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November 29, 2025

Centreville Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Centreville

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A Changing of the Guard: A Chat with Washington College Outgoing Board Chair Steve Golding and Incoming Rick Wheeler

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Six years ago, Steve Golding took up the mantle of chair of the Washington College Board of Visitors and Governors. With impeccable credentials as a chief financial officer of some of the country’s most prestigious schools, including the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, the University of Colorado, and Ohio University, he stepped into a leadership role at Washington at a time when liberal arts colleges in the country faced unprecedented financial challenges. The school’s leadership saw the significant benefit of having someone with Golding’s skills and temperament to serve as a mature and steady hand supporting a college president. And it didn’t hurt that he was proud member of the class of 1972.

During his tenure as Chair, the College has survived not only those financial minefields but also the unprecedented economic impact of a health pandemic. And under the leadership of new college president Mike Sosulski, student enrollment has increased, faculty co-governance relations have improved, and the school’s endowment has moved from $200 million to approximately $325 million. More recently, the College received a $15 million donation this spring from a young alum to seed a new undergraduate business school.

Not bad.

However, after two decades of service to Washington College, Steve Golding is stepping down to make room for a new generation to take over the critical role of stewardship of this 242-year-old Eastern Shore institution. Now, the torch will be passed to Rick Wheeler, class of 1986, the CFO of Oakland Consulting Group based in Lanham, MD.

In their Spy interview from a few weeks ago, Steve and Rick traded thoughts on where Washington College has been and where the country’s 10th oldest liberal arts college is going in the 21st century.

This video is approximately 12 minutes in length. For more information about Washington College please go here.

 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Blueprint Blues: Mid-Shore and State School Leaders Cite School Reform Plan’s Progress and Problems

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Maryland public school students are approaching their summer vacations, but some school officials won’t get the same break, as they continue plugging away on the state’s huge education reform plan.

School officials from the state’s 24 districts filed updated documents last month detailing their progress on, and problems with, the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.

The latest filings are a follow-up to brief March reports, of a dozen pages or fewer, in which school officials responded to at least five questions and prompts from the state on the top challenges they are facing implementing the Blueprint. Those documents and the ones filed last month are on the website of the Blueprint’s Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB).

School officials in the latest reports cited progress, but they also said they still face challenges that range from funding, to meeting diversity goals and implementing full-day prekindergarten, among others.

Many were like Harford County Superintendent Sean Bulson, a Blueprint supporter who acknowledges challenges.

In a recent interview, Bulson said the Blueprint has helped his district in several areas such as higher pre-K enrollment, youth apprenticeships and high school students taking courses at a community college, a program called dual enrollment.

But while schools receive state funding and additional resources as part of the Blueprint, Bulson and other school and county leaders have expressed concerns over a need for funding and a lack of flexibility in implementation of the plan.

For instance, Bulson said certain funding requirements could cause cuts to specialty programs and elective courses such as art and physical education.

He said one bright spot, however, has been collaboration with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), particularly Superintendent Carey Wright.

“In the last few months, we’ve seen that begin for the first time. I’m very encouraged by Dr. Wright’s work,” Bulson said. “But they [state officials] have to stay on track with that because we can do great things with this Blueprint.”

Wright said in a recent interview that she held a four-day meeting to review all 24 school district Blueprint documents, along with state education officials, local school leaders and officials with the AIB, the independent unit that oversees and approves all Blueprint plans.

The reports from each school district are based on the Blueprint’s five priorities: early childhood education, hiring and retaining high-quality and diverse teachers, preparing students for college and technical careers, providing additional resources for students in need and governance and accountability.

Wright said her staff will compile data and other information into one document including some of the challenges cited by local schools and present that report to the state Board of Education. In addition, she said state officials will provide feedback to school officials.

“It informs us if is there something else we could be doing to help facilitate that implementation. That gives us a better idea of what’s happening across the state,” Wright said.

“I think that everybody is invested in the Blueprint. I think that everybody’s trying to do the very, very best that they can to help children learn,” she said.

The Mid-Shore 

Caroline

 “CCPS (Caroline County Public Schools) has 7 out of 22 instructional assistant positions that meet the Blueprint requirement based on their associate degree or higher. There are 6 out of 22 instructional assistants enrolled in the CDA (Child Development Associate) cohort. These assistants should earn the endorsement by the end of the 23-24 school year. Overall, CCPS continues to face the barrier of finding certified staff or current staff that are willing and want to pursue a higher degree or CDA credential. CCPS mitigates challenges by attending more recruitment events at institutes of higher education including additional states.”

Dorchester

“We did see an increase of 3.04% in our minority professional staff. We increased our recruitment fairs to include areas as far as Mississippi. Our strategy to include a more diverse group of recruiters has paid off as we have been able to offer on-the-spot interviews and contracts for the first time. Our number of conditional teachers has decreased from 60 to 46. This is due to an aggressive approach towards meeting twice a year with these staff to monitor their efforts’ progress towards certification and/or licensure. As we acquire certified teachers, these conditional positions will be replaced, especially ones that are not making progress towards their certification.”

Kent

“KCPS (Kent County Public Schools) is committed not only to minimizing the disparity between students and teachers of diverse backgrounds but also to ensuring that school leaders represent the diversity of the student body. The MSDE data file demonstrates that over the last three years, the percentage of Black school administrators increased by 9.7% while the percentage of Hispanic school administrators decreased by 12.5%. The percentage of white school administrators has remained fairly constant, increasing by 2.8% over the past three years. Through its partnership with BSU (Bowie State University), 14 KCPS staff members are pursuing their doctorate degree in Educational Leadership through the BSU doctoral cohort.”

Queen Anne’s

“QACPS (Queen Anne’s County Public Schools) offers opportunities for the private partner to participate in all professional development offered by the district. However, attending the professional development is challenging for private providers as they do not have extra staff available to cover the care of children while they attend. The strategies to be continued in School Year 2024-2025 in order to increase the number of private partners to reach the Blueprint expectation include private providers will be invited to observe a pre-k classroom(s) to view how instruction is delivered and how the classrooms are physically arranged to support the Accreditation Standards.”

Talbot

“For FY 2025, the most significant challenge we face in implementing the necessary pay increase is a small per-pupil increase coupled with declining enrollment, which will reduce our FY 2025 Foundation Aid funding by $11,981. Thus, we do not project having additional Blueprint funding to pay for the mandated Blueprint salary increases. This coincides with the fiscal cliff (loss of COVID relief funding) which has supported many needs, including technology and coaching/mental health positions, that are now competing for resources in our FY 2025 budget along with the unfunded salary increase.”

