Contributor Review by Michele Nguyen: Rock for Robert Full of SPIRIT

Mercury in Summer Photo by Georgia Yang

Last week the Rock for Robert concert kicked off the fundraising for the SPIRIT Foundation in honor of Robert Yin and a $50,000 contribution was announced. Thanks to Michele Nguyen for sharing this special occasion with us and describing why everyone loved Robert so much.

On November 24, 2010, the “Rock for Robert” benefit concert was held at Thomas S. Wootton High School. The concert was held in honor of Robert Yin, a beloved Wootton Class of 2008 alumnus attending Grinnell College, who passed away on May 17, 2010 following a fatal pole vaulting accident at the NCAA 2010 Midwest Track and Field Championships held at Illinois College. The benefit concert was organized by Georgia Yang and Brad Harlan, friends and classmates of Robert to raise funds for the new annual SPIRIT Scholarship to be given in Robert’s memory.

Crowd Photo by Georgia Yang

The concert featured an eclectic mix of music from seven ensemble and solo artists who each held a personal connection to Robert, and performed as a tribute to him. “Robert was one of the first people there in my musical career when I first started, he was like my musical buddy,” says guitarist/songwriter CJ Uy, “ I thought that by playing music, I could really help remember him.”

Robert’s former a cappella group at Wootton, The Supertonics kicked off the concert with harmonized ballads. Former track teammate Henry Nam followed with an original composition titled Yin Elegy on acoustic guitar. Also featured in the concert were: Landon classmate CJ Uy (Sidwell ’08), Landon ’08 classmate Derek Defensor, Wootton ’08 classmate and drummer Brendan McCusker with his band Mercury in Summer, Wootton ’08 classmate Peter Tran, and Wootton ’03 alumnus Zia Hassan. Together, these up and coming musicians treated the audience to an unforgettable concert that celebrated Robert’s life.

Robert’s wide-ranging influence on the community was evident in the diversity of the attendees at the concert, where his former teammates from his cross country and track and field days were present alongside his fellow chambers chorus members.

Robert's Mom, Sandra Giger on left, Brother Alex Yin on Right. Photo by Georgia Yang

For many attendees, including myself, this was our first time returning to Wootton High School since our graduation in 2008. “I saw so many people who I haven’t seen since I graduated,” noted Robert’s younger brother Alex Yin, “it was such a good event for people to come together and hang out.” The concert’s venue not only represented where we went to high school, but it was the place where most of us came to know and love Robert. It was in these halls that we would hear Robert’s contagious maniacal laugh, or run into his comforting surprise bear hugs. Coming back to Wootton High School for the concert was symbolic of our days in high school with Robert.

As concert-goers entered the event, there were only smiles and hugs as old friends reunited, and former classmates reacquainted. A sense of intimacy and nostalgia filled the air with the realization that the 200+ guests in attendance were connected to each other with the common link that is Robert. This is only a small measure of Robert’s greatness, that even after he is no longer with us, his ability to bring people together still remains. “That’s probably what he would have been doing anyway,” says Georgia Yang co-coordinator of the event, “just hanging out with all of us for Thanksgiving.”

The concert’s timing is significant in that it was held the night before Thanksgiving- a time when we celebrate the good in our lives and show appreciation for the things we are thankful for- something Robert never had any trouble demonstrating. Robert always openly cared for those he loved, and this was echoed by the number of people who attended the concert to support him

All smiles while volunteering. Photo by Georgia Yang.

The theme for giving was donations in the amount of $21 in honor of what would have been Robert’s 21st birthday on December 12, 2010. Bracelets etched with “Yeaaa Boi” a popular catch phrase that Robert informally coined and W.W.R.D (What Would Robert Do) were sold for $5 to serve as a reminder of Robert’s legacy. The concert raised $1,364.12, along with a pledge for $50,000 from an anonymous donor towards the SPIRIT Scholarship. “It was very touching to see such a tremendous outpour of affection for Robert,” says Ian Akisoglu, emcee for the event and classmate of Robert.

The SPIRIT Scholarship is a reflection of how Robert is remembered by those who love him and the traits that made Robert, Robert. Beginning with the graduating class of 2011, one Wootton High School senior will be chosen to receive $5,000, through the SPIRIT Scholarship. This student will demonstrate SPIRIT, an acronym for the ability to Show Potential, Integrity, Responsibility, and Inspire Thousands, as Robert did.

Robert’s family and friends formed the Robert Yin SPIRIT Foundation Inc. in order to support charitable projects that embody SPIRIT. In addition to the scholarship, the foundation will support education-oriented projects such as music and performing arts, track and field sports, and sports safety. To donate to any of these projects, please visit RememberRobert.org to donate securely online, or mail a check payable to the Robert Yin SPIRIT Foundation Inc c/o Suntrust Bank, 2433 Wootton Parkway, Rockville, MD 20850.

Michele Nguyen

This is a contributor review. We welcome submissions on all sorts of things — shopping, restaurants, performances, art, cultural events, and more. Rules: it should be in Rockville, and you should try to be nice. Get in touch with us, Hello@RockvilleCentral.com, if you would like to submit something!

Reader Note From Eric Blank: Lost Cat, Please Help

The following is a request for help from Eric Blank as he searches for his lost cat.

I am hoping you can help me out. My cat Oaters disappeared! I haven’t seen him since Thursday evening, 11/11, which was Veteran’s Day. I’ve done everything, looking for him, putting up signs, calling his name, and I even hired a search and rescue sniffer dog. I’ve been to the shelter a bunch of times and check their website every day.

Here’s the flier I’ve been posting all over my East Rockville/Maryvale neighborhood.

I really appreciate any help you can provide!

Eric Blank

This is a Reader Note. We welcome submissions on all sorts of things — shopping, restaurants, performances, art, cultural events, and more. Rules: it should be in Rockville, and you should try to be nice. Get in touch with us us if you would like to submit something!

