October 24, 2023, Staff and Community Update: Highlights from the Superintendent’s Press Conference
October 24, 2023, Staff and Community Update: Highlights from the Superintendent’s Press Conference
WATCH THE PRESS CONFERENCE
Dr. Myriam Rogers (Yarbrough) held a media availability today, October 24, to share updates on the 2023-2024 school year. Dr. Rogers provided updates on the system’s response to the Israel-Gaza crisis, school safety and security, the Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget, implementation of the transition team’s recommendations, and the new bus locator and mental health apps. Dr. Rogers also answered questions from the media.
Israel-Gaza Crisis
Dr. Rogers (Yarbrough) shared the following remarks regarding the war in Israel and Gaza.
“I want to take a moment to talk about the crisis in Israel and Gaza and the significant impact it is having on BCPS students, staff, and families. I know that the terror, loss of life and turmoil has caused great fear and worry for many members of our local and global community, and it is critical that we come together to support one another and reaffirm our collective commitment to keeping our schools and offices safe and free of hate, antisemitism, islamophobia, and bias.
“I want to state clearly that hateful, racist, or discriminatory acts against any member of Team BCPS will not be tolerated and anyone who engages in such behavior will be dealt with swiftly. I have heard directly from Jewish and Muslim staff and stakeholders about their concerns, fears, and needs. We are especially sensitive to their needs during these tumultuous times given the uptick in targeted attacks across the nation against members of these communities.
“Our counselors, school psychologists and administrators have done a phenomenal job supporting students and creating safe spaces for students and staff to process their thoughts and feelings about what is happening. We will continue to equip our teachers and building leaders with relevant and comprehensive resources to support our students, staff, and families. Our heartfelt thoughts remain with BCPS students, families, and staff members impacted by the violent and tragic events in Israel and Gaza.”
School Safety and Security
- In July, Dr. Rogers outlined the core areas that BCPS would give immediate attention and strategic focus to. One of those areas is safety and climate and she shared that clear expectations, consistent responses, and shared accountability will help protect and preserve safe learning environments.
- Dr. Rogers shared that BCPS is holding itself accountable for its response to disruptive and dangerous behaviors, however, she reminded students and families of the vital role they play in keeping schools safe. Historically, the system begins to see an uptick in disruptive behaviors during the second and third marking periods and so we must continue to address this important topic as we approach the end of the first marking period. BCPS is committed to supporting students while holding them accountable for their actions. Disruptive behaviors that impact our ability to provide safe and supportive learning environments will not be tolerated.
- This school year, BCPS has had three incidents where loaded firearms were discovered and confiscated in school buildings. That is unacceptable and Dr. Rogers publicly urged students to think about the choices they are making and the lasting impact those choices will have on their time as BCPS students and beyond. BCPS is using all legally available tools to keep students safe and address those who break the rules. If a student brings a firearm to school, they will receive, at a minimum, a one-year expulsion as mandated by the Gun Free Schools Act. In addition to school-based consequences, students will also be referred to law enforcement and may face additional charges for their irresponsible and reckless actions. Where needed, schools are conducting searches of students and their possessions if there is a reasonable belief that a student is in possession of an item that poses a significant safety risk.
- The vast majority of Team BCPS’ 111,000 students come to school ready to learn, engage positively and follow the rules. Dr. Rogers stressed that we want to make certain that all our schools provide safe and welcoming environments where all students can thrive, and that we are prioritizing resources, investments, and support in this critical area to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget
- The Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget process is under way, and we want to hear from the community as Dr. Rogers develops a proposal to submit to the Board of Education.
- This will be a challenging budget cycle for BCPS and school systems across the nation because ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) stimulus funds will run out next September and BCPS is facing a significant budget shortfall (“fiscal cliff”) from ongoing ESSER initiatives. Additionally, there are significant new expenses associated with the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future legislation which also need to be covered.
- The third of five Community Conversations on the FY 2025 operating budget is scheduled for October 25 at 6 p.m. at Loch Raven High School. The forums are open to all members of Team BCPS and attendees have an opportunity to ask their tough budget questions and share their priorities with the superintendent. The full schedule is posted on the BCPS website.
- BCPS recently launched a new “Budget 101” website that provides an overview of the BCPS Operating Budget—where our funding comes from, how it is spent, and how we ensure we are meeting the needs of every BCPS student. We encourage members of Team BCPS to visit the website to learn more about how we prioritize resources and investments to bolster student achievement.
Transition Report Recommendations
- While this will be a challenging budget cycle for BCPS and staff are working hard to identify savings that can be redirected to offset the shortfall, there are some strategic investments the system must make now to fast forward and reverse the trend of declining academic performance and improve climate and operational efficiency. Some of those investments will specifically address the recommendations of the superintendent’s Transition Team.
- Last month, Dr. Rogers shared that the team’s assessment resulted in a list of 23 short- and long-term recommendations to drive improvement in the following focus areas:
- Teaching and Learning
- Culture and Climate
- Infrastructure
- Operations
- Community engagement and communication
- Dr. Rogers and her cabinet have completed the review of the recommendations and established implementation timelines for each of the short-term recommendations. Additional details at an upcoming Board meeting; however, members of the Team BCPS community will see the system take very quick action in critical areas like professional development for staff, establishing SMART goals that align with Blueprint accountability systems, and implementing the new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to support system automation and processes.
- As we fast forward our work on these recommendations, student learning will remain our main priority and at the core of our work.
BusWhere and TalkSpace Applications
- We are pleased to share information about two important applications for Team BCPS students and families.
- At the end of September, we announced the countywide implementation of BusWhere, a location tracking software that allows subscribers to see bus locations in real time on a mobile phone or computer.
- Via the BusWhere app, subscribers may opt to receive notification as the bus is approaching a designated bus stop or if there are significant delays. Families received email invitations from BusWhere the first week of October and roughly 14,000 families have activated their accounts. We want to remind families to please check their Focus Parent Portal accounts to make certain they have the most up-to-date contact information and email in the system. Families will not receive a BusWhere activation email if we do not have a valid email for you.
- In November, students and families will receive information about an app called Talk Space that will expand access to behavioral health services by providing BCPS students in Grades 9-12 with access to live and on-demand wellness courses, exercises, assessments, as well as consultation with mental health counselors and clinicians in a virtual format, delivered via laptop or mobile devices. We look forward to sharing more information in just a few weeks about our efforts to broaden the availability of mental health services for our students.