June 11, 2002 - Baltimore City Public Schools

Board Meeting Minutes 

Whereupon,-- 

THE NEW BALTIMORE CITY BOARD OF SCHOOL 

COMMISSIONERS 

BOARD MEETING 

200 East North Avenue 

First Floor Board Room 

Baltimore, Maryland 

June 11, 2002 

6:00 p.m. 

Reported by: 

Ethel M. Coates 

APPEARANCES: 

PATRICIA L. WELCH - CHAIR 

CARMEN V. RUSSO - CEO 

DOROTHY G. SIEGEL - COMMISSIONER 

CAMAY MURPHY - BOARD COMMISSIONER 

WILLIAM STREUVER - COMMISSIONER 

J. TYSON TILDON - COMMISSIONER 

SAM STRINGFIELD - BOARD COMMISSIONER 

KENNETH JONES - COMMISSIONER 

P R O C E E D I N G S 

Page 1 of 41 

MS. WELCH: The meeting of the New School Board of Commissioners in now called to order. We 

would like to have a moment of silence, in memory of those persons who have departed. We do know 

that there was a student at Merganthaler High School, Karen, who was killed in an automobile accident, 

May 6th. And her parents were in attendance at that graduation ceremony last night. This was difficult 

for them, but they were there. So we do pause now to remember those who have departed, including 

Karen. (Moment of silence.) 

file://S:\CMS_Content\meetings\2002\J11_02.html 

9/23/2002


MS. WELCH: Thank you. Okay. Motion to approve the minutes? 

MS. SIEGEL: So moved. 

MS. WELCH: I guess it has been approved and moved. So we have a second? 

MS. MURPHY: Second. 

MS. WELCH: Properly moved and seconded that we approve the minutes for our previous meeting. All 

in favor? 

THE BOARD: Aye. 

MS. WELCH: Opposed? We're going to move now to presentations and awards. We have some 

tonight. Videography Award. Ms. Amos, if you would come up. 

MS. AMOS: Good evening, Dr. Welch, Ms. Russo, Board of School Commissioners. I take great 

pleasure in informing the Board and the public that Baltimore City Public School System staff and 

students has won a national award for this STEP video. I did take the liberty of providing each one of 

you with a copy, and I'm sure that you will watch it. Those of you that don't know, or don't remember, 

the STEP is a product of the integration between Curriculum and Instruction, and the Division of Special 

Education. When I first got here, we had -- it was part of the Consent Decree, Long-Range Compliance 

Plan, we had what we called the Objective III. And our STEP was struggling, struggling how to do this 

Objective III, which was a -- really took in deciding on instructional strategies for the whole District. So 

we put our creative minds together. And this is so very real to me, because we did the STEP booklet, 

and I remember that first year, on a Christmas Eve, working with Peggy Tina Spears, editing this book. 

So now we have won a national award. And I want to present a certificate. But before that, I want to 

read the letter that we got announcing this. It says, "Dear Gayle, I am writing to share exciting news. 

The STEP video, which we produced under your and Linda Brown's leadership, is the recipient of the 

2002 Videographer Award of Distinction. This international award recognizes excellence in the video 

industry. Three panels of judges rate the submission according to standards set by the video/television 

industry. An Award of Distinction honors those video programs that exceed industry standards or 

criteria in all categories: Script writing, production, shooting, and editing. There were 2,468 entries this 

year. Only 16 percent won this award. Please accept this award with our gratitude, and thank you." So I 

want to take the opportunity to show you the award that we got, which will be in my office. 

MS. WELCH: Is that presumptuous of Gayle? 

MS. AMOS: I present certificates to some members who were very, very, very prominent in the video. 

The first one is the actual certificate that we received to the Baltimore City staff and students, which we 

will have framed for our office. 

MS. WELCH: For your office? 

Page 2 of 41 

MS. AMOS: Yeah. To go with -- And this award goes to me; Linda C. Brown; Terry A. Tindell -- I 

think Terry is excused today -- Laura V. Adams; Keith Adams was our parent; Sherry A. Mumm- 

Johnson; Lucy Miller, Principal; Atoy Mitchell, Teacher, her teacher too; Dennis Williams, parent and 

Special Ed coach. Thank you. 

MS. WELCH: Thank you, Ms. Amos, Star Amos, award winning officer. We'd also like to announce 




that on Friday of last week, Ms. Russo and I were in attendance at an awards ceremony at the National 

Press Club in Washington. The School System received an award, one of 29 nationwide, coming from 

CSAP, which is the Center for Substance Abuse, Abuse Prevention. It's a good program that we put into 

place more than ten years ago. And Charlene came. Carla and Linda and Charlene were very much a 

part of those earlier trials in our School System, and I'm sure they didn't know ten years ago that what 

they did would yield the kind of benefits -- 

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes, we did. 

MS. WELCH: Oh, you did. Arrogant staff. I mean, they are very full of themselves, but it's really good. 

So it will be on national TV, but we just might, as good as this System is, to for having received that 

award. It was a good thing. And we hope that what happened over the years will be beneficial to those 

teachers now. We concluded that many of our teachers have the content, they have the strategy, but we 

have to make sure that the classroom is managed in such a way that will allow every student to learn to 

his or her potential. So that's what we're striving for. We move now to public comment. No? Michele? 

We have an award coming from the Federal Executive Board of the Social Security Administration. 

MS. NOEL: Deputy Commissioner Paul Barnes and Ms. Rose Cornish. 

MS. WELCH: We know these people. Do you have identification badges? You're here so often. Thank 

you. 

MR. BARNES: I have my badge. 

MS. WELCH: Oh, you do. 

MR. BARNES: We work for the Government. We've got to have ID badges. 

MS. NOEL: Before they get started, I'd like to extend a personal welcome to my boss, Commissioner 

Paul Barnes, and co-worker, Rose Cornish. It's always a pleasure. 

MS. CORNISH: Thank you, Michele. And before we begin, I'd like to say thanks, a million thanks, to 

Charlotte Wayne, because without her we would not have reached so many students this year. So thank 

you so much, Charlotte. 

MS. WELCH: Is she here? 

MS. CORNISH: Yes, she is. 

MS. WELCH: Thank you, Charlotte. 

Page 3 of 41 

MS. CORNISH: And we'll begin with Mike Dudley, and Mike can tell them what agency he's from. 

He's representing FEB. He's going to give you just a brief background, and then we'll move right on to 

Paul Barnes, who'll tell us a little bit about the students who will be receiving the awards. 

MR. DUDLEY: Good evening. My name is Mike Dudley. I'm the Deputy Commander of the Defense 

Contract Management Agency in Baltimore, and it is my honor to give you a brief background on the 

Federal Executive Board in Baltimore. By Presidential Memorandum of November 1961 by President 

John F. Kennedy, the establishment of FEB was directed. They are comprised of local senior-level 

federal agency installation has the metropolitan area around the country. There are 28 FEBs nationwide. 




And the Baltimore Federal Executive Board was established in 1969. The purpose is to provide 

coordination programs in all the agencies in the metropolitan area on issues of interest in the 

community. Membership is 92 federal agencies and installations in the Baltimore metropolitan area and 

throughout Maryland, representing 77,000 federal employees. An offshoot of the FEB is the Education 

Initiatives Committee, where we provide outreach to Baltimore City Schools. We provide a Speakers 

Bureau, which provides interview skills, dressing for success, and they are topics at school. We have a 

PALs Program, where we have the Police Athletic League, and we have a scholarship program. And 

that's why we're here today. And, as I said, the senior civilian in my agency -- I always wonder where 

our future employees, even our future leaders, will come from, people like myself and Mr. Barnes here. 

And reading these applications, I was on the Committee, there's no doubt there's some outstanding 

young people in the City of Baltimore. Mr. Barnes. 

MR. BARNES: Good evening, everyone. It is really an honor for me to be back with you all this year, 

because this year we're going to honor seven students and give $4,000 in scholarships. The students we 

honor tonight have not only excelled in academics, they're all really great scholars. I think, more 

importantly, we honor them because of their contributions to their community, and how well they have 

supported their families. So all seven of the students we honor are honored not only for academics, but 

support of community, support of their families. We have a plaque for each of the students, but, more 

importantly, we have the check. With that -- and I think all seven of the students are here. For the first 

student, we honor LaTasha Evans. She is from Francis M. Wood High School. She gets a $500 

scholarship. Our second scholarship winner is a graduate from Fredrick Douglas High School. Also, a 

$500 scholarship to Ms. Hart. Our third $500 scholarship is from Western High School, Laura Ray. Our 

fourth scholarship recipient for a $500 scholarship, a graduate from Florence Park High School, Aquesa 

Randolph. Oh, I thought you were a very mature student. 

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I am Aquesa Randolph's guidance counselor. And she is on a planned 

trip that was planned prior to receiving this. However, I am her guidance counselor. 

MR. BARNES: Our fifth $500 scholarship recipient is from Dunbar Senior High School, Haseen 

Ranswell. Our next, sixth, scholarship recipient is from Northwestern High School, Raseena Smith. 

Now, I want to, for our final recipient of the $1,000 scholarship, read here, because this is important. 

Very briefly, our winner experienced many hardships as a foster child, when intermittently shifted from 

numerous locations throughout her adolescent teenage years. She's a graduate from George Washington 

Carver Vocational High School, and will attend Grambling State University. Again, we have a $1,000 

scholarship for Terra Locum. 

MS. NOEL: Chair, if we would ask the students to stand and tell us what college they are going to next 

year, please. If you just would stand where you're seated. (Unable to hear speakers.) 

MR. BARNES: Let's give the students a great hand. 

MS. WELCH: Thank you. This is excellent. Are we ready now, Mr. Gains? 

MR. GAINS: Yes. 

MS. WELCH: Parent/Community Advisor Board. 

Page 4 of 41 

MR. GAINS: Good evening. We, as Parents, want to say something about summer school. We were 

concerned about the student-to-teacher ratio. We've been trying to get information and everything 

changed, but we're just waiting to hear what the student-to-teacher ratio is. And the next one we had was 




communication. A lot of times we don't receive communication in a timely fashion. And we're just 

asking and hoping that everybody will work on that one. It's real important to us. The next thing we had 

was, we did have SET training, and it was a success. We want to thank Dr. Tildon for coming, Ms. Ann 

Curski, Council for the students. We really took a risk. We really believe this, you know. We hear you 

talking about reform at the top, you know, changing policies and changing the way you're doing things. 

Well, we're about changing the hearts of parents if we want to be a success. You can spend all the 

money you want; until you reach the parents, you're just putting it in the pot and you're burning. We 

took a risk, and we went out to parents that's in recovering drug -- you know, recovering drug addicts. 

Because we feel as though these are the parents that most -- that really most impact our System. You 

know, you listen to -- you all hear the same music. They have identified 60,000 drug addicts in 

Baltimore City, 95,000 kids in Baltimore City Public Schools, so you do the math. It's a lot. It's a lot. 

And it really impacts us. What we did is we kind of formed an informal partnership of our camp 

weekend. The parents were engaged. They were real happy about it. They took a pledge to become 

parents. Don't ask what the pledge was, because it was on the spare of the moment, I guess, but they 

took it. And what it basically said was this: To become a better parent, get involved in their children's 

education, and just be the best that they can be. But we all know that that was just the beginning. We're a 

parent group of volunteers. And, yet, you rob us coming back, part of the legislative league to ensure 

parents -- I mean, ensure parent involvement in community outreach. You don't know what your 

definition of it is. But I'm hoping that part of it will be involving parents with something real simple. 

Nothing real complicated; just real simple things to get back involved with your child's education. They 

really need it. One thing we did learn, and I think Dr. Tildon will agree, is that the parents were willing. 

Once they get to a point that they're dealing with their ills, they become aware, they become aware, and 

they are willing. Nothing too complicated, but they're willing. And it takes an ongoing effort. You know, 

you can't just say, hey, we have this one thing and drop it there. It won't work. We have to have 

something ongoing, continuous, and to make it work, and that's the only way to be successful. It takes a 

lot. It takes -- as you saw, we had Dr. Tildon, a Board Member, there and Ann Carusi, Area Officer, you 

had the parents, you had Council for the students. It takes a group effort for everybody working 

together. So we are really hoping that you all will embrace it. And a lot of times, you know, we're 

speaking, and we never receive things back. I apologize I don't have it written down, but this is an 

initiative that we're putting in your court. It does work. The parents are willing. You have witnesses, 

right? And a lot of times you don't respond back. But this one, we're going to need to hear back from 

you. Because I've talked to the program, and I'm confident the recovery programs in Baltimore City, 

they are willing to add a parent piece. But it has to be simple; you know, nothing too complicated. 

They're willing maybe to come in, send some people out once or twice a week, or once or twice a 

month. And just, hey, this is what education is about. Check the child's homework. The things that you 

do, your child reflects at school. So you need to have a positive attitude around your child. You need to 

come up to the school. You know, basic things, just basic. But they're willing. So now the ball is in your 

court. And I'm going to say thank you. 

MS. WELCH: Thank you. Mr. Tildon? 

MR. TILDON: Well, I just would like to -- I wanted to underscore Mr. Gains' leadership is 

phenomenal. And he had, what, 500 people there. It was an overwhelming experience, I can tell you 

that. 

MR. GAINS: Thank you. 

MS. WELCH: Don't lose that. 

MR. GAINS: I won't. 


Page 5 of 41 



Page 6 of 41 

MS. WELCH: Thank you, Mr. Gains. Mr. Hamilton, I know you're here. I saw you. PTA President. 

MR. HAMILTON: Good evening, Dr. Welch, Ms. Russo, and the Board of School Commissioners. I 

bring you a few comments tonight. Very often, sometimes we come to the table with comments reacting 

to a particular initiative or policy that has been developed on behalf of our children. But sometimes 

when I come to bring comments, it's a matter of just providing you information on observations and 

comments that have been received from parents and community members, and not always expecting a 

comment or answer a question in return. So tonight it's really just sharing some observations and 

reacting to some comments that we've heard from parents in regard to particular initiatives that are -- the 

System's embarking upon. Now, the summer school issue -- and I was glad to hear Larry make some 

comments about summer school. But mine's of a different sort. And, of course, we know there have been 

varying opinions about summer school this year and the number of students attending. And my 

statement's not meant to necessarily pass judgment one way or another as to the legitimacy of this year's 

efforts. However, the areas of concern that require intense focus or evaluation and possible continued 

dialogue are the classroom, the year-long classroom instruction, as well as the year-long intervention. 

The question becomes, what does the System or teachers or administrators need to focus more on during 

the individualized instruction time? And, also, how effective are the current interventions being utilized 

in our schools? Should they systemically be uniform, or implemented on a case-by-case basis, possibly 

using more than one at each school, to meet the learning style of the individual student. Now, obviously, 

there are weaknesses in our current efforts, because the end result is we have, approximately, 45,000 

students being remanded to summer school. But it's a situation that we need to continue to dialogue and 

address in order to reduce these numbers on a yearly basis. Now, I know that many of these questions 

will be or should be answered by, my understanding, the newly-created Office of Interventions. 

However, this issue must be kept at the forefront of your reform efforts. Again, it's not a matter of trying 

to pass judgment on the efforts, but it's keeping it focused, and making sure that we do whatever is 

necessary to embark on continued success. And, in my opinion, we are, at least, a year behind in this 

effort of interventions, when the recommendation for the establishment of this type of entity was made 

more than two years ago, and especially when the need was very evident. It's something that we really 

need to require close scrutiny, as well as continuous dialogue, until we make sure that we're not looking 

again next summer at 45,000 students being remanded to summer schools. Because those instructions 

and that success should be met during the course of the school year, and not relying upon a five- or sixweek 

instructional period. It should be happening during the bulk of the instructional time. The other 

portion to this -- to these comments are in regards to parental notification, when the child is in danger of 

being remanded to summer school or retained. I'm still receiving comments as to -- from parents who 

really thought that -- or who think that we should be communicating on a regular basis with parents, or, 

at least, at a minimum, quarterly, when their child is in danger or have not met the necessary 

performance levels that are prescribed in their particular IEP, or the individual instructional program. I 

understand that now we're, basically, communicating with parents at the third quarter. But I think there 

is still confusion as the year goes on, and I think we need to go back and review whether we should be 

apprising parents of their child's particular progress, whether it's in reading or math, or where they were 

as far as any initiative that's been developed to help them pass, just as the Maryland Function Writing 

Test, Math Test, or Reading Test or what have you. But we need to discuss that and go back and review 

that. Because I have heard comments from parents saying that, you know, they get the report cards, but 

they didn't know the child was not at grade level in reading because they thought it would be included 

on a report card. So we need to go back and review that. This is also just a concern; it's an observation. 

