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AmeriCorps Montgomery

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Posts by Paul Costello1

As long as Montgomery County fails to teach children to read, it will have gaps

June 25, 2020 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
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A stock photo of a Montgomery County Public Schools bus. Dec. 23, 2015. (WTOP/Mike Murillo)
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No one who has paid attention could be surprised by the recent report that Montgomery County has failed to narrow test score gaps.

Karin Chenoweth is a longtime education writer and the parent of two graduates of Montgomery County’s Albert Einstein High School. From 1999 to 2004, she wrote the Homeroom column for The Post. She is author of “Schools That Succeed: How Educators Marshal the Power of Systems for Improvement.”

The county has spent a lot more time posturing as a national education leader than actually doing things that would make it an education leader, and a lot more time soothing public opinion than improving instruction and ensuring equity.

Part of the reason is complacency. Like many wealthy districts, Montgomery County Public Schools can rely on a large base of parents who pay close attention to whether their children learn to read and do math and who get outside help when their children falter. The wealthier areas of the county are crowded with commercial and private tutors. This makes it difficult to gauge the quality of the instruction in Montgomery County schools. Read More

Overall, roughly half of the county’s students meet state reading standards, but there are huge differences among student groups. Roughly 70 percent of white and Asian third-grade students meet state reading standards; only about 40 percent of African American third-graders meet them, and less than 30 percent of Hispanic third-graders do. Only 27 percent of third-graders who receive federal meal assistance meet standards. Similar gaps continue through the grades.

Superintendent Jack R. Smith rather courageously brought in Johns Hopkins University and Student Achievement Partners to do an audit of the county’s curriculum. The resulting report in spring 2018 explained why so many Montgomery County students are unable to meet reading standards. Among other things, it found that the county had “no systematic support for the development of foundational skills” in reading.

Decades of research have found that most children need systematic instruction in the 44 sounds of the English language and how to map those sounds onto the 26 letters of the alphabet automatically and fluently, but Montgomery County as a district has refused to incorporate this knowledge into its reading instruction.AD

In the words of the report, Montgomery County’s curriculum does “not include the necessary components to adequately address foundational skills.”

If you’re not immersed in these issues, you might not recognize just how scathing this language is. Montgomery County fails to do what just about all cognitive scientists and most reading researchers agree is critical to ensuring that children learn to read.

In addition, the report said that MCPS provided little to no support for students to build the vocabulary and background knowledge necessary for students to read well as they proceed through the grades. That doesn’t mean that teachers aren’t doing their best with what they have. But for decades the county has failed to provide a coherent, research-based curriculum that would mean that teachers don’t have to spend endless evening and weekend hours writing and finding materials. “Teachers should not be expected to be the composers of the music as well as the conductors of the orchestra,” the report said, quoting an educator.AD

In the wake of that report, Montgomery County adopted new curriculums for elementary and middle school that may help children to build vocabulary and background knowledge through the elementary and middle school years.

But if students don’t learn how to get words off the page efficiently and smoothly, huge numbers of children will continue to struggle academically. And there is little evidence that Montgomery County is providing teachers with either the knowledge or the materials to help them teach their students to read. Nor is the county ensuring that principals understand how to support teachers as they learn to improve reading instruction.

These are long-standing problems (I wrote about them in The Post 20 years ago) and, to be fair, they are not peculiar to Montgomery County. American Public Media’s Emily Hanford has documented the failure of many schools and districts to teach reading in the ways that we know work.AD

Reading and writing are enormously complex activities. Teaching children how to do them requires a great deal of knowledge on the part of teachers and principals. But just about all children, no matter their background, can learn to read. The fact that Montgomery County, with all its resources, fails to do what we know works is — frankly — embarrassing.

In the past 15 years, I have studied high-performing and rapidly improving schools and districts across the country that serve children of color and children from low-income backgrounds. Most have much less money than Montgomery County schools. When people ask me what their secret is, I always answer the same way: “They teach the kids.”

It is long past time that Montgomery County teach the kids.

Read more;

The Post’s View: Montgomery schools’ ‘not-so-perfect process’ needs transparencyAD

The Pot’s View: Montgomery County has made little progress on its achievement gap

Jack R. Smith: The growing achievement gap in Montgomery County schools must be addressed

Lockdowns are taking a toll on young people’s mental health. Everyone should be alarmed.

