Carderock Elementary School Acting Principal Jae W. Lee received a surprise call from Gov. Larry Hogan’s office on Tuesday, March 22. He had just two days to prepare for the Thursday visit of U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Lee collaborated with the Montgomery County Public Schools’ Department of School Safety and Security, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the U.S. Marshal’s Office to ensure everyone’s safety. He worked in partnership with the MCPS Central Office and Carderock staff to plan for the visit, and to develop a plan for communication to students and parents.

In honor of National Reading Month, DeVos and Hogan read the Dr. Seuss classic, “Oh the Places You’ll Go!” to 60 second-grade students.

“We were honored to have Governor Hogan and Secretary DeVos visit Carderock Springs Elementary School,” Lee said. “I thought it was a successful visit, which is a testament to the wonderful community we have here at Carderock Springs.”

Several hundred demonstrators gathered across the street from the school before the arrival of Hogan and DeVos. They hoisted signs expressing a variety of viewpoints: support or condemnation for school choice, vouchers and charter schools, banners bearing statements such as “No Guns in Schools, “Keep Public Schools Public,” “Protect Students in our Schools,” “No Rapists in Our Schools,” and “All Students Deserve Quality Free Public Education.”

There were also many who backed Hogan and Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford in their campaign for reelection; these supporters arrived with Hogan/Rutherford signs and stickers waving in the breeze or attached to their cars.