Maryland

Allegany

“The latest New Permanent Staff Data shows no progression in diversifying leadership roles, with 98% of new staff members for the 2023-2024 school year being white, marking an increase compared to the previous two years. ACPS (Allegany County Public Schools) intends to reverse this trend by increasing marketing efforts, collaborating with organizations such as DIVERSITY in Ed, and maintaining strong partnerships with institutions of higher education such as Frostburg State University. Despite having the aforementioned strategies in place, ACPS must also consider the potential impact and resulting challenges that the Career Ladder could pose on the system’s ability to recruit and retain aspiring leaders.”

Anne Arundel

“We have seen an increase in the total number of applicants applying to positions in our county from 12,206 in the 2022-2023 hiring season to 13,744 in 2023-2024. AACPS (Anne Arundel County Public Schools) continues to use numerous strategies to recruit educators that reflect the diversity of our student population. AACPS recruiters completed 70 recruitment trips this hiring session, 20% of which were diversity-focused events at:

  • Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs);
  • Hispanic Serving Institutions;
  • community events; and
  • two hiring events in Puerto Rico focusing on recruiting bilingual educators to support our growing English Learner (EL) population.”

Baltimore City

“Providing specialized services and supports to students with disabilities is an area where historic inequities and underfunding have acutely impacted City Schools. While the Blueprint is bringing much needed increases in dedicated funding for special education, we will not reach full funding until 2033, and costs will continue to far exceed dedicated revenue for many years. Projected special education costs for FY25 (fiscal year) to provide City Schools’ students with disabilities with all the services to which they are entitled and deserve are around $300 million, while dedicated funding is expected to be only about $125 million.”

Baltimore County

“Teacher certifications at the elementary level do not typically require training in mathematics. This creates significant challenges for teachers (particularly in the intermediate Grades 3–5) as they plan for and execute mathematically sound lessons grounded in the rigor of the content and practice standards. To address, BCPS (Baltimore County Public Schools) plans to include a focus around Common Core domain specific capacity building of school-based math teams through intentional Professional Learning Communities; implementation of an ongoing strand of professional learning around content development for targeted standards, the Major Work of the Grade & Required Fluency standards for Grades 3, 4, and 5.”

Calvert

“As the Career Ladder is finalized and we define the characteristics (e.g., roles, responsibilities, and key attributes) of leaders across the system (including teachers), current and to-be-developed professional learning opportunities will support professionals to move through the teacher and leadership levels. Leadership development begins with hiring and recruitment (as described in the question); however, our focus is on building leaders within our system – to build an internal pipeline of leaders – rather than relying on recruitment of leaders from outside. Our strategies … include partnering with IHEs (Institutes of Higher Education), professional learning through a Next Level Leadership Academy, mentoring and leadership development, and leveraging the career ladder leadership tracks.”

Carroll

“While there has been growth in the percentage of CCPS (Carroll County Public Schools) minority teachers since 2018, a drop from October 2022 to October 2023 (4.9% to 3.4%) was reported in the October 2023 MSDE Professional Staff by Assignment, Race/Ethnicity and Gender report. The hiring of minority teachers continues to be extremely competitive due to the shortage of certificated applicants in Maryland and across the United States. All applicants for CCPS teaching positions must first and foremost provide documentation that they are eligible for Maryland teacher certification to move forward in the hiring process.”

Cecil

“Funding is a concern as we have only one elementary coach for our 17 schools and zero secondary coaches or specialists to facilitate PD (professional development). Overall, there is still no formal way for CCPS (Cecil County Public Schools) to assess a teacher’s training needs. In the 2024-2025 school year, CCPS will implement a new platform to capture professional learning opportunities. One solution for the 2024-2025 school year is to repurpose our current ‘lead teachers’ to provide PD once per month at the secondary level. The PD will be on techniques for analyzing student work in a manner that leads to better use of real-time formative data to guide instruction.”

Charles

“With the Southern Maryland Summit: Teacher Preparation Pipeline held less than a week prior to the deadline of the May 2024 Blueprint submission, CCPS (Charles County Public Schools) has already started its planning to help address the teacher shortage in the district. CCPS is also looking into pathways for educators to become licensed through new pathways established by MSDE including approved alternative programs and in-district training. CCPS is also working with Calvert and St. Mary’s to create these programs together, recognizing that the collective work of the three districts could result in sustainable change and supports leading to less workforce shortages.”

Frederick

“Another ongoing challenge is refining eligibility for accessing the DE (dual enrollment) pathway, as there is currently an incongruence in what FCC (Frederick Community College) requires and the state CCR (college and career readiness) standard. As it currently stands, some students can be eligible for credit-bearing courses at FCC without having met the CCR standard (e.g., course grades in English or math). While FCPS intends to continue allowing access to as many students as possible, funding restraints require a closer examination of when students are able to take advantage of dual enrollment opportunities.”

Garrett

“GCPS (Garrett County Public Schools) places high value on ensuring a quality administrative workforce. To meet the minimum teaching salary of $60,000 on July 1, 2026, GCPS has committed to providing a 15% increase in salary for teachers over the next three years. The GCPS Board of Education made this same commitment for the administrator unit. This is a substantial local investment that elevates the importance of quality administrators. GCPS feels that this investment will allow GCPS to remain competitive locally and ensure quality candidate pools for administrative positions.”

Harford

“HCPS (Harford County Public Schools) has a two-year plan to transition all half-day Pre-K programs to full day by 2025-2026. The Early Childhood Office worked with Facilities to assess space in each elementary school. Five of eleven half-day programs have already become full day without reducing student numbers, doubling classroom spaces. Three more programs will expand in 2024-2025, and the final three by 2025-2026. Initial funding comes from the FY 2024 local Capital Improvement Programs (CIP). Projects include adding bathrooms, modifying playgrounds, and using temporary learning cottages (portable classrooms). Schools facing space challenges are evaluating adjacent sites for expansion.”

Howard

“HCPSS (Howard County Public School System) Teacher Academy of Maryland (TAM) educators are in the process of being trained to implement Child Development Associate (CDA) course offerings. HCPSS has added CDA as an alternate pathway within the TAM Program of Study and it will be offered starting with SY24-25. This pathway increases the early education pipeline for future educators who may wish to work as paraprofessionals in public and private Pre-K programs. Current HCPSS paraprofessionals who wish to pursue an AA (Associate in Arts) are eligible for reimbursement of up to 24 credits at higher education institutions, including Howard Community College.”

