School boundary changes - timing

[Anonymous]

I understand that MCPS is still in the early stage of a boundary study. Does anyone know when changes are expected to go into effect? We are considering moving to a different neighborhood and want to make sure we end up wherever our current neighborhood ends up - so kids aren't separated from friends. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

If you're talking about the Woodward HS study, the changes are to begin taking effect in the fall of 2026. In March 2025, the board will vote on the new boundaries, so there will be about a year and a half advance notice.

[Anonymous]

Here are the details of the study's scope and the anticipated timeline:

https://gis.mcpsmd.org/boundarystudypdfs/WoodwardHS_BoundaryStudyScope.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're talking about the Woodward HS study, the changes are to begin taking effect in the fall of 2026. In March 2025, the board will vote on the new boundaries, so there will be about a year and a half advance notice.

Thank you! This is super helpful. By that time, my youngest would be a starting his sophmore year. Would he be grandfathered in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you're talking about the Woodward HS study, the changes are to begin taking effect in the fall of 2026. In March 2025, the board will vote on the new boundaries, so there will be about a year and a half advance notice.

Thank you! This is super helpful. By that time, my youngest would be a starting his sophmore year. Would he be grandfathered in?

In past boundary changes, rising juniors and seniors are grandfathered in, as well as students enrolled in special programs unique to that school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand that MCPS is still in the early stage of a boundary study. Does anyone know when changes are expected to go into effect? We are considering moving to a different neighborhood and want to make sure we end up wherever our current neighborhood ends up - so kids aren't separated from friends. Thanks!

There is really no way to be sure of this. We know that no elementary school boundaries are being changed, but the new middle and high school boundaries are anybody's guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand that MCPS is still in the early stage of a boundary study. Does anyone know when changes are expected to go into effect? We are considering moving to a different neighborhood and want to make sure we end up wherever our current neighborhood ends up - so kids aren't separated from friends. Thanks!

If the kids from school A get rezoned to school B, it will hardly make a difference. This is all about hair-splitting. These schools are so similar that it really doesn't matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand that MCPS is still in the early stage of a boundary study. Does anyone know when changes are expected to go into effect? We are considering moving to a different neighborhood and want to make sure we end up wherever our current neighborhood ends up - so kids aren't separated from friends. Thanks!

If the kids from school A get rezoned to school B, it will hardly make a difference. This is all about hair-splitting. These schools are so similar that it really doesn't matter.

WJ and Wheaton aren't very similar, and they are the two schools with boundaries closest to Woodward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand that MCPS is still in the early stage of a boundary study. Does anyone know when changes are expected to go into effect? We are considering moving to a different neighborhood and want to make sure we end up wherever our current neighborhood ends up - so kids aren't separated from friends. Thanks!

If the kids from school A get rezoned to school B, it will hardly make a difference. This is all about hair-splitting. These schools are so similar that it really doesn't matter.

Not true at all. The HS' affected are:

BCC (#6 in MCPS)
Blair (#9 in MCPS)
Einstein
WJ (#5 in MCPS)
Kennedy
Northwood
Wheaton
Whitman (#2 school in MCPS ranked #147 Nationally, #3 in Maryland, #5 in DC Metro )

[Anonymous]

The ability to implement the boundary study is conditional upon Woodward HS being completed and then Northward being razed and rebuilt. I have no idea MCPS's success rate in adhering to schedule and budget with capital projects like this and acknowledge that they undertake them regularly. Most big projects go over time and budget. Will Northwood really move to Woodward Fall 2024?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The ability to implement the boundary study is conditional upon Woodward HS being completed and then Northward being razed and rebuilt. I have no idea MCPS's success rate in adhering to schedule and budget with capital projects like this and acknowledge that they undertake them regularly. Most big projects go over time and budget. Will Northwood really move to Woodward Fall 2024?

Yes. Woodward phase 1 (the holding school) is 72% complete already.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/CV7KV553A6A4/$file/Construct%20Prog%20Rpt%20230907.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The ability to implement the boundary study is conditional upon Woodward HS being completed and then Northward being razed and rebuilt. I have no idea MCPS's success rate in adhering to schedule and budget with capital projects like this and acknowledge that they undertake them regularly. Most big projects go over time and budget. Will Northwood really move to Woodward Fall 2024?

Yes. Woodward phase 1 (the holding school) is 72% complete already.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/CV7KV553A6A4/$file/Construct%20Prog%20Rpt%20230907.pdf

But you are right that Woodward's reopening as its own school is dependent on the not-yet-started construction of the new Northwood building happening on schedule. But by the time the boundary decisions are being made in 2025, we will have a better sense of that project's ability to finish on time.