Contributor Opinion By Laura Berthiaume: Oppose Peary Site Sale

Tonight at 7:30 p.m. the County Council will hold its hearing on the sale of the Peary High School site, which is approximately 20 acres of county owned land proposed to be sold for less than $2 million. The sale would represent the effective loss of a future middle school site in the Rockville area, at a time when Montgomery County Public Schools is projecting 10,000 more students arriving in the next six years. The middle school wave will be hitting us all very soon. The Board of Education has already sent two letters firmly opposing the sale of this site.

The Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations has also voted to oppose the sale. This is the MCCPTA email that went out yesterday:

“As noted in an earlier email, the MCCPTA Board of Directors voted in November to oppose the sale of the Peary High School site. County Executive Ike Leggett is seeking approval from the County Council to sell the former Peary High School site to its current tenant, the Milton J. Berman Hebrew Academy. The County Council rejected a similar proposal to sell the property in 2006, and we believe that the changes made in the proposal do not overcome the Council’s previous concerns.

A MCCPTA representative will testify before the County Council on Tuesday to oppose the rush to sell the property this month. We will be proposing instead that before the Council considers the proposal to dispose of a “rare asset” – the largest former school site in its current inventory – it should require the Board of Education to produce an analysis of feasible future locations for middle and high schools in the mid-county area. With severe overcrowding already in the Richard Montgomery cluster, a predicted increase of 10,000 students across the county in the next six years, and planned development at the Science City, White Flint and Shady Grove Metro sites, it is imperative that the county ensure adequate sites are available before taking any action on the Peary School proposal. We’ve seen enough overcrowding in our schools and don’t want the county to make the situation worse by disposing of this property.

Let’s show the county council that we’re engaged in the issues and active in our advocacy for all children. “

Anyone in the Rockville area who is concerned about school overcrowding should be paying attention tonight. It is particularly concerning that a lame duck County Council is rushing this process through. In fact, it appears there might have been a vote on this sale without even a hearing had County Council Member Valerie Ervin not required that tonight’s hearing be set. The vote will be taken by a lame duck Council, including two outgoing members, one of whom (Duchy Trachtenberg) has been the Council Member pushing to have this sale take place. The voters have spoken. A new Council will be sworn in come December. A step of this magnitude should not be taken by a lame duck Council, led by a lame duck Council Member who will not have to accept responsibility for the portables, the 1:30 lunch times, the classes taking place in hallways, or the lack of recess play areas because all the blacktop is unavailable — all because we already do not have enough classroom space.

So please come to the hearing and make sure our Council members understand that they should set their priorities correctly – solidly with the future education of our children. Public assets for public school children.

Laura Berthiaume
Montgomery County School Board

This is a Contributor Opinion. Rockville Central encourages readers to submit such pieces for consideration — the more voices the better. Simply send them to hello@rockvillecentral.com. We ask that all such contributions be civil and we reserve the right to edit (in consultation with the author) or reject. Contributor opinions should not be seen as reflecting opinions held by Rockville Central editors, as they are just as frequently at odds with our own views. That’s the whole point!

Contributor Review by Brittany Sullivan: The Happy Elf

Photo from Montgomery College

Harry Connick Jr. visited Rockville on Saturday and was interviewed by Montgomery College student Brittany Sullivan, one of the writers for My Life At MC, an uncensored and unedited blog by nine students who write about their experiences both inside and outside the classroom.

On Saturday, November 13, 2010, Harry Connick Jr. made a star-studded appearance to Montgomery College to help promote his new children’s musical, The Happy Elf. Montgomery College and Adventure Theatre teamed up together to present a new, live stage production that told the story of Eubie, a North Pole elf who must bring Christmas joy to the sad little town of Bluesville to ultimately win a coveted spot on Santa’s sleigh team. Other big names in the industry helped to make this production possible including Tony Award-winners John Rando and Michael Rupert.

Harry Connick Jr. explained “this is a really exciting project, and it is my first time writing children’s music; however, it is still a work in progress.” The Happy Elf originated as a song, and later adapted into an animated TV special. Connick adds: “The stage version gets more deep into the character than the TV special. The show has a deeper meaning, it’s thicker.”

This was Connick’s first time to Montgomery College but he was “thrilled about The Happy Elf coming here,” citing Dr. Pollard’s ambition and the healthy campus environment.

This will be The Happy Elf’s last workshop before it attempts Broadway in New York. Each workshop allows for the cast to make their own interpretation of the script. “This will be the second innovation of writing the script,” explained Connick, “but that’s the great thing about theater; that’s how it works.”

When asked which character most resembled him, he chose the main happy elf, Eubie. “I am very impulsive and enthusiastic,” stated Connick, “but sometimes I can have a short attention span. However, I think there is a little Eubie in all of us.”

This hour and fifteen minute production had both its pros and cons. The vocals by Clint Johnson and Elliot Dash were spectacular, and had the smooth richness required to conquer the jazz melodies. Also, the set and lighting helped capture the audience and bring them into Santa’s workshop and the town of Bluesville. However, there were small glitches in the sound department, and the vocals by Valerie Issembert and Nova Y. Payton were pitchy at times. For a play that was filled with so much talent I felt that it compared to the typical Montgomery College production. The songs were not extremely catchy, and when asked to perform one of his songs he wrote for the play, Connick had trouble remembering the lyrics and required assistance from Clint Johnson.

The Happy Elf is a production that is sure to amuse children, but if it wishes to perform on Broadway there is much room for improvement. It will continue to play at Montgomery College at the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center through November 28, 2010. For more information you can visit www.montgomerycollege.edu or www.adventuretheatre.org.

