Camp Springs Civic Association

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, who has earned a reputation as an agitator during his time in office, plans to launch a petition drive to persuade lawmakers to embrace a pet cause of his: delaying the opening of public schools until after Labor Day.

Franchot (D) is planning an event Thursday on the boardwalk of Ocean City, one of the state’s top tourism destinations, to kick off a “Let Summer Be Summer” campaign. His aim: collecting 10,000 signatures from Maryland citizens before the General Assembly reconvenes in January.

The event coincides with an annual week-long conference of county leaders from across Maryland, and Franchot plans to hand out flying discs and sand buckets adorned with the campaign logo at the conference site.

The cause is hardly new for Franchot, who says that the post-Labor Day mandate would be good for the state’s economy as well as for families seeking to spend more time together. What’s different now is that he actually has some real momentum on his side.

Read more: www.washingtonpost.com

Kevin M. Maxwell, the chief executive Officer of Prince George’s County Public Schools, has signed an agreement to use the title of a business book, “Great by Choice,” as the school system’s motto. 

“Great by Choice,” a book that examines why some companies thrive during chaotic times while others do not, has become a staple for business leaders across the country as they look for ways to boost profits.

Jim Collins’s book also has become the guide for Kevin M. Maxwell, chief executive of the Prince George’s County school system, as he moves to turn around Maryland’s second-largest district. Maxwell has made “Great by Choice” required reading for his senior staff. Small groups have met to dissect chapters and discuss ways to apply the principles to schools.

“Great by Choice” also has quietly become the school district’s latest motto, popping up on its Web site and letterhead and becoming a major part of the lexicon of the county’s top educators.

Maxwell said he was drawn to Collins’s approach to helping businesses make money and will use it for the school system, which is “in the business to get results.”

Read more: www.washingtonpost.com