Education
Monica Goldson Appointed Prince George’s County Schools Chief
WASHINGTON INFORMER — After serving nearly a year as interim CEO for the Prince George’s County Public Schools system, Monica Goldson will hold the post on a permanent basis, effective July 1. Goldson, who has spent her entire 28-year career with PGCPS, started as a mathematics teacher at Suitland High School. In addition to serving as deputy superintendent of teaching and learning and chief operating Officer, Goldson is the founding principal of Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School.
By WI Web Staff
After serving nearly a year as interim CEO for the Prince George’s County Public Schools system, Monica Goldson will hold the post on a permanent basis, effective July 1.
Goldson, who has spent her entire 28-year career with PGCPS, started as a mathematics teacher at Suitland High School. In addition to serving as deputy superintendent of teaching and learning and chief operating Officer, Goldson is the founding principal of Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School.
Goldson, a PGCPS parent and graduate of Potomac High School, is the just the second woman to lead the school system and the first from the county. As lead officer of Maryland’s second-largest school system, she will have oversights of PGCPS’ 208 schools and centers, more than 130,000 students and nearly 19,000 employees.
“I am proud to announce, without reservation, Dr. Monica Goldson as the permanent CEO of Prince George’s County Public Schools,” said Prince George’s County Executive Angela D Alsobrooks. “The reputation and institutional knowledge Dr. Goldson brings is invaluable. She brings a complete and comprehensive understanding of our school system.”
As interim CEO, Goldson successfully advocated for increased school funding, student supports and public-private partnerships to enhance school construction capacity. Her strategic priorities have included driving more resources to low-performing schools, expanding access to prekindergarten and improving the availability of mental health services to students and families.
“Our work to date is only the beginning,” Goldson said. “While the road ahead will not be without challenges, I remain confident that with open communication and collaboration, we will maintain a culture of transparency, accountability and academic excellence. PGCPS has been my home for 28 years and I simply cannot see myself doing this work anywhere else. It is my privilege to work every day towards building a system that fulfills its promise of academic excellence for all students.”
A three-time graduate of historically Black colleges and universities, Goldson holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Florida A&M University, a master’s degree in elementary and secondary school administration from Bowie State University and a doctorate in educational administration and policy from Howard University.
This article originally appeared in the Washington Informer.
Art
A Prolific Painter: Artist and Advocate Lois Mailou Jones
Lois Mailou Jones was a prominent African American artist whose career spanned more than seven decades, from the Harlem Renaissance to the modern art movement. She was not only a prolific painter but also an influential educator, bridging cultural gaps and challenging stereotypes through her vibrant and diverse works.
By Tamara Shiloh
Lois Mailou Jones was a prominent African American artist whose career spanned more than seven decades, from the Harlem Renaissance to the modern art movement. She was not only a prolific painter but also an influential educator, bridging cultural gaps and challenging stereotypes through her vibrant and diverse works.
Her unique journey of self-expression, dedication to art, and advocacy for African American and African themes made her a crucial figure in the evolution of American art.
Jones was born on Nov. 3, 1905, in Boston. Raised in an intellectual and supportive family, she demonstrated an early interest in art, encouraged by her mother, who believed in the importance of creativity. Lois studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where she faced racial challenges but persisted in pursuing her passion.
Her pursuit of higher education led her to the prestigious Design Art School, where she perfected her skills in textile design. Later, Jones attended Harvard University and received further training at the Académie Julian in Paris. This European experience greatly influenced her style and broadened her perspective on art.
Jones’s career began in textile design, creating works that were used by leading textile companies. However, her true passion was painting. During the Harlem Renaissance, she moved away from textile design to focus on fine art, exploring themes that reflected her heritage and the African diaspora.
Her early works were influenced by European Post-Impressionism, featuring landscapes and still life, but Jones’s style evolved over time. After spending time in Haiti, she was deeply inspired by Caribbean culture, and her palette became more vivid, her subject matter more symbolic. The influence of African and Caribbean culture is evident in her later works, where she used bright colors and geometric patterns to convey the spirit and stories of the people she encountered.
