The Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades Foundation will hold its next Refurbished Car and Computer Sale from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, at Damascus High School.
This nonprofit organization helps high school students learn trades such as automotive or computer repair. Businesses and Montgomery County Public Schools come together to provide the coursework and opportunities for professional development. Students receive valuable on-the-job training that will prepare them for higher educational opportunities or direct entry into the automotive industry.
All vehicles are Maryland State Inspected prior to delivery, and vehicles with less than 90,000 miles come with a 30-day or 1,000-mile powertrain warranty. All vehicles with 90,000 or more miles are discounted and sold in “as is” condition. Tags, title, fees and sales tax are in addition to the vehicle price.
If multiple buyers are interested in a car, a lottery system
will determine who has the first opportunity to purchase it. A $100 deposit
(checks preferred; cash accepted) is required to hold a vehicle. The balance of
the purchase price is due upon receipt of the vehicle. All deposits are
non-refundable one week (five business days) after the sale.
Individuals who choose to test drive sale vehicles must be at least 21 years of age, wear a mask (required), have a current car insurance policy. and have a valid drivers’ license.
The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Summer RISE
Program deadline is Friday, March 7, but businesses, nonprofits, higher
education institutions and government agencies can still host rising MCPS
juniors and seniors this summer. The Summer RISE program provides students
with valuable opportunities to explore careers aligned with their interests,
helping them make informed decisions about their college or career paths.
Summer RISE requires a 50-hour commitment and offers in-person, virtual or
hybrid options. The program runs over five weeks from June 23 to July 25, with
hosts having the flexibility to choose the specific weeks and hours. Find out
more information about the program and becoming a host on the Summer
RISE website.
The annual “Speak Up, Save a Life” student video contest will have increased prize money for the top selections as the County Office of the State’s Attorney has partnered with the “Good Samaritan Fund” to make the intriguing contest even more inspiring. The contest challenges teenagers to create an original video to promote awareness about the dangers of illicit opioids, fentanyl and the risk of overdose. Videos must be submitted by Tuesday, Nov. 12.
The video contest is open to students in grades 6-12 who live in Montgomery County. The 2024 contest is now open and accepting entries. To register, click on this link.
The top prize for this year’s contest will be $4,000. The second-place selection will earn $2,000. The third-place award and “fan favorite” winners will receive $750 each.
The prize money has been donated by The Magnolia Companies in honor of two young Montgomery County residents lost to fentanyl: Michael Pisarra and Matthew Loudon.
The State’s Attorney’s Office’s second “Speak Up, Save a Life” Student Video PSA Contest is now open and accepting entries. The short videos must focus on the dangers of using drugs, opioids and fentanyl. The top prize in the contest will be $1,000.
The contest is open to any high school or middle school student living in Montgomery County. Producers of the second-place video will win $750. The third place and fan favorite video producers will win $500. Montgomery County Public Schools students can earn 10 Student Service Learning hours by participating.
Entries must be submitted by Friday, Nov. 8.
The contest is part of the State’s Attorney’s Office’s “Speak Up, Save a Life” program, whose goal is to spread awareness about the dangers of drug use.
The contest’s prize sponsor is Magnolia Companies, in honor of Matthew Loudon and Michael Pisarra, two young Montgomery County residents who lives were lost to fentanyl.
“Swift” is an easy-to-understand programming language used by professional developers to create world class apps. Montgomery County Public School middle school students can now register to enjoy a free, fun week of summer camp to learn Swift from coding experts.
Campers will learn to code with Swift Playgrounds, which is a free app for iPad that makes getting started with Swift code interactive and fun.
The camp will be hosted in July with the option to select one week to participate. Each week offers the same programming activities, for students to learn Swift code on an iPad, select a coding challenge from local nonprofit and design a prototype app. Campers also participate in a career day and a showcase experience to pitch their apps.
The full day, in-person camp will have Week 1 (Monday-Friday July 15-19) and Week 2 (Monday-Friday July 22-26) at Montgomery College. There also will be a virtual camp Week 3 (Monday-Friday July 29-Aug. 2). The camp is free to Montgomery County Public School middle school students.
Swift is a code that is interactive, intuitive and easy to read and write. The summer experience will include Career Pathway Days where students have opportunities to interact with leading local IT companies to talk about future careers. The program will conclude with a fun certificate of completion and other surprises to ensure a memorable, valuable summer experiences.
Montgomery Can Code
is also seeking CEOs in the technology industry to be guest speakers for one
day a week during their summer camp program. If interested, send an email to nicole@thinkmoco.com..
Interested in preparing the next generation for the workforce and growing your talent pool? Help rising Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) high school juniors and seniors learn about your workplace and career field as part of the Summer RISE 2024 program. MCPS is seeking hosts in all career fields, particularly those in arts and entertainment, architecture, bioscience, business management, computer science, cybersecurity, engineering, finance, healthcare, law and veterinary services. Summer RISE is an MCPS initiative to help students learn about career opportunities.
If you are interested in offering a student(s) an in-person, virtual or a hybrid experience between June 24 and July 26, sign up to become a host today. Host registration will close Friday, March 15. For more information, join an informational session or visit www.MCPS-SummerRISE.org. Email or call Davida Gurstelle at Davida_Gurstelle@mcpsmd.org or call 240-740-5599 with questions.