June 22, 2020 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
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The data are stark on this point. Among those aged 18 to 29, 42 percent reported symptoms of anxiety and 36 percent had symptoms of depression. Those numbers decline with each successive age cohort, reaching their low points among respondents 80 years old or older. Only 11 percent of the most elderly had anxiety symptoms, and only 9 percent presented as depressed.

A recent study from the Census Bureau shows that about half of Americans reported symptoms of depression in early May, double that from a similar study in 2013-2014. In one sense, that’s unsurprising; nearly 100,000 people have died of covid-19, and more than 30 million have lost their jobs. What might be surprising, however, is that symptoms of psychological distress are directly correlated with age. The younger the person, the likelier he or she is to experience mental health issues. Read On

The data are stark on this point. Among those aged 18 to 29, 42 percent reported symptoms of anxiety and 36 percent had symptoms of depression. Those numbers decline with each successive age cohort, reaching their low points among respondents 80 years old or older. Only 11 percent of the most elderly had anxiety symptoms, and only 9 percent presented as depressed.AD

This may be counterintuitive, since the elderly are most at risk of dying of covid-19. But it becomes less surprising after considering the impacts of the measures taken to fight the pandemic. The shutdown has devastated the economy, and younger workers have borne the brunt of the layoffs. According to one study, workers under 25 years of age are 93 percent more likely to have lost their jobs than those over 35. The most recent unemployment report bears this out: More than a quarter of workers between 18 and 24 are unemployed, roughly double the rate of workers 25 or older.

Millions of college students were also forced to go home as campuses closed. Moving is tough at any time, but moving from a largely independent life to one with enforced dependency is even more stressful. These students also had to suddenly deal with the first economic crisis of their adult lives, worrying about their immediate or future job prospects as they went overnight from the hottest labor market in U.S. history to the coldest.

The shutdown also crushed their social lives. Most people over 30 are married or in a stable, adult relationship, so they have someone to socialize with during a shutdown. Being with the same person 24/7 has its stresses, but being alone all the time can be far worse. Restrictions on bars and social gatherings also disproportionally took away the socializing activities of the younger set. For many young people, the sudden loss of human contact and economic security is just too much.AD

This almost certainly has been a reason for the much criticized flouting of social distancing rules over Memorial Day weekend. The pictures of people crammed together drinking were almost uniformly younger — the same people most in need of respite. Older people look at those pictures and see potential disease carriers. Younger people see them as a picture of saving themselves.

Policymakers are almost all immune to these experiences. Governors, mayors and members of President Trump’s team are mostly people in their middle ages or more advanced years. They haven’t lost their jobs, and they don’t stay locked in a room with no one to talk to. It’s natural their views are affected by their own experiences. One can say that gives them the distance needed to make informed decisions, but it also means they lack natural empathy with those who are most affected by those decisions. That is potentially a huge problem for the nation.

The Opinions section is looking for stories of how the coronavirus has affected people of all walks of life. Write to us.

This paradoxically creates an opportunity for Trump. While younger voters have tended to be the most hostile to him throughout his presidency, he is also the leading figure in favor of letting them return to a world where they can have hope and happiness again. While former vice president Joe Biden walks out with a mask and says, “Stay closed,” Trump walks maskless and says, “Embrace life.” Many pundits have noted that Biden is doing better than expected in polls among senior citizens, but those same polls also show Trump doing better than expected among the young. Those trends might be related.AD

The mental health plight of the young ought to be of prime concern to all regardless of the political impacts. The risk aversion and desire for creature comforts that characterized the generations that came of age during the Great Depression and World War II affected American life for decades. If today’s young are similarly traumatized by the pandemic, covid-19 will haunt us for the rest of the century.

Read more:

Read a letter in response to this column: Trump’s refusal to wear a mask sends the wrong message

Henry Olsen: Trump has unmasked his reelection strategy: Risk tolerance

Henry Olsen: Signs of rebirth are everywhere. They are simultaneously scary and wonderful.

Congratulations to the Class of 2020

June 16, 2020 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
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We salute your service and your perseverance through tough times. You all stayed in the story of service and worthily celebrated your achievements together yesterday. Project CHANGE is proud of what you have done.

Congratulations to the Class of 2019-2020

June 16, 2020 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
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Yesterday, we held our graduation event on ZOOM brilliantly organized by member Genean Hines Grobe and catered for by member Claire Ettinger. It was our first ever graduation event held virtually and it was a lot of fun. Three members shared their stories and toasted and celebrated each other for their year of service. The highlight was the special presentations by AmeriCorps members summing up their year.

