Anne Perkins, a founding board member of the Baltimore Curriculum Project (BCP) was invited by founding board chair George Hess to join the Board in 1996 when BCP began. She knew that serving BCP was a perfect fit– she’s an attorney and served 14 years as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing a district in Baltimore City.
We talked with Anne about why she serves.
Q: Why did you choose to serve on the BCP board?
A: I had known George for a long time. When he asked me to be on the first board, I said “yes.” I’ve always been interested in helping Baltimore City public schools. I used to be in the legislature and worked hard on issues that affected the quality and funding of the City’s public schools.
One of the schools in my district used the Calvert School curriculum for several years. Although the curriculum was successful in many ways, it was difficult to implement in a City public school because of the frequent mobility of students. I knew that the Abell Foundation and [BCP founder] Muriel Berkeley were board members exploring similar research-oriented curricula that could be used successfully in our school system. Muriel identified Direct Instruction and adopted the DI instruction method for BCP.
Q: You serve the Baltimore region in a variety of capacities. How is your service on the BCP board different from your other volunteer activities?
A: With each opportunity, I say to myself, “Can my experience help with the mission of the organization?” During my time on the BCP Board I have worn many hats. I chaired the Executive Director search for Laura Doherty, and I’m currently on the marketing and fundraising committee. I’ve been helping chair the education committee. All Board members participate through their involvement on Board committees.
During all the years that I’ve been involved, BCP has been blessed with an excellent staff and a hard-working, effective board. The leadership in both areas is steady. It’s a very nice place to work and a nice bunch of people to work with. It’s a satisfying feeling that we’re doing some good for our families and students in the city.
Q: What do you think the impact has been of BCP’s unique approach to charter schools?
A: Some of the schools that BCP has [operated] have been among the most challenged in Baltimore City. After becoming a BCP school and having time to implement the curriculum and establish the climate and culture, our schools show success. So, we’re clearly contributing to communities and neighborhoods that have historically struggled by creating a well-run school. I feel that when you compare a BCP school to schools with a similar student body, BCP schools do better. The data shows that we are doing a good job, and that’s why we are here.
About Anne Perkins, Esq.
Attorney, experience includes:
- Special Master for U.S. District Court Judge Marvin J. Garbis from 1999- 2014 overseeing the implementation of the Partial Consent Decree in Thompson v. HUD, a class action lawsuit alleging long-term discrimination against African American public housing tenants in Baltimore by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore and the Housing Authority of Baltimore City
- Working with the Baltimore City Public Schools managing a Ford Foundation arts education planning grant and then as a founding board member of Arts Every Day, a non-profit organization helping integrate arts into the city public schools.
Elected representative to the Maryland House of Delegates from a district in Baltimore City, 1979 to 1992.
English teacher, ESL teacher and Director of the Xiamen Teacher Training Program (Xiamen, China) and a summer language camp for Baltimore high school students and Chinese students, 1989 to 1993
Program officer/consultant, National Democratic Institute for International Affairs in Southern Africa and Liberia, 1994 to 1997.
Vice-president for governmental affairs, University Maryland University College, 1997 to 1999
Board service:
- Member, Baltimore Public Arts Commission
- Board Member, Midtown Academy, Open Society Institute – Baltimore, Friends of Stony Run, Maryland Institute College of Art since 1969 and served as MICA Board chair from 1998 to 2003
- Co-founder, Arts Every Day
- Past co-chair, Maryland Mass Transit Administration Baltimore Rail Plan Advisory Committee
B.A., Boston University,
J.D., University of Baltimore School of Law