 Brittany Sullivan

This is a contributor review. We welcome submissions on all sorts of things — shopping, restaurants, performances, art, cultural events, and more. Rules: it should be in Rockville, and you should try to be nice. Get in touch with us, Hello@RockvilleCentral.com, if you would like to submit something!

Richard Montgomery Cluster Testimony To The Board Of Education

Cheryl Moss Herman Holds old Hungerford Elementary T-shirt while proclaiming "We are ready!".

Last night this Testimony prepared by the Montgomery Cluster Coordinators, Cheryl Moss Herman, Cheryl Peirce, and Christopher Kelly, was presented to the Montgomery County Board of Education in regards to the Superintendent’s Recommended FY 2012 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY 2011 – 2016 Capital Improvements Program.

As Dr. Weast noted in his press release of October 27, our cluster “is seen by many as a great place for families to live and send their child to school.” We wholeheartedly agree. Our excellent and diverse schools, including the tri-level IB program and the Chinese Immersion program, draw people to our cluster. Our community strongly supports our children – and our schools.

We expected to testify today, armed with statistics and stories, in order to convince you that the RM cluster had grown and is going to continue to grow. We expected to share with you that in addition to turnover of older neighborhoods, changing demographics and living patterns, and some new development, have all contributed to our over capacity schools.

We are glad we don’t have to do that.

We know that the numbers speak for themselves – the cluster elementary school utilization rate is at 122% now and is expected to rise to over 130% by 2012. Our middle school utilization at Julius West will also be over 130% during the six-year planning period, as the wave of elementary enrollment progresses.

In addition, future County growth plans that focus development near Metro stations affect our cluster. We are also concerned about projected growth just outside the borders of our cluster, such as the “Science City” development, and the impact it would have on student enrollment.

All school buildings that comprise the Richard Montgomery cluster are within the City of Rockville. The City’s adequate public facilities school test resulted in all of the RM cluster elementary school areas being placed in a residential moratorium this year.

But for the approval of a generic eight-classroom addition that was added by the County Council to the FY 2011-2016 CIP last spring, the RM cluster would be in County residential moratorium next year. While the County Council’s so-called “RM Cluster ES Solution” does address its moratorium issue, it remains merely a “paper solution” for our cluster. Overcrowded schools and inadequate facilities hinder student learning and achievement. It is time now to find a way to manage our growth while providing safe, secure and modern learning facilities for our students, and to turn that paper solution into a bricks and mortar solution…with desks and chairs, teachers, modern technology and other resources to follow.

We are pleased to see that Dr. Weast recommended additional capacity for several RM cluster schools at both the elementary and middle school levels to accommodate our growing numbers.

The Richard Montgomery Cluster PTAs support approval of the recommended feasibility studies for an addition at Julius West Middle School and a new elementary school #5 at the Hungerford Park Site, so these studies — and the process of providing relief for our cluster — may begin immediately.

Moreover, we are pleased that both Beall and Twinbrook elementary schools are currently in the feasibility planning stages for additions. We remind you that Ritchie Park completed a feasibility study for an addition last year.

Going forward, the Superintendent recommended that these studies be used to develop a comprehensive plan to address our elementary school capacity needs as part of the FY 2013-2018 CIP. He also noted that the magnitude of the space deficits indicate that one or more elementary additions may also be needed.

Members of the Board, the recommendations for the CIP were released just two weeks ago. The traditional two-week period between announcement of the proposed CIP and the date we are to stand here and testify is barely enough to educate ourselves, let alone the thousands of families in our cluster, and to hold serious, meaningful discussions about the impacts – intended and otherwise – on our cluster. Two of our four elementary PTAs had meetings only Tuesday of this week and yesterday. This left no time for follow-up on questions and substantial discussion.

Given that, the views we provide today should be considered only the start of what we hope will be a continuing dialogue with you and MCPS staff about the Cluster’s future plans, with ample opportunities for future community input in a thoughtful and meaningful way.

Our communities have been actively participating in each of the individual feasibility studies; we also expect community participation in the two new feasibility studies to be initiated this year.

However, we need an expanded role in shaping the comprehensive plan that will be prepared next summer in preparation for the full CIP next fall. We view the selection of where additional capacity will be added as the first decision regarding seats in our cluster that will culminate in a boundary study to be conducted once the new school construction begins.

We know that there is no “off-the-shelf” plan for this kind of community input, but we think that parallels the fact that there is no “off-the-shelf” answer for managing the over capacity in our schools. We want to work with you to shape a process for this continuous dialogue, and we wonder if some experience with Roundtable Advisory Committees or Discussion Groups could be used as a starting place. We need to be able to prepare for such discussions before the school year ends so that meaningful input can be provided during the summer months when the feasibility studies are finished.

Also, as you know, the feasibility studies can identify capital deficiencies at a school in addition to recommending classroom additions. We want to ensure that these deficiencies – from HVAC issues to cafeteria capacity to security needs to instrumental music spaces – are not overlooked for schools that are not selected for additions.

Beyond supporting the feasibility studies and greater community involvement, we find ourselves stuck firmly in clichés – that is, the saying that “Where you stand on an issue depends upon where you sit” and the adage that “The devil is in the details.” Each elementary school has a slightly different perspective – as you would expect.

Beall Elementary, a class size reduction focus school has had relocatable classrooms since 1999, and now uses a total of eight that cover a large portion of its playground space. With the highest percentage of over utilization at about 137% and projections to be at a startling almost 160% utilization rate and 300 students over during the six-year CIP, the focus at Beall is on bringing this school to its program capacity and upgrading its facilities. Beall has had to make many adjustments in the school day, including changing dismissal and traffic patterns, and hosting six lunch periods with staggered starts every 15 minutes between 11:30 am and 1:15 pm, just to get through the day. They should not have to do that.

