Woodward Auditorium Construction Advocacy Ahead of Monday County Council Meeting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
MoCo Council’s Joint Operating Committee for Government Opportunities and Economic Development will be meeting at 9am Monday morning (4/29). Several councilmembers have put forward bills and are requesting to fund them using the County’s reserves. The merits of these bills notwithstanding, they should be funded through the regular budget as operating expenses. Reserves are intended for special, one-time cases like the auditorium at Woodward High School. The Northwood community is asking for parents to contact the County Council prior to the meeting tomorrow (4/29) to express concern and ask that these funds be used for the auditorium.

In the case of many Northwood families, please email: [e-mail]

Here's a sample letter that you can use:
***
Dear [Councilmember Stewart],

My name is ___________ and I live in ____________. I/my child(ren) attend/graduated Northwood High School and they will attend Northwood@Woodward, also known as NorthWoodward.

After decades of fighting for a new high school and being promised that our holding facility would provide the full range of academic and programmatic infrastructure, it is egregious that construction of the auditorium at Woodward is being delayed to Phase III. I am requesting that the County Council allocate $20 million from its reserves for this one-time, non-recurring expense to keep the auditorium’s construction on schedule and part of Phase II.

I am disappointed that there are several bills currently under consideration that would tap into the reserves. Those proposals should be funded through the budget as operating expenses. I urge you and your colleagues to instead use reserve funds to ensure students in the Down County Consortium have equitable access to high school programming.

Sincerely,

Your Name
Street Address
City State
Email

If this is meant for Northwood stakeholders, it'd better say "to ensure the auditorium is completed by this summer" instead of "part of Phase II." Phase II is whst helps the WJ folks -- construction while Northwood temporarily occupies Phase I.

It's not that I don't think the students/community that ultimately occupies a completed Woodward shouldn't have an auditorium, but let's not co-opt Northwood folks to advocate for anything less than having access to an on-campus auditorium themselves.

Completing the auditorium by this summer is not on the table. Northwood families knew their first year at Woodward would be without an auditorium. But they were expecting it to be available for the second (and now, third) year. That can still happen if funding is secured.

Then they should be getting Woodward families to advocate for its completion by next summer at the latest. Asking Northwood families to advocate for something that would only benefit them for a single year if it doesn't slip again (as many of these things do) is asking DCC to carry the W's water.

It's pretty bad, no matter how you look at it, but, without getting something more substantive, the political capital is better spent elsewhere.

There are no Woodward families yet.

This. Eventually, Woodward families will come from WJ, DCC, and maybe even Whitman and BCC. But in true MCPS fashion, no one yet knows who will be a Woodward family

Sure, no one knows with absolute certainty until approval, but the writing is on the wall and you have the order a bit out of whack:

WJ, primarily.

Then adjustments to Whitman, BCC, Einstein and Wheaton, but not clearing the projected overcrowding of the latter two. More of Einstein might be sent east to Northwood when it's complete (partially). Blair would see more students passing right by on the way to Northwood, too.

A very small number of DCC students accessing the Woodward magnet program when that can be stood up (? Phase III).

The end result will be relatively comfortable capacity and relatively reasonable catchment boundaries for the Ws/BCC, and continued overcrowding and less reasonable catchment boundaries for the DCC.

What Woodward magnet program? Will Woodward even be in the DCC?

I haven’t seen anything confirming either of those points, just some wishful speculation on this board. Curious whether there’s something more concrete I haven’t heard.

They sold Woodward to the county & BOE as a way to alleviate crowding at both WJ and in the DCC. As plans evolved downstream from approval gates, the DCC consideration became ever smaller. The last thought, aside from the possibility of moving a DCC elementary to Woodward and one to BCC, with knock-on of BCC to Whitman (which are being vociferously opposed), was that the latter phase of Woodward would create space for a regional magnet program of some sort (arts-related, possibly), and that that might be open to DCC applicants in addition to the nearby Ws, etc. The net from DCC for something like that might be 50 students a year or so on the high side.

