Montgomery County Council Forms New Public-Private Partnership Aimed at Closing the Achievement Gap
Councilmember Nancy Navarro Forms Partnership with Rales Foundation to Bring ‘Building Educated Leaders for Life’ Program to Montgomery County Public Schools
ROCKVILLE, Md., Nov. 12, 2015—Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Navarro at 2:10 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17, will be joined at the Council Office Building in Rockville by Council President George Leventhal; Councilmember Craig Rice, who chairs the Council’s Education Committee; Joshua Rales, president and trustee of the Norman R. and Ruth Rales Foundation; Patricia O’Neill, president of the Montgomery County Board of Education; and Lauren Gilbert, vice president of program impact and innovation of the Building Educated Leaders for Life (BELL) program, to announce a new public-private partnership to help close the achievement gap.
Councilmember Navarro will explain this exciting partnership that will bring the new, data-driven summer program for second and third graders to the County. BELL provides a proven program to address the knowledge gap that occurs among students during the summer months. The program has served more than 100,000 students since 1992 and receives financial support from the Rales Foundation.
“As a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics and a former member of the Montgomery County Board of Education, I know that early interventions and programs that reach children during out-of-school time are required to close the achievement gap,” said Councilmember Navarro, who chairs the Council’s Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee and is a member of the Council’s Education Committee. “BELL provides students with a holistic program that not only spurs educational achievement, but also provides enrichment activities and emphasizes health and nutrition. This program has a proven track record and data-driven results. I can’t wait for our students to become BELL scholars.”
The BELL Program is a five-to-six week summer program with a staffing plan that includes Montgomery County Public Schools certified teachers and teaching assistants. The program focuses on literacy, science, math, technology, arts and health. BELL also provides breakfast and lunch to students daily and includes hands-on enrichment, field trips and community projects.
In Montgomery County, the BELL Program will focus on second and third grade students because, according to the organization, “reading proficiency by the end of the third grade is the most important predictor of high school graduation and career and life success.”
“The Rales Foundation is very excited about its new partnership with BELL and Montgomery County to bring a much needed, time tested summer program targeting ‘at risk’ second and third graders to improve their literacy and math skills,” said Mr. Rales. “Having been raised in Montgomery County by our parents, Norman and Ruth, my brothers Steven, Mitchell and I attended Montgomery County Public Schools. Therefore, we are thrilled to have the opportunity through the Norman and Ruth Rales Foundation to be part of the solution to closing the achievement gap in our community.”
It is estimated that the BELL Program will serve 4,200 students during a four-year period. The educational component of the program costs approximately $1,430 per student. The Council’s special appropriation of $750,750, which was introduced by Councilmember Navarro and includes all Councilmembers as sponsors, will fund half of the program. Funding from the Rales Foundation and other financial contributions will complete the funding required for more than 1,000 MCPS students to begin the program during the summer of 2016. MCPS and stakeholders will work together on implementation details including which students are selected to participate in the program.
Councilmember Navarro also has requested that County Executive Ike Leggett include matching funds in the Children’s Opportunity Fund for Fiscal Year 2017 to support the second year of the program.
Councilmember Navarro proposed creating a mechanism to ensure a long-term strategic approach and dedicated funding source for early childhood education in 2014. The Council approved funding to begin the Children’s Opportunity Fund in Fiscal Year 2016.
“I am incredibly grateful to Councilmember Nancy Navarro, Josh Rales and the Rales Foundation for their leadership in helping to make this program a reality for our children,” said Board of Education President O’Neill. “This kind of partnership between our schools, the Rales Foundation and the County government will provide our children with support this summer to ensure that learning continues during the summer months.”
There are numerous studies throughout the nation showing the impact that early childhood education and wrap-around support services have on closing the achievement gap for students.
In March, the University of North Carolina’s Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute’s released a report titled High-Quality Early Education: Age of Entry and Time in Care Differences in Student Outcomes for English-Only and Dual Language Learners. The report found that “high-quality early education is especially advantageous for children when they start younger and continue longer. Not only does more high-quality early education significantly boost the language skills of children from low-income families, children whose first language is not English benefit even more.”