Montgomery

“Some challenges MCPS (Montgomery County Public Schools) continues to face in serving children with disabilities include:

  • Lack of highly qualified staff;
  • Specialized transportation needs; and
  • Availability of classroom space throughout the county.

MCPS is committed to providing professional learning and job-embedded coaching to support staff in serving our students receiving special education services. Two curriculum coaches use a support model that provides group and individual coaching for new teachers. In addition, MCPS convenes a new special educator professional learning community, quarterly, to provide additional professional learning on topics related to implementation of specially designed instruction.”

Prince George’s

“An insufficient pool of qualified teachers, specifically Hispanic/Latino teacher candidates, continues to be a challenge for PGCPS (Prince George’s County Public Schools). Based on the PGCPS Blueprint Implementation Plan submission in March 2023, below are adjustments made to a few of the district’s current strategies to mitigate challenges and to ensure continued progress:

  • Transition from virtual to in-person college recruitment fairs, which host Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) to identify and recruit a potential untapped pool of Hispanic/Latino student teachers.
  • Change of subscription from National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) to the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) in order to reach a larger candidate pool.”

St. Mary’s

“One of the major challenges SMCPS (St. Mary’s County Public Schools) has faced is the change of guidance provided by MSDE regarding the requirements of the comprehensive literacy plan. Two committee meetings were canceled as SMCPS waited for MSDE to provide feedback and share the rubric that would be used to evaluate our district’s plan. While the guidance has helped us clarify our mission and goals in writing the comprehensive literacy plan, the delay/timing of the new requirements caused frustration amongst committee members and district staff. It also increased the scope of the project and will require more time than originally planned. To mitigate this challenge, our timeline for completing the comprehensive plan has been adjusted.”

Somerset

“For the past two years we have been unsuccessful in hiring an intervention teacher at one of the high schools and at the middle school. Beyond financial and scheduling difficulties, the underlying issue is the lack of teachers with the mathematical and pedagogical knowledge to teach math. Without someone skilled and knowledgeable in mathematics, the student can become even more confused. This has been a challenge in providing intervention for students who are struggling. This year at the high school, which does not have an intervention teacher, teachers in 8th grade, Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 have been trying to incorporate intervention within their courses, which has not been very successful …”

Talbot

“For FY 2025, the most significant challenge we face in implementing the necessary pay increase is a small per-pupil increase coupled with declining enrollment, which will reduce our FY 2025 Foundation Aid funding by $11,981. Thus, we do not project having additional Blueprint funding to pay for the mandated Blueprint salary increases. This coincides with the fiscal cliff (loss of COVID relief funding) which has supported many needs, including technology and coaching/mental health positions, that are now competing for resources in our FY 2025 budget along with the unfunded salary increase.”

Washington

“WCPS (Washington County Public Schools) and Hagerstown Community College (HCC) have developed a robust partnership focused on enhancing dual enrollment opportunities for students. Challenges within the partnership include addressing the needs of students who are not CCR, inconsistent messaging, and lack of established protocols. For example, systems lack guidelines on integrating students who do not meet the MCAP (Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program) or 3.0 GPA criteria into the dual enrollment program. To tackle these issues, WCPS has instituted an MTSS (multi-tiered system of support) support plan for students who are not CCR. To improve timely communication between stakeholders, WCPS and HCC are creating parent/student handbooks and adding additional information to both websites to ensure clarity and accessibility.”

Wicomico

“The expansion of transportation options represents a significant step forward in enhancing student access to Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, particularly those not available at all comprehensive high schools. Notably, efforts will focus on facilitating access to programs like Interactive Media Production, currently offered at only one school site. However, amidst this progress, a notable obstacle arises: the need to develop systems to support students who are not currently enrolled in CTE programs in accessing apprenticeship opportunities. This challenge will be addressed through collaboration with school-based career coaches, who play a pivotal role in guiding students towards career pathways.”

Worcester

“WCPS (Worcester County Public Schools) still faces challenges in forming a highly collaborative relationship with local childcare providers, due to low participation in professional development programs. Although WCPS has positive two-way communication practices in place, professional development opportunities offered by the public school are still not within reach for childcare partners. WCPS continues to offer training related to shared curriculum on weekends, evenings, and even independently paced, but lack high participation levels from childcare providers. To address this challenge, the Early Childhood Coordinator (ECC) is designing a survey to identify barriers to attendance, with results intended to inform future training opportunities. This survey will be distributed by the end of FY24, and the data obtained will be used to plan FY25 opportunities.”

BY: WILLIAM J. FORD

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Poet Sophie Foster Awarded $77k Sophie Kerr Prize at Washington College

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Sophie Foster Awarded Washington College Sophie Kerr Prize

Amongst a hushed and eager crowd, Washington College senior Sophie Foster was named the winner of this year’s prestigious Sophie Kerr Prize. Now in its 57th year, the prize continues to be the nation’s largest literary award for a college student and totals more than the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award combined. The 2024 award is valued at just over $77,000. Primarily a poet, Foster’s work largely tends to personal internality and inclinations toward the natural world. She read two poems at the evening ceremony in Washington College’s Gibson Center for the Arts, alongside four other finalists, before the winner was announced by College President Mike Sosulski.

Foster was taken aback when she was announced as the winner and in thanking the English department and College for the honor and recognition, noted that she came to Washington feeling disillusioned by literary spaces that were “elitist and prejudiced.” She went on to praise the College and her fellow finalists for creating a supportive environment that she lovingly enjoyed over the last four years. “It has been the honor of my life to come here and be among the impossibly rare community I’ve been granted here,” said Foster.

Foster’s portfolio submission was a collection of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction all themed around the notion of liminality. “I think a lot of the major moments in our lives are fractured, brief and fleeting. A lot of what we remember are moments that happen by circumstance,” said Foster. Her writings, she noted, “navigate the emotionality of brevity.”

“In reading her work, the committee agreed, we kept wanting more,” said Courtney Rydel, associate professor of English and chair of the English department. “Sophie’s writing is lyric and beautiful and fluid, expressing complex emotions by allowing her readers to connect with her narrative on a personal level.”

Sophie Foster acceptance speech

James Hall, director of the Washington College Rose O’Neill Literary House and associate professor of English and creative writing, noted that reading Foster’s portfolio felt like more like reading a book. “Time and space dissolved, and I was completely captivated by this voice. Through lyrical prose and sharp-witted poetry set as close as Baltimore and as far as Britain, Sophie captured my whole heart. Her style is marked by sophisticated syncopation, lyrical control, verbal pyrotechnics, and—despite her young age—a wisdom that we will all do well to study. This is big-hearted, hard-thinking Literature with a capital L.”