WJ will be the one to benefit the most and the area surrounding it. Let's be real. They need another school there given how MoCo keeps growing Bethesda and Rockville but that isn't going to really help the DCC as promised. And, if it does the commute would be horrible for some.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
MoCo Council’s Joint Operating Committee for Government Opportunities and Economic Development will be meeting at 9am Monday morning (4/29). Several councilmembers have put forward bills and are requesting to fund them using the County’s reserves. The merits of these bills notwithstanding, they should be funded through the regular budget as operating expenses. Reserves are intended for special, one-time cases like the auditorium at Woodward High School. The Northwood community is asking for parents to contact the County Council prior to the meeting tomorrow (4/29) to express concern and ask that these funds be used for the auditorium.

In the case of many Northwood families, please email: [e-mail]

Here's a sample letter that you can use:
***
Dear [Councilmember Stewart],

My name is ___________ and I live in ____________. I/my child(ren) attend/graduated Northwood High School and they will attend Northwood@Woodward, also known as NorthWoodward.

After decades of fighting for a new high school and being promised that our holding facility would provide the full range of academic and programmatic infrastructure, it is egregious that construction of the auditorium at Woodward is being delayed to Phase III. I am requesting that the County Council allocate $20 million from its reserves for this one-time, non-recurring expense to keep the auditorium’s construction on schedule and part of Phase II.

I am disappointed that there are several bills currently under consideration that would tap into the reserves. Those proposals should be funded through the budget as operating expenses. I urge you and your colleagues to instead use reserve funds to ensure students in the Down County Consortium have equitable access to high school programming.

Sincerely,

Your Name
Street Address
City State
Email

If this is meant for Northwood stakeholders, it'd better say "to ensure the auditorium is completed by this summer" instead of "part of Phase II." Phase II is whst helps the WJ folks -- construction while Northwood temporarily occupies Phase I.

It's not that I don't think the students/community that ultimately occupies a completed Woodward shouldn't have an auditorium, but let's not co-opt Northwood folks to advocate for anything less than having access to an on-campus auditorium themselves.

Completing the auditorium by this summer is not on the table. Northwood families knew their first year at Woodward would be without an auditorium. But they were expecting it to be available for the second (and now, third) year. That can still happen if funding is secured.

Then they should be getting Woodward families to advocate for its completion by next summer at the latest. Asking Northwood families to advocate for something that would only benefit them for a single year if it doesn't slip again (as many of these things do) is asking DCC to carry the W's water.

It's pretty bad, no matter how you look at it, but, without getting something more substantive, the political capital is better spent elsewhere.

There are no Woodward families yet.

This. Eventually, Woodward families will come from WJ, DCC, and maybe even Whitman and BCC. But in true MCPS fashion, no one yet knows who will be a Woodward family

Sure, no one knows with absolute certainty until approval, but the writing is on the wall and you have the order a bit out of whack:

WJ, primarily.

Then adjustments to Whitman, BCC, Einstein and Wheaton, but not clearing the projected overcrowding of the latter two. More of Einstein might be sent east to Northwood when it's complete (partially). Blair would see more students passing right by on the way to Northwood, too.

A very small number of DCC students accessing the Woodward magnet program when that can be stood up (? Phase III).

The end result will be relatively comfortable capacity and relatively reasonable catchment boundaries for the Ws/BCC, and continued overcrowding and less reasonable catchment boundaries for the DCC.

What Woodward magnet program? Will Woodward even be in the DCC?

I haven’t seen anything confirming either of those points, just some wishful speculation on this board. Curious whether there’s something more concrete I haven’t heard.

They sold Woodward to the county & BOE as a way to alleviate crowding at both WJ and in the DCC. As plans evolved downstream from approval gates, the DCC consideration became ever smaller. The last thought, aside from the possibility of moving a DCC elementary to Woodward and one to BCC, with knock-on of BCC to Whitman (which are being vociferously opposed), was that the latter phase of Woodward would create space for a regional magnet program of some sort (arts-related, possibly), and that that might be open to DCC applicants in addition to the nearby Ws, etc. The net from DCC for something like that might be 50 students a year or so on the high side.

WJ will be the one to benefit the most and the area surrounding it. Let's be real. They need another school there given how MoCo keeps growing Bethesda and Rockville but that isn't going to really help the DCC as promised. And, if it does the commute would be horrible for some.

