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GAITHERSBURG | MONTGOMERY VILLAGE
INSIDE TODAY
DA I LY U P DAT E S AT G A Z E T T E . N E T
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
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At session’s end, key education funding in limbo Montgomery awaits outcome of budget tussle n
BY
KATE S. ALEXANDER STAFF WRITER
BILL RYAN/THE GAZETTE
Jerry Dillon, who has developmental disabilities, and his residential counselor Brandon Bell unpack in their new home in Gaithersburg. Two men with developmental disabilities found their new home in Gaithersburg through the nonprofit Jubilee Association of Maryland.
Moving day brings joy to new roommates Gaithersburg home offers independence to men with developmental disabilities
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BY
PEGGY MCEWAN STAFF WRITER
Before you even cross the threshold, the townhome of Jerry Dillon and David Ruch offers a glimpse of their personalities and Dillon’s love of Washington’s football team. The Redskins doormat is just one of the themed items Dil-
lon has brought with him to his new home. He also has a Redskins helmet telephone in his bedroom. Dillon, 52, and Ruch, 51, who have developmental disabilities, are able to live independently through the help of Jubilee Association of Maryland. Jubilee is dedicated to providing residential support services to adults with developmental disabilities as a way of allowing them to find a place in their communities, encour-
aging independence while balancing it with supervision, said Tim Wiens, executive director of Jubilee of Maryland. “It’s giving people choices,” Wiens said. “We’re like consultants in the process.” Dillon and Ruch are best friends, they say. They met while working together at Red Wiggler Community Farm in Clarksburg and go back a long way. Ruch has worked on the farm for eight years, and Dillon for 27 years. Most recently, Ruch lived
in an apartment in Gaithersburg with Brian Morse, another Jubilee client, who also plans to move into the townhouse. Dillon lived at home with his parents but they retired and moved to Delaware, said Dillon’s sister, Sharon Allison. When they moved he lived with Allison and her family for about 18 months while waiting for a Jubilee placement. Each man will have his own bedroom in the three-bedroom townhouse and will share cook-
See HOME, Page A-12
Goddard School sparks STEM interests n
Robots bring technology into the classroom
BY
SAMANTHA SCHMIEDER STAFF WRITER
For instructors at the Goddard School for Early Childhood Development in Gaithersburg, it’s never too early to talk about
STEM education, specifically, robots. “We have rolled out a STEM program for our pre-K and kindergarten group that is actually a 10-month program with a whole month of robotics,” said director of education Heather Kramer. Kramer explained that the school’s instructors teach the children that a robot is some-
thing that might resemble a person — but doesn’t necessarily have to — and uses mechanical movements resembling a person’s to perform jobs. “During that robotics section we start reviewing the concept that technology is anything that makes our life easier,” Kramer said. Eventually, students are
even able to work together in small groups to build their own functioning robot. “The core of the unit is utilizing a resource called ‘Cubelets,’” Kramer said. Cubelets, she explained, are about an inch and a half on each side and can be built together to
See STEM, Page A-12
Gaithersburg High writers named finalists Winners of short story contest will be announced May 16 n
BY
SAMANTHA SCHMIEDER STAFF WRITER
Two students from Gaithersburg High School have been selected as finalists in the Gaithersburg Book Festival’s High
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School Student Short Story Contest. Gaithersburg High School seniors Maggie Leon and Riley Corboy are two of 14 finalists. Two other students from Montgomery County — senior Madeline Gresh, who attends the Academy of the Holy Cross in Rockville, and junior Annika La Vina, who attends Walter Johnson High School in Kensington — also made the cut. More than 150 entries were
Volume 28, No. 15 Two sections, 28 Pages Copyright © 2015 The Gazette
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received this year from throughout Maryland, Virginia and Washington. This year marks the sixth year of the festival, which will be held on the grounds of City Hall on May 16, and the fifth year of the short story contest. Robin Ferrier, the vice chair of the Book Festival, said she was “the individual who first envisioned doing the short story contest.” “I remember being a student
in high school who wrote and not really having an outlet,” Ferrier said. She recalled thinking it would be nice to encourage high school students to write and engage more in the festival. Ferrier said that there are many aspects of the festival that draw in young children and adults, but teenagers have been the hardest demographic to cap-
See FINALISTS, Page A-12
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About $35 million in state funding for Montgomery County Public Schools remained in limbo Tuesday after the Maryland General Assembly wrapped up its 2015 legislative session. Lawmakers passed a budget Monday that fully funds education according to formulas under state law, including one known as the Geographic Cost of Education Index. The index provides additional money to school systems where the cost of education is higher. Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Dist. 18) of Kensington said the index has been fully funded since 2010. Whether the index money reaches local school systems is
up to Gov. Larry Hogan. Hogan (R) warned Monday that he might not disperse the funds. The governor and the legislature battled in the closing days of the session over the budget — particularly Hogan’s cuts to education funding to reduce the structural deficit. “In all likelihood, I will have to use the money to fix the problem they created,” he said. Instead of a surplus, Hogan said, “we have to make up ... $202 million and we have to find a way to restore the money from the pension fund, which is a big problem. So we’ll probably have to use some of the fenced-off money to save the state and put us back on better fiscal footing.” Hogan was referring to money the legislature earmarked for index funding. Hogan’s initial budget proposed only funding the index by half. A deal he struck Saturday with Senate President Thomas
See SESSION, Page A-12
MCPS will consider ‘range of options’ for Ewing center home School board votes for one feasibility study, other reviews n
BY
LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER
The Montgomery County Board of Education decided Tuesday the county school system will look beyond just two recommended sites as it continues to consider where its alternative education programs should be housed. Interim Superintendent Larry Bowers had recommended
that Montgomery County Public Schools conduct two feasibility studies: one of the Blair G. Ewing Center on Avery Road and another of an Aspen Hill site that formerly was English Manor Elementary School. The idea to possibly move the Ewing center to the English Manor site has sparked opposition from some area residents. The center houses alternative education programs for students from around the county struggling with academic, disciplinary or behavioral problems. Rather than take up Bowers’
See EWING, Page A-12 Sarah McCoy, who will judge the final round of this year’s Gaithersburg Book Festival high school short story contest, speaks at the 2012 festival. Two Gaithersburg High School students are among the 14 finalists. PHOTO FROM THE CITY OF GAITHERSBURG
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