[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6149543,"mediaKeyId","5511754-4c9a9e977c946602da771a4e10b9a758","parentId",5511754,"title","Superintendent reports near‑complete staffing and lists vacancies as schools prepare to reopen Aug. 20","audioSeconds",305,"startMs",49000,"endMs",354000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5511754-4c9a9e977c946602da771a4e10b9a758&start=49&end=354","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5511754-4c9a9e977c946602da771a4e10b9a758/thumbnail_49000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6149543/Maryland/Superintendent-reports-nearcomplete-staffing-and-lists-vacancies-as-schools-prepare-to-reopen-Aug-20","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6149543-b4a43f10d32de87024ee9e63cb83140f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775427432&Signature=QX7Fnbvm4F1uEgRbEYXO~X6OkqyOobjrCILRw9LA2RBPImAT538vurgs1Mu8LWNN-~gEF5XwCwu2xgj~uRIxkXvhLDfFSBpUFvxk22N9I0kZl-fqL~QFFJRhjVglyhqx3oO79ovOo3wrAGBaGUBygGwYCC3s7RENltMjuiOLb~OkKydpmD9wNAW16T9zN9quBdWHfdhfXA2l3IY5hNdgAYYLm7YJfWg9vhFn2OX7aQcDj171YQBnPpWy6ooSKXLLYitHwDfKzi-IctRsi4iamGNuTbJbdbNNig-qQSQ9AUqGWawBqVhQX-JJcx9JY4sEnRT3Id9V6IoCshNyEJV2sg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-31T08:02:09.257Z","article","At the July 30 meeting the superintendent gave a summer operations update on staffing, enrollment and back‑to‑school activities for Saint Mary's County Public Schools.
Staffing: The superintendent said the district is “in fantastic shape” for the start of the school year but listed outstanding vacancies: two elementary classroom teachers, one high‑school science teacher, one Navy JROTC instructor to succeed the current captain, one media specialist, middle‑school openings in English, math and science, one occupational therapist, a social‑emotional learning (SEL) coach for special education, approximately 2.5 speech‑language pathologist full‑time equivalents, and support‑professional openings (building services staff, assistant managers, bus drivers and assistants, food‑service staff, instructional paraeducators, special‑education paraeducators, secretarial staff, and teacher apprentices). The superintendent said all positions are posted on the SMCPS website and encouraged applicants to use the district’s online employment portal.
Back‑to‑school logistics and dates: Staff noted new‑school‑leader meetings and new‑teacher orientation days in early August, content‑specialist work and optional boot camps, a district kickoff event the week before teachers report, and fall‑sports tryouts beginning when teachers return. The superintendent gave a schedule of openings and key dates: teachers report Aug. 13, teacher in‑service Aug. 14–15, home access center opens the afternoon of Aug. 15 for parents to see teacher assignments, professional days Aug. 18–19, and the first day of school Aug. 20. The district will hold school open houses around those dates and asked families not to wait until open house days to complete enrollment/registration to avoid long lines.
Student representative: The student member of the board (SMOB) reported being appointed to the AIB pillar‑5 advisory committee for the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and said she will report back to the board on that work.
Staff and the superintendent asked the public to complete pre‑K and kindergarten enrollment paperwork in advance and to resolve account access issues before key portal‑opening dates.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","St. Mary's County Public Schools Board of Education Meeting - 07/30/25","oneSentenceSummary","Superintendent updated the board on summer hiring and back‑to‑school logistics: most vacancies filled, remaining openings (teachers, JROTC, specialists, paraeducators, SLPs) are posted on SMCPS website; new‑staff orientations and key dates for August were provided.","taxTitle","St. Mary's County Public Schools, School Boards, Maryland","taxId",14203,"location","Maryland","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6149549,"Board hears first reading of proposed student‑debt policy as committee plans detailed regulations",366,2622000,2988000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5511754-4c9a9e977c946602da771a4e10b9a758&start=2622&end=2988","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5511754-4c9a9e977c946602da771a4e10b9a758/thumbnail_2622000.jpg","/articles/6149549/Maryland/Board-hears-first-reading-of-proposed-studentdebt-policy-as-committee-plans-detailed-regulations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6149549-30a510c302cae7911246a451bfa04637/orig.mp4?Expires=1775427432&Signature=Bgfgh10rPpN0c5ojv2uHUS4UTuz3UHzlbSrdG7YikeExKbphv~Z3NhQkAxWwUsFfLTPv-wtkFnwsvGViYAa7nHPIIIHiRKK~nJf4VW3QSSV4Kt5ob9hVVTBpmiJE~ExTFNkhGovOtESDsBBjMA1EqQyV3PeeTXcWC18G9RjMvHwr1eo84ZZ3lTnAaHVVAgRjjOJEZ531RkUUpH7AtofgQN0j9RqldLpOx4tfnwx6ZnwGZjkZEtQc0POsPdLYjxZi6RJTWnQBuU-CCyV0MXX79MMknZUkuaykZuXkgistHL2r-Ba43cOAbgrdEZQco-Ln978Oix3UdjqfzyCp6wYgKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On July 30 the Saint Mary's County Board of Education heard a first reading of a proposed new policy, JFI, that would establish district expectations and procedures for managing school‑related student debt.
