"We All Have Choices, but Are We Ready to Accept the Consequences of the Choices We Make?"

This week's Parents and PGCPS Educational View is from Pat Fletcher "We All Have Choices, but Are We Ready to Accept the Consequences of the Choices We Make?"

BIO: A 34 year resident of Prince George’s County, Pat Fletcher has two adult children who were educated in the Prince George’s County Public Schools; one a license Cosmetologist and a dedicated aide in the county school system, and the other a teacher in the county school system. Pat Fletcher has four grandchildren in which three are enrolled in the county schools. Ms. Fletcher has worked for 26 years as a District of Columbia Mental Health Counselor and Forensic Psychiatric Technician.  

This week’s featured Parents and PGCPS EduSocial Network Educational View

This week’s featured Parents and PGCPS EduSocial Network's Educational View is Nicole Williams “The Importance of Civic Education” 

BIO:

Nicole Williams is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and the University of  Pittsburgh School Of Law. In addition to enjoying yoga and running, Nicole is an active member of the Prince George’s County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Kiwanis of Mitchellville, Metropolitan Baptist Church, the Prince George’s County Bar Association and the J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association.

Parents and PGCPS an EduSocial Network

 Parents and PGCPS an EduSocial Network is proud to announce our weekly series of educational conversations called Educational Views. These brief commentaries from Prince George’s County parents, educators, community and civic leaders are intended to drive larger discussions on challenges and opportunities facing education in Prince George’s County.  

Parents and PGCPS Network Member Kimberly K. Parker is Moving to China!

Hello Engaged Parents and Dedicated Educators,

Parents and PGCPS is proud to announce of one our first members, Mrs. Kimberly Parker has accepted an opportunity to teach English in China effective January 2014.  Kimberly joined Parents and PGCPS on April 12, 2009. She has been an amazing supporter of our efforts to increase parental engagement throughout Prince George's County. Please join us in congratulating Kimberly on this remarkable opportunity and wishing her the best.

In her message to family and friends, Kimberly stated: " Well, because I dared to dream, it's coming true right before my very eyes." To help Kimberly offset the cost of travel and educational expenses, Parents and PGCPS ask members to consider donating what you can afford to support her dream of making a difference. Please visit the link below and give what you can!

WE ARE PROUD OF KIMBERLY K. PARKER FOR FOLLOWING HER DREAMS!!!!
Please click here to donate to Kimberly K. Parker's Journey!

Be B.O.L.D Against Bullying in Jacksonville by William Jackson, M.Edu.

Best of BOLD Parents is a part of the B.O.L.D. Project Afterschool Program at S.P.Livingston and Eugene Butler Middle Schools and is a program that belongs to the Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Florida.  The Best of B.O.L.D program at Eugene Butler Middle School and S. P. Livingston Elementary School is designed to be a unique collaboration with War on Poverty and the parents of Butler Middle and Livingston Elementary School.

Community collaboration is important to create positive change in the lives of children and families. Through the guidance of Jewel Flornoy (War On Poverty) and B.O.L.D Parent Organizer, Ms. Marcia Ellison PTA President of S.P. Livingston, the leadership of Principals and administration of both schools, activities are centered on creating learning opportunities that involve meeting the needs of parents not just in the school house, but in the communities. Building a strong PTA that supports and encourages parental participation is important for schools academic and community strength. The Best of B.O.L.D is a growing model for other schools across the nation.

The STOP BULLYING NOW – STAND UP – SPEAK OUT event provided the B.O.L.D Spirit Team a chance to fire up over 100 students attending from Pre K to Fifth Grade. The program was Emceed by Ms. Roberta Goode, presentations were provided by Ms. Marcia Ellison, Ms. Latrece Humphrys and the students of B.O.L.D at S.P Livingston.

Bullying is a ongoing issue in schools nationwide, on buses and in communities,  there should be continued efforts to prevent Bullying and provide services to educate, empower and encourage youth from Pre-K to fifth grade and educating parents that Bullying should be reported so actions can be taken to stop Bullying.

