Parents and PGCPS eRadio Presents: Organizations and Their Leaders You Need to Know in Prince George's County

 

Join Parents and PGCPS eRadio with host William E. Rogers on Wednesday, December 4, 2013 starting at 7:30pm, as he focuses on organizations and the work they are performing in their local communities to impact family and student success. Also, Community Activist, Denise Josephs shares what is happening in Prince George’s County in her weekly segment EDPowerment with Denise Joseph.

Guests include:
 Jaemellah Kemp, founder and president, IT TAKES TWO,INC. Ms. Kemp holds an associate’s degree in Business Administration and bachelors in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. She is currently pursuing her masters in Nonprofit & Association Management from University of Maryland University College (UMUC). Also joining the discussion will be Rev. Tierney Screen of the Share Food Network Program located in Prince George’s County Maryland.

Parents and PGCPS eRadio with host William E. Rogers is on the air this Wed. 7:30pm Listen here: 

EDPowerment with Denise Joseph on Parents and PGCPS eRadio

Hello Engaged Parents and Dedicated Educators,

Below is the link to this week's EDPowerment with Denise Joseph.  You can be heard EDPowerment with Denise Joseph weekly on Parents and PGCPS eRadio.

Click Here To Listen

Denise Joesph

EDPowerment

Parents and PGCPS eRadio

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

Dr Mike Robinson at Western Kentucky University Panel Discussion on Fathers

P.G. Schools CEO Maxwell to Represent Md. in National Superintendent Competition: by Courtney Jacobs AFRO Staff Writers

Prince George’s County Schools CEO Kevin M. Maxwell has been named Maryland Superintendent of the Year for 2014 by the Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM) for his work as chief of Anne Arundel County’s schools.

Maxwell, hired in June to turn around the Prince George’s school system, was applauded for narrowing the achievement gap in Anne Arundel and for forging strong ties with the Anne Arundel community.
He will represent the state in February at the National Conference on Education in Nashville, Tenn., at which a national superintendent of the year is to be named.

News of Maxwell’s award to represent the state came during the annual Maryland Negotiating Service Awards Banquet in Ocean City Nov. 1.

“This is one of the highest honors I have received during my 35-year career in education,” Maxwell said in a press release. “When you are selected by your peers for such recognition, it is both a thrilling and humbling experience. I extend my sincerest thanks to my colleagues for their nomination.”

“This award is well deserved and speaks volumes of Dr. Maxwell’s accomplishments and his on-going contributions to the field of education,” Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker III said in a news release. “He brings the type of innovation and creativity to the job that we were looking for in our new Chief Executive Officer and our school system is fortunate to have him as our leader.”
In June, Baker appointed Maxwell as CEO for Prince George’s County.

To read more of  Courtney Jacobs article click here.

Addison By Dr. Elwood L. Robinson

My encounter with an 8-year African American male last Sunday left me with a range of emotions. I met him during a stop to get some very expensive gas in Clinton, North Carolina. He appeared to have been traveling with his family who had also stopped for gas. He was outside the family vehicle roaming around having a conversation with anyone who would listen. He approached my car and asked me if I knew several people who he called by name. In each case I replied that I did not know the person. Following my response he would tell me who the person was and point them out to me. These people were members of his traveling party and apparently his family. “Do you know Shirley Thompson,” he would say. “That’s my aunt,” and he would point to the person in the SUV. He then repeated the names and asked me if I knew the person. I responded “I do now.” He seemed pleased that I now knew the persons that he has just introduced to me. I reminded him that while he has introduced me to several people, he had not told me his name. “My name is Addison” he replied in a strong voice that denoted a sense of confidence. I told him that I thought Addison was a great name. He seemed pleased. I was next in line to pump gas and pulled my car forward to begin the process. As I began pumping gas, I was again approached by Addison who said” hello, I see you again.” The conversation shifted to an area that troubled me, especially coming from an 8-year old.

Addison is a small African American male. He communicates well and speaks in a voice that suggests confidence, strength and poise. Dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, he is the prototype of someone his age in this country. He comes across as very intelligent with a pleasant and pleasing personality. His communicative style was engaging but not overbearing. It has a maturity which suggests his conversational partners may primarily be adults. I can imagine that he is quite a handful at school and home. His energy and inquisitive nature can sometime be difficulty for parents and teachers to handle. He needs and seems to demand attention. I was impressed with his ability to listen.

He asked if I knew that this father had died. He said “my father got shot last night and we went to his funeral just now.” “Last night!” I responded in a voice that denoted surprise and compassion. Addison’s presentation of his father’s death and funeral was void of sadness or emotional connection. He then asked if I wanted to see a picture of his father in the casket. I nodded in the affirmative and he approached his mother who was standing outside of the vehicle on the passenger side. She appeared disinterested in him or our conversation. She reached into her back pocket, removed a cell phone, apparently turned to the photo section and handed the phone to Addison. Addison in turn gave me the phone to view the picture. It was a young, maybe mid-thirties, African American male lying in a coffin who had died as a result of gunshot. This is an all too common story in many part of these United States. I was sad and viewing this picture and talking to Addison about it gave me a strange feeling.