Maria shared her love for the students of Kemp Mills Elementary School. When her sister died during the year, Maria took time off to be with her family and when she finally returned to service, the students in Grade 5 wlecomed her back with so much love and enthusiasm. One kid told her exactly how many days she had been away- he had been counting the days.

Lex shared highlights of her work with Courageous Queens with Family Learning Solutions and how she came into this work. Lex emphasized how important it is for young people to have the courage to believe in themselves.

And Genean…well, you can hear her speak for herself here. Enjoy and be inspired.

Black Lives Matter – A Statement from The Corps Network

June 2, 2020 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
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We stand with the Black community, as well as other people of color, who have been living with and fighting against systemic racism for decades. Our country has work to do to stand up to racism, oppression, and injustice wherever it exists.

As the national association of service and conservation Corps, The Corps Network’s mission is to advance programs that transform young people’s lives and communities through career development, civic engagement, and conservation. Collectively, our programs serve nearly 25,000 young adults, or Corpsmembers, each year. Corps offer the opportunity for young people from diverse backgrounds to work side-by-side to improve their communities and the environment.

The Corps Network’s member organizations operate across the country, including in Minneapolis, Atlanta, Baltimore, Detroit, DC, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, and many other places experiencing mass protests against the inexcusable death of yet another Black man at the hands of police. The death of George Floyd is not an isolated incident but rather the latest in a long and shameful list of examples of systemic racism against Black Americans and people of color.

We see our Black young people impacted by systemic racism every day, not just by the police and the justice system, but by lack of access to high quality education, good jobs, adequate health care, nutritious food, and safe places to enjoy the outdoors. The oppression of people of color – by the very systems charged with the health, wellbeing, and safety of all Americans – must stop.

As people around the world witness and engage in protests, some have recalled Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s statement that “A riot is the language of the unheard.” Our country – specifically white Americans – need to hear the anger in recent events, educate themselves, and take action to address racism. The organization “Girl Trek” recently started their “Black History “Boot Camp” with the words of Audre Lorde from her posthumously published book Your Silence Will Not Protect You. One of the essays in this book is entitled, “Transformation of Silence into Language and Action.” We realize that now is not the time for Silence. Now is the Time for Action. 
 
Through the work of The Moving Forward Initiative, The Corps Network has looked to transform silence into language and action via educational blogs, our Town Hall discussions, our annual conference and other resources. Know that The Corps Network is committed to advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. We are here for the hard work, but we realize that we will need to reach out to our friends and partners as we chart our path forward. None of us can create change alone.
 
This week marks the start of Great Outdoors Month. We are reminded of the healing power of nature, but we also must acknowledge that good health and access to the outdoors are more of a privilege than a right in our country. In addition to recent protests, COVID-19 (and the health and racial disparities this pandemic laid bare) is at the forefront of our minds. We want you to know that, in more ways than one, we aim to promote a healthy future for our Corps, Corpsmembers and their communities. In this moment, we stand in solidarity with the Black community and challenge our white colleagues and friends to examine their privilege and step up. We all must hold each other accountable; systematic injustice and inequality calls for systematic change. As Audre Lorde pointed out, “Your Silence Will Not Protect You.”

Mary Ellen Sprenkel
President & CEO
The Corps Network

June 2, 2020

But what do the students feel about themselves in all of this?

May 28, 2020 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
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MCPS, County Hold Grand Opening of Regional Pre-K Facility in ...

The AmeriCorps members of Project CHANGE Montgomery meet each week and compare notes on how they think their students are coping. While most kids are taking it in their stride, a lot are battling difficult conditions at home, finding study hard and getting depressed. It’s not that they are missing school but what school offers them outside of the classroom- friends, interactons, sport, fun, games, just hanging out.

In response to having one week’s notice to take school on line, most school districts have realized what a heavy lift that is. Teachers were not trained for this. But what they are also discovering even more is that ZOOM classes do not recreate the welcoming community that students need to be open to learning. As one of the MCPS leadership team said this week, “What we have at MCPS is a mental health crisis.” She went on to say that “the SEL needs for students are off the charts.”

That is where Project CHANGE Montgomery comes in. Right now, the program is preparing to play are more significant and impactful role in supporting MCPS students in their isolation. We must do more to ensure that social bonds are not broken, and that students do not lose faith in themselves. To that end, our SEL instument is being developed into the MYSCORE app. Every student that AmeriCorps servese will be able to connect to members and share their score so we know how our students feel they are coping in real time. Then we will be able to repond.