Her contributions to African American art were significant during a time when Black artists struggled for recognition. She often focused on themes of African heritage, pride, and unity, blending African illustrations and portraits with Western artistic techniques to create a unique visual language that celebrated Black culture.
She was also a dedicated educator. She began her teaching career at Palmer Memorial Institute in North Carolina and later became a professor at Howard University in Washington, D.C., where she taught for almost 50 years. Through her teaching, she influenced generations of young Black artists, encouraging them to explore and express their cultural heritage through art.
In the 1930s and 1940s, she worked to exhibit her work alongside other Black artists, helping to create a platform for voices that had long been excluded from mainstream galleries.
Recognition and Legacy
Jones achieved significant recognition throughout her lifetime, both in the United States and internationally. She exhibited her work across the globe, including in Paris, Africa, and the Caribbean.
Jones continued painting until her death in 1998, leaving behind a rich legacy of artistic achievements and contributions to art education. She broke boundaries by celebrating Black identity and heritage at a time when these themes were often marginalized.
California Black Media
New California Law Will Protect Students During Extreme Weather
On Sept. 22, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that will protect students from extreme weather conditions by requiring the California Department of Education to develop guidelines for school districts to implement during weather patterns harmful to student health. Authored by Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger), “Yahushua’s Law” or Senate Bill 1248 addresses an extreme heat-related fatality in Lake Elsinore. During the summer of 2023, a student died after participating in physical education suffered extreme heat-related illness.
By Bo Tefu, California Black Media
On Sept. 22, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that will protect students from extreme weather conditions by requiring the California Department of Education to develop guidelines for school districts to implement during weather patterns harmful to student health.
Authored by Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger), “Yahushua’s Law” or Senate Bill 1248 addresses an extreme heat-related fatality in Lake Elsinore. During the summer of 2023, a student died after participating in physical education suffered extreme heat-related illness.
“No student should ever lose their life on campus to extreme weather when we can take steps to protect them by preparing statewide plans to minimize exposure to the most harmful elements of exposure,” Sen. Hurtado stated last Spring. “I commend the family of Yahushua Robinson, the twelve-year student who lost his life due to heat related illness during on-campus physical education, for lending their emotional strength and compassion for others in order to help ensure that no other student loses their life this way.”
Supporters of the legislation say the lack of uniform guidelines and protocols across schools and school districts in California intensifies the issue, creating an urgent need for safeguards to ensure student safety during extreme weather conditions.
California Black Media
More Than 1.2 Million Youth Pre-Registered to Vote, Secretary of State Weber Announced
Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber announced on Sept. 26 that more than 1.2 million young people between the ages of 16 and 17-years-old have pre-registered to vote since the state launched the initiative in September 2016. The state program automatically activates voter registration for pre-registered youth when they turn 18 years of age.
By Bo Tefu, California Black Media
Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber announced on Sept. 26 that more than 1.2 million young people between the ages of 16 and 17-years-old have pre-registered to vote since the state launched the initiative in September 2016. The state program automatically activates voter registration for pre-registered youth when they turn 18 years of age.
Weber, who has visited dozens of high schools across the state to promote voting initiatives, said that students are eager to vote and look forward to casting their first ballot, and “the numbers back them up.”
“Young Californians want to be engaged, active participants in our democracy and they can position themselves to do so by preregistering to vote,” said Weber.
Weber said that she is committed to encouraging young people to pre-register to vote, adding that she looks forward to partnering with the California Department of Education, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, school officials, and leaders of community-based organizations to expand this effort.
According to Weber’s office, approximately 42% of young voters are registered Democrats, while over 13% are registered Republicans. Another 35% of young voters registered as having “no party preference.”
For more information, Californians can visit the online pre-registration website at www.RegisterToVote.ca.gov. Registration is open to residents who are 16 or 17 and meet all the following criteria:
- A United States citizen and a resident of California.
- 18 years old or older on Election Day.
- Not currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony
- Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court.
More information about pre-registration for California youth can be found at sos.ca.gov/elections/pre-register-16-vote-18.
Upcoming key deadlines and dates for the November 5, 2024, General Election can be found at here.
Plus, visit http://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/statewide-elections/2024-primary/section-08-general-election-calendar.pdf to view a complete California General Election Calendar with more voting details and updates.
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