Initial boundary options for Crown/Damascus study

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It has been 19 days.

Could I have a cup of tea, sir?

New options are being presented October 13th.

[Anonymous]

Hoping that these new options don’t have Seneca Valley jumping to 118% capacity like some of the previous options

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When are the next options (September 2025) coming ?

October 13:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/news/mcps-news/2025/09/boundary-study-october-meetings/

Thank you. Do we have a preview of what they will look like?

Not really. We just have this list of "working assumptions" from the August BOE meeting:

Next Round of Boundary Study Options

Working Assumptions Aligned to Board Policy FAA Factors and Feedback from Initial Options

● Include Proposed 6 Region Model in option development
● Prioritize proximity of neighborhoods and communities to schools (this the #1 piece of feedback we have received from community engagement)
● Minimize length of school bus rides and maximize safe walk zones whenever possible
● Avoid disproportionate split articulation whenever possible
● Minimize disruptions for communities who have experienced recent boundary changes and those who experience additional school transitions (primary and intermediate schools)
● Maintain the 80 to 100 percent efficient facility utilization range for middle and high schools included in the boundary study scopes
● Consider costs for resources associated with options (staffing, facilities, transportation, etc.) in order to be fiscally responsible

If they were able to include all of the above assumptions, this boundary study would have been over and done with, with the majority of stakeholders happy. We all know that we will be lucky if everyone gets ONE thing off that list considering the first 4 options included 1 (at most) of the above for our neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When are the next options (September 2025) coming ?

October 13:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/news/mcps-news/2025/09/boundary-study-october-meetings/

Thank you. Do we have a preview of what they will look like?

Not really. We just have this list of "working assumptions" from the August BOE meeting:

Next Round of Boundary Study Options

Working Assumptions Aligned to Board Policy FAA Factors and Feedback from Initial Options

● Include Proposed 6 Region Model in option development
● Prioritize proximity of neighborhoods and communities to schools (this the #1 piece of feedback we have received from community engagement)
● Minimize length of school bus rides and maximize safe walk zones whenever possible
● Avoid disproportionate split articulation whenever possible
● Minimize disruptions for communities who have experienced recent boundary changes and those who experience additional school transitions (primary and intermediate schools)
● Maintain the 80 to 100 percent efficient facility utilization range for middle and high schools included in the boundary study scopes
● Consider costs for resources associated with options (staffing, facilities, transportation, etc.) in order to be fiscally responsible

If they were able to include all of the above assumptions, this boundary study would have been over and done with, with the majority of stakeholders happy. We all know that we will be lucky if everyone gets ONE thing off that list considering the first 4 options included 1 (at most) of the above for our neighborhood.

These are all favorable criteria and I hope you and your neighborhood respect as well.Potomac

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To me, it makes more sense and cost savings not to do any changes to walking zones neighborhood. Our home high school is within walking zones, and 2 options cause is to be bused 10 to 15 mins (if I drive kids by myself with zero traffic) which is really weird. School bus may take 20 to 30 mins or more depends on the number of stops or traffic.

Part of the issue is that not all current walk zones make sense, because it has been so long since a comprehensive revision was undertaken.

Right now you have kids who are well within the walk zone for a school, but not for the school to which they are currently assigned.

So, keeping current walk zones doesn't actually solve the problem unless you go back to first principles and assign walkers to the school nearest their house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To me, it makes more sense and cost savings not to do any changes to walking zones neighborhood. Our home high school is within walking zones, and 2 options cause is to be bused 10 to 15 mins (if I drive kids by myself with zero traffic) which is really weird. School bus may take 20 to 30 mins or more depends on the number of stops or traffic.

Part of the issue is that not all current walk zones make sense, because it has been so long since a comprehensive revision was undertaken.

Right now you have kids who are well within the walk zone for a school, but not for the school to which they are currently assigned.

So, keeping current walk zones doesn't actually solve the problem unless you go back to first principles and assign walkers to the school nearest their house.

Yes, this. It's ridiculous that the first round options didn't address this.

[Anonymous]

Have they finalized anything ? I heard Boyd art studies are done ..✅

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To me, it makes more sense and cost savings not to do any changes to walking zones neighborhood. Our home high school is within walking zones, and 2 options cause is to be bused 10 to 15 mins (if I drive kids by myself with zero traffic) which is really weird. School bus may take 20 to 30 mins or more depends on the number of stops or traffic.

Part of the issue is that not all current walk zones make sense, because it has been so long since a comprehensive revision was undertaken.

Right now you have kids who are well within the walk zone for a school, but not for the school to which they are currently assigned.

So, keeping current walk zones doesn't actually solve the problem unless you go back to first principles and assign walkers to the school nearest their house.

Interestingly, it’s actually mathematically impossible to do this. However you sraw the boundaries you will always end up with some kids not being assigned tonl the closest school.

[Anonymous]

When / how should i know if all this circus is over ? is there any deadline or time frame when they will annouce final boundaries ?

MCPS circus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When / how should i know if all this circus is over ? is there any deadline or time frame when they will annouce final boundaries ?

MCPS circus

Final boundary decisions (for HS and MS) are scheduled for the BOE meeting on March