THE GAZETTE
Wednesday, December 4, 2013 r
Page A-7
Parents question superintendent about Rock Terrace School Starr: No easy fix for Rockville school under investigation
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BY
LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER
Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Joshua P. Starr told parents of special education students that “something clearly went wrong,” but there’s no easy fix, at Rock Terrace School, where the staff’s handling of work-study program funds is under investigation. Parents raised allegations earlier this year that Rock Terrace staff misappropriated money that their children earned. The Rockville school serves developmentally disabled students. The Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office is currently investigating how staff handled the program money. Starr addressed the issue on Nov. 25 at a meeting of the school system’s Special Education Advisory Committee. During a question-andanswer session, Lyda Astrove, a Rockville lawyer and special-education advocate, told Starr she wanted to see the school system hire an independent, outside, forensic accountant or auditor to look into how Rock Terrace
Beer festivals are brewing in Montgomery
School staff handled the money students earned. Astrove said it has been about six months since the issue at the school surfaced. “I want to know when you’re going to take action on that matter,” said Astrove, who is working with Rock Terrace parents. Starr said the situation at Rock Terrace is “a complex and thorny legal issue.” The school system will act when it’s clear what it should do following the state’s attorney’s investigation, he said. “If this were just an easy fix that had one right answer,
whether it’s reimbursement or something else, I would have done it,” he said. Rhonda Turner, the parent of a former Rock Terrace student, said her son had hundreds of dollars taken from him and she hasn’t heard from the school system in several months. Starr said school system staff would check on what communication had gone out to the Rock Terrace community; the school was expected to communicate with parents. He also said he didn’t like the idea that some of the school’s parents were not given
correct or any information. A few parents at the meeting brought up issues related to the school system’s process for disputes with families of special education students. Steve Zepnick, who said he was advocating for his 10-yearold grandson, asked Starr if he thought the dispute process should be examined and parents consulted to see what changes might be necessary. Starr said a very small percentage of special education families request dispute resolution with the school system. In some cases, it’s impossi-
ble for the the school system and families to agree, he said. “I’m comfortable with where we are right now, I am,” he said. “The numbers are really, really solid.” Other parents asked Starr about other issues, including training for paraeducators, the integration of Curriculum 2.0 in special education classes and a shift in the school schedule. Laurie Karabinus of Damascus, whose sixth-grader attends Longview School in Germantown, told Starr she is concerned about the possibility that Longview’s day will increase
by 30 minutes if Starr’s recommended bell times changes are adopted. Karabinus said she thinks the longer school day at Longview, which serves students with disabilities, could hurt students’ health. Starr said his proposal — which includes starting high schools 50 minutes later and extending the elementary school day by 30 minutes — is currently open for community feedback. “This is not a done deal,” he said. lpowers@gazette.net
We are interested in talking to people who meet one or more of the following criteria: Study 1 • Have either a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or Ph.D. • Received any Scholarships or loans for college or graduate studies • Work in any field of computer science or mathematics
Study 5 • Have had 1 or more contacts with the police in the last 12 months: • During a traffic incident (accident, speeding, etc) • While out in public • While inside your home
Study 2 • Have children 5 to 17 with Disabilities • Are an Adult who is disabled • Are an Adult who is unable to work for health reasons
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Study 7 • Students ages 12-18 who meet any of the following criteria: • Ride a public school bus to/from school • Walk to/from school • Have been bullied in school • Have bullied other students in school • Participate in a school club • Participate in a school sport • Identify as LGBT • Have a learning disability
The Census Bureau is looking for people to try out new questionnaires. Participants will receive a stipend of $40 1911916
County seeks state permission to celebrate local brews n
BY
KATE S. ALEXANDER STAFF WRITER
Montgomery County is home to multiple wine festivals each year. Now, the county also wants to celebrate beer. A bill will go before the General Assembly in January to give the county permission to host up to four beer festivals a year. It is one of nine local bills from Montgomery seeking to change alcohol regulations. The beer festival bill was requested by delegation Chairwoman Anne R. Kaiser (D-Dist. 14) of Burtonsville on the county’s behalf. Currently, the county can host wine festivals each year, but not beer fests, said Kathie Durbin, division chief of the Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control. Seven years ago, when the state granted the wine festival license, the county also sought approval for beer festivals. Somewhere between draft and approval, the word beer was removed, she said. The license the county now seeks specifies that festivals must promote Maryland beer. The bill would allow up to four festivals a year and would require the host to get a license, as well as each vendor. Montgomery is home to several brewers, including Baying Hound Aleworks and Gordon Biersch in Rockville, Growlers in Gaithersburg and Rock Bottom in Bethesda. More craft breweries are expected emerge, Durbin said, like Citizens Brewing Co., a craft brewery that Julie Verratti plans to open in Silver Spring next summer. A bill proposed by Del. Sam Arora (D-Dist. 19) of Silver Spring would ease restrictions on microbreweries by allowing tastings and pours without serving food.
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