Lauded by her professors as one of the strongest editors and literary citizens at Washington College, Foster has been praised for her consistent encouragement and support of her fellow writers. An English major minoring in creative writing and journalism, editing and publishing, Foster has been editor-in-chief of the College’s literary magazine, president of the on-campus Writers’ Union, and opinion editor of the school newspaper. The Reisterstown, Maryland, native will tentatively begin a Master of Fine Arts in poetry at the University of Massachusetts in Boston next year. In the longer term, she hopes to pursue a career in publishing.

Foster’s work stood out from an impressive collection this year, with the selection committee praising the finalists’ work across the board, which included an exhibition of the “provocative power” of the story; a collection of short stories, flash, a novella, and a personal essay on the “indulgence of abject and ugly emotions”; a crown of sonnets focusing on the cyclical nature of human love and experience; and themes of community and queer love through film criticism, personal editorials, and reporting.

“Everyone who submits a portfolio for the Sophie Kerr Prize shows courage in allowing others to scrutinize the work they hold so dear,” said Rydel. “It further takes incredible talent, persistence, and aesthetic insight to produce writing on the level that these finalists have created. We repeatedly were struck by the risk, ambition, lyricism, sonic texture, and insight in these finalists’ portfolios.”

This year, all five finalists were from Maryland. Foster’s fellow competitors included Liv Barry of Dundalk, Dante Chavez of Baltimore, Vivienne “Vee” Sharp from Westminster, and Joshua Torrence from Parkville.

During the ceremony, 2003’s Sophie Kerr Prize Winner and Ohio Center for the Book Fellow at Cleveland Public Library, Laura Maylene Walter noted the unique nature of the prize and the impactful base it laid for her life in writing.

“There’s really nothing like the Sophie Kerr Prize in the literary world,” said Walter. “The Sophie Kerr prize is a prize for promise, for the work that still lies in your future, for what you may one day be capable of.”

Walter is the author of the novel Body of Stars, an Ohioana Book Awards Finalist and a UK Booksellers Association Fiction Book of the Month selection. Her writing has appeared in Poets & Writers, Kenyon Review, Slate, The Sun, Ninth Letter, The Masters Review, Literary Hub, the Horse Girls anthology, and many other publications. Her debut short story collection, Living Arrangements, won the G.S. Sharat Chandra Prize, a national gold IPPY, and a silver Foreword Book of the Year award.

In announcing the winner, President Mike Sosulski noted how “humbled and awed” he was to be among such brilliance and congratulated the finalists and thanked them for “so much beauty.”

The Sophie Kerr Prize

A proud tradition of Washington College’s liberal arts education, the Sophie Kerr Prize is named for an early 20th century writer from the Eastern Shore of Maryland who published more than 20 novels and hundreds of short stories. In her will, Kerr left a generous bequest to the College with the stipulation that half of its annual proceeds fund a literary prize for a student.

Open to submissions from all Washington College seniors from any major, the prize is awarded each year to the graduating senior who has, as Kerr’s bequest stipulates, “the best ability and promise for future fulfillment in the field of literary endeavor.” In the past, it has been awarded for both creative and critical writing alike. A full list of Sophie Kerr Prize winners since its inception in 1968 is available online.

Portfolios submitted for consideration encompass the full range of writing that students pursue at Washington College, including fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screenplays and drama, journalism, editing, scholarly criticism, and research in all disciplines, and even song lyrics. A committee comprising full-time faculty in the English department and the President review and make the final decision. Winners are chosen for their literary excellence, regardless of genre.

In addition to the life-changing literary award, the support made possible by Sophie Kerr’s gift continues to fund experiences and offerings for Washington College students throughout the academic year. For more than 50 years the endowment has brought many of the nation’s top writers, editors, and scholars to Washington’s campus including Toni Morrison, Joyce Carol Oates, Robert Pinsky, Edward Albee, Joseph Brodsky, Gwendolyn Brooks, Lucille Clifton, James McBride, Eamon Grennan, Charles Simic, and Jane Smiley. Funding scholarships and internships and enabling research in literature, writing, and publishing, round out the impressive impact made possible by the Sophie Kerr legacy.

Video of the winner’s acceptance speech available here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Rare, Thriving Native Bee Nesting Site on Washington College Campus

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College photographer’s hobby leads to interest from Cornell University researchers
•••
Ahead of World Bee Day on Monday, May 20, Washington College is buzzing with excitement about a unique and newly documented population of native bees on its campus. Although the large group of ground-nesting bees has been noticeable on one corner of campus for years, recent identification of at least five different species using the same area has sparked interest from researchers.

The section of the college green located in front of East and Middle Halls is a hotspot for these vital pollinators, with ground-nesting mining bees from the Andrena and Colletes genus thriving on the hill at the base of the Halls. Recently, thanks to her keen eye and love of insects, College photographer Pamela Cowart-Rickman realized that the area has multiple species of native mining bees all nesting together. Typically, communal nesting in aggregations has not been well documented.

Cowart-Rickman, who studied biology as an undergrad and developed a love of insects while working on her MFA in design, has tentatively identified five different species, all sharing the same nesting grounds – four different Andrena (mining bees), one Colletes (cellophane bees), and likely three cuckoo bees in the genera Nomada. Sam Droege at USGS Bee Lab assisted with the identification.

“The Washington College site provides rare nesting habitat for multiple native bee species, several of which are uncommon and unidentified. We always talk about providing plants to support native bees and other pollinators, but we rarely think about providing adequate nesting habitat for their survival. These native bees provide beneficial pollination to fruiting trees and plants, not only on the College campus, but also the Chestertown community,” stated Droege.

“They have been nesting amongst and on top of each other for several years in this same location,” said Cowart-Rickman of the bees she has spotted. “The various Andrena have the largest nesting area and emerge first in late February. The Colletes have a smaller area and emerge later in late April.”

From Hobby to Discovery

Spending her days photographing the goings-on and highlights of Washington College life for the school’s marketing and communications department, Cowart-Rickman devotes her free time to photographing insects and has been helping researchers identify and track populations through her photos since the Covid lockdown. She has found and documented several species for MD Biodiversity, BugGuide, iNat, and researchers at the Canadian National Collection of Insects. When she realized what she had stumbled upon right outside her own office building on campus, she reached out to Dr. Beth Choate, deputy director of the Washington College Center for Environment and Society. Choate, who has published research on the abundance of wild bee populations in urban and rural gradients, was also intrigued by the nesting sites Cowart-Rickman had found. The two decided to investigate further.

