The Board of Education of Charles County met Feb. 8, 2022, for its regular meeting. A meeting agenda is posted on Board Docs here. Board meetings are streamed lived at www.ccboe.com and archived on the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/c/ccpsmd.  

The following are important meeting updates. 

Superintendent update 

Superintendent of Schools Maria Navarro, Ed.D., updated the Board on the school system’s budget request, a recent increase in school safety concerns, and the school system’s shift back to 100 percent spectator access and standard school field trips for students. Read the complete report posted here.  

Inclement weather make-up days 

Deputy Superintendent of Schools Kevin Lowndes presented to the Board an inclement weather make-up day plan. Lowndes shared with the Board that the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has asked local school systems to submit updated inclement weather plans for review. The presentation provided three options in regard to submitting a virtual plan for inclement weather to MSDE: 

• Submit a plan to MSDE for the current school year;  

• Not submit a plan for the current year but submit a plan for next school year; or  

• Not submit a plan at all.  

The Board took a vote for staff to submit a plan to MSDE. View the presentation here.  

New textbooks introduced to Board 

Deputy Superintendent Lowndes was joined by CCPS instructional staff to present two new textbook options to the Board for approval. Part of the approval process includes providing the CCPS community with opportunities to review recommended texts prior to Board approval. The first text, “Principles and Practices of Barbering” will be used in a new barbering career and technical education (CTE) program. Learn how to review the text here.  

CCPS is also proposing to the Board a new mathematics curriculum resource, Illustrative Mathematics, for use with students in Algebra I, Foundations of Algebra, Geometry and Algebra II courses. Illustrative Mathematics is a problem-based curriculum that allows students in middle and high school to access mathematics at the level they are at when they arrive at school. The curriculum is student-centered with supports and extensions for all learners as well as many resources for teachers. CCPS is seeking feedback on the resources by March 8. Click here to review the resources and provide feedback.  

Fiscal Year 2023 budget update 

Assistant Superintendent of Fiscal Services Karen Acton and CCPS Budget Manager Sherri Fisher-Davis presented to the Board the proposed fiscal year 2023 operating budget. The recommended request totals $438,333,483 and includes an estimate of $17.2 million in state funding. Focal areas of the budget request include employee compensation, the maintenance of core programs, promoting student and staff well-being, and supporting safe, equitable and engaging learning environments. Included in the budget request are costs for the joint Early College Program with the College of Southern Maryland (CSM), an expansion of prekindergarten access for students, salary negotiations for teachers and support staff, new mathematics curriculum for secondary students, and additional staff positions to support therapeutic and behavioral student needs. Review the budget proposal here.  

The CCPS budget development timeline is as follows.  

• Board of Education unanimously approved the proposed budget request at its Feb. 8 meeting.  

• Submission of Board approved budget to Charles County Commissioners, Feb. 28. 

• Maryland General Assembly legislative session ends, April 11. 

• Charles County Commissioners public hearing on FY 2023 proposed operating budgets, April 27. 

• Board of Education adopts final 2023 operating budget, June 14 meeting. 

Project status update 

Assistant Superintendent of Supporting Services Michael Heim and Steve Andritz, CCPS director of planning and construction, provided the Board with an update on construction and renovation projects in place. The update is posted here.  

Legislative update 

Staff Attorney Eric Schwartz provided a legislative update to the Board. In the update, Schwartz told the Board more than 1,600 bills have been filed with the Maryland General Assembly and shared a summary of five education-related bills. A copy of the update is posted here.  

State Board mask mandate 

Mr. Schwartz provided the Board with an update on the Maryland State Board of Education mask mandate currently in place for Maryland public schools. The presentation included an overview of the three mask off-ramps in place through an emergency regulation approved by the State Board in December 2021. Click here to review the presentation.  

Policy 6330 update 

Mr. Schwartz updated the Board on draft amendments to policy 6330 about the calendar. The draft amendments clarify the specifics of the calendar that require Board approval and provide the superintendent authority to determine early dismissal days, employee workdays, the start and end of marking periods and any emergency school closings. The Board plans to further discuss the draft amendments at its March meeting and take action on the policy changes at its April meeting. Click here to review the draft amendments.   

Recognition 

The Board presented two resolutions to staff for the month of March. The Board and CCPS recognize March as Women’s History Month and Fine and Performing Arts Month.  

The Board also recognized the 2022 Maryland General Assembly Student Pages, as well as exemplary staff and students from Westlake High School, Theodore G. Davis Middle School, Billingsley, Indian Head and Mt Hope/Nanjemoy elementary schools and the F.B. Gwynn Educational Center. 

Read about the Student Pages.  

Read about the recognized students.  

Read about the recognized staff. 

Action items 

The Board approved prior meeting minutes, personnel items and the FY 2023 Superintendent’s Proposed Operating Budget.  

About CCPS 

Charles County Public Schools provides 27,000 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education. 

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event. CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).