Ritchie Park, the smallest school building in our cluster, is at 133% utilization and has five portables covering most of its playground blacktop. Blacktop-only recess is only possible on the blacktop next to the portables and can be disruptive to the classes out there. During the six-year CIP, Ritchie Park is projected to reach over 150% of its capacity. Teaching teams have been split, and bathroom breaks engineered into the school day for third graders in the portables to maximize instructional time and safety. Ritchie Park also has four lunch periods and its use of every available space for teachers leaves very little space that can be used by after-school programs, thus, their offerings in this regard are few. With the feasibility study completed last year and projected needs so great, the Ritchie Park community was hoping to secure addition funding as early as this amendment year. So the Superintendent’s recommendation is viewed as a “delay” by some.

Twinbrook Elementary School, a Title I school, is the oldest building in our cluster. It was “modernized” in 1986, but not to modern standards. Its physical needs are great and it will be given a FACT assessment for modernization this year. We look forward to reviewing the final methodology and scoring rubric for FACT assessments. Unfortunately, the modernization queue is longer than the capacity addition queue, so many in the Twinbrook community feel that their needs are being ignored while a new school may be built. The cafeteria/all purpose room must be updated because the current serving area is too small for the large percentage of children who eat a food services lunch. Additional challenges are ADA compliance, including an elevator installation. Currently, access for people who have mobility challenges to parts of the school is only available by exiting and then re-entering the building, and teachers must shuffle classrooms each year to maintain program standards for a student who uses a wheelchair. This latter challenge is also present at Beall. Overall, Twinbrook is concerned about equity across the cluster – that children in their elementary school have the same access to facilities, technology and safe places to learn.

College Gardens, which was newly modernized in 2008, is already over capacity and in need of portables, as you know. College Gardens’ core is so crowded that they have five lunch periods this year, which make scheduling of other activities, such as chorus and assemblies challenging. The Superintendent recommended that the Chinese Immersion program be moved to the new school once it is built to free up seats at College Gardens. Many in the home school community support this idea, hoping to minimize future boundary changes, but the CI community has some significant concerns about the impact on their program and their community. You will hear more from the College Gardens PTA President later tonight. We also question whether relocation of that program will actually solve College Gardens over capacity situation, especially if that community continues to grow.

Finally, the cluster is concerned that an addition at Julius West may not fully address the middle school capacity needs of the cluster, or may result in a middle school enrollment capacity that is just too large. We encourage you to consider more options for our middle school capacity challenge, and we look forward to working with you on this – sooner, rather than later.

Regarding the overall CIP amendments, we support keeping restroom renovations – four in our cluster – on track. We support countywide projects on HVAC, Roof Replacements, School Security upgrades, and PLAR, including increasing HVAC to $15 million and increasing PLAR by $1 million over the County Council’s approved amount. We also want additional attention to tech mods so that appropriate technology is in place to support the new curriculum fully and our children, most of whom are in schools where technology was provided based on much smaller enrollment figures, have the technology needed to succeed.

To summarize – the Richard Montgomery Cluster PTAs fully support the decisions that need to be made now – approval of the feasibility studies for the new elementary school and for JW. We also support a continuous dialogue between MCPS and the community regarding the “comprehensive solution” that includes possible new additions, a proposal to move the CI program, alternate capacity solutions for middle school, and further out, a cluster-wide boundary study for the new school.

We clearly share a commonality in purpose and look forward to working with you to provide this relief and move forward for our children.

We invite anyone who testifies during a Public Hearing to send us your remarks, which we will consider for publication at Rockville Central as a public service. As with any opinion piece, our publication of an article does not mean we endorse the author’s opinion.

Reader Note From Rockville REDI: ‘Buy Rockville’ A Municipal Model

By Lynne Benzion, Associate Director of Rockville REDI:

Recently, I had the enjoyable experience of partnering with Rockville Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Andrea Jolly to present “Starting and Maintaining a Buy Local Program” to the Maryland Municipal League (MML) annual conference.

Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI) started the “Buy Rockville” program in 2008 as a response to the recession’s heavy impact on Rockville’s retail and restaurants. Since then, we have fielded quite a few calls and e-mails asking us to share our experience so that others could start their own Buy Local programs. Being asked by MML to detail our first-hand knowledge to a state-wide audience was great recognition of Rockville’s reputation of leadership.

Mayor Marcuccio, Lynne Benzion, Andrea Jolly and Linda Moran at MML Conference

Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio (who is on the MML Board of Directors) introduced our presentation; Assistant to the City Manager Linda Moran was also in the audience. I explained that the “Buy Rockville” program builds awareness within the Rockville community that buying local has a huge economic effect. In fact, when you buy local, the money you spend circulates six to eight times within the community before it leaves. Our purchasing decisions give each of us an opportunity to have a significant economic impact.

I described to the audience the program’s birth out of REDI’s annual Business Appreciation Week, its quick implementation through our partnership with the Rockville Living website, and REDI’s newest initiative, “Bid Rockville”. Through this effort, we encourage Rockville businesses and residents to seek out a Rockville company bid whenever they buy a product or service. After all, it’s hard to “Buy Rockville” if you don’t “Bid Rockville”!

Andrea Jolly described how the Rockville Chamber of Commerce took the lead on “Buy Rockville” after the initial holiday push in 2008. The Chamber turned a quick program into a lasting effort that included a Restaurant Week and a brand new “Buy Rockville Rewards Card” that will allow consumers discounts at local merchants while also financially benefitting local non-profit organizations. (See www.RockvilleRewards.com to learn more, or to sign up your business to participate in the program. Businesses may also attend a program on November 18 to learn more; visit www.RockvilleChamber.org for details.)

After our presentation, Andrea and I got the ultimate compliment: several audience members told us that they would like to learn more. We are happy to share, and to represent a community that supports its businesses. During this holiday season and year-round, we hope you’ll continue to consider your hometown first, visit www.BuyRockville.org, and “Bid Rockville, Buy Rockville”.