There are even larger parts of the county with greater population even that lack a high-school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren't there other capital projects that have been delayed for over a decade? Is the auditorium more important?

Do you have HS students? Ones who perform in school plays or musicals? Ones who play an instrument in the band or orchestra? Ones who sing in a chorus? Do you participate in grade-level meetings for parents? All of these and more take place in the auditorium that every other HS in the county has. This is about access and equity, and yes, it's more important than other capital projects, because you don't build 97% of a new HS, you build 100%

Woodward, rebuilt ahead of multiple other capital projects that were on the list for rebuilding first. Take your 97% of a school and be grateful.

The perennial MCPS Capital projects problem: Overcrowded schools get funded before schools that aren't overcrowded.

The DCC schools were overcrowded before WJ. It's just that westside parents have more influence so you went to the front of the line.

Please stop all this east side/west side stuff. Interested parties from all clusters should be coming together to advocate for this funding to be restored.

Not that PP.

Great. Now let's see all clusters, especially W's, from where, presumably, the necessary tax revenue would disproportionately come on a per-household basis, advocate for that very much needed, inside-the-beltway/east of Rock Creek high school that was strawmanned down to clear the way for capital to be spent on the Woodward reopening.

Which high school is that?

The one that they knew was needed, but, because of a lack of consideration, planning for which was abandoned with justification from poor mock-ups and land acquisition cost estimates to pave the way for alternate use of the capital for Wooodward.

Are you talking about the hospital site in Takoma Park? I think it would be a great site for a new HS.

Which money would MCPS buy it with?

I know! All the money should go to Bethesda because they pay the most taxes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren't there other capital projects that have been delayed for over a decade? Is the auditorium more important?

Do you have HS students? Ones who perform in school plays or musicals? Ones who play an instrument in the band or orchestra? Ones who sing in a chorus? Do you participate in grade-level meetings for parents? All of these and more take place in the auditorium that every other HS in the county has. This is about access and equity, and yes, it's more important than other capital projects, because you don't build 97% of a new HS, you build 100%

Woodward, rebuilt ahead of multiple other capital projects that were on the list for rebuilding first. Take your 97% of a school and be grateful.

The perennial MCPS Capital projects problem: Overcrowded schools get funded before schools that aren't overcrowded.

The DCC schools were overcrowded before WJ. It's just that westside parents have more influence so you went to the front of the line.

Please stop all this east side/west side stuff. Interested parties from all clusters should be coming together to advocate for this funding to be restored.

Not that PP.

Great. Now let's see all clusters, especially W's, from where, presumably, the necessary tax revenue would disproportionately come on a per-household basis, advocate for that very much needed, inside-the-beltway/east of Rock Creek high school that was strawmanned down to clear the way for capital to be spent on the Woodward reopening.

Which high school is that?

The one that they knew was needed, but, because of a lack of consideration, planning for which was abandoned with justification from poor mock-ups and land acquisition cost estimates to pave the way for alternate use of the capital for Wooodward.

Are you talking about the hospital site in Takoma Park? I think it would be a great site for a new HS.

Which money would MCPS buy it with?

I know! All the money should go to Bethesda because they pay the most taxes.

Nobody said that. Which money would MCPS buy the former Adventist hospital site in Takoma Park with?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren't there other capital projects that have been delayed for over a decade? Is the auditorium more important?

Do you have HS students? Ones who perform in school plays or musicals? Ones who play an instrument in the band or orchestra? Ones who sing in a chorus? Do you participate in grade-level meetings for parents? All of these and more take place in the auditorium that every other HS in the county has. This is about access and equity, and yes, it's more important than other capital projects, because you don't build 97% of a new HS, you build 100%

Woodward, rebuilt ahead of multiple other capital projects that were on the list for rebuilding first. Take your 97% of a school and be grateful.

The perennial MCPS Capital projects problem: Overcrowded schools get funded before schools that aren't overcrowded.

The DCC schools were overcrowded before WJ. It's just that westside parents have more influence so you went to the front of the line.