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) rising juniors and seniors will have an opportunity to gain career-based learning experiences this summer through the “Summer Rise” program. The school system is hoping to have more than 1,000 students in this year’s program that will have hosts in all career fields. A seminar for potential host employers will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 30.
Student applications to participate in the program must be submitted by March 15. Registration is open now.
The MCPS Department of Partnerships will be hosting its first-ever Host Summit from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. on Jan. 30. The office is inviting previous hosts and prospective hosts to learn about Summer RISE, best practices and how to work with MCPS students and programs beyond Summer RISE. There are many hosts who have created amazing experiences for MCPS students in past summers.
This year, Summer RISE (Reimagining an Innovative Student Experience) will be programs of 50 hours with in-person, virtual or hybrid options, and will take place over five weeks from June 24-July 26.
The goals of the Summer Rise program are to provide opportunities for:
Organizational structures and how an organization functions as a whole.
Employer expectations in a typical workplace environment.
Career options, starting salaries, degrees, certifications or experiences required in a specific field.
Professional and transferable technical skills determined by the business community.
Technical and professional transferable skills that apply to any job.
Montgomery County residents can be on the lookout this winter for tributes to the County’s public works employees. As part of the recently concluded “Public Works Week,” Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) middle school students participated in a “Paint the Plow” contest to celebrate the many contributions made by public works employees that keep the County running.
“This contest is a great way to bring public attention to the enormous amount of work our public works employees do to keep the County’s infrastructure functional and safe,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “I want to thank MCPS and the participating students and teachers for their efforts to help us celebrate Public Works Week and for bringing art to our streets. Our residents will greatly enjoy looking out for these plows during snowstorms.”
Students from 11 MCPS middle schools participated in the contest. Snowplows and paint supplies were delivered by MCDOT to each school and the student teams had four days to name and decorate their snowplows.
A team from Westland Middle School in Bethesda was the second-place winner with its decorated snowplow “Plowser,” a play off Mario Brothers. A team from John Poole Middle School in Poolesville was the third-place winner for its decorated plow “Winter Warrior,” which showcased a beautifully painted anime theme.
The decorated plows will be part of the MCDOT fleet that will be clearing snow from streets this winter.
The winners were named as MCDOT celebrated “Public Works Week” to honor essential workers. During the special week, MCDOT recognizes the employees of its Division of Highway Services with an employee-centered social media campaign and the Paint the Plow contest. Entries to the contest were showcased at MCDOT’s family-friendly ‘Truck Day’ event held on May 20. The free event had more than 1,000 attendees who were invited to vote for their favorite snowplow design.
Second place (awarded $300): Westland Middle School for its decorated snowplow named “Plowser.”
Third place (awarded $200): John Poole Middle School for its decorated snowplow named “Winter Warrior.”
The decorated plows will be pushing snow off County streets this winter. The painted plows will serve as an interesting and valuable reminder of the MCDOT public workers who keep the County running.
“I am once again deeply impressed with the creativity and talent of our MCPS middle school students,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “These plows will serve as a reminder of the tremendous contributions our public works employees make to creating a safe community.”
“Public Works Week” is a nationally recognized week in May to honor essential workers. The American Public Works Association selected "Connecting the World" as the theme for the 2023 National Public Works Week. The theme emphasizes that public works employees are always ready to serve their communities and are resilient despite encountering challenges. “Public Works Week” runs May 21-27.
Pictures of the painted plows can be viewed on the MCDOT “Paint the Plow” page or on the social media platforms listed below.
The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Department of Partnerships is seeking employers who would be interested in hosting students that will be part of the 2023 Summer RISE program. Summer RISE is a hands-on career learning experience for rising MCPS juniors and seniors during the summer to engage in learning opportunities related to their field of interest.
MCPS is seeking employers in all career fields who would be willing to help prepare students for life after high school. Hosts could benefit by gaining extra help at a time when it is tough to find workers, and by building a future talent pipeline for the organization.
Hosts should be able to offer a minimum of 50 hours with in-person, virtual or hybrid options between June 26 and July 28. It is suggested that employers host at least two students for 10-30 hours per week and no more than eight hours a day for a total of 50 hours up to five weeks.
Since 2017, 2,400 students have participated in the program, gaining skills and connections with industry professionals. This year, the program is looking to serve 800 MCPS students in more than 60 industries.
Those who are interested in becoming a Summer RISE host can learn more about the program from:
Students in need of school supplies can get free items on Saturday, Aug. 27, at the “Back to School Giveaway” at Fairland Recreational Park in Fairland. The event, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., is open to all.
Among the items to be distributed are backpacks, notebooks and pencils.
In addition to the distribution of school supplies, the event will have free sports physical assessments, music, Assurance wireless free phones and service, a moon bounce, food and refreshments.
The event will be at the picnic area of Fairland Recreational Park, which is located at 3928 Greencastle Rd. in Fairland. The Back to School Giveaway is being sponsored by CTO Health Services, a behavioral health agency in Silver Spring.
The event will be held rain or shine.
For more information about the Back to School Giveaway, call 240-455-6584.
Registration is now open for Montgomery County Public Schools middle school students interested in attending the fourth year of the unique and innovative “Montgomery Can Code Camp” this summer. The free virtual program is a public-private partnership formed by Montgomery College, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) with Apple. It will offer an enriching and educational summer camp experience to learn computer coding.