Several tragic events in Florida and across this nation have shown that young lives are being taken away because of Bullying and Cyberbullying. Instead of just watching the statistics grow schools and school districts need to have professional development for students and parents. Bullying and Cyberbullying is a reality for many children in schools across this nation. It will take more than laws; it will take more than speeches, it will take the collective efforts like War On Poverty, B.O.L.D, PTA organizations and individuals like William Jackson an educator, blogger, and community activist to make a difference. The opportunities of Cyberbullying can happen where children and teens have unmonitored access to Social Media that allows the behaviors of Cyberbullying to happen on Social Media platforms.  

No parent ever wants to consider their child as a Bully, but the reality is children, kids, teens and young adults are Bullying and Cyberbullying with dangerous results.  Parents need to monitor their children’s actions in school, online, on buses and in classrooms. Parents must be proactive and communicate with their children high expectations of good behaviors; parents should observe behaviors, mannerisms, changes in eating habits, mood swings and  importantly communicate with teachers and administrators. Signs that parents need to observe and question are in changing behaviors. The Best of B.O.L.D is just one organization that is involved in schools, there needs to be more and additional support in the community, from educators, administrators, guidance counselors and importantly parents.

B.O.L.D has conducted several Bullying trainings for parents provided by William Jackson; he has a passion for preventing Bullying, Cyberbullying, harassment, and other forms where children feel threatened and fearful. STOP Bullying Now efforts should grow with the help of attending organizations like Jacksonville Public Education Fund, Boys and Girls Clubs, War On Poverty, Habitat for Humanity and New Town Success Zone, organizations working to raise the learning levels of students, provide parents more opportunities to be involved.

B.O.L.D has worked with parents and students to continue to send a message through the building of a mural made from tiles, each tile was designed to send a positive message that will resonate throughout the school as it hangs honorably at S. P. Livingston. 

Parents and PGCPS eRadio

Pr. George’s BOE responds to adding 15 new employees

By Ovetta Wiggins

The Prince George’s County Board of Education released an e-mail statement Wednesday about its decision to hire 15 new employees to work for the school board.

The board voted 7-1 on May 9 to approve the emergency measure. School board member Donna Hathaway Beck (District 9) was opposed, and Carletta Fellows (District 7) was absent.

Hathaway Beck said previously that she didn't think that the measure qualified to be considered as an emergency. She said it didn't allow the public to have input on the spending.

“The Prince George’s County Board of Education voted to realign funds within their FY2014 operating budget to accommodate the addition of 15 new positions. The positions were created in response to HB 1107, Section 4-401, which charges the Board to “(1) raise the level of academic achievement of the students in the Prince George’s County Public School System, and (2) raise the level of engagement of the parents, students, and community as a whole,” the statement reads.

The hiring action, which was approved with no discussion, comes with a $145,000 one-month price tag for the remainder of the current fiscal year and is projected to cost the school system nearly $2 million next year.

The statement also said: “The addition of nine District Liaison positions will significantly improve the Board’s ability to raise the level of community and parental engagement in all Board districts. In addition, five new administrator positions will directly support schools by providing technical assistance and professional development that support efforts to raise student achievement. To accommodate the four new appointed members of the Board, staffing resources were realigned to cover the cost of adding these members, as well as add an additional secretarial position to provide administrative support.”

Crawley plans to stay in Prince George’s

By Ovetta Wiggins

Prince George’s County School Board Chairman Verjeana Jacobs (District 5) said Friday that Alvin Crawley, the county’s interim school superintendent, has agreed to stay in his position until school reopens in August.

Crawley did not return repeated calls for comment on Friday.  County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) said Thursday that he planned to ask Crawley, who has served since September, to rescind his resignation. His original contract was scheduled to end on June 30, but Crawley submitted his resignation last month and was scheduled to leave on June 3.

Some worried that Crawley’s decision would create additional uncertainty for the school system, which has had rapid turnover. The decision came after the General Assembly approved legislation that gives Baker the power to select the new schools chief, appoint three school board members and name the board chairman and vice chair.

Crawley has served as interim superintendent since September, replacing William R. Hite Jr., who left to take the top job in Philadelphia. Crawley became the school system’s seventh schools chief in 14 years.