I've had many questions posed to me about this whole reorganization, and I said that's something you 

need to put before the Board and Dr. Jones and Ms. Russo. But the PTA is concerned about the impact 

of this effort on our children, and in the area of parental involvement. The questions become, what is the 

basis; what is the justification; and what is also the impact of frontline staff? Again, it's just a concern. 

It's something that -- to help you understand that the need for continued communication with parents and 

community is paramount. Because that helps to dispel the rumors and the misinformation that we 




continually get on a regular basis. Some parents need to know. It's just a positive thing. What do we 

expect to come out of this reorganization. So those are the types of things that, whether we are giving a 

position statement or reacting to, we, at least, need to bring before you to understand what we're 

thinking in the parental community, as well as the community at large. Now, this issue is very near and 

dear to me. I attended, this past Saturday, Lake Clifton's graduation. And I understand that this past 

Saturday was a cause for celebration throughout our System, because many of our high school students 

graduated on this past Saturday. I would like to believe that parents, teachers, administrators, and Board 

Members, all celebrated the accomplishments of our students. But I also believe that this must be 

demonstrated to our students, that we applaud their efforts. And out of -- with all due respect to the 

Board, and acknowledgment that all of us have personal and private lives outside of education, but I 

don't think we can afford to miss many opportunities to demonstrate to our students that we care, and we 

also applaud their accomplishments. For example, Lake Clifton graduated 251 students this Saturday. 

There were many students, who I'm personally aware of, who overcame tremendous obstacles to reach 

that milestone in their lives. But what was very evident, while we had turned to the school staff and 

legislators in the audience, conspicuously absent was representation from the Board. And comments 

were made to that effect. And not from staff people, but from parents and the community, and the Area 

Office, and even the Mayor's Office. And I just think that we -- while we are here for the benefit of our 

children, we must understand that whenever the opportunity presents itself, that we can applaud their 

accomplishments, we need to do that. We need to take -- you've been charged with a certain 

responsibility, and that's to move this System forward. It may be a minor thing to you, but it's a whole 

lot to parents and the community that you're there representing the System that's actually been charged 

with the caretaking of our children. And, again, I believe that we must celebrate all achievement, 

because achievement is warranted. Thank you very much. 

MS. WELCH: Mr. Hamilton, before you leave, I'd just like to ask if any Board Members attended 

graduation ceremonies. 

MR. STREUVER: My daughter's. 

MS. WELCH: I don't have any daughters, but I attended three. 

MS. SIEGEL: I went to three. 

MR. TILDON: I went to three. 

MR. JONES: Three? 

MS. WELCH: Mr. Tildon? 

MR. TILDON: Yeah. Frederick Douglas was the same time as Lake Clifton. 

MR. HAMILTON: And I under -- and we understood that. 

MS. WELCH: We just wanted you to know that, for those who are listening. The impression could be 

that Members of this Board don't take that seriously. We ran from one to the other, and some -- we can 

name them. So I just want the audience to know that. 

MR. HAMILTON: And I understand that. 

MS. WELCH: Okay. 


Page 7 of 41 



MR. HAMILTON: I'm just passing on to you what I hear and what the observations are. And what's 

why I put in that part about the understanding what we all have busy lives. But sometimes even if the 

representation is just a designee is much appreciated. 

MR. TILDON: You're very right, Mr. Hamilton. I'm telling you this because it's a two-way street. I 

think that, as a Board Member, I get as much out of going to those ceremonies as they do having me 

there. So I think it is. 

MR. HAMILTON: And especially in -- with the zoned schools that have, you know, been under much 

pressure and a lot of negative publicity. And, unfortunately, I'm in a better position than you are, having 

worked with a number of those students over the course of this year, so I understood what they were up 

against when they had to really try to make up six and seven credits in order to be eligible for 

graduation. So they overcame some tremendous obstacles, and they met the challenge. And I celebrated 

with them as they did their little dances across the stage. But I just think that when you hear behind you, 

"Well, where's the -- how come the Board Members are not here? And how come there's not a 

representative from the Area Office? And that type of stuff. So that's why I said I would like to share 

that information with you. Thank you. 

MS. WELCH: Thank you. Mr. Jones? 

MR. JONES: Yeah. Just a couple comments. In the past years, we have given ourselves assignments. 

MS. WELCH: We had it this year. 

MS. RUSSO: Yeah. And the problem is this, and I made a note for the future: In coordinating the 

graduations, some of them -- we have duplicates at the same time of day, and that's part of the problem. 

MR. STRINGFIELD: Right. And they're 30 high school graduations and things going on. 

MS. WELCH: But I think it's been explained well. And we do appreciate those who were able to attend. 

And for those who were at Lake Clifton -- I'm sorry -- Merganthaler last night -- I'm not too good with 

names, Ron Spacy -- after the valedictorian made her comments, and I think all of us can attest to that, 

who commented. As the gentleman said at the Board table earlier, we're in good hands with some of our 

kids. We have some good potential leaders out there. 

MR. TILDON: I have one other. I had the great benefit of attending Pittman's graduation. I tell you, 

that was really, really rewarding for me. There were very few dry eyes. And, of course, my alma mater, 

Frederick Douglas. 

MS. NOEL: I also wanted to extend my congratulations. I had the pleasure of attending Forest Park, 

and I was really, really proud and really touched that Forest Park had two valedictorians. And one young 

gentleman was receiving special education services from the 2nd grade until the 9th, when he 

transitioned into regular education. He was one of the valedictorians. And I will tell you he spoke 

exceptionally well. And I'm sure every student at every high school has much insight now. They are so 

much more mature. They, like Mike had said, have overcome so many challenges. So, as you said, there 

were very few dry eyes in the auditorium. And I think we all really appreciate all of the efforts that the 

students have made. And we're all very proud of them. 

MS. WELCH: Any other kudos? 


Page 8 of 41 



MR. STREUVER: I was doing my share of not having -- I was at my daughter's graduation, who is a 

proud graduate of Baltimore City Public Schools. 

MS. WELCH: Shall we continue along this line, or shall we move on? We do acknowledge the fact that 

we have two Councilpersons present this evening. We have our own dear Councilman, Melvin Stoots, 

who spends many Tuesdays with us. We're going to invite you to stand and say anything you want to 

say. And then Councilwoman Lisa Stansler. We certainly acknowledge your presence, and invite you to 

make comments to the Board. 

MR. STOOTS: Being the gentleman that I am -- 

MS. WELCH: That's right. Councilwoman Standler, please join us at the table. 

Page 9 of 41 

MS. STANDLER: Good evening, everyone, everyone in the audience. Good evening, everyone in the 

audience. Good evening to the Board, Dr. Chair, Ms. Russo, and lots of familiar faces. Good evening to 

everyone. Thank you so much for allowing me to have a couple of minutes of your time. I know you 

have a very long meeting, so I'm going to be -- I'll go against all my nature and my training as an 

attorney and be very brief. But I did want to come by because I actually failed to do it last year, and I 

don't think I ever really apologized for that. So I'll take the opportunity to do so now. But last year I took 

responsibility for something that's in your realm, because I felt very strongly and very passionately 

about it. And being relatively new to the Council, I don't know all of the proper procedures, and I just 

went with my heart on this. And that's when I introduced the resolution to the City Council of Baltimore, 

in support of about 600 parents, students, children, janitors, custodial workers, I should say better, and 

just a whole lot of people that were in the Montebello School at the rally, just showing the support and 

enthusiasm and excitement that they had for the progress that their kids had made in that one year. And I 

had not -- I was expecting to go to a little meeting, and it was an auditorium -- actually, cafeteria, filled 

room, with parents just singing the praises and telling -- giving testimonials, really, of how their children 

had really progressed. Not just statistically, but in their attitudes, wanting the get up and go to school, 

and really was excited about learning. And I listened to all of that. And I got emotional and passionate, 

and rushed back to the City Council, without giving anyone a phone call or coming down here, like I'm 

doing this evening, and telling you that this is what I want to do. Well, this year I've learned a little bit. 

I'm a little older. And I'm here tonight to share with you that I am, again, impressed with all of the 

parents that have come to me, all of the students that I have seen, have actually spoken with me, 

especially kids, because often times we forget to listen to what they have to say. And I am impressed, 

once again, with how strong and how adamant these parents and these students, as well as the 

administrators of the schools, of the Edison Schools, are about keeping their kids in the high-achieving 

environment that has been created for them. And so what I am planning to do, and what I am letting you 

know, is that I am going to, again, introduce a resolution into the City Council of Baltimore, and 

hopefully it will be passed unanimously, like it was passed last year. I've already received quite a bit of 

verbal support from my colleagues. And I'm going to be asking that you and Ms. Russo and the 

administrators of the schools and the parents, and all of these entities that have the common goal of 

making sure that our kids continue to thrive, succeed, are able to do so as they're promoted from the 6th 

grade to the 7th. The reason why -- I understand there's a need to do that, is because parents and the 

students are concerned that where the environment that they were in now, that's allowing them to be 

excited about learning and succeed, is not going to be the environment that they're going to be promoted 

into. And that's simply based on the statistics and some other things that I have learned. But that's your 

ballpark. And I want to let you handle your ballpark. So what this resolution is simple asking you to do 

is sit down with all of the vested parties, and come up with a resolution that's going to allow these kids 

that are in the Edison Schools -- schools that were the lowest-performing schools just two years ago, and 

now statistically doing much, much better than they were before. But let's sit down and let's come up 

with a resolution to make sure that we're all achieving our common goal, which is making sure that our 




kids stay in an environment that's going to allow them to thrive and succeed, and be anxious and -- I 

shouldn't say anxious -- but excited about learning. Because that's what I see now. So I just wanted to 

share that with you. And if you have any questions for me, I'd be happy to entertain them. I will be, Ms. 

Russo, giving you a call. And perhaps if you have any questions, if you want to hold them until then, or 

everybody else who would like to give me a call and talk about that resolution. But it will be introduced 

on the 17th. Thank you. 

MS. WELCH: Thank you, Councilwoman. 

MS. STANDLER: You're very welcome. And it's great to see you again. We usually run into each other 

at graduations. I was helping you out there. 

MS. WELCH: Councilman? 

Page 10 of 41 

MR. STOOTS: Yes. To the Board, to God be the glory. I just want to briefly join with the other 

accolades that have been paid to the high school graduates. I attended three. I wanted to attend four, but, 

again, two was taking place at the same time. And as small as I am, if I could Xerox myself to be at two 

places at the same time. Unfortunately, I have not been able to fully patent that process yet. I attended 

Dunbar, only to my first born, graduated from Dunbar, and graduated with honors and will be attending 

Catonsville Community College to pursue her technology field, and wants to become a pharmacist. So 

she should be able to help me with getting some reduced prescriptions. And speaking of that, I am 

petitioning to let everyone in here to sign this petition. This is involving a prescription drug that we want 

to send to our Congresspeople. So I will be passing it around, with your permission, Madam Chair, and 

the like. But a special thing took place. We had the first graduating class of Southside Academy of the 

Environmental Sciences of Cherry Hill. And ten years ago, I was called crazy, and wanted to be taken 

out and given a Breathalyzer test and a few other things for even contemplating entertaining such an 

idea. But, nevertheless, the reality of the situation is that 26 proud young men and women graduated at 

BCCC on this past Saturday. And 18 of them, 18 of the 26, that made the top of the schools, or the 

percentage of the graduates that's going to be going to college, will be going. So I was tremendously 

proud of that. And I had an opportunity to speak there. And I thought that couldn't be topped, until I had 

opportunity, also, to be a guest speaker at Harlem City. And I know tears were shared at various places. 

I heard about some of them. But I wish you all, along -- Ms. Siegel was there with me, and someone 

else, I don't remember her name, was there. The accomplishments that took place there, 231 graduates 

from Harlem. And we know what Harlem is, for the special needs. Now, that tops a lot of our schools. 

Now, Dunbar only had 193 graduates. I'm not quite sure what they started out with. But there's some 

things that I discussed with the principal there. And, CEO, I really want to meet with you and talk with 

you. Also, I met equally with -- it occurred yesterday -- with Chief Goodwin. And as we elevate our Fire 

Department, and it's Fire Academy. And, also, that I fully commit myself on the Academy schools. We 

were tremendously impressed with some information that came forward to us from the Association of 

Hotel Owners and so forth from yesterday's luncheon. We have their support for, hopefully, a downtown 

academy will take place, and I wanted you to look at that. And, in closing, there was a resolution -- I 

think it was a resolution, I'm not sure if it was a resolution or an ordinance -- that was introduced in the 

Council by Councilman Will Pews, in looking at making it compensatory for kids to be 18 years old 

before they could legitimately drop out of school. I think it is a tremendous piece that needs to occur. 

And the Council does support it. Several of us think that there is nothing for our kids to do but to get 

into trouble, to some degree, at the age of 16, to be able to legitimately drop out of school at 16. You 

can't go into the military. They can get a job, but it's not going to be a job that they want to have or 

would be productive. And, hopefully, we can ask you for some support on that as we journey the 

concerns that we know that you'll pick for it, so long as the piece, that particular piece of legislation. 

And that's what I wanted to relate to you in the most compact fashion that I can muster, on June the 

11th, in our Lord, year 2002. 




MS. WELCH: I'm impressed. We're all impressed. 

MR. STOOTS: Well, thank you so very much. 

Page 11 of 41 

MS. WELCH: Thank you. We'll now move into the period of comments from the community. We'd 

like to remind you that each person is asked to speak no more than three minutes. And also to remind 

you that we generally don't engage in dialogue at this time. And we're asking members who've signed up 

to come and present or share information that you want to share with us in three minutes. We're going to 

ask Ms. Marietta English to come. Marietta English is the newly-elected President of the Baltimore 

Teachers Union. Is Brian Dale coming up behind you? 

MS. ENGLISH: In the name of the spirit that woke us this morning, that brings the sunshine, the rain, 

and early dismissal, and it will bring peace to this meeting, and all others, I say good evening. Good 

evening. I'm an elementary school teacher, I have to have that response. I'd like to just take this 

opportunity to congratulate the students that are completing their year's work of activities, from grades 

pre-K through 12. And commend those that are graduating and will be going to college. And, especially, 

applaud those that received scholarships. I belong to an organization that did award two scholarships 

this week to two students, one from Lake Clifton and one from Carver, who, hopefully, will go on to 

become teachers. Ms. Russo, Dr. Welch, Members of the New Board of Commissioners, I thank you for 

this opportunity to speak to you tonight. I am Marietta English, President of the Baltimore Teachers 

Union. I represent nearly 8,000 members of the Teachers Union, both teachers and peer professionals. 

Having spent the last two years working closely with the members of the Union in the classrooms, there 

is several issues that have caused low morale, teacher burnout, and undue stress to the employees. These 

issues include, but are not limited to, the following : The Child Study Team; the increased assaults on 

teachers; the tremendous amount of paperwork; the discipline; the nonrenewal of new teachers, and 

others. But today my focus is on the student performance-based evaluations, or the portfolio. The 

student performance-based evaluation or portfolio is stealing the faith of this School System faster than 

any previous negative cognitive factor that can be recalled. As the School Board, you have the duty to 

the parents in this community to sustain its stable, professional workforce that looks forward to the 

challenge of teaching children, even while working in the midst of the community, a School System that 

has witnessed significant social and economic deterioration. You have an obligation to provide working 

conditions that are safe and conducive to learning for both students and teachers. You should have the 

courage to ask your colleagues at the State level and elected State legislators to walk a day in the shoes 

of a teacher in Baltimore City before they make decisions about the careers of the professionals in 

Baltimore City, without the benefit of firsthand knowledge of a teacher's struggle to achieve academic 

success. A politician's solution to Baltimore's education woes is to respond to a politically correct 

poplar, and satisfy the platitudes of educational reform that will, in short-term, only benefit their own 

careers. Politicians are quick to create laws or requirements that penalize a teacher for a child's efforts. 