Washington College photographer Pamela Cowart-Rickman

“On a nice day in the spring, you can see the male bees hovering right at grass level. There were hundreds of these males searching for a female to mate when we were out there,” said Choate.

Females create a small burrow in the ground for rearing young and a ball of pollen and nectar is placed in each to feed the larval bee when it emerges from the egg, Choate explained. Once the males and females mate, the female returns to her nest and lays the egg in the carefully constructed burrow to develop.

“Ground-nesting bees need bare, minimally covered ground in order to dig into the soil. They also prefer sunny and well-drained soil, but it will be interesting to learn what is unique about the soil in this space and why the aggregation has become so large,” said Choate. “Since ground-nesting bees are solitary and do not form colonies, they generally aren’t as noticeable as this aggregation. Females often create nests near one another; however, an aggregation this large is unique.”

After seeing one of Cowart-Rickman’s nesting bee photos on iNat, and realizing the rarity of the site, Dr. Jordan Kueneman, a researcher with Project GNBee who is working on tracking ground-nesting bees at the Danforth Lab at Cornell University, reached out to Cowart-Rickman about possibly providing further research samples and information.

“We were very excited to learn about the ground-nesting bee aggregations at Washington College, for a myriad of reasons,” said Kueneman. “First, the size of the aggregation is substantial, and multiple species are utilizing areas of the overall site to nest. This scenario is ideal for understanding nesting requirements for bees and how those vary by species. Second, intermixed aggregations of nesting bees are particularly interesting to study from an ecological perspective, as the cost/benefits of varying nesting strategies and behavior can be more easily studied, particularly in the context of phenology, nest architecture, and risk of parasitism.”

Kueneman’s project hopes to provide education and awareness of ground-nesting bees, who are, as he notes, “a vital and overlooked group of pollinators essential to terrestrial ecosystems.” The project aims to leverage local participatory actions to study bee nesting biology at scale, which can enhance ecosystem and agricultural sustainability by promoting resilient and diversified pollination services.

He noted that due to its location, the Washington College aggregation can easily provide the opportunity for students and the public to learn about the biology of ground-nesting bees and the value they provide to the environment. He is also hopeful that knowledge of the history of the area and the site’s management can help inform how ground management practices on campus have impacted the population in the past and provide opportunities to explore how current management will impact this population in the future.

“Because of the size of the aggregation, the Cornell lab is interested in the type of soil in this location, so we gathered soil samples from nests throughout the aggregation in various locations,” added Choate.

Research and monitoring of the aggregation will continue as teams from both schools work together to study what makes this site so appealing to multiple species of bees.

Save the Bees!

A certified Bee Campus USA, Washington College has a long history of practicing and promoting conservation in and around its campus through its Natural Lands Project, beekeeping courses for students, food initiative internships and campus garden. One of its chemistry professors is also conducting research on new ways to potentially cure disease in honeybee hives.

Amidst all of this bee-focused activity, Cowart-Rickman has been impressed with how these solitary bees emerge each spring, creating a busy scene as they pollinate fruit trees, flowers, shrubs, and native maples, amidst students walking to class and the nearby traffic of a busy road through the small town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

“Since I was a kid, I’ve always been interested in the tiny things, the things no one notices,” said Cowart-Rickman, who documents her insect photography on Instagram. Now, that interest is leading to an effort to protect a unique population of her favorite creatures.

In general, Cowart-Rickman and Choate urge the local community to become educated and make efforts to encourage native bee populations to flourish.

“Become aware of native bee species, how they nest, and what they feed on,” urges Cowart-Rickman. “A lot of pollinators nest in dried leaves, hollow twigs, rotting wood, and rough stone. Instead of burning these things in the fall, move them to an out of the way space until late spring. If you find a ground-nesting bee area don’t destroy them. They are above ground for only a short time. Plant native plants and create meadows instead of lawns.”

Choate also encourages less mowing and less structure to gardens to encourage native bees to feel welcome. “Avoiding fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides will go a long way in encouraging native bee populations. Traditional lawn “weeds” such as clovers are a favorite for many bee species. And since many native bees nest in the ground, avoiding manicured beds that require mulching and supporting less managed, wildflower plantings in your yard will provide habitat for nesting and a plethora of food for pollinators.”

Kueneman urges those interested in protecting bees to help out ProjectGNBee. “Researchers at Cornell are seeking your help to better understand and protect the nests of solitary, gentle, ground-nesting bees. Even though 90 percent of bees are solitary and 70 percent of bees nest in the ground, knowledge about solitary ground-nesting bees is lacking,” he notes. “Our project will study how factors like soil characteristics affect these bee populations, which will help us learn how to protect and improve nesting habitat for bees that provide crucial pollination services. By promoting nesting sites for native bees, we can enhance ecosystem and agricultural sustainability and resilience.” You can participate in this community science project by joining Project GNbee’s iNaturalist project here.

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Five Maryland Students Vie for Washington College’s $77k Sophie Kerr Prize

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Front row, left to right: D.Chavez, V.Sharp. Back row, left to right: J.Torrence, L.Barry, S.Foster

Washington College has named five students to its short list for the 2024 Sophie Kerr Prize, which is valued at just over $77,000 this year. Now in its 57th year, the prize continues to be the nation’s largest literary award for a college student and totals more than the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award combined. The winner will be announced at a ceremony this Friday, May 17, after the finalists all read from their work. The announcement will be livestreamed on YouTube.

Courtney Rydel, associate professor of English and chair of the English department, announced the graduating seniors vying for this year’s prize. All are from Maryland. Their portfolios included an exhibition of the “provocative power” of the story across several forms including poetry, research, and podcasts; a collection of short stories, flash, a novella, and a personal essay on the indulgence of abject and ugly emotions; poetry on the natural world; sonnets focusing on the cyclical nature of human love and experience; and themes of community and queer love through film criticism, personal editorials, and reporting.

The 2024 Sophie Kerr Award finalists are:

Liv Barry, a Communication and Media Studies major from Dundalk, Maryland minoring in Journalism, Editing, and Publishing and Theatre.

Dante Chavez, an English major from Baltimore, Maryland minoring in Computer Science and Creative Writing.

