Last week Montgomery County Public School Board members recognized two students from Falling Branch Elementary School and a variety of team members who go above and beyond to serve the next generation.
MCPS’ Administrator of Gifted Programs Helen Fotinos presented the students’ accomplishments to board members on June 3, explaining that InvestWrite is an optional, annual essay contest. It is coordinated by the Stock Market Game, which is a curriculum that aims to increase financial literacy of students in grades four through 12.
Students were prompted to write about their dreams for the future, Fotinos said, and explain how they would invest $10,000 to achieve that dream in 10 years.
FBES’ Seth Blanchard won first place in state for the spring competition, and Eden Seife won first place in the year-round competition and eighth place nationally.
CTE Administrator Megan Atkinson was also recognized during the meeting for being named the K-12 STEM Educator of the Year at the annual Tech Night hosted by the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council.
“This award is an acknowledgement of Megan’s commitment to innovation, excellence in STEM education and her leadership in preparing our students for the future,” said Superintendent Bernard Bragen Jr. “She does represent the best of MCPS as an educator who inspires curiosity, drives academic growth and helps shape the next generation of innovators.”
Bragen also thanked faculty, staff and Board members for their work in making the Class of 2025’s graduation “go off without a hitch.”
MCPS School Board meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Montgomery County Government Center (755 Roanoke St.) in Christiansburg.
The June 3 school board meeting also included comments from four county residents during the public comment portion of the meeting, who addressed a number of topics, including bullying.
Kimberly Williamson read from the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights Letter that was sent out in February about discrimination by race being illegal.
“There is zero legal basis for using race, directly or indirectly, in any decision making in MCPS, and it must stop,” she said.
Bob Beard said that the Board and Superintendent Bragen should educate the community on “why it was so important to send educators to the White Privilege Conference. We need to see a presentation on what was learned and why and how our system is racist.”
He said if teachers are teaching children about what racism is, then parents and the community should be educated on it, too.
Chris Thomas asked the board to work through the “anti-DEI” rhetoric and focus on ways to make the school system better for all of its students.
“I’m here because my kids, your kids and all of our kids deserve the best education we can give them,” Thomas said.
Kimberly Bowman, who is also a member of Christiansburg Town Council, talked about bullying in the schools and how some of it is a behavior learned from adults, both at home and in the school system.
“Adult bullies play a significant role” in setting examples for students, who often perceive the bullying as rewarding behavior, she said.