Montgomery Co. board approves plan to end high school finals

Wednesday, September 9th, 2015, 4:36pm

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) - The Montgomery County Board of Education has voted to tentatively approve a plan that would eliminate high school final exams next school year.

Board members voted Tuesday for the proposal in which two-hour end-of-semester exams would be replaced by shorter assessments given each marking period, such as unit tests and projects.

Board President Patricia O'Neill says the new approach will give educators more instructional time and allow students to be assessed in different ways.

School officials say the new assessments will be centrally developed and consistent throughout the district.

Final exams currently make up 25 percent of a student's final grade and the school system is still working on a new grading system.

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Silver Spring step-mom accused of abusing 4-year-old girl

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Friday, September 4th, 2015, 5:56pm

SILVER SPRING, Md. (WUSA9) -- A 30-year-old Silver Spring woman was arrested for abusing her four-year-old step-daughter, Montgomery County police said.

Aldercy Lugo-De Fuentes, 30, of Silver Spring was arrested Wednesday and charged with one count of first-degree child abuse, one count of second-degree child abuse, and two counts of assault charges, according to authorities. Lugo-De Fuentes is currently being held on a $250,000 bond.

On the morning of August 26, police responded to the Children's National Medical Center in D.C. for the report of a girl who had been taken to the hospital in critical condition after becoming unresponsive at her home.

Police said Lugo-Defuentes told police that the four-year-old girl became "woozy, vomited and lost consciousness" around 8 a.m. that day.

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Friday, September 4th, 2015, 4:01pm

SILVER SPRING, Md. (WUSA9) -- Two northbound lanes on Georgia Avenue are currently closed due to a water main break Friday afternoon, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) said.

Crews are working on repairing the 16' main break in the 14000 block of Georgia Avenue close to Connecticut Avenue in Silver Spring.

Two northbound lanes of Georgia Avenue are closed and there is no estimated time for when the repairs will be done.

It is not clear at this time how many people are impacted by the main break, officials said.

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Thursday, September 3rd, 2015, 2:05pm

SILVER SPRING, Md. (WUSA9) -- A man was found suffering from a stab wound in a Silver Spring apartment Thursday afternoon, Montgomery County police said.

A person came home to the apartment located at 12313 Treetop Drive and found his roommate suffering from a stab wound. The 50-year-old man was taken to the hospital with a laceration to the shoulder. He was transported conscious and alert.

The stabbing is under investigation, police said.

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4-year-old child hit by car in Silver Spring

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Tuesday, September 1st, 2015, 4:57pm

SILVER SPRING, Md. (WUSA9) -- A 4-year-old child suffered non-life threatening injuries after they were hit by a car in Silver Spring.

According to a spokesperson for Montgomery County fire, the accident happened at around 5:32 p.m. near the intersection of Georgia Avenue and August Drive.

The child, who is a male, was transported to a local hospital.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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Sunday, August 30th, 2015, 2:42pm

SILVER SPRING, Md. (WUSA9) -- The Studio Grooming Salon opened its doors Sunday for a self-serve dog wash in Silver Spring.

The wash included state of the art tubs and dryers, shampoo, tools and fresh towels, Warrior Canine Connection bandana, goody box and assistance.

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Friday, August 28th, 2015, 4:25pm

SILVER SPRING, Md. (WUSA9) -- A former Montgomery County music teacher was sentenced to 40 years in prison for sexual abuse on Friday afternoon.

Lawrence Joynes previously pleaded guilty to sexually abusing 15 young students at New Hampshire Estates Elementary School and Eastern Middle School, both of which are in Silver Spring. Joynes taught in the Montgomery County school system for 27 years, with the last 10 yeas at New Hampshire Estates.

Joynes wore a green prison jumpsuit and was not shackled in the courtroom. He never glanced at one of his victims, who sat steps away, in the front row.

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