News Clips Report

Date HeadLine Outlet 05/08/2009 Pop|Rock|Folk|Jazz|Etc. Washington Post 05/08/2009 Executive Snapshot: George Dang Gazette of Politics and Business, The 05/08/2009 Today I try to submit my application at http://rchisty200812.wordpress.com/ www.montgomerycollege.edu , for post of Instructional L... 05/08/2009 Today I try to submit my application at http://rchisty200812.wordpress.com/ www.montgomerycollege.edu , for post of Instructional L... 05/07/2009 Feeling the Dollar Pinch http://thejakartajourno.wordpress.com/ 05/07/2009 1030 on a thursday and there is parking at Twitter montgomery college rockville. Something is up... 05/07/2009 WHAT'S HAPPENING Washington Post 05/07/2009 Montgomery College Hosts Admissions Event Washington Post Tonight 05/07/2009 Time to step up to the bullies, Urbana style Gazette, The 05/07/2009 Get some training! Examiner.com 05/07/2009 IN BRIEF Washington Post - Online 05/07/2009 Montgomery Community Events May 7-14, 2009 Washington Post - Online 05/07/2009 Montgomery School Notes Washington Post - Online 05/06/2009 Yes!! I made it into the scholars program at Twitter Montgomery College! Haha :) 05/06/2009 Sobering Seven Keys Meeting http://themorechild.com/ 05/06/2009 Hometown guitar slinger to play at Silver Spring Gazette, The Blues Festival 05/06/2009 Montgomery College classrooms open to youngest Gazette, The learners for Earth Day 05/06/2009 Education College-School Partnerships Offer Head Washington Post Start on Higher Education 05/06/2009 Today on the Hill Washington Post 05/06/2009 College Institute staffing cuts could stifle program The Gazette of Politics and Business 05/06/2009 Blackboard Inc. Reports First Quarter Revenue of Earth Times $86.4 Million 05/06/2009 Friends pitch in to help Magruder grad hurt in crash Gazette, The 05/06/2009 Bellamy, Burgess Gazette, The 05/06/2009 College, county agree on road extension plan Gazette, The 05/06/2009 College Institute staffing cuts could limit high Gazette, The school program 05/06/2009 Montgomery College FriendFeed 05/06/2009 Alfred State ready to host NJCAA championships Times Herald 05/06/2009 NEW INNOVATIONS AND BEST PRACTICES Federal News Service UNDER WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT 05/06/2009 New Montgomery law aims to boost small business Gazette, The 05/05/2009 Youth sports Gazette, The 05/05/2009 Blackboard Inc. Reports First Quarter Revenue of IT News On-line $86.4 Million 05/05/2009 18 APPLY FOR SOON-TO-BE OPEN POSITION Federal News Service ON MONTGOMERY COUNTY PLANNING BOARD 05/05/2009 DC-Area Jobless Turning to Training Programs T+D magazine, Training + Development 05/05/2009 ROCKVILLE SCIENCE DAY FEATURES FAMILY Federal News Service FUN 05/04/2009 Where Are Your Fave DC Journos Delivering TVNewser Commencement Addresses? 05/04/2009 DC Area- Journal of Economic Perspectives Twitter (1989-1991) (Takoma Park/Montgomery College): Winter ... 05/04/2009 House Education and Labor Committee - Hearing FIND Washington Daybook 05/03/2009 Michelle's Education http://mpmassage.wordpress.com/ 05/03/2009 Montgomery, Fairfax cutting school budgets next DCExaminer.com year 05/02/2009 Course Listings del.i.cious 05/01/2009 Montgomery College Gift Envisions Biotech Center Twitter - Washington Post (http://cli.gs/tjHNzv) 05/01/2009 swine flu in montgomery county now. Thats like, Twitter twenty mins away from me. My mom also works at ... 04/30/2009 gotta show at montgomery college this saturday, Twitter holla at me!! 04/30/2009 Montgomery College Gift Envisions Biotech Center Twitter - Washington Post: Montgomery College Gift Env... 04/29/2009 Harford Men’s Tennis Edges Rockville, 5-4, to http://www.daggerpress.com/ Claim Region XX Championship 04/28/2009 Tuition and Fee Schedule for Academic Year del.i.cious 2008/2009 News Clips Report

Pop|Rock|Folk|Jazz|Etc. Washington Post

05/08/2009 Pop|Rock|Folk|Jazz|Etc.

RANDY BRECKER AND THE JAZZ ACADEMY ORCHESTRA Sunday at 7:30. Montgomery College, Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center, 51 Mannakee St., Rockville. 301-871-8418 or http://www.jazzacademy.org. $12 in advance, $15 at the door. News Clips Report

Executive Snapshot: George Dang Gazette of Politics and Business, The

05/08/2009 Friday, May 8, 2009

Executive Snapshot: George Dang

Charles E. Shoemaker/The Gazette

George Dang of Silver Spring is president of Acacia Financial Advisors in Rockville.

Age: 61.

Family: Wife, Synthia Woodcock-Dang; three adult children, Eddy, Tony and Amy.

Profession/business: President of Acacia Financial Advisors in Rockville, which provides investment, retirement, insurance, estate-planning and financial services to individuals and businesses. After 20 years in the financial services industry and retiring as a senior executive with a major company, Dang formed Acacia with a partner, James Chang.

Hobbies: Golf, deep-sea fishing, traveling.

Last book read: "Call Me Ted" by Ted Turner.

Last movie seen: "Outsourcing."

Next vacation: Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam.

Latest accomplishments: Building Acacia Financial Advisors and "working with this team of professionals to help clients achieve their financial goals and protect their families and businesses."

Being recognized by the U.S. House, the Maryland governor and Maryland House of Delegates for "Outstanding Dedication, Service, and Contributions to the Asian American Business Communities."

"Using language and cultural background to bridge community and business. (I am a Chinese-ethnic born and educated in Vietnam, fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese Chinese and Vietnamese.)"

How he gets fresh ideas: "Through many community activities such as being co-founder and board member of Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce; serving on Governor O'Malley's Asian Pacific American Affairs commission and as a member of the Montgomery College Foundation; through travel such as being on Gov. Ehrlich's Asian trade mission, and President Clinton's historic trip to Vietnam; listening and learning from the many successful members of each of these activities, helps bring new ideas and vision to improve personal and business growth."

Quote: "Aim High. Do not be afraid to take risks. Ten years from now, you will regret more for what you did not do than for what you tried. No matter how old you are, you can still conquer the world … Make a difference in the lives of other people, no matter how small the difference is. Leave behind a better society for your descendents. And most important, enjoy your life and work to the fullest." — Long Nguyen. News Clips Report

1030 on a thursday and there is parking at montgomery college rockville. Something is up... Twitter

05/07/2009 1030 on a thursday and there is parking at montgomery college rockville. Something is up... News Clips Report

WHAT'S HAPPENING Washington Post

05/07/2009 WHAT'S HAPPENING

Music

RANDY BRECKER -- 7:30 p.m. Sunday. The Grammy Award-winning musician performs with the Jazz Academy Orchestra, under the direction of saxophonist Paul Carr. Montgomery College, Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center, 51 Mannakee St., Rockville. $15; in advance, $12. 301-871-8418 or http://www.jazzacademy.org. News Clips Report

Montgomery College Hosts Admissions Event Tonight Washington Post

05/07/2009 Thursday, May 7, 2009

Montgomery College Hosts Admissions Event Tonight

High school seniors and their families are invited to visit Montgomery College from 6 to 8 tonight for Parent-Student Night at the Theatre Arts Arena, 51 Mannakee St. in Rockville.

Representatives from the campus's admissions, financial aid and advising offices will offer information on how to pay for college, assessment and placement testing, the first-year experience, disabilities support services, student life, scholarships and other topics. One session will be available in Spanish. First-time applicants who apply during the event will receive a fee waiver and will be eligible to enter a drawing for an iPod Touch.

To register, send an e-mail with the full names of those who will be attending to [email protected]. For information, call 240-567-5000 or e-mail [email protected]. News Clips Report

Time to step up to the bullies, Urbana style Gazette, The

05/07/2009 Thursday, May 7, 2009

Time to step up to the bullies, Urbana style

Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Not the Urbana High boys lacrosse team. Never one to shy away from top-shelf competition, head coach Joe Conner has created a template that the rest of Frederick County's coaches may want to follow.

Conner loves to compete against some of the state's best competition to prepare for the postseason.

"I think it is a good model and it has worked very well for us, I've done the exact same thing at Walter Johnson and Montgomery College, and always showed major improvement towards the end of the year when the season really came to a head," Conner said.

Call me Switzerland. I pride myself on impartiality and neutrality. Making my deadline always trumps who wins and who loses. A safe, competitive and speedy contest is typically all I yearn for.

While wishing nothing but prosperity for all coverage area teams, I'm in the tank for Urbana. Conner, I believe, does it the right way. He doesn't tippy-toe around bullies, but rather seeks them out.

"It is hard to schedule those teams, but I will continue to push hard to have the opportunity to play them and hopefully if we continue to play well, they won't have any reservations about putting us on their schedule," Conner said.

Under Conner, Urbana has made a habit of venturing outside the comforts of the county and Monocacy Valley Athletic League. This season alone has included tilts against Anne Arundel County private school-power Archbishop Spalding, which competes in arguably one of the nation's most prestigious high school lacrosse leagues: the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic A Conference; Broadneck, an Anne Arundel public school stalwart with four state titles; DeMatha of Prince George's County, the defending Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champions and Montgomery County's Georgetown Prep, which currently resides at number 15 in the Inside Lacrosse power rankings.

Urbana lost all four games.

Big deal. Morale didn't take a hit. If anything, the Hawks returned to practice amplified in their resolve and more focused than before.

"It just showed us we can play with anyone," Hawks senior Ryan Dutton-O'Hara said. "When you play against teams like that, you have your weaknesses exposed and that's what made us work harder."

Saturday could mark the end of Dutton O-H'ara's career at Urbana. The Hawks will host the winner of Thursday's Linganore-Northwest contest in a Class 4A-3A quarterfinal. Neither potential opponent frightens the attackman in the least.

"You're playing teams with 10 to 12 Division I players," Dutton-O'Hara said. "There's no public schools in the state that are probably as good as DeMatha or Georgetown Prep."

Dutton-O'Hara and his teammates were competitive in all but one (Georgetown Prep) of their meetings with the blue bloods.

"Our coach makes us play against such a high level earlier in the season so that when it comes down to playoffs, we're like "oh, wow, this is much easier," Dutton-O'Hara said.

The results speak for themselves. During his four years at the helm, Connor has twice advanced to the state finals, including a trip last year. As of Wednesday, the Hawks were 8-5 overall, but a perfect 4-0 in intra-county contests News Clips Report

outscoring their neighbors 58-32. Urbana has also dropped only one MVAL game, 12-6 against Century.

While Dutton-O'Hara is preparing for the state playoffs, former teammate Greg Anderson is readying himself for the NCAA Tournament.

A freshman defenseman with Eastern College Athletic Conference champion Massachusetts, Anderson says his time in Ijamsville; particularly those quarrels with titans have been instrumental to both his physical and mental acclimation to college play.

Stepping right in, he's started 10 games while appearing in each of the Minutemen's 14 contests.

"Once I got used to the tempo and the speed, I realized that I've played against some of these kids in high school, and kids of this caliber," Anderson said. "It was just a lot easier to do."

Anderson may have never suited up for UMass, nor received his scholarship, had it not been for his former coach's scheduling practices. There's no substitute for exposure.

