To: Board of Education members and Dr.

Wilcox
From: Melissa Williams, BOE member
Date: May 27, 2015
Re: Report on attendance at informal parent reception hosted by Dottie Gruhler
On Tuesday, May 26th, I attended a parent reception at the home of Dottie Gruhler. Mrs. Gruhler is the
administrator of the Facebook group, WC Parents, which has membership of about 3,400.
It was a very informal gathering that provided me with the opportunity to hear first-hand from the
parents attending their experiences, suggestions, and requests for assistance. It was a pleasure to
interact with the parents on a variety of topics, including cyber bullying, diversity, and course offerings.
The schools in which these parents have students are Cascade Elementary, Smithsburg Elementary,
South Hagerstown High, Northern Middle, and Boonsboro High.
Parent of a second-grader at Cascade, a pre-K age child, and two younger

Offered praise for Tot Time offered at Cascade once a week. Would like to see that program
expanded.
Suggested Youtube tutorials to assist parents in understand the processes, strategies, etc. used
to teach math. This would help parents understand how to properly support classroom
instruction students with homework and other reinforcement and re-teaching.

Parent who came here to live from Cleveland, Ohio

I dont get this concept of boutique schools. I dont quite get why students should be
downtown when I dont feel comfortable going down there to have dinner. Why would I want
my child going down there to attend school? Downtown is not an ideal location for specialized
programs.

Parent who is a Special teacher and has children at INFORMATION REDACTED TO PROTECT STUDENT
OR STAFF IDENTITY.

Expressed concern about class size.

Expressed concern about the way student-teacher ratios are computed.
Expressed concern for SWDs who are mainstreamed in classes that are large. Expressed concern
that these students are in need of a paraprofessional to assist SWDs one-on-one in the
mainstream.
Expressed concern about Booster money INFORMATION REDACTED TO PROTECT STUDENT OR
STAFF IDENTITY.
Expressed concern about the prevalence of teachers being threatened by coaches to give
athletes grades to keep them eligible for participation.

Parent of a Boonsboro High student

Expressed concern about class size. Her child is in the Girls Academy and in a math class of 32 or
34 students.

Parent of a Northern Middle student

Expressed concern regarding the need for greater diversity in staff, teachers, and
administrators.
Suggested that something be done to identify, guide, and support student scholar-athletes
beginning in middle school, perhaps a coordinator who works county-wide.
Her perception is that not enough is being done in recruitment of minorities. Recruitment
efforts should extend to smaller schools in southern states where there are individuals who
would be willing to better their circumstances and chances at a job by moving to Washington
County, if for no other reason than it would put them closer to Washington, D.C.
Suggested that WCPS do something similar to the notification system used by FCPS. Parents
select schools from which to receive information. (Find Out First).

Parent of a seventh-grade student at INFORMATION REDACTED TO PROTECT STUDENT OR STAFF

IDENTITY

Shared daughters experience as a victim of cyberbullying INFORMATION REDACTED TO

PROTECT STUDENT OR STAFF IDENTITY.

Parent of student at Smithsburg Elementary and Smithsburg Middle

Expressed concern about receiving notification via a letter of the cutting of the Spanish program
at Smithsburg Elementary. Stated the need for more transparency and communication with
parents in instances such as this.
Suggested that the WCPS website be made more user-friendly, making it possible for parents to
access Board meeting agendas and minutes.
Suggested that Alert Now be used to inform parents of meetings of importance, such as the
Budget Hearing, the Redistricting Hearing, and major policies when they are on the agenda for a
business meeting (a phone call and/or email stating Four important topics are on the agenda
for this weeks Board business meeting. They are

Parents with a student at Smithsburg Elementary

Stated the need for something more than Stride Academy to help with reinforcing skills and
moving students ahead. Seeking ways to assist their child in learning math facts and advancing
in Stride Academy.