Board of Education

Board Speeches and Presentations

2008 speeches

• Opening Statement to Commissioners
• CIP Testimony

All children deserve a good public education. They deserve the best we can give them -- our best thinking, quality instruction and well-built, safe and inviting schools.

Charles County Public Schools is among the best education systems in the nation. SAT scores are above state and national averages and more students than ever are taking advanced classes. Today's students stay in school longer and larger numbers go to college. This can be attributed to our steady focus on academic achievement, career readiness and personal responsibility.

Accountability is higher than ever and we constantly measure, tabulate or report test scores. But, not everything that counts can be counted. Our mission is not to raise test scores or even meet Adequate Yearly Progress. Those are just two requirements in a long list of the school system's accountability measures. Our mission is to provide for all school-aged children to receive an academically challenging education along with the tools to strengthen character and develop leadership skills.

During the past 12 years, with the support of the Charles County Commissioners, we have made tremendous improvements and have seen increased student success.

We are on the verge of losing ground and jeopardizing the future of our students if Charles County does not continue to value its investment in public education during the stormy financial times and budget shortfalls ahead.

We already hear the thunder rumbling over the still vacant lot of our next high school.

It's a familiar noise and debate.  Why do new school buildings cost so much and why do they have to be so fancy – or to use a newly spun term – swanky?

We heard it 30 years ago when we opened McDonough High School, 15 years ago when Westlake High School was under construction and 12 years ago when Berry Elementary School was dedicated. I wonder if anyone still calls these schools swanky today. Building schools to last shouldn't be confused with extravagant.

We are taking a lot of heat for your consideration to delay the construction of the new high school. Superintendent Richmond never asked the commissioners to delay construction. He only did what good partners do – he agreed to a suggestion to delay a year in order to not compromise the quality of the building and to provide you time to fund the operating costs. The Board agrees that if you can't fund the school, don't build it.

Please hear us now, because we have a responsibility to tell you what our students need. Our children need you to open our next high school in 2011 and need the county to fund the costs of opening and operating an additional school. That is about $14 million a year, which doesn't include the one-time $3 million start-up costs. This new high school will relieve overcrowding at every high school for about a decade.

The $97 million cost of the high school reflects the state's $240 per square foot provision, and includes not only the building construction, but development of the site, wetlands mitigation, green features, design and equipment. The 245,000 square feet of building includes the state mandate to include 200 square feet for each special education student and 150 square feet per regular education student. We follow the state rules and building regulations. So what is extra? The core capacity to provide for existing students and approved growth is extra and essential if we are truly to relieve overcrowding at the high schools. North Point, with only three of four classes, is already over state-rated capacity this year. The pool and making the school green also add considerably to the price tag.

The state has building expectations, and we base the materials we use on those requirements. Do we use materials like tile instead of drywall in bathrooms? Yes, it withstands the test of time and 2,000 teenagers using the facilities every day over the next 40 plus years. You can pay now or pay later. Construction costs on the last four schools we have built – North Point, Diggs, and Davis and now Mary B. Neal, have come in under budget. Can you say the same about your capital projects?

We feel like pawns in a political game. The $97 million cost is one that you previously discussed and approved. You directed us to reduce the cost to $97 million. We did that. You said you didn't support the digital classroom to enhance science and math curriculum for students and we would have to find funding for that. We are doing that through Senators Cardin and Mikulski, who strongly support the concept.

We are our own worst enemies. By being good stewards of our funding, we've become a target. Predictions of dire cuts don't make an impact as long as we continue to open new schools without funding increases. As long as the buses run each morning, class sizes remain reasonable and there are teachers in the classroom, people assume we have everything we need. The commissioners tout that they fully fund education, yet the school system never presents you with a budget that goes over the amount you tell us we will be given. We cut our budget before we ever present it to you and make it work.

This new high school is not extravagant, a luxury or over designed. It's what we need to reduce overcrowding at our high schools and what we need to raise our science and math curriculum to a level the experts – our local engineers and business groups – say we need. It is for our children, and has all the things you asked for, including the pool, core capacity and green features within a $97 million budget.

We have made so much progress over the past 12 years and we are on the verge of losing ground if we waiver on our commitment to school funding.  When school services begin to slip, so does the community

This school board has the political will to speak up in order to ensure the quality of education in Charles County does not slide. Charles County Public Schools are worth the investment. We hope the commissioners have the political will to continue to stand up for education.

The Board wants the Commissioners to build the new high school as designed; open the school on schedule; and fund the operating costs to open the school.

CIP Testimony
Col. Donald Wade
Chairman, Board of Education of Charles County
January 30, 2008
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