Please stop all this east side/west side stuff. Interested parties from all clusters should be coming together to advocate for this funding to be restored.

Not that PP.

Great. Now let's see all clusters, especially W's, from where, presumably, the necessary tax revenue would disproportionately come on a per-household basis, advocate for that very much needed, inside-the-beltway/east of Rock Creek high school that was strawmanned down to clear the way for capital to be spent on the Woodward reopening.

Which high school is that?

The one that they knew was needed, but, because of a lack of consideration, planning for which was abandoned with justification from poor mock-ups and land acquisition cost estimates to pave the way for alternate use of the capital for Wooodward.

Are you talking about the hospital site in Takoma Park? I think it would be a great site for a new HS.

That was among the options considered. I think it's becoming a multi-use development, instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren't there other capital projects that have been delayed for over a decade? Is the auditorium more important?

Do you have HS students? Ones who perform in school plays or musicals? Ones who play an instrument in the band or orchestra? Ones who sing in a chorus? Do you participate in grade-level meetings for parents? All of these and more take place in the auditorium that every other HS in the county has. This is about access and equity, and yes, it's more important than other capital projects, because you don't build 97% of a new HS, you build 100%

Woodward, rebuilt ahead of multiple other capital projects that were on the list for rebuilding first. Take your 97% of a school and be grateful.

The perennial MCPS Capital projects problem: Overcrowded schools get funded before schools that aren't overcrowded.

The DCC schools were overcrowded before WJ. It's just that westside parents have more influence so you went to the front of the line.

Please stop all this east side/west side stuff. Interested parties from all clusters should be coming together to advocate for this funding to be restored.

Not that PP.

Great. Now let's see all clusters, especially W's, from where, presumably, the necessary tax revenue would disproportionately come on a per-household basis, advocate for that very much needed, inside-the-beltway/east of Rock Creek high school that was strawmanned down to clear the way for capital to be spent on the Woodward reopening.

Which high school is that?

The one that they knew was needed, but, because of a lack of consideration, planning for which was abandoned with justification from poor mock-ups and land acquisition cost estimates to pave the way for alternate use of the capital for Wooodward.

Are you talking about the hospital site in Takoma Park? I think it would be a great site for a new HS.

Which money would MCPS buy it with?

I know! All the money should go to Bethesda because they pay the most taxes.

Nobody said that. Which money would MCPS buy the former Adventist hospital site in Takoma Park with?

Whether that or some other site, it would be the same funds used for other capital improvements. Immaterial are the facts that MoCo doesn't pony up enough to cover the need and that the metric for meeting the need is not how much money is spent for an area but how well the system provides public facilities for an area relative to the other areas served. Some places cost more than others to provide similar service levels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren't there other capital projects that have been delayed for over a decade? Is the auditorium more important?

Do you have HS students? Ones who perform in school plays or musicals? Ones who play an instrument in the band or orchestra? Ones who sing in a chorus? Do you participate in grade-level meetings for parents? All of these and more take place in the auditorium that every other HS in the county has. This is about access and equity, and yes, it's more important than other capital projects, because you don't build 97% of a new HS, you build 100%

Woodward, rebuilt ahead of multiple other capital projects that were on the list for rebuilding first. Take your 97% of a school and be grateful.

The perennial MCPS Capital projects problem: Overcrowded schools get funded before schools that aren't overcrowded.

The DCC schools were overcrowded before WJ. It's just that westside parents have more influence so you went to the front of the line.

Please stop all this east side/west side stuff. Interested parties from all clusters should be coming together to advocate for this funding to be restored.

Not that PP.

Great. Now let's see all clusters, especially W's, from where, presumably, the necessary tax revenue would disproportionately come on a per-household basis, advocate for that very much needed, inside-the-beltway/east of Rock Creek high school that was strawmanned down to clear the way for capital to be spent on the Woodward reopening.

Which high school is that?

The one that they knew was needed, but, because of a lack of consideration, planning for which was abandoned with justification from poor mock-ups and land acquisition cost estimates to pave the way for alternate use of the capital for Wooodward.

Are you talking about the hospital site in Takoma Park? I think it would be a great site for a new HS.

