If your field trip meets the requirement for charter buses-

order online...

Here’s the link for charter buses

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/transportation/about/Approved%20Charter%20Companies.pdf

or more specific for ordering through the company

https://mymcps.mcpsmd.org/Documents/FY23%20MCPS%20Approved%20Carrier%20List.p

df

Here’s the link for Field Trip processes as an FYI

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/transportation/fieldtrips/

• Has to align to Implementation Plan 

• Book and get a quote

• Fiscal secretary can check if the vendor is in the Hub --> use contract funding code 

• If not get W-9 --> give to Taishan --> uploads it in the Hub

• If a person is with the Rec Dept, they do not need to be fingerprinted with us as they would be an after school program. 

• If the principal chooses, and wants them fingerprinted, then they will come in and fill out a volunteer packet along with the Child Protective Services form and the school should add them to the google sheet that is shared with the background unit.  If the principal isn’t aware of the google sheet, they can send an email to us and we will add them.

• Have a staff member on site and available from start to finish of the activity including ensuring all students are picked up by a guardian/parent.

• Set up the area(s) to be used in advance, including any technology needed.

• Check in with partner activity leader before activity to ensure s/he has the technology and materials s/he needs; and every 20 minutes or so during the activity to offer support.

• If childcare is provided, check in with the childcare provider every 20-30 minutes and offer support and an occasional break if needed.

• Provide a way for the partner representative(s), childcare provider, and school staff to communicate (school walkie talkies), so the partner reps. can contact school staff quickly and easily if needed.

• Provide snacks and water to participants and partner representatives, and to children being cared for, as appropriate (that is, depending on the length and nature of the activity, weather/room conditions, etc.).

• Provide timely instruction to volunteers and ensure they are given meaningful work.

• Provide back-up staff if the regular staff person(s) is unavailable; make sure back-up staff have the information, materials, and instructions they need to support the activity.

Community School Liaison:

Community Schools provide a variety of wraparound services tailored to meet the needs of the students, families, staff, and community members. Under the direction of the Coordinator of Community Schools, in collaboration with the elementary school principal, the Community School Liaison (CSL) will plan and provide overall comprehensive support for the designated Community School. 

This position will be a part of the school's leadership and support teams. The Community School Liaison will work with the school's leadership team, school staff, community agencies, families, and other relevant stakeholders to develop a comprehensive needs assessment for the school. Using the data collected from the comprehensive needs assessment, the Community School Liaison will then develop a strategic and intentional implementation plan to be approved by MSDE. The implementation plan will support the Community School model’s focus of providing wrap-around services for students, including (but not limited to): extended learning for students in out-of-school time opportunities, expansion of school-based health and wellness services for students, expansion of family engagement and support services for families, supports/programs to improve student attendance,and professional development opportunities for school staff and community partners to successfully meet the Community Schools mission and vision. 

The Community School Liaison will meet the commitment to students by serving as an advocate, a role model, and a supporter of diversity (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, economic status, developmental differences, learning styles, and exceptionalities). This position will be evaluated by the school principals in coordination with the central office Coordinator of Community Schools. Community School Liaison Professional Growth Systems (PGS) Standards can be found on the MCPS website and are linked below

The Community School Liaison is an MCEA member. This position will work in a collaborative partnership between MCPS and MCEA. Therefore, all of the MCEA teacher contractual requirements apply to the Community School Liaison positions. 

MCPS Full Job Description: https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/personnel/classification/descriptions/description.aspx?fn=1069-1542

Parent Community Coordinator (PCC):

Parent Community Coordinators (PCC) build and strengthen positive relationships with families and work collaboratively with school leaders, staff, and community organizations to develop and implement family engagement activities. They support families by guiding them through the school system, helping to build their ability to advocate for their students’ academic success, and especially provide necessary support to families who may be facing language, cultural or economic barriers. Parent Community Coordinators are a diverse team of professionals located in school communities most highly impacted by poverty. There are two departments for Parent Community Coordinators - one is in MCPS central office and the other is an optional resource for each MCPS Title I schools.

