The Board of Education will hear an update on the report from the Joint Initiative to Eliminate the Opportunity Gap and vote on adoption of the 2021-2022 School Year Calendar at its next meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, January 20, 2021.
The opportunity gap report was presented publicly by Superintendent George Arlotto and County Executive Steuart Pittman in November. Members of the committee that developed the report will provide more information to the Board at Wednesday’s meeting.
The Board will also discuss and vote on a calendar for the 2021-2022 school year. The Board is considering five options, four of which were developed the AACPS Calendar Committee and a fifth developed by Board President Melissa Ellis and Board Member Robert Silkworth. All five calendars contain a weeklong Easter/Spring break and are posted online here.
Additionally, the Board is scheduled to discussion school start and dismissal times.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions, Wednesday’s meeting will be held virtually. It will begin at 6 p.m.
NEW PROCESS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS
The Board will hear live public comment on agenda items from up to 10 speakers per agenda item during a single section in the early portion of each meeting prior to Board discussion of those items. To enable more equitable opportunities for those wishing to speak, the link to register to deliver live testimony will be posted online here at 5 p.m. on Sunday, January 17. Those wishing to provide live testimony must register, space permitting, through that link. All speakers will be allotted 2 minutes and those who secure spaces to speak will receive emailed instructions on how to join the meeting. Registration will be open through 5 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19.
Written comments on agenda items will now be submitted through an online form that can be found here beginning at 5 p.m. on Sunday, January 17. Written comments must be no more than 250 words and must be submitted by noon on Tuesday, January 19. Comments can also be dropped off at the Parham Building, located at 2644 Riva Road in Annapolis, by that time. Comments on non-agenda items will now only be accepted in writing.
The complete process for registering to speak and submitting testimony in writing can be found here.
Those who require the services of an interpreter to offer comment to the Board should call 410-222-5311 to make those arrangements after receiving confirmation of an opportunity to speak at the meeting.
The Board will also meet in a public session at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, January 20, for the sole purpose of voting to immediately go into closed session, during which time it will discuss confidential matters as permitted by the Maryland Open Meetings Act including, but not limited to, legal advice, personnel, and negotiations. Closed session is not open to the public.
The public may listen to the open portion of the meeting, including the vote to go into closed session, by calling (605) 468-8781 and entering access code 685333 followed by the pound/hashtag symbol.
The public portion of the meeting will resume at 6 p.m.
A complete agenda for the meeting accompanies this news release. More information on agenda items will be posted on the AACPS website in the Board Docs section under the Board of Education tab.
The general session of Wednesday’s Board meeting will be broadcast live on AACPS-TV, which can be found on Channel 96 on Comcast and Broadstripe, and Channel 36 on Verizon. High definition broadcasts can be seen on Channel 996 on Comcast, Channel 496 on Broadstripe, and Channel 1961 on Verizon.
The meeting can also be viewed live on AACPS’ YouTube channel.
Archived videos of Board meetings can be found online here.
Board of Education meeting agenda, 1-20-21
BOARD TO HOLD BUDGET WORKSHOP
The Board of Education will hold a public workshop on Dr. Arlotto’s FY2022 budget recommendation at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. No budget-related public testimony will be taken at the workshop or at the February 17, 2021, meeting at which the Board is scheduled to adopt the budget. Should the Board offer amendments at the February 17 meeting, testimony will be taken on the amendments.
The workshop will be broadcast live on AACPS’ YouTube channel.