Rushika Mehta

@JulieYangMoCo @JulieYangMoCo we hope to see you at Arcola again! It is feeling like deja vu to 2024 with the ISY program funding issues. We hope you and the BOE will come and engage the Arcola community! It is hard to believe that MCPS still does not have a policy to properly sunset programs.

Deeply honored to receive MCEA's support. This endorsement is about building a Montgomery County that works for everyone—our children, families & teachers. I'm fighting for fair pay, affordable housing & schools that lift up every child. Join #TeamJulie: julieyang.org/get-connected

@ArcolaES_CSL @CSconnect_MCPS @eemajor @blessings4 @CSMCPS_Leader @csspecialist77 @MCPS @mceanea @IELconnects @CommSchools Happy birthday!!

Our adult English class remembered my birthday. It’s special when our community comes together in a learning environment where everyone is growing and supporting one another. The effort they made with the cake & the love they showed really speaks to the relationships we’ve built.

@MCPS @Montoya4MCPS do you know when the program study analysis will be made available? As the boundary study options are being considered, not having the results of the program study analysis, and how it may affect the options, feels like incomplete information.

DON’T FORGET! MCPS is conducting a study to ensure students have equitable access to high-quality academic programs. Complete this short survey by Saturday, May 31: mcpsmd.info/4m8gy7r.

@ArcolaES_CSL @CSconnect_MCPS @eemajor @blessings4 @CSMCPS_Leader @csspecialist53 Love this!

Congratulations to Mr. Cooper and his Golden Bars group for an excellent concert this morning!

@ArcolaES_CSL @CSconnect_MCPS @eemajor @blessings4 @ArcolaWellnes @CSMCPS_Leader @csspecialist53 @MCPSBlueprint @ThomasTaylorEdD @IELconnects @CommSchools Happy Birthday Mrs. Hunter!

The parents in our adult ESOL class planned a surprise birthday party for me today! I really love our community and am so lucky to play a small part in their experience at Arcola. Our community is incredible and so generous. Thank you! 😍

@ArcolaES_CSL @CSconnect_MCPS @eemajor @blessings4 @ArcolaWellnes @CSMCPS_Leader @MCPSBlueprint @ThomasTaylorEdD @LearnerOSSI @IELconnects @CommSchools Love love love this! Our Arcola community is so blessed to have you. You have made such a BIG positive impact on this community since the program was implemented. Thank you for all you do!

I love my job! See why in the video below. @CSconnect_MCPS @eemajor @blessings4 @ArcolaWellnes @CSMCPS_Leader @MCPSBlueprint @ThomasTaylorEdD @LearnerOSSI @IELconnects @CommSchools

@eemajor @Arcola Love the extra cautious eye protection - extra kudos to the wonderful teachers! Such a memorable event for the kids.

Many teachable moments today! Many children left the building saying, “thank you….” Thank you, PTA @Arcola for your ongoing support.

@ruthheat @eemajor @mocoboe @JulieYangMoCo @CSconnect_MCPS @blessings4 @ArcolaWellnes @SEBHA_PM @LearnerOSSWB2 @MCPS @IELconnects @CommSchools Love this! Thank you @JulieYangMoCo for following through and showing up! The Arcola community is grateful! Hoping you enjoyed your visit!

Thanks you @mocoboe member @JulieYangMoCo for stopping by this morning to learn about all of the incredible things that make Arcola a great place to learn! #CommunitySchool

@mocoboe Thank you for keeping ISY at Arcola! Let’s keep the conversation going! I’ll start: please ensure there is a wind down plan for every program proposed. No community should have to deal with abrupt changes and fears of abrupt termination after investing in these experiments.

The Board of Education tentatively adopted an Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2025 keeps the Montgomery Virtual Academy and ISY calendar at Arcola for FY25. youtube.com/live/HWeOK0UfQ…

@SmPotatoes @SamitheSMOB Maybe…. We can have conversations about the merits of the programs at great lengths so long as the affected community is able to smoothly transition without their livelihoods and the safety of their children being affected.

@RushikaMehta1 @SamitheSMOB They are required to have public meetings. A tiny minority got loud and the leaders caved on what they knew was the right thing to do. These programs are failing the kids AND are costly.

To our community - we heard you. To MVA families, staff, and students: we have not eliminated MVA for the upcoming school year. For Arcola ES families, staff, and students: we have not eliminated the ISC program for the upcoming school year. We heard you loud and clear.

@JulieYangMoCo @MCPS @mocoboe @MCC_PTA @SEIULocal500 @mceanea @JulieYangMoCo thank you for hearing our community and having the willingness to have the tough conversations. We hope to keep the conversations going!

I want to hear from you on @MCPS Virtual Academy, Innovative Calendar School & the Leader In Me SEL curriculum. The @mocoboe is hosting an additional public budget hearing on these topics next Tues. Sign up open tomorrow morning. montgomeryschoolsmd.org/boe/community/… #yourvoicematters

@SmPotatoes @SamitheSMOB The easy thing to do would have been to avoid the tough conversations with the affected community and jam the termination through.

@SamitheSMOB Pretty irrational decision to follow emotion rather than the data. Sometimes good leaders have to make tough decisions and we just don’t have good leaders here.

@SamitheSMOB Thank you @SamitheSMOB for hearing our community and working to make the decision of saving the ISY program for an additional year.

@ArcolaES_CSL @CSconnect_MCPS @eemajor @blessings4 @SEBHA_PM @mceanea @MSEAeducators @mocoboe This is wonderful news for the Arcola community - advocacy really works! 🥳🥳🥳 Hoping the community continues to engage in the coming year. Thinking of the Nix community and just how devastating this abrupt change is going to be for many in the community there.

Organized people = organized power! Congratulations to our community and our staff for advocating to keep Arcola ES an ISY school! 🎉🎉🎉 #StudentsFirst @CSconnect_MCPS @eemajor @blessings4 @SEBHA_PM @mceanea @MSEAeducators @mocoboe

@JulieYangMoCo @MCPS @mocoboe @MCC_PTA @SEIULocal500 @mceanea @JulieYangMoCo A smooth transition plan is a must for our ISY community!

@JulieYangMoCo @MCPS @mocoboe @MCC_PTA @SEIULocal500 @mceanea @JulieYangMoCo The ISY decision should be delayed. The merits of the program are a separate discussion. If teachers are suddenly told that they are not receiving any pay this summer, and parents aren’t given enough time to find safe childcare, then that is a major issue. 1/2

@JulieYangMoCo @MCPS @mocoboe @MCC_PTA @SEIULocal500 @mceanea @JulieYangMoCo 2-day notice to sign up to testify is not enough time to get well translated messages out to parents who need to make/take time out to address this. Rushing this conversation is going to leave our community feeling like the rug was pulled from under us again. 2/2

@JulieYangMoCo @MCPS @mocoboe @MCC_PTA @SEIULocal500 @mceanea @JulieYangMoCo if you really want to hear from the Arcola (ISY) community, a post on twitter/social media is not going to get the job done. I invite you to come to Arcola and have a conversation with the students, the staff, and the families. 1/2

@JulieYangMoCo @MCPS @mocoboe @MCC_PTA @SEIULocal500 @mceanea For now the general sense is that the ISY program works for the families and the students here. There is room for improvement, but we need to be provided transparent data and sufficient time in order to understand what this means for us. 3/3

@JulieYangMoCo @MCPS @mocoboe @MCC_PTA @SEIULocal500 @mceanea Teachers are just being informed today. This community NEEDS more time to understand what is at stake, what is happening, and what this means for them. We need time and information to effectively advocate for ourselves. 2/3