The virtual, half-day camp enters this summer with a goal of tripling the number of program participants to 1,500 students. There will be five, weeklong Montgomery Can Code camps taking place from July 11 through Aug. 12, with a maximum of 300 students in each week-long session.
All virtual camps will run from 1-4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The camp schedule:
Boot Camp 1 – Monday-Friday, July 11-15
Boot Camp 2 – Monday-Friday, July 18-22
Boot Camp 3 – Monday-Friday, July 25-29
Boot Camp 4 – Monday-Friday, Aug. 1-5
Boot Camp 5 – Monday-Friday, Aug. 8-12
In addition to the scheduled sessions, there will be additional optional activities such as coding and prototype design in the mornings and afternoons outside of scheduled time.
Students will learn the skills they need to pursue careers in today’s app economy by working in Swift, Apple’s open-source, easy-to-understand programming language. Students will experience the chance to solve real world problems by using coding skills they learn at the camp.
The Montgomery Can Code sessions are taught through Montgomery College’s Information Technology Institute by instructors trained in Swift code. Students receive a loaner iPad and a Montgomery Can Code T-shirt at the start of each session. At the week’s end, participants will receive a certificate of completion.
Students will pitch their app solutions in a Student App Showcase event following the conclusion of the camps.
“Montgomery Can Code is a direct investment in our students to make sure they are ready for a workforce that has already seen an increase in demand for highly skilled STEM workers,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “This collaboration between Montgomery College, MCPS, MCEDC and Apple has been expanding to serve more students over the past four years, and we are proud of what can be accomplished by working together.”
MCEDC will coordinate with local business leaders to interact with the students, adding a real-world element to the experience.
In a program extender, spring after-school coding clubs have been formed at select schools. Now in their second year, the after-school clubs give students additional coding experience.
"Montgomery Can Code embodies our County’s commitment to innovative learning that will prepare our children for the evolving workforce,” said County Councilmember Craig Rice, chair of the Council’s Education and Culture Committee. “Each year, we have increased the number of participants, giving more students the opportunity to develop a valuable skill set. I applaud Montgomery College, MCPS, MCEDC and Apple for their partnership in ensuring that every student can participate in the virtual environment. I’m confident that Montgomery Can Code will continue to thrive and grow thanks to the hard work of our program partners."
Learning code not only teaches the language of technology, it showcases new ways of thinking and prepares students for future careers. Local companies continue to search for highly skilled workers in fields like cybersecurity, app development, gaming, life sciences and hospitality technology. Early exposure to develop these skills provides students with a future advantage in being hired.
“Montgomery Can Code is an initiative that connects dots: .gov, .com, .edu and .org to address an important issue of creating homegrown talent for 1,000s of open IT jobs in our region while also advancing economic equity and inclusion,” said Sanjay Rai, senior vice president of academic affairs for Montgomery College. “Exposing middle schoolers to coding, app development, and complex problem solving will certainly create the next generation of IT professionals, and also the next generation of entrepreneurs who will expand our economy and create even more jobs. We are delighted that we are building on Montgomery Can Code by opening the new IgnITe Hub at Montgomery College. This new digital learning and innovation space will allow us to enhance our programs for middle schoolers while expanding opportunities to people of all ages including less affluent adults, college students and local businesses. We are having significant social and economic impact.”
The program is also important to the long-term goal of supporting the economic development future of the County.
“The Montgomery Can Code partnership with Apple continues to spotlight our commitment to invest in STEM educationto support our innovation-led economy,” said Benjamin H. Wu, president and CEO of MCEDC. “Each year, the program grows and provides important technical skills that are valued in today’s economy. We are proud of this partnership which brings together academia and the business community to invest in our future workforce.”
The Montgomery Can Code initiative adds to programs supported by MCPS.
“MCPS is thrilled to continue working with our partners to expand access for middle school students to the Montgomery Can Code summer camps and school-year coding clubs,” said Monifa McKnight, superintendent of schools. “We are committed to providing our students with engaging and innovative opportunities that build their skills and prepare them for the jobs of the future. We look forward to building upon these camps with new innovations through digital learning and the soon-to-be IgnITe Hub at Montgomery College.”
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) will hold its first-ever Youth Climate Summit for high school students on Saturday, March 5, at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville. The summit program was developed after MCPS recognized increased student interest in climate action.
The summit will be a full-day conference designed to educate high school students about climate change and equip them with the tools to develop climate projects in their communities. The summit will begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 3:30 p.m.
The Summit will conclude with participants being mentored through the process of writing a climate action plan—a project outline they can implement in their school or community.
At the Youth Climate Summit, students can:
Hear the latest research-based, climate change science information and learn the economic and ecological consequences of climate change.
Learn strategies to respond and adapt to climate change in Montgomery County and in the process save their schools and communities money.
Develop a Climate Action Plan to bring back to their school and community.
Benefit through increased knowledge and development of leadership skills.
Network with schools across the County to learn about successful climate action.
Nearly every person I know is dealing with having COVID-19, recovering from COVID-19 and/or being a close contact to someone with COVID-19. And experts are saying we're probably only diagnosing somewhere between 10 and 20 percent of actual infections since a lot of people are not testing and are walking around with mild symptoms unknowingly spreading the virus.