Why do they not make laws that require parents to be more responsible for their child's efforts? The 

implied insult and blame for State law and agreements, coupled with the lack of support for a teacher's 

authority and respect in the classrooms, has left such damage that the moral authority of our educational 

leaders has been compromised. There's no point in asking for more money and generating new 

programs, that the support and enthusiasm of teachers have been lost. School Board Members should 

say, as we do, enough is enough. The vast majority of teachers in this School System are here because 

they want to provide the best education they can to their students under the present circumstances. To 

deny this altruism to the teachers is to deny reality. When the truth about positive assumption of 

teachers' intentions are recognized, there will be no justification for imposing further nontraditional, 

overkill, stressful, and unfair evaluation methods of teachers. It has been a terrible mistake to trade off 

the unnecessary termination of teachers' careers in this City, because of the imposition of 

unconscionable evaluation methods in order to receive State funding. Teachers place little hope in the 

State's Superintendent and MSDE to provide the leadership to improve the quality of education in 




Page 12 of 41 

Baltimore. In fact, many of us believe that MSPAP, the one-size-fit-all statewide educational test 

program, hinder teachers from employing the kind of instruction they feel would optimize students' 

academic growth. Best practices were subverted by MSPAP, and the anticipated scale results were used 

against us with the threat of takeover. For the purpose of this presentation, we're not going to repeat all 

the reasons why the student performance-based evaluation by portfolio is wrong for teachers. Those 

reasons have been outlined in the full text of the 2000 and 2002 Magna Carta for Baltimore City 

teachers. The Research and Development Committee of the Baltimore Teachers Union recently 

conducted a survey of teachers throughout this City regarding the portfolio and the PDP and the IEP. To 

further illustrate why the portfolio is considered punishment for teachers, this survey would result in our 

realization that any change of significance are going to occur in the School System. 

MR. DALE: If this School System were run like a business, which seems to be the trend, the 

cost/benefit analysis of portfolio construction would have been forewarned of its impending uselessness. 

The survey revealed that the bulk of the portfolio preparation, 85 percent, approximately 58 hours per 

teacher, were performed outside the work hours of the contractual days. This means that time spent in 

the portfolio production either took time away from planning, grading papers, and other routine school 

responsibilities, or it took time away from the time needed for family responsibilities. A teacher's time 

available for employment responsibilities are not unlimited. Ninety-nine percent felt that the portfolio 

impacted their family or themselves negatively. The survey revealed that only a small percentage of 

teachers, less than 3 percent, felt that the DSA portfolio lead to improvement in the instruction. Portfolio 

creation has produced a tremendous cost from many perspectives, which yields only negligible results. 

More than 60 percent of the teachers indicated that they would have selected somewhere else to teach if 

they had known about the DSA portfolio. The DSA portfolio discourages experimental and innovative 

and instructional techniques for two reasons: First, planning and instruction is geared to the end result 

that our portfolio's not utilizing the most effective learning modality for the students. Secondly, no one 

will want to risk failure because their shortcomings will be highlighted in the portfolio. Additionally, 

teachers should be teaching, using academic needs of their students, not the employment requirements of 

a document that does not represent the full scope of practice. In response to the question that if the 

portfolios are dropped, what should replace them? We ask what are the grounds for them in the first 

place? Where a variety of causal interactions, casual interactions and traditional nondestructive, informal 

and formal observations are revealed; items that teachers are required to maintain on their students. Any 

content alerts administrators, can distinguish between a teacher who is effective, or has the potential to 

be an asset to the School System. And one who might need more assistance to become successful. Some 

evaluators are not even capable of applying professional objective judgment about traditional 

evaluations, with use of power and vindictiveness of administrators, which remain ramped in the School 

System, hinders positive growth. The remedy is not to punish teachers as though they were children. 

Portfolios do just that. It is the sum total of these reasons presented here today and others outlined in the 

Magna Carta of Baltimore City teachers that give rise to the Baltimore Teachers Union position that 

portfolios are punitive and must end. The New Board of School Commissions must seriously consider 

and address both legitimate concerns and suggestions that teachers have made that will improve many 

aspects of the School System. None of these changes listed below inquire blaming or penalizing those 

individuals for actions or nonactions of others, which they should not be responsible. It will not cost 

taxpayers additional millions of dollars, and outside studies will not be needed. Regardless of the extent 

of the violence in the surrounding communities, schools must be a safe place and a haven for all 

occupants. Support for the schools must come from the School Board. The School System must hire 

teachers who are knowledgable in their field and are kind and respectful towards students. The System 

must value and support efforts of the community on teachers and respect their work with its veteran 

teachers. The incredible amount of paperwork of teachers must be reduced. The Board can't act as 

though it was indifferent to their important piece, unfortunate circumstances. All teachers must be 

provided the appropriate resources to teach classes in which they were assigned, and those resources 

need to be equitably distributed and sustained throughout the school year. Instructional support without 




reproduction must be available for those teachers who ask for it. Administrators must abide by the spirit 

of letter and the intent of the teachers' contract, which was designed to prevent burnout of teachers 

working in an indifferent and difficult situation. The elimination of the unnecessary DSA portfolio, in 

such, the individual development plan is a first step. Thank you. 

MS. WELCH: Thank you, Ms. English and Mr. Dale. Mr. Bill Goodin. 

Page 13 of 41 

MR. GOODIN: First, as always, I want to take this opportunity. I'm going to be talking fast for my 

three minutes. But I'm a little upset, you know. And sometimes we look at similarities. I was just sitting 

back there reflecting on when you go to court and you have to be there even if the judge is not there, and 

you have to wait. And if you're not there when the judge gets there, you get punished, because you have 

to wait for the judge. And I'm saying that to say this: I come here at 4:00 to sign up. And I come here at 

4:00 because they -- you only allow ten people to sign up. Now, I understand the process, and that's fair. 

I was the first one here. I mean, I know that you have certain people that people think is more important 

than other people, but I think I'm as important as everybody else. I have a $75 ticket to go hear Al 

Sharpton, which started at 6:30. Now, you know you let people get up and talk. And Councilman Stoots, 

my man, nothing to him. But, you know, I'm saying, you let people get up and talk. You let people call 

in and sign up, but they don't have to physically be here to put their name on the list. And people like me 

that come here at 4:00 have to wait, and wait until everybody else gets through, before I have an 

opportunity to have my three minutes. And I'm saying, you know, I'm a little T'd off about that, because 

I do think it's unfair. And I think that, you know, when people take their time out -- I don't have children 

in the School System no more, but as an advocate, I feel that of them, you know, I advocate for, you 

know -- but I think it's totally unfair to have people like myself have to wait three hours, you know, 

patiently. Because I know I have to be patient, because that's procedure, that's procedure. I've always 

said I don't think it should be ten people to be able to sign up. Because, you know, when you just take 

ten people, it makes us rush trying to be the first ones, because I don't want to be No. 11 and not have an 

opportunity to sign up, you know. So I'm saying, I just don't like that. And I think that you all shouldn't 

do people like that. Because some people may think they're more important than other people. I don't 

never think that. I think that Bill Goodin is as important as anybody else. And my time is valuable, even 

if other people don't think my time is valuable. So I don't really want to sit here and use my time to 

tongue lash nobody. But I was sitting there, man, I was really getting mad, because I got ready to leave, 

because I've got something else to do. But since I've been here since 4:00, I said I'm going to stay here 

and take my three minutes. In fact, I've really forgotten -- the first thing I wanted to say was I wanted to 

congratulate the students. But you all made my whole train of thought leave. Secondly, I just want to say 

that I think it's important that we establish some sort of Think Tank with people that's got some interest 

in terms of what's going on in the schools. Because lot of times, people that got interest, it's like 

sabotaging us. And you're not -- and I constantly say this: If you really want people to get involved in 

the School System, we have to encourage and oppose discouragement. And I'm saying that in terms of 

even myself. I've been active for 30 years of my life. And sometimes it's a little discouraging to have to 

get here at 4:00, I have three minutes, the lady's going to let me know when my three minutes -- I've got 

30 seconds left, and to get down like that. And I'm saying, you know, it may seem like it -- it's like 

sabotaging participation. And I think that we, at some point, should be serious about trying to get people 

involved in the process. We have to stop doing that to ourselves. Because, I mean, even me, you know -sometimes 

it's like, hey, man, why am I going to go. You know what I'm saying. Because you feel that 

people are going to do you wrong. But I go because of my commitment to myself and to the children out 

there that I'm advocating for. But I'm saying, I am a little disappointed when other people are, you know 

-- if it's going to be a process, if you can call in, fine. Once before they said that you can't call in and put 

your name on the list. But, you know, if you're going to let other people call in because of who they are, 

then it's unfair. Now I'm saying, we're going to either be straight down the board with it, or we're not 

going to be straight down the board with it. And I'm saying, in the future, you know what I'm saying. 

And, again, I'm going to close my 30 seconds. I don't think I'm no bigger than nobody, but I'm not no 




smaller than nobody. Thank you. 

MS. WELCH: Thank you, Mr. Goodin. Kalman Hettleman? 

MR. HETTLEMAN: Good evening, Dr. Welch, Commissioners, and Ms. Russo. In recent Board 

discussions of next year's budget, Ms. Russo said that a court order in the Vaughn G. case prohibited the 

Board from changing compensatory award staff positions, replacing the special education officer under 

the CAO. In response to my question, Ms. Russo publically promised to provide a copy of the court 

order or orders. Despite repeated requests, she has failed to do so. Does such a court description exist, 

and, if so, why hasn't it been provided? Also, during discussion of the budget, Dr. Jones informed the 

Board that kindergartner summer school would be offered to all students who, in effect, require 

intervention, and that kindergarten class size will be reduced next year to an average of 18. Dr. Jones 

promised to provide details by May 28th, but only provided some incomplete information late today. In 

any event, it appears that Dr. Jones' statements to the Board on these subjects were inaccurate or 

misleading. There are more details in this statement I will leave with you today. But, briefly, on 

kindergarten summer school, I have been told that a little over 700 students will be invited to participate, 

about 12 percent of kindergarten students. Yet, research and your own data clearly show that at least 50 

percent of kindergarten students are at risk of reading problems and need additional help. On 

kindergarten class size, Dr. Jones indicated the class size would be reduced to a maximum of 25 and an 

average of 18. Yet, the maximum is already 25, and won't be changed for next year. What Dr. Jones did 

not mention, though it has important policy and budget implications, is that next year, for the first time, 

all-day kindergarten classes are mandated to have kindergarten aides. Kindergarten aides are better than 

no aides. But research, again, shows that aides are not effective, while reduced class size is. However, 

the most important point is not it's a good or bad policy made. The failure lies in the fact that the Board 

and the community were never informed of this basic policy change during the budget process, and there 

was absolutely no presentation of the research on aides. These examples are the tip of the iceberg of the 

last of reliable, complete information from top North Avenue staff on curriculum and instruction. It isn't 

just the community that feels shut out of the policy development process. The Board, itself, seems more 

and more out of the loop, or misinformed. Hopefully, the Board, which has played such a commendable 

role, will do a lot more to insist upon well researched, well developed policy proposals before they are 

approved and implemented. The Board must follow up and hold the staff accountable for Board 

questions that later on are either not answered or answered only with vague responses, without policy or 

procedures spelled out in writing. And, hopefully, the Board will direct or urge staff to reconsider its 

growing practice of withholding timely information and cooperation from the community. And I hope 

you know that there is a strong feeling across community groups -- I don't speak for each of them -- that 

this is the gradual withdrawing of cooperation in the spirit of openness among staff at North Avenue. 

Thank you. 

MS. WELCH: Mr. Hettleman, thank you. Harry Gray? 

Page 14 of 41 

MR. GRAY: Thank you, Board, for letting me speak tonight. I'm a first-time speaker here. I listened to 

a lot of the Board Members who said they attended the graduations Saturday and Sunday. Tears were in 

their eyes attending Northern High's graduation on Sunday. And tears were in my eyes. I'm a graduate of 

Northern. But, in the media and everywhere, it's been said that there would no longer be a Northern 

High School, is very sad. I'm hoping that the Board has not come to a complete decision on this. And, 

hopefully, it can come to some type of agreement to, at least, keep our name and our colors. I was at a 

PTA meeting on Thursday with Mr. Mark Smolarz, and he discussed some of the plans that was taking 

place at Northern; that there will be two schools, two athletic departments. One of the stalemates that we 

do have at Northern now is our athletic department. We are now able to have our kids trust our coaches, 

trust our athletic director. They may not always agree, but they do trust them. And to break up the 

school into two separate schools, you're looking at two athletic departments. Just today, I was surprised 




that our baseball players and the parents came and gave me a ceremony today, an appreciation 

ceremony, where they actually presented me with a big plaque. They were appreciative of what I've 

done with their young men over the four years that they have been in the baseball program. And it 

saddens them; they cried. To see those kids that I've never seen show a bunch of emotion, even when we 

won the championship last year, but they cried. They were coming to an end of a legacy. They also 

looked at me and said, where will you be next year, Coach? They said, it's not Northern High School. 

And these are questions that I can't answer them. But I'm asking the Board, please, reconsider some of 

the things that you want to do with Northern. And, hopefully, it will be in the best interest of the alumni, 

the graduates, from this class. Even the administrative staff. And the Board may not fully agree with the 

way they've done things. These kids need a familiar face that they can relate to in coming to school in 

September, their coaches and teachers. And I think that's when we can get Northern to be the school that 

we all want Northern to be. Thank you. 

MS. WELCH: You did a good job for your first time. Thank you. Mr. Charles Dugger? 

Page 15 of 41 

MR. DUGGER: Good evening to everyone. Thank you for the opportunity. It's sad to see, that as time 

goes on and with all the things that are constantly happening, that so many people don't even come to 

the Board meetings like we would hope that they would, in terms of constantly expressing their 

concerns. You know, it's sort of disappointing as a teacher who's been in the System over 30 years to 

hear, like for Mrs. English, our newly-elected BTU President, not getting even a little bit more time, 

when you hear a lady that's representing 8,000 people. And whatever time I would feel she needs to 

take, let her take that time. I really don't understand the School System in terms of what it really sees 

teachers to be. You know, with the kinds of things that are happening far and wide, why don't we, as 

we've heard the gentleman with Mrs. English, speak of the portfolios, and the time that it takes, of one 

almost selling oneself. You know, we were told a long time ago to be aware of braggers. So, I mean, 

what is the purpose of more than one in this society where we have shallowness or surface versus 

substance. I don't think September the 11th, 2001 would have happened if more people would have done 

their job. Now we're hearing a lot of excuse-making. Teachers are constantly doing their job and more, 

but, yet, they're constantly stressed and pressured. And it's just so difficult to understand. I mean, if you 

really are concerned about the children of Baltimore, then why is there so much paperwork. What does it 

mean? Who's reading the paper? Who is reading the paper? Ms. Cervance, Roxanne Cervance, a 

beautiful lady that teaches at our school, computer science, that was her son, Reo Gerrell Tadum, that 

was murdered so horribly Memorial Day weekend, you know. Peace and sympathy to her family, and 

strength and love. And hearing about the young man that they have, is 29, and has been in the criminal 

justice system about 15 years. That puts him around 14 years, perhaps, starting. That puts him around 

where I am, in middle school, you understand. Because I have, I think, I've told you before, about four 

or five 14-year-olds in my 6th grade class, my home room class. So where have we failed this young 

man. Who made his paperwork, the suspected murderer, you see. As our time and our society sees more 

and more horror, you see, who is reading all the paperwork along the way? Where those who are -- my 

favorite song is "The Greatest." You know, they're told to teach the children well, and let them lead the 

way. You love the fact that your children are getting up to $1,000 in scholarships. But that could be 

many children if we were really allowed to teach them. I'm at a school that I think that some of my 

administrators are mean. I'm at a school where you sight the United Nations, children from all over the 

world go to our school, but it's very difficult doing activities, you understand, because being mean seems 

to be the thing; "I'm in charge," you see. And that's so sad. One administrator says, I'll get you locked up 

by Northern District; tell your mother that. I've heard this man say this. It's rough to me. He's supposed 

to be really concerned about children, you see. I'm saying this is not that unique. We're being told, if you 

can't document why you fail that child, we'll pass them anyway. The System did that for 20 years, 

falsely promoted them. That's why we're in this confusion, one of the reasons, because all of this time, 

social promotion was all right. Now, to me, we're going too far the other way. We're going from MSPAP 

to CTBS. When I came to you the last time, I was telling you -- we were having a social promotion 




Page 16 of 41 

meeting that day. And we were giving teachers -- I mean parents incorrect information. Now we've 

gotten the last data about a week ago. Now, I'm saying if I see some children have gotten a 1 in math, a 

1, and a 1 in reading, and you talk about intervention, what was happening from last year's scores to this 

year's scores to help their child, you see. What is really going on? Doesn't it say something about us if 

46,000 children, 45,000, are going to summer school? What did we do wrong? Let's not put all this on 

the youth. What did we do wrong? By the way, stop calling them kids, please, because they're not baby 

goats. Maybe we'll see them a little differently if we stop kidding around with the data and be for real. 