The draft policy defines student debt to include meal-account deficits, lost or damaged technology and school property, extracurricular fees, library fines and other approved charges. The policy’s stated goals are transparency, fairness and support for students while maintaining fiscal responsibility; the board would delegate development of specific regulations to the superintendent and staff if the policy is adopted.
The draft includes several operational points: the district will communicate amounts owed and reasons to families; efforts will be made to assist households (payment plans or alternative options) to avoid undue hardship; collection practices must be fair and nondiscriminatory; the district may restrict participation in extracurricular activities or other privileges until debts are resolved; and debt information will be kept confidential.
District staff and board members discussed definitions and wording — in particular whether the policy should use “may” or stronger language such as “shall”/“will” when committing the district to assist families. Board members asked staff to refine language about when and how restrictions on extracurricular participation would apply, suggesting a provision that restrictions be lifted where a satisfactory payment plan or other acceptable resolution is in place.
Staff provided preliminary figures requested by the board: technology debt for active students (aggregated since districtwide 1:1 device distribution) was reported at approximately $240,184.15; unresolved print‑resource debt for active students about $27,450; and meal/lunch debt approximately $135,000 for the district. Staff noted additional school‑level debts (uniforms, equipment) are still being tabulated by the work group.
The policy committee will continue work through FY26. The board set a public‑comment opportunity for Aug. 13 and planned possible action on Aug. 27. District staff said they will draft implementing regulations and present them to the board after public comment so the regulations are consistent with the board policy.
","Board members heard a first reading of proposed policy JFI on student debt: definition, categories (meal accounts, damaged/lost technology, fees, library fines), confidentiality, hardship provisions and possible restrictions on extracurricular privileges; board set public comment and a timetable for regulation development.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6149553,"Board awards $199,860 contract to Cannon Washington for countywide facility‑utilization and boundary study",1618,914000,2532000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5511754-4c9a9e977c946602da771a4e10b9a758&start=914&end=2532","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5511754-4c9a9e977c946602da771a4e10b9a758/thumbnail_914000.jpg","/articles/6149553/Maryland/Board-awards-199860-contract-to-Cannon-Washington-for-countywide-facilityutilization-and-boundary-study","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6149553-6dfc407a418e5101156c1a2f3f98aa3c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775427432&Signature=m2i9Eh9og91YUqpgaTCmf6KwhnViE1Im3xFS~tEZH4hM-L2Ab0eBIWQ1GN1oAqKhl8aeAEmENBPpQlGdiBpnwE7lbxT36~pTXT8tnkYXgt7V3O1Tb41RiKMKouQPmIHPA-Qv8684dIb01XWDhHian-zoBN3ndlyzqQuqunDHRzN~Sa1ZXIplqWxoO4vM69KjG9ZaSi7Oyssy4Ec0M0rC-hp8px6p8kiMi1HFwQQnnTXT7pGSxrGpTx3Eb5q7glYLXNlWHPk1kp4aZ3kdugRjEtXCQ8NUvPuHwkk8QRN7W3~nJz8ONRDPttGZrK5aaqnwbKr4Qt9mjq1pajbhCzCa8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Saint Mary's County Board of Education voted July 30 to award a facility-utilization and school-boundary consulting contract to Cannon Washington Incorporated (a Cannon Design component) to evaluate use of the district’s 27 schools and recommend options for boundary changes, closures and other realignment strategies.
The contract is a lump-sum award of $199,860 with a project contingency for optional “value‑added” services of $48,045; the district reported a $250,000 budget for the work, leaving an available balance of $2,095 if the contingency is not used.
District staff told the board the consultant was chosen after an RFP process that drew four proposals; one firm was deemed nonresponsive for failing to submit pricing. Cannon Washington submitted a technical proposal, pricing and an interview; staff contacted references in other jurisdictions and reported favorable feedback about Cannon’s community engagement and technical work.