Sophie Foster, an English major from Reisterstown, Maryland minoring in Creative Writing and Journalism, Editing and Publishing.

Vivienne “Vee” Sharp, an English and Art History double major from Westminster, Maryland minoring in Creative Writing.

Joshua Torrence, an English and Psychology double major from Parkville, Maryland minoring in Gender Studies.

“Everyone who submits a portfolio for the Sophie Kerr Prize shows courage, in allowing others to scrutinize the work they hold so dear,” said Rydel. “It further takes incredible talent, persistence, and aesthetic insight to produce writing on the level that these finalists have created. We repeatedly were struck by the risk, ambition, lyricism, sonic texture, and insight in these finalists’ portfolios, and we look forward to hearing them share their exciting and original work in the reading in Friday’s prize ceremony.”

A proud tradition of Washington College’s liberal arts education, the Sophie Kerr Prize is named for an early 20th century writer from the Eastern Shore of Maryland who published more than 20 novels and hundreds of short stories. In her will, Kerr left a generous bequest to the College with the stipulation that half of its annual proceeds fund a literary prize for a student.

Open to all Washington College students from any major, the prize is awarded each year to the graduating senior who has the best ability and promise for future fulfillment in the field of literary endeavor. In the past, it has been awarded for both creative and critical writing alike. A full list of Sophie Kerr Prize winners since its inception in 1968 is available online.

Portfolios submitted for consideration encompass the full range of writing that students pursue at Washington College, including fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screenplays and drama, journalism, editing, scholarly criticism, and research in all disciplines, and even song lyrics. A committee comprised of full-time faculty in the English Department and the President review and make the final decision. Winners are chosen for their literary excellence, regardless of genre.

“It was particularly difficult to winnow the portfolios down to this group of five stellar writers, whose work showcases an impressive range of genres: from music journalism to innovatively lyrical sci-fi, to stories and poems that are as formal as they are experimental,” said James Hall, director of Washington College’s Rose O’Neill Literary House and associate professor of English and creative writing. “The five finalists have in common a sonorous lyricism, a bravery to voice from the margins, and a love of both literary tradition and a daring to reinvent it.”

The winner will be announced at Friday night’s award ceremony at 7:30 p.m. EST in Hotchkiss Recital Hall at Washington College’s Gibson Center for the Arts. The ceremony is open to the public and will also be livestreamed on YouTube.

In addition to the life-changing literary award, the support made possible by Sophie Kerr’s gift continues to fund experiences and offerings for Washington College students throughout the academic year. For more than 50 years the endowment has brought many of the nation’s top writers, editors, and scholars to Washington’s campus including Toni Morrison, Joyce Carol Oates, Robert Pinsky, Edward Albee, Joseph Brodsky, Gwendolyn Brooks, Lucille Clifton, James McBride, Eamon Grennan, Charles Simic, and Jane Smiley. Funding scholarships and internships and enabling research in literature, writing, and publishing, round out the impressive impact made possible by the Sophie Kerr legacy.

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Washington College Receives $15 Million for New School Focusing on Interdisciplinary Approach to Global Business

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Washington College announces largest individual donation in the College’s 242-year history.

Washington College announced today the largest individual donation in the College’s 242-year history: a $15 million gift from Elizabeth (Beth) Warehime which will enable the launch of The Warehime School of Global Business, Economics, and Social Impact — a new school aimed at fostering a unique interdisciplinary approach to business education. With the goal of transforming business education by focusing on interdisciplinary partnerships, the liberal arts, the global nature of business, and social impact, the school will foster and utilize collaborations between Washington College’s business management, economics, world languages and cultures, and international studies programs.
“This generous gift from Beth Warehime showcases the lasting impact Washington College has on its graduates. We are so thrilled to have the continued support, investment, and valued insights that Beth continues to bestow upon us,” said President Michael (Mike) Sosulski. “This new school will serve our students well as they embark on a true liberal arts education that encourages a global approach to business. I’m hopeful and excited for the great work that will certainly come from the Warehime School of Global Business, Economics, and Social Impact.”
Planning for the new school will move forward within the coming year. The idea for the school, which will focus on ethics and social responsibility, critical thinking, and real-world applications, has been in the works for some time now, however.
“The support of Beth Warehime and her family has transformed our vision for business education at Washington College,” said Caddie Putnam Rankin, business management department chair. “Her continued support allows us to envision a future where we will activate the liberal arts to transform business education through interdisciplinary partnerships and global contexts. Together we seek to inspire students to create lasting social impacts in our world.”
“I am so excited to bring this idea to life for the college; after hearing the thoughts and plans from Caddie and Micheal, I knew this absolutely had to happen,” said Warehime of her generous gift. “This business school will give Washington College a ‘big school’ offering while maintaining the interdisciplinary theme and experience that comes with a small liberal arts institution. My own experience at Washington College was incredibly interdisciplinary, and I can’t wait for others to have an even better experience within the Warehime School.”
As a 2013 graduate of Washington College, Warehime has a long history of support and innovation with her alma mater. In 2019, Warehime directed a $1 million grant to Washington College from the JHC Foundation, a Warehime family foundation. The gift established the Warehime Fund for Student Excellence in Business, which provides the department with $50,000 a year to support student research, entrepreneurship, professional networking, and other initiatives. That support includes funding student participation in professional conferences and other experiential learning activities; start-up funds for student entrepreneurial projects; and a Warehime Fellows program. Warehime became a member of the Washington College Board of Visitors and Governors in 2020.
To learn more about the business management program and other degrees available through Washington College visit washcoll.edu.
About Washington College
Washington College, Maryland’s premier small college, enrolls approximately 1,000 undergraduates from more than 39 states and territories and 23 nations. Washington is known for outstanding academics in more than 50 academic programs. With an emphasis on experiential learning opportunities across the disciplines, ranging from internships and research to international study and civic engagement, Washington prepares students for successful careers and lives after graduation. The College is home to nationally recognized centers of excellence in the environment, history, and writing as well as the 5,000-acre river and field campus which provides unique research opportunities for students and faculty. Learn more at www.washcoll.edu.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Washington College Receives $15 Million for New School Focusing on Interdisciplinary Approach to Global Business

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Washington College announced today the largest individual donation in the College’s 242-year history: a $15 million gift from Elizabeth (Beth) Warehime which will enable the launch of The Warehime School of Global Business, Economics, and Social Impact — a new school aimed at fostering a unique interdisciplinary approach to business education. With the goal of transforming business education by focusing on interdisciplinary partnerships, the liberal arts, the global nature of business, and social impact, the school will foster and utilize collaborations between Washington College’s business management, economics, world languages and cultures, and international studies programs.

