 school system budget.  This budget calls for a modest increase to offset rising costs and prepare for the mandates of the Race-to-the-Top curriculum.

Below is the link to Mr. Guthrie's presentation and highlights.

http://www.carrollk12.org/admin/financeservices/budget/proposed/default.asp

The dates for public presentation, review and input to the Operating Budget for Carroll County Public Schools System for the 2012-2013 school year are listed below:

• January 9, 2013. 5:00 p.m. Presentation of Superintendent's Proposed FY 2014 Operating budget during the Board of Education Meeting. Charles I. Ecker Boardroom, Board Offices.

• January 23, 2013. 6:00 p.m. Public hearing with citizen participation following 5:00 p.m. Board of Education meeting. Charles I. Ecker Boardroom, Board Offices. Board Work Session on the FY 2014 Budget (without citizen participation) immediately following the public hearing. Charles I Ecker Boardroom, Board Offices.

• February 5, 2013. 7:00 p.m. Public hearing with citizen participation. South Carroll High School.

• February 27, 2013. 1:00 p.m. Adoption of the Board of Education's Proposed FY 2013 Budget during the Board of Education Meeting. Charles I. Ecker Boardroom, Board Offices.

• May 1, 2013. 2:00 p.m. (Tentative date.) Board Work Session (without citizen participation). Charles I. Ecker Boardroom, Board Offices.

School Super prepares to release budget... Outlook not good

School Superintendent Says of Budgets: 'We are at a Tipping Point in our School System'

Guthrie said the school system may again be facing drastic cuts budget in FY 2014

http://eldersburg.patch.com/articles/school-superintendent-says-of-budgets-we-are-at-a-tipping-point-in-our-school-system

Superintendent provides community an update on school funding & upcoming budget outlook

On Monday, November 19th, CCPS Superintendent Steve Guthrie joined Commissioner Howard's Town Hall meeting to provide the South Carroll community with an update regarding the school system budget.  The group was given a comprehensive overview including statistics on school enrollment, capital and operating expenses and the budget outlook taking several scenarios into consideration as well as the future of the Utilization Study.  The school system is currently looking to hire an independent organization with expertise in reviewing school building capacity and usage.

Bottom Line:  Mr. Guthrie is expecting anywhere between a $3-8 million reduction in next year's (FY14) budget.  Much of it depends on the State legislature (state revenues) and the local Commissioners - several of whom have expressed a desire to reduce the current budgeted amount (local dollars).  While no specific areas were cited, Mr. Guthrie indicated that should the school system's budget be reduced to Maintenance of Effort (MOE), it could mean eliminating up to 50 teaching positions.  As he has stated on many occasions, all other areas have been cut to the core and any further cuts would begin to have a direct impact on student achievement.

IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THE INFORMATION PROVIDED AT THE MEETING, PLEASE EMAIL KELLI OR ERIN FOR A COPY OF MR. GUTHRIE'S  PRESENTATION.

Thank you!

KELLI NELSON
belle2gabby@yahoo.com

ERIN BISHOP
senbish@msn.com

Superintendent to be featured at next So. Carr. Town Hall mtg - November 19th

Dear Eldersburg/Sykesville Residents:

Commissioner Howard will be hosting his second Town Hall Meeting at the South Carroll Senior Center on Monday, November 19^th at 7pm. The featured guest speaker this month is Superintendent Stephen Guthrie who will be speaking about the challenges facing Carroll County Public Schools both fiscal and academic.

The meeting’s format will be similar to last month’s with the guest speaker and then an update from Commissioner Howard, followed by open questions and comments.

Everyone is invited, so please spread the word. If you’re a member of an organization located in the area, please forward this invitation to your members.

Commissioner Howard hopes that everyone will be able to attend.

Best regards,

Roberta Windham, Esq.

Carroll County Commissioners' Office

225 North Center Street

Westminster, Maryland 21157

 

Town Hall Meeting (in Westminster) Tonight!

Press Release

Release Date: 9/24/2012 9:04:24 AM

 

Board President and Superintendent to Host Town Meeting

Board President Jennifer Seidel and Superintendent Stephen Guthrie will be hosting a town meeting on Tuesday, October 16, 2012, at 7 p.m. at West Middle School, located at 60 Monroe Street in Westminster.

The purpose of the meeting is to create an open dialogue with parents and the community. Members of the community are invited to attend and address their concerns or ask questions regarding education topics and issues. The meeting is intended to be an open forum; however, depending on the number of participants the time for each speaker may be limited.

Not all Commissioners pleased with BoE meeting results; still want schools closed or threaten funding

Below is a link to the video of last Thursday’s Open Session of the Board of Commissioners meeting.  During the discussion related to the previous night’s School Board meeting, two of the four Commissioners present (Commissioner Frazier was absent) make it very clear of their intent to reduce school system funding to Maintenance of Effort (MOE) given that the school system failed to act on closing one or more facilities.  This will have a devastating impact on the school system’s operating budget.

 

The discussion related to the school board meeting, school capacity and school system funding begins 1 hr/45 mins into the Commissioner’s meeting.  It is a lengthy discussion. 

http://carrollcountymd.iqm2.com/citizens/SplitView.aspx?Mode=Video&MeetingID=1702&AgendaID=1571&FileFormat=pdf&Format=Agenda&MediaFileFormat=wmv

 

BOTTOM LINE:  Certain members of the Board of Commissioners seem determined in their assertion that the school system should identify one or more schools to close as a means of identifying “inefficiencies as it relates to capacity”. It is also clear that if the school system does not identify one or more schools to close, certain Commissioners have every intention of reducing the school system’s operating budget – this would result in massive cuts across the entire system over the next five year period!

 

No school closures named during Board presentation

October 11, 2012
Kelli Nelson

As you can imagine, last night's Board of Education meeting was intense, to say the very least.  It is hard for me to be objective in recapping the events of last night.  It is accurate that the Superintendent, Mr. Guthrie, did not propose any school closings.  However, he, along with several members of the Board of Education and Commissioner Howard do feel an independent, third-party review/study is still necessary.

I would encourage everyone to watch the re-broadcast of the Board meeting (either on Cable TV or via the school system's website: www.carrollk12.org).  If you can only listen to or view part of the discussion(s), I encourage you to watch the first 20 minutes of the meeting, which includes an impassioned speech from Mr. Guthrie, along with a detailed explanation of the current budget situation and various financial scenarios as we move forward.

Bottom line(s):

• THE "FIGHT" HAS JUST BEGUN!  If we - residents, parents, teachers AND students - do not weigh in and stay vigilant during the upcoming budget process, our schools facilities will continue to be targeted.
• If we do not express our concerns and views directly to ALL five of the Commissioners, several are likely to continue calling for school closures as a way to offset costs.
• If we do not tell them exactly how we feel about our schools and the education of our students on behalf of our school system, several of the Commissioners may continue to call for reductions in the upcoming school system budget (back to M.O.E.) which will mean DRASTIC changes in the education of our students.
• If we think we're "safe" and "relax" now that Liberty High School was not named for closure, WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK HERE NEXT YEAR!

Please take time to read the articles below, watch a re-cap of last night's Board meeting and call on the Commissioners to maintain level funding ($164 million) for our schools.

Continue to speak out and stay informed.  This is far from over.