This is a Reader Note. We welcome submissions on all sorts of things — shopping, restaurants, performances, art, cultural events, and more. Rules: it should be in Rockville, and you should try to be nice. Get in touch with us us if you would like to submit something!

Contributor Opinion By Diane Stuart: The New Norm?

Path to the Ritchie Center

Last Friday I witnessed the aftermath of an attempted mugging in my neighborhood.  It happened as Richard Montgomery was releasing its students, and, as usual, great numbers of them like to take the back path down to the Ritchie Center to get snacks.  Usually at least one City of Rockville squad car is parked at the 7-Eleven, oftentimes even two or three.  But on Friday, this wasn’t the case, and too bad and sad for the victim.

I didn’t witness the attack, I saw the aftermath, spoke to bystanders, and tried to comfort and assist the victim.  What struck me most and the reason why I am posting this here is the apparent apathy of the witnesses (probably 40+ students) and even of the victim.   According to one witness who also attempted comfort and assistance afterward, here’s what happened:

“A girl tried to take another girl’s money, threw her on the ground, and kicked her in the head.”

That squares with what I saw:  A young girl on her hands and knees feeling around for something which turned out to be her glasses, which turned out to be broken.  She found them and walked, tearful and shocked, to a Chinese restaurant where she tried, unsuccessfully to compose herself.

“It’s just high school,” she said between sobs, “I’m fine.”  Obviously she wasn’t.  In addition to the swelling around her eyes, was what seemed to be the greater wound:   She was aghast at being the victim and seemed to want nothing more than to disappear into the Earth.

No, she didn’t want me to call police (I did anyway), she didn’t want me to accompany her back to RM, she didn’t want the attention.  So am I making a big deal where there is none?  Isn’t this an assault?

Those of you who remember the Kitty Genovese story will know what’s bothering me.  In that case 38 witnesses—no doubt all good people—witnessed her murder, but did not try to help her.  They were afraid.  Stunned and frozen.  Here, herds of students did the same.  The girl was not among friends, she was alone in a crowd, which I suppose made her a perfect victim.

When the “jumping” was over, two things happened.  A group of girls turned back to see if she was okay.  Another group who seemed to me to be watching a sporting event, turned away.  Back to business for them.  And who knows what the one girl who dished out the abuse did.  Brag and swagger?

Is it possible she has a hold on the minds of all these other people, such that no one dared to step in?  Could she be so intimidating?  What if twenty or thirty students had just stepped up, as a group, and told her to knock it off?  Would they still need to fear loss of coolness, or some other form of retaliation today?

“Well, this age group…” explained the officer who eventually arrived to take my complaint,  “you know.”  Yes I do know and no I don’t.  I do remember the peer thing from high school, and I also know the fear of stepping up doesn’t leave us when we graduate.

I guess I had hoped for better.  It’s been 46 years since Kitty Genovese died, and as the county schools have worked tirelessly to instill the virtues of tolerance and acceptance of groups unlike one’s own, I was simply dismayed by the apathy.  Nothing has changed, it seems.  The kids and even the officer seemed to be telling me,  “We see this all the time.   Stuff happens.”

Fear still dominates.  We accept the unacceptable.  Or maybe this turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to such acts of violence is now the norm.

Diane Stuart

This is a Contributor Opinion. Rockville Central encourages readers to submit such pieces for consideration — the more voices the better. Simply send them to hello@rockvillecentral.com. We ask that all such contributions be civil and we reserve the right to edit (in consultation with the author) or reject. Contributor opinions should not be seen as reflecting opinions held by Rockville Central editors, as they are just as frequently at odds with our own views. That’s the whole point!

Contributor Opinion By Theresa Defino: A Rotten Phone Call

This Contributor Opinion is by Theresa Defino:

Photo by Brad Rourke

I was on the phone when the call came in, and not recognizing the number, I let it go to voicemail. I was surprised that the unknown caller actually left a message. When I heard it, my surprise turned to anger.

“Hi, are you frustrated with your elected officials?” she asked. Well, sometimes I am, with some….but which ones was she talking about?

“Recently, [the caller went on] The Washington Post exposed how the powerful teachers union controls the Apple Ballot. Because the Apple Ballot wins big in Montgomery county, candidates at all levels depend on it to get elected. Candidates can pay up to $6000 to the union.

Voters trust the teachers handing out the big Red Apple ballots and vote for the union-suggested candidates. But are they voting for the teachers’ choice? No, it’s the union’s choice.

Officials who depend on the Apple Ballot to get elected feel compelled to listen to the teachers’ union instead of voters. The Washington Post has called the apple ballot a toxic influence in Montgomery County.

Don’t be fooled by glossy candidate mailings that appear to be from candidates but are really from the MCEA [Montgomery County Education Association] union.

Teachers are great, but union control of Montgomery County is not. Learn more at rottenappleballot.com. Rotten apple ballot.com.”

Then she mumbled something fast about “removal from calls, press eight.”

Well, thanks, I don’t want any more calls like this, I thought, but you can’t press eight on a voice mail message.

I was stunned. By now I am used to robo calls but I usually expect to be told who to vote for, not against.

And I usually can easily tell who the message is from. I know that the electoral system, in my view, has recently been polluted since the Supreme Court’s Citizen United decision allowing the funding of ads by shadowy groups, but so far they’ve been about a candidates by name. Not this one.

I immediately went to the rottenappleballot.com website and was confronted with a huge, ugly photograph of–you guessed it. The only name I could find on the site was Ruth Jacobs, who identified herself as an “M.D.” with Maryland Citizens for a Responsible Government. I had never heard of her, or them.

After hunting around on the site, I still knew nothing about the organization behind this effort. More importantly, the message I again got was this: Vote against anyone on the Apple Ballot.

How’s that for educating the voters?