“This generous gift from Beth Warehime showcases the lasting impact Washington College has on its graduates. We are so thrilled to have the continued support, investment, and valued insights that Beth continues to bestow upon us,” said President Michael (Mike) Sosulski. “This new school will serve our students well as they embark on a true liberal arts education that encourages a global approach to business. I’m hopeful and excited for the great work that will certainly come from the Warehime School of Global Business, Economics, and Social Impact.”

Planning for the new school will move forward within the coming year. The idea for the school, which will focus on ethics and social responsibility, critical thinking, and real-world applications, has been in the works for some time now, however.

“The support of Beth Warehime and her family has transformed our vision for business education at Washington College,” said Caddie Putnam Rankin, business management department chair. “Her continued support allows us to envision a future where we will activate the liberal arts to transform business education through interdisciplinary partnerships and global contexts. Together we seek to inspire students to create lasting social impacts in our world.”

“I am so excited to bring this idea to life for the college; after hearing the thoughts and plans from Caddie and Micheal, I knew this absolutely had to happen,” said Warehime of her generous gift. “This business school will give Washington College a ‘big school’ offering while maintaining the interdisciplinary theme and experience that comes with a small liberal arts institution. My own experience at Washington College was incredibly interdisciplinary, and I can’t wait for others to have an even better experience within the Warehime School.”

As a 2013 graduate of Washington College, Warehime has a long history of support and innovation with her alma mater. In 2019, Warehime directed a $1 million grant to Washington College from the JHC Foundation, a Warehime family foundation. The gift established the Warehime Fund for Student Excellence in Business, which provides the department $50,000 a year to support student research, entrepreneurship, professional networking, and other initiatives. That support includes funding student participation in professional conferences and other experiential learning activities; start-up funds for student entrepreneurial projects; and a Warehime Fellows program. Warehime became a member of the Washington College Board of Visitors and Governors in 2020.

To learn more about the business management program and other degrees available through Washington College visit washcoll.edu.

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In Memoriam: Professor Frank Creegan

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Frank J. Creegan, 84, of Chestertown, MD, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at The Barnett Hospice Center in Centreville, MD.   

Frank was born December 16, 1939, in Lowell, MA, the second child of the late Mary Cecilia McDonald Creegan and Thomas Alexander Creegan. He attended Keith Academy, in Lowell, and graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry from Merrimack College in North Andover, MA in 1961, and a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Fordham University in 1966.  He held an NSF-funded Post-Doctoral Fellowship with James A. Moore at the University of Delaware, where he went on to hold a one-year appointment as Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry.    

Frank joined the faculty of Washington College in 1967 as Assistant Professor of Chemistry.  He swiftly moved through the academic ranks and was promoted to Full Professor in 1974, and appointed W. Alton Jones Professor of Chemistry in 1982.  He retired from Washington College in 2007, after 40 years of service, which included many years as Chair of the Department of Chemistry. During his four decades of tenure at Washington College, Frank was awarded three sabbatical leaves, at what he jokingly called three foreign universities (1979 at the University of Konstanz, Germany; 1992 at the University of St. Andrews in the Kingdom of Fife, Scotland; and 2003-2004 at the University of California, Berkeley) to advance his research, in bio-organic chemistry, and new student-centered classroom and laboratory approaches to learning.  

In 1992, he joined with chemistry colleagues from thirteen regional undergraduate colleges to found the Middle Atlantic Discovery Chemistry Project, MADCP, which sought to change the undergraduate chemistry laboratory experience from a set of verification activities to true experiments in which results were unknown to the student.  Initial funding of MADCP came from the U.S. Department of Education through its Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE).

In 2002, with a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, MADCP expanded into POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning), a student-centered, learning cycle-based, team-learning approach to both classroom and laboratory instruction that is based on research on how students learn best. Frank was a Co-Project Investigator for the initial NSF grant. Today, POGIL is implemented in a wide range of subjects in more than 1,000 high school and college courses worldwide.   

Frank earned a number of teaching awards, including the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching (1970) and the American Chemical Society, Northeastern Section, James Flack Norris Award for Outstanding Teaching of Chemistry (2015).   

In 2011, with a $2 million gift from an anonymous donor, Washington College established the Frank J. Creegan Chair in Green Chemistry in recognition of Frank’s “40-year service to the college and his longstanding development and oversight of the chemistry program.”  

In retirement, Frank continued to be involved in POGIL and in the Division of Chemical Education of the American Chemical Society as chair of the Regional Meetings Committee.   

Throughout retirement, he and Barbara traveled extensively, first to Russia, then Egypt, then Turkey, Hungary, Austria, Ireland, France, England, Spain, and Portugal. He remained active throughout his life in Chestertown with Sacred Heart Church, where over the course of 57 years he served in a host of ministries.  For many years he was a member of All Seasons Garden Club, serving as Treasurer and as President. 

Along with his parents, Frank was preceded in death by his brother Paul G. Creegan and sister Patricia A. Creegan Kelley. Frank is survived by his wife of 57 years, Barbara Markert Creegan; his children, Frank Joseph Creegan of Easton, MD and Thomas Alexander Creegan II of Baltimore, MD and his spouse Felicia Shakman; nieces Leann Kelley Weibel (David), Coleen Kelly Thurber (Craig), and Stacey (Cristain) Martins all of Colorado; nephews Paul G. Creegan (Suzanne) and Joseph Creegan of Lowell, MA, as well as five grand nephews, and five cousins and their offspring..

The family will receive friends and relatives on Friday evening, May 10, 2024 from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. at Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, 130 Speer Road, Chestertown, MD 21620.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, May 11, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 508 High Street, Chestertown, MD 21620 to be followed by a Reception in Emmanuel Episcopal Church Hall, 101 North Cross Street, Chestertown, MD.  

In lieu of flowers The Creegan Family ask anyone who is able to give, to please make a donation to The Compass Regional Hospice Barnett Center, 255 Comet Drive, Centreville, MD 21617 or to the Frank and Barbara Creegan Foundation, c/o Washington College, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620.    

Internment will be in St. Paul’s Cemetery at a later date.  

  

 

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Mythological TV, History Tours, a Socrates Cafe, and the Future of Community News Round Out May’s Offerings from Washington College

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Washington College is rounding out this spring with opportunities to learn more about the news industry, producing blockbuster shows, and a deeper dive into Maryland and the Eastern Shore’s history. All events listed are open to the public.