Staff described the study scope as a complete analysis of available space, enrollment and growth; a review of facility usage and projections; fiscal and operational impact analysis; and community engagement. The vendor proposed a schedule that would backward-map to a parent-notification date of April 1, 2026. Staff outlined a timeline that includes consultant evaluations from July through September; countywide community engagement and public presentations October–December (proposed three consecutive nights at each high school and their feeder schools); a final options report in January; and board consideration in February–March prior to April notifications.
The presenters noted the work will incorporate enrollment projections, cohort survivability and information from county land‑use, growth management and the county comprehensive plan. Staff also said the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) in the county tracks new development and adequate public‑facilities approvals and that some town planning processes (for example, Leonardtown) operate separately but that the district coordinates with municipal planning as possible.
Board members and staff emphasized the length and complexity of the study and asked the firm to present scaled, easily digestible materials during engagement (district staff said an information hub on the SMCPS website, livestreamed meetings and posted follow-ups were planned). Board members asked that the district provide periodic updates to the board during study implementation.
The motion to award the contract authorized district staff to use hourly rates in the contract to purchase additional services from Cannon Washington as funding permits. Cannon Washington named Maria Gordeketskaya as client leader, Kia St. Louis as project manager, Paul Mills as prime contact, and independent GIS contractor Lee Wong as a technical partner for data visualization; staff also listed other team members and their experience with similar district projects.
","The board approved a contract with Cannon Washington (Cannon Design) for a facility-utilization and school-boundary study covering all 27 district schools to evaluate closures, realignments and fiscal impacts; the work includes community engagement and a target parent-notification date of April 1, 2026.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6149558,"Board OKs 2025–26 school bus contractor and spare-bus agreements",159,714000,873000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5511754-4c9a9e977c946602da771a4e10b9a758&start=714&end=873","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5511754-4c9a9e977c946602da771a4e10b9a758/thumbnail_714000.jpg","/articles/6149558/Maryland/Board-OKs-202526-school-bus-contractor-and-spare-bus-agreements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6149558-a6c147d7653ccd10ff9346ac26c2a9d7/orig.mp4?Expires=1775427432&Signature=Zmxz7364YYEOIMxOJCw5WuYk9GKXiPTucfvzczTe0A6Jt7Nca~Gha13B99nWyu7hVpSIwHHL~wGZwzmdM9OJGBUiYXusZdY6Uq08TCRATfvoT6rOydVZjlJ1C1UL6wtuyqzT-snUdY39W2UyeGKmJez9N1ful3LQl4BiphKRFGqcKnZ7vNVUGn97PVC0h1NXhMD7ESVBlWj7ZjURa2RrB0dUvrgRgLsUTpvMdNzbkKZGpJeRnqdHnULcXa6C8bmAaQ4Tij4n-~wUKjpUxalawf01xcRgzGp9qmgheXQT9yK2eOHeu0vQf67~I1dBskxdW7e0jkdd43-hsyiTb8AnRg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On July 30 the Saint Mary's County Board of Education approved contracts with school bus contractors for the 2025–26 school year, including regular-route and spare-bus agreements. The board’s motion to approve the agreements passed after a brief staff presentation and no substantive public or board debate.
The contracts cover 41 school bus contractors operating 164 regular-route school buses, 29 special-needs route buses and 48 spare buses; the procurement also includes 12 replacement school buses and 21 six-year contract renewals, staff said.
Staff described the payment formula used in the contract, including a per-vehicle allotment that uses the prime rate (recently reported at 8%), and noted bus prices rose about 5 percent. Hourly payments in the formula include a driver base rate of $30.10 (which incorporates a 26.5% fixed-cost component), a tenant rate of $24.47 (also with the 26.5% fixed-cost component), and a maintenance rate increase of $0.03 per mile. The formula also includes a $5,000 annual retention payment per bus and an operations payment increase of $140 per bus; stipend payments were unchanged.
Board members moved and seconded the contract approval and the chair called the question; the motion carried. Staff recommended the board approve both regular contractor agreements and spare-bus agreements as presented.
The superintendent’s office noted staff will monitor future cost pressures, including potential Environmental Protection Agency electric-vehicle mandates and possible steel tariffs, and bring information forward as needed.
The board did not discuss changes to routes or student-ride assignments at this meeting; those operational matters were not part of the purchasing approval.
","The Saint Mary's County Board of Education approved regular-route and spare-bus contractor agreements for the 2025–26 school year, covering 164 regular-route buses, 29 special-needs buses and 48 spare buses; payment rates and retention incentives were described by staff.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Superintendent reports near‑complete staffing and lists vacancies as schools prepare to reopen Aug. 20

Board hears first reading of proposed student‑debt policy as committee plans detailed regulations

Board awards $199,860 contract to Cannon Washington for countywide facility‑utilization and boundary study

Board OKs 2025–26 school bus contractor and spare-bus agreements