But when are we going to own up that we're not doing our best. I had another administrator who takes 

the children's food and throws it away before they're done, you understand. This doesn't make sense, the 

meanness. And then I'd like to ask -- and I'm trying to come again, what is the purpose of a suspension? 

You understand. I'm getting very confused now. Disciplinary removal, I thought -- because some 

suspensions -- and I've been doing this over 30 years -- the parents didn't come back to get the child, and 

you gave them a DR, right, a Disciplinary Removal, of three days. If Charles Dugger got suspended or 

disciplinary removed, at 9:00 in the morning, if my dad could bring me back at 1:00, I was allowed back 

in the building. Not now. I'm at a school where children get three days, five days, seven days, at a shot, 

nine days, nine days. I went to beg for a young man the other day. He's not coming back to take your 

final exam, Mr. Dugger, unless -- he's going to be back out of the building. So what are we giving them, 

jail time? You understand. I thought we wanted parent involvement. You speak of intervention. You're 

supposed to add some new department or something, as someone said earlier. Then why don't we really 

intervene and show these children we really care about them. Stop being so hard, so mean, so punitive, 

you understand. In a majority of an African-American city, that's why I feel that the American Civil 

Liberties Union, the Federal Government, the AEC, somebody needs to investigate. What is happening 

in Baltimore City for us to be in such a deplorable state? Most teachers I speak of say the biggest 

problem is discipline. A lot of us are very, very concerned about discipline. Knowing we can make it 

better too, though, but you've got to back off of all the paperwork. You know, when we hear that 

somebody's coming in the building, they don't come in and say, "are they going to come to help?" 

They're coming to warn each teacher that somebody's going to find fault. That's all that's happening 

now, find fault. When you come and roll up your sleeves and say, you're doing a good job, let's even 

make it better, and let's really serve these children so we can teach them well, and they really will lead 

the way. All of them. Not just a select few that you relish, but for all of them. Let our children deserve 

that. It will be a better city without a doubt. Thank you. 

MS. WELCH: Thank you, Mr. Dugger, for your comments. Brian Glover, is he here? Cynthia Robbins? 

MS. ROBBINS: Good evening. Thanks to many of you, I've had a chance to speak and meet with some 

of you and talk with you while we were waiting for you all to come down. And so our No. 1 goal here is 

to improve students' achievement. There's so much other commentary that has been speaking to that. 

Your mission is in concert with students, families, and the broader community to prepare all students to 

be responsible citizens, and afford them the opportunity to acquire the skills, knowledge, and abilities 

necessary to make informed decisions that leads to meaningful and productive lives. Our mission at 

Edison Schools is to help you and our more than 80 public partners around the country to provide worldclass 

public school education for all students. That is happening here in the Baltimore Edison Schools. 

You heard Councilwoman Stansler speak to it, you've heard from our parents and teachers, and students 

have written to you. They were here about a month and a half ago talking to you outside. They have said 

that they're overwhelmingly satisfied with the success that they're enjoying as part of Baltimore Edison 

Schools. From the winter up until now, we've been trying, the parents and staff, have been asking, what's 

going to happen with their students. You know that our three schools here are pre-K through 6th grade. 

And now, at the end of the school year for everyone, they're still trying to find out what are the plans for 

their children. And their children were in the lowest-performing schools just two years ago, in the state, 

and now they are -- they've all experienced growth in their CTBS scores of anywhere from 2 to 74 

points, in every grade, in each of the three schools, in both English, Reading, and Math. We have 




Page 17 of 41 

presented to you a proposal to operate one or more middle schools that will be receiving these students. 

As recently as last Friday I sent you, and my office communicated with you, a modified proposal. Since 

we have learned now that it is your intention that, to rezone one of the schools, so that there are only two 

new schools that will be receiving our students. And we welcome that news, and we're excited about it. 

So we've modified the proposal. Despite all of our communications, I did not know that we were on the 

agenda today. We received no notification, and that seemed unconscionable. You have my cell phone, 

my office phone so you could get in touch, the fax number, all of my office contact information. It's only 

by chance that I know to be here. And that doesn't seem the way that we should really be doing business 

together, as potential partners, in the mission of providing world-class public school education to our 

students. I'm urging you to take the action that is responsive to the pleads of the parents, to students, the 

administrators and the teachers. If you're going to make a decision tonight, let it be a decision that 

embraces this unified appeal that's based on high student achievement. Whereas people hadn't achieved 

before, they're now unified in the System in the and the strategy that was working for them, where the 

children are striving. I hope that you will approve the proposal to establish a middle school, or figure out 

a time where we can sit down and answer whatever questions you have that stand as barriers to a 

decision being made. MR. O'NEILL: Good evening, and thank you for the opportunity to speak to you 

again on behalf of the hundreds of parents, children, and staff of the three Baltimore Edison Schools. In 

the two weeks since we were last here, several significant developments have occurred that we would 

like to bring your attention to. First, we were informed that the rising 6th graders from Gilmore -- 

MS. ROBBINS: Excuse me, just so that you're clear. You all know me, I'm Cynthia Robbins, Vice- 

President of Development for Edison Schools. This is Richard O'Neill, Senior Vice-President of 

Development for Edison Schools. MR. O'NEILL: First, we were informed that the rising 6th graders at 

the Gilmore and Ferman Templeton will be zoned into the Booker T. Washington Middle School, and 

the rising 6th graders from Montebello will attend Hamilton Middle School. As per our letter to you last 

Friday, we would like to specifically propose that Edison operate, in partnership with BCPSS, both of 

those middle schools, amending our previous proposal. Second, Edison announced last week that we've 

raised another $40 million in capital, which should delay people's concerns about Edison's viability. As 

we have previously stated, every spring and summer, Edison raises money to fund the new schools that 

open every fall, and this year was no different in that regard than any other year. If there are remaining 

questions regarding Edison's financial picture, we would like to here them so they may be answered. 

This includes any questions related to our per-pupil fee, which is less than the City's average, and less 

than Victory School received for comparable services. Third, in the fall, our 6th graders passed the 

Maryland Functional Math Test at a rate of 44 percent, compared with the City's rate of 11 percent; and 

Reading at 70 percent, compared with the City's rate of 63. Data from the spring administration was just 

released, and it now brings the passing rate of our 6th graders in Math to 56 percent, and the passing 

grade of our 6th graders in Reading to 84 percent. What are the similar data for Baltimore City Schools? 

Fourth, and most important from our standpoint, is that the day after we last addressed you, it came to 

our attention that up to 46,000 Baltimore students will have to attend summer school because of 

inadequate academic performance. This figure, according to the Baltimore Sun, is nearly 50 percent of 

all the students in the City. Driving these numbers, in large part, are students' scores on CTBS, requiring 

them to be at the 23 percentile or higher. That's the CTBS data from the City. And how does this 

compare to Edison's CTBS data? According to the Council of Great City Schools, this is the highest 

percentage rate of any big city in the country. According to Ms. Russo, she is not surprised by these 

large numbers and expects them to continue for several years. According to the School District, you will 

spend $17 million this summer in an attempt to remediate the situation. It took core courage for this 

Board to stick to its conviction to end social promotion. Where was the Board's courage when it comes 

to responding to the myriad of endless requests of hundreds of parents and children? How much courage 

does it take to recognize success and let it continue? How much courage does it take to acknowledge 

that a program, not of your selection or preference, is producing gains that are double or triple our own? 

How much courage does it take for you to give opportunity to others, or prefer or deny opportunity 




because it is not your program? How much courage does it take to say we do not have all the answers, 

and others may be able to help us? What is the fiduciary duty of this Board in whom it owns, to 

yourselves or to the children, to the hope of performance or to performance itself? We urge the Board to 

exercise courage and vote for the opportunity for these children to continue to take the steps that they 

have every right to expect. Thank you. 

MS. WELCH: Thank you, Ms. Robbins, and also Mr. O'Neill. 

MR. TILDON: Mr. O'Neill? MR. O'NEILL: Yes? 

MR. TILDON: I feel insulted, okay? MR. O'NEILL: Okay. 

MS. WELCH: Our final speaker for this evening is Mr. James Williams. 

Page 18 of 41 

MR. WILLIAMS: Good evening, Ms. Russo, and the Board of Commissioners. Thank you for the 

opportunity to speak today. I use this book as my spiritual text for humanity. And I have here the 

budget, the proposed budget, for next year, and I've looked through a lot of it. I heard about the 

Intervention Office, and I tried to get ahold of Dr. Jones, but I wasn't able to, last week. But I look -- it's 

a good idea, and I think Dr. Jones deserves to have it adequately funded. I don't really think it's going to 

be funded to the degree that it should be, because it took a lot of years to get into this situation, and with 

the promotion retention policy continuing as it's been stated, Ms. Russo feels that it's going to take us a 

while to get out. And, I think, that, really, Dr. Jones' funding is inadequate. I think she should get more 

money. Several hundred -- if I'm correct in reading this budget here, $793,000 is what she's proposed to 

be getting next fiscal year. I also looked at numbers for intervention for middle school, elementary 

school, and high school for children in danger of failing. And the total for that is $2,740,000. Middle 

schools are getting shortchanged here, in that context. It's willfully inadequate. I have a child in middle 

school, and middle school -- the middle schools have to do a lot of grant writing to get adequate funding. 

It needs to be funded more adequate than it is. It's way off keel here, as far as adequate funding. We 

went to Annapolis. I've been to Annapolis for the last three years to fight to get adequate funding for our 

School System that has been willfully underfunded for the last decade or more. We want that money to 

get to the schools. I'm president of a PTA, and we have fund-raiser programs. We have fund-raisers so 

that we can get what our school needs. But our schools should have what they need. When I look at the 

budget, it makes me think about North Avenue being a black hole, where dollars shoot in and coins 

shoot out to the schools. We need more funding to reach our schools. We're purchasing books for our 

classrooms through a fund-raiser that our PTA had in my elementary school, Callaway Elementary. But 

every year I ask the principal, what do we need to make our school better? And we back her up on that. 

Whatever it is she needs. We have one goal, and we're successful at reaching one. But the budget is 

$911 million proposed for next year. We need a lot of that money to reach our schools, because having 

fund-raisers is gouging a lot of our parents, and we have a lot of poor parents, and parents are ashamed 

to participate because they don't have money. So we really need to focus on getting intervention for 

these kids, because we have multiple repeaters, and those children, who are multiple repeaters, are in 

danger of dropping out, because eventually they give up if they don't have any remediation. So Dr. Jones 

needs, really, good funding for this plan of intervention to work. And, as I stated, the middle schools, I 

think, really need more money. We really have to understand the communications process. I've heard 

about disconnects all evening here. There's been poor communication. The communication is not good. 

Channel 7, I watch it. I see a lot of things that don't pertain to our School System. And I talk to a lot of 

parents. And they say, Mr. Williams, why do you go down there, you know those people don't care 

about what you've got to say? I say, because you can't win a battle if you don't join the fight. So I 

continue -- you won't see me frequently, but when you see me, understand why I'm here. Because I 

come from Owings Mills, and I have to crack a whip on those folks to get here. So communication is 

very poor. Channel 7 is terrible. They're underfunded. Now, we went to Annapolis to fight to get more 




money. Communicate to the parents. A lot of parents will watch Channel 7 if it was more adequately 

funded. I've spoken with Wendy Gordon, at length, and they're underfunded. So if you -- good 

communication is the key to success. Teachers communicate with students; parents communicate with 

teachers; parents communication with their students. We have to understand -- we have to expedite our 

communication with one another. It's not happening here. Please expedite when you make decisions and 

choices. You can put it on Channel 7. Let them know so that we can see it. Because we don't get 

information on the radio from anybody. So I just came here to let you know, our parents have fought 

hard to try to get adequate funding in Annapolis. That's why I am here. So we've achieved that. Now we 

want to see some bang for the buck. I notice there's 114 positions that were deducted from the operating 

budget in this up and coming year. A lot of those positions are students -- special education of Student 

Support deducted 259 positions. We need Student Support. Student support is wonderful. I know a lot of 

people who work at Student Support in the schools, and it's a very needed thing, because a lot of kids, 

their parents don't support them, okay. It's terrible, but that's the reality of what we deal with. Student 

Support is very needed as well. Thank you. 

MS. WELCH: Thank you, Mr. Williams. Madam CEO? 

MS. RUSSO: We'll now begin with the Information and Discussion Items. And we were going to give 

the Board our Special Education Update. 

MS. WELCH: Ms. Amos? 

Page 19 of 41 

MS. AMOS: Dr. Welch, Ms. Russo, Board of School Commissioners. Briefly, this evening, I will give 

you an update on our disengagement from the Bond G Consent Decree. As you know, two years ago, the 

District entered into an agreement for disengagement from Bond G. We entered into what's called 

Alternate Measurable Outcome. Each year we develop an implementation plan with action steps to meet 

those outcomes. I will remind you that some of the outcomes are two-year, 100 percent compliance 

outcomes; and others are three-year, substantial compliance outcomes. We are ending the second year of 

this disengagement, and the beginning of -- we're looking forward to the third, and meeting substantial -a 

substantial completion. What I will do tonight -- because your year for completing the action steps 

does not end until June 30th, at which time we do collect data and analyze the data, and work with the 

Special Court Master and the Plaintiffs on how well we've done in achieving the outcome. So what we 

have done, because we'd like to keep one step ahead in predicting how we're doing, and letting our areas 

and our school staff know how we're doing, we like to keep everyone updated on the likelihood of us 

meeting these outcomes. I will remind you that it is not final. This is a Special Master's Report. It is our 

report, our reading, on how we think we did. Once we have a final report and all the data is analyzed, we 

will come back again and give a full report on where we are. We're doing this because we were in the 

middle of the negotiations for our IP, and it's real important that we have public awareness and staff 

participation on what we're doing. So I'm going to start, very briefly, I won't read it, far too much to 

read, and the print is very small, but I will start and just read where we were on outcome, and just say a 

few words about the likelihood of us making it this year or not. The first is Disengagement Standard for 

Outcome 3, which states, "Within three years, the BCPSS will increase the rate of school completion for 

students with disabilities from 50 percent to 57.2, as measured by indicator, reporting to MSDE." School 

completion for students with disabilities are students that graduated with a diploma, students that ageout 

at the age of 22, and students that earn a certificate. This is a three-year substantial compliance 

outcome. It means that while we're not expected to hit the target, we are expected to come really close. 

