Board of Education
About
The Carroll County Public Schools Board of Education is composed of five elected members. The law provides for the County Commissioners to serve as non-voting, ex-officio members of the Board. The Superintendent serves as the Board's Executive Officer, Secretary and Treasurer; and a student representative is selected each year by the Carroll County Student Government Association.
Board meetings are generally held on the second Wednesday of the month. Specific meeting dates and times are listed on the Meeting Schedule tab. Board meetings are streamed live on the CCPS YouTube channel and viewable on the right side of this page under CETV LiveStream. Meetings are broadcast live throughout the month on Carroll Educational Television – Channel 21. The Board meeting schedule is subject to change. Special meetings are called by the President.
Carroll County citizens are encouraged to attend Board meetings. Any citizen may participate in the meeting during Citizen Participation. The agenda and back-up materials for Board meetings are available for review prior to the meeting in the CCPS Board of Education document library link below.
CCPS Board of Education Agendas & Documents
The Carroll County Public Schools Board of Education and the Superintendent welcome suggestions for the continued improvement of the policies and procedures of the Carroll County Public School System. Contact information for Board Members is listed under the Board Members tab above. They may also be reached via the Contact Us tab above.
Board Members
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The Board of Education of Carroll County is composed of five Members elected for terms of four years. |
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Marsha B. Herbert |
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Tara A. Battaglia Vice-President Term expires Dec. 2026 Board of Education ATTN: Tara Battaglia 125 North Court Street Westminster, MD 21157 410-386-1670 tarabattaglia@carrollk12.org |
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Patricia S. Dorsey Board Member Term expires Dec. 2026 Board of Education ATTN: Patricia Dorsey 125 North Court Street Westminster, MD 21157 410-386-1670 patriciadorsey@carrollk12.org |
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Donna M. Sivigny Board Member Term expires Dec. 2024 Board of Education ATTN: Donna Sivigny 125 North Court Street Westminster, MD 21157 410-386-1670 donnasivigny@carrollk12.org |
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Stephen Whisler |
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Chloe Kang |
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Handbook
The Board Handbook is intended as a guide to the operations of the Board of Education of Carroll County, Maryland. Portions of the handbook are excerpted from the Maryland Annotated Code —Education Article, the Maryland Association of Board of Education (MABE) Manual, The Maryland School Law Deskbook, and Carroll County Public Schools (CCPS) operating policies and procedures.
CCPS Policy Book is available in the Superintendent’s office and the Principal’s office of each school.
Contact Us
The Board of Education of Carroll County welcomes public input. There are several options for communication with the Board.
Members of the community are encouraged to provide comments to the Board via the public comment form below. All Board members and the Superintendent will receive your message. Please indicate in the subject line if you would like to have your comments posted on the CCPS website.
Click here to submit a comment.
Time for public participation is provided at each of our regular monthly Board meetings, which are held on the second Wednesday of the month at 5:00 p.m. Public participation is held at approximately 5:15 p.m. Please note that those who wish to speak must register in advance.
Click here to register to speak at a Board meeting.
Note: Registration is open on the day before the Board meeting from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Alternatively, community members may send written comments to the Board through the US mail to 125 North Court Street, Westminster, MD 21157.
Committees
Updates & Announcements
- Board-appointed Committees
Please select the plus symbol to view each statement.
- Advisory Council on Career & Technology Education
- Community Advisory Council
- Curriculum Council
- Family Life
- Security Advisory Council
- Special Education Citizen's Advisory
- Teacher Advisory Council
- Ethics Panel
Advisory Council on Career & Technology Education
| The Carroll County Advisory Council on Career and Technology Education participates in the development of annual program plans and accountability reports and provides local educational agencies and post-secondary education institutions with advice on current job needs and on the relevancy of curriculum being offered in meeting such needs. This Council participates in interview projects, serves on program advisory committees, reviews student senior projects and portfolios, and reviews the Local Plan for Program Improvement (Career and Technology Education Perkins grant) |
Community Advisory Council
The Community Advisory Council serves as a forum for public concerns, advice, and communication to and from the Board of Education. In addition to providing information to the Board, the Community Advisory Council may be called upon by the Superintendent and/or Board of Education to make recommendations on matters related to the education of students in Carroll County Public Schools. Please click here for additional information.
Curriculum Council
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The Curriculum Council reviews and recommends instructional materials proposed for adoption and provides input and response to the Superintendent regarding issues facing Carroll County in its challenge to bring about continuous school improvement. Members develop a working knowledge of curriculum goals, trends, and issues and network with supervisors to communicate local concerns and issues regarding curriculum and school improvement. Please click here for additional information. |
Family Life
The Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 13A.04.18.01(D)(2)(c) requires that each school system provide a comprehensive family life and HIV prevention education to students in schools as a part of comprehensive health education. Carroll County Public Schools seeks individuals interested in serving on the Family Life Advisory Committee to ensure that members of the community are consulted about its family life education program. The committee will be responsible for examining all instructional materials being proposed to support the CCPS Health Curriculum. Click here for more information.
