Fiscal Year 2025 operating budget request seeks to fast forward student achievement -- This Week in BCPS

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Fiscal Year 2025 operating budget request aims to fast forward student achievement

Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers (Yarbrough) presented a $2.58 billion operating budget proposal for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 during a January 8 event and at the January 9 meeting of the Board of Education of Baltimore County. The budget reflects the work of the school system to fast forward student achievement and represents a modest $42.3 million increase (2.2 percent) over the current FY 2024 general fund budget.

Highlights from the proposed FY 2025 operating budget include supporting:

Reduced class sizes in Grades 3-5.
Expansion of full-day PreKindergarten programs.
Compensation enhancements for all staff.
Special education Individualized Education Program (IEP) chairpersons in elementary schools.
An elementary math lead teachers pilot.
Additional special education, ESOL, staff development, and special area teachers.
New English Language Learner and secondary English language arts curriculum.
Expansion of community schools.
Virtual academy teachers.
Student safety assistants and additional athletic trainers.

The full FY 2025 proposed budget is posted online. A Board public hearing on the budget will be held virtually on Tuesday, January 16, at 6:30 p.m., to be followed by a Board operating budget work session on Tuesday, January 23, at 6:30 p.m. (Snow dates for these meetings are Wednesday, January 17, and Wednesday, January 24, respectively). The Board is scheduled to adopt the budget at its Tuesday, February 27, meeting at 6:30 p.m. This budget then must be approved by the county executive and Baltimore County Council.

To learn more, watch the budget presentation, view the presentation slides, or read "Budget Investments at a Glance" online.

Two elementary schools celebrate the new year in new school buildings

Red House Run and Summit Park elementary schools moved into their new school buildings on January 4, and BCPS-TV was there to capture the sights and sounds.

January 11/Team BCPS Day: The day BCPS turned all the way blue

On Team BCPS Day 2024 (January 11), BCPS students, teachers, staff, alumni, and supporters wore blue clothes, ate blue snacks, read blue books, painted blue pictures – all to celebrate the "true blue" spirit that unites Team BCPS.

One online photo gallery of the day highlights the photos that were posted on social media. Another showcases the Principals' Leadership Development that took place on Team BCPS Day.

Prizes for outstanding participation will be awarded later in January. (If you have more photos from the day, please email them to communications@bcps.org.)

Young Men of Honor at Sudbrook Magnet Middle School proudly wore blue shirts.

Ms. Strumsky's students at Vincent Farm Elementary School donned Team BCPS glasses.

BCPS principals and true-blue friends gathered at the Principals' Leadership Development.

Rossville Elementary School Principal Kevin Jennings helped get things off to a great start with one of the first posts of the day.

Teaching intern from McDaniel College, Paul Steinert, posed with his former Grade 3 teacher and current mentor, Valerie Gorlin Tarbell.

Gus Franklin (a perennial Team BCPS Day participant) and his dog dad, pupil personnel worker Howard Franklin, used the day as an opportunity to promote school attendance.

Overlea High School library media center displayed blue books.

Gary Braham, science teacher, Lansdowne High School, went blue from head to toe.

Lakecia Hines, Glyndon Elementary School community school facilitator, looked regal with a blue crown.

Michael Crispens, Patapsco High School graduate and coordinator of elementary social studies

Michael Crispens was a student at Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts when he decided he wanted to become a history teacher for BCPS.

After fulfilling that goal by teaching at Chesapeake, Perry Hall, and Loch Raven high schools, Crispens accepted the role of elementary social studies coordinator for BCPS.

In a new Face of the Week blog post, Crispens explains how elementary social studies has evolved, especially in the areas of evidence-based writing, financial literacy and career readiness, and Black history.

“There is so much to say about Mike as a person and his support of BCPS teachers and students,” said John Billingslea, director of social studies. “As a BCPS leader, Mike is a compassionate visionary who develops innovative ways to expand inclusivity, to elevate cultural relevance, and to engage students and staff in inquiry-based, learner-driven processes.”

Nominate an outstanding principal or assistant principal to be honored

All BCPS stakeholders and community members are invited to nominate outstanding administrators for BCPS Principal of the Year and Assistant Principal of the Year for 2024-25. Finalists for each level (elementary, middle, and high) will participate in the BCPS Principal of the Year and BCPS Assistant Principal of the Year competitions.

The BCPS Principal of the Year and BCPS Assistant Principal of the Year will represent Baltimore County in statewide competitions.