We're excepted, though, to formalize and have institutional mechanisms in place that the Courts can 

look at and say, if they haven't hit the target at the end of three years, they have the infrastructure and 

structure in place to do so. The way we are doing our outcomes and implementation plans now is that 

we have required activity from Central Office, which are basically support; Area Office that supports 

this in both Area and Central Offices that supports the school staff. The likelihood of us making the 




Page 20 of 41 

outcome this year, of meeting the numerical requirement, is low. The focus, though, is on demonstrating 

the existence of effective institutional mechanisms. How well we have in place; what we put in place; 

and how well we're trying to make this helpful. Disengagement Standard for Outcome 4 is the 

graduation rate. This is the number of students who actually graduate with a diploma. And this, for us, is 

really our achievement outcome of where the rubber hits the road. This is also a three-year substantial 

outcome. Right now there's a low likelihood of meeting the numerical requirement. The focus, again, is 

on the existence of effective institutional mechanism. And in order to have students receive a high 

school diploma, they have to meet the graduation standards just like any other student. So you can see 

that the central area and middle and high school staff action steps are quite vast. Disengagement 

Standard for Outcome 6; will participate in vocational programs. This is a three-year substantial 

compliance outcome. And there is a high likelihood of meeting those numerical requirements. Data for 

the past two years has been out, above -- at or above the required percentage. Disengagement Standards 

for Outcome 7; this is our discipline outcome. It is a three-year substantial compliance outcome. There's 

a low likelihood of meeting the numerical requirement. Focus is on demonstrating the existence of the 

effective institutional mechanisms. Disengagement Standard for Outcome 8; within three years, 58.8 

percent of students will receive their IAP required services in regular education, or provided programs. 

This is our inclusion outcome, or LRE, Least Restrictive Environment. There is a good likelihood of 

meeting the numerical requirements as we go school by school, and do quite well. However, we have 

concerns regarding the inadequate implementation of the IEP in the general education classes, which 

make a track for the numerical compliance. So for the next year, we'll be working very hard in providing 

support, with Dr. Jones' office, to the classrooms for regular education teachers. Disengagement 

Standard for Outcome 9 is also an LRE inclusion outcome, where 80 percent of newly-identified 

students will receive IEP services in their home schools. There's a high likelihood of meeting this 

requirement. Data for the past two years has been at or above the percentage required. Disengagement 

Standard for Outcome 10; the BCPSS will sustain a system-wide average of 95 percent, and conduct 

evaluation meetings within timelines. This outcome really speaks to the procedural compliance. It is a 

two-year, full compliance outcome. We expect to be released from this outcome. There is a high 

likelihood of meeting the numerical requirements this year. Disengagement Standard for Outcome 11; 

no more than 2 percent of students with disabilities will have interruptions of services. This is also a 

procedural compliance outcome. It goes to knowing when students are entering with special needs, or 

entering our schools, transferring from school to school, and making sure they receive appropriate 

service. This is a two-year full compliance outcome. There is a high likelihood of meeting the systemwide 

numerical requirements this year. Outcome 12; will maintain an average rate of compliance with 

IEP implementations. This is, again, a procedural compliance. It is a two-year full compliance outcome. 

And there is also a high likelihood of meeting this numerical requirement. Outcome 13; 98 percent of 

students with disabilities who are designated as dropouts will have an IEP team review meeting. This 

outcome seems innocent, but it is not. It is a two-year full compliance outcome, which we feel pretty 

sure well be recommended it to be a three-year substantial outcome. There is a low likelihood of 

meeting this numerical requirement, and it requires tracking students who are potential dropouts. It 

means that we have to do a better job of tracking attendance, and making sure that we do intervention to 

get students back into school. For Outcome 14, it is a two-year full compliance outcome. It is a -- the 

Complaint Office, that we have written procedures, they give authority and independence to a Complaint 

Office that we do have. There is a low likelihood of meeting this requirement this year, because it has 

taken us longer than 45 calendar days to investigate the complaint. It is a -- we know that we will have 

the monitoring activities due on this outcome next year, but we feel that we have met the requirement of 

establishing the office. For Outcome 15, it is the IEP standards for OSEMC, and OSEMC is our Office 

of Special Education Monitoring and Compliance. It is a two-year full compliance outcome. And there 

is a low likelihood of meeting this requirement, and that we will extend it probably for another school 

year. Outcome 16 has to do with our SET computer data system, as measured by the BCPSS annual 

audit. And this is the audit where it's the key stroke audit, where you compare what's in SET to what's on 

paper. It's a two-year full compliance outcome. We have a high likelihood of meeting the numerical 




requirement. And we do our own audits, so our office goes out and compares the information that is put 

into SET, the accuracy. It's an accuracy with what's in the IEP folder. Disengagement Standard for 

Outcome 18 is the rate of compliance, again, for OSEMC IEP standards, and that's when OSEMC goes 

down on a rotating basis and monitors each school for a certain number of standards every three years. 

There's a high likelihood of meeting this numerical requirement, and being released from this outcome. 

It is a two-year full compliance outcome. That's the last one. And, as I said, I'll remind you that these are 

predictions. We do not have all the completed data. And when we do, hopefully, some of these will 

change and go away. Thank you. 

MS. WELCH: We will take a two-minute break. (Break taken.) 

MS. WELCH: Okay. Two minutes turned into ten minutes. So we were already, as I was informed, 

about an hour behind time. But Mr. Smolarz, you hear that all the time. Are you beginning to take this 

personally? 

MR. SMOLARZ: Not at all. 

MS. WELCH: We're ready. 

Page 21 of 41 

MR. SMOLARZ: Good evening, Dr. Welch, Commissioners, and Ms. Russo. With me tonight is Mr. 

Emerson Hamilton, to my far left, and Mr. Pete Dixit, Directors of Facilities and Construction and 

Facilities Operation, respectively. We come forward tonight to go through the capital budget as we 

prepare for the FY '04 CIP process. We had discussed some very general comments with you at a public 

forum about a month ago. We then had revisited these items or this information with Commissioner 

Daniel on June 1st at length. And we come forward tonight to get your guidance on what we would like 

to submit to the State as part of the FY '04 CIP. But, more importantly, discuss with you our overall 

capital needs for the System. We think this is very important in view of the impending Task Force that 

the State is assembling for evaluating the adequacy of capital needs. So we think this is a timely 

discussion. And, as you'll see, unfortunately, our needs for capital are tremendous. And we want to talk 

about those needs, as well as some of the options that face us as we try to have our environments 

become more appropriate for the learning that needs to take place within the facilities. Up on the Power 

Point, I just have some key dates that I want just to run by. July 1, 2002, the Facility Master Plan is due 

to the State. So that's about three weeks away. And that's why this discussion is important as we finalize 

our Facility Master Plan. As I found out last year, as I was immersed in the middle of this process, the 

State takes our Facility Master Plan very seriously, is really the blueprint for the upcoming CIP 

submission. So it's very important that there is consistency between the Facility Master Plan and our 

submission. October 15th, 2002 is when the first -- is when the submission of the FY 2004 CIP is given 

to the State. And, as we note, throughout this past year, there are various other milestones that follow, in 

terms of the review process. There's a date in December, and it changes. Like this past year, it was Pearl 

Harbor Day, when we went to the IAC to go over and appeal. And then there's another appeal process 

down in Annapolis, usually in March, as we finalize the second process. I put the expected FY '02 

statewide. That really should be expected FY '03 statewide. And I don't believe that number's going to 

change, unfortunately. I want to just remind the public that the statewide public construction fund-raiser 

was about $280 million prior to FY '02. It was cut in half at FY '02. My preliminary conversations with 

the State IVC staff is not to expect any more than the $140 million from this past year. In fact, the 

preliminary numbers are $100 million at this point. But as Dr. Stensler stated, that number normally 

comes up, as it did this past year. The State has committed to us the following projects, and these are 

projects that have been approved from a planning perspective this past year in FY '02: The new 

Northern, obviously, was approved back in -- in, really, FY '01. And we're in the midst of receiving 

funding for construction of that project. That will be ongoing. We will get funds in FY '04 towards that. 

We also received approval for planning for Dunbar High, Lexington Terrace, and the Southeast pre-K to 




8. If we meet all of our deadlines with the plannings, then these four projects will be funded from a 

construction perspective, which are huge dollars for FY '03 and for FY '04. And, finally, I want to point 

out that libraries, air conditioning, and computer equipment are not specifically included in this budget 

that we're going to talk about. However, when we do a renovation of a building, air conditioning is 

always a part of it. We will do a special report at the next Board meeting on each of these items, as the 

Board has requested. So we are going to give you an update on the status of each of these items, in terms 

of what we're doing. Just as an aside, from the air conditioning aspect. As part of the FSPR, which is a 

special grant that the State received this year, roughly $10 million statewide, which includes ourselves, 

Prince George's, and Baltimore County, we will receive over $6 million of those amounts. We have 

submitted, I believe, about seven to 12 projects where we are asking to have eight to ten of our 

classrooms in seven to 12 different schools air conditioned because of that need. If we move to the page 

-- I'm going to try to do just a broad highlight of the six-year plan, starting with FY '03, which is -- the 

Board has approved previously. And I'm showing it with this very general heading, and we'll dive into 

the detail later, the use of funds. We break it out by high school projects, other capital projects, and 

miscellaneous. And I'll go through that in detail. We'll see the number for FY '03. It totals $44 million, 

and then it jumps up to about 73 million, and stays above 70. In fact, reaches a high of 87 million over 

the next five years, and we'll go through that in greater detail. Seeing these kinds of numbers, one would 

say that -- how are we going to fund this -- fund these projects. And on the next page, you'll see the 

sources of the funds. And the numbers for the City of Baltimore are what we know today. We'll see 17 

million for this year, because there is a $5 million carryover for prior years that we're going add to the 

12 million. The City has increased their bonding authority for FY '04 and FY '05, and our share has 

increased up to $16 million for both of those years. But it is expected that the bond -- decrease in bond 

will go back to the $45 million level for the following years, and, therefore, our share of that will 

decrease to 12 million. For the State of Maryland contribution, the FY '03 number is the actual number 

that was approved. And we are expecting, for the out years, that it will increase significantly. I am very 

nervous that we will achieve those numbers, but we're putting them in there because if we get approval 

for our projects, that will be what the State's share should be. But, again, with 140 million in the piggy 

bank, for our School System to get $30 to $40 million of it is pretty aggressive, in view of us being one 

of 24, 25 other school districts. This past year, in Annapolis, we had $50 million in bonds approved. 

And so, therefore, one of our largest sources of funds will be those $50 million in bonds that you'll see 

would be used this year, next year, and the following year. I also put the Capital Campaign down. I was 

a little conservative on the numbers there, just because I think we need -- the Capital Campaign could be 

very helpful as we talk about libraries, for example. So we just need to focus the Capital Campaign, and 

hopefully that will help us out. And then, finally, the last number is a number that will be needed to 

balance the use of funds. So to fund-raiser all the projects we're going to talk about, we would need $188 

million in operating funds to balance the need. And I say that from a shock-value standpoint. I don't 

believe anyone would want $188 million in operating funds to fund-raiser the need. But when you see 

the need and know that the need is just a fraction of what is needed, and to -- and we'll get into some of 

our options, including sale/lease back, you really see the problems that have held us from a funding 

standpoint. And I'll go into, now, the detail of the uses of funds. We'll start with High School Reform. I 

think the top project, the new Southern, comes as no surprise. This will be -- this will cost, roughly, $39 

million, from all funds, to complete, including FF&E and whatnot. We expect that the Dunbar project, 

which starts this year, will cost a similar amount to incorporate not just a facility renovation, but also all 

the educational requirements that's needed for the pathways -- the clinical pathways that have been 

identified for that school. 

MR. STRINGFIELD: Mark, can you say what FF&E is? 

Page 22 of 41 

MR. SMOLARZ: I'm sorry. Furniture, fixtures and equipment. The third project we've added is Carver 

High School, which is a facility that's been on your CIP for many years. And we believe we really need 

to submit that for FY '04. Not only do we believe that the tech programs need to be updated from an 




educational perspective, but the facility is in poor condition, and we are reminded about that from our 

elected officials constantly. So that is a project that is very high on our list. For the PDC in Northern, we 

have $2 million for this year to make the renovations we had talked about, and the transformation of 

those schools, in terms of separating the Northern facility and doing some other moves. I'm hoping -- 

this number is high for the initial year, but I think, over time, we will need to put that kind of money into 

the Northern facility and PDC. The next thing I will spend a couple of minutes on, and this is a -- I kind 

of categorized it as Six Innovative High Schools. And you'll see some numbers that look really very low 

when you say -- when you understand six high schools. The reason for it is, if you look up above, you'll 

see that the average high school investment is, roughly, $39 million. For us to spend 39, I think that 

might be a little high for these six schools. But even if it's 25 million for these schools, 25 million times 

six schools is $150 million. We clearly cannot afford $150 million at this point in time. So what we 

would propose for these six innovative high schools is to look at some financing possibilities, like a 

sale/lease back, where we can contract with a developer who would come in and finance the 

construction of a new facility today, and we would then pay it back at an interest of, hopefully, 4 to 5 

percent, over time, so we can leverage dollars. Otherwise, we are very hard pressed, obviously, to invest 

$150 million in the six innovative high schools. I had provided a handout earlier that goes through one 

of our six innovative high schools. And we can talk further. But we are talking about high schools on the 

east side of town, central, west, south, southwest, and downtown. And so those were the areas that we 

are talking about. And, again, as we execute Ms. Russo's blueprint for high school reform. And then, 

finally, the last school is Fredrick Douglas. And, again, I'm going to underscore that clearly needs to be 

renovated as well. I just wanted to mention that the 19 million is not the total cost. It cuts off at FY '08, 

and FY '09 would probably be another $15 or $16 million. So that the total cost would be in the $30 

million range. As we -- we just cut it off at that point in time. So those are the details of the high school 

reform. Moving to other capital projects. There's a list of, roughly, 17 projects. And, again, we tried to 

limit these projects to no more than really three a year. And, again, we have to move some projects back. 

Anyway, let me go through those quickly. Lexington Terrace has been approved by the State, as well the 

new Southeast pre-K to 8. We're moving along with our Lexington Terrace. We will come forward next 

Board meeting with a selection of an architect, which will be critical for us to meet the deadlines there. 

Mt. Washington is listed here as well. Pimlico Middle is listed. And you can see an asterisk there, 

where, again, for this school, you're looking at a sale/lease back arrangement there to build a -- either a 

new school on that facility, or to renovate the existing building. Moravia is a new pre-K to 8. We believe 

that we can do some systemic work to get the school back to where it needs to be, as opposed to a full 

gut renovation. Steuart Hill, pre-K to 8, is one that I want to just highlight and seek your assistance. We 

had approved Steuart Hill to pre-K to 8, subject to CIP funding by the State. That was scheduled for FY 

'05. In view of all our other needs, we have taken a look at, well, maybe there's another way that we can 

accomplish a pre-K to 8 for Steuart Hill. And we believe, with some work done by architects, that we 

can convert Steuart Hill to pre-K to 8 starting September '02 with just about $2 million next summer to 

convert existing space at that school. So that, therefore, instead of us going through a $20 million project 

and seeking State funding, that we can probably accomplish the same result with $2 million. It wouldn't 

have all the bells and whistles, necessarily, in the building, but we think we'd meet the community's 

needs of converting to a pre-K to 8. And we are going to propose -- we are proposing that to the Board 

for consideration, to move with Steuart Hill. Leith Walk is a very, very -- the largest elementary school 

in the System. Again, needs renovation. And we have accelerated to that FY '04 planning as one of the 

major projects we're going to look at this fiscal year. Booker T. Washington is a -- we're proposing a 6 

to 12 curriculum, arts focus curriculum. It is one that we would hope that we can maybe do faster than 

what we have on here. And we will work with the Board and other parties on that project as well. 

MR. TILDON: When did we amend that price? 