I continue to test positive (today is day 13); although I am feeling much better, I will continue to isolate until I test negative. One thing that I noted while recovering was a spike in my blood sugar and it has stayed high, which, as a diabetic, can be very dangerous. I did some research and learned that this is a health impact of the virus. It’s an example of how COVID-19 can produce more problematic health outcomes – it’s the higher sugar level that actually does some of the damage. So, if you’re diabetic and you’re monitoring your sugar (which should be done), and you see your sugar levels start to spike, consult your health professional – my doctor had suggestions for what I needed to do.
I realized that we often mention that comorbidities and preexisting conditions may exacerbate COVID-19-related problems, but we generally don’t give details. So, if you test positive for COVID-19 and, like me, have preexisting conditions, please take the extra step and make sure you are closely monitoring any additional symptoms you might have as a result.
My entanglement with COVID-19 is no different than many of you. Even if the symptoms are considered not severe, they are still uncomfortable. Our work productivity and personal responsibilities have been disrupted. And, for parents of school children infected or potentially exposed, there is even more stress and anxiety. All our struggles with this virus have compounded to create a rash of staffing shortages impacting our hospitals, schools, county government, and businesses big and small.
This is a very difficult moment of the pandemic. As we watch this surge evolve over the next several weeks, we will continue to prioritize the health and welfare of our residents as our top priority. This is what we have done since day one of this pandemic, and it has been the formula to our success as one of the best performing jurisdictions throughout this nation in dealing with this pandemic.
COVID-19 Case Rates are High
Our test-positivity rate this week has been hovering around 25 percent, which is almost as high as it was during the first month of the pandemic in 2020. And our case rate is currently near 2,000 cases per 100,000 residents – a number five times higher than any other time during the pandemic.
The good news is that despite these high transmission rates, our County’s high vaccination rate is helping us avoid large masses of residents with severe symptoms who may need hospitalizations. Ninety-five percent of the eligible population has received at least one dose, and 90 percent are fully vaccinated.
But only 45 percent of the eligible population are fully boosted. 55 percent have not received their booster shots. The best thing you can do to help us out during this surge, is to please get vaccinated and get your booster.
Rapid Kit Distribution Has Been Very Popular
The other important practice we know that everyone wants to do but has been frustrated over – is access to testing. This week, we made great progress to help our residents’ access tests. Nearly 600,000 rapid tests have been received and are being distributed, and another 1.5 million have been ordered. This includes 190,000 to MCPS as well as tens of thousands to our community health and other partners to ensure that these tests are also reaching communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
This week, we began to distribute free, rapid take-home test kits at County libraries, and we have already distributed more than 200,000 in four days. Even with these large quantities, supplies are generally lasting about an hour at each location. I am grateful to the residents who understand how important these tests are, have come out, waited in cold weather, and have been generally patient and understanding of this process. As more kits arrive, we'll continue to use the libraries. I do ask all residents to avoid hoarding these tests for themselves. We will continue to provide a supply to be available, but we need people to understand that every resident and family deserves access to these tests.
Self-Report Testing Results
This week, we also launched a web portal that will allow residents to notify HHS if they do test positive. Residents who test themselves with a rapid at-home COVID-19 test can now report their results on a self-reporting portal that can be found on the COVID-19 Testing section of our website. The more self-reporting we receive the more accurate we can be with the amount of COVID-19 we are seeing in our community.
Hospitals Are Still Feeling the Pressure of Omicron
Our top concerns and focus continue to be on our hospitals and our schools. Statewide, there are nearly 3,500 Marylanders hospitalized with COVID-19 – a number that has doubled over the last two weeks and 1,500 more people than the previous height of the pandemic last winter. Eighty-four percent of patients in the hospital with the virus have not received the full series of shots. In Montgomery County, we have 560 COVID-19 patients hospitalized – which is the most we have seen since the beginning of the pandemic.
No Easy Answers for Our Schools
Dealing with this surge and the impact on our schools is tough. We are in a difficult place. We were glad to be able to deliver 190,000 rapid tests to the school system, and more are coming. These tests should help families and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) staff assess the health status of students, and faculty.
Staffing the schools has also been difficult; this is impacting the teachers, school bus drivers, paraeducators, building services and other staff. These shortages provide real challenges for in-school instruction.
This week, at the request of MCPS, we reached out to Maryland Department of Emergency Management Agency to request any state support or resources, including the Maryland National Guard, who would qualify to drive school buses for us. Unfortunately, no resources are available, but we continue to look for help and assistance for MCPS. Whether it is substitute teachers or school bus drivers, nurses or social workers, these are professions that we can’t simply find any person off the street to perform.