"If schools can see you guard kids from those top high schools, they can definitely recruit you a lot easier," Anderson said.

Next year, Anderson will be joined in the Division I ranks by Dutton-O'Hara (St. John's-NY), Dadd (Bucknell) and Trey Wilkes (Ohio State). Classmate Jamey Lowe is also getting D-I looks.

Other recent Urbana products include Mike Murray, a member of John's Hopkins' 2007 NCAA championship team, Mike Rowse (Robert Morris) and A.J. Smith (Bellarmine of Kentucky). Conner's son Joe played at Delaware as well as Mount St. Mary's and currently serves as an assistant on the Mountaineers' staff.

You'd think local coaches would prescribe to coach Conner's philosophies. Regrettably, little interest has been displayed. Some have balked at the idea of playing powerhouses out of fear of being blown out.

Others have tried to schedule games, something Coach Conner said is difficult, but have been unsuccessful in their attempts.

There isn't a program in Frederick County which I believe to be in decline. Unfortunately, playing each other isn't enough. Lumps have to be taken. Just think about the struggles Troy Aikman or Peyton Manning encountered during their formative years in the National Football League. How'd they turn out?

So area head coaches, I implore you, follow the Urbana template. Sure, you may lose a few battles, but in the end, you'll win the wars. News Clips Report

Get some training! Examiner.com

05/07/2009 One of the best ways to learn to ride a motorcycle, unlearn bad riding habits, or simply refresh or improve your riding skills is to take a class.

Unfortunately, there aren't any riding schools in the District, but luckily both Maryland and Virginia are chock-full with opportunities.

Maryland actually requires the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Basic Rider Course for riders under the age of 18. The MSF and their two standard courses - the BRC and the follow-up Experienced Rider's Course (ERC) are well-known nationwide for their high-quality curriculum and generally high standards for instructors.

Maryland's rider training programs are administered through the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), which means that Maryland as a state supports, promotes, and provides this training, unlike Virginia. MVA charges $175 for the BRC and $100 for the ERC for Maryland residents, and $225/$125 for out-of-state folks.

While the state of Virginia provides some pro-training pamphlets and waives the skills test for people who successfully complete the BRC, Virginia does not offer or subsidize training classes. In the DC area, Northern Virginia Community College offers the BRC at two campuses - Alexandria and Loudon. The weekend-long BRC costs $150.

Virginia's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) funds a motorcycle training program called the , which also offers a variety of classes, including the BRC for $175. The also offer an $85 'jump start' class and the ERC. According to their website however, the only BRC classes they have are in Richmond.

There are also two local, private organizations offering motorcycle training, both in Virginia. According to their website, Apex Cycle Education offers the BRC every weekend between March and December and holds classes locally in Fairfax, Woodbridge, and Manassas. Their tuition cost is significantly higher than the others listed here - $349 for the BRC - but the upside is that they offer far more classes, have multiple ranges, and can generally get a rider into a class sooner than the other organizations.

The other local organization, Fairfax-based , offers a variety of classes from the BRC on up. They have teamed with a local dealer to provide new rider training as well, something that speaks largely to the community of first-time riders. MRC is the only one of the organizations mentioned here that offers training above and beyond the ERC; they offer what they call the Expert Skills Course, which according to their website is 'the ultimate training we can offer to the serious motorcycle enthusiast'. They also offer one-on-one instruction.

MRC seems to offer a lot of professional experience, as almost all of its instructors are current or former motorcycle police officers. Due to that level of expertise, their prices are the highest of any of the local training opportunities - $375 for the BRC, $1,500 for their Expert course, and $400 for 3 hours of individual training.

I have taken the BRC, though I admit it was 10 years ago. It's a great and relatively inexpensive way to brush up on rusty skills, especially if your bike's been in the garage or under a cover since late last fall. I know several MSF instructors that work through the Maryland program with Montgomery College and they all espouse the benefits of regular training.

It's hard to put a price on proper motorcycle training, but it's something every rider should look into now that winter has turned to spring and summer is on the way. Before we know it, the rainy season will be over and the sun will be beckoning us to take on the twisty roads outside the city limits. Be prepared!

For more info: check out the Motorcycle Safety Foundation website at www.msf-usa.org. News Clips Report

IN BRIEF Washington Post - Online

05/07/2009 'Click It or Ticket' Effort Focuses on Seat Belt Use

Police agencies throughout Maryland are focusing this month on enforcement of the state's seat belt laws as part of the national 'Click It or Ticket' campaign. The Montgomery County Police Department issued a reminder to residents that a vehicle's driver, front seat passenger and all other occupants younger than 16 must wear a seat belt or use a child safety seat. The penalty for failing to do so is a $25 fine.

A child younger than 8, shorter than 4 feet 9 inches tall and weighing less than 65 pounds should be secured in an approved child safety seat if the vehicle is registered in Maryland. The fine for violating this law is $50. 'Our goal is to make sure that everyone on the road, whether a driver or passenger, understands that they are more at risk if they do not buckle up,' Montgomery County Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said in a statement. 'That's not just for getting a ticket, but for serious or even fatal injury.' Montgomery County's public library system and the Division of Building, Design and Construction announced a location change for the remaining three community workshops that are scheduled to gather public feedback on the new Silver Spring Library.

The sessions are scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. on the following dates and topics:

-- Tonight: A presentation of the library's initial building and open space concepts will be made.

-- May 28: Designers will present refined concepts and seek feedback.

-- June 18: Designers will present and seek feedback on plans before making a recommendation to county officials. The session will address the library's site and exterior design plan, including elevations and environmental standards.

The meetings will take place in the media center of Silver Spring International Middle School, 313 Wayne Ave. in Silver Spring. For information or to request disability accommodations, call the library at 240-773-9420. Accommodation requests must be made at least five business days in advance.

Ride On bus passengers can help needy families and receive free rides by donating canned or nonperishable food during Ride On's annual food drive. A free trip will be provided to riders who donate food from Sunday through May 16.

Food collected through the drive goes to Manna Food Center, which feeds 3,000 families a month. 'Especially in these times of economic hardship, more people are in need of food that is collected through Ride On's 'Give and Ride' program,' County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) said in a statement.

For 20 years, Ride On collected food at Thanksgiving time. But because food donation centers receive more food than can be stored during the winter holiday season, Manna asked Ride On last year to shift its food drive to the spring. 'Once again, we are proud to partner with Ride On,' said Amy Gabala, Manna's executive director. She said Manna is serving a record number of people.

During the Give and Ride effort, food collection bags will be placed near the fare boxes on all Ride On buses. Riders using free shuttles and other transit services can participate by bringing their donations to a Ride On bus.

In addition to nonperishable food, children's items are also needed. Disposable diapers, formula, baby or toddler food and juice are especially useful, and plastic containers are preferred.

All food donations, regardless of the number of cans, will be valued at the regular fare rate of $1.35. This year, passengers who transfer buses will need an additional food donation to ride free on the second bus. Riders who want to buy a regional one-day pass will pay $1.65, in addition to the food donation.

Residents who do not ride the bus but want to donate can give food items to a bus operator at any Ride On stop. Checks made out to Manna Food Center will also be accepted. Writing in 'Ride On' on the memo line in the lower left corner of a check will make it easier to track the program's success. News Clips Report

For bus stop locations or schedules, call the county's Transit Information Center at 240-777-7433; TDD/TTY 240-777- 5869, or visit http://www.rideonbus.com.

Montgomery County Council member Valerie Ervin (D-Silver Spring) will be the opening speaker at the first 'Safe Silver Spring Summit' scheduled from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. May 16 at Montgomery College's Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus, 7600 Takoma Ave.

The meeting of community leaders, residents, public safety officials and organizations is being convened by representatives of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board and the President's Council of Silver Spring Civic Associations, known as Prezco.

Neighborhoods represented include East Silver Spring, Indian Spring, Linden, North Hills of Sligo Creek, North Woodside -Montgomery Hills, Park Hills, Seven Oaks-Evanswood, Sligo Branview, South Silver Spring, Woodside, Woodside Forest and Woodside Park.

Organizers said the purpose of the summit is to develop strategies, partnerships and goals to keep Silver Spring a community where people can live, work, travel, shop and play safely. Participants will begin work on an action plan that will enable communities to prevent and reduce crime and keep neighborhoods safe. 'Prezco and our partners all believe that law enforcement, the community, businesses and other organizations need to work together to address our concerns with crime and safety in Silver Spring,' Andrew Kleine of Prezco said in a statement.

The summit will consist of overview presentations and seven workshops that will be held in the morning and repeated in the afternoon. The workshop topics are:

-- Making Safe and Civil Public Spaces.

-- Gangs and Pack Robberies.

-- Youth -- Schools, Truants and Kids Hanging Out.

-- Policing, Security Resources and Communication.

-- Por qu y Cmo Comenzar una Vegilancia Communitaria (Why and How to Start a Neighborhood Watch). This workshop will be in Spanish.

-- Silver Spring Central Business District.

-- Residential Neighborhoods adjacent to the business district.

Because of space limitations, preregistration is recommended by today. To register, send an e-mail to [email protected] call 301-431-4185, Ext. 212.

When registering, attendees will need to specify the morning or afternoon session, provide their first two workshop choices and indicate whether there is a need for language translation or other assistance.

Rockville's Potomac Valley Nursing and Wellness Center will celebrate its 45th year of caring for Montgomery County seniors with a Community Day celebration at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The free festivities are open to the public and will include live music, clowns, raffles, face painting and other activities.

The center is at 1235 Potomac Valley Rd. in Rockville. For information, call Gunnar Dahlberg at 301-762-0700.

Job seekers 50 and older are invited to the Jewish Council for the Aging's 50+ Employment Expo, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 15.

The expo will feature:

-- Recruiters from dozens of nonprofit, government, health-care, retail, technology and other employers. News Clips Report

-- Reminars on interviewing skills, changing careers, job-hunting tips and rsum writing.

-- Internet coaches who will help job seekers file applications online and teach the basics of online job searching.

-- A talk by former NBC4 technology reporter I.J. Hudson on 'Creative Reinvention After Age 50.' The expo will be at the Marriott Bethesda North Hotel & Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Rd. in Bethesda, across from the White Flint Metro station. Attendees are encouraged to bring at least 10 copies of their rsums. To register, call 301-299-2017 or visit http://www.accessjca.org. Employers who would like to exhibit can also register at the phone number above.

Montgomery County's planning department and the Montgomery County Forest Conservation Fund have launched 'Leaves for Neighborhoods,' a campaign encouraging residents to plant trees in their yards. The campaign will continue through May next year.

County park facilities and participating nurseries will offer coupons to residents in an effort 'to increase the county's tree canopy on residential property,' which in turn could 'help prevent erosion, improve local air quality and filter storm water runoff to improve area streams and rivers,' planning department officials said in a statement. The coupon will offer a $25 discount on the purchase of native shade trees worth $75 or more.

Shade trees can also lower the need for heating and air conditioning, reducing energy costs by 15 to 30 percent, the statement said.

The coupon is also available at http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/environment/forest/leaves_for_neighborhoods.shtm.

For information, call 301-495-4600.

Master gardeners from the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension are offering plant clinics at five county libraries through September.

Gardeners will be available to answer questions at locations according to the following schedule:

-- Davis Library, 6400 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.

-- Quince Orchard Library, 15831 Quince Orchard Blvd., Gaithersburg, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

-- Gaithersburg Library, 18330 Montgomery Village Ave., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

-- Germantown Library, 19840 Century Blvd., from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays.

