Keep Education the Pride of Howard County

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE        Ellicott City, MD – March 16, 2010

Contact: Frank Aquino 410-750-0466

 Aquino Announces Re-Election Campaign for

                   Howard County Board Of Education             

Frank J. Aquino announced his re-election campaign for the Howard County Board of Education today.  Aquino was elected to the Board of Education in 2006 and is seeking a second term.  He served as the Board’s Vice Chairman in his first year and as the Board Chairman from 2007-2009.  Aquino is an attorney and the father of three children, all of whom attend or attended Howard County Public Schools.

The Howard County Public School System is the only school system my children have known.  My wife, Mary, and I moved to Howard County sixteen years ago, specifically for the public education system and the great quality of life offered to HC residents.

Aquino believes the tenets of his 2006 campaign; Integrity, Civility and a Commitment to Excellence are as critical today as they were four years ago.  Aquino said, “Citizens have to trust your decision-making ability.  As adults, we must model civil behavior for our children and we must be committed to the academic success of all children.”  Recognizing that the student performance bar is being raised every year, Aquino believes that continued Board diligence in ensuring that current programs are regularly and rigorously assessed and that resources are allocated to the expansion and implementation of successful programs is essential to continuing our tradition of excellence in education.

It’s a team effort.  Teachers and parents, committed to their children’s achievement, along with support and guidance from the Superintendent and Central Office Staff and Board vision and oversight are the key elements to our success.  Now is not the time to rest on our achievements.  Changing demographics continue to challenge the HCPSS.  The world is changing – we are preparing our children for jobs that don’t exist today and we are experiencing regulatory challenges unlike any we’ve faced in the past decade.

Aquino sees Howard County’s number one ranking in the State of Maryland as an invaluable asset to the community and wants to Keep Education the Pride of Howard County.

Aquino, General Counsel of an environmental engineering company, lives in Ellicott City with his wife Mary, an elder law attorney for over 22 years with the Legal Aid Bureau, and their three children, Kaitlin, a graduate of Howard High School and currently a sophomore at the University of Mary Washington, Liam, a senior at Howard High School and Kelly, an eighth grader at Bonnie Branch Middle School.

After moving to Howard County 16 years ago, Aquino joined various school and community-based groups in advocating for continued improvements in the HCPSS.  As a public school advocate, Aquino worked on many school system committees.  In September 2004, he recommended that the Howard County Board of Education adopt a formal Civility Policy and he served on the committee charged with drafting that policy.  Aquino is currently a member of the Board of Advisors to Choose Civility Howard County and is a member of the County Executive’s Spending Affordability Advisory Committee (for the fourth time).  He is serves also on the Board of Directors of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education.  Aquino has served on two School Boundary Line Advisory Committees (currently known as the Attendance Area Committee), once serving as Committee Co-Chair.  He also served on the first three School Board Operating Budget Review Committees.  Prior to his election to the Board of Education, Aquino was a delegate to the PTA Council of Howard County for five years and has represented each of the schools attended by his children on the PTA Council at least once during that time frame.  Aquino also served on the PTA Executive Committees for each of the schools attended by his children, Ilchester Elementary, Bonnie Branch Middle and Howard High Schools.  He is a past President and current member of the Board of Directors of the Baltimore Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel and has volunteered his time as a coach of his son’s Howard County Youth Program baseball team.

 Aquino believes the major challenges affecting Howard County schools are:

Attracting and Retaining Highly Qualified Education Professionals.

·             Excellent educators are essential to our success

·         Howard county should be the “employer of choice” for teaching professionals and administrators

·         Our success will continue to be our best marketing tool

Making the Best Use of Financial Resources to Better Serve the Community.

·         We must continue to invest where necessary and seek efficiencies where possible – as financial stewards of the community we must spend wisely

 Ensuring That Every Student Is Able to Maximize Their Educational Opportunities and Perform at the Highest Possible Level of Achievement.

·         Every student should have an opportunity to excel

·         Mandated assessment requirements must be met or surpassed

Technological Improvement in Educational Instruction.

·         We should always be looking for the most effective methods of instruction – including making the most of available technology

Equal Opportunities for All Students.

·         Regardless of economic status, educational background or disability

 Increasing Public Involvement in Education.

Education is an economic driver of Howard County and the County’s investment in public education helps make Howard County a great community in which to raise a family.

 Great Schools Make A Great Community & Great Communities Make Great Schools.

410-750-0466

Copyright ©2010 Friends of Frank Aquino. All rights reserved.
Revised: March 17, 2010