Jacobs said during a “unity” breakfast hosted by Baker that the board knows changes are coming, and “we are doing what we need to do to make the shifts.”

Jacobs used the breakfast to provide those in attendance with information about successes in the system: 235 of the 250 graduates at Largo High School are headed to college; Central High School seniors received $2.9 million in scholarships, and Oxon Hill High School seniors received $4.6 million.

“At the end of the day, if adults fail, kids fail,” Jacobs said. “It is our obligation.”

Christian Rhodes, Baker’s education liaison, said Baker has been meeting with members of the school board, union leaders and employees.

He said a committee has been selected that will review the 160 applications for the three new appointed spots on the school board. M.H. Jim Estepp, president of the Greater Prince George’s Business Roundtable and a member of Baker’s education commission, will serve as chair.

Baker told the group that he apologized for the timing of his legislation to take over the school system. But he did not apologize for doing it.

“Whether you are for what we did or not, we are all tied to it now,” he said.

Prince George’s school board adds 15 new employees weeks before Baker takeover

By Ovetta Wiggins, Published: May 17 E-mail the writer

In one of its final actions under the current school governance structure, the Prince George’s County Board of Education voted to hire more than a dozen employees who will work for and report to the board. The emergency measure, which was approved with no discussion, comes with a $145,000 one-month price tag for the remainder of the current fiscal year and is projected to cost the school system nearly $2 million next year.

The action comes just weeks before state legislation is scheduled to take effect that allows Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker III (D) to select the school system’s school superintendent, known as the chief executive officer. Baker will also be able to appoint three board members, creating a hybrid school board, and choose the board chair and vice chair.

Read More Here

STATEMENT FROM THE PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION REGARDING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S PLAN TO TAKE CONTROL OF OUR SCHOOLS

March 18, 2013

For Immediate Release

CONTACT: 

Office of Communications

301-952-6001

communications@pgcps.org

Mr. Baker gambles away our children’s future

Over the weekend, our students, parents, teachers, employees and taxpayers learned of Mr. Baker’s plan to take over our schools from an article that appeared in the Washington Post. The bill resembles that of the DC school takeover by former DC Mayor Adrian Fenty. However, similar to the District, the bill falls short and fails to address the core issues facing our community. This is a bad bill that is being pushed through the legislature under the guise of education reform and without the benefit of a public hearing. The public’s voice will not be heard. Our students, teachers and employees will have no say in this decision. Mr. Baker’s proposal reduces public oversight of schools and voids the rights of our parents, students and labor unions. It also does not recognize the achievements of our students—80% perform satisfactory on state-mandated assessments.   

If Mr. Baker truly wants to improve education in Prince George’s County, he should start by helping to promote more parental engagement. He should also help by finding funds to attract and retain our teachers. Our youth should not be used as political gambling chips. They are our hope for tomorrow. This bill undermines the progress our students are making. It places our schools in an untenable situation.

Mr. Baker's proposal is an unnecessary distraction that gambles away the future of our children.

It is important to know that advocacy works!

Hello Engaged Parents and Dedicated Educators, It is important to know that advocacy works! Thanks to the work of so many of you and your organizations, we see the results of advocacy relative to our local school system. When parents and educators seek and become engaged they create (you create) change. We are experiencing this first hand, as the attempts of the School Board to connect with parents, families, educators and community stakeholders have expanded. There is still work to be done, but their efforts far exceed those of the past. Parents and PGCPS is proud to say we have been a driving force in the efforts to increase two-way communication between homes and schools. Just as important, Parents and PGCPS advocates and will continue to do so for continuing dissemination of information to parents and communities from Prince George’s County Public Schools. Your advocacy, your engagement, your involvement and your dedication makes a difference! Do not be fooled you are the driving force behind the increase communication with your school district. Stay engaged, stay dedicated, it makes a difference. Thanks