“When schools and communities work together, we can create and sustain more and better learning opportunities for the children who need them most,” said Lauren Gilbert, vice president of impact and innovation for BELL. “We look forward to expanding access to summer learning in Montgomery County and enabling scholars to strengthen their academic, social, and emotional skills and enter the new school year ready to excel.”
The BELL Program is based on a small group model that uses certified teachers and trained tutors. BELL’s outcome measures have been rigorously tested by the Urban Institute and the program measures student progress utilizing STAR Assessment computer adaptive testing and conducts surveys of parents and teachers.
BELL has a proven track record in the Washington-Baltimore region. In 2006, BELL launched its Baltimore program with 416 students and has grown to serve 1,200. In 2014, BELL formed a partnership with YMCA in the District of Columbia and will serve 240 students this year.
The Nov. 17 press conference will be held in the Third Floor Conference Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The event will coincide with the Council’s vote, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, on the appropriation to fund the program. The Council’s action and the ensuing news event will be broadcast live on County Cable Montgomery (Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon) and will be streamed live via the Council web site at: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council.
For more information on BELL, visit: http://www.experiencebell.org/.
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Councilmember Nancy Navarro Pushes to Expand Licensed Child Care and Provide Affordable Community Use Space for Programs Serving Vulnerable Youth
News Conference on Tuesday, March 17, Will Precede Montgomery Hearings on 2 Bills Addressing Child Care Needs
ROCKVILLE, Md., March 16, 2015—Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Navarro will be joined by childcare providers, nonprofit leaders and community advocates at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17, to explain how her two newly-introduced bills will help expand and enhance the provision of child care in Montgomery County. One of the bills would help provide public space at an affordable rate for organizations serving low-income families and vulnerable youth—including those that provide childcare services. The other bill would help expand licensed child care opportunities.
The news conference starting at 7 p.m. will be held in the Third Floor Conference Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. At 7:30 p.m. in the Third Floor Hearing Room, the Council will hold public hearings on Bills 11-15 and 12-15. The public hearings will be broadcast live on County Cable Montgomery (Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon) and will be streamed live via the Council web site at: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council .
Councilmember Navarro’s child care bill (Bill 11-15)—which is cosponsored by Council Vice President Nancy Floreen—would create a Child Care Expansion and Quality Enhancement Initiative in the County’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The bill would require DHHS to hold informational sessions for prospective family child care providers about how to become state-licensed providers. The bill also requires DHHS to hold informational sessions for current child care providers, including information on how to obtain additional licenses and accreditation.
For both current licensed family child care providers and prospective child care providers, the bill requires DHHS to provide technical assistance and business training, site-visits (if requested) and services in Spanish and other languages. This bill also requires an annual report to the Council by Feb. 1 about the activities, accomplishments and DHHS plans related to the initiative and an assessment of the County’s child care needs.
“When it comes to parents’ decisions about child care arrangements, many low-income and immigrant communities rely on relatives and/or home-based care—often unregulated care settings,” said Councilmember Navarro. “It is imperative to continue placing emphasis on family childcare providers as one component of the early care and education continuum of service to raise the quality, affordability and accessibility of child care.”
The Maryland Child Care Resource Network estimates that in Montgomery County, the number of children under age 11 with mothers in the workforce is 138,292. There are currently 933 family childcare providers with the capacity to serve 7,012 children, and roughly 64 percent of these providers speak a language other than English. The goals of Bill 11-15 are to assist, in a culturally and linguistically competent manner, potential providers in navigating the procedures required for licensing, increase the number of children being served and ensure quality childcare programs.
“The need for affordable, quality child care continues to increase in Montgomery County, but the availability of child care slots is failing to keep pace, especially in the category of family child care providers,” said Councilmember Floreen. “Obviously, this is unsustainable, and we must take action sooner rather than later to make quality child care more available to our working families. It benefits not only our children and families, but the County’s economic vitality as well.”
Bill 12-15, also sponsored by Councilmember Navarro, would increase the affordability and use of public facilities by organizations serving vulnerable youth and low-income families. The bill would create a program that provides fee waivers or reductions for eligible organizations in need of public use space. It requires the Director of Community Use of Public Facilities (CUPF) to conduct outreach and provide technical assistance to help encourage the use of public facilities by organizations that serve some of the County’s most vulnerable residents. It also would require a biennial report from CUPF, which would highlight the successes and challenges pertaining to the implementation of this program.