The problem facing our schools is not just a learning problem but also a staffing problem. MCPS staff is way overstretched; the school system is struggling to replace people who are out sick, supports are fragile, and it is having operational impacts. It is clear the schools can’t fill all the slots for teachers who are sick with qualified substitutes, and ditto for bus drivers. Teachers have been pulled into filling voids, but it can come at the expense of lunch or planning time. Understandably, teachers, administrators, parents, and students are frustrated and concerned. It is important that everyone gets heard – many parents and students are concerned about the spread of Omicron generally, and there are concerns about how the operational shortages may further affect the spread of the virus. And there are parents who do not want to have their children repeat the learning losses that occurred last year. The question now is not just about how to keep schools open; it is whether it is possible to do so given the challenges to providing instruction – at least in the short-term. (And I do believe that this is a short-term not long-term issue, assuming the virus doesn’t have any more unpleasant surprises for us.) Any decisions need to involve the people who are providing the services day to day and who understand what is sustainable. It is critical that school staff be a part of assessing the capacity to provide instruction and in determining at what point the system cannot sustain this. They need to be part of crafting the solution, and it is critical to recognize that the staff are overstressed, covering for their colleagues who are out sick and trying to meet the needs of students, both in the classroom and out sick. Next steps must address these issues and I’m convinced that moving to a model that allows students to stay in school, or receive the same instruction at home, is the best option at this point in time. Parent concerns about the safety of the school environment are legitimate. Parents should be able to opt into virtual learning at any point, until this intense wave of Omicron subsides, if they feel that’s best for a child. It’s an unusual power to give a parent, but these are unusual times. I’m confident that this will subside, and this should not be of a long duration. Our rules and policies for this year were shaped by Delta, but the virus has put its Omicron team on the field, and we need strategies that address the unique behavior profile of the Omicron variant.
Omicron Affecting County Government Staffing
Our record-high rates of community transmission are not only impacting staffing levels in our schools and but continue to impact our government operations. Two weeks ago, we announced staffing changes and service reductions in our fire department; this week our Alcohol Beverage Services store hours had to be reduced and Ride On routes will be reduced by about 9 percent from the current schedule due to staffing shortages.
We apologize for any inconvenience and encourage residents to continue to check out the County website and follow our social media pages for consistent updates. Despite our staffing shortages, our Montgomery County Department of Transportation snow removal crews and contractors did a great job last week with the significant snow and ice events that occurred.
General Assembly Begins Session
This week, the Maryland General Assembly began its 2022 legislative session. Last year, COVID-19 required legislators to make significant adjustments to how the session was conducted. One year later, they are facing similar challenges with the surge in cases around our State, country, and the world. This year, there will be continued focus on the State’s COVID-19 response, recovery, and, specifically the impact of this pandemic on schools and children.
With Montgomery County residents setting the standard, Maryland has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country, but we must ensure that our people, and our economy, have support as we try to navigate our way out of this pandemic. Now is the time to reinvest in our public schools, economic development, public safety, transportation, and initiatives that combat climate change. I look forward to working with our delegation to make our case as we push for our shared priorities this legislative session.
Over the next 90 days, our State delegation will be working diligently to ensure the concerns and issues of Montgomery County are addressed. I wish them a safe and productive 2022 legislative session that will deliver a better quality of life for our residents and the people of Maryland.
Our Microgrid Attracts International Attention
One of the County government’s projects I am most excited about is our Brookville Smart Energy Bus Depot. This week, the website microgridknowledge.com named it to their list of “22 Intriguing Microgrid Projects to Watch in 2022” - demonstrating how innovative this endeavor is.
They wrote: “Montgomery County, Maryland, is another smart jurisdiction. Within commuting distance to the nation’s capital, the county already has microgrids at correctional and public safety facilities. Now it’s building a 5.6 MW microgrid with distributed energy generation, energy storage and over 2 MW of charging capacity at the Brookville Smart Energy Bus Depot. AlphaStruxure, a joint venture between Schneider Electric and the Carlyle Group, designed and will build and deliver the project for the county, using an energy-as-a-service model that doesn’t require the county to make upfront payments. The county wants to reach net-zero emissions by 2035 and the microgrid is part of the plan to get it there.”
‘Human Trafficking Prevention Month’
This week, I joined County Council President Gabe Albornoz in proclaiming January as “Human Trafficking Prevention Month” in Montgomery County. Slavery and human trafficking are often considered a historic problem, but there are more people trapped in modern slavery today than at any other point in history.
This is a global problem. It is estimated that 20.9 million people are trafficked worldwide, and 24.9 million people are victims of forced labor. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by human trafficking, accounting for 71 percent of all victims.
Human Trafficking Prevention Month is a time for us to educate ourselves and our friends, family, and colleagues about human trafficking. We need to do this because awareness is key for prevention.
Montgomery County has a Human Trafficking Prevention Committee that meets the third Wednesday of every month. I encourage your awareness, engagement, and participation in our efforts to combat Human Trafficking in Montgomery County.
Korean American Day
I was pleased to participate virtually this week to honor Korean American day and to use it to recognize the immense contributions of Korean Americans to our County. According to recent Census data, an estimated 14,000 Korean Americans and immigrants live in our county. Montgomery County is grateful for our Korean community’s contributions to our diversity, economic strength and spirit of volunteerism.
I am very appreciative to all the community engagement efforts and support the Korean community has provided throughout the pandemic.
We thrive because of our diversity and our commitment to equal opportunity and inclusion. We continue to invest and expanded community engagement and translation services in the Korean language to better serve the community. And I continue to proudly stand with them against hate and bias against Koreans and all our Asian immigrant communities.
MLK Day/Voting Rights
Next Monday we will honor the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day holiday and National Day of Service. For more than a decade, the Montgomery County Volunteer Center has brought thousands of area residents together for an afternoon full of volunteer activities featured at its large-scale MLK Day of Service event. However, due to COVID-19, this year, like last year, the event has gone largely virtual and expanded to a week, with a variety of home-based and safely distanced service opportunities available online at the Montgomery County Volunteer Center.