The Impact of Environmental Factors on the Academic Success of Students

Dr. Mike Robinson, host of Parent Talk Live discussed the impact of environment factors and issues on the academic success of students, specifically a review of the social-psychological interventions to reduce the achievement gap among urban students. Dr. Robinson’s guest was Dr. Franklin Turner, Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at Queens College, The City University of New York. Franklin Dickerson Turner, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at Queens College, The City University of New York. He received his B.S. in African American History from Florida A&M University, M.A. in Educational Psychology from Rutgers University-New Brunswick, and Ph.D. in Urban Systems from Rutgers University-Newark. Prior to starting graduate school Dr. Turner was a middle school teacher in the Philadelphia School District. He has a strong record of community service, from working as a volunteer in Post-Katrina New Orleans to running a Boy and Cub Scouting program at Raymond Rosen Housing Projects in Philadelphia. Dr. Turner’s research focuses on the Achievement Gap (especially teaching writing), Popular Culture, and Race & Social Class especially in educational settings. He has published and presented in the areas of reading fluency acquisition, teacher education, and counseling. He is currently a consulting editor for The Journal of Educational Research and the Journal of Negro Education.  For more information on Dr. Franklin Turner, Queens College visit http://www.franklinturner.com/home To hear this discussion click here!

Kimberly Parker Talks About: Learning Differences Girls and Boys

BRAIN BASED LEARNING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GIRLS AND BOYS

I am dedicated to endless learning. Daily, I suss for what I call “brain gems.” Brain gems are derived from random insight into the world around me. I will gladly arrest the attention of my children at a moments notice so, together, we can dissect various topics.

“Okay, children. Time for critical thinking! What message do you believe is sent throughout the world when one names an R&B boy’s group ‘Mindless Behavior’?”

Yes. My critical thinking moments are that serious because the fate of our children demands such.

Recently, I chose to dive head first into a book that expounds upon the brain based learning differences between boys and girls. The Boys and Girls Learn Differently Action Guide for Teachers by Michael Gurian and Arlette C. Ballew is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. I have not been able to peel myself away!

In his introduction, Mr. Gurian states,

“Schools and educators in the United States are struggling to teach all that they need to teach, maintain discipline, build character, and provide for the safety of the children in their care…More and more decisions about education are being made by politicians, rather than educators, and few policy makers understand the differences between how boys’ and girls’ brains work, how they differ, and what they need in order to learn.”

What I’ve gleaned has changed my perspective on the staggering discipline statistics targeted at boys. What’s more, it has challenged the notion that children are so out of control whereby they need to ingest behavior modification drugs like Ritalin and Concerta. Page after heart wrenching page, I was left with this pervasive thought: Poor children. Poor teachers. Poor society.

Here is a bit of what I’ve learned:

• One of the best tools an educator can have is knowledge of the behavioral differences between girls and boys.
• Knowledge of brain based differences fosters the ultimate classroom experience, helps each child optimize natural learning abilities, reduces discipline problems, and removes labels (“Bad”, “ADHD/ADD”, etc.).
• Most female brains mature earlier/more quickly than males.
• Girls acquire complex verbal skills about a year earlier than boys.
• Girls take in more sensory/auditory/visual data than boys.
• Boys have a greater advantage if seated at the head of the class

The more I learn about children and their growing needs, the more equipped I am to assist them throughout their formative years. This book is one of many that can serve as a platform for educational reform in our country. While I do not claim to have all the answers, I strongly suggest that you become a committee, do your research, and implement change. At the very least, change can begin inside the four walls of your home and then spread abroad

  Kimberly K. Parker is the President and CEO of Writing Momma Publishing, LLC (www.writingmomma.com). To date, she has written three books and has helped 12 children between the ages of nine and nineteen write and publish books of their own. This summer, she is offering “The Ultimate Writing Experience!” For more information visit www.writingmomma.com and click on Writing Programs. Kimberly is a professional writer, author, publisher, and blogger living in Maryland with her husband and three children.

How do you feel about the recent departure of Dr. William R. Hite, Jr.

Free Web poll for your Web site - freepolls.com

Kimberly K. Parker: PERFECTLY IMPERFECT

            

           One of my Facebook friends recently posted a picture of her three year old daughter’s artwork.  Her comment read: “My daughter colors inside the black lines PERFECT…she's still 3 years old...Remember that.”  While my mantra is, “Until further notice…celebrate everything,” my stomach dropped just a bit when I scanned the word “PERFECT.”