In the past, non-profit organizations and community-based groups have identified the need for more affordable community use space in the County. In Fiscal Year 2013, the Council funded a Community Access Pilot Program to provide financial assistance and increased opportunities for groups, organizations and community members to receive financial assistance from the County to secure space in the Silver Spring Civic Building. The pilot program is open to various community groups and civic organizations. Bill 12-15 expands on the practice by providing financial assistance to groups serving vulnerable youth and low-income families across all public space managed by the County.
“I am proud to sponsor these bills. Before holding elected office, I trained hundreds of providers and watched informal babysitting arrangements transform into successful, legitimate businesses,” said Councilmember Navarro. “The national trends show that the academic achievement gap is present before children enter kindergarten. As a member of the Early Childhood Committee of the White House Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, I know that providing a high-quality education for all children is critical to America’s socio-economic success.”
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Councilmember Nancy Navarro to Attend Launch of New MCPS, Hispanic Heritage Foundation and code.org Partnership
Councilmember Nancy Navarro to Attend Launch of New MCPS, Hispanic Heritage Foundation and code.org Partnership at 1 p.m. TODAY, March 24, at Wheaton H.S.
Councilmember Navarro Facilitates Partnership Aimed at Preparing Youth for Technology Careers
ROCKVILLE, Md, March 24, 2014—Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Navarro at 1 p.m. TODAY will 
attend a news conference at Wheaton High School where Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is announcing a partnership that will introduce youth to technology careers. Following the press conference, the event will feature an interactive “Coding Jam Session” that will teach youth how to code using HTML and CSS.
Councilmember Navarro facilitated the partnership between MCPS and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, suggesting Wheaton High School as a location to hold this first of its kind event in Montgomery County.
Wheaton High School is located at 12601 Dalewood Dr. in Silver Spring. Other speakers expected include Phillip Kaufman, president of the Board of Education; Joshua P. Starr, superintendent of schools; Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation; and Jake Baskin, the program manager for code.org.
The program will help address the workforce development challenge Montgomery County is facing to fill the gap for skills and experience needed to perform in-demand jobs. By 2020, as baby boomers are retiring, millennials will be representing about 50 percent of the workforce. According to a report by the Center for American Progress, by 2030, more than half of new workers will be people of color and the American workforce will need to fill 83 million replacement and new jobs.
“I am very pleased to see the launching of this new partnership,” said Councilmember Navarro. “When Mr. Tijerino told me about his organization’s Coding Jam Sessions being held at schools throughout the country, I immediately thought we needed to bring this to Montgomery County to inspire curiosity and interest in our students.”
Councilmember Navarro said the program will be part of efforts Montgomery County is making to retain and create jobs.
“We are making investments in the retention and creation of jobs through direct incentives and through the passage of Master and Sector Plans that are creating a technology destination in Montgomery County,” said Councilmember Navarro. “The time to prepare all young people to succeed in increased globalization and emerging technologies is now.”
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A Productive Year as Council President
This morning marked the end of my one-year term as Council President. This year, the Council accomplished a great deal. We maintained our fiscal responsibility by passing a balanced budget, invested in our future by fully funding our 
schools, and helped our most vulnerable residents by raising the minimum wage. We strengthened support services for our seniors, passed legislation protecting our environment, and made government more accessible for our residents. We also strengthened our relationship with our delegation in Annapolis by advocating for the successful transportation funding bill that will provide the resources for Montgomery County’s transit priorities.
Thank you to my colleagues for giving me this opportunity to serve. I look forward to working with newly elected Council President Craig Rice and Vice President George Leventhal. As I look back at the past year, I can’t help but marvel at all the things the Council has accomplished together.
