Educational Enrichment Committee

Staff Liaison Maureen Herndon Staff Phone 301-258-6395 Staff Email mherndon@gaithersburgmd.gov Council Liaison Mike Sesma

In 1994, the Mayor and City Council establish the charter of the Education Committee to assist in meeting the diverse educational needs of students in the City of Gaithersburg through supplemental City funding of school program initiatives.  In 2009, the Education Committee merged with the CHARACTER COUNTS! Steering committee to become the Educational Enrichment Committee. Members include education professionals, business community representatives, PTA and cluster volunteers, interested civic minded citizens, and City staff.

The Educational Enrichment Committee implements the City's school grants, nonprofit youth grants, and CHARACTER COUNTS! ethics program, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest, the Maryland Municipal League "If I Were Mayor" essay/ City's Junior Mayor contest, recommends to the Mayor and City Council funding for successful educational programs, conducts schools supply drives, and promote partnerships between the business community, nonprofits, and schools.

The mission of the committee is foster a climate of excellence within Gaithersburg schools.

This mission is achieved through the following strategies:

1. Initiate and implement the City's annual grant program to support, the Mayor and Council, school initiatives demonstrating measurable results.

2. Encourage the expansion of successful efforts throughout the Gaithersburg area schools through publicizing "best practice" models.

3. Maintain a two-way exchange of information and advice between Mayor and City Council and the Educational Enrichment Committee on education issues.

4. To initiate and implement the City's CHARACTER COUNTS! Program.

Meeting Frequency:  Monthly - Second Friday
Time:  7:30 a.m.
Location:  Community Services Office

GREAT (Gaithersburg Recognizing Educational Achievement Today) was developed via the Education Committee in 2003 with a mission to promote higher achievement and successes in Gaithersburg schools and with the goal to recognize Gaithersburg Schools and increase student successes and to promote "best practice" models among schools. Each school is assigned a month to "celebrate" and be recognized in the areas of academic success, grant program success, positive behavior and/or teacher, staff, PTA accomplishment. Recognition takes place at monthly Mayor and Council meetings and through area publications.

The GREAT stretching supplies program is open only between January and June of each year. The Education Committee collects school supplies that are then made available to school staff for their use or for use by their students. Supplies are made available based on the amount of donations received: The following items are being collected:

stickers
scissors
glue sticks
folders
3-ring binders
crayons
paper
rulers
small pencil sharpeners
colored pencils

If you are interested in donating, contact Community Services at 301-258-6395.

Minutes (pdf files)

• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 11/9/2012
• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 8/10/2012
• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 4/13/2012
• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 12/9/2011
• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 11/18/2011
• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 10/14/2011
• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 9/9/2011
• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 7/8/2011
• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 6/10/2011
• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 12/10/2010
• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 10/8/2010
• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 7/9/2010
• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 6/11/2010
• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 5/11/2010
• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 3/9/2010
• Educational Enrichment Minutes, 1/27/2010

Documents and Forms
	GREAT Brochure (270k)