            I clearly recall being a young stay-at-home momma who was driven by perfectionism.  Frankly, my behavior was borderline obsessive compulsive.  My home was cleaned from the basement to the bedroom level, the laundry was washed, dried, and put away, and every single toy and wooden block was in its rightful place.  In short, everything was perfect.

           

            Unfortunately, this mentality spilled over into my role as a homeschooler.  So, by the time my son was two years old, he was legibly writing his name, alphabets, and numbers, counting to 100, had mastered his shapes, address, and telephone number,  and…yes…coloring inside the lines.  Anything short of this, I felt, was a poor reflection on him and his family.

            It would be years before I realized that I was disillusioned and had no clue of what true learning entailed.  In fact, my mission to present this “perfect” picture had everything to do with pleasing the masses versus instilling sound educational principles into my children.   I fed into the lie that if my children did not reach various milestones outlined in those infant, baby, and toddler books that I was missing the mark. 

            In her article “The Pitfalls of Perfectionism,” Jennifer Drapkin, a writer for Psychologytoday.com, pointed out a few pitfalls to perfectionism:

1. Perfectionists never feel satisfied.
2. Perfectionist cannot tolerate flaws.
3. Perfectionists lead a life of continual anxiety and fear of failure.
4. Perfectionists feel as though the world expects them to be impeccable.

            As a result of my behavior, my children began to display some of the traits listed above.  Erasers were used incessantly and crumpled sheets of paper filled my trash bins.  The straw that broke the camels back was when one of my sons said he felt stupid because he did not understand a math concept.  I knew then I had to stop the madness.

            It’s been many years since I’ve lived the life of a perfectionist.  The major shift in my behavior has fostered a more tolerant mindset in my children.  They are not hard on themselves anymore and have learned to embrace both their style of learning and overall achievements.  As Jennifer stated in her article, we all have learned to accept our flaws and live a more loving and satisfying life.

Kimberly K. Parker is the President and CEO of Writing Momma Publishing, LLC. (www.writingmomma.com). To date, she has written three books and has helped nine children between the ages of nine and nineteen write and publish books of their own.  This summer, she is offering “The Ultimate Writing Experience!”  For more information visit www.writingmomma.com and click on Writing Programs.  Kimberly is a professional writer, author, publisher, and blogger living in Maryland with her husband and three children.

Mrs. Kimberly K. Parker, discusses THREE WAYS TO DISCOVER YOUR CHILD

On the path of self discovery, I’ve arrived at many conclusions. One is that no two children are alike. While they may be cut from the same parental cloth, they are uniquely designed. It was many years after having my second child that this became truth for me. Sure, there were telltale signs from as early as the second day of his birth, but somehow my desire to duplicate my older son overshadowed the indicators.

The dichotomy between my two sons knocked me off my feet! One is night; the other is day. One is peanut butter; the other is jelly. One goes along with the program; the other is the program. One is ebb; the other is flow. I just could not adjust! The nearly immediate transition of mind, body, and soul…literally...challenged me beyond belief. Throw in an unexpected bout of post-partum depression and you have the making of disaster. “This was not a part of the plan,” I would often think.

I was overwhelmed and often found myself wishing, hoping, praying, and even verbally expressing, “Why can’t you be like your brother?” I’m not proud of that at all. In fact, the mere typing of those words caused my stomach to drop. Sadly, I know I’m not alone. I’ve engaged with enough moms and dads who, too, are guilty of harboring that thought..