-- Twinbrook Library, 202 Meadowhall Dr., Rockville, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. third Saturdays.

The gardeners will provide answers to questions about, but not limited to, indoor or outdoor plants, mystery insects, plant diseases and wildlife management. They will help determine whether soils need to be tested, teach pruning techniques, supply Internet sources and provide gardening fact sheets.

-- Compiled by SARAH MARSTON News Clips Report

Montgomery Community Events May 7-14, 2009 Washington Post - Online

05/07/2009 LATIN DANCE LESSONS REGISTRATION, for seniors, Anna Pappas teaches a five-lesson course in line dancing with a Latin beat, 2 p.m., Tuesdays, May 26 to June 23. Long Branch Community Center, 8700 Piney Branch Rd., Silver Spring. $35 (course number 243483), registration required. 301-431-5700 or http://www.recweb.montgomerycountymd.gov.

ICE CREAM SOCIAL, for all ages, register by Tuesday for a May 17 ice cream social featuring celebrity scoopers such as Police Chief J. Thomas Manger, face painting, magic tricks, door prizes and a firetruck display; admission is a new stuffed animal, a new children's book or a cash donation to help furnish the children's waiting room at the new Montgomery County Family Justice Center. Sponsored by the Montgomery Alliance for Community Giving. St. Paul United Methodist Church, 10401 Armory Lane, Kensington. 301-990-3005 or [email protected].

LEGAL ADVICE CLINIC, for low-income community residents, consultations on custody and child support issues, financial problems, immigration and more. Clients must complete intake procedures in the first half-hour to receive assistance; sponsored in part by the Montgomery County Bar Foundation pro bono program. 5:30-9 p.m., Eastern Montgomery Regional Services Center, 3300 Briggs Chaney Rd., Silver Spring. Free, registration required. 240-777-8400 or 301-424-7651.

BETHESDA PLANT SALE, the 66th annual Bethesda Community Garden Club plant sale features a large selection of perennials from members' gardens, plus herbs, annuals and shrubs; Montgomery County Master Gardeners will answer questions; proceeds will benefit garden club community projects such as landscaping at the Bethesda and Davis libraries and a Montgomery College scholarship in landscape technology. 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Montgomery Farm Women's Cooperative Market, 7155 Wisconsin Ave. Admission, free. 301-571-9782.

AFRICAN AMERICAN BOOK DISCUSSION, for adults, a librarian leads a discussion of 'The Sisterhood of Blackberry Corner,' Andrea Smith's novel set in South Carolina in the 1950s. 7 p.m., Quince Orchard Library, 15831 Quince Orchard Rd., Gaithersburg. Free. 240-777-0200.

POLITICAL DISCUSSION, 'From Smoke-Filled Rooms to CyberSpace: The Changing Presidential Campaign,' a presentation by Ann Lewis, a senior adviser to Hillary Clinton during her bid for the White House. 7:30 p.m., Friendship Heights Village Center, 4433 S. Park Ave., Chevy Chase. Free. 301-656-2797.

DANCE CLUB, for seniors, Mark Hanak plays keyboard and pre-recorded dance music; no partner required. 1:15 p.m., Holiday Park Senior Center, 3950 Ferrara Dr., Wheaton. $5. 240-777-4999.

GARDEN CLUB PLANT SALE, come early for the best pick of annuals, perennials, shrubs, herbs, house plants and wildflowers, rain or shine; sponsored by the Silver Spring Garden Club. 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton. Admission, free. 301-962-1400. 'GREEN BUILDING' TOUR AND DISCUSSION, a guided tour of an environmentally friendly office building, plus a workshop on ways to 'practice green' at home with presentations on solar power, energy usage and incentive programs. Mayor Susan Hoffmann will talk about Rockville as a 'sustainable city;' refreshments will be served; sponsored by Peerless Rockville. 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 2000 Tower Oaks Boulevard, 2000 Tower Oaks Blvd. Tickets, $40; reservations required. 301-762-0096 or http://www.peerlessrockville.org.

GAITHERSBURG FARMERS MARKET, locally grown strawberries, lettuce, bedding plants, and early cucumbers and squash; plus arts and crafts booths. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, Farmers Market at the Kentlands, 301 Main St. (Kentlands Main Street Pavilion). Admission, free. 301-258-6350, Ext. 123, http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov or [email protected].

PLANT CLINICS, master gardeners from Montgomery County Cooperative Extension answer questions about indoor and outdoor plants, mystery insects, plant diseases, wildlife management, pruning techniques and more; take specimens for identification and diagnosis. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, Gaithersburg Library, 18330 Montgomery Village Ave. 240-773- 9490.

HEALTH FAIR AND SCREENINGS, for people without health insurance, blood pressure, diabetes and vision screenings, plus information on community programs that offer essential screenings such as mammograms. Sponsored by the News Clips Report

Hispanic Institute for the Prevention of Blindness. 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Hughes United Methodist Church, 10700 Georgia Ave., Wheaton. Free. 301-949-8383 or 703-533-8872.

BURTONSVILLE CHILDREN'S CRAFT, for ages 9-12, or 8 and younger accompanied by an adult, create a festive spring craft. 1-3 p.m., Marilyn J. Praisner Branch Library, Children's Program Room, 14910 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville. Free, registration required. 240-773-9460.

OLNEY FARMERS AND ARTISTS MARKET, locally grown produce, food vendors, crafts and more, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays, Olney Town Center shopping center parking lot, Route 108 (Olney-Sandy Spring Road) and Spartan Road. Admission, free. 301-646-9938.

PUBLIC MEETING ON COUNTY ISSUES, an open discussion followed by reports from the Montgomery County Civic Federation; a monthly meeting of the federation. 7:45-10 p.m., County Council Office Building, first-floor auditorium, 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville. Free. 301-365-2347 or http://www.montgomerycivic.org.

CANCER SUPPORT GROUP, for women with gynecological cancer, their families and caregivers, a drop-in networking group. 12:30-2:30 p.m., second Mondays, Wellness Community -- Greater Washington, 5430 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda. Free. 301-493-5002.

CELLIST PERFORMANCE, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra cellist Bo Li performs works by Debussey, Poulenc and Piatigorsky, with pianist Kuei-I Wu. 1:15 p.m., Holiday Park Senior Center, 3950 Ferrara Dr., Wheaton. $1 at the door. 240-777-4999.

TOWN MEETING, a presentation by state representatives on the recent General Assembly session, for residents of Bethesda, Cabin John, Glen Echo, Chevy Chase, Kensington, Potomac and Rockville. 7:30-9 p.m., Davis Library, 6400 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda. Free. 301-858-3124.

SMALL-BUSINESS COUNSELING, members of the Senior Corps of Retired Executives meet one-on-one with owners and managers of small businesses. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and next Thursday, by appointment. Rockville Library, 21 Maryland Ave. Free. 240-777-0001.

RETIREES SERVICE PROJECT AND DINNER, monthly meeting of the Gaithersburg Chapter of AARP, wrap gifts for residents of area nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, followed by a salmon dinner and entertainment by singer- pianist Dale Jarrett. Service project, 4 p.m.; dinner, 5:30 p.m.; music, 6:30 p.m. Gaithersburg Upcounty Senior Center, 80A Bureau Dr. $10 for meal, reservation required. 301-515-2606 or [email protected].

CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR APPEARANCE, Virginia Euwer Wolff, author of the 'Make Lemonade' trilogy, will read and talk about books she writes for 'tweens and teens; refreshments will be served; in celebration of National Children's Book Week, sponsored by Friends of the Library, Montgomery County and the Cindy Guthrie Memorial Fund. 7 p.m., Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd. Free. 240-777-0970.

PARENTING WORKSHOP, for parents of teenagers, a discussion of how to connect and communicate better with teens by avoiding common triggers, finding the right time to talk and fostering openness; sponsored by the Parent Encouragement Program. 7:30-9:30 p.m., Kensington Baptist Church, 10100 Connecticut Ave., Kensington. $30; couples, $55. Registration required. 301-929-8824 or http://www.pepparent.org.

SLEEP-HEALTH LECTURE, for adults, Asefa Mekonnen leads a discussion of sleep disorders and treatments. 1 p.m., Friendship Heights Village Center, 4433 S. Park Ave., Chevy Chase. Free. 301-656-2797.

CHESS CLUB, for age 8 and older of all skill levels, learn how to play or play better. 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Long Branch Library, 8800 Garland Ave., Silver Spring. Free. 240-777-0910.

CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR APPEARANCE, picture- and chapter-book writer Mary Quattlebaum gives an interactive presentation to show young authors how to shape their ideas into stories; a National Children's Book Week program. 7 p.m., Davis Library, 6400 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda. Free. 240-777-0922.

PARENTING TALKS, a two-session course on how to reduce back talk and build stronger relationships with school-age children; sponsored by the Parent Encouragement Program. 7:30-9:30 p.m., Wednesday and May 20, Monart Drawing Studios, 12116 Darnestown Rd., Gaithersburg. $57; couples, $99. Registration required. 301-929-8824 or http://www.pepparent.org. 'LUNCH-AND-LEARN' SERIES, for seniors, Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot discusses News Clips Report

'Can We Balance the Budget and Maintain a Good Lifestyle?' at 10:45 a.m.; luncheon, noon; concert, 1 p.m.; sponsored by Seniors Organized for Change. Ring House, 1801 E. Jefferson St., Rockville. Luncheon, $4; Lecture, and concert, free. Reservations required. 301-348-3873 or [email protected].

WINE TASTING AND CHARITY BAKE SALE, with food from Chef Bryan's Kitchen, red and white wines from P.B. Dye Golf Club, music and more. Baked goods donated by employees of the host Gaithersburg Hilton hotel and by Cakes by Leslie and Custom Cake Design, to benefit the Give Kids the World foundation. Sponsored by the Gaithersburg- Germantown Chamber of Commerce. Kentlands Mansion, 320 Kent Square Rd. $50; GGCC members and guests, $25. Registration required. 301-258-6394 or http://www.ggchamber.org.

HEALTH AND EXERCISE PROGRAM, for seniors, Chris Haynes, a nurse from Suburban Hospital, leads a walk for exercise. 9-9:30 a.m., Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center, 1000 Forest Glen Rd., Silver Spring. Free. 240-777-8085.

AFRICAN AMERICAN BOOK DISCUSSION, for adults, a discussion of Sue Monk Kidd's novel 'The Secret Life of Bees,' set in South Carolina in the 1960s. 7 p.m., Wheaton Library, 11701 Georgia Ave. Free. 240-777-0678.

CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT, for all ages, performance by the NIH Chamber Singers. 7 p.m., Twinbrook Library, 202 Meadow Hall Dr., Rockville. Free. 240-777-0240.

CIVIL WAR LECTURE, William Bodde Jr. leads a discussion of how President Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward handled diplomatic crises. 7:30 p.m., Friendship Heights Village Center, 4433 S. Park Ave., Chevy Chase. Free. 301-656-2797.

-- Compiled by LISA M. BOLTON

To Submit an Item

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Fax: 301-279-5665

Mail: Community Events, The Washington Post, 51 Monroe St., Suite 500, Rockville, Md. 20850

Details: Announcements are accepted on a space-available basis from public and nonprofit organizations only and must be received at least 14 days before the Thursday publication date. Include event name, dates, times, exact address, prices and a publishable contact phone number. News Clips Report

Montgomery School Notes Washington Post - Online

05/07/2009 Police, Liquor Control Unit Step Up Effort at Prom Time

With support from a grant from the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention, the Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control is conducting a multifaceted hotel compliance-check program throughout prom season, which began last month.

