Fund the ambassadors
Thank you to Jeff Macris, Annapolis Education Commission, and County Councilwoman Lisa Rodvien, for testifying on Thursday before our superintendent and Board of Education in support of retaining and hiring seven temporary teacher assistants, aka, community ambassadors, based at Annapolis High School.
Also, thanks to state Del. Heather Bagnall for her testimony: “Elevate the role of educators” and “bridge the equity gap.”
And Speaker Mike Busch has communicated his full support to our superintendent and board to fully fund these positions in their 2020 budget — three full-time (30 hours weekly) and four part-time (15 hours weekly). Literally, since 2006, these “human bridge builders between the schoolhouse and the student’s house” cover all of Annapolis’ 13 public and subsidized housing communities for a combined salary of $95,850 — even breaking down language barriers, i.e., interpreting/translating “education-ese.”
For these communities, this cost breaks down to $48 per household per year and 13 cents per household per day.
The breakdown of service by community and position: Eastport Terrace and Harbour House (full-time); Newtowne 20 and Woodside Gardens (full-time); Bywater (full-time); Annapolis Gardens and Admiral Oaks (part-time); Bay Ridge Gardens (part-time); Bloomsbury Square, College Creek Terrace, O’Bery Court, and The Homes at Monument (part-time); and Robinwood and Annapolis Middle (parttime).
Our public and subsidized housing communities make up 12 percent of Annapolis’ population, with over 90 percent being African-American residents.
Testimony largely centered around our “teachers” — our educators — those persons in our schoolhouses — which should continue to include funding for Annapolis’ seven temporary “teacher” assistants.
RHONDA PINDELL-CHARLES Annapolis Editor’s note: Rhonda Pindell-Charles is the alderwoman representing Ward 3. She is a full-time employee at Anne Arundel County Public Schools.