How does an 8-year old deal with losing his father and the graphic representation of his death on a cell phone. Is the gravity of this event, death, minimized or exacerbated by the picture. His face did not suggest sadness. His eyes were bright with a softness of caring. He could not express it but his eyes could not lie. There was something missing and something tells me it was not just the loss of his father. It was as if his soul had been scarred and the manifestation was emotional detachment. The coping strategy is probably age-appropriate; reduce the death to a game or photograph on a cell phone.

 “This is my daddy,” as he spoke with a sense of pride. Or at least he used to be, he left when I was two.” This time he spoke without pride but with a slight sense of anger and disappointment. “He still is” blurted his mother. These were the only words uttered during my brief encounter with Addison. Maybe that explains what I saw in his eyes. Will that memory become a permanent albatross or a source of motivation? Only time will tell.

There was one last conversation to have with Addison. “Where are you going,” he asked. Durham, I replied. “That’s a long ways,” he said. I said “yes it is.” Then Addison with all the sincerity and maturity that defied his youth said “you be careful.” I want desperately to believe that based upon that statement and the manner in which it was delivered, that Addison will be alright.

I immediately began thinking about Addison and his future. What are the consequences of seeing your father as an 8-year old in a casket after being shot. What message does this event send to Addison. How much of this does he really understand. I pray that Addison will grow up to be a strong black man with the courage and conviction to make the world a better place. I hope he achieves greatness. His spirit is strong and pure. Thank you for allowing me to see the kindred spirit that binds us all together. And I say to you as you said to me as I drove off on that beautiful Sunday afternoon. BE CAREFUL.

County Executive Baker and New Schools Chief Executive Officer Maxwell to Attend Meet and Greet Hosted by the Board of Education at Crossland HS On July 10th

Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III and the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Prince George’s County Public Schools, Dr. Kevin Maxwell will attend a meet and greet for residents at Crossland High School, 6901 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on July 10, 2013. The event is being hosted by the Prince George’s County Board of Education and will provide residents with a chance to meet and talk with Dr. Maxwell.

The staff of Parental Engagement with PGCPS welcome Dr. Kevin Maxwell, new CEO of Prince George's County Public Schools

The staff of Parents and PGCPS welcome Dr. Kevin Maxwell, new CEO of Prince George's County Public Schools

County, State Leaders Welcome New Prince George's Schools Chief

Homecoming is the theme for Prince George's County Public Schools new CEO Dr. Kevin Maxwell.

Posted by Michael Theis (Editor), June 28, 2013 at 05:29 pm





Originally posted at 4:04 p.m., June 28 - Before a standing room-only crowd gathered in an atrium at Northwestern High School, County Executive Rushern Baker introduced new Prince George's County Public Schools CEO Dr. Kevin Maxwell with a simple message:

"Welcome home," said Baker, to applause. "Dr. Kevin Maxwell may not have started in the mailroom, but he did start in the classroom…he has learned every facet of school system operations in his journey, a journey which brings him back to Prince George's County."

Indeed, this is something of a homecoming for Maxwell, who graduated from Bladensburg High School in 1969, earned his bachelors and masters degrees in education from the University of Maryland and spent 22 years working in the Prince George's County public school system—first as a teacher, then a school administrator—before moving on to Montgomery County. Eventually he ended up in Anne Arundel County, where he is leaving his current post as superintendent after more than six years.

Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown praised Baker's selection of Maxwell to take on the county school system.

"This is the right choice at the right time to lead the Prince George's County school system to new heights," Brown said.

The location of the announcement, Northwestern High School, is also tied into Maxwell's history. He served as principal of the Hyattsville high school for eight years, during which time he oversaw the demolition of the school's old facility in 2000. He left the school for Montgomery County two months before the campus opened in its current, more modern form.

"This is the school that Dr. Maxwell built," Baker said. "He took a different approach because he had a vision to not just tear down a school, but build it."

Maxwell urged county residents to get involved in working to improve the school system.

"I cannot do this by myself. I need every one of you," he said to the crowd. "For every one of you who asks what are you going to do, I turn around and ask what are you going to do to help?"

He also said that the school system needs to make its case to recruit parents and students who, for whatever reason, have decided not to enroll.

"We have to make sure that those people who are not seeing Prince George's County Public Schools as their choice—that we are there for them too," said Maxwell. "There has to be the right programming, the right things that people are interested in."

In a press conference after the announcement, Maxwell said that he was committed to slowing the "revolving door" in the county school administration which sees experienced, high-ranking faculty and staff leaving PGCPS for other opportunities.

"The revolving door is a real problem," he said. "You can't keep starting and stopping, starting and stopping."

Maxwell said that he had no intention of making his new post a short term one.

"I'm here for the long haul," he said. "I've lived here my whole life, I certainly expect to have my contract renewed in four years, and I expect to be here a good while."

Correction - This article has been updated. An earlier version incorrectly listed the year the original Northwestern High School was demolished.