October - 2022

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Sexual Assault in Montgomery County Public Schools

Over the past few years, MCPS has seen a substantial increase in reports of sexual assault. MCPS must foster a safe environment for students not knowing what steps to take after facing a traumatizing event. Safety should be the number one priority. MCPS reported 162 cases of sexual misconduct this past school year in just 59 days, making over 420 cases in total. In the 2018-2019 school year, 320 cases were reported. Socioeconomic factors play a significant factor in reported

Increasing Student Political Engagement by Lowering the Voting Age

In recent years, the American democratic process has come under intense scrutiny as polarization and public cynicism have combined to highlight its dysfunctionality. In Montgomery County, the number of students involved in advocacy has risen, but there is still much to be desired in the overall fraction of the student population. It must be recognized that widespread civic engagement is one of the only solutions to this domestic chaos. Furthermore, leaders must recognize what

Addressing the Opportunity Gap within Montgomery County Public Schools

Currently in MCPS, there is a very large disparity in education quality and college readiness from school to school. One can see through many different standards - test scores, dropout rates, class performance - that the opportunity gap is still very prevalent. Having different educational opportunities based on where you live or your economic status is unacceptable and must be addressed with the utmost priority. One can see clearly the disparity between schools in Montgomery

Mental Health Specialists in Montgomery County Public Schools

Over the past 10 years, the number of students in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has grown exponentially; however, the rate of school psychologists in the county has not kept pace. Currently, the ratio of both school psychologists and counselors to students is 1 to 1800 in MCPS schools. This is clearly not within the National Association of School Psychologists recommendation of one psychologist for every 500 students ratio or the American School Counselor Associatio

Overcrowding in Montgomery County Public Schools

Montgomery County has been facing school overcrowding as a major concern for decades, but the issue has become more severe in the last 10 years. Of the 208 schools in the district, 101 are currently overcapacity. The main factor contributing to overcrowding is the large influx of students due to the growth of Montgomery County. Since 2010, the population of the county has grown 9.3%, above the national average, while schools accommodated over 30,000 new students in the last 2

Montgomery County Public School Community Engagement Officers

In August of 2021, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) opened without School Resource Officers (SROs) for the first time in 19 years. SROs had been armed police officers assigned to work and patrol inside MCPS schools. This decision was championed by activists across the county working on SROs’ removal for years. After calls for a lightened form of school security provided by police officers, MCPS created a replacement for SROs called Community Engagement Officers (CEOs)

Combating Climate Change in Montgomery County Public Schools

Over the past decade, the impact of climate change has been visible to the entire world: Africa faces unprecedented droughts, wildfires take over parts of Australia, North America, and South America, and southern Asia experiences never-before-seen flooding, all while the world continues heating up. This is not a problem – it is a crisis. Climate change is ranked among the most pressing global issues, yet it is not being treated with the necessary level of urgency and importan

What the Grant Program Is and How Students Can Access It

The MCR-SGA takes many initiatives to support students across Montgomery County. A way the organization supports MCPS students is the Grant Program. Any student can apply for the Grant Program, and receive funding from MCR for their projects. “The MCR Grant Program is really important because it [helps] student-led groups grow and [emphasizes] the importance of leadership in our communities,” said Maahe Kunvar, who served as the MCR Treasurer for the 2021-2022 school year. “

September Executive Board Meeting Recap

On September 8th, 2022, the newly appointed MCR Executive Board met at the Carver Educational Center to kickstart the beginning of a brand new school year. The first MCR Executive Board meeting of the 2022-2023 school year began at around 6:05 PM. The first item on the agenda was the first SMOB report of the year, delivered by Arvin Kim. Arvin shared about the opening of the new Harriet Tubman Elementary School, the assignment of social workers at all 25 high schools, and the