Which money would MCPS buy it with?

I know! All the money should go to Bethesda because they pay the most taxes.

Nobody said that. Which money would MCPS buy the former Adventist hospital site in Takoma Park with?

Whether that or some other site, it would be the same funds used for other capital improvements. Immaterial are the facts that MoCo doesn't pony up enough to cover the need and that the metric for meeting the need is not how much money is spent for an area but how well the system provides public facilities for an area relative to the other areas served. Some places cost more than others to provide similar service levels.

Well, no, it wouldn't. Because MCPS doesn't need to buy property it already owns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren't there other capital projects that have been delayed for over a decade? Is the auditorium more important?

Do you have HS students? Ones who perform in school plays or musicals? Ones who play an instrument in the band or orchestra? Ones who sing in a chorus? Do you participate in grade-level meetings for parents? All of these and more take place in the auditorium that every other HS in the county has. This is about access and equity, and yes, it's more important than other capital projects, because you don't build 97% of a new HS, you build 100%

Woodward, rebuilt ahead of multiple other capital projects that were on the list for rebuilding first. Take your 97% of a school and be grateful.

The perennial MCPS Capital projects problem: Overcrowded schools get funded before schools that aren't overcrowded.

The DCC schools were overcrowded before WJ. It's just that westside parents have more influence so you went to the front of the line.

Please stop all this east side/west side stuff. Interested parties from all clusters should be coming together to advocate for this funding to be restored.

Not that PP.

Great. Now let's see all clusters, especially W's, from where, presumably, the necessary tax revenue would disproportionately come on a per-household basis, advocate for that very much needed, inside-the-beltway/east of Rock Creek high school that was strawmanned down to clear the way for capital to be spent on the Woodward reopening.

Which high school is that?

The one that they knew was needed, but, because of a lack of consideration, planning for which was abandoned with justification from poor mock-ups and land acquisition cost estimates to pave the way for alternate use of the capital for Wooodward.

Are you talking about the hospital site in Takoma Park? I think it would be a great site for a new HS.

Which money would MCPS buy it with?

I know! All the money should go to Bethesda because they pay the most taxes.

Nobody said that. Which money would MCPS buy the former Adventist hospital site in Takoma Park with?

Whether that or some other site, it would be the same funds used for other capital improvements. Immaterial are the facts that MoCo doesn't pony up enough to cover the need and that the metric for meeting the need is not how much money is spent for an area but how well the system provides public facilities for an area relative to the other areas served. Some places cost more than others to provide similar service levels.

Well, no, it wouldn't. Because MCPS doesn't need to buy property it already owns.

Well, sure. Then a zero cost (other than the admin work involved in the transfer) would come from the same capital improvements budget. MCPS didn't own the hospital site, though. Or the Discovery site. And each had drawbacks.

There were others they might have considered, or considered differently, but thinking about those may have been limited if the purpose of the study was simply to show how difficult it would be so that focus could shift to Woodward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren't there other capital projects that have been delayed for over a decade? Is the auditorium more important?

Do you have HS students? Ones who perform in school plays or musicals? Ones who play an instrument in the band or orchestra? Ones who sing in a chorus? Do you participate in grade-level meetings for parents? All of these and more take place in the auditorium that every other HS in the county has. This is about access and equity, and yes, it's more important than other capital projects, because you don't build 97% of a new HS, you build 100%

Woodward, rebuilt ahead of multiple other capital projects that were on the list for rebuilding first. Take your 97% of a school and be grateful.

The perennial MCPS Capital projects problem: Overcrowded schools get funded before schools that aren't overcrowded.

The DCC schools were overcrowded before WJ. It's just that westside parents have more influence so you went to the front of the line.

Please stop all this east side/west side stuff. Interested parties from all clusters should be coming together to advocate for this funding to be restored.

Not that PP.

Great. Now let's see all clusters, especially W's, from where, presumably, the necessary tax revenue would disproportionately come on a per-household basis, advocate for that very much needed, inside-the-beltway/east of Rock Creek high school that was strawmanned down to clear the way for capital to be spent on the Woodward reopening.

Which high school is that?