Accomplishments of the Montgomery County Council
December 2012—December 2013
Maintaining Fiscal Responsibility: As the economy continued to recover from the Great Recession, the Council made smart fiscal decisions to keep our economy moving in the right direction. The three major credit rating agencies acknowledged these decisions by reaffirming Montgomery County’s AAA bond rating. In the Fiscal Year 2014 budget, the Council kept its promise to lower the fuel / energy tax by an additional 10 percent, bringing the two-year total reduction to 20 percent. The Council also provided raises for the County’s dedicated workforce for the first
Investing in our Future: The Council fully funded the Board of Education’s FY14 budget request for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). It approved an additional $280 million in funds outside the MCPS budget to serve students and their families. These additional services include debt service on school construction bonds, pre-funded retiree health benefits, and support services, such as school health nurses, crossing guards, technology modernization, and after school programming. The Council also released a report by the Office of Legislative Oversight on the academic achievement gap, strengthened the Kennedy Cluster Project and expanded funding for Excel Beyond the Bell. In addition, the Council supported increased funding for Linkages to Learning, school-based Wellness Centers, and the popular Teen Escape Club program.time in several years.
Strengthening the Social Safety Net: Helping our most vulnerable residents was a key priority for the Council this year. The Council increased the County Executive’s recommendation for the Department of Health and Human Services by $5 million, including a 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment for nonprofit service providers. It passed resolutions calling for the state to increase the minimum wage and reaffirming the Council’s commitment to anti-poverty and safety net programs.
The Council increased funding for the Student/Teen Employment Program, increased staffing for the anti-gang Street Outreach Network program, and added additional resources for the Department of Recreation to support at-risk youth. It provided additional funding to reduce the waiting list for the Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL), increased resources for the Working Parents Assistance Child Care Subsidies Program, and expanded food recovery efforts. In the FY14 budget, the Council funded the Working Families Income Supplement at the highest level since the Great Recession. Most significantly, the Council made history by becoming the first county in the nation to raise its minimum wage. By 2017, the minimum wage in Montgomery County will be $11.50, among the highest in the nation.
Supporting our Seniors: The Council significantly increased funding for a variety of senior programs in the FY14 budget. For the first time, the Council established a Senior Mobility Manager position in County Government and provided additional funds to the Public Information Office to promote senior transportation options. The Council also increased funding for mental health services for seniors and continued its support for senior recreation activities.
Protecting our Environment: The Council passed important legislation to protect our environment this year. It passed legislation preserving trees in the County right-of-way and requiring the replacement of trees destroyed through development. The Council also updated the Water Quality Protection Fee to now include commercial properties, but reduce the rate for most residential properties. The Council also approved funding to bring bike-sharing to Montgomery County.
Promoting Open Government and Access for All: Last year, the Council launched an initiative to better communicate with our constituents. Since then, it has procured a new constituent management database, hired bilingual public information officers, and improved its technology infrastructure. The Council launched the first Council E-Newsletter and will modernize its website in the coming year. The Office of Legislative Oversight developed the first “Interactive Fiscal Model” so residents can review and weigh the budget decisions the Council makes each year. For the first time, residents were able to testify at public hearings in a language other than English, with real-time closed caption translation. The Council also held an unprecedented four nights of public hearings on the Zoning Code Rewrite, where it heard from hundreds of residents about a range of issues. Finally, the Council passed the Right to Vote resolution, creating a Right to Vote Task Force—a citizen group that will recommend ways to increase participation and promote greater access to the democratic process for our residents.
Focusing on Economic Development: The Council had one of the most ambitious master and sector plan schedules in recent memory. One of the most significant accomplishments of the term was passing the Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan, calling for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) with dedicated lanes along many of Montgomery County’s most congested roadways. This plan sets the stage for a high-quality transit network that will accommodate the expected regional growth over the next few decades. The Council also approved several plans in anticipation of the Purple Line, such as the Chevy Chase Lake Sector Plan and the Long Branch Sector Plan. The Glenmont Sector Plan and Burtonsville Crossroads Neighborhood Plan, which were also approved this year, are two examples of the Council working with our state delegation to designate “Enterprise Zones” in areas to complement land-use decisions.
Working with Annapolis: The Council’s partnership with the Montgomery County Delegation in Annapolis was strengthened this year. The Council was outspoken in its advocacy for the ultimately successful Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act, which will raise more than $650 million for Montgomery County to build the Purple Line, Corridor Cities Transitway and other County transportation priorities. This landmark transportation bill is expected to raise more than $4.4 billion statewide over the next six years. The Council also passed a resolution calling for stronger gun control in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting, and the Governor and General Assembly responded by passing the most sweeping gun control legislation in the nation.