Wanting to know more, I dialed 301-641-4678 the number captured by caller ID, and heard an annoyed-sounding message from a woman saying to contact the organization by email only, and thanking me for “not leaving a message.” That’s rich–she can call me, but I can’t call her.

The phone message and the website made me furious for a number of reasons. The statement that candidates pay to be endorsed is patently false. The statement that elected officials listen only to the union and not voters is not only false , it’s nonsensical. Do union members not count as voters?

Two years ago, I was one of a handful of people who helped Laura Berthiaume get elected to the Board of Education. Laura was endorsed by MCEA but did not give the union a dime. She never was and two years later still is not beholden to the union. While critical of the union, The Post, by the way, never used the word “toxic” and made it clear that a number of candidates had not given MCEA money. And a 400-word editorial is not an “expose.”

When The Washington Post editorial board printed its “expose” of MCEA, Laura responded, noting that it is outgoing Superintendent Jerry Weast, not the board, that has “the coziest” relationship with the union.

The admonition to voters to “not be fooled” into thinking candidate materials came from the candidates shows basic distain for voters’ intellect. What I get from MCEA says MCEA and it’s not glossy. And what I get from candidates is from the candidates; I’m pretty sure I can tell the difference.

I also don’t buy that Montgomery County is “controlled” by this union or any other union. Seriously, the whole county? Why not mention the firefighters’ union or any other group that makes endorsements?

And really, I can’t even vote for folks who are running unopposed? Apparently I only have the rotten apples’ permission to vote in the District 3 County Council election, because MCEA didn’t endorse anyone in that race.

This “Maryland Citizens’” negative and deeply cynical message, right before the election, gave me a stomach ache, just like from eating a rotten apple.

Sure, I’ve voted for candidates on the Apple Ballot in the past and I am sure I will again. I’ve also given my support to those, such as Cheryl Kagan, who did not win that endorsement.

But I decide who to vote for, after studying the issues and candidates as best I can. And I surely won’t vote against an entire slate just because one decidedly unpleasant, semi-anonymous phone caller told me I should.

Theresa Defino

This is a Contributor Opinion. Rockville Central encourages readers to submit such pieces for consideration — the more voices the better. Simply send them to hello@rockvillecentral.com. We ask that all such contributions be civil and we reserve the right to edit (in consultation with the author) or reject. Contributor opinions should not be seen as reflecting opinions held by Rockville Central editors, as they are just as frequently at odds with our own views. That’s the whole point!

Please also note that Rockville Central does not endorse candidates in election campaigns. Supporters of all candidates are encouraged to submit opinion pieces for consideration.

Reader Note by Tom Moore: Vote No On Question A

Medic 39 from the RVFD Website

This Reader Note  from Tom Moore concerns the November 2, 2010 Ballot Question A on the Emergency Medical Services Transport Fee.

When I served as an ambulance driver for the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department, one of my specialties (other than splendid medical care) was convincing reluctant patients to go to the hospital in my ambulance when I judged it necessary for them do so. I enjoyed the challenge, and was called upon to practice it more often than you might guess.

It is a delicate discussion to conduct — you want to make the point to the patient that their injury or illness could become quite serious or fatal if ignored, yet you don’t want to go overboard and frighten them to death on the spot. It was a difficult enough task without the significant added complication of trying to explain to a seriously sick or injured patient the details of a county ambulance fee.

I am convinced that I saved a few lives over the years by persuading my patients to go to the hospital to get the care they needed. I am similarly convinced that an ambulance fee will cost lives over time by being  just one more reason why ambulance patients refuse treatment.

I strongly urge a “No” vote on Question A.

Tom Moore

This is a Reader Note. We welcome submissions on all sorts of things — shopping, restaurants, performances, art, cultural events, and more. Rules: it should be in Rockville, and you should try to be nice. Get in touch with us us if you would like to submit something!

Contributor Opinion by Roald Schrack: Rockville Schools

School overcrowding has recently become an issue in Rockville. Overcrowding at Beall Elementary school was described and denounced by a crowd of about 30 parents at a recent meeting of the Mayor and Council. In response to this and the recognition that the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance prohibits the construction of new residential facilities when local schools have reached 110% of capacity, the Mayor and Council have been motivated to meet with County Board of Education officials and tour school facilities.

Relief of overcrowding is a real need but there are other problems that exist in the school system that should also be addressed. The following table is extracted from school data available on the Montgomery County Board of Education website in “Schools at a Glance 2009-2010″. It shows the great diversity that now exists in the elementary schools that serve Rockville.

Click for larger image

The first column shows the percentage of the student body below the poverty level and thus eligible for Free and Reduced Meals. The second shows the current population ratio to capacity, the third shows the projected ratio in 2015. The next column shows the composite grade 2 test score. The S/T is the student teacher ratio and the last is the teacher salary expense in $1000. per student.

A study of the table is helpful in understanding the geography of poverty in the city. Also note where poverty is high, the student teacher ratio is low. The county makes an effort to put more resources where it is needed.

On Friday, October 15, the Washington Post reported on a study of Montgomery County Schools done by Heather Schwartz of the Century Foundation. It showed how students from poverty backgrounds did better in school when they made up a minority of the student body. To quote from the article:

After seven years, the children in low poverty schools performed 8% higher on standardized math tests than their peers attending higher poverty schools – even though the county had targeted them with extra resources.

Other studies have shown the vital importance of good teachers. A poor teacher in one grade level can have a lingering negative effect for many years.

In summary, it is not the facilities or the resources that make for a successful school but the human environment – the teachers and the students with whom you go to school.

The future of Rockville is dependent on our future employee pool. Even though the county has direct control of Rockville schools, the city needs to exercise a continuing commitment to the education of our younger citizens. We are becoming increasingly dependent on high technology. Our future citizens must be adequately prepared to compete successfully for future jobs.