The program, Drawing the Line on Under-21 Alcohol Use, is a partnership with Montgomery County Police, Project Prom and the state's attorney's office.

Liquor control inspectors are meeting with county hotel managers to discuss alcohol policies. Tip sheets, educational materials and high school prom schedules have been distributed.

The department targets adults with host responsibility information and point-of-sale materials for licensed establishments. The program promotes SAFEline (301-670-SAFE), where callers can report underage drinking and adult providers, and SAFEnet ([email protected]), where people can e-mail alcohol-related questions and receive updated alcohol-abuse prevention information.

For information or to request materials, contact the Department of Liquor Control's outreach office at http://[email protected] or 240-777-1904.

High school seniors and their families are invited to visit Montgomery College from 6 to 8 tonight for Parent-Student Night at the Theatre Arts Arena, 51 Mannakee St. in Rockville.

To register, send an e-mail with the full names of those who will be attending to [email protected]. For information, call 240-567-5000 or e-mail [email protected]. The Montgomery County Department of Recreation and community centers invite children 8 to 13 to participate in the national Jr. Olympic Skills Competition, a free grass-roots contest that allows kids to showcase their abilities in basketball, soccer, tennis and track and field.

Participants can advance to regional and national finals. Each sport is scored individually; boys and girls compete separately.

The competition is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Good Hope Neighborhood Center, 14715 Good Hope Rd. in Silver Spring. The center will also host the regional competition June 13. For information, call 240-777-8055.

The Montgomery County Collaboration Council has scheduled the second annual 'Excel Beyond the Bell' symposium from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 20. The event is intended to introduce parents to programs that can extend and expand their children's learning opportunities after school.

The event will be in Building II at the Universities at Shady Grove, 9630 Gudelsky Dr. in Rockville. For information, contact Tracey Webb at 301-610-0147, Ext. 213, or [email protected].

Tim Hwang, a junior at Wootton High School, was elected last week as the 2009-10 student member of the Montgomery County Board of Education.

Hwang, who will begin his term July 1 as the board's 32nd student member, won with 56.5 percent of the vote. About 84.7 percent of more than 74,850 eligible high school and middle school students turned out for the election.

Hwang is vice president of the Montgomery County Region of the Maryland Association of Student Councils and has News Clips Report

been active in student government for several years.

For information on the student board member, visit http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/studentaffairs/smob.

The Comcast Foundation's Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program has awarded one-time $1,000 scholarships to 66 Maryland high school seniors, who were cited for their leadership skills, academic achievement and commitment to community service.

The recipients include 16 Montgomery seniors:

-- Leah Abrams of Walter Johnson High School.

-- Kathryn Allen of Damascus High School.

-- Monica Ashok of Montgomery Blair High School.

-- Hanfu Chai of Richard Montgomery High School.

-- Reid Griffler of Quince Orchard High School.

-- Nosheen Hayat of John F. Kennedy High School.

-- Nandni Kakar of Seneca Valley High School.

-- Matthew Michnewich of Paint Branch High School.

-- Brittany Mills of Sherwood High School.

-- Kelsey Montgomery of Poolesville High School.

-- Joshua Oppenheimer of Winston Churchill High School.

-- Amanda Parker of Northwest High School.

-- Ayesha Rahman of Wheaton High School.

-- Elissa Redmiles, a home-schooled student from Kensington.

-- Vladimir Rodriguez of Gaithersburg High School.

-- Benjamin Schnapp of James Hubert Blake High School.

-- Chizorom Wosu of Col. Zadok Magruder High School.

For information, visit http://www.comcast.com/corporate/about/inthecommunity/scholarships/leadersandachievers.html.

-- Compiled by SARAH MARSTON News Clips Report

Yes!! I made it into the scholars program at Montgomery College! Haha :) Twitter

05/06/2009 Yes!! I made it into the scholars program at Montgomery College! Haha :) News Clips Report

Hometown guitar slinger to play at Silver Spring Blues Festival Gazette, The

05/06/2009 Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Hometown guitar slinger to play at Silver Spring Blues Festival by Jason Tomassini | Staff Writer

On the surface, Jon Musgrave was never supposed to be a blues musician.

Despite the ever-present cowboy hat, guitar strapped to his back and his stage name "Jonny Grave," the 21-year-old lifelong Silver Spring resident's day job as a guitar repairman at Dale Music store on Georgia Avenue and anthropology studies at Montgomery College don't exactly conjure up images of legends like B.B. King and Buddy Guy. Neither does fighting for the attention of beer-drinkers and diners during his regular sets at Quarry House Tavern and McGinty's Pub in downtown Silver Spring.

But Musgrave, a slender guy with a neat beard, says a deeper look will prove he has every right to play music steeped in African-American tradition that originated hundreds of miles away from Silver Spring.

"There's a lot folks that will say, ‘Wow, you're good … for a white kid from the suburbs,'" Musgrave said Thursday night at the Quarry House, where two nights later he would play a set for his 21st birthday.

"… It's kind of awkward being white and from the suburbs, it's just weird, but I think if people give me a chance and let me play and let the music speak for itself, it doesn't matter."

That music will be on display 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the first Silver Spring Blues Festival on Ellsworth Drive in Silver Spring. Musgrave will take the stage at 2:25 p.m. and play a set of acoustic blues for his hometown audience.

Most of the songs Musgrave performs are covers of traditional blues songs. Even at age 21, Musgrave is an encyclopedia of blues history, rattling off classic songs and anecdotes about his idols such as R.L. Burnside, Robert Johnson and Howlin' Wolf.

He had a childhood spent mostly in the company of musicians and artists: His mother, Julie, is a painter and photographer and his father, Reuben, is a longtime folk musician. Both would hold parties with their artist friends. With his father's extensive record collection, a wealth of global music knowledge was available at Grave's Silver Spring home.

"He was around a lot of adult friends of the family and a lot them were musicians," said Reuben Musgrave, who for years has performed with his son at the annual Washington Folk Festival to be held this year May 30 and 31 in Glen Echo. "A normal activity was to sit around and play music."

While Musgrave's childhood was full of musical enlightenment, an education, a supportive family and a budding music career, he described himself as a "bad kid" who was affected by various school changes and alcohol abuse within his family.

Much of Musgrave's love for blues comes from relating to the musicians from the traditional blues era, not because of the severe racism or poverty they went through, but simply because they used blues as he does: as a diversion.

"Music was a lifesaver, it was an escape, a drug, a hallucinogen," Musgrave said. "You become a rock star for a half hour or more and you go back to normal life."

It was music and a Gateway to College program at Montgomery College that "saved his life" from poor grades and problems he would only describe as "not drugs or anything." He eventually enrolled at the University of Maryland for a year but struggled before returning to Montgomery College.

Now earning money as a musician – he only plays on the weekends so gigs won't interfere with his job or studies – News Clips Report

Musgrave has found a way to support himself and stay grounded. He hopes to re-enroll at the University of Maryland and become a teacher.

He stays practical but dedicated to his passion, aided by the acceptance he received at recent gigs in Alabama, which he said helped break down the perceived outsider status. He opened for and played with Kenny Brown, a longtime blues musician who played with R.L. Burnside, one of Musgrave's idols.

"That was the real thing," he said, noting that being flown to Alabama by the concert promoter added to the trip's authenticity.

The headliner of the Silver Spring Blues Festival, Tennessee-born Chester Chandler, aka Memphis Gold, even touted Musgrave as a throwback to past eras.

"[Musgrave] does a lot of old traditional stuff. … He is keeping some of the old blues alive," said Chandler, 54, who lived in Silver Spring from 1995 to 2000 and is known for saving a group of kids in a train derailment off Lyttonsville Road in 1996.

But some aren't ready to hand over traditional blues music to a new wave of performers.

"Everybody wants to be B.B. King and Buddy Guy, real blues artists, the originators," said Barbara Chandler, Memphis Gold's wife and a longtime blues and soul music industry veteran raised in Silver Spring. "There will never be any more of them."

Regardless of how he's viewed by those within blues, Musgrave expects Saturday's festival to be another high. After all, he'll be on stage again in Silver Spring, the place that unexpectedly inspired an unlikely blues talent.

"Look around, isn't this a great atmosphere for writing a song?" said Musgrave, referring to the diversity of Silver Spring and the many quirks of Bonifant Street and Fenton Village. "This place shaped a lot of how I grew up." News Clips Report

Montgomery College classrooms open to youngest learners for Earth Day Gazette, The

05/06/2009 Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Montgomery College classrooms open to youngest learners for Earth Day by Matthew Smith | Special to The Gazette

Photo by Don Rejonis courtesy of Montgomery College A young student uses a microscope to look at a brine shrimp Friday during an Earth Day event at Montgomery College Takoma Park/Silver Spring.

At Montgomery College in Takoma Park anatomy labs were filled on Friday with lizards, turtles and beetles. Biology lab microscopes displayed hydra eating brine shrimp. And young student scientists were making edible landfills of s'mores and chocolate syrup in plastic cups.

In observation of Earth Day, the college opened its labs and greenhouse Friday to elementary school students from Piney Branch Elementary School and Sligo Adventist School, and their daycare students, for a day of hands-on science.

College students took over the classes, teaching young pupils about natural history and the environment.

Instead of lectures, there were viewings of the "Magic School Bus" television show. Instead of regular walks between classes for the elementary school students, there were trips beyond the atmosphere in the campus's planetarium.

Eight-year-old Piney Branch Elementary School student Laurielle Johnson, who made a necklace and snacked on popcorn and juice, said the Montgomery College students who volunteered at the fifth-annual event inspired her to take care of the Earth.

"Earth Day seems really important and really cool. It seems helpful to not cut down trees and do a lot of bad things to the Earth," she said.

Nelly Kouame, a biological sciences student from Gaithersburg, said it was important for students to learn the lessons "in a fun way."

Karen Benn-Marshall, a professor and chairwoman of the biology department at Montgomery College, said the event gets "kids excited about the Earth in the way they can relate to."

"We want them to get some hands-on activity that they'll probably remember," she said.

Jaime Hess, a full-time biology student from Carroll County, said she was having a blast showing students a variety of turtles and insects and a thorny lizard that never left her hand.

"It's a good experience for our animals to get socialized" by being near the students, she said.

Michael Darkwa, 9, of Piney Branch Elementary, said he learned an interesting lesson about some kinds of beetles.

"I learned that insects have different eyes and that beetles eat their poop!" he said, referring to how certain beetles digest wood and then reprocess it to grow a fungus that they eat.

Saving the trees seemed to be a common theme among the students, who said they were hopeful about the Earth. "We should save the trees," said Maya Clarke, 9, of Piney Branch Elementary. "They are kind of cool and everything. I feel that we're actually trying to help the Earth."

Ken Alleyne, another 9-year-old from Piney Branch Elementary, said he loved the environment and the event. News Clips Report

"It's great; we're really trying to help the Earth by trying not to pollute," he said. "I really liked the turtles and lizards."

Gail McCorkle, a fourth-grade teacher at Sligo Adventist, said the event was part of a great partnership between the college and county schools.

"I think it's a great learning experience for the children," she said. "It gives them an idea of what it's like to be a [college] student." News Clips Report

Education College-School Partnerships Offer Head Start on Higher Education Washington Post

05/06/2009 washingtonpost.com > Education College-School Partnerships Offer Head Start on Higher Education

By Maria Glod Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Mayra Avila is looking forward to her high school prom. She's also a college student taking government and English composition courses.

