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Representatives from the Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC) meet with local Delegates in discussion groups during the first-ever MASC School Safety Forum.
Students from across Maryland flocked to Annapolis on Monday, April 2nd to participate in the Maryland Association of Student Council's (MASC) first-ever School Safety Forum. This forum was organized in response to recent school safety concerns that many students have brought to light in the wake of tragic gun violence situations in schools in Maryland and throughout the nation. The forum offered students an open floor to express their concerns, frustrations and ideas, as well as share their emotions around the topics of school safety, gun violence and mental health.
Most importantly, these student representatives were given the chance to not only hear from local delegates and representatives from several Maryland counties, but were able to hold discussion groups with the local delegates. These discussion groups yielded the exchange of thoughts and ideas centered around local systems working together to prevent violence in schools. Delegates explained new laws, legislation and preventative measures that have been taken or are being taken in order to ensure student safety, allowing students to respond to these measures and give their opinions on possible outcomes.
MASC is a student advocacy and development organization sponsored by MSDE's Division of Student, Family and School Support, and under the direction of Olivia Keithley, Executive Director. The MASC mission is to foster a statewide environment for all secondary school students to express and exchange opinions and ideas, develop leadership skills, and promote student representation and involvement in all groups and organizations impacting the lives of students.
For more information on MASC and a quick recap of the School Safety Forum, check out the video below.
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Click the link above for a recap of the MASC School Safety Forum, hear from local delegates and student leaders at the forefront of Maryland school safety initiatives.
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MSDE, in partnership with Mid-Atlantic Regional Education Laboratory, is hosting the 2018 Maryland Connections Summit. This summit brings together education professionals and highlights the vital role data plays in education decision making.
Registration is now open! Click the link above to register TODAY!
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March 20, 2018
The following actions were taken at the March 20, 2018 State Board of Education meeting:
- Granted permission
to publish the promulgation of new COMAR 13A.07.11 Student Suicide Prevention and Safety Training. Legislation was enacted that requires all
certificated school personnel who have direct contact with students on a
regular basis to complete training, on or before December 1 of each year, in:
(1) understanding and responding to suicide risk; and (2) identifying
professional resources to help students in crisis. The method would be
determined by the local county board and is required to be delivered during an
in-service program or professional development. The regulation also states that
training cannot be construed to impose a duty of care on the certified school
personnel who complete training. Further, a person cannot bring action against
a county board for injury or wrongful death caused by an act resulting from
lack of training or implementation of training. The
proposed regulations under this new chapter include the language as required in
the legislation. It also requires that
the annual training for certificated school personnel include understanding and
responding to student mental health, student trauma, student safety, and other
topics related to student social and emotional well-being.
- Granted permission
to publish amendments to COMAR 13A.08.01.11 Disciplinary
Actions – Suspension and Expulsion. This
regulation came before the State Board in December for permission to publish.
Following a question from a local school system, a clarification has been added
to the regulation. The local school system requested guidance on the phrase
“not more than 5 school days” and its meaning. The Maryland State Department of
Education (MSDE) was asked if the phrase meant not more than 5 cumulative
schools days in a school year or if the 5 school days referred to each
incident. The language in the regulation
has been revised to state that a student could be suspended for up to “five
school days per incident” if there was an imminent threat of serious harm to
other students or staff that could not be reduced or eliminated through
interventions and supports.
- Denied the request
from Baltimore City Public Schools for a one-day waiver of the 180-day
instructional day requirement for the 2017-2018 school year.
- Approved a request from Chesapeake Public
Charter School in St. Mary’s County to open for pupil attendance prior to Labor
Day for the 2018-2019 school year.
- Approved a request from The SEED School of
Maryland to use State holidays, April 2, 2018 (the Monday after Easter)
and May 28, 2018 (Memorial Day), as inclement weather make-up days for the
2017-2018 school year, if needed.
The following Opinion
and Orders were rendered:
- Bash
Pharoan v. Baltimore County Board of Education (II) – 2018-19 School
calendar – Opinion
No. 18-07
- Cindy Rose
v. Frederick County Board of Education – PARCC refusal
policy – Opinion No. 18-08
- M.S. v.
Prince George’s County Board of Education – expulsion – Opinion
No. 18-09
- T.G. v.
Prince George’s County Board of Education – student expulsion –
Opinion No. 18-10
- Veronica
H. v. Anne Arundel County Board of Education – student suspension –
Opinion No. 18-11
- Teresa P.
v. Anne Arundel County Board of Education – student expulsion –
Opinion No. 18-12
- Jonathan
Wrublewski v. Charles County Board of Education – teacher termination/timeliness issues – Opinion No. 18-13
Meeting materials, Opinions, and Orders can be found at:
http://marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard/Pages/default.aspx
The next meeting of the Maryland State
Board of Education will be held on April 24, 2018 at the Nancy S.
Grasmick State Education Building, 200 West Baltimore Street, 7th
Floor Board Room, Baltimore, Maryland 21201.
Appropriate
accommodations for individuals with disabilities will be provided upon request.
Eight business days notice prior to the event is required. Please contact
Charlene Necessary at (410) 767-0467 or TTY at (410) 333-6442 so arrangements
can be made.
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