Our 5C’s of learning come out of the culture of both the school and it’s community, the nation and the economy, and the state of the world. It is not about just grasping a text book. How can students remain confident, curious and engaged with learning, collaborative and emotionally expressive, courageous and resilient and hopeful.

The Pursuit of Equity

The last time that MCPS had a full scale survey of student attitudes was conducted by GALLUP polling 7 years ago. They were after data on three items that echo the 5Cs of learning of MYSCORE. They asked students questions that would measure a students level of engagement, their overall wellness and their sense of Hope. The results are to be found here and here.

The results?

“Gallup research shows that the more connected students feel to school, the better chance they have of taking advantage of all that schools have to offer.”

In a way, that is what we would expect but when education is seen as so totally school-centric, the larger family and economic, national and cultural factors are not given sufficient weight into what attitudes a student comes to form about him or herself as a successful life learner. The school cannot do that alone.

In the discussion at the time, some experts explained why the survey was so important. “Gallup’s student survey is based on 40 years of social science research that suggests that “hope, engagement and well-being” are measurable, manipulable variables. Studies indicate that these factors can better predict how well students do in school and the likelihood of future success than standard academic measures such as grade-point averages and test scores, said Timothy Hodges, director of research for the polling firm’s education arm.” ( Washington Post July 17th 2013)

That is precisely where MYSCORE and Project CHANGE come in. We have to pick up where the GALLUP poll left off. Our students need a way to score how they see themselves as coping, and be able to share that.

Sen. Coons, colleagues introduce legislation to significantly expand national service programs to respond to COVID-19

May 28, 2020 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
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APRIL 22, 2020

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) announced the introduction of legislation to expand national service programs as the country works to respond and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act would fund 750,000 national service positions over a three-year response and recovery period, in part to meet the projected need for as many as 300,000 public health workers. Under the bill, the number of AmeriCorps and national service positions could expand from 75,000 to 150,000 the first year and double to 300,000 in years two and three. The bill would also expand partnerships between AmeriCorps and federal health agencies and increase the AmeriCorps living allowance to ensure all Americans can step up to serve regardless of their financial circumstances. The Senators are actively working to include this bill in the next COVID-19 relief package set to be considered by the Senate. Read More

Expanding the service program would be worth the cost, proponents say

May 28, 2020 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
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How to Live on an AmeriCorps Stipend - ServeMinnesota

As the public health crisis shatters the economy, employment prospects for the Class of 2020 are grim. Newly minted college graduates have had internships and job offers rescinded or delayed. They are entering a workforce rife with competition for scarce opportunities.

Against that backdrop, lawmakers say a decades-old federal initiative could offer work as beneficial to graduates as it is to their communities. Americorps funds tens of thousands of young people to help vulnerable populations across the country. In exchange for their service, volunteers can build their résumés and receive up to $6,195 toward student loans or a degree. Read More

COVID19 IS A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS FOR MCPS STUDENTS

May 26, 2020 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
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Demonstrations Message

STUDENTS HAVE NEVER FACED SUCH SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES TO THEIR LEARNING.


Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) with 165,000 Students enrolled, is one of the nations largest school disctricts and it grows every year. But since March 2020, all schools have shutdown, leaving kids cut off from their peers, depriving them of normal healthy social outlets. The virtual platforms of learning might be able to teach math or science but they cannot make up for losses in Social/Emotional learning, the very skills students need most to deal with the crisis. This is where you come in.

Every child needs one on one attention, especially struggling students, who battle to believe in themselves. Project CHANGE is dedicated to the 5C’s curriculum that says every student needs to grow in Confidence, Curiosity, Collaboration, Courage and Career/future focused learning. Guided by internationally known teachers, the best narrative and coaching faculty in the region, the Project CHANGE 2020-21 team will serve together to tackle the COVID19 challenge to learning. By serving directly in schools and in after-school programs with leading non-profit organizations, AmeriCorps members commit to a year serving students so that they not just catch up, but “catch on fire” with their own love of learning.

For 20 years, AmeriCorps Project CHANGE Montgomery has combined a traditional AmeriCorps placement with the most innovative training and supervision drawn from the complementary disciplines of the narrative method and peer to peer executive coaching. 2020-21 will offer the same amazing faculty that includes Disaster Relief specialist Mary Fowler (Trauma informed teaching) performer and author Noa Baum, ( on how to tell a story) Therapist Jonathan Zeitlin ( Mindfulness and Zen) executive master coach Lynn Feingold ( the art of peer to peer coaching) Lockheed Martin retired manager John Dold ( Building a Team) author and Professor, Dr. Jean Freedman ( How Improv can improve performance) Women’s Business Coach, Maria Mcelhenny ( financial Literacy ) and many others. This outstanding team has been brought together under the leadership of world authority on narrative method and Project CHANGE director, Paul Costello.

