The Founding Partner for Project CHANGE was the Montgomery County Public Schools System and its then Superintendent Gerry Weast. This year, the current Superintendent Dr. Jack Smith moved a motion at the Board of Education to recognize the achievements of Project CHANGE over 20 years.
Office of the Superintendent of Schools
MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Rockville, Maryland September 23, 2019
MEMORANDUM To: Members of the Board of Education From: Jack R. Smith, Superintendent of Schools Subject:
Recognition of Montgomery County Public Schools AmeriCorps Partnership
WHEREAS, Montgomery County Public Schools celebrates its commitment to partnering with local organizations in an effort to support students and families by placing the best possible volunteers in our schools; and
WHEREAS, AmeriCorps was founded in 1993 to seek to improve lives and offer civic engagement experiences to its members through three-month to one-year assignments working for nonprofit organizations for which members receive a living stipend, health insurance, an education scholarship, training, and a life-enriching experience; and
WHEREAS, Project CHANGE Montgomery, a division of Maryland’s AmeriCorps state funded programs, was founded in 2001 through a collaboration with Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent of Schools Jerry D. Weast; the Montgomery Business Roundtable, Dr. Robert Anastasi, executive director; and former Montgomery County Public Schools principal, Mrs. Judy T. Lapping, to provide direct service and support to student and families most in need; and
WHEREAS, Project CHANGE Montgomery will have seven AmeriCorps members serving across the following schools and programs in Fiscal Year 2020: The George B. Thomas, Sr. Learning Academy, Inc., Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success program; Thomas Edison High School of Technology, Career Readiness Education Academy programs; Gaithersburg High School, Multidisciplinary Educational Training and Support and English for Speakers of Other Languages programs; Brown Station and Kemp Mill elementary schools, Dual Language programs; and Members of the Board of Education 2 September 23, 2019
WHEREAS, Project CHANGE Montgomery will have nine AmeriCorps members provide specialty programming through the following partner organizations in Fiscal Year 2020: Montgomery Housing Partnership, after-school programs for students primarily from immigrant families; YMCA, after-school programs for middle school students; Community Bridges, Girls’ Program for Grades 4–12 students; Family Learning Solutions, peer-to-peer mentoring; Caring Matters, Good Grief emotional support clubs in elementary and middle schools; and
WHEREAS, AmeriCorps members of Project CHANGE Montgomery have become Montgomery County Public Schools educators, Montgomery County Council members, elected state representatives, and directors of nonprofits and local community organizations; now therefore be it Resolved, That on behalf of the superintendent of schools and all Montgomery County Public Schools staff members, the members of the Board of Education recognize our 20-year partnership with AmeriCorps Maryland, through Project CHANGE Montgomery, for their contributions to the school system and for creating a culture of lifelong learning and the pursuit of academic excellence.