Roald Schrack

This is a Contributor Opinion. Rockville Central encourages readers to submit such pieces for consideration — the more voices the better. Simply send them to hello@rockvillecentral.com. We ask that all such contributions be civil and we reserve the right to edit (in consultation with the author) or reject. Contributor opinions should not be seen as reflecting opinions held by Rockville Central editors, as they are just as frequently at odds with our own views. That’s the whole point!

Please also note that Rockville Central does not endorse candidates in election campaigns. Supporters of all candidates are encouraged to submit opinion pieces for consideration.

Reader Note From Daniel Stauffer: Two Weeks Of Town Square Vandalism

Photo by Brad Rourke

This Reader Note is by Daniel Stauffer:

I’ve lived at the Rockville town square for a little over a year now. For the last 2 weekends, Oct, 10th and Oct 17th, at approx. 2:30am large crowds have left the bars at the Rockville town square and have gone on to commit vandalism at Rockville town square. This evening’s loud crowd lasted over an hour and a half to which the police responded to 2 calls.

This evening the crowd completely vandalized the decorative fireplace fixtures on the walls in the underwalk at 154 gibbs street tearing down two ceramic candle sticks and smashing them. The crowd lasted for over an hour and was very loud and unruly. I have to say it does nothing but discourage people from wanting to live here or have anything to do with Rockville town square when it can be completely overrun with the late night bar scene.

Daniel Stauffer

[NOTE: As an editorial update, we have been in touch with the Rockville Police and, as one might expect from our law enforcement officers, they take this issue seriously. Among other things, they have informed us that they plan to make sure that they keep an eye on bar-closing time to try to stop similar things from happening in the future. They also let us know that for the past two weeks they had been called on Saturday night / Sunday morning, which they responded to in each case. It's important for citizens to call police when they experience such things, so the police can respond appropriately.]

This is a Reader’s Note. We welcome submissions on all sorts of things — shopping, restaurants, performances, art, cultural events, and more. Rules: it should be in Rockville, and you should try to be nice. Get in touch with us using our contact form if you would like to submit something!

Photo by Brad Rourke

Contributor Opinion By Fran Hawkins: Lincoln Park Civic Association Supports Mayor And Council Decision On East Rockville Art

Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths

Below is a letter  from Fran Hawkins, president of the Lincoln Park Civic Association, submitted to the Mayor and Council concerning their vote at the Mayor and Council Meeting on Monday to approve artwork for the property behind the East Rockville sign by the Rockville Metro Rail Station.

Dear Mayor Marcuccio and Members of the Council:

Thank you for the opportunity to serve on the recent Arts Committee to select an arts project for East Rockville. Although I was disappointed with the aftermath of divisive and hurtful comments from some, committee members worked well together, enjoyed participating, and voted unanimously. Most importantly, the experience reflected
the City’s efforts to be inclusive.

I am most disappointed that the Mayor could not support the project for the reasons stated at your October 11, 2010 meeting. However, I will continue to hold out hope that all residents are valued and feel welcomed to engage in City activities. My last hope is that Lincoln Park can one day be truly perceived by all to be a valued member of this community.

Respectfully,

Fran K. Hawkins
President, Lincoln Park Civic Association

This is a Contributor Opinion. Rockville Central encourages readers to submit such pieces for consideration — the more voices the better. Simply send them to hello@rockvillecentral.com. We ask that all such contributions be civil and we reserve the right to edit (in consultation with the author) or reject. Contributor opinions should not be seen as reflecting opinions held by Rockville Central editors, as they are just as frequently at odds with our own views. That’s the whole point!

Contributor Opinion by Eric Raynor: ERCA Response To East Rockville Art Decision

Below is a letter  from the East Rockville Civic Association (ERCA) submitted to the Mayor and Council yesterday concerning their vote at the Mayor and Council Meeting on Monday to approve artwork for the property behind the East Rockville sign by the Rockville Metro Rail Station.

At our monthly meeting on October 12, 2010, members of the East Rockville Civic Association (ERCA) reviewed and discussed the proposed sculpture (aka “The Blossom” by East Los Streetscapers) planned for placement at the corner of Park Road and S. Stonestreet in East Rockville, across the street from the Rockville metro station parking lot.

We understand that opinions about public art are highly subjective and that not everyone will or can agree on what is aesthetically appropriate; nevertheless, ERCA members are displeased with this choice of artwork, and do not feel it befits our residential neighborhood. In fact, the consensus opinion at our meeting was that we would rather not have any public art at that location; we’d prefer to just have enhanced landscaping. (For the record, ERCA members did not like any of the three proposed artwork options that were on view at city hall; members felt that none of the options adequately capture or reflect the character of our residential neighborhood. )

ERCA members are also concerned about the process by which art is chosen and placed in our (and other) residential neighborhoods. We don’t recall ever having been specifically asked if we even wanted artwork at that location, and we feel that the process to select and approve this artwork has been too rapid and without adequate neighborhood/community input. Where in this process is there an opportunity for the community at large to say we’ve taken a vote and we don’t like any of the proposed options and feel that none of these should be selected?

We are, however, mindful of the fact that you have already voted 4 to 1 in favor of this project the night before we had an opportunity to discuss it. Therefore, if it is too late to cancel this project, we respectfully request that this artwork be considered for placement in some other area within the city – perhaps a municipal or corporate location, which we think would be a more appropriate setting for this artwork.

On behalf of ERCA I will be happy to further discuss this matter with you and/or city staff. Thank you for your consideration.

Eric Raynor
President, East Rockville Civic Association (ERCA)

This is a Contributor Opinion. Rockville Central encourages readers to submit such pieces for consideration — the more voices the better. Simply send them to hello@rockvillecentral.com. We ask that all such contributions be civil and we reserve the right to edit (in consultation with the author) or reject. Contributor opinions should not be seen as reflecting opinions held by Rockville Central editors, as they are just as frequently at odds with our own views. That’s the whole point!