Remarks by Council President Navarro
December 3, 2013
“The theme of my speech when I was elected president last year was ‘One Montgomery.’ I talked about the need for us to confront the social and economic challenges our County was facing head on. I said that now—more than ever before—we must be in this together. That we all share the same need for a government that encourages economic growth, protects our families, educates our children and provides a safety net for those who fall on hard times. . . .
“‘One Montgomery’ means investing in our economic infrastructure so we can continue to strengthen our social infrastructure. It means providing equal opportunity to all of our 1 million plus residents—throughout our 500 square miles . . .
“One of the initiatives I felt most passionately about this year is increasing access to the government for our constituents. Too many of our residents either don’t know how to access government or find it difficult to navigate the system. Last year, we set aside funds for the first time with the goal of increasing communications with our residents. This year, we continued that effort by establishing a new constituent management system, hired full-time bilingual public information support and significantly upgraded our technology infrastructure. We also, for the first time, allowed non-English speakers to testify at public hearings with real-time closed-caption translation. Finally, we held an unprecedented four nights of public hearings, where we heard from hundreds of residents, about the ongoing Zoning Code Rewrite. . . .
“One of my top goals this year was to strengthen our relationship with our delegation in Annapolis. It is powerful when the Montgomery County Government and our State Delegation speak with one voice. This was evident in our advocacy for the successful passage of a transportation financing bill that will provide more than $650 million to Montgomery County to build the Purple Line, the Corridor Cities Transitway and other top transportation priorities. . . .
“The question we ask ourselves each year is this: are we better off today than we were one year ago? Did we accomplish what we sought to? Did we serve the interests of our constituents? Did we make progress for our community? My view is that we will look back on this year as one of transformation. This year, we served our neediest residents, we set the stage to fundamentally reshape our transit infrastructure and we made the investments in our future that will pay dividends for years to come. Montgomery County is stronger today than it was a year ago and I have every bit of confidence that we will continue to make progress and move forward as One Montgomery.”
Wheaton High School 2013 Commencement Address
Council President Nancy Navarro provided the keynote commencement address for graduating seniors at Wheaton High School. The commencement ceremony took place at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC. In the address, Council President Navarro recounted her inspirational journey from a child growing up in Venezuela to President of the Montgomery County Board of Education to President of the Montgomery County Council. You can read her prepared remarks below.
2013 Wheaton High School Commencement Address by Council President Nancy Navarro
As prepared for delivery on June 5, 2013 at DAR Constitution Hall
Good morning Graduates! Parents, families, friends-
What a glorious day it is. It is a great honor to be with you today.
I want to acknowledge the members of the Board of Education, Superintendent Joshua Starr, Wheaton HS Principal Kevin Lowndes, faculty, administrative staff, and support service personnel. Thank you for all that you do for our students and families- you have the most important job in our society, that of educating our future!
Para la comunidad Latina presente: quiero decirles que es un honor para mi poder compartir este dia tan especial en sus vidas. Los felicito por este gran logro y les deseo mucho exito en esta nueva etapa. Adelante siempre.
Today we celebrate the acquisition of a dream. A dream rooted in the vision, tenacity and faith of parents, grandparents, uncles, cousins, neighbors from faraway places. Places nestled in Central America, South America, the Caribbean, West, East, North or South Africa, South-East Asia or Europe.
Somehow we all converge here in this Hall, in this region, in this country, to witness your “bridge moment”- the moment when you begin your own journey towards your personal dream. That dream that we as parents envisioned for you the moment we laid eyes on your beautiful, perfect faces.
You are the protagonists of a new era — The face of the United States is changing, and it looks like you!
This is why it’s imperative that you own your potential and your power, so you can make a positive difference. A positive difference for this country of ours and for the world. Each of us has a story and today you are taking an important step in the development of your own narrative.
Once upon a time–in 1974 to be exact–in a place called Judibana, Estado Falcon, Venezuela, a father casually asked his 9 year old daughter if she wanted to come to the United States with the family for two years. He would be a student at the Department of Petroleum Engineering at the University of Missouri, Rolla, and that little girl would have the chance to fulfill a dream: learning to speak English.
That little girl was me, and I wanted nothing more than to learn to speak English. That desire came from my time spent in the town square, La Plaza, listening to many children and their parents, who worked for the oil industry, speaking this intriguing language. I would play dolls and pretend I spoke English too— “wishy, washy, hello, bye-bye, ice cream, stop” that was the extent of my English proficiency.
