An Urgent Call to Action! Save our English Composition Assistants! Save our Writing Center!

The superintendent, Dr. Thomas Taylor,  submitted a proposal to the Board of Education to reconcile the huge budget shortfall, which includes terminating a wide range of employees, including our English Composition Assistants, Mr. Jason Byrd and Ms. Lauren Quinn.  Of course, we value all of the staff members in our community and lament their impending termination, but the English Department wants to make you aware of the vital role that ECAs play in the English Department and the education of your children here at Whitman.

Composition Assistants Support Your Whitman Students

• The Whitman Writing Center: Open for drop-in writing support and college essay help at lunch and after school daily!

• One-on-One Sessions: Offering dedicated, individual focus on college essays.

• Draft Review: Reading student essays to improve arguments and clarity.

• Brainstorming Ideas: Helping students outline papers and develop strong theses.

• Grammar Guidance: Guiding sentence structure, punctuation, and mechanics on an individual basis.

• Confidence Building: Providing positive feedback to reduce writing anxiety.

• EML Support: Assisting non-native English speakers with language fluency.

• In-Classroom Support: Partnering directly with teachers to assist the writing process during class.

• Classroom Coverage: Pinch-hitting to manage classes smoothly on both a short-term and long-term basis when teachers are out.

• Field Trip Coordination: Organizing English Department field trips to enrich student learning outside the classroom.

• Grading Assistance: Helping teachers grade papers efficiently to ensure students receive fast, actionable feedback.

• Website Management: Maintaining the English Department website; sharing resources and writing contest information.

• Community Communication: Writing and publishing the "Whitman News and Notes" to share classroom and program updates.

• Creating Educational Materials: Developing resources, handouts, and guides.

• Teaching Essay and Documentation Elements: Instructing on essentials like thesis statements, topic sentences, and body paragraphs.

• Teaching Citation Format: Training students to master accurate source documentation styles.

• Supporting Students With Learning Needs: Providing accommodations for IEPs and 504s, in and out of the classroom.

• Book Room Management: Organizing, issuing, and managing textbook inventory.

• Makeup Work Help: Assisting students in catching up on missed assignments.

Why It Matters

• Student Success: The Writing Center directly improves student grades and confidence. 

• Dedicated Workspace: The Writing Center provides an additional quiet space and two trusted adults for students to access.

• Accessible Resources: Free writing help ensures equal opportunities for all students.

The Timeline is Critical: Act Before The Final Vote!

• The Situation: The County Council underfunded MCPS’ needs by $36 Million.

• The Threat: The Board of Education is meeting right now to draft elimination scenarios for student support positions.

• What To Do?: Please flood the board with communication BEFORE the final budget reconciliation vote on June 4.

  • Consider communicating these vital functions and your personal stories of impact and need.

  • Consider sharing this with your neighbors who have or will have ties to Whitman. 

Contact Montgomery County Board of Education 

• Primary Contact Email: boe@mcpsmd.org  (Emails sent here are automatically copied to all board members).

• Board Office Main Phone: 240-740-3030

• Board Physical Address: Board of Education Office, 15 W Gude Drive, Suite 100, Rockville, Maryland 20850

• Individual Board Member Emails:

  • Grace Rivera-Oven (President / District 1): Graciela_Rivera-oven@mcpsmd.org

  • Brenda Wolff (Vice President / District 5): Brenda_Wolff@mcpsmd.org

  • Karla Silvestre (At Large): Karla_Silvestre@mcpsmd.org

  • Rita Montoya (At Large): Rita_Montoya@mcpsmd.org

  • Natalie Zimmerman (District 2): Natalie_Zimmerman@mcpsmd.org

  • Julie Yang (District 3): Julie_Yang@mcpsmd.org

  • Laura Stewart (District 4): Laura_Stewart@mcpsmd.org

• Community Members: Consider spreading the word using #SaveOurWritingCenter or #SaveMCPSECAs on social media.

• Copy and paste the draft email below to send to the board!

Whitman is a special community with supportive families.  Together, we can unite and make a difference for our students.  Thank you for your support!

Copy and paste this text to email the board.

To: boe@mcpsmd.org

Subject: Urgent Advocacy: Protect MCPS English Composition Assistants & The Whitman Writing Center [1]

Dear Members of the Montgomery County Board of Education:

I am writing to express my strong opposition to any proposed budget cuts or staff reductions affecting our English Composition Assistants and the Whitman Writing Center.

Our Composition Assistants provide irreplaceable daily support that directly impacts student achievement. They do far more than just review essays; they operate our vital drop-in services every day at lunch and after school, provide essential classroom coverage on both a short-term and long-term basis, manage textbook distribution, assist with grading, and deliver critical accommodations for students with IEPs.

Removing these positions will actively harm student learning, degrade our academic environment, and place an unsustainable burden on our classroom teachers.

I urge you to protect the Writing Center and prioritize the academic support systems our students depend on every single day.

Click here for "How To Write About..." handouts, college essay tips, and more!

Need college essay support? Sign up for an appointment with a Writing Center tutor here!