The Volunteer Center’s 2022 MLK service event runs Jan. 15-22 and offers residents of all ages the opportunity to honor the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by participating in remote service projects that help others in our community. All event activities are free, but registration is required, and space is limited for some projects.
As we honor Dr. King by serving our community, we should also recommit ourselves to founding principle and pillar of the civil rights movement – and that is the right to vote. Since last Jan. 6, there have been more than 200 laws passed throughout this nation with the intent to suppress and obstruct voting rights. I am pleased that President Biden endorsed changing Senate rules this week to pass new federal voting rights legislation that will help protect our democracy.
President Biden asked during his speech on voting rights this week in Georgia – “Do you want to be on the side of Dr. King or George Wallace? Do you want to be on the side of John Lewis or Bull Connor? Do you want to be on the side of Abraham Lincoln or Jefferson Davis? These are important questions every American should be asking as we think about and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this weekend. It matters what side we are on.
We Lost a Great Member of Our Community
Finally, I want to note the passing of Tufail Ahmad. Tufail was a pillar in our community and a major presence in the Muslim community. I knew him for more than 20 years, as a tireless leader for justice and as gentle and compassionate a human being that I ever had the honor of working with. He saw us as all as part of the human family, he worked tirelessly for everyone in Montgomery County and never grew weary of striving to do more and better. I will miss him as a friend and partner in the work to build a more just and understanding society, and Montgomery County will miss him as someone who always strove to be the best person that he could be. With love and memories of his infectious smile, we will remember him. May peace be with you and those you loved.
As my last letter of 2021, I do have some reflections about our accomplishments this year that I want to share with you, including a special video this week, but I’d first like to give you an update on COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. For more news and developments, you can watch my weekly media briefing here. This week I was joined by our public health team and Dr. Ann Burke, vice president of Medical Affairs and interim chief clinical officer for Holy Cross Hospital. I also spoke with Fox 5 DC, which you can watch here.
County COVID Cases Hit Record High
We are ending 2021 with a surge of COVID cases at a level we have not seen since the beginning of the pandemic. Our current case rate is 803 cases per 100,000 residents, this is more than 10 times the case rate from the start of this month!
Our test-positivity rate is more than 14 percent, a dramatic increase in just three weeks. While Montgomery County’s rate is lower than the state average, this is a place where we did not expect to be, especially with such a highly vaccinated population.
It is clear that vaccinations help reduce the severity for people who are infected and because of the high vaccination rate – currently at 83 percent of our population fully vaccinated, we are in a better position to deal with this surge than many other jurisdictions around the country.
Testing Locations Overloaded and Rapid Tests Are on the Way
As many of you may know, the Omicron surge has created an enormous demand for tests – both polymerase chain reaction (or PCR) tests generally available at our county and partner sites and for rapid tests. We have been trying for weeks to acquire additional rapid tests, which were promised to arrive but have not, but I am pleased to announce that we ordered a million rapid tests from a different company, and we are to receive our first shipment of 300,000 of them next week. We appreciate the District of Columbia for assisting us in securing these tests and our procurement team for their diligence to track down and acquire these tests. They can’t arrive here soon enough. While 300,000 tests seems like a lot, with a population of more than one million, we are going to make sure these tests will be given out equitably throughout the County, prioritizing our students, school staff and other front line, public facing workers. We know that these tests are in great demand, and we will share information on how to access them as soon as we have that information.
County Hospitals Strained from COVID-19 Surge and Staffing Concerns
Montgomery County hospitals are seeing an influx of COVID patients that are at levels not seen since last winter’s surge.
Not only are our hospitals seeing a dramatic increase in patients with COVID-19, they are also facing their own staffing shortages. And we expect these numbers to get worse before they get better. It is important to note that residents should not seek routine COVID-19 testing at our hospitals. Not only does it harm their ability to provide services, but also sitting in a hospital emergency room isn't the safest place to be with the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. However, if you have an emergency, please do not hesitate to go to the hospital emergency room; just don't go there for routine testing and procedures.
I am hoping that Governor Hogan will reinstate the public health emergency that the Maryland Hospital Association is calling for. This action will greatly help our hospitals dealing with this surge. I also agree with Tom Perez who recently called on Governor Hogan to extend hazard pay to our state’s front-line workforce and that the governor should use federally provided American Rescue Plan Act funds to extend hazard pay to non-state-government essential employees – such as healthcare workers, firefighters, paramedics, and police officers. The state is sitting on a $6 billion surplus, and hazard pay for these essential workers would be a tiny fraction of this enormous surplus.
COVID-19 Surge Cases Impact Staffing of MCFRS
We have also seen these COVID cases impacting our own government staffing. This week, the Montgomery County Fire and Recuse Service (MCFRS) announced that 110 career and 23 volunteer personnel are unable to report to work, in addition to approximately 75 MCFRS staff who are unable to report to work due to other occupational health issues or injuries. As a result, the department is experiencing a 9 percent reduction in staff that will require some adjustments to meet service demands.
To continue providing high-quality emergency services to the community, MCFRS has taken the following steps to mitigate the impact of these staffing shortages:
Added recently graduated firefighters, all who came to MCFRS with firefighter and EMT experience, to full shifts, which will augment daily staffing.
Reassigned firefighters and paramedics currently in training to their community service responsibilities.