Avila, 18, isn't a Doogie Howser-esque superachiever. The West Potomac High School senior is among hundreds of thousands of teenagers getting a head start on an associate's or bachelor's degree -- and saving on tuition -- by taking college courses in high school.

President Obama, who set the goal of having the United States claim the highest share of college graduates of any country by 2020, is counting on the success of students such as Avila, a Mexican immigrant whose parents never finished high school. One approach policymakers are harnessing to help students such as her: dual enrollment programs that lower tuition and attract students who don't think college is within reach.

The partnership between Fairfax County schools and Northern Virginia Community College sets Avila, one of six children, on a path to earn a bachelor's degree. She wants to study dental hygiene at the community college in the fall and then transfer to Virginia Commonwealth University. Heading straight to a four-year university isn't an option.

"If I had the opportunity, I would, but there's no money for it," Avila said. Her English and government credits will make college less expensive. She's paying reduced tuition -- $43 for the English composition course, which costs $286 for students at the NVCC campus -- and the high school buys the books.

"As I tell kids and parents, it's the best deal since sliced bread," said Bruce Jankowitz, assistant principal at West Potomac High, which offers six dual-enrollment sessions in English and government, up from two last year. "These are kids who have not come from the orientation that college is in your future. It serves a niche for students who are motivated to go to college -- maybe they are the first in their family to go to college."

Raising the rate depends on getting more minority students into higher education. In the decade leading up to 2014-15, public high schools are expected to produce about 207,000 more Hispanic graduates -- a 54 percent jump, according to a report by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. There will be more Asian and black graduates and fewer whites.

The United States ranks seventh in the world in the percentage of young adults, ages 25 to 34, with college degrees, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The line between high school and college has long been blurred by Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs, which offer students the chance to earn college credit if they score well on course exams.

Dual enrollment, once aimed at the highest achievers, has evolved into a broader program targeted to students who have a variety of career goals, with college course offerings from automotive technology to anthropology and multivariable calculus. In March, Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) and Rep. Dale E. Kildee (D-Mich.) introduced the Fast Track to College Act, which would provide federal grants to support such efforts.

David M. Bressoud, a mathematics professor at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., and president of the Mathematical Association of America, said dual enrollment can be a powerful tool to recruit and prepare students for higher education.

But Bressoud said that the quality of such programs is uneven and that some classes don't rise to college level. He said there is a risk that students will pass entry-level college classes but will be ill-prepared for more advanced work. "Too News Clips Report

often the college says, 'You teach it, you do the assessments and we'll give the credit,' " he said.

Mayra Avila is looking forward to her high school prom. She's also a college student taking government and English composition courses.

The United States ranks seventh in the world in the percentage of young adults, ages 25 to 34, with college degrees, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

This school year, 1,994 students in Northern Virginia schools are taking NVCC classes, up from 516 when the program started in 2005. Almost 430 Montgomery County students are enrolled in Montgomery College classes offered in their high schools. In the District, some students take classes for free at the University of the District of Columbia and other local colleges.

In some programs, high school students travel to a college campus. In others, college professors come to the high school, or high school teachers, typically required to have an advanced degree in the subject area, lead the class.

Students typically must pass community college entrance exams and have a minimum grade point average. Some pay News Clips Report

full tuition; in other cases, the fee is reduced or the high school pays.

Part of the point is to give teenagers a taste of the college workload.

Cassie Velez, 19, a freshman at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, started with 10 credits she earned at Gaithersburg High School in Montgomery. She's living with her grandmother to keep costs down.

Two of the college classes she took in high school, criminal justice and anthropology, count toward her major. Just as important, she said, were lessons learned about study skills, motivation and time management. Her Montgomery College professors expected her to come prepared. There was no slowing down, and few reminders were given about assignments.

"There was no special treatment," Velez said. "I learned hard. I would come to class sometimes, and I hadn't even looked at the syllabus and realized we had a reading that day."

Some programs have shown promise. In a study of dual enrollment students in Florida, researchers from Teachers College at Columbia University found that they were more likely to go to college full time and had higher grades in college compared with peers with similar backgrounds.

Melinda Mechur Karp, one of the study's authors, said the findings suggest that schools should expand such programs. But, she said, schools must help struggling students handle the workload. "You certainly run the risk of taking a 16-year- old and putting an 'F' on their college transcript, and that's not where we want to go, either," she said.

Brett Promisloff and her classmates in Introduction to Engineering Design at Gaithersburg High have been hard at work on final projects. Her team is building a remote-control boat to ferry Ping-Pong balls across a lake and drop them in a Hula-Hoop.

Students cover the same material and take the same tests as peers on campus. A Montgomery College professor teaches the class.

"You can't slack off on anything," Promisloff said. "Everything we do counts. You have to focus more and really pay attention." d for more advanced work. "Too often the college says, 'You teach it, you do the assessments and we'll give the credit,' " he said. News Clips Report

Today on the Hill Washington Post

05/06/2009 Today on the Hill

The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m. ET to resume consideration of S.896, the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009. Roll call votes are scheduled at 10:50 a.m. The House meets at noon for legislative business, and will consider 12 suspended bills.

Noteworthy Senate Committees

Armed Services (9:30 a.m.) Hearings to examine ongoing efforts to combat piracy on the high seas. SR-325

Energy and Natural Resources (9:45 a.m.) Hearings to examine the nominations of Daniel B. Poneman, to be Deputy Secretary, David B. Sandalow, to be Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and Domestic Policy, both of the Department of Energy, and Rhea S. Suh, to be Assistant Secretary, and Michael L. Connor, to be Commissioner of Reclamation, both of the Department of the Interior. SD-366

Finance (10:00 a.m.) Hearings to examine expanding health care coverage; to be followed by a business meeting to consider the nomination of Alan Krueger, to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy. SD-106

Joint Economic Committee (10:00 a.m.) Hearings to examine the economic outlook. SH-216

Foreign Relations (2:15 p.m.) Business meeting to consider S.345, to reauthorize the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 through fiscal year 2012, to rename the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 as the "Tropical Forest and Coral Conservation Act of 2009", S.954, to authorize United States participation in the replenishment of resources of the International Development Association, S.955, to authorize United States participation in, and appropriations for the United States contribution to, the African Development Fund and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative, to require budgetary disclosures by multilateral development banks, to encourage multilateral development banks to endorse the principles of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, S.838, to provide for the appointment of United States Science Envoys, S.Res.49, to express the sense of the Senate regarding the importance of public diplomacy, S.Res.84, urging the Government of Canada to end the commercial seal hunt, and the nominations of Harold Hongju Koh, of Connecticut, to be Legal Adviser, and Johnnie Carson, of Illinois, to be Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, both of the Department of State, Ivo H. Daalder, of Virginia, to be United States Permanent Representative on the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Susan Flood Burk, of Virginia, to be Special Representative of the President for Nuclear Non-Proliferation, Luis C. de Baca, of Virginia, to be Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking, and routine lists in the Foreign Service. S-116

Judiciary: Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security (2:30 p.m.) Hearings to examine the passport insurance process, focusing on ending fraud. SD-226

Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine (3:00 p.m.) Hearings to examine piracy on the high seas, focusing on protecting our ships, crews, and passengers. SR-253

Intelligence (3:30 p.m.) Closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters. S-407

Noteworthy House Committee Hearings

House Appropriations Committee (10:00 a.m.) Legislative Branch Subcommittee hearing on to receive testimony from members of Congress and public witnesses. Witnesses: Members of Congress and public witnesses testify. H-144 News Clips Report

House Education and Labor Committee (10:00 a.m.) Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness Subcommittee hearing on "New Innovations and Best Practices under the Workforce Investment Act." Witnesses: David Bere, president and chief strategy officer for Dollar General Corporation, Goodlettsville, Tenn.; Kathy Cooper, policy associate in the Office of Adult Basic Education at the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, Olympia, Wash.; Martin Finsterbusch, executive director of VALUE, Inc. (Voice of Adult Learners United to Educate), Media, Pa.; Donna Kinerney, instructional dean of adult English as a second language and literacy programs at Montgomery College, Wheaton, Md.; Roberta Lanterman, program director of Long Beach Family Literacy, Long Beach, Calif.; Stephen Reder, university professor and chairman of the Department of Applied Linguistics at Portland State University, Portland, Ore.; and Gretchen Wilson, Grammy winning recording artist and GED graduate, Nashville, Tenn., 2175 Rayburn News Clips Report

College Institute staffing cuts could stifle program The Gazette of Politics and Business

05/06/2009 Wednesday, May 6, 2009

College Institute staffing cuts could stifle program by Sebastian Montes | Staff Writer

See All Featured AdsMore NewsNew vaccine plant to create 25 jobsMontgomery College, planners agree on Observation Drive extensionMany of county's blacks, Hispanics ineligible for after-school activitiesOfficer credited with foiling Springbrook bomb plotDeaf chef cooks up own sign language in Bethesda kitchenStudents and parents at Gaithersburg and Thomas S. Wootton high schools are pleading with the county school board not to cut staffing for the College Institute program, in which Montgomery College professors teach courses at the high schools for college credit.

The school system's proposed fiscal 2010 budget would cut by about half the time that the four College Institute coordinators — at Gaithersburg, Wootton, Seneca Valley and John F. Kennedy high schools — spend managing the program. The coordinators would spend the rest of their time in regular classroom instruction to help make up for a lack of teachers.

At Gaithersburg and Wootton, the coordinators focus on the program full-time, organizing professors' schedules, helping with applications and financial aid and recruiting underclassmen, many of whom would be first-generation college students, said Joanne Allen, who has been Gaithersburg's College Institute coordinator for six years.

Cutting the coordinators' focus will cripple a program that paves the way for academic life in college, students and parents told the school board at two hearings last month.

"We've got a real success story here. The goal of MCPS is to make students college-ready. The lesson that we learned here is College Institute is college readiness," Steve Augustino, parent coordinator for the Gaithersburg school cluster, said in an interview. "… You wouldn't cut an AP course; it would be inconceivable to cut the [International Baccalaureate] program. Here they've got another program that's similar to that, and they are cutting it."

The $2.13 billion school budget approved by Superintendent Jerry D. Weast and the school board in February puts $1.975 billion toward personnel costs, a 2 percent increase over this year. It cuts 275 positions, saving $35 million, according to the budget proposal.

Acknowledging that the staffing cut may squeeze the number of College Institute courses Gaithersburg offers next year, Gaithersburg Principal Christine Handy-Collins said that she and school leaders are working out how to best support the program.

"We will make it happen. … We may have to support it with other teachers," Handy-Collins said.

The County Council is expected to approve school funding on May 21. The school board and Superintendent Jerry D. Weast are set to finalize how to allocate the money June 9.

Under the proposal, Gaithersburg's coordinator would be pared back to two-fifths of her time, while the Wootton coordinator would be three-fifths, according to Genevieve Floyd, the school system's coordinator for partnerships with Montgomery College. The coordinators for Seneca Valley and Kennedy are already at two-fifths, and would scale back to one-fifth.

Wootton has the largest program, with 101 students this spring and 160 applications so far for next fall. Gaithersburg has 99 students enrolled, and 135 have applied for next year. Kennedy has 47 and 62; Seneca Valley has 42 and 75, according to Floyd.