For the first six years of his life, we bumped heads. Exhausted, I began to search for answers. It was not long before I discovered the solutions began and ended with me. I had to change my approach, accept his uniqueness, address, his individuality, and ensure he was appreciated. I had to discover who my son truly was and, most importantly, who he was not. Below are three initial ways I accomplished this goal:

• I discovered his learning style: Statistics show that a large majority of children are classified as linguistic learners. That is, they learn best by using syntax (the study of rules), phonology (the study of sound), semantics (the study of meanings), and pragmatics (which deals with logic). My younger son, on the other hand, is without question a bodily-kinesthetic/musical learner. In short, he learns best by moving so I no longer harp on him to sit down.
• I discovered his love language: Dr. Gary Chapman became one of my best friends when I got hold of his book The Five Love Languages. He shares that words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, and physical touch are ways we can help another person feel loved. I discovered that my son’s love languages are receiving gifts and physical touch. No wonder he hugs me a hundred times a day and expects a treat just as often. Genius!
• I discovered his personality type: For many years, I thought there were just two personality types: A and B. Boy was I wrong! I discovered that there are over 16 personality types. Not only is my son a true type A, he is also somewhat of a type ENFP and an ESFP. I was…and still am…totally amazed.

Since I’ve made these discoveries, my relationship with my son has blossomed! Taking the time to learn about him also taught me so much about myself. The greatest lesson I learned was to never compare him with his brother or anyone else, for that matter. He is who he is because God uniquely designed him! I love you, Son!

Kimberly K. Parker is the President and CEO of Writing Momma Publishing, LLC (www.writingmomma.com). To date, she has written three books and has helped nine children between the ages of nine and nineteen write and publish books of their own. This summer, she is offering “The Ultimate Writing Experience!” For more information visit www.writingmomma.com and click on Writing Programs. Kimberly is a professional writer, author, publisher, and blogger living in Maryland with her husband and three children.

Can having dinner as a family, prevent your teen from using drugs and alcohol?

By Tracy A. Stanciel,

February 24, 2012 at 6:00 am What happened to old fashioned family dinner time? We live in an age where everything is fast-paced and electronic. Families dine in their cars after visiting fast food restaurants instead of eating at home. When families do eat at home, everyone is doing their own thing. Someone is watching TV, someone else is working on an iPad or a laptop. I have even heard of family members texting one another while having dinner.

I was shocked to hear that there were kids who had never sat down and had dinner as a family. This phenomenon is completely foreign to me. I am the youngest of six children and we had dinner as a family everyday. My Dad did not have dinner with us during the week because he worked from 3:00pm until 11:00pm, but he was at the dinner table on the weekends. My children don't know any other way to eat dinner. There are occasions when my husband works late and we eat without him, but it doesn't happen very often.

We use dinner time to have really important discussions. The dinner table can be a great venue to have good discussions because you have a captive audience. Dinner time is used to talk about everyone's day and anything else that may be on our minds. My husband and I have had some really great parenting experiences at our dinner table. If you can't think of anything to talk about, tell your kids a funny story. Ask everyone to go around the table and talk about something that happened at school or work. There is no TV or electronic devices at the dinner table. Have an open forum for questions with no limits. It makes me feel good as a parent when my children feel comfortable asking questions about any and everything at the dinner table.

Family dinners don't have to take place at home. We are fortunate to live close to the lake front and downtown. When the weather is nice, we will pack a picnic dinner and walk or ride our bikes to the lake front for dinner. Millennium Park has great concerts in the summer. We will order take out food and take the bus or ride our bikes downtown for a concert in the park. Family dinners have always been an important part of our lives.

A study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University has found that the more often children have dinners with their parents, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs. The study also states that parental engagement fostered around the dinner table is one of the most potent tools to help parents raise healthy drug-free children. The study compares teens who have family dinners 5-7 times per week to teens who have fewer than 3 family dinners per week. Teens who have family dinners fewer than 3 times per week are twice as likely to use tobacco, nearly twice as likely to use alcohol and one and a half times as likely to use marijuana. According to the study, teens who say that they talk to their parents about what's going on in their lives over dinner are less likely to smoke, drink or use drugs. This study also ties family dinners to academic success, access to drugs & alcohol and friendships with others who use drugs & alcohol.

I would like to encourage everyone to start having family dinners. If you plan to start having family dinners, you may need to start by doing it one day a week and gradually work up to 5-7 days. It can have a great impact on your family even if your children are too young to worry about drug and alcohol abuse. You will be amazed at the topics of conversation that can take place when you are sitting at a quiet table with no distractions.

Happy Family Dinner Time!!