Security Advisory Council
The Carroll County Public Schools Security Advisory Council (SAC) was created to generate input on school security related matters from the various stakeholders. The Council consists of school directors, principals, representatives from all employee groups, and parents, as well as members from the law enforcement and emergency management community. The primary responsibility of the SAC is to provide input and recommendations to the Supervisor of School Security to improve and enhance security procedures, training, and equipment for the school system.
Special Education Citizen's Advisory
| The Carroll County Special Education Citizen's Advisory Committee is a committee established by Carroll County Public Schools to seek meaningful input from parents, community partners, service providers, educators, and administrators on local issues about the achievement of students with disabilities. This collaboration enables the director of special education to make positive changes in the delivery of special education services. If you have concerns and desire to bring about positive change please consider becoming an active member in this constructive process. Please click here for additional information. |
Teacher Advisory Council
The Carroll County Teacher Advisory Council makes recommendations to county teachers and administrators regarding effective strategies that provide for student achievement. The Council also provides advice and recommendations to the Board and Superintendent regarding issues related to instruction and learning, as requested or as initiated by the Council. Please click here for additional information.
Ethics Panel
The Board of Education Ethics Panel is established in accordance with Board Policy BC – Ethics. The Board of Education’s Ethics Policy is created to comply with Maryland’s Public Ethics Law and is approved by the State Ethics Commission. The Board’s Ethics Policy, which is based on Maryland law, governs annual financial disclosures of Board of Education officials and certain employees, conflicts of interest as defined in the law and Board policy, and rules for lobbyists.
The Ethics Panel is appointed by the Board of Education to ensure compliance with the Ethics Policy. To that end, the Ethics Panel reviews annual financial disclosure forms, issues advisory opinions concerning the application of the Ethics Policy, and decides complaints alleging a violation of the provisions of the Ethics Policy.
The Ethics Panel does not address general complaints about Board of Education officials or employees or issue advice on whether the actions of an individual are appropriate beyond the specific provisions of the Ethics Policy.
To review the Ethics Policy, please click on the links below.
Board of Education - BC - Ethics Policy
Board of Education - BC - Financial Disclosure Statement Form 1
Board of Education - BC - Financial Disclosure Statement Form 2
Redistricting
- Southern Area Redistricting Committee
- Redistricting & Facility Utilization
- Redistricting and School Closure Committee
Southern Area Redistricting Committee
Southern Area Redistricting Update
September 8, 2022
The Board of Education held two work sessions on the Southern Area Redistricting Committee (SARC) report on August 31 and September 7, 2022, and received public feedback.
After careful review of the SARC report and thoughtful discussion during the two work sessions, the Board of Education determined that the process of redistricting must be considered more comprehensively along with capital program implications. These capital considerations include the recommendation for a series of classroom additions in the SARC report, as well as potential capital requirements under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.
In light of the Board’s determination, Carroll County Public Schools is proceeding with the process in the following manner:
- The public hearing scheduled for September 21st is postponed. There will be no further redistricting process in the fall of 2022. The earliest redistricting would take place would be the 2024 - 2025 school year.
- At the Board’s September 14, 2022 business meeting, Superintendent McCabe will recommend that the Board commission an architectural and engineering feasibility study for Freedom Elementary School and Sykesville Middle School. The feasibility studies will provide needed information to help determine what level of additions the two school sites will support. If approved, results of the feasibility studies are anticipated in the spring of 2023.
- CCPS hopes to receive additional guidance from the State by spring 2023 regarding the capital impact of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. In particular, the Blueprint has potential impact on Pre-Kindergarten and teacher collaboration space needs. Our initial Blueprint comprehensive implementation plan is due to the State in March 2023 and we would anticipate guidance following that submission.
- The SARC’s work will be suspended pending the additional information above. Once this information is available in spring 2023 and the Board makes any specific capital project determinations, the SARC will reconvene to adjust their report based on those outcomes.
We encourage you to continue to check this webpage for any future updates on the redistricting process.
At its December 8, 2021, business meeting, the Board of Education approved a recommendation to implement a Southern Area Redistricting Committee. The committee would form in January 2022 and meet the timeline in Administrative Regulation JCAA of bringing a report in September 2022.
In 2019, through approval of the Educational Facilities Master Plan (EFMP), the Board approved a Freedom Elementary Redistricting Committee. The same EFMP suggested that capacity at the Southern Area middle schools be monitored. That committee’s work was interrupted and then postponed by the impact of the pandemic on enrollment.
Archived Freedom Elementary Redistricting Committee
The current EFMP indicated that we would review September 2021 enrollments and make recommendations when appropriate. The Superintendent is now recommending reinstituting a Southern Area Redistricting Committee to complete the work of making recommendations to balance enrollment and capacities for all schools in the region. As with the original committee, this one would include key staff, County partners, and parent representatives.
Redistricting & Facility Utilization
The Carroll County Public Schools, Board of Education document library is housed on a Microsoft SharePoint site. The SharePoint site is accessible to the public and does not require login or special access. All documents and information contained in the document library are added within 24 hours of the Board of Education meetings.
Please click on the link button below to access the document library.
Redistricting and School Closure Committee
The Carroll County Public Schools, Board of Education document library is housed on a Microsoft SharePoint site. The SharePoint site is accessible to the public and does not require login or special access. All documents and information contained in the document library are added within 24 hours of the Board of Education meetings.
Please click on the link button below to access the document library.