Following the passage of state legislation last year, the Harford County Board of Education is in the early stages of a transition from a fully appointed, seven-member board to a nine-member blended board consisting of both appointed and elected members. The first school board elections were held last week, when the voters chose three new […]
Harford Schools Scratch Pad: Board Member Smilko Says Goodbye, New Administrator Lawrence Says Hello
An occasional series of informal reports and observations from meetings of the Harford County Board of Education. The last school board meeting of the summer of 2010 was about as quiet as you would expect for a Monday evening in August (August 9th to be exact). But there were some notable moments nonetheless: hopeful signs […]
John Smilko to End Term on Harford School Board
Harford County Board of Education Member John Smilko has announced that he plans to leave the Board at the conclusion of his original five year term on June 30, 2010. Smilko, a Bel Air businessman and resident of Joppatowne, was appointed by Governor Robert Ehrlich in 2005. During his term, Mr. Smilko was outspoken on […]
Fairness in Negotiations Act Brings Changes to Public School Labor Negotiations
The passage of the Fairness in Negotiations Act by the 2010 Maryland General Assembly will bring significant changes to public school labor negotiations in Maryland. Is the new law a “big win” or “openly hostile to education”? That depends on whom you ask. In brief, the 24-page Fairness in Negotiations Act creates a state-wide Public […]
School Board Member Smilko Delivers “Reality Check” to Harford Teachers
A confidentiality agreement is supposed to prevent both the Harford County Board of Education and the Harford County Education Association (HCEA) from discussing labor negotiations in public. Those talks are normally conducted behind closed doors and so far, they have yet to result in a teachers’ contract for the 2009 –10 school year. But Board […]
Board of Education Member John Smilko Disputes Testimony on Fairness in Negotiations Act
Harford County Board of Education Member John Smilko has been a fervent opponent of the Fairness in Negotiations Act, a bill co-sponsored by Harford County Senator Barry Glassman that is currently making its way through the Maryland General Assembly. Smilko’s concerns have centered on a provision in the bill calling for binding arbitration when labor […]
With Proposed Labor Relations Bill, “Anything Is For Sale In Annapolis,” School Board Member Says
Potential legislation affecting public school labor negotiations prompted angry charges from Harford County Board of Education member John Smilko last Monday night. At the school board’s business meeting in Bel Air, Smilko said a bill pending in the Maryland General Assembly would benefit unions and would be “the Governor’s payback to the teachers’ union for […]
Board of Ed Member Smilko Blasts County Council – Council To Investigate Board Decision on Red Pump Elementary
Given the current economic meltdown, it’s not surprising that the Board of Education is scaling back plans to build two new elementary schools, opting to build just one new school instead. But the events surrounding the decision to build Campus Hills Elementary School instead of Red Pump Elementary are becoming surreal. First came the surprise […]
