BoardNotes Dec. 2025

Caroline County Board of Education meetings are livestreamed and may also be viewed after the meeting has concluded. For information about the Board of Education, including agendas and meeting schedules, please visit the Leadership page of our website.

At the start of each meeting, the board of education president reads the Mission Statement, "In partnership with families and community, we prepare all students to achieve college, career, and life readiness through a challenging and progressive educational experience."

Ridgely Elementary School Student Government students, accompanied by Principal Sutton and teacher Ms. Buffenmyer, opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Board re-elected A. Michele Wayman as president and Mark Jones as vice-president for the 2026 year.

The Board reocognized CRHS student Addison Masten for her artwork being chosen for the Superintendent's Holiday Card.

In the Consent Agenda, the Board approved:

• Personnel items as presented by Dr. Robert Willoughby, Director of Administrative Services
• The minutes from the most recent board of education meetings
• Pessin Katz as the Board Attorney

The Board approved retiring the following policies as presented by Director of Administrative Services Dr. Rob Willoughby. Dr. Willoughby explained that the policy prohibits tutoring during the school day by CCPS employees and/or outside agents and does not allow for students to be granted an excused absence if pulled out of school for tutoring. This policy was written in 2004, prior to school security regulations and current student attendance regulations. These new regulations would not allow for outside agents to enter the school for tutoring and would not allow for any excused absences for this purpose. Given this, this policy is redundant and should be retired.

Policy II.23.30 Tutoring

The Board approved the following policy revisions as presented by Director of Administrative Services Dr. Rob Willoughby. Dr. Willoughby explained that the policies have been revised in order to reflect current practice, updated language, and updated references to statute. As these revisions do not materially change the spirit or intention of policy, these can be approved in a single reading.

Selection of Media Materials.pdf

Test Administration,Security, and Data Reporting.pdf

Secondary Course Offerings.pdf

The Board approved this policy as presented by Director of Administrative Services Dr. Rob Willoughby. Dr. Willoughby introduced the policy at the November meeting, followed by sharing the draft for public comment. No public comment was received.

Elimination of Barriers for Students Experiencing Homelessness.pdf

Elimination of Barriers for Students Experiencing Homelessness Regulation.pdf

FFA Sponsor Jodi Neal and a group of FFA students presented to the board about their recent trip to the National FFA Convention. Their presentation included student-created slides that highlighted each participant’s most memorable experience from the trip. Students described the Crop Adventure exhibit, which featured more than 100 exhibits, videos, and interactive displays; their visit to a large breeding facility; and their time exploring the convention center, which housed a wide range of employers in the agricultural field. One student also spoke about her experience performing in the National FFA Chorus.

Board member Mark Jones attended the trip as a parent chaperone and noted that it was a worthwhile experience for the students. He also remarked that students each had a spending budget to maintain, which proved challenging in the vendor hall because it was designed to encourage purchasing.

They concluded by sharing how the various aspects of the trip aligned with educational standards. Ms. Neal and the students expressed their appreciation to the board for making the trip possible.

• $1.18M cumulative cost avoidance savings to date
• 25% program to date savings
• 26% reduction in energy consumption per square foot (EUI)
• 5,208 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided

Mr. Muir praised the work of CCPS Energy Specialist Josh Rein who performed a multitude of tasks in order to achieve positive results.

Dr. Simmons reviewed budget priorities for FY27, and provided a presentation. He reviewed the budget timeline, revenues and a summary of the unrestricted budget, the Maryland Blueprint process as it relates to the budget, the State's budget picture, the cost of doing business in the coming year, and the FY27 system needs.

Dr. Simmons was delighted to share that the Dec. 2nd Today Show's Giving Tuesday feature was about the work of CCPS Food and Nutrition Services, with the support of No Kid Hungry.