Page 23 of 41 

MR. SMOLARZ: We upped it at the advice of Commissioner Daniel, because we needed to put a high 

school there, and the price tag doubled. And so -- I'm glad you pointed that out for me. We increased it 




Page 24 of 41 

to about $30 million, to be consistent in what we believed the educational requirement is and what the 

facility would require. Violetville, pre-K to 8, we submitted in FY '03. Did not get that approved. As the 

former Mayor and Governor Schaefer indicated, it is a 72-year-old building that needs to be renovated. 

Again, with money the way it is, we've pushed that back somewhat, because we think some of the other 

programs, the educational requirements, are needed before this project began. This is a very difficult 

task of trying to prioritize which projects need to be renovated first. Cherry Hill, pre-K to 8. Again, 

Cherry Hill is the oldest elementary school in that community, over 50 years old, and we're going to 

need to renovate, from a facilities standpoint. We need to also renovate it to become an effective pre-K 

to 8 school. And, in fact, further down, you'll see the next one. One that is pre-K to 8 as well. We also 

believe, as Councilman Stoots believes, that the population growth in Cherry Hill will be such that we 

will need to have more capacity in that community. Again, we have some other projects listed there on 

the out years. I won't go into detail because they are, at least, three years down the road. But you get a 

sense of our need. And we could probably reel off another dozen or so projects that really could be 

substituted for any of these, because of the conditions at those schools. Moving to the next page, and the 

last page before we entertain questions, is the area of Miscellaneous. And I don't would to po-po 

miscellaneous. When you hear miscellaneous, a lot of times you don't give it a lot of attention. But 

systemic is very important to us. And what we mean by systemic are the boilers, the chillers, the roofs, 

the air conditioning, the science labs, the windows. Those are items that if we do enough of those for a 

school, maybe you don't need a full-blown renovation. But, again, our need here is so great. One of the 

things that Mr. Vincent is assisting us with is really taking a look at all our schools. And I'll use roofs as 

an example, being a roofer's son. A useful life of a roof is, roughly, 20 to 25 years. So on any given year, 

you would need to do seven roofs. Any given year. I think we all know we haven't been doing seven 

roofs every single year. But if we got to the point where we were up to date, this is what the normal 

preventive maintenance is, as I said, you need to do seven roofs, you need to do seven boilers, you need 

to do seven chillers. You need to do windows probably -- you probably don't need to wait 25 years. 

Probably every 15 years. So it's that kind of preventive maintenance that really costs a lot more than the 

numbers that I'm showing here. Again, we're trying to kill an elephant with a pop gun. Asbestos 

abatement. Those numbers are there. Again, it's part of renovations. We need to update asbestos. The 

pre-K to 8 conversions, as the Board had approved back on -- in February, converting a lot of our 

schools from pre-K to 8. That will cost dollars. We've anticipated, roughly, $6 million in '03. And that 

number will decline over the next couple of years as we add science labs and the other type of 

educational items that are needed to convert those schools to pre-K to 8. The next one I'll spend a minute 

on, because, again, this is an area that's been long ignored. This is our equipment. And by equipment, 

I'm talking about equipment in the kitchens of our schools, and I'm talking about the equipment that our 

facilities staff and transportation staff have to use every single day. And in this past year -- I was very 

gratified yesterday at the staff meeting when the managers, the guys in the trenches, said, you know, 

Mark, having those vehicles has increased our productivity two-fold or three-fold. He said it's nice to 

know that we have the vehicles to jump in and get a crew out to the school when we get a call from a 

principal to say, can you guys come by and clean up the school? Can you guys come by and fix this 

door? And having the vehicles, which we didn't have before, has really helped us. But that's just a first 

step. We don't have a mechanical sweeper. We have one cherry picker in the whole System. And by 

cherry picker, something that we can go up and repair lights, like in the gyms. And I know a lot of times 

we talk about the lights in the gym are out. And, again, you need equipment to get those lights lit in the 

gyms, 170 gyms. We have one graffiti truck. So it's those kinds of equipment and lack of equipment that 

really impairs or handicaps our facilities staff in doing their job. So we're going to make a commitment 

on the equipment side to help not only facility kitchen equipment -- our kitchen's been around for 20, 30 

years, and it's on its last leg. We're putting some dollars in there as well. And then we have a line for 

contingencies, because things happen, and so we have some money tucked away for those emergencies 

that happen that we haven't considered otherwise. So we wanted to present this to you to get your 

feedback as we finalize our Facility Master Plan, and to help us in the CIP submission for FY '04. Thank 

you. 




MS. WELCH: Mr. Streuver? 

MR. STREUVER: I'd like to start by saying -- because I'm going to say some things that are going to 

reflect some deep concerns about our capital funding and plan. But the SET context -- the reason I'm so 

concerned is we've done such a fantastic job over the last two years of focusing our thinking on our 

educational program, as it relates to the facilities, that we deliver a great education for all of our 

students. So it's really that hard work that I know all of you have been very involved in; working late 

nights, Saturdays and weekends. Colene Daniel is the Chair of the Facilities Committee. And it's a huge 

amount of work. And it's really the, I guess, the brilliance of that whole effort that -- it turned on a light 

bulb for me, because I counted facilities as facilities. You know, the whole notion has kind of declined 

in our Facility Utilization Plan right now. I've become totally convinced that we're not going to succeed 

with what we want to do educationally unless we deal with facilities in a major way. So without that 

enthusiasm for what all of you, together, have put before us, at least to me, to -- it's a deep frustration 

with where we are with facilities. A big part of this is the issue of capacity. We've talked about this 

repeatedly. I remain unconvinced that we are taking the steps to even increasing for the planning staff 

from six to four, that we are -- four to six, is that what it is? Six to ten, I believe it is. We've got a long 

ways to go, recognizing to run a qualify smart, major, facilities project is a lot of effort and time. I think 

we've learned that from the new Southern project, which really is going quite quickly. It's a massive 

project. And each one of those projects has a full-time, high-quality project manager. And if we want to 

do everything that we say we want to do, we don't have the horses to do it yet. And we need to get much 

more serious about figuring out how we're going to build capacity. And part of it's around planning. We 

talk about our need to work on our community planning abilities. We've had our heads handed to us on 

too many occasions when we've not been nimble enough in working with the community surrounding 

our schools, for the locations where we want to locate schools. That's a whole major effort in itself. And 

including the educational program coordination that, I think, Colene talked about. It's just so hugely 

important. We're not designing buildings. We're creating delightful environments that makes good 

education happen. In relate of that is our A&E selection process. If we don't have a process that takes, 

essentially, engineers that have done 500 schools, we're not going to end up with the kind of facility that 

we saw in Atlanta, at Centennial Village. You know, just inspiring to walk into. If we want world-class 

buildings, we really need to think about how we go about a selection process. And this leads to, if we're 

going to achieve what we want to achieve, we've got to get more projects in the pipeline, better managed 

and better supported, because those projects are ready to go. We'll find the money. Create some pressure 

onto itself. If projects are ready to go, we end up where we've been every year in the System, as we don't 

spend the money that's available to us. The reason why we're only getting -- one of the reasons we're 

only getting $13 million from the State this year, which is less than 10 percent of the State's school 

construction budget, a lower percentage than we've seen since this Board's been in place, even with the 

cut in overall State funding, if we don't have projects ready to go. And the only reason we have any 

substantial money at all is because of our work, and Carmen Russo and others, to get Southern High, 

you know, jammed through the pipeline so it was ready to go under construction, or else we'd have a 

whole lot less than $13 million from the State. So we've got to figure out a way to accelerate the 

planning. I'm very disappointed that there's no money for Steuart Hill for planning this year. How do 

you do the work next summer if you don't plan it? This year you need to hire somebody to plan it. It 

needs to be in the budget. 

MR. SMOLARZ: It is on the pre-K to 8 conversion. 

Page 25 of 41 

MR. STREUVER: So we are doing that? Well, we've got Violetville pushed out. If you really think it's 

important, let's plan it. It's our own money. We have money available to us this year to hire a quality 

design team and hire a quality project manager. Let's take those projects, that would convince me to 

have, and plan them, so that they're ready to go and the money's available. I can't wait to see the special 

report on libraries and HVAC. You know, we're dying to see it. My heart goes out to these 46,000 




students and 3,000 teachers that are going to be in our schools for five weeks this summer without air 

conditioning, and go in Baltimore summer weather. And we can't run a year-around School System, 

which is what we're doing, without air conditioners. So I'm looking forward to the report. We said, when 

we had our Master Plan review, that one of our important indicators of progress is that our Facilities 

Plan, as it relates to full implementation of all our facility needs, to meet the educational program of our 

middle school reform, high school reform, all the things we put -- all our class size, is five years. Five 

years is FY 2003; not 2008, 2009, 2010 or whatever. And that's what we have said we want as one of the 

important performance measures for our Master Plan. And I'm not going to vote for any capital 

improvement plan that doesn't provide for that happening. And we're just starting in our Master Plan. 

We're already saying we're not going to make it. Source is funds. Obviously, that sort of comes from, 

again, if the projects were ready to go, my bet is you've got a number of creditors to get the funds for a 

great project. People are excited. We've done our community planning right. People are enthusiastic 

instead of beating us over the head about it. We've got two years -- the last two years, we got $46 

million, $46 million. We should be thinking of going up. And I understand the State's budget situation 

with the State School Construction Facility Task Force looking at equity in the school construction, just 

like they did with the Thornton Commission on operations funds. What I wish would be -- assuming a 

decline in State funding is something that, you know, again, no vote right there. City going back down 

to 12 million from 16 million. It took a lot of work to get them up to 16 million. If this City wants to 

grow, it's going to have to borrow money. You've got to spend money to make money, and the City 

needs to do that. I vote no for any reduction of City funding. Our own borrowing, we -- the plan that we 

approved was $50 million for FY 2003 and '4, and not spending out to 2005. The legislature leaders 

themselves said that they were comfortable with us going to 100 million. That's another 25 million. I 

would vote to see that $25 million in this five-year CIP. Capital Campaign, you did say that it was on 

the conservative side. School of the Arts itself, that they are willing to commit to raise $7 and a half 

million of private money for their $15 million project. I'd like to see that $7 and a half million in private 

money in this funding plan, and the $7 and a half million they're going to need to match that, from our 

money and State money. They will expect great -- a great -- I hope you take this with the understanding 

that this is a deep appreciation of the fine work that all of you have done, and the Facilities Committee 

has done, and really challenging us to think much more broadly about the importance of our facilities. 

We need to have that reflected in this plan. We need to have it reflected in our staffing plan, not for three 

years from now, but for this year, so that we have the horsepower to do what we need to do, and do it 

now, or else I'm going to get used to start saying no when these come up for vote. 

MR. SMOLARZ: I appreciate those comments. We've added, as you've stated, two architects, two 

engineers to Mr. Hamilton's group. We need to add some more folks. We are being much more 

aggressive on the planning side, which we've not done. We have Lexington Terrace going full tilt. We've 

got Dunbar right behind it. We are planning Mt. Washington as we speak. We're going to start working 

on Booker T. and some of the other schools that have been identified. Clearly, we have stepped up our 

efforts there. And, in fact, now, the three of us and our staff go over all the projects that are listed here 

every week. And we've started that process. We've reviewed it with Commissioner Daniel. We will 

bring that to the Facilities Committee. In fact, we started last time. We will do that much more 

aggressively. And we will bring that forward to this Board, as well as the Facilities, to look at it, just so 

that we can show you year-to-date that we're meeting. And so, therefore, we'll get some measure and get 

it attended to, and you can hold us accountable to those things. 

MS. WELCH: Commissioner Murphy, and then Commissioner Stringfield. 

Page 26 of 41 

MS. MURPHY: I just want to follow Commissioner Streuver. I feel that this, especially some of the 

comments that we heard this afternoon about planning and the kinds of plans that have to go forward to 

the State, that have be exemplary. It just can't be something sort of thrown together. Of course, I'm a 

little disturbed that you're saying Booker T.'s planning grant is not coming until '05. We are -- Booker T. 




is the only middle school that is listed at the moment, and it's dealing with both its curriculum and the 

renovation, and I feel as though it really needs to be '04. Is it '04? 

MR. STREUVER: It is '04. 

MS. MURPHY: It's not. It's '03. It's '04. 

MR. SMOLARZ: You want it in '04? 

MS. MURPHY: I want it in '03. 

MR. SMOLARZ: We need to start planning today to meet the schedule for '04. So your point's well 

taken. 

MS. MURPHY: Right. 

MR. SMOLARZ: We need to start now. 

MS. MURPHY: It needs -- we need to get on a fast track as far as Booker T. is concerned. The 

community is ready. The Committee is ready. I think the school is ready. And I'm just concerned about 

that. I'm also concerned about Douglas. The year that Douglas is supposed to be looked at is not until 

'07. Are my eyes right? 

MR. JONES: It's '07, that's right. And even that's in the planning. 

MS. MURPHY: Yeah. And that's just planning. And Douglas, we really have to push that forward as 

soon as possible. Those are just some. 

MS. WELCH: Commissioner Stringfield? 

MR. STRINGFIELD: I want to echo what our last two Commissioners have said. And I -- I mean, 

here's a way to summarize it, is, I mean, that's an irresponsibility to if want $10,000, you wanted to go to 

$20,000. And I think what we're trying to figure out is how to get to $70,000. I mean, ever since I've 

been on this Board, Colene and Bill have been talking about building capacity, do these things. What's it 

going to take to build enough capacity where we can put this thing on substantially different footing? I 

mean, what's the holdup to doing it? I mean, the Board has never said anything other than go forward 

and faster. Am I mistaken? 

MR. SMOLARZ: I think money is a lot of it, unfortunately. I think part of it is we didn't have the 

capacity, as Bill mentioned. And I subscribe to a lot of what Bill said, that if you, you know, if you build 

it, they will come. If you hire folks and get the planning rolling, then the money should follow. And I 

might not be as optimistic, but I think that if you don't look at it that aggressively, then you won't get 

anything. So you really need to push it. 

MR. STRINGFIELD: Right. And I just think every one of us are in favor here in continuing to, if 

anything, accelerate the rate of the spending capacity within the System so that this whole thing in the 

District of the student body left up there, and several other projects come in behind it. 

MS. WELCH: Dr. Tildon? 


Page 27 of 41 



MR. TILDON: I guess I feel like I just want to say ditto. But I was trying, and I've seen these different 

times, to just move everything to the left. I'm sort of always on the left side, as opposed to the right. 

And, I guess, it's going to take some new innovations. We've talked about trying to raise money. We did 

put the barn in. But are we stretching that out to until it is too far, even if we were to move everything up 

a year? And then, I guess, I got knocked off my socks when I saw that operating figure. What was it, 

180 million? 

MR. STREUVER: 118 million. 

MR. TILDON: It was over five -- six years. 

MR. SMOLARZ: Over the last four years, yes. 

MR. TILDON: And that's, obviously, an add-on. It's probably -- I go back, and I just have to have 

everyone know that I've been persuaded of the importance of this facility. We've sort of talked about 

other aspects of these operations. But our visit to Atlanta -- and the CEO is always telling us facilities, 

facilities. But there really is a need for us to think outside the box. Bill is admonishing, but I didn't think 

that maybe all of us could get together and try to really think and push everything to the left. I mean, to 

get 13 million this year is almost criminal, And for people to tell us that we should be smiling at that. So 

it's going to take some doing. But I do think that some different kind of approaches are needed, because 

even as we talk, that's only 42 million, which is much less than half. And by the time you get to FY '08, 

it'll probably be less than one-third of that. 

MS. WELCH: Any other comments? Mr. Smolarz, it is now 10:00, and you're finished? 

MR. SMOLARZ: I've still got a couple more items. Thank you. 

Page 28 of 41 

MS. RUSSO: Thank you very much, gentlemen. And Mr. Smolarz, you're going to stay right there, and 

Karen Norris will join too, as we discuss Grant Administration. 

MR. SMOLARZ: On Thursday night, the Finance Committee, we had a very healthy discussion about 

grants. And we thought that it would be good to share with the Board where we are with our grants 

process. And to my left is Ms. Karen Norris, who is our Director of Grants, who has come on board on 

October 8th. So when I know the date, that's a good thing, because I was eagerly waiting not only Ms. 