So, I was elated to make the move, even if it meant moving from a spacious home to a 2 bedroom student apartment, from a peninsula surrounded by the Caribbean Ocean with 365 days of glorious sun, to a place where people would often say, “if you don’t like the weather wait 5 minutes and it will change,” blizzards, tornadoes, scorching heat all at once. It meant leaving my aunts, uncles, cousins, and my beloved “Abuelita” to be in a place full of complete strangers who spoke the wishy, woshy Language.
I just took it all in, I learned English in 6 months, became a champion at tether Ball and kick-ball during recess, painted a mural for the U.S. Bicentennial celebration of 1976, and learned not to get dizzy at the local supermarket isle of hundreds of breakfast cereal choices. Then when 1977 rolled around, I made an announcement to my parents:
“I want to stay in the United States so I can go to College when I grow up, my friend Michele says I can stay with her family”
My parents tried very hard not to burst out laughing, and instead told me some story about how it was against the law for a 12 year old kid to stay in another country by herself- but that when I graduated from High School in Venezuela, if I still wanted to, I could come back.
So, in 1983, I did just that. I arrived at the University of Missouri-Columbia, 17 years old- I knew one person, my friend Michele. I had a great College experience. I graduated in 1987, worked for 2 years and as I was preparing to move back to Venezuela, I came to DC for a short stay.
During that stay, I met my husband- we have been married for 22 years, and we have two amazing daughters ages 20 and 16. We started from the bottom, (now we’re here). He built his small business from the ground up and now employs more that 125 people- and last December I became the First Latina, (and Immigrant) President of the Montgomery County Council. Thus making history.
I wanted to share a snapshot of my journey, because often times we may have a sense of what we want to be, where we are going, or which turn to make- but somehow life may have other plans for you- so you must always be prepared for what comes your way.
This is especially true today. We live in a time of rapid transition and you are defining this shift. Think about it, your class started Kindergarten in the year 2000- a pivotal marker for humanity- but in that year:
- Not a single state recognized gay marriage; today 12 states and DC have legalized gay marriage
- 30% of the 360 million global internet users were in North America. Today, only 11% of 2.4 billion global internet users are in North America
- In 2000, there were 8 cell phones per 100 people worldwide. By 2010, it was 76 per 100 people.
- US Population grew 9.7% from 2000 to 2010. Maryland grew by 9%, although the DC Metro Area grew by 16.4%.
- In 2000, Barack Obama ran unsuccessfully for the US House of Representatives- He is now on his second term as the First ever African American President
- Between 2000 and 2010- The Latino population in the US grew by 44%- There are 50 million Latinos
- 2008 marked the beginning of an unprecedented global recession
And looking ahead, we are at the cusp of some amazing changes, such as:
- Expansion of mobile internet across the globe;
- Rise of robots and automation of everything like: Driverless cars, Drones, Manufacturing, even skilled knowledge jobs like searching documents for law suits or customer service.
- 3D printing – If you can design it (or find a design on the internet) and its made of plastic, you can print it out
- Gene sequencing and personalized medicine
- Wearable Computers (Google Glass)
- Online Education – especially hybrid classroom/online models, can revolutionize the acquisition of education world-wide
- Big Data–We can increasingly use data to find the answer to anything
- The human genome was first sequenced in Montgomery County, and as the procedure gets cheaper and cheaper we will be able to use genetics to customize our medicine, our diets, and more.
The amazing thing is that you are poised to succeed in this changing environment because you are graduating from one 
of the best school systems in the country. Montgomery County Public Schools is a system that reflects the nation’s demographics, and thus the global stage. You have been exposed to different cultures, languages, socio-economic diversity, as well as, educational rigor and high expectations.
These are skills that will set you apart, and will provide you with an edge to compete in this global economy. So make sure to continue developing these skills, because they are great assets, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
In closing I want to share 6 lessons that I have learned along the way:
1. Each of you is a collection of greatness. You have all that is necessary to achieve and succeed. Be impeccable with your thoughts and your words. Stay away from negativity, surround yourself with positive people, and positive habits.