The one that they knew was needed, but, because of a lack of consideration, planning for which was abandoned with justification from poor mock-ups and land acquisition cost estimates to pave the way for alternate use of the capital for Wooodward.

Are you talking about the hospital site in Takoma Park? I think it would be a great site for a new HS.

Which money would MCPS buy it with?

I know! All the money should go to Bethesda because they pay the most taxes.

Nobody said that. Which money would MCPS buy the former Adventist hospital site in Takoma Park with?

Whether that or some other site, it would be the same funds used for other capital improvements. Immaterial are the facts that MoCo doesn't pony up enough to cover the need and that the metric for meeting the need is not how much money is spent for an area but how well the system provides public facilities for an area relative to the other areas served. Some places cost more than others to provide similar service levels.

Well, no, it wouldn't. Because MCPS doesn't need to buy property it already owns.

Well, sure. Then a zero cost (other than the admin work involved in the transfer) would come from the same capital improvements budget. MCPS didn't own the hospital site, though. Or the Discovery site. And each had drawbacks.

There were others they might have considered, or considered differently, but thinking about those may have been limited if the purpose of the study was simply to show how difficult it would be so that focus could shift to Woodward.

Such as?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren't there other capital projects that have been delayed for over a decade? Is the auditorium more important?

Do you have HS students? Ones who perform in school plays or musicals? Ones who play an instrument in the band or orchestra? Ones who sing in a chorus? Do you participate in grade-level meetings for parents? All of these and more take place in the auditorium that every other HS in the county has. This is about access and equity, and yes, it's more important than other capital projects, because you don't build 97% of a new HS, you build 100%

Woodward, rebuilt ahead of multiple other capital projects that were on the list for rebuilding first. Take your 97% of a school and be grateful.

The perennial MCPS Capital projects problem: Overcrowded schools get funded before schools that aren't overcrowded.

The DCC schools were overcrowded before WJ. It's just that westside parents have more influence so you went to the front of the line.

Please stop all this east side/west side stuff. Interested parties from all clusters should be coming together to advocate for this funding to be restored.

Not that PP.

Great. Now let's see all clusters, especially W's, from where, presumably, the necessary tax revenue would disproportionately come on a per-household basis, advocate for that very much needed, inside-the-beltway/east of Rock Creek high school that was strawmanned down to clear the way for capital to be spent on the Woodward reopening.

Which high school is that?

The one that they knew was needed, but, because of a lack of consideration, planning for which was abandoned with justification from poor mock-ups and land acquisition cost estimates to pave the way for alternate use of the capital for Wooodward.

Are you talking about the hospital site in Takoma Park? I think it would be a great site for a new HS.

Which money would MCPS buy it with?

I know! All the money should go to Bethesda because they pay the most taxes.

Nobody said that. Which money would MCPS buy the former Adventist hospital site in Takoma Park with?

Whether that or some other site, it would be the same funds used for other capital improvements. Immaterial are the facts that MoCo doesn't pony up enough to cover the need and that the metric for meeting the need is not how much money is spent for an area but how well the system provides public facilities for an area relative to the other areas served. Some places cost more than others to provide similar service levels.

Well, no, it wouldn't. Because MCPS doesn't need to buy property it already owns.

Well, sure. Then a zero cost (other than the admin work involved in the transfer) would come from the same capital improvements budget. MCPS didn't own the hospital site, though. Or the Discovery site. And each had drawbacks.

There were others they might have considered, or considered differently, but thinking about those may have been limited if the purpose of the study was simply to show how difficult it would be so that focus could shift to Woodward.

Such as?

Jessup Blair Park was one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren't there other capital projects that have been delayed for over a decade? Is the auditorium more important?

Do you have HS students? Ones who perform in school plays or musicals? Ones who play an instrument in the band or orchestra? Ones who sing in a chorus? Do you participate in grade-level meetings for parents? All of these and more take place in the auditorium that every other HS in the county has. This is about access and equity, and yes, it's more important than other capital projects, because you don't build 97% of a new HS, you build 100%

Woodward, rebuilt ahead of multiple other capital projects that were on the list for rebuilding first. Take your 97% of a school and be grateful.