Norris, but Mr. Raymond, our CFO, also started on October 8th. So I always remember good days. So 

with that introduction, I'll let Ms. Norris go through our Power Point presentation, and then we'll, once 

again, take questions. 

MS. NORRIS: Great to be here, Mr. Smolarz. And good evening. We're here tonight to give you gist of 

what we've been doing in Grants Administration since October. And as the Power Point slide, the first 

slide says, in October we established the Department of Grant Administration. And we have divided 

ourselves into two primary functions. On one side of the house we take care of grants management, and 

on the other side we're looking for new funding under grants acquisitions. In addition to those two 

primary functions, we also support schools' goals under the Master Plan, through endorsements, 

collaborative greetings with partners, and unsolicited initiatives. And we have released the Grants 

Oversight Committee, which I Chair. I think it's also important to note that the department was created 

with existing positions, and no positions today have been added, and everyone, except me, were 

previously here in the System. So we were able to take staff and use them in a new way to provide new 

services. We currently have a restructuring in progress with HR to reclass all positions to better align 

them with the new services that we're providing, and to, hopefully, fill the vacancies that we have in the 




department. On the next slide, one of the first things we did when we came was to look at an audit that 

had previously been conducted before my arrival. And in March, I noticed in grant details, warranted an 

assessments of the grants management function for Baltimore City Schools. And we just thought that. 

No. 1, to improve sufficiency in necessity of the process, and then to propose action steps for 

improvement. Our response to the audit was to review the findings. And, at this time, all of the audit 

findings are planned for implementation. Progress will be presented to the Finance Committee. And, in 

truth, we have been doing so on a monthly basis, and we will continue to do so through reporting. The 

audit findings are guiding our continued improvement, and they help us organize ourselves as to 

priorities regarding how do we announce grants, how do we monitor grant funds, its administrative 

procedures, and how we connect with other parts of the School District in order to better communicate 

and provide services. And we also always have the traditional input for review and consideration in the 

process, since we touch so many people. Under performance measures, indicators of achievement. We 

made sure, right away, that we had at least a grant manager identified for each project. And we could not 

have done this without the help of the CAO and her staff. Again, we wanted to make a bridge between 

the business side of the house and instructional problematic side. And the very first step was to make 

sure that we had the programmatic leader for each and every grants project that we're identifies as we 

have new programs. In addition to working with the CAO, my staff coordinates technical assistance with 

this grant manager, so the grant manager is not alone in effectively implementing the grant program. We 

work with the budget. And a great deal of thanks to the Director, Les Lensburg, for all his support. 

Grants accounting, Amy Johnson, and my staff. Other things that we've done right away in the first 

seven months. We've created a Grant Master File in my office. So for every grant program, we've been 

visually collecting in one place the grant's proposal, the grant's guidelines, any reporting instructions, the 

grant award notice. And we have created a nice encyclopedia for each and every grant project that every 

office is open and welcome to use. We're also hoping that as we collect these very valuable source 

documents, and maintain a very logical place, that this will help serve us when we become automated. In 

addition to the creation of the Grants Master File, we complete monthly financial reporting to the 

Finance Committee. And we also include great managers in these finance meetings when we have 

special grants projects that need attention or people need help. Okay. Let's get to some dollars. Our two 

objectives: On the Grants Management side, we wanted to reduce our carryover and increase the nature 

we're spending the grants dollars within the grant period. And in tracking the trends from our monthly 

grants -- restricted grants report, in terms of repairs to the budget and Henry Raymond and Amy 

Johnson. Just to give you the comparison, in December, our monthly variance was at 32.6 million, and 

now in April we're down to $24.5 million for grants income. 

MR. STRINGFIELD: Could you define for us please what variance means? 

Page 29 of 41 

MS. NORRIS: A variance is -- that's a good question. You have a grant award and you have 12 months 

to spend that money. And in this school district, you have to try to divide your budget into 12 months so 

you know, approximately, how much you should be spending at any given time. And if there's a 

variance at a projected month, that we're either overspending or underspending that. That's what that 

does. 

MR. SMOLARZ: Well, specifically, to point out, underspending of the grants, which has been a 

problem that Commissioner Streuver and Commissioner Jones have been working with us over the last 

year, to reduce and -- the numbers were very large. But just to put in some perspective to awards, they're 

somewhere close to $300 million a year. What's even more impressive, not only is the $8 million 

reduction in the variance, but when you see the percentage of that variance with the total budget, it's 

even less. So it's very impressive. 

MS. NORRIS: Thank you. Moving on the Grants Acquisition side of the house. To look at some 

performance measures since October. Some of our indicators of achievement include the identification 




of new funding sources at federal, state, and private sources, and that will continue and will increase. 

We implemented an announcement memo process, which means that as we find grants and we announce 

them, we have a formal process that is run through the CAO and COO to see that we can identify a grant 

manager from the very beginning, and review what partners are interested in each grants, and to make 

those determinations from the start. We have procured some subscriptions to print and nonprint 

resources that have helped us find new grant sources for us. And we have increased the needs on 

functions of grants in the agencies. And this is very important, because we have been able to recover 

some grant funding that we thought had been lost. And we have been able to help our submission 

process. Particularly, a couple grant agencies are now requiring electronic submissions. So that has been 

new for us, and we've been pleased to have done that. Getting down to some numbers. Since October, 

we have found 60 proposal opportunities, for a total of $46.3 million. And in our monthly finance 

committee meetings, we provide Commissioner Jones and Commissioner Streuver with a full listing, so 

they have every single grant that we've found, whether it's submitted or not and whether it's awarded or 

not. We can make those reports available to any other Commissioner, if desired. Just let us know. Of the 

60 proposals that we have found, we've submitted 37 grants, for 28.2 million. We have another 23 

pending review, for 18.1 million. Those figures will fluctuate every month as we submit and as we find 

new grants. Now, looking closely, of the 37 grants that we have submitted to date, for 22 million, we 

have already won 15 of them, for 19.2 million. We have 21 of them that are still pending notification, 

for another 8.4 million of potential awards for the Baltimore City Schools. And we have one grant that's 

been denied to date. So the national win ratio for grant submission is about 10 percent, or is expected 

that applicants will win one out of ten that are submitted. And you can see by our numbers that we've 

already accomplished a good 50 percent, and we have a potential for 90 percent in the ratio. 

MR. SMOLARZ: And these grants that you have given us are competitive grants, they're not the 

entitlement. So these are the ones where that win/lost ratio is relevant. Any questions? 

MR. STREUVER: When we finish after this -- I'm just nervous on this whole underspending of our 

restricted grants. 

MR. STRINGFIELD: Worse than that. 

Page 30 of 41 

MR. STREUVER: It's hard to say. But we've -- the staff has been working with Commissioner Jones 

and myself is a very nice way of putting it. And it was great at the end of this last Finance Committee 

meeting, and, by tradition, go around to around robbins rabbit of parting thoughts. And our MSD 

member on the committee, John Lange, said at least fantastic progress was being made. And the State 

has been a long-time critic of the School System's inability to spend restrictive grant money. And so I 

think it's really terrific the progress that we've made. We're eager to see the automation of the system so 

it's easier to turn out the reports. We're eager to see how we end up at June 30th. But when John Lange 

made that comment, I thought it was just -- for a State partner to be saying that was great. The one thing 

that surprised me, not just that we're doing such a great job -- I mean, 15 yeses and one no, with yeses at 

$19.2 million, is just phenomenal. And I'm just frustrated that, in view of the Bryant Pritchard shot, that 

it went vacant in January and still hasn't been replaced. And I'm looking for three -- at that rate, they 

might -- you know, I'm a businessman, and, you know, invest money where you get a nice payback. And 

I look at the size of our staff and I look at that payback, and I say Holy Schmolly, this is the place where 

we ought to be investing more in the kind of talent that we have in our grant staff. And particularly 

combined with exciting -- because I think the School System is doing generally -- as we get a reputation 

of being one of the fastest improved big city school districts in the country, that more and more people 

are going to want to get on the bandwagon, the Carman Russo bandwagon, and help support us, and 

something like shooting fish in a barrel maybe and the grants. I'm -- for the next one, I've been waiting 

to do a round robin where we can say this is fantastic. We've hired three new Brian Pritchards. 




MR. SMOLARZ: We're working on that. 

MS. WELCH: Any idea about filling that position, any ideas? 

MR. SMOLARZ: I'm working with Ms. Dudley right now on replacing several folks. And she and I are 

moving ahead with that. 

MS. SIEGEL: When do you think we'll be able to do that? 

MR. STREUVER: This soon, in my book. 

MS. WELCH: I was just thinking about that. 

MR. STRINGFIELD: You said something about when your office becomes automated? 

MS. NORRIS: Yes. We have done a preliminary assessment of the Oracle database. And the School 

District has purchased it, and we've purchased several components of it. I was sent to Oracle training in 

March. And I've produced a report. And as a result of that report, we've been working with IT and how it 

works. So we're putting out a discovery for consultants to help us answer some additional questions 

before we go forward. There are some questions about the Oracle grant accounting modules that is 

different from the other modules that were working. 

MR. STRINGFIELD: This report isn't the same thing that you did last time, but it's a turn on 

investment issues. And there's just no reason at all for not stepping on the gas harder on this thing. And 

you'll have the Board's support on this. We want to go faster and we want to go harder. We want to do 

whatever it is. You'll have the support of the Board to go faster. And if something starts getting slowed 

down, but this has, of course, never happened before in Baltimore City or anywhere, but if something 

gets stuck in, say, HR or an unlikely place like that, I mean, come to us. We'll just -- and we will push. 

MS. NORRIS: Absolutely. And I'd also like to thank Commissioner Jones and Commissioner Streuver, 

because they have really been partners with me as we are developing what we do, and as we bring 

storms and put into place -- this is all going to be new services that this school district is receiving. And 

I appreciate their input and support so much. 

MR. JONES: Just real quick. We've had a conversation about that Oracle binder, but I haven't seen the 

report. Can you send it to the Board Office? 

MS. NORRIS: Absolutely. 

Page 31 of 41 

MS. MURPHY: It sounds great. I'm assuming that these grants are, across the curriculum, are 

supporting new initiatives. Will that be in the full report, so that we can see, just because we do need 

some curriculum support? And I'm hoping that these grants are in that area. 

MS. NORRIS: Absolutely. And I can send you a copy of the itemized report so you can see for 

yourself. But not only are we very careful to identify which administrative areas this grant belongs to, 

but we also tie each grant to a Master Plan objective, so you can see that. We're making an effort to get 

every single objective. 

MR. TILDON: I guess that's really sort of my question. I just would like to know where our various 

grants are going. Back up the management. You track an individual grant to determine spending, but 




what all happens on the operational side? I mean, the delivery of service. How does that work? 

MS. NORRIS: Well, that is done in collaboration with the CAO, or with the other offices who report 

directly to the CEO. But it's still all coordinated through the CAO. Each grant is a team initiative. The 

grant manager is really responsible for seeing that that program is run as it was written, and to perform -to 

fill out the report. However, that grant manager is assisted by analysts in my office, and also with 

budget and grant accounting. 

MR. TILDON: Does this include grants that are applied for by the individual schools? 

MR. SMOLARZ: If it's under $5,000, it's not part of this report. 

MR. TILDON: Okay. But suppose Douglas High School applies to Friends American for $100,000? 

MR. SMOLARZ: They should come through the Grants administration. 

MR. TILDON: They should. 

MR. SMOLARZ: They should. I won't swear that we have every one. But $5,000 in the School System. 

And, Commissioner Tildon, I wanted to make one other comment on a prior question. Most grants have 

an evaluation component to it. And we have in the loop Dr. Yawkmowski and her staff to make sure that 

they're evaluating each of the grants. So when it comes back up for renewal, we can evaluate the merits 

of it and determine if we really want to go after that grant again. 

MS. MURPHY: Who makes that determination? 

MR. SMOLARZ: It's a combination. Some ask for an independent evaluation. But, at a minimum, it 

would be Dr. Yawkmowski. Thank you. 

MS. WELCH: Thank you. 

MS. RUSSO: Moving ahead with Action Items and Disciplinary Actions. Mr. Carter? 

MR. CARTER: Good evening, Dr. Welch, Ms. Russo, and Members of the Board. We request to report 

the following items to the Board: Case No. 02-03s - affirm the recommendation for the hearing officer 

that upholds the CEO's expulsion decision. Case No. 02-14s - affirm the recommendation of the hearing 

officer that modifies the expulsion of the decision of the CEO to a long-term suspension and counseling. 

And, finally, Case No. 02-01-0205 - affirm the settlement agreement of the parties. 

MS. MURPHY: So moved. 

MR. JONES: Second. 

MS. WELCH: Properly moved and seconded that we accept the report. All in favor? 


MS. WELCH: Opposed? 

MS. RUSSO: PEP Agenda. 


Page 32 of 41 



MS. AMOS: Good evening, Commissioners and CEO. I have presented the PEP report to the PEP 

Committee. We had much dialogue about the -- to the report itself, and to materials that we will be 

bringing to the PEP Committee in the future. The enhancements for leadability have been incorporated 

in a final document that will be passed out tonight. Commissioner Murphy will receive a permanent 

appointment. So we're moving forward with the CAO reorganization. The remainder of the -- the 

majority of jobs would be on the PEP Agenda on the 25th. 

MS. SIEGLE: So moved. 

MR. STREUVER: Properly moved and seconded that we will accept the PEP Agenda. All in favor? 



MR. JONES: Abstained? 

MR. STRINGFIELD: Two. 

MS. WELCH: Two abstentions? 

MS. AMOS: With regard to the recruitment update, I don't have the slides with me today. I've had 

technological difficulties. So we'll just have to report it the old-fashioned way. So if the Board 

Commissioners would bear with me for just a second. Mainly, I'd like to just focus on the teacher 

selection and placement fair we had Friday and Saturday last year. And I'd like to say it was a 

collaborative process. 

MR. STRINGFIELD: You mean last weekend? 

MS. AMOS: I said last year, I'm sorry. Yeah, last weekend. That Friday and Saturday. I have received 

many E-mails from participants of both days. It was a collaborative process. We had representation from 

departments across the System to help us with this event. So, for that, I say thank you. We have 543 

prescreened candidates that were at the selection fair on Saturday. The majority of the schools were 

represented. We made selections, and we have other candidates that are waiting to be selected. We have 

candidates that have gone to the schools to meet with principals and see where the schools are. And 

we've received phone calls to that selection since that point in time. We still have probably around 300 

or 350 viable candidates we need to place. And that will be -- we will aggressively move forward with 

that next week, as we've given that number for vacancies in the System. So, once again, Commissioner 

Stringfield was there on Saturday to get an opportunity to view, firsthand, the process. But it was a very 

collaborative process, and I think it was a successful process. 

MS. WELCH: Commissioner Murphy? 

MS. MURPHY: I think there is some concern that the school budget has not been received, and that 

there is some hesitation on the part of some principals to actually hire these teachers. And there's always 

the danger of losing these people. If they are coming and they're enthusiastic, and we really don't have 

something to really put in their hands, and then they're going someplace else. So I am hopeful that, in 

the future, that the budget will be in the schools long before we have the job fairs. 

MS. WELCH: Commissioner Jones? 


Page 33 of 41 



MR. JONES: When did the schools get their budgets for hiring? 

MS. RUSSO: They're going out Thursday. 

MR. JONES: They don't have them yet? 

MS. RUSSO: No. No. No. They're going out Thursday. Commissioners, I'd like to discuss Edison with 

you. As you know, Edison has been in front of us for the last three meetings discussing their proposals. 

We've seen several letters. And, in addition to that, Commissioner Welch and I have met with them, 

with both parties, directly, and listened to their presentation. We've had an opportunity to ask questions. 

I would just like to say to you this evening that we have reviewed Edison's proposal, in light of our plan 

and our vision for the Baltimore City Public School System, and in light of our financial resources, and 

the availability of an appropriate facility. So, this evening, I am recommending to the School Board that 

the students now attending the three Edison Schools should attend either Hamilton Middle or Booker T. 

