Scope of Search
This request applies to records maintained by or on behalf of the Board of Education, including but not limited to the Board Administrator, individual Board members, the Superintendent, the Superintendent’s Cabinet, Human Resources, Legal Services, and any district staff involved in agenda preparation, closed-session coordination, personnel recommendations, or meeting documentation.
Records Requested
1. Any written recommendation(s) submitted by the Superintendent to the Board concerning suspension, transfer, or termination of a staff member whose disciplinary matter was discussed during January 2026, including any recommendation issued after the completion of a suspension and approved transfer.
2. The closed-session agenda, summary, minutes, notes, or certifications for the Board meeting held on January 12, 2026, including:
o the statutory authority cited for entering closed session.
o the specific personnel matters discussed; and
o whether any actions, directions, or decisions were taken.
3. All materials provided to Board members on and in advance of the January 12, 2026, closed session relating to personnel matters, including action memos, briefing documents, emails, or draft recommendations.
4. Records identifying how and by whom any personnel matter was escalated, modified or reconsidered by the Board following the Superintendent’s initial recommendation, including the date, rationale, and authority for such action.
5. Records reflecting how personnel matters discussed during the January 12, 2026, closed session were referenced, presented, or acted upon during the January 15, 2026, public meeting, including motions, scripts, voting language, or explanatory materials.
Responsive to this request, please find the following records at the links provided below:
• January 12, 2026 Closed Board Meeting: https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/hcpssmd/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=DQ5T7M760204. This includes the public record and minutes of the meeting. These minutes are pursuant to the Maryland Open Meetings Act (OMA) GP § 3-306 (c) (3) (ii) of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
• January 15, 2026: https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/hcpssmd/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=DPHKCH51393A. This includes records of personnel matters considered and action taken during the
meeting, including the administrative appointments and promotions recommended, and the vote taken by the Board.
Beyond the public records available above, records related to personnel matters would be confidential under MPIA GP § 4-311, which prevents disclosure of personnel records of an individual, including any reference to the hiring, discipline, promotion, dismissal or any other matter involving an employee’s status. Additionally, as noted in the Nineteenth Edition of the Maryland Public Information Act Manual created by Maryland’s Office of the Attorney General, “no amount of redaction will enable an agency to comply with a request for personnel records of a specific State employee because, even if ‘identifying information’ is redacted, the documents provided would still constitute the personnel records of the individual who is the subject of the request.” As we read this to be specific to personnel matters acted upon within the January 15, 2026, personnel Board report, release of related records with redaction would not sufficiently meet the confidentiality requirements of MPIA GP § 4-311.