The perennial MCPS Capital projects problem: Overcrowded schools get funded before schools that aren't overcrowded.

The DCC schools were overcrowded before WJ. It's just that westside parents have more influence so you went to the front of the line.

Please stop all this east side/west side stuff. Interested parties from all clusters should be coming together to advocate for this funding to be restored.

Not that PP.

Great. Now let's see all clusters, especially W's, from where, presumably, the necessary tax revenue would disproportionately come on a per-household basis, advocate for that very much needed, inside-the-beltway/east of Rock Creek high school that was strawmanned down to clear the way for capital to be spent on the Woodward reopening.

Which high school is that?

The one that they knew was needed, but, because of a lack of consideration, planning for which was abandoned with justification from poor mock-ups and land acquisition cost estimates to pave the way for alternate use of the capital for Wooodward.

Are you talking about the hospital site in Takoma Park? I think it would be a great site for a new HS.

Which money would MCPS buy it with?

I know! All the money should go to Bethesda because they pay the most taxes.

Nobody said that. Which money would MCPS buy the former Adventist hospital site in Takoma Park with?

The City of Takoma Park is dumping money into up-zoning for the Washington Adventist Hospital site. They are planning a luxury high-rise, with more to follow down Maple Ave, per the dreams of the city council. The city just received approval from the county council for a minor master plan to make this happen. Who knows where the additional children will go to school. We have no space left in the nearby elementary schools.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Aren't there other capital projects that have been delayed for over a decade? Is the auditorium more important?

Do you have HS students? Ones who perform in school plays or musicals? Ones who play an instrument in the band or orchestra? Ones who sing in a chorus? Do you participate in grade-level meetings for parents? All of these and more take place in the auditorium that every other HS in the county has. This is about access and equity, and yes, it's more important than other capital projects, because you don't build 97% of a new HS, you build 100%

Woodward, rebuilt ahead of multiple other capital projects that were on the list for rebuilding first. Take your 97% of a school and be grateful.

The perennial MCPS Capital projects problem: Overcrowded schools get funded before schools that aren't overcrowded.

The DCC schools were overcrowded before WJ. It's just that westside parents have more influence so you went to the front of the line.

Please stop all this east side/west side stuff. Interested parties from all clusters should be coming together to advocate for this funding to be restored.

This is pretty disingenuous when you are asking for advocacy for an auditorium and other communities are advocating for space to relieve overcrowding in school or to fix mold or provide ADA accommodation.

Make the case for why this auditorium is more important than all those other needs and more important Thant what the council is already proposing.

DP. Why is it disingenuous? If Northwood families don't advocate for themselves, who will advocate for them?

Because it said “Interested parties from all clusters should be coming together to advocate for this funding to be restored.” The reality is that no one in another cluster or another school for that matter is an interested party in getting the auditorium. Particular if it means that other equally or more needed projects continue to get delayed

[Anonymous]

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MoCo Council’s Joint Operating Committee for Government Opportunities and Economic Development will be meeting at 9am Monday morning (4/29). Several councilmembers have put forward bills and are requesting to fund them using the County’s reserves. The merits of these bills notwithstanding, they should be funded through the regular budget as operating expenses. Reserves are intended for special, one-time cases like the auditorium at Woodward High School. The Northwood community is asking for parents to contact the County Council prior to the meeting tomorrow (4/29) to express concern and ask that these funds be used for the auditorium.

In the case of many Northwood families, please email: [e-mail]

Here's a sample letter that you can use:
***
Dear [Councilmember Stewart],

My name is ___________ and I live in ____________. I/my child(ren) attend/graduated Northwood High School and they will attend Northwood@Woodward, also known as NorthWoodward.

After decades of fighting for a new high school and being promised that our holding facility would provide the full range of academic and programmatic infrastructure, it is egregious that construction of the auditorium at Woodward is being delayed to Phase III. I am requesting that the County Council allocate $20 million from its reserves for this one-time, non-recurring expense to keep the auditorium’s construction on schedule and part of Phase II.