Through the county school system's College Institute program — a partnership with Montgomery College — seniors can News Clips Report

earn up to 30 college credits on their high school campus. Any school that accepts Montgomery College credits accepts credits earned in CI. To qualify, students must have completed most of their graduation requirements, scored at least a 550 on each section of the SAT and have at least a 3.5 weighted GPA at the end of their junior year. News Clips Report

Blackboard Inc. Reports First Quarter Revenue of $86.4 Million Earth Times

05/06/2009 Blackboard Inc. Reports First Quarter Revenue of $86.4 Million

Posted : Wed, 06 May 2009 20:01:57 GMT

Author : Blackboard Inc.

Category : Press Release

WASHINGTON, May 6 DC-Blackboard-earns

- Company Announces Acquisition of ANGEL Learning, Inc. -

WASHINGTON, May 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB) today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2009 and updated guidance for the second quarter and the full year of 2009.

Total revenue for the quarter ended March 31, 2009 was $86.4 million, an increase of 26 percent over the first quarter of 2008. Product revenues for the quarter were $80.1 million, an increase of 27 percent over the first quarter of 2008, while professional services revenues for the quarter were $6.3 million, an increase of 18 percent over the first quarter of 2008.

GAAP net loss was $37,000, resulting in a net loss per basic and diluted share of ($0.00) for the first quarter of 2009 compared to a net loss of $4.4 million or a net loss per basic and diluted share of ($0.15) per share for the first quarter of 2008. Non-GAAP adjusted net income for the first quarter of 2009, which excludes the amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, stock-based compensation, and non-cash interest expense, all net of taxes, was $8.6 million, resulting in non-GAAP adjusted net income per diluted share of $0.27 compared to non-GAAP adjusted net income of $4.1 million or $0.13 per diluted share for the first quarter of 2008. Our 2008 results have been adjusted to reflect the adoption of FSP APB 14-1 related to our outstanding convertible debt.

"I am pleased with our strong financial results in the first quarter which highlight the strength of our business model, our high annual renewal rate and our ability to effectively manage our expenses," said Michael Chasen, chief executive officer and president for Blackboard. "While demand for our products and services in some areas has been impacted by the challenging economic environment the past few quarters, we continue to see solid growth in many of our core markets and are managing our business well to capture the significant market opportunity we see in front of us."

Highlights from the First Quarter of 2009

Blackboard's new and expanding client relationships in the quarter included:U.S. Higher Education Market: Brunswick Community College, Chapman University College, Claremont University, Cuyahoga Community College, DeSales University, Mid-Plains College, Montgomery College, Owens Community College, Santa Clara University, Sierra College, University of Pittsburgh, University of Southern Mississippi, Webster University and others.International Markets: Amersham and Wycombe College, Bournemouth University, Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica, Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, Middlesborough College, National College of Puerto Rico, Queen Mary University of London, Rikkyo University, Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA), Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, Universidad Catolica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Universidade Catolic Portugesa, University of Manchester, Utrecht University, York University and others.K-12 Market: Christa McAuliffe Academy, Clear Creek Independent School District, Cleveland County Schools, Florida State University Schools, Midlothian Independent School District, Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School, Phillips Academy Andover, Rochester Public Schools, Sacramento City Unified School District, Shelby County School District, Sweetwater Union High School District, Walnut Valley Unified School District and others.Blackboard's enterprise licenses (Blackboard Learning System(TM) - Enterprise, Blackboard Community System(TM), Blackboard Transaction System(TM), Blackboard Content System(TM), Blackboard Connect (TM) and Blackboard Outcomes System(TM)), totaled 6,836 as of March 31, 2009. The Company announced the availability of Release 9.0 of the Blackboard Learn (TM) platform (formerly the Blackboard Academic Suite(TM)). The release introduces a range of powerful capabilities, from social learning tools to Web 2.0 innovations, as well as integrated components that enable institutions to achieve more meaningful assessments of individuals, groups, programs and schools. News Clips Report

Friends pitch in to help Magruder grad hurt in crash Gazette, The

05/06/2009 Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Friends pitch in to help Magruder grad hurt in crash Event set for Saturday at Longwood Community Center by Melissa J. Brachfeld | Staff Writer

Longwood Community Center in Brookeville will be the site on Saturday of a program designed to educate teenagers about safe driving and raise money for a 20-year-old woman who was seriously injured in a car crash last year.

Kimberley Allen, a 2007 alumna of Col. Zadok Magruder High School in Derwood and Montgomery College student at the time, was driving toward Damascus on Feb. 10, 2008, when she lost control of her car, said Janie Allen, Kimberley's mother.

Allen said a report by Maryland State Police said skid marks on the road indicated her daughter, who was the only one in the car, was driving very fast and was not wearing a seat belt.

Organizers are hoping Saturday's event, call Love-a-Palooza, will "send a message to the community to make smart decisions and value your life," Allen said.

The program, set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will feature driver safety and awareness displays and activities such as a disc jockey, karaoke, a raffle and a silent auction.

Kimberley was in a coma for seven weeks and suffered multiple brain injuries, a cut to her liver, damage to her spleen and a collapsed lung, Allen said. She was initially taken to the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, but received a majority of her care at the Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital in Malvern, Pa.

Allen said her daughter endured several surgeries and is still undergoing physical, occupational and speech therapy three hours a day, three times a week in Bedford, Pa., where she relocated with her father to receive the care she needs. She mostly uses a cane to get around and also has an in-home caregiver.

Allen continues to live and work in Gaithersburg to keep what is left of Kimberley's health insurance benefits active, she said. She visits her daughter at least once a week.

"She's continuing to make strides, but still have quite the journey ahead of her," Allen said. News Clips Report

Bellamy, Burgess Gazette, The

05/06/2009 Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Bellamy, Burgess

Jerri and Dominic Burgess announce the engagement of their son, Thomas Martin Burgess, to Heather Renee Bellamy, daughter of Denise McIntosh of Alexandria, Va., and Greg Bellamy of Roanoke, Va.

The bride-to-be is pursuing a bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of Maryland University College and is employed with Coventry Health Care.

The prospective groom attended Montgomery College and is employed by Montgomery County Public Schools.

A July wedding in Las Vegas is planned. News Clips Report

College, county agree on road extension plan Gazette, The

05/06/2009 Wednesday, May 6, 2009

College, county agree on road extension plan Alignment would preserve most of high-priority forest by Meghan Tierney | Staff Writer

Most of a 50-acre high priority forest and 26 acres of stream buffer would be preserved in the extension of Observation Drive through Montgomery College's Germantown campus, according to an alignment recommendation from a County Council joint committee.

College officials and county planners have debated the location and design of the planned extension for almost a year, and the western alignment approved 5-0 by the council's Planning, Housing and Economic Development and Education committees at an April 24 meeting was supported by both parties. College and planning representatives developed the four alternative alignments considered by the committees at a charrette held by the council in March.

College officials wanted to prevent through-traffic, but planners wanted more access points and road connections.

"Everybody got a little bit of something and everybody lost a little bit of something," Councilman Michael J. Knapp (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown said. "It's a compromise and a good solution."

The alignment will be formalized in the Germantown Employment Corridor Sector Plan, which goes to the County Council public hearing on May 12. The joint committee vote was intended to give the college direction before the council looks at the draft plan.

The four-lane extension will serve a planned Bioscience Education Center and a science and technology park at the college where a Holy Cross Hospital has been proposed, according to council documents. The park would be redesigned to accommodate the new alignment, according to the college, but the proposed location of the hospital would not be affected, Holy Cross spokeswoman Yolanda Gaskins said.

High priority forest stands have high structural and species diversity, few invasive species, good overall health and provide a significant amount of habitat for plants and animals.

The alignment designed by planners working on the Sector Plan would extend Observation Drive between Route 118 and Middlebrook Road, extend Goldenrod from its current end to Observation Drive and extend Cider Press Place from Route 355 to Observation Drive. It is the most expensive option at $36 million and would provide 86 acres for development. Only 1 acre of forest would be affected, but it would impact 2.6 acres of the Gunners Branch Stream Valley.

The selected alternative is a $32 million loop road that connects Observation to Middlebrook, extends Goldenrod to Observation and provides room for an internal service road. The alignment will leave 92 acres for development and impact 5 acres of the 50-acre forest. The stream valley would not be affected.

"The Germantown campus will be a model environmental showcase, and preservation of the 26 acres of the Gunners Stream Valley and most of the 50 acres of priority forest will go a long way toward achieving that goal," Montgomery College President Brian K. Johnson said at the meeting.

The council recommendation allows the college to begin designing the Bioscience Education Center although the Sector Plan has not yet been approved. If funding for the center, planned as a certified "green" building, is approved by the council in May, construction could begin in early 2010, according to the college.

The college's planned Observation Drive extension would connect to Route 118 via Goldenrod Lane, according to the documents. The alignment leaves the most land available for development, 97 acres, and, at $15 million, is the least expensive. It would require the most forest removal, 18 acres. News Clips Report

College Institute staffing cuts could limit high school program Gazette, The

05/06/2009 WheatonWednesday, May 6, 2009

College Institute staffing cuts could limit high school program Staffing cuts to half-time teachers would cripple growing program, they say by Sebastian Montes

Students and parents at Gaithersburg and Thomas S. Wootton high schools are pleading with the county school board not to cut staffing for the College Institute program, in which Montgomery College professors teach courses at the high schools for college credit.

The school system's proposed fiscal 2010 budget would cut by about half the time that the four College Institute coordinators — at Gaithersburg, Wootton, Seneca Valley and John F. Kennedy high schools — spend managing the program. The coordinators would spend the rest of their time in classroom instruction to help make up for a lack of teachers.

Cutting the coordinators' focus will cripple a program that paves the way for academic life in college, students and parents told the school board at two hearings last month.

"We will make it happen. … We may have to support it with other teachers," Handy-Collins said.

The County Council is expected to approve school funding on May 21. The school board and Superintendent Jerry D. Weast are set to finalize how to allocate the money June 9.

Wootton has the largest program, with 101 students this spring and 160 applications for the fall. Gaithersburg has 99 students enrolled, and 135 have applied for next year. Kennedy has 47 and 62; Seneca Valley has 42 and 75, according to Floyd.

Through the county school system's College Institute program — a partnership with Montgomery College — high school seniors can earn up to 30 college credits on their high school campus. Any four-year college that accepts Montgomery College credits accepts credits earned by students in CI. To qualify, students must have completed most of their News Clips Report

graduation requirements, scored at least a 550 on each section of the SAT and have at least a 3.5 weighted GPA at the end of their junior year. News Clips Report

Alfred State ready to host NJCAA championships Times Herald

05/06/2009 Beginning today athletes representing 25 NJCAA institutions will travel to Alfred State College to participate in the 2009 Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The event will feature nearly 350 participants vying for both individual and team honors.

This is the fifth national championship hosted by Alfred State since 1994 (Cross Country in '94, '95, '06 and softball in '06).

Athletic Director Kathy Feldman is looking forward to hosting this event.

Alfred State College is honored to host the NJCAA Division III Track & Field Championship, Feldman said. Some of the top NJCAA athletes from around the country will be competing and it will be exciting to watch them. The new facility that Alfred State has built allows these athletes the chance to compete in one of the finest track & field complexes in the country.

After a practice day today, the action begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday morning and will run all the way until 4 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. In between 44 national championships will be won and two teams will earn the title of top programs in the country.

The field for the event features 12 athletes that earned All-American honors in individual events at the 2008 National Championships. Both the men's defending national champion, Harper College, and the women's defending champion, Herkimer CCC, will be in the field for 2009.