“Percy Jackson & The Olympians” Showrunner to Join Virtual “Streaming History” Series

Showrunner and executive producer of the popular Disney+ series “Percy Jackson & The Olympians” Dan Shotz will discuss his work on the hit show with audiences in a digital seminar. In addition to his work on “Percy Jackson,” the LA-based Shotz has also produced such shows as “Black Sails”, “Jericho”, and the “Old Man”, as well as the blockbuster movie “National Treasure”. The virtual event will take place on Thursday, May 16, at 7:30 p.m. and will be hosted by Adam Goodheart, the Hodson Trust-Griswold Director for the Washington College Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience. This event concludes the Starr Center series “Streaming History,” which has included the creators of some of the most acclaimed and successful recent online network series, all of which are inspired by historical stories. Registration is required to attend the virtual event and can be accessed here.

Get Your Fill of Philosophy over Coffee at the Socrates Café

Finding opportunities for unhurried, face-to-face discussion of life’s big questions can be challenging in today’s hyper-noisy, technology-driven world. Drawing on the Socratic tradition of lively, open-ended inquiry, Washington College’s Academy of Lifelong Learning’s Socrates Café is a forum for exploring questions that don’t have easy right-or-wrong answers. There are no assigned readings, and each session’s topic is selected by those in attendance. The only prerequisite for participation is a willingness to listen respectfully as others share their thoughts and experiences. There are two chances to join – May 21 and June 11. Both events start at 10 a.m. Register to attend here.

Starr Center to Host the 250th Anniversary of the Chestertown Tea Party and Inaugural Event of the Maryland 250th Commission

A special commemoration of Maryland, the Eastern Shore, and Chestertown’s unique history will take place at the Custom House (101 S. Water Street) ahead of this year’s Chestertown Tea Party. Co-sponsored by Washington College, its Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, and The Chestertown Tea Party Festival, attendees are invited Thursday, May 23 at 5:30 p.m. to a keynote talk from Starr Center Hodson Trust-Griswold Director Adam Goodheart and remarks from Washington College’s President Mike Sosulski. Several local and statewide officials are expected to be on-site to mark the occasion. The event is open and free to the public. A light reception will follow.

Starr Center to Offer History Tours During Chestertown Tea Party Festival

On Saturday, May 25, Washington College’s Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience will offer exhibits at the Chesapeake Heartland: An African American Humanities Project Mobile Museum Truck from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as part of the Chestertown Tea Party Festival. The truck will be behind the Custom House at 101 S. Water Street. Additionally, a walking tour of local African American history will start at 11 a.m. in front of the Custom House. The College also intends to have representatives in the annual Tea Party Parade.

Register for WC-ALL’s June Learn@Lunch on the “Future of Community Newspapers”

Registration is now open for the Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning’s (WC-ALL) June Learn@Lunch event. Join Trish McGee, founder and editor of the Evening Enterprise, to hear more about the current state of community news and how she carries on the family tradition of reporting the news in Kent County, Maryland. A Washington College graduate, McGee proudly represents the fourth generation of her family to write for a newspaper in Chestertown where her family’s history with local reporting dates back to 1893. The luncheon will take place on Tuesday, June 18 at noon in Hynson Lounge on Washington College’s campus. Registration is required. See here for info and tickets.

A map detailing campus locations can be found here: https://www.washcoll.edu/about/campus-map.php

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Maryland’s School Superintendent Announces Accountability Task Force

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Maryland State Interim Superintendent Carey Wright, center, speaks with reporters April 29, 2024, several days after the state Board of Education unanimously approved Wright to become the permanent public schools leader. Beside Wright is sitting beside Clarence Crawford, left, president of the board, and board Vice President Joshua Michael. Photo by William J. Ford.

Five days after the Maryland State Board of Education unanimously voted to appoint Carey Wright as the state’s permanent superintendent of schools, she held a news conference on Monday to announce the creation of a task force to assess academic achievement.

Wright said members of this group will include local superintendents, principals and higher education representatives to provide recommendations on how to better assess how students are doing in the classroom. The group will be led by the Center for Assessment, a national education nonprofit that designs, implements and evaluates accountability systems to see how students are learning.

Part of this initiative stems from the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP), which measures a student’s proficiency in math, English and science.

The Maryland Report Card uses a rating system from one to five stars to measure overall school performance such as graduation rates, attendance and academic performance.

MCAP results are among the factors that determine the state’s report card and school star rating system.

Although 76% of Maryland schools received at least three out of five stars on the state’s report card released in December, only 47% of all students in third to eighth grades scored on a proficient level in English language arts. The percentage was even lower in math, at nearly 25% proficiency.

“That’s doesn’t ring true,” Wright said. “You can’t have three quarters of your schools being rated as excellent, if you will, and then not seeing student achievement, almost commensurate with that.”

The task force, which will meet about twice a month, will begin its work Thursday and provide recommendations by December to the state Board of Education. Because this accountability system to assess student achievement is in state statute, any proposed changes would need to be done before the Maryland General Assembly convenes for its 90-day legislative session in January.

There’s also a plan to update the online report card to make it easier for parents, guardians and students to comprehend.

“The report card website needs to be a lot more accessible for folks to understand and be able to access data for their schools in their districts,” said Joshua Michael, vice president of the school board. “So delighted that Dr. Wright will be leading that portion of the accountability [measure].”

Wright, who will begin her tenure without the interim title July 1, said conversations “have to start now” on trying to diversify the state’s teacher workforce.

That’s part of the priorities in the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education reform plan, but some local school leaders have documented challenges in hiring and retaining qualified teachers, and even recruiting teachers of color.

Although Maryland is one of the most diverse states in the nation, a September 2023 report from The Century Foundation noted that 70% of the teachers in the state were white in 2022. In comparison, about 19% were Black and 4% were Latino.

The percentages of the student population at the time: About 40% white, 33% Black and 21% Latino.

Wright recalled a program in place while she was schools superintendent in Mississippi that she would like to replicate in Maryland.

During her nine-year tenure in Mississippi, which ended with her retirement in 2022, the state became the first in the nation to launch a state-run residency teacher program to fill teaching positions and lack of diverse teachers.

“I think we need to do a better job of campaigning and outreach,” Wright said Monday about boosting Maryland’s teacher workforce. “It’s looking to see how we are helping districts recruit at specific areas. Children need to see somebody that looks like them standing in front of the classroom.”

By William J. Ford

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