The Title I PCC position is optional and allocated at the discretion of Title I principals/school leaders utilizing supplemental Title I funds, which fluctuate year to year. The Title I PCC works under the direction of the school principal to meet the Title I Parent and Family Engagement Requirements under the Every Student Succeeds Act, and to build the capacity of school staff and families as partners in their child’s education.

Wellness Trainer:

The wellness trainer position will design and implement a structured wellness program for diverse populations, advocating and promoting wellness, a healthy and active lifestyle, and healthy eating behaviors in assigned schools. Work of this class includes the development and implementation of training programs, workshops and presentations to train, support and provide materials and resources for school staff to engage and instruct students in matters related to wellness, fitness, restorative justice, and positive emotional and behavioral health. The wellness trainer provides training to assigned school staff through in-person as well as, synchronous and asynchronous virtual formats. The position will support school staff with presentations, events and workshops for students and families with topics that support positive emotional and mental health for students, families and the school community. The position will provide mindfulness and restorative justice training, materials and weekly guidance to community school staff to implement in school settings. The position will support students with effective mindfulness and restorative justice practices. Also, the position will support the goals and objectives of the MCPS Community Schools model and collaborate with all other MCPS offices to ensure that student mental and emotional health supports, training and resources are aligned across the system.

Social Worker:

The social workers will serve as a liaison between the MCPS Community Schools program, MCPS school personnel, families and community resources. They will be responsible for providing counseling to students who are placed in the school programs for students with social, emotional and behavioral challenges. They will assist with academic learning by providing strategic services that identify and address the social-emotional environmental issues that interfere with the educational process. 

Pupil Personnel Worker (PPW):

The Pupil Personnel Worker is a member of the Student Well-Being Team to help monitor and analyze attendance protocol development and implementation. The Pupil Personnel Worker also links families to supports and services in the community for basic, emergency, and specialized needs. They conduct home visits to verify and investigate residency. They engage in casework for COSA’s, disciplinary matters, and students under homeless/foster care/unaccompanied homeless youth.

Linkages to Learning is a contract between the Department of Health and Human Services, who is the funder, and 4 agencies 

• EveryMind

• Rockville 

• Sheppard Pratt

• YMCA  

As with all county contracts, every 5 years the county opens up the contract for competitive bid.  This means that all interested non-profits are able to complete to be awarded Linkages to Learning contracts through a standardized procurement process called a Request for Proposals (RFP).  This is a normal part of contracting with the county.  

The RFP for Linkages to Learning was released on Wednesday February 1st.  Current contractors and all other interested parties can submit proposals to be considered by the county.  The County will select the agencies with the highest rated proposals to enter into contract negotiations to finalize the contract.  This is a normal procedure that has taken place many time before in the 30 years of Linkages to Learning.  

The RFP includes a description of the scope of services that the county is looking for the agency to provide under the Linkages to Learning contract.  Sometimes the county changes the scope from the previous contract based on current needs of the residents of the county.  The scope of services outlined in the Linkages to Learning RFP includes the same behavioral health services, case management services, and community school coordination services that are currently being provided, but with some modifications.  

The RFP states: 

“Community school coordination must be included only at indicated sites” (those without an MCPS Community School Liaison).  

The Staffing Recommendations Report Addendum, that accompanies the RFP, recommends that “the LTL contract shift funds from Community School Coordination services to increasing Case Management and Behavioral Health support services.”  And that “because MCPS can provide community school coordination…through their CSLs, HHS is recommending that funds previously used for CSCs now be used to increase the number of Family Case Managers, Child and Family Therapists, or Community Services Aides at schools with the highest needs for these direct services.”    

The RFP Scope can be found here Notice to Proposers (montgomerycountymd.gov) and information about the County RFP process can be found here Formal Solicitations, Montgomery County Office of Procurement, Montgomery County, MD (montgomerycountymd.gov)