Created an EMS “disposition officer” to ensure load balancing at the local emergency departments
Requested volunteer partners to staff additional peak time transport units, adding additional transport capacity to the system.
Prioritized Advanced Life Support care delivery and firefighting water delivery across the County.
And temporarily redeployed staff from one ladder truck (the Clarksburg Aerial Tower) and one heavy rescue unit (the Laytonsville Rescue Squad).
Keeping Our Children as Safe as Possible
As our schools return next next week from their holiday break, I am encouraging parents to please get their kids vaccinated as soon as possible. The chart below shows that Montgomery County is doing better at pediatric vaccination than the rest of the state, but only about 50 percent of our pediatric population has had their first dose and about 1/3 are fully vaccinated.
Our public health team has been in conversations with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) this week to prepare for the scheduled return of students next week. MCPS just announced their plans for next week which you can read about here. I know that parents, teachers, principals, and school staff have a number of concerns, and we will continue to support the school system to help with the complicated public health, logistical and educational issues involved in the effort to preserve in-person learning as much as possible. As noted above, we will prioritize getting rapid tests to the schools for staff and students.
Libraries Slows Rollout of Extended Hours
In an abundance of caution, we have decided to postpone opening our libraries on Sundays. Hopefully the Omicron surge passes quickly, and we will then be able to have Sunday hours.
Last Chance to Apply For Current Round of Rental Relief
The Montgomery County’s Emergency Rental Assistance program’s COVID Rent Relief Program application portal will temporarily pause from taking new applications at 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 31. We are taking this pause in order to have an application process that complies with new federal guidelines. Applications submitted before the deadline will be reviewed and processed, but no additional applications will be received after that time. An additional round of rent-relief funding, with an updated application process and eligibility criteria will be announced in early 2022. To submit a rent relief application, please go to www.mc311.com/rentrelief
We have given out $49.7 million of the $59.5 million we were allocated, or 83.5 percent, from the nearly 11,000 applications for rental relief that we have received thus far. With applications continuing to be processed, we expect to exhaust our current funds from the current application pool and those who submit their applications by Dec. 31. As we prepare to launch the next round of assistance and wait for the next round of funding from the federal government, we want to assure the public that we are not stopping or ending providing rental relief to our residents in need.
In fact, Montgomery County’s Department of Health and Human Services rental relief operations has been one of the most robust in the nation in terms of processing and distributing these funds. For residents facing eviction and utility cutoffs, we will continue to provide assistance; so even though this particular portal is closing temporarily, eviction and utility assistance will still be available. Please call 311 during business hours, so we can help.
Help Us Better Serve You
This week, we launched our biennial online survey of County residents. The survey is available on the County website and is designed to get residents’ assessment of the local government, its services and their quality of life. The survey will be open until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 17. The survey is available to be accessed here.
I encourage all residents of Montgomery County to take this survey. We want to ensure that the feedback we get is inclusive and reflects the County’s diversity and we want everyone to have an opportunity to share their opinions with County Government on the services we provide. The pandemic required us to make some significant changes to the way we deliver some services. This survey is one way for us to assess how we are doing, what people think of the changes we made, and identify areas for improvement.
Celebrate the New Year with Caution
As we deal with the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, we expect that the next few weeks will continue to see a rise in cases due to New Year celebration outbreaks. I hope that everyone keeps their New Year’s festivities and gatherings small and safe. If you are going out to celebrate New Year’s, please be smart. Get tested before you go out and after you celebrate. Wear masks at indoor gatherings and confined spaces where you are sharing the same air. And please do not drink and drive. Our police will be out and looking for impaired drivers.
Looking Back on 2021
As we conclude 2021, we wanted to share with you some of our important achievements. Instead of my weekly video, we created a Top 10 Accomplishments of 2021 video that I hope you take the time to watch.
Despite the widespread distribution of the vaccine in 2021 that gave us great hope, unfortunately this year is ending with a bit of a question mark with one of the largest COVID case surges that our County, state, and nation has seen since the beginning of the pandemic.
Even with some ongoing challenges, the residents, businesses, nonprofits, and faith communities of Montgomery County, along with the tireless efforts of the employees of the Montgomery County government employees, have enabled this County to persevere. From achieving one of the highest vaccination rates and lowest case rates amongst large jurisdictions in our nation to distributing food, clothing, rental relief, and grants to our businesses, we have created an environment that takes this pandemic seriously, responds effectively, and assists those who are struggling the most from its impacts.
My administration, along with our colleagues on the County Council and at the state and federal level, have worked tirelessly to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in assistance and resources during this pandemic. With the Working Families Income Supplement, we provided more than $100 million in financial assistance to low- and moderate-income families. We partnered with more than 100 food assistance providers. We distributed almost $60 million in rental relief with more to come — protecting our most vulnerable families from eviction. And when small businesses needed help, we responded, providing grants to over 5,500 businesses to help them keep their doors open during this pandemic.
We also continued to make progress on our pre-COVID goals and agenda. This year, we finalized our Climate Action Plan and took steps toward our Reimagining Public Safety Efforts. We launched our No Net Loss Affordable Housing Program as well as governed through an “equity lens” by providing a racial equity analysis for the Capitol Improvement Budget and producing over 40 Racial Equity Impact Assessments on supplemental budget appropriations.
