Advocacy

Thank you for your active support of our students and the future of the Ashburton community. There are several ways to get involved at Ashburton including advocacy. Together, we can champion causes important to Ashburton and fellow Walter Johnson (WJ) cluster schools. Become part of a powerful collective voice that advocates for our students, teachers and staff. We are a stronger community when more families participate and are engaged in the process - no level of involvement is too small. 

If you would like to get involved or if you have any questions, please e-mail the Advocacy team at advocacy@ashburtonpta.org. 

• Theresa Dike, Ashburton parent representative to the WJ Cluster 
• Hilary Gawrilow, Ashburton parent representative to the Montgomery County Council of PTAs (MCCPTA Delegate)
• Samantha Kupferman, Ashburton parent representative to the WJ Cluster

Ashburton Parents Testify to MCPS Board of Education
January 27, 2025

Ashburton parents testified at the MCPS Board of Education hearing on the MCPS 2025-26 operating budget. As the BOE considers the Superintendent's Proposed Operating Budget, which focuses on staffing resources for schools, Ashburton representative to the Montgomery County Council of PTAs, Hilary Gawrilow, and Ashburton representative to the WJ cluster, Theresa Dike, advocated for attention on addressing the significant staffing needs at our school as the county's largest elementary school by population. As our student population nears 900, they focused on how adequate staffing is critical to fostering a safe learning environment for all students and ensuring that the needs of all students are being met.

We submitted the parent sign-on letter to Superintendent Taylor and the BOE. 

The next opportunity to support Ashburton advocacy is the Montgomery County Council Hearing on the Montgomery County Public School (“MCPS”) Superintendent’s amendments to the Capital and Improvement Budget, scheduled for next Wednesday, February 5, and Thursday, February 6th at 1:30 pm and 7:00 pm. While this week’s Board of Education’s operating budget hearing focused on human infrastructure (teachers, paraeducators, school psychologists, counselors, etc.), the CIP focuses on the hard infrastructure for school. We would love for Ashburton parents to come with us to testify! Participation and testimony may be given in-person or by Zoom. The deadline to sign up is next week Tuesday, February 4th. See the link to sign up below: 
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/calendar.html

Learn more in coverage from WJLA and DC News Now.

COMMUNITY & ADVOCACY EVENTS

Wed, February 5, and Thurs, February 6th at 1:30 pm and 7:00 pm: Montgomery County Council Hearing on the Montgomery County Public School (“MCPS”) Superintendent’s amendments to the Capital and Improvement Budget

The CIP focuses on the hard infrastructure for school. We would love for Ashburton parents to come with us to testify! Participation and testimony may be given in-person or by Zoom. The deadline to sign up is next week Tuesday, February 4th. See the link to sign up below: 
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/calendar.html

January 27: MCPS Board of Education Operating Budget Hearing 

On Monday January 27, at 6 p.m., the MCPS Board of Education (BOE) is holding a hearing on the MCPS operations budget, which focuses on addressing staffing needs for MCPS schools. Ashburton parent representatives are signed up to testify.

We invite you to attend in-person, wearing Walter Johnson kelly green or Ashburton attire, to support our community. If you can, arrive at 5:45 pm. 

The meeting will be held at: 15 West Gude Drive, Suite 100, in Rockville

The stronger a school showing we have, the greater our impact in urging much needed staffing challenges due to the huge size of Ashburton’s student population and the stretched nature of our administration and teachers.

November 7, 2024: Ashburton Community Forum 

On November 7, the PTA hosted an important in-person meeting so our community can be better informed about decisions and policies affecting Ashburton. This event featured elected officials and county-level representatives including new MCPS Superintendent Dr. Taylor, Montgomery County Council President (District 4) Kate Stewart, Board of Education Members Julie Yang and Laura Stewart, and VP of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), MCCPTA Sally McCarthy.

It was an opportunity to get educated as well as discover different ways to be an engaged part of our Ashburton community.