I am disappointed that there are several bills currently under consideration that would tap into the reserves. Those proposals should be funded through the budget as operating expenses. I urge you and your colleagues to instead use reserve funds to ensure students in the Down County Consortium have equitable access to high school programming.

Sincerely,

Your Name
Street Address
City State
Email

If this is meant for Northwood stakeholders, it'd better say "to ensure the auditorium is completed by this summer" instead of "part of Phase II." Phase II is whst helps the WJ folks -- construction while Northwood temporarily occupies Phase I.

It's not that I don't think the students/community that ultimately occupies a completed Woodward shouldn't have an auditorium, but let's not co-opt Northwood folks to advocate for anything less than having access to an on-campus auditorium themselves.

Completing the auditorium by this summer is not on the table. Northwood families knew their first year at Woodward would be without an auditorium. But they were expecting it to be available for the second (and now, third) year. That can still happen if funding is secured.

Then they should be getting Woodward families to advocate for its completion by next summer at the latest. Asking Northwood families to advocate for something that would only benefit them for a single year if it doesn't slip again (as many of these things do) is asking DCC to carry the W's water.

It's pretty bad, no matter how you look at it, but, without getting something more substantive, the political capital is better spent elsewhere.

There are no Woodward families yet.

This. Eventually, Woodward families will come from WJ, DCC, and maybe even Whitman and BCC. But in true MCPS fashion, no one yet knows who will be a Woodward family

Sure, no one knows with absolute certainty until approval, but the writing is on the wall and you have the order a bit out of whack:

WJ, primarily.

Then adjustments to Whitman, BCC, Einstein and Wheaton, but not clearing the projected overcrowding of the latter two. More of Einstein might be sent east to Northwood when it's complete (partially). Blair would see more students passing right by on the way to Northwood, too.

A very small number of DCC students accessing the Woodward magnet program when that can be stood up (? Phase III).

The end result will be relatively comfortable capacity and relatively reasonable catchment boundaries for the Ws/BCC, and continued overcrowding and less reasonable catchment boundaries for the DCC.

True that.

[Anonymous]

I can't support this. There's too much CO bloat and waste. They need to cut expenses elsewhere before I can get behind any of this.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren't there other capital projects that have been delayed for over a decade? Is the auditorium more important?

Do you have HS students? Ones who perform in school plays or musicals? Ones who play an instrument in the band or orchestra? Ones who sing in a chorus? Do you participate in grade-level meetings for parents? All of these and more take place in the auditorium that every other HS in the county has. This is about access and equity, and yes, it's more important than other capital projects, because you don't build 97% of a new HS, you build 100%

Woodward, rebuilt ahead of multiple other capital projects that were on the list for rebuilding first. Take your 97% of a school and be grateful.

The perennial MCPS Capital projects problem: Overcrowded schools get funded before schools that aren't overcrowded.

The DCC schools were overcrowded before WJ. It's just that westside parents have more influence so you went to the front of the line.

Please stop all this east side/west side stuff. Interested parties from all clusters should be coming together to advocate for this funding to be restored.

Not that PP.

Great. Now let's see all clusters, especially W's, from where, presumably, the necessary tax revenue would disproportionately come on a per-household basis, advocate for that very much needed, inside-the-beltway/east of Rock Creek high school that was strawmanned down to clear the way for capital to be spent on the Woodward reopening.

Which high school is that?

The one that they knew was needed, but, because of a lack of consideration, planning for which was abandoned with justification from poor mock-ups and land acquisition cost estimates to pave the way for alternate use of the capital for Wooodward.

Are you talking about the hospital site in Takoma Park? I think it would be a great site for a new HS.

Which money would MCPS buy it with?

I know! All the money should go to Bethesda because they pay the most taxes.

Nobody said that. Which money would MCPS buy the former Adventist hospital site in Takoma Park with?

The City of Takoma Park is dumping money into up-zoning for the Washington Adventist Hospital site. They are planning a luxury high-rise, with more to follow down Maple Ave, per the dreams of the city council. The city just received approval from the county council for a minor master plan to make this happen. Who knows where the additional children will go to school. We have no space left in the nearby elementary schools.

Won't this make the non-existant schools even more overcrowded?