Subscribe
Community
Superintendent labels schools ‘strong, robust'
Martirano calls to preserve funding
Friday, Nov. 20, 2009
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photo by JESSE YEATMAN
Erica Nelson of Ridge Elementary, Cassidy Goddard of Mechanicsville Elementary, Harry Bauman of Oakville Elementary and Nathan McKay of Evergreen Elementary speak about the importance of green schools .
|
E-Mail This Article
Students from each of St. Mary's public schools stepped in front of 300 business and education leaders at a luncheon Wednesday to plead to keep the school system's high standards in place.
The children at the annual State of the Schools luncheon hosted by the St. Mary's County Chamber of Commerce said programs like the science, technology, engineering and mathematics academies, global studies, finance academy, gifted and talented, sports and after-school activities and other initiatives are important to a well-rounded education.
Superintendent Michael Martirano later gave his report of the school system, highlighting strengths, challenges and impending economic threats.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let me say for the record, the state of St. Mary's County public school system is strong, robust and vibrant," Martirano said.
Everyone has a hand in St. Mary's public schools and can assist, he said.
"It is my belief that education is the great equalizer," Martirano said. "No child should drop out of school."
Dropouts have a harder time finding a job and earning good pay and have a higher propensity of ending up in jail, he said.
Martirano said he was not proud of the county's low graduation rate, which has hovered below the state standard for years.
He said there are initiatives in place, such as the Fairlead Academy and Tech Connect programs, to keep high school students interested in school and prevent them from dropping out, but that it is not a problem that can be fixed overnight.
"Everybody in this room needs to reconnect to make sure children stay in school," Martirano said.
He praised past collaboration between the school board and county commissioners, and said now, more than ever, is the time to "hold hands, play nice in the sandbox."
Martirano said that changes to state funding formulas could negatively impact education in the county.
The superintendent also warned against lowering the county's property tax rate to what is called the constant yield rate, which is among the campaign platforms of the Town Hall Alliance, a slate of county commissioner candidates in next year's Republican primary election allied with Commissioner Larry Jarboe.
The constant yield tax rate is a calculation the state makes to determine what the property tax rate needs to be to bring in the same amount of revenue as the year before. Even when the property tax rate remains the same, more revenue comes in because of rising assessments.
Reverting to the constant yield would cut millions in revenue available to fund schools and other county agencies.
"That would be a very sad day if we were to see a backslide in terms of funding," Martirano said in a response to a question about the constant yield rate after his speech.
Stimulus dollars from the federal government helped avoid hard hits to the school budget this year. The schools spent about $2.2 million in stimulus money to buy about 217 Smart Boards and other instructional technology for classrooms. Other dollars went to pay for electric bills, math workbooks and other textbooks, special education and a host of other items, some of which are recurring costs.
In highlighting school accomplishments in the last school year, Martirano noted no high school seniors were denied their diplomas for not passing the new High School Assessment requirements. So far about 94 percent of this year's senior class has met the new graduation requirement.
More students are being enrolled in public prekindergarten as the state moves toward universal pre-K. And, Martirano said, standardized test scores continue to top state and national averages in nearly all areas, including the top SAT scores in Southern Maryland public schools.
Martirano said that "nothing is left to chance" for students to succeed, and that more interventions and program choices are in place now than ever before.
Martirano once again appealed to parents to take family vacations during school breaks to keep their children in school. "Nothing can replace a day of instruction direct from a teacher," he said.
He also reminded parents to "tune in to what's going on in the Internet" by monitoring their children's computer use and keeping computers out of bedrooms.
In response to a question about children having to choose between being in the STEM academy or playing sports and band, Martirano said there were some scheduling conflicts, but that "those should not be in direct competition."
One person asked why he or she would choose public schools over private schools. "Well, why wouldn't you?" Martirano said, adding that all of the public schools offer an outstanding education.
Frank Taylor, CEO of the county chamber of commerce, said this year's event was the best attended in the four years the chamber has hosted it. "I think Dr. Martirano does a superb job in presenting the school system," he said. "I was encouraged."