Male Returning All-Americans

Ryan Asta: DuPage: Hammer Throw, Discus, & Shot Put

Kurt Vowell: Herkmer: Long Jump

Chris Mason: Delhi: 5,000 & 10,000

Darius Voss: Harper: Triple Jump

Josh Schultheis: Delhi: 1,500

Dan Benton: DuPage: 200 & 400

Joe Pruckno: 110 hurdles

Female Returning All-Americans

Reaghan Bulkley: Alfred State: Long Jump

Chantel Salamone: Herkimer: Triple Jump & 100 hurdles

Yanique Folkes: Middlesex: Triple Jump

Claudette Hetmeyer: Bronx: 400 & 800

Lauren Penc: Mohawk Valley: 200 & 400

Colleges participating:

Alfred State College, Bergen CC, Bronx CC, CC of Rhode Island, Cumberland CC, SUNY Delhi, College of DuPage, Erie News Clips Report

CC, Finger Lakes CC, Gloucester County College, Harper College, Herkimer CCC, Howard CC, Kingsborough CC, Middlesex CC, Mohawk Valley CC, Monroe College, Montgomery College, Nassau CC, Northern Essex CC,Prince George's CC, Queensborough CC, Roxbury CC, Suffolk CCC-Grant Campus, Thaddeus Stevens College

Alfred State College athletes will be well represented in the national championships.

Competing for the Pioneers will be:

Schuyler Duross (Johnstown) is ranked 1st in the decathlon.

Dan Reynolds (Wayland Cohocton is ranked 1st in the pole vault. Teammate Alex Curran (Williamson) is ranked 2nd and Broncho Rollins (Ithaca) is tied for 3rd in the same event.

John Sweeney (Barker) is ranked 2nd in the 10,000.

Rod Streater (Burlington, NJ) is ranked 2nd in the high jump.

Peter Francia (Greece Olympia) is ranked 2nd in the 3000 steeplechase.

David Gross (Brockport) is ranked 2nd in the shot put.

Wenley Louis (Irondequoit) is ranked 3rd in the long jump and 4th in the triple jump.

Shawna McNeil (Hornell) is ranked 3rd in the heptathlon, 3rd in the high jump, and 5th in the 100 m hurdles.

Heather Sears (Letchworth) is ranked 3rd in the pole vault.

Bridget McMahon (Avoca) is ranked 3rd in the 1500.

Admission is $5 a day for adults, $3 for senior citizens, $1 for visiting students, and anyone under 12 is free.

To follow the action of the 2009 NJCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships visit: http://www.alfredstate.edu/athletics/2009-outdoor-track-and-field-national-championships News Clips Report

NEW INNOVATIONS AND BEST PRACTICES UNDER WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT Federal News Service

05/06/2009 WASHINGTON, May 5 -- The House Education & Labor Committee issued the following testimony from a full committee hearing:

On Tuesday, May 5, the House Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness held a hearing to examine best practices for improving adult education and family literacy. This is the fourth hearing the committee is holding as it works toward reauthorizing the Workforce Investment Act, which provides job training, education programs, vocational rehabilitation and other services to Americans.

Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (TX) Opening Statement Witnesses:

* David Bere president and chief strategy officer Dollar General Corporation Goodlettsville, TN

* Kathy Cooper Policy Associate Office of Adult Basic Education Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges Olympia, WA

* Martin Finsterbusch Executive Director VALUE, Inc. (Voice of Adult Learners United to Educate) Media, PA

* Donna Kinerney, Ph.D. Instructional Dean Adult ESOL & Literacy Programs Montgomery College Wheaton, MD

* Roberta Lanterman Program Director Long Beach Family Literacy Long Beach, CA

* Stephen Reder, Ph.D. University Professor and Chair Department of Applied Linguistics Portland State University Portland, OR

* Gretchen Wilson Grammy winning recording artist and GED graduate Nashville, TNFor more information please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, Email:- [email protected].

New Montgomery law aims to boost small business Gazette, The

05/06/2009 Officepro was one of the first companies to sign up for Montgomery County's small-business reserve program when it started in 2006. In fact, the Gaithersburg software training company helped test the program's Web site. But more than three years later, Officepro is among the large number of participants that have yet to receive a contract. Last fiscal year, only $11.8 million out of $983.3 million in county contract dollars about 1 percent went to local small companies, according to county figures. The program's goal is to award at least 10 percent of 'qualifying' county contract dollars to eligible small businesses.

Montgomery officials reported they met the requirement in fiscal 2008 and awarded 14 percent to small companies by exempting a whopping $904.6 million worth of county contracts. And therein lies the rub to businesspeople such as Judy Stephenson, president of Officepro. 'We have not had an opportunity to bid on a contract, and that's basically due to the restrictions on the number of contracts that are eligible for this program,' said Stephenson, an active member of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce.

Numerous people, including county officials, share her bewilderment that so many contracts have been exempt, especially during a recession when many local small companies need all the help they can get. It was 'never our intention' to have so many contracts exempted from the program, County Councilman George L. Leventhal (D-At large) of Takoma Park, one of the sponsors of the 2005 bill, said at a recent meeting. 'I'm embarrassed on my own behalf. That's never what we thought was going to occur.' Changes approved by the council last week should help, officials said. The new law, which took effect last week, raises the percentage of county contracts awarded to small businesses to 20 percent. It also requires that David Dise, director of the Department of General Services, which oversees procurement and the program, approve departments' decisions to exempt contracts, and extends the program to 2012. 'This is good news for the small- business community,' said Councilwoman Nancy M. Floreen (D-At large) of Garrett Park, who also co-sponsored the original bill. 'I hope to see fewer waivers.' The biggest reason contracts were exempted in fiscal 2008 was there being a pre-existing contract, with 39 percent of procurement dollars in that category. That was followed by no local small business being deemed qualified by procurement officials, with 29 percent.

Other reasons included noncompetitive contracts, conflicts with a state, federal or local law, and procurements being greater than $10 million. About the same amount of contract dollars was awarded to small companies in fiscal 2007 as 2008.

In a recent council meeting, Dise said many of the pre-existing contracts are about to expire, and the department is looking at 'unbundling the larger contracts to push them to local businesses office supplies, for example.' Many of those will be issued this year, he said.

The law is based upon 'eligible' contracts and is 'pretty clear in that regard,' Dise said. Officepro provides software training, which is done on a contract basis for the county by Montgomery College. Because the college is a public entity, that contract is not put out to bid and is not subject to the small-business program, Stephenson said. 'I'm not saying we should automatically get that contract. Montgomery College could well be the best vendor for it,' Stephenson said. 'But how do you know if it's not put out to bid?' The new law is a step in the right direction, she said. 'I commend the council for these changes and for doing what they can to support small businesses,' Stephenson said. 'We're making progress, but there is still an opportunity to improve.' This report originally appeared in The Business Gazette. News Clips Report

Youth sports Gazette, The

05/05/2009 Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Youth sports |

BASEBALL

The Rockville Express will be registering for summer baseball camps from June 17-19 and June 22-26 at at Dogwood Park,Walter Johnson Field in Rockville. For more information visit www.rockvilleexpress.org.

Montgomery College Germantown Baseball will be registering players ages 5-18 for camps. For more information contact Dan Rascher at 240-678-0279, email [email protected] or visit www.leaguelineup.com/gryphons.

Gaithersburg Post 295 will be holding tryouts April 19 and April 26 for its U-17 team. For more information, contact manager Steve Cononie at 301-972-1456 or U-19 manager Rick Price at 240-447-6948. News Clips Report

Blackboard Inc. Reports First Quarter Revenue of $86.4 Million IT News On-line

- Company Announces Acquisition of ANGEL Learning, Inc. -

Highlights from the First Quarter of 2009

-- Blackboard's new and expanding client relationships in the quarter included: o U.S. Higher Education Market: Brunswick Community College, Chapman University College, Claremont University, Cuyahoga Community College, DeSales University, Mid-Plains College, Montgomery College, Owens Community College, Santa Clara University, Sierra College, University of Pittsburgh, University of Southern Mississippi, Webster University and others. o International Markets:Amersham and Wycombe College, News Clips Report

Bournemouth University, Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica, Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, Middlesborough College, National College of Puerto Rico, Queen Mary University of London, Rikkyo University, Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA), Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, Universidad Catolica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Universidade Catolic Portugesa, University of Manchester, Utrecht University, York University and others. o K-12 Market:Christa McAuliffe Academy, Clear Creek Independent School District, Cleveland County Schools, Florida State University Schools, Midlothian Independent School District, Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School, Phillips Academy Andover, Rochester Public Schools, Sacramento City Unified School District, Shelby County School District, Sweetwater Union High School District, Walnut Valley Unified School District and others. -- Blackboard's enterprise licenses (Blackboard Learning System (TM) - Enterprise, Blackboard Community System(TM), Blackboard Transaction System(TM), Blackboard Content System(TM), Blackboard Connect (TM) and Blackboard Outcomes System(TM)), totaled 6,836 as of March 31, 2009. -- The Company announced the availability of Release 9.0 of the Blackboard Learn(TM) platform (formerly the Blackboard Academic Suite(TM)). The release introduces a range of powerful capabilities, from social learning tools to Web 2.0 innovations, as well as integrated components that enable institutions to achieve more meaningful assessments of individuals, groups, programs and schools. News Clips Report

18 APPLY FOR SOON-TO-BE OPEN POSITION ON MONTGOMERY COUNTY PLANNING BOARD Federal News Service

05/05/2009 ROCKVILLE, Md., May 4 -- Montgomery County issued the following City Council news release:

The Montgomery County Council will have 18 applicants to choose among as it seeks to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Montgomery County Planning Board. The term of John Robinson (Democrat) will expire on June 14. Mr. Robinson has served two terms and is not eligible for reappointment.

All applications were due by Wednesday, April 22. The Council has yet to decide who it will interview. A tentative date for interviews is Tuesday, June 9.

No more than three members of the Planning Board may be from the same political party, and all members must be residents and registered voters of Montgomery County when appointed. Members serve four-year terms and are limited to two full terms. The position can be filled by a Democrat; a Republican; a voter who declines to affiliate with a party; or by a member of another party officially recognized by the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

Applications for the open position were received from: Alan S. Bowser (Democrat) of Silver Spring; Jay A. DeFranco (Democrat) of Olney; Carol Van Dam Falk (Democrat) of Potomac; Benjamin W. George (Republican) of Boyds; Robert Gooding (Democrat) of Silver Spring; Ilaya Rome Hopkins (Democrat) of Bethesda; Earl L. Kendrick (Republican) of Potomac; Patricia H. Lee (Democrat) of Olney; Philip Litman (Unaffiliated) of Rockville; Don O'Neill (Democrat) of Montgomery Village; Chris Paladino (Democrat) of Silver Spring; Donna Mandel Perlmutter (Democrat) of Potomac; Roberto R. Pinero (Democrat) of Silver Spring; John R. Pobiak (Unaffiliated) of Potomac; Cynthia Rubenstein (Democrat) of Silver Spring; Christopher Schauer (Republican) of Derwood; Joav Steinbach (Democrat) of Rockville; and Marye Wells-Harley (Democrat) of Silver Spring. In addition, Wendell M. Holloway (Democrat) of Potomac submitted an application, but later withdrew.

In addition to Mr. Robinson, the current board members are Chairman Royce Hanson, a Democrat; Joseph Alfandre, a Democrat; Jean B. Cryor, a Republican; and Amy Presley, a Republican. Annual compensation for board members currently is $30,000.

