For Immediate Release: Tuesday, May 11, 2021
ROCKVILLE, Md., May 11, 2021— Montgomery County Councilmembers Will Jawando and Craig Rice announce the creation of a new workgroup through Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) comprised of 29 organizations that widely represent our students, community and school system. This MCPS workgroup was created to hear from these stakeholders to collaboratively determine the best ways to support our students and ensure their safety. Support resources and systems within our schools will be instrumental in building up a cohort of mental health professionals and wrap-around services to meet the needs of our students and families.
The workgroup will meet regularly to develop recommendations for an equitable and affirming county-wide model of supports for our students and families and provide their recommendations this summer in time for consideration for the next school year. The first workgroup meeting will be Thursday, May 13th from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Access to the first virtual meeting is available through Zoom at
https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/85473871902?pwd=UmpEazNyY3pJSkM4cVp4L1UwNmVCUT09
This initiative is a collaboration of Councilmembers Jawando and Rice following thoughtful conversations on their joint priorities in supporting our students’ well-being and ensuring their safety. Prompted by the compelling advocacy surrounding the issue of police officer presence inside school buildings, the councilmembers agreed that focusing on mental health and support services would play a critical role in helping to end the disparities in school discipline and arrests.
The workgroup is chaired by Kyson Taylor, MoCo Against Brutality; Regina Morales, Deputy Chief for Behavioral Health at Department of Health and Human Services; Elijah Wheeler, Executive Director of Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families; and Ruschelle Reuben, Associate Superintendent, Student and Family Support and Engagement at Montgomery County Public Schools.
“We have an opportunity right now to create a new system of supports that will lift up all of our students. For too long we have met normal adolescent behavior with punitive responses that trap and traumatize our young people and have under-invested in the social, emotional and mental health supports they need to be uplifted and healed. This student-centered group will help us turn the page on that past in Montgomery County and serve as a model for the nation. I look forward to reviewing the recommendations and thank everyone who has agreed to participate,” said Councilmember Jawando.
“I greatly appreciate the commitment and perspective each member brings to the table. We know that our youth present such an important perspective in identifying the resources they need. We must focus on what we as a community must do to support our most valuable resource, our youth. This workgroup is a true representation of the various perspectives in our community, and I look forward to their guidance on how to move our county forward in implementing the needed supports for our youth and families,” said Councilmember Rice.
Workgroup members include the following organizations:
Asian American Progressive Student Union (AAPSU)
Black and Brown Coalition
BROTHERS Academy
Community Bridges
Crittenton Services of Greater Washington
Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children (CSAAC)
EveryMind
Identity
Latin American Youth Center (LAYC)
Maryland School Counselor Association
Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals (MCAAP )
Montgomery County Council of PTAs (MCCPTA)
Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA)
Montgomery County Regional Student Government Association (MCR-SGA)
MoCo Against Brutality
MoCo Defund/Invest Coalition
MoCo Students for Change
MoCo Pride
Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth, and Families
Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services
Montgomery County Public Schools
Montgomery County School Psychologists’ Association (MCSPA)
NAACP Parents Council
Pride Youth Services
SEIU Local 500
Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders (SMYAL)
Students Toward Equitable Public Schools (STEPS)
UCF Youth Development Organization
Young People for Progress
Media contacts:
Councilmember Will Jawando
Cecily Thorne, Chief of Staff
Cecily.Thorne@montgomerycountymd.gov
240-777-7811
Councilmember Craig Rice
Sharon Ledner, Chief of Staff
Sharon.Ledner@montgomerycountymd.gov
240-777-7951