Project CHANGE Montgomery is the original Montgomery County MD program of AmeriCorps, America’s “Domestic Peace Corps.” Because this year is different, the new team will form a specialist MCPS task force to help lead on the COVID19 response. Places are available from mid August 2020 to mid-August 2021. Members serve the county’s most under-served K-12+ students inspiring them to believe in themselves enough to achieve. Project CHANGE uses its own Phone App called MYSCORE, the innovative SEL tool that allows students to self-assess their growth in the 5C’s and reach out to the members to help them grow more confident, curious, collaborative, courageous and career/future focused learners.

In return, members receive training, a living stipend, a 6K educational scholarship, health benefits, professional mentoring, a team of supportive peers, connection to AmeriCorps alumni, preference in hiring for many organizations, and overall a life-changing experience. Positions are full time (1700 hours over 12 months) and two positions are Half Time (900 hours over a year.)

Assignments in Montgomery County’s Project CHANGE include the following outstanding nonprofit and educational organizations:

  • Montgomery County Public Schools: 7 POSITIONS ACROSS MCPS

Project CHANGE places 6 members Full Time and two members Half Time in the MCPS school system where students need the most support and would most benefit from a committed mentor. Members serve as Teacher’s assistants in the classroom.

Listed are some of the placments of previous years:

Kemp Mills Elementary School ( In classroom support for bi-lingual grade 5s)
Brown Station Elementary School ( In classroom support)
Jackson Road Elementary School ( In classroom support)
Kings View Middle School ( In classroom support)

Gaithersburg High School ( assist ESOL and METS program students)

Thomas Edison School of Technology CREA ( assist 18-21 with GED-work readiness)
George B Thomas Learning Academy ( assist Saturday school classes)
Seneca Valley High School CREA ( Assist CREA program)
MCPS Restorative Justice Unit ( Assist head office run program)

OTHER PROGRAM PARTNERS

YMCA-Benchmarks
Member serves in a Middle School program based at Sliver Creek Middle School in Kensington and supports 25 middle schoolers from high needs communities.

Community Bridges
Up to four members serve over 350 girls from Grade4-14 with an after school program that helps empower girls to succeed.

Caring Matters
A member serves with Caring Matters to run Good Grief Clubs that are grief support groups in schools to help students who are dealing with the loss of a loved one.

Family Learning Solutions
Up to two members assist students in middle and High School overcome the achievement gap and learn healthy ways to grow and succeed.

Montgomery Housing Partnership
Familes that live in MHP affordable housing communites are served by MHP community centers where students gather for after school programs for K, elementary and middle school. Members help staff and run these centers.

All applicants must be high school graduates and American citizens or permanent residents. Send a copy of your resume and a letter of interest and be prepared for an interview over may-June.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $18,000.00 /year

The Road to COVID-19 Recovery Is Long—But AmeriCorps Can Help

May 21, 2020 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
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VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 09: Volunteers load food into a recipient's trunk at a Food Bank distribution for those in need as the coronavirus pandemic continues on April 9, 2020 in Van Nuys, California. Organizers said they had distributed food for 1,500 families amid the spread of COVID-19. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Stabilizing and growing AmeriCorps can speed our return to a healthy society by providing a meaningful boost to many young people’s careers, delivering necessary supports to the communities most impacted by the pandemic, and maintaining the strength of the nonprofit sector.

Emma Vadhera and Daniel Edelman in Next 100 from Century Foundation

While far from a silver bullet solution, expanding national service programs like AmeriCorps should be a core component of the recovery agenda. AmeriCorps members are already helping our country through this time, supporting the continuity of food access and learning, keeping homebound seniors connected, and so much more. Stabilizing and growing AmeriCorps can speed our return to a healthy society by providing a meaningful boost to many young people’s careers, delivering necessary supports to the communities most impacted by the pandemic, and maintaining the strength of the nonprofit sector. Moreover, it will do so at a net savings to taxpayers, with a dollar invested in AmeriCorps recouping over two dollars from higher tax revenues and reduced spending on social programs over the long term. When one also counts gains to society in health, education, and productivity from AmeriCorps members’ participation and service, the value of benefits gained for every dollar invested grows to over $3.50. Read More.