The Planning Board serves as the Council's principal adviser on land use planning and community planning. Planning Board members also serve as commissioners of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

The Planning Board's responsibilities with regard to planning include preparation and amendment of the County General Plan; preparation and amendment of Master Plans and functional plans; formulation of subdivision regulations; preparation of, or recommendations, on text amendments to the County Zoning Ordinance; implementation of the subdivision process by reviewing and approving all preliminary plans, site plans and other plans for development; advice on the planning implication of capital facilities and programs of the County government, Montgomery College, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission and Montgomery County Public Schools; commenting, under its Mandatory Referral authority, on plans for public facilities of local, state and federal agencies; and approval of the work program and the annual operating budget for the Planning Department and the commission's bi-county offices.

The Planning Board sits as the Park Commission and approves the annual Parks Department operating budget and Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget; land acquisition contracts and major development contracts for parks; development plans for individual park facilities; policies for park operations; and park user fees.

The Montgomery County Planning Board meets all day every Thursday and often meets on one other evening a week. The entire Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission meets the third Wednesday of every month. On average, a Planning Board member can expect to spend at least two full days a week in scheduled and informal meetings. Additionally, substantial time is required for preparatory work and other activities related to Planning Board responsibilities.For more information please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, Email:- [email protected].

DC-Area Jobless Turning to Training Programs T+D magazine, Training + Development

05/05/2009 (V. Dion Haynes, Washington Post Staff Writer) Karen Collins Henry, who lost her real estate job when the housing market began to collapse in 2007, says her applications for work in a variety of fields have been rejected or ignored, so she's given up looking. Last fall, she began taking computer graphics courses and is pinning her hopes on a career developing video games that help special needs students learn in the classroom.

Henry is among a growing number of unemployed people in the Washington region opting for job training, some using government funding and others getting tax credits, to reinvent themselves after an often drawn-out and fruitless search for work.

'It seems like the requirements have changed, the stakes are higher, there is a bigger pool of people' looking for work, said Henry, who is enrolled at Montgomery College and plans to transfer to the University of Baltimore.

'I'll have my education in a cool field,' Henry, 46, of Damascus, said. 'Hopefully, I'll be employable.'

Training officials caution that there's little guarantee that a job will be waiting given the economic climate, even in the Washington area, where proximity to the federal government has largely shielded the region from the large-scale job losses seen in other parts of the nation. News Clips Report

ROCKVILLE SCIENCE DAY FEATURES FAMILY FUN Federal News Service

05/05/2009 ROCKVILLE, Md., April 15 -- The city of Rockville issued the following press release:

The 20th annual Rockville Science Day will dazzle and delight curious minds with exhibits ranging from learning about reptiles to building and launching rockets and experiencing amateur radio. The event will take place Sunday, April 26, from noon to 5 p.m. at Montgomery College-Rockville Campus.

The entire family is invited to participate in the multitude of hands-on activities at this fun and educational event. Parking and admission are free. "Science is a great way to learn new things and have fun doing it," said Rockville Councilmember Phyllis Marcuccio. "This event continues to grow and offer more to the community every year. And we are hard at work to develop the Rockville Science Center so people will be able to explore science every day." Dozens of exhibitors will be on hand at this year's Rockville Science Day. Local scientists, educators and historians will give demonstrations and provide science, environmental and technology activities. Activities will include learning about animals, engaging with robots and conducting chemistry experiments. In addition, attendees will learn about earthquakes, volcanoes and rocks, as well as electric vehicles and solar observing. Rockville Science Day is sponsored by the City of Rockville, the Rockville Consortium for Science and Montgomery College. Montgomery College is located at 51 Mannakee St. To learn more about the Rockville Consortium for Science and this annual event, visit www.rockvillescience.org, or call 301-762- 3588.For more information please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, Email:- [email protected].

Where Are Your Fave DC Journos Delivering Commencement Addresses? TVNewser

05/04/2009 Monday, May 04

Where Are Your Fave DC Journos Delivering Commencement Addresses? Alissa Krinsky at TVNewser has compiled this thorough list of where and when your favorite journos will deliver commencement addresses this year.

In alphabetical order...

• MSNBC's Jonathan Alter: Western Connecticut State University (CT), May 24

• CNN's Wolf Blitzer: St. Bonaventure University (NY), May 17

• NBC's Tom Brokaw: Fordham University (NY), May 16...College of William & Mary (VA), May 17

• CBS' Katie Couric: Princeton University (NJ) - Class Day ceremony speaker, June 1

• CBS' Kimberly Dozier: Wellesley College (MA), June 5

• CNN's David Gergen: Old Dominion University (VA), May 9

• FNC's Lauren Green: St. John Fisher College (NY), May 9

• CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta: University of Michigan Medical School (MI), May 8

• Bloomberg News' Al Hunt: Along with wife Judy Woodruff, Gettysburg College (PA), May 17

• PBS' Gwen Ifill: Howard University (DC), May 9... Marymount University (VA), May 10... Simmons College (MA), May 15... Georgetown University (DC) - Georgetown College (undergraduate Arts & Sciences), May 16

• NBC's Matt Lauer: Harvard University (MA) - Senior Class Day speaker, June 3

• PBS' Jim Lehrer: East Central University (OK), May 9

• CNN's Suzanne Malveaux: Gannon University (PA), May 9... Montgomery College (MD), May 22

• MSNBC's Chris Matthews: Saint Joseph's University (PA), May 16

• CBS' Erin Moriarty: The Ohio State University (OH) - Distinguished Service Award at Pre-Commencement Dinner, June 13

• CNN's Soledad O'Brien: Florida A&M University (FL) - 6 p.m. undergraduate ceremony, May 3

• MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell: Marywood University (PA), May 10

• CBS' Scott Pelley: Texas Tech University (TX), May 9

• CBS' Randall Pinkston: Jackson State University (MS), May 9

• CBS' Byron Pitts: North Carolina A&T State University (NC), May 9... Delaware State University (DE), May 17

• CBS' Dave Price: Sacred Heart University (CT), May 17

• HDNet's Dan Rather: Michigan State University (MI) - Advanced degree commencement, May 8. News Clips Report

• CNN's John Roberts: University of Colorado at Boulder (CO), May 8

• CBS' Bob Schieffer: Maryville University (MO), May 2... The University of Mississippi (MS), May 9... Hofstra University (NY), May 17

• PBS' Ray Suarez: Lewis and Clark University (OR), May 10... California State University-Monterey Bay (CA), May 16

• PBS' Margaret Warner: Sweet Briar College (VA), May 16

• PBS' Judy Woodruff: Saint Mary's College (IN), May 16... Along with husband Al Hunt, Gettysburg College (PA), May 17

• CBS' Susan Zirinsky: American University (DC) - School of News Clips Report

DC Area- Journal of Economic Perspectives (1989-1991) (Takoma Park/Montgomery College): Winter ... Twitter

05/04/2009 DC Area- Journal of Economic Perspectives (1989-1991) (Takoma Park/Montgomery College): Winter 1989: Wom.. http://tinyurl.com/dbrwuu News Clips Report

House Education and Labor Committee - Hearing FIND Washington Daybook

05/04/2009 House Education and Labor Committee

**Revised

TIME: 10 a.m.

EVENT: House Education and Labor Committee Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness Subcommittee hearing on "New Innovations and Best Practices under the Workforce Investment Act."

WITNESS(ES): David Bere, president and chief strategy officer for Dollar General Corporation, Goodlettsville, Tenn.; Kathy Cooper, policy associate in the Office of Adult Basic Education at the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, Olympia, Wash.; Martin Finsterbusch, executive director of VALUE, Inc. (Voice of Adult Learners United to Educate), Media, Pa.; Donna Kinerney, instructional dean of adult English as a second language and literacy programs at Montgomery College, Wheaton, Md.; Roberta Lanterman, program director of Long Beach Family Literacy, Long Beach, Calif.; Stephen Reder, university professor and chairman of the Department of Applied Linguistics at Portland State University, Portland, Ore.; and Gretchen Wilson, Grammy winning recording artist and GED graduate, Nashville, Tenn., testify

DATE: May 5, 2009

LOCATION: 2175 Rayburn House Office Building

CONTACT: 202-226-0853 http://edlabor.house.gov

Montgomery, Fairfax cutting school budgets next year DCExaminer.com

05/03/2009 The Washington suburbs two best and largest school systems will lose some luster next fiscal year because of impending budget cuts, but both are trying to spread the pain evenly across programs.

Chopping block

Select budget cuts to Montgomery and Fairfax schools

Montgomery:

13 librarian positions

29 academic intervention teachers

15 literacy coaches

11 middle school staff development teachers

Fairfax:

130 core high school teachers

80 core middle school teachers

234 core elementary teachers

14 librarian positions

Both Montgomery and Fairfax counties are reducing the number of teachers available for unique learners students with special needs, or in special magnet and career training programs. Both districts, too, have been forced to trim their library staffs.

In Montgomery, where teachers agreed to forgo a pay raise, larger class sizes will be limited to kindergarten. In Fairfax, however, the class size limit will go up by half a student, requiring each school to cut teachers.

I think students will notice it most in the secondary schools, where electives might disappear, Fairfax spokeswoman Mary Shaw said.

Also in Fairfax, 32 positions will be cut from special education programs, and 12 more from career transition services for special-needs students.

Shaw said that specific programs werent targeted, but cuts were demanded across the board from both principals and district administrators. Officials in Montgomery asked for across-the-board cuts, as well.

Libraries in both school systems will lose media specialists and assistants, at a time when many consider them more important than ever.

Theres a perception in some decision makers heads that we are what we were in the early 1900s, said Ann Martin, president of the American Association of School Librarians. Were no longer just books, but were dealing with resources far more difficult to manage and to make accessible for our diverse students.

Middle school students in Montgomery will be hit with the phaseout of special programs for students who are learning disabled, saving the district nearly $800,000 in salaries. And about 30 teaching positions focused on academic intervention for troubled students will be cut. News Clips Report

The districts vaunted middle school magnets are slated to lose some teachers, and a program offering Montgomery College courses for high-achieving students at four of the countys worst schools will lose its full-time coordinators.

In neither case, however, will students likely notice the effects next year. But what amounts to bare- bones staffing in fiscal 2010 could lead to unrecognizable programs in fiscal 2011, when the budget season is expected to be at least as brutal as this year. News Clips Report

Montgomery College Gift Envisions Biotech Center - Washington Post (http://cli.gs/tjHNzv) Twitter

05/01/2009 Montgomery College Gift Envisions Biotech Center - Washington Post (http://cli.gs/tjHNzv) News Clips Report

swine flu in montgomery county now. Thats like, twenty mins away from me. My mom also works at ... Twitter

05/01/2009 swine flu in montgomery county now. Thats like, twenty mins away from me. My mom also works at mont. county college. Great. News Clips Report

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04/30/2009 gotta show at montgomery college this saturday, holla at me!! News Clips Report

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Harford Men’s Tennis Edges Rockville, 5-4, to Claim Region XX Championship http://www.daggerpress.com/

04/29/2009 From the HCC sports desk: BEL AIR, Md.—The Harford men’s tennis team avenged a 9-0 regular-season beating as it edged a truncated Montgomery College-Rockville squad, 5-4, to claim the Division III Region XX Championship title on Friday at Harford Tennis Courts. The Fighting Owls (5-4) and the Knights are the only two Division III teams in the region, causing the championship to be decided by a standard dual match, rather than a multi-team tournament format. Harford held a 2-0 advantage ov