Washington Middle, under the supervision of the Baltimore City Public School System. We are 

planning an enriched program for both schools. We are also creating targets and benchmarks with the 

Maryland State Department of Education, as you heard this afternoon from Dr. Gradsmith (phonetic). 

We want to ensure that we maintain high standards and a rigorous educational program for all the 

students attending Booker T. and Hamilton. If you vote this evening to have the students at the three 

Edison Schools return to the Baltimore City Public School System, we will be moving forward with 

several program enhancements. And I just wanted to give you a feel for it. At Hamilton Middle School, 

we will be putting in the Ingenuity Program, Honors Mathematics classes, and afterschool tutorial 

programs. At Booker T., we will be adding a World Language class, also Honors Mathematics class, and 

afterschool tutorial. In addition to that, depending, of course, on your vote this evening, the Baltimore 

City Public School System will have an open house for parents and students, both the week of June 

17th, and then again in August, giving our parents and our children two opportunities to visit the 

schools. And, of course, we will be sending letters to the parents notifying them of their September 2002 

placement by the end of June, the first week of July. I just wanted to also share with you that we really 

would like to do a very thorough student orientation in both schools during the month of August. So in 

anticipation of some of the questions you might ask, I thought that I would give you a flavor of some of 

the things that Dr. Jones and staff have been working on, depending, this time, on the outcome of this 

evening's conversation. 

MS. WELCH: I'm sure we will have some discussion. 

MS. SIEGEL: Will there be -- and I don't know if we've anticipated this, but you're going from one type 

of school program into another. Will we be able to monitor to see that there are no lapses, that -- I'm 

concerned about whether or not the change is striking, and what kinds of -- where our expectations are. 

MS. RUSSO: That's exactly what Dr. Gradsmith and I were talking about. And we said that, depending 

on the vote, that we will sit down together, with our State partners, and we will ensure that we put in 

place appropriate mechanisms and benchmarks so that we have more controls. 

MS. NOEL: So moved. 

MR. STRINGFIELD: Second. 

MS. WELCH: Properly moved and seconded. All in favor? 



Page 34 of 41 




MR. TILDON: I'd like to make some comments, if it's allowed. 

MS. WELCH: Dr. Tildon? 

MR. TILDON: During his presentation, Mr. O'Neill, I responded by telling him that I felt insulted. I 

think it's important that the public know, at least, my feelings on this issue. I think it's somewhat 

disingenuous for someone to imply that if we don't make a decision that's favorable to them that we lack 

courage. I think that anyone that has a sense of this Board knows the approach that we have used in our 

deliberations. We may error in our judgments, our actions, and our decisions, but there is nobody at this 

table that does not have the children of Baltimore totally in their eyesight. And I know from my work 

with all of the people at this table that we leave our egos at that door, we leave our agendas at that door, 

and we have an open mind to gather and understand our own assumptions, and to revisit them over and 

over again. I think that it's important, at least, for the public to understand my support of the CEO, 

because there has been a major public relations effort to castigate this System, and I think you ought to 

stop that. I think your efforts to promote your own educational programs should stand on their own 

rhetoric. To tell us about the 40-odd thousand children that have to go to summer school, as an 

indictment of this System, of this Board, equally of the Board, of the system, reeks of insult. But the fact 

of the matter is, considering the proposal that I received, I would describe them as ambiguous, lacking 

focus, and not having any substantial evidence to tell me that the group that has run an elementary 

school can now run a middle school. I appreciate your willingness to assist this System, and we will 

seek partners throughout wherever. We sat here and we heard the parents and the teachers provide us 

with their concerns. And, as a matter of fact, one of the things that stuck with me, Mr. Dugger said we 

shouldn't call these children kids, and he's right. So there are words of wisdom that come to us, and we 

incorporate them a lot. But, Mr. O'Neill, I have to tell you, I don't know what you had in mind, but the 

very statement you made insulted me, and I think this Board, and I did not accept your apologies. 

MS. WELCH: Commissioner Streuver? 

MR. STREUVER: I would also strike my vote void of the CEO's recommendation. As a Board 

representative, I think the Advisory Board has been one of the champions of the notion that it's on an 

important to innovate. Perhaps there's a better way to doing things that will benefit the entire System, 

using -- contracting out the management of the schools. And so over the last -- Baltimore's really been a 

leader in this. We've been, I guess, Stay-in-School Student of the Year for all six years. 

MS. WELCH: It's been more than that. 

Page 35 of 41 

MR. STREUVER: So we've been asked this for some time, and we have a process for it. It's called the 

New School Initiative. And cycle 4 of those New School applications were due for the 2003/20003 

school year reviews in early December last year. And most of those that we -- that were approved for 

going forward in our planning year was in recognition that -- while we do believe in putting the pedal to 

the metal, as Commissioner Stringfield was saying, we need to do that with some careful thought and 

planning. And ensuring that we're experimenting with this model for innovation through New Schools, 

contracting out management, that we're balancing that with your larger efforts to move forward our 

reform agenda across the System. We've got 173 schools; 95,000 students. The responsibility really is to 

that entire student population. And we have, what I believe, is an exciting middle school reform action 

plan, we have an exciting high school reform action plan, and a top priority for us to put the pedal to the 

metal in moving forward and implementing that, in terms of our allocations of funding and staff 

resource. Booker T. Washington, I know Commissioner Murphy, in particular, has been hard at work 




with parents and community and their staff in creating an innovation model there of grades 6 through 

12, with an arts curriculum focus. And that's been in the works for a while. I guess Ms. Murphy says it's 

not fast enough, in terms of the actual facility planning to support that. So I need to temper my 

exuberance for trying out new ideas with making sure that we're not taking away from who our main 

reform effort. And, also, that we're doing an adequate job of planning and working with this community. 

And just even at the very beginning, when we started hearing this a month or two ago, that a full 

proposal. You know, that, as far as the communities that have the new schools, it's just not sufficient to 

put a school in place for September, in terms of what we believe is adequate planning and preparation 

with the space. You're working with the 265 students and parents who are interested in your three 

elementary schools. But we need to also think about parents that are also part of that larger community 

at those two middle schools. So that's why with reluctance, given the enthusiasm and the tremendous 

excitement that's been created among the parents and students which criticized the vote in support of our 

CEO's recommendation. I do hope, however, that two things -- you know, one is that we do take up, and 

there's a thought for you to build a partnership with us. And we look forward to meeting soon and 

exploring this whole range of opportunities that improve collaboration, where we can really benefit in 

the greatest way, what they're trying out. But we might want to for the large system. So we welcome that 

offer. I hope you don't take tonight's vote as saying there's no interest in collaborating with us. At least 

my perspective. And, secondly, your CEO's -- an important part of the recommendation, to me, was 

working with the parents. You've done such a wonderful job of getting them excited. We're hoping to 

take advantage and learn from that excitement, so that we can use that as a model for every school. I 

think it's terrific. I would like to see it as much as possible in a constructive way so we're not worried 

about everything. And we do accept people saying that point of view. But I do hope that we can take 

advantage of the offer. Let's not close the partnership, and have a constructive relationship. And I do 

have -- am very supportive of our CEO's interest in building on this ground interest. 

MS. WELCH: Commissioner Jones? 

MR. JONES: I'd like to make some comments about the relationship that we've had with Edison over 

the past two years. If the Edison Schools wanted to become partners with us, they've had two years to do 

it, and that, instead, they decided not to. In fact, now that we're in the effort to develop a partnership, 

people were coming to see us and not being from Baltimore Edison Schools. They're from out of town, 

from headquarters, from development. Instead, I got a clear sense that the Edison Schools have seen the 

city as an adversary. They've not been a partner, and clearly haven't wanted to be. There had not been 

cooperation on hiring staff, for instance. We've had -- been going back and forth about trying to get the 

best teachers into their System, or our System. No net contribution to the City of Baltimore at all. It's a 

zero-something game. Being granted city-wide status so that they could recruit the best students in the 

school, and then turn back around, and the difficult, more extensive students they have given back to us, 

or attempted to give back. Literally told children "go back to BCPSS." We don't see those parents in 

here raving about Edison Schools. So we do have a long history. And it has played an innovative role in 

developing a partnership with other people. But I guess I have to say that we have a long way to go in 

order to turn around our current relationship with Edison, from what it has been in the last two years 

forward. True partnership for all of the children of the City of Baltimore; not their scores versus our 

scores. 

MS. WELCH: Commission Murphy? 

Page 36 of 41 

MS. MURPHY: Yes. I just have an announcement. That the Eubie Blake Center has a partnership with 

Booker T. this summer. And we have an arts and mathematics program that's going to be activity-based 

during the summer school hours for five weeks. Many of the persons who will be teachers will be 

teachers who will be in Booker T. in the fall. So it is an opportunity for some of our -- some of the 

Edison children who are maybe interested in attending this program to meet some of these teachers and 




get a feel for Booker T. And we do talk about Booker T. Washington as a great historical figure, and 

how important he was to America. So we would invite any of the Edison children to enroll in that. 

MS. WELCH: Finally, I'd just like to say that when this Board was first created, we had a conversation 

with former Mayor Kirk Schmoke, and one of the things he said to us was that there were pockets or 

islands of excellence in the System, and that he wanted us to be very conscious of the need to make 

systemic reforms, so that we could increase the islands of excellence in this System. And I think that's 

the real reason that we are sitting here. We want to make those systemic, steady changes so that more 

schools will be -- more faculty members, more students, will be excited about their schools, so that we 

can get the kinds of results that we want. And I think that's -- I think I'm speaking for the entire Board 

when I say that. We want to make the System better so that people won't just say, "Are there any good 

schools in Baltimore?" And they go, "one, two, three, four, five," and then they'll stop. We want the list 

to get longer and longer. And that's what we're about. 

MS. RUSSO: Mr. Carter, will you come forward to discuss the Living Wage? 

MR. CARTER: Good evening, once again. The Board's Living Wage Policy, which is set forth in the 

School Board Rule 406, requires a contract -- was awarded a contract by the Board to supply janitorial 

services, cafeteria, student services and bus transportation services to pay its workers a living wage. The 

School Board's current policy sets the living wage at $7.90, and it's set to expire on June 30th, 2002. I'm 

requesting to Board to consider to extending the living wage to June 30th, 2003, and to increase the 

living wage from $7.90 per hour to $8.10 per hour. In the event the Board takes this action, the School 

Board Rule 406 will be modified to reflect the action taken by the Board. 


MS. SIEGEL: Second. 

MS. WELCH: Properly moved and seconded that we accept the action. All in favor? 


MS. WELCH: Opposed? You got it. Thank you. 

MS. RUSSO: Procurement Agenda. 

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Good evening, President Welch, Ms. Russo, Members of the Board. The 

purpose of this evening's presentation is to obtain approval of this evening's procurement for June the 

7th, 2002. Beginning with Section 1 - Professional Services. I request for your approval of items A and 

B. 





MS. WELCH: Opposed? Next. 


Page 37 of 41 



UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Under Tuition Reimbursement, I request your approval of item C - 

Project Site Support, as this is related with Johns Hopkins University. Commissioners Stringfield and 

President Welch and Commissioner Tildon are recused. 

MS. MURPHY: Are we going to have enough votes? 

MR. JONES: So moved. 

MS. MURPHY: Second. 

MS. WELCH: In all favor? 

MR. TILDON: Why am I recused? 

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I apologize. 

MS. WELCH: Properly moved and seconded. All in favor? Can I do that? No. You have to do that. 

MR. STREUVER: Properly moved and seconded. All those in favor say aye. 


MR. STREUVER: Opposed? Motion carried. 

MS. WELCH: That was good. 

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I request your approval for items D and E. Again, Commissioner 

Stringfield is recused. 






UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I request your approval for items F through I. 






Page 38 of 41 




UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I request your approval of items J through R. 

MR. JONES: I have a question on item J. It seems that what we requested to do is to fund the 

unintentional extension of a contract from beyond its actual end to the current time. It seems that we 

didn't keep track of when the contract should have ended. Services continued, and payments made. 

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: No. Payments have not been made, which is why this request appears 

before you this evening. This was through the use of grant funding. What was -- the document that was 

originally presented to the Board was for the period June 1, 2000 through December 31, 2001. The 

document should have read June 1, 2000 through December 2000. Because the document that was 

presented said through December 2001, services were performed for an additional one-year period. 

Because these original services were performed under a grant, the additional year was also funded under 

a grant. We recently became aware, from the school's principal, that this discrepancy had occurred. And 

we're appearing before the Board to obtain the approval so that the payment for the second year can be 

made. But keep in mind, it has always been the intention that there would be those services performed 

during that second year of January 1, 2001 through December 30, 2001. 

MR. JONES: They worked a whole year without being paid? 

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: That is correct. The YMCA, that is correct. Because, you see, the 

YMCA knew that the services that they were providing were budgeted under a grant. So the YMCA 

knew it was just a matter of time until they would be reimbursed, and that the cash flow was sufficient, 

so they didn't push the issue earlier. 

MR. JONES: We understand it now. 


MR. STREUVER: Second. 



MS. WELCH: Opposed? F through R. 

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes, ma'am. Item S - Contract with the Computex Internationals, it was 

deferred. Moving to Section 2 - Goods and Services. I request your approval for items A through G. 



MS. WELCH: Properly moved and seconded. All in favor on the Board? 




Page 39 of 41 



UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I request your approval for items H through L. 






UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I request your approval for items M through 0. 






UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Moving to the next section, Contract Renewals. I request your approval 

for items P through W. 


MR. MR. STRINGFIELD: Second. 

MS. WELCH: It's properly moved and seconded. All in favor? 



UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Under Emergency Procurement, we have two items. I request your 

approval for items X and Y. 

MR. STREUVER: So moved. 

MS. SIEGEL: Second. 

MS. WELCH: Moved and properly seconded. All in favor? 




Page 40 of 41 



UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I thank you very much. 

MS. WELCH: We thank you very much. 

MS. RUSSO: Mr. Smolarz, the April Monthly Financial Report. 

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Each of you should have in your package a document labeled Baltimore 

City Public School System, April 30, 2002, Financial Statements, Unaudited. On the screen, we have the 

information provided. I'd like to begin with saying that we reviewed the April financials in detail with 

the Finance Committee this past Thursday evening. And my comments will be focused primarily on the 

operating budget. 

MR. STREUVER: If I can just make a suggestion. It's getting late. This was reviewed by the Finance 

Committee. Unless there are some particular questions or issues, let's accept it and say job well done, 

here, here. 

MS. WELCH: Any opposition to Bill's suggestion? 

MS. RUSSO: Well done. Thank you. Grants Agenda. 

MR. SMOLARZ: There is none. 

MS. RUSSO: There are none. Thank you. 

Page 41 of 41 

MS. WELCH: Let it be known that the next meeting of the Board will take place on Tuesday, June 

25th, and then that next meeting will be July 9th. And then, let it be known that the next meeting will 

not occur until Tuesday, August 27th. I know you're disappointed, but that's it. On June 17th, at 

Arlington Elementary School, there will be a celebration of the Thornton Commission. It's going to be a 

major celebration. July -- June 17th, this Monday, this coming Monday, at 12:00 in this room, the Board 

Room. Listen, Monday, June 17th, at 12:00 in this room, the Thornton Commission celebration will take 

place. Okay. No other comments or questions, this meeting stands adjourned. (Whereupon, the meeting 

was concluded at 9:20 p.m.) 

STATE OF MARYLAND SS: I, Ethel M. Coates, a Notary Public of the State of Maryland, do hereby 

certify that the within named, personally appeared before me at the time and place herein set out. I 

further certify that the examination was recorded stenographically by me and this transcript is a true 

record of the proceedings I further certify that I am not of counsel to any of the parties, nor an employee 

of counsel nor related to any of the parties, nor in any way interested in the outcome of this action. As 

witness my hand and notarial seal this 27th day of June, 2002. My commission expires December 1, 

2004 Notary Public

June 11, 2002 - Baltimore City Public Schools

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