Nominations are open now through Monday, January 29.

Maryland State Board of Education to host virtual town halls on state superintendent search

The Maryland State Board of Education (MSDE) is searching for the next state superintendent of schools, whose term will begin July 1 and continue through June 30, 2028. For community input, MSDE is hosting a series of virtual town halls to obtain feedback on the leadership qualities and attributes that Marylanders identify as critical for the role of state superintendent.

The town halls will be conducted via Zoom on the following dates:

• Tuesday, January 16, at 9 a.m.

• Wednesday, January 17, at 1 p.m.

• Thursday, January 18, at 6 p.m.

For those unable to attend the town halls, a survey is available.

The state board will continue to seek public input throughout the search process and will provide regular updates through the MSDE website.

for parents

from BCPS Parent University

Maryland Higher Education Commission launches new website to help students apply for federal and state financial aid for college

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used to apply for federal financial aid. It is also used to apply for more than $130 million in Maryland scholarships and grants available through the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

To help families with the application process, the commission has created a new webpage and has extended the Maryland financial aid deadline to submit the 2024-2025 FAFSA to June 1, 2024. To be notified of eligibility for Maryland scholarships by April 15, however, families are encouraged to file their FAFSA by March 1.

A reminder that inclement weather days may become virtual school days

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is providing local school systems with the option to use inclement weather days as virtual school days.

MSDE has approved the BCPS Virtual Inclement Weather Day Plan for the 2023-2024 school year. The BCPS plan is to transition to virtual school days after the school system has experienced three inclement weather closures.

After those three closures, when inclement weather is expected, BCPS leadership will monitor the weather forecast and families will be notified if BCPS will transition to virtual learning that day. Students will be reminded to bring devices, chargers, and other instructional materials home. Staff will also be asked to prepare lessons and materials.

Looking for more ideas and information? Please sign up for the Parent University newsletter! It is designed specifically for parents and caregivers and offers ideas, information, resources, and opportunities.

for your viewing pleasure

"Self Portrait" by Liam Casperite, Grade 8, Dumbarton Middle School. Work featured in The 2023 Winter Art Exhibition at THE AVENUE at White Marsh.

To see more artwork by BCPS students, teachers, and other members of the BCPS community, please visit the Office of Visual Arts gallery webpage.

mission moment

from The Education Foundation of BCPS

A caring community makes a difference

The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, Inc., was recently delighted to learn that, on behalf of Dana Ward and the Safeway Foundation, Safeway raised $9,023.43 for Baltimore County Public Schools! The funds were raised last summer when Safeway stores in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and Washington D.C. collected donations at their registers to support schools.

The Education Foundation will use these funds to support its Share the Warmth and Joy campaign. The Share the Warmth and Joy campaign stocks the shelves at the Exchangerees: Gizmos and Gadgets Galore with hoodies, jackets, hats, hygiene materials, mittens, games, puzzles, toys, and more! BCPS educators may shop monthly at either collaborative educator resource center at no cost to them to keep their students warm, happy, and socially, emotionally, and physically well during the cold winter months.

More about this donation and the ways community support enables the foundation to support students, staff, and schools can be found in the latest Mission Moment blog post.

The list of administrative appointments and the full video of the meeting are available online.

A word from Dr. Rogers (Yarbrough)

January 16, 2024

Dear Reader:

Governor Wes Moore has proclaimed this January as Maryland School Board Recognition Month, and the Maryland Association of Boards of Education has honored each member of the Board of Education of Baltimore County with a certificate of appreciation.

The members of the Board of Education of Baltimore County deserve this recognition and more! In attending to their three major responsibilities – school policy, school budget, and school property – our board members review documents, participate in committee and school board meetings, attend school system and school events, and keep up with school board best practices nationwide.

Serving on the board is a tremendous responsibility and requires a major investment of time, thought, expertise, and energy. My deepest appreciation to the members of our board for their enduring commitment to the students, staff, and schools of BCPS.

Budget season is one of the board's busiest times of the year as they tackle the daunting task of approving an operating budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2025.

You have a part in this process, too. This evening, Tuesday, January 16, at 6:30 p.m., the board will hold a public hearing on the budget proposal I presented to them last week. The public hearing will be held virtually through a Microsoft Teams live event. Registration for public comment during the meeting has closed, but comments can always be sent to the board at boe@bcps.org.

In partnership,

Myriam Rogers, Ed.D.

Superintendent