Message From Karyn T. Lynch Chief of Student Services, PGCPS

PARENT WARNING: Choking Game


There’s a new game in town and the outcome isn’t fun! Children in elementary and middle school have been playing the “Choking Game”. The choking game is played individually or in groups as a social activity. In this game, students deliberately cut off the flow of blood to the brain to achieve an artificial high. Students might put a plastic bag over their head, use a rope or belt, or have a peer choke them to the point of passing out. Once the student releases the pressure and the blood flow is restored, the student experiences a high or a rush from the immediate flow of blood to the brain. Because the blood flow is discontinued the student’s brain cells begin to immediately die. Students who become addicted to this rush, may play the game alone and risk death, a seizure, stroke, physical injury or brain damage.

Indicators that parents should look for are:

Suspicious bruises on the neck
Loss of concentration, agitation and aggressiveness
Bloodshot eyes
Other names for the choking game are GASP, fainting game, Pass Out and Space Monkey among others.

Overview and 3A Framework; Organizing for Effective Parent Engagement

Boost Student Performance with Literacy Programs Buck Lodge Middle School (BLMS) has the largest Hispanic students in Prince Georges County Public Schools in Maryland. This translates to the highest concentration of second language learners. After reviewing scores on the Maryland State Assessments, the school decided to focus on increasing student’s reading scores. In partnership with the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium, Inc. and the Tellin’ Stories Project of Teaching for Change the school staff reached out to families and involved them in literacy activities, 25 Book Reading Challenge, and school events to help enforce the importance of literacy both at home and school. The results were:

Over 300 students met the 25 Book Challenge
50 students read over 50 books
Overall student reading scores went up by 7.7%
Hispanic student scores increased by 12.1%
LEP scores increased by 19.3%

Special Education student scores went up by 11.2% in 2009 from the previous year

The act of engaging families in this school-wide effort led parents to feel empowered and increased their ability to monitor and support learning at home. This engagement did not only pertain to an increase in reading outcomes, but also an increase in family participation at school events, decision-making, advocacy and volunteerism.

For more information email Susan Shaffer, President of Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium, Inc. at mailto:sshaffer@maec.org or visit http://www.americaspromise.org/Resources/ParentEngagement/Community-Examples.aspx

Governor O’Malley Appoints Nakia Ngwala to Maryland Citizens Review Board for Children

Springdale, MD December 13, 2011: Governor Martin O’Malley appointed Nakia T. Ngwala as a member of the Prince George’s County Citizens’ Review Board for Children Number Seven for a term of four years from July 1, 2011.

The Citizen Review Board for Children (CRBC) reviews cases of children in foster care to evaluate what progress has been made towards their permanent placement. Cases are reviewed in pursuant to priorities established by the Prince George's County Department of Social Services and the State Citizens Review Board for Children and contained in a memorandum of agreement. For each child reviewed, a recommendation is sent to the County Department of Social Services and the local juvenile court. With concurrence of the Social Services Administration, the State Board may establish categories of foster children for whom a satisfactory permanent arrangement has been made and who may be exempt from local review. The children’s legislative action committee (CLAC) is the legislative committee under the authority of State Board charged with implementing CRBC’s legislative agenda.

Each local review board has seven members. They are appointed by the Governor to four-year terms in accordance with Code Family Law Article, secs. 5-540 through 5-547.

Nakia T. Ngwala is a public servant and a published columnist who has written subjects on economic development and education. Her articles have been published in The Sentinel, the Gazette, the Bowie-Blade, and the Baltimore Sun newspapers. She is one of the pioneers who pushed for the creation of a Preschool Task Force in Prince George’s County. She is the former President of the Ardmore-Springdale Civic Association (ASCA); Chair of the Bellehaven Action Plan Committee; Member of the United States 2010 Census Complete Count Committee in Prince George’s County; Enterprise Woods Community Liaison for the Art in Public Places, Public Art Project Advisory Committee, Prince George’s County; Committee Member/Community Liaison for the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System Steering Committee. She currently serves as Chair of the Civic Engagement Committee for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Prince George’s County. She lives in Springdale with husband Mayi Ngwala and their two sons.

For more information about CRBC, please visit http://dhr.maryland.gov/crbc.