Please also note that Rockville Central does not endorse candidates in election campaigns. Supporters of all candidates are encouraged to submit opinion pieces for consideration.

Contributor Opinion by Martha Klasing: Did the Mayor and Council really spend over $2 million on RedGate?

I would like to respectfully submit to the citizens of Rockville some clarification on the recent story in Rockville Reports on the City paying off “RedGate’s deficit”. There is no doubt that many were angered or disappointed with what they read. The story stated that the Mayor and Council voted to use more than $2 million in reserve funds to cover the existing $1.7 million deficit at RedGate and to cover the projected $674,000 debt for Fiscal Year 2011. The motion that was made, and unanimously approved, stated very clearly the funds would come out of surplus funds.

I put the term “RedGate’s Deficit” in quotes for a reason. Let’s not forget or overlook one critical fact about those numbers – the existing deficit of $1.7 million includes $1,342,000 of City Administrative Overhead costs that did not arise from the operation of the Golf Course. Those costs stem from the running the City and had to be paid whether RedGate existed or not. The costs of running the City – things like salary for the City Manager, City Clerk, City Attorney, costs of maintaining City Hall – get allocated to various departments. Based on some formula, the City charged the Golf Course over $1.3 million up through FY 2010. As you can see, the full $1.7 million is NOT attributable solely to RedGate and should not be portrayed as such, as was suggested by the article in Rockville Reports. The article was misleading and did not give Rockville Citizen’s the full story.

At the end of the article, it was mentioned that the accumulated deficit is projected to grow to $5.8 million over the next five years. Same story – that figure includes nearly $3 million of City Administrative Overhead costs that did not arise from Golf course operations. To give this perspective, the overhead charged to RedGate in FY2005 was $168K. In FY2012 this will have doubled to $335K, and increases every year.

Certainly, RedGate needs attention – the finances need to be shored up and the operating model needs to be scrutinized. The Mayor and Council recognized this, accepted the recommendation of the RedGate Advisory Committee, and voted to finally bring in the industry experts – the National Golf Foundation – to assess whether RedGate is viable and, if so, to render advice on the best operating model to achieve financial stability.

The National Golf Foundation (NGF) is considered the gold standard in terms of industry expertise. NGF is a not-for-profit organization with no agenda in terms of maximizing its own profits or increasing its footprint by taking over golf courses. Its mission is simple – to serve as an objective and independent resource dedicated to serving all the people, companies, facilities and associations that are involved in golf. Getting expert advice is the first, and sorely needed step, to get RedGate back on track, if that can be done. If not, the Mayor and Council will have another tough decision to make. I, for one, believe RedGate can operate profitably. Municipal courses in the DC metro area have demonstrated that this can be achieved, even in these current, difficult times. With appropriate marketing, the right operating model, and an appropriate business plan, RedGate can succeed. And, by the way, RedGate didn’t cost taxpayers $2 million.

Martha A. Klasing
Member, Redgate Advisory Committee

This is a Contributor Opinion. Rockville Central encourages readers to submit such pieces for consideration — the more voices the better. Simply send them to hello@rockvillecentral.com. We ask that all such contributions be civil and we reserve the right to edit (in consultation with the author) or reject. Contributor opinions should not be seen as reflecting opinions held by Rockville Central editors, as they are just as frequently at odds with our own views. That’s the whole point!

Please also note that Rockville Central does not endorse candidates in election campaigns. Supporters of all candidates are encouraged to submit opinion pieces for consideration.

Contributor Review by Janet Wilson: Jackie’s Wine Club

Off the beaten path of Rockville’s Town Square proper is an obscure gem of a meeting place, Jackie’s Wine Club. Located at 12 North Washington Street in the storefront that was Temptations Ice Cream Shop in a previous life, Jackie’s is a welcome addition to the neighborhood with incredibly affordable prices.

Jackie’s features “a distinct selection of wines from Argentina, Chile, France Italy and Spain” according to their menu, along with a tapas menu with options that hail from the same countries. You can purchase wine to go and by design, their pricing is more like a retail store than a wine bar. But why not stay and enjoy the minimalist, contemporary atmosphere where you can listen to music, catch a football or soccer game on the flat screen tv or just people watch.

In recent weeks, we’ve enjoyed a full body 2007 Cantele Primitivo from Italy for $21 a bottle, a medium body 2009 Santa Julia Pinot Noir from Argentina for $16 a bottle and tasted a fantastic Aqua de Piedra Malbec, also from Argentina, that sells for $15 a bottle. Where else other than home can you sip this quality of wine for the equivalent of $4 a glass.? Leftovers? No worries; Maryland State Law allows you to take the remainder home.

With a broad selection of tapas, you can pair that wine with a snack or make an entire meal. In addition to the cheese plate where you choose the number and types of cheeses, there are empanadas from Argentina ($3.95); pizzetas from Italy with your choice of white or red sauce ($7.50); Spanish tapas that include the homey & satisfying tortilla de patata (egg and potato pie $3.95), colossal shrimp sautéed in garlic ($7.95) and chorizo sausage ($3.95). Other options range from ceviche ($5.59) to Pate de Campagne ($5.00) to the ham and cheese sandwich traditional to Argentina (get it lightly toasted $4.00).

With the unfortunate demise of Bobby’s Crabcakes, we’re doubly committed to patronize the local restaurants especially the small, independently-owned options such as Jackie’s Wine Club.

Janet Wilson

This is a contributor review. We welcome submissions on all sorts of things — shopping, restaurants, performances, art, cultural events, and more. Rules: it should be in Rockville, and you should try to be nice. Get in touch with us, Hello@RockvilleCentral.com, if you would like to submit something!