And Montgomery County had a record setting year for our economy. County businesses received over $18 billion in private investment, a fourfold increase, along with hundreds of millions of county funds going to infrastructure in every part of our county.
2021 may have tested our will, but Montgomery County demonstrated its resilience and determination to succeed and achieve greatness.
As always, my sincere appreciation for your support and everything you do. I wish you and your families a very safe, healthy, and prosperous 2022.
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has made available a dashboard of statistics that reflects the number of students and staff members who have contracted COVID-19 and shows the number of students who have been forced to quarantine because of possible exposure to the virus.
The dashboard also shows statistics from each MCPS school.
Statistics through Tuesday, Oct. 4, show that there has been a total of 491 cases of COVID-19 recorded in MCPS schools. A total of 4,022 students have been sent to quarantine. As of Tuesday, there were 62 active cases combined of staff members and students.
Registration is now open for Montgomery County Public Schools free summer programs for elementary, middle and high school students. Programs will address learning loss, with a focus on mathematics, literacy, electives and preparing for the next grade level.
Elementary and middle schools will offer programs that include mathematics, literacy and specials/electives. High schools will offer opportunities to earn credits in all subject areas required for graduation. The high school courses will provide repeat and original credit, as well as noncredit options.
Programs, which will have all-virtual and in-person options, will:
Be offered at no cost to all students, with transportation available.
Be offered in all schools/clusters.
Have all-virtual and in-person options
High school programs will begin on Monday, June 28. Elementary and middle school programs will begin Tuesday, July 6. Programs will operate five days a week.
An amended Montgomery County Board of Health regulation to provide guidance for public and private school graduation ceremonies was unanimously approved this week by the County Council. The regulation applies to ceremonies for high school, middle school, elementary school and kindergarten graduations.
The regulation includes the following guidance for graduation ceremonies:
The total number of persons present at an outdoor graduation ceremony must be limited to 50 percent of the outdoor venue’s maximum occupancy.
If an outdoor venue does not have a formal certificate of occupancy, 40 square feet per person must be used to calculate the occupancy limit.
The total number of persons present at an indoor graduation ceremony is limited to 25 percent of the maximum occupancy or 250 people, whichever is smaller.
A school that plans an indoor graduation ceremony must obtain a letter of approval for its plan showing how it would meet the general requirements of the regulation.
A record of everyone attending the graduation must be kept for 30 days to enable contact tracing.
The school must identify a point of contact for an attendee to notify if they test positive for COVID-19 within two weeks after the event. The point of contact must notify the County's Department of Health and Human Services within one business day of notice of a positive test.
No more than 10 people can be on the stage at one time.
The ceremony must last no more than two hours.
Members of the audience from different households must remain at least six feet apart at all times.
Signage explaining the infectious control requirements must be posted at the venue;
No group or staged photography.
No congregating or gathering in common areas both inside and outside of the venue before or after the ceremony.
A masked speaker must be at least 12 feet from the audience and an unmasked speaker must be at least 18 feet from the audience.
Diplomas must be distributed without handshakes or physical contact.
No food or beverage concessions at the ceremony.
The amended Board of Health regulation and the Council staff report can be viewed here.
Sean Pang came to the United States from Hong Kong at age 6, knowing little English. While a student in Montgomery County Public Schools he learned English and went on to earn a teaching degree at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.
Recently, his enthusiasm for teaching at Rockville High School earned him the distinction of being named the Montgomery County Teacher of the Year by The Washington Post. His remarkable story is one of three featured segments on the current edition of Bottom Line on County Cable Montgomery (CCM).
Bottom Line is viewable on Cable Channels 996 (high definition) and 6 (standard definition) on Comcast; Channels 1056 (HD) and 6 (SD) on RCN; and Channel 30 on Verizon. Bottom Line airs on Wednesdays on CCM on Monday at 12 noon, on Saturdays at 12:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. and on Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Susan Kenedy hosted and produced Bottom Line and Mike Springirth served as chief videographer and editor.
County Executive Ike Leggett made this statement following the allegations of the rape of a Rockville High School Student:
"I was immediately sick and disgusted when it was reported that two young men raped a 14-year-old student at Rockville High School last Thursday. This should not happen. Period. My deepest condolences go out to this young girl and her family.
Thankfully, the alleged rapists were arrested by the police. The judicial process is underway and the County is fully cooperating with the federal authorities, in keeping with our long-standing policy.
In addition, I know that Police Chief Thomas Manger is hard at work with his staff investigating what happened and reevaluating safety procedures to ensure our students are safe and their parents don’t have to worry about their well-being. We are working with School Superintendent Jack Smith, school administrators and the entire Rockville High School community to make certain this type of incident never happens again.
Although these individuals had no previous involvement in the County’s criminal justice system, these alleged rapists do have outstanding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) orders. After the judicial process is completed, and consistent with our long-standing policy, the County will continue to cooperate fully with ICE to see that the two are deported to their countries of origin.
Montgomery County has welcomed nearly 3000 new students to the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) the last couple of years. To effectively address this enrollment growth, Leggett testified before the Maryland Senate Budget & Tax Committee to underscore the need for increased state funding for MCPS capital projects.
Leggett emphasized the challenges of the enrollment growth and the deterioration of buildings as key reasons for the need of increased capital funding from the state. The requested state funds are necessary for ongoing maintenance and necessary updates and to provide for capacity of projected enrollments over the next decade.