2. Be specific in the drafting of your dreams. Put it out to universe. You will be surprised at how quickly the Universe responds.
3. Be patient and strategic. Plans are the opposite of instant gratification. You must build stepping stones, you must think through your decisions. Every decision is a step towards or away from your destination.
4. There are no short cuts. Everything worth having takes effort. You will doubt yourself, you will be scared! In those moments remember that you have what it takes to overcome, to perform, to achieve. Ask your soul to help you and you will be amazed. No matter what- work your plan! Bring it to life!
5. Always pray for wisdom and humility. Learn from those who have been there and done that. Like your elders. Once you have achieved greatness be humble- there is no one better or less than you.
6. Give back. Share your greatness- over and over
Congratulations Graduates.
May God Bless Each and every one of you! Que Dios los bendiga!
Nancy in the News – January 10th
- January 10th: Security Changes in Works at Montgomery Co. Elementary Schools | NBC4 Washington
- January 8th: Gazette.Net: Budget move advances security upgrades to Montgomery elementary schools
- January 8th: Montgomery County board OKs elementary schools security boost | WashingtonExaminer.com
- January 2nd: In/Out 2013: A New Year’s Guide To What’s Hot And What’s Not in Montgomery County – Takoma Park, MD Patch
Council Urges Board of Education to Consider Accelerated Installation of School Security Systems
On January 7th, Council President Nancy Navarro and Education Committee Chair Valerie Ervin sent a letter to Board of Education President Christopher Barclay urging the Board to consider accelerating plans to install security systems in all Montgomery County Public Schools.
Four years ago the Board requested, and the Council approved, funding in the Capital Improvements Program to install school security systems over several years, with completion scheduled in FY14. This project includes access control systems, camera systems, and visitor management systems. The project is currently scheduled to be completed by the end of next school year, FY14, with $1.5 million approved for that year. The Councilmembers asked the Board what steps might be necessary so that the work could be accelerated, and assured the Board that the Council stands ready to act promptly if the approved FY14 funding needs to be approved earlier to increase the pace of this effort and complete the work more quickly.
“The County Council will make sure the Board of Education has the capital resources it needs to keep our kids safe,” said Council President Navarro. “We look forward to working collaboratively with the Board on this issue and other important topics throughout the budget process this year.”
Read the full memo here:
School Security Memo_1-7-13
Nancy Navarro Elected President of Montgomery County Council
Montgomery County Council Elects Nancy Navarro as First Latina President, Craig Rice as Vice President for 2012-13
New County Council President Navarro gives a commemorative plaque to outgoing Council President Roger Berliner
ROCKVILLE, December 4, 2012—The Montgomery County Council today unanimously elected Nancy Navarro as president and Craig Rice as vice president of the Council. They will serve one-year terms as officers of the Council.
Councilmember Navarro, who represents District 4, served as vice president of the Council for the past year. She becomes the first Latina president of the County Council.
“I want to talk about One Montgomery,” Council President Navarro said to set the tone of her presidency. “To me, One Montgomery means recognizing the differences among us, while emphasizing that however different our backgrounds or our lifestyles may be, we are all connected. We all depend on each other. We all share the same need for a government that encourages economic growth, protects our families, educates our children, and provides a safety net in case we fall on hard times.”
President Navarro was elected to represent District 4 in a special election in May 2009 and was re-elected in the general election of November 2010. She chairs the Council’s Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee and serves on the Health and Human Services Committee. Prior to her election to the Council, Councilmember Navarro served on the Montgomery County Board of Education, where she was twice elected president (2006 and 2008). She was appointed to the Board of Education in October 2004 to fill the term of the vacant District 5 seat. In November 2006, she was elected to a full four-year term.
Council Vice President Rice, who represents District 2, was elected to the County Council in November 2010. He is the youngest African American to ever serve on the Council and only the second African American man to serve in that role. He is a member of the Council’s Education Committee and its Health and Human Services Committee, where he serves as the lead member for libraries. A lifelong resident of Montgomery County, in the fall of 2006, he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, defeating a 12-year incumbent. He served on the Ways and Means Committee and was a member of both its Education and Revenues subcommittees. He also served on Montgomery Delegation’s Land Use and Transportation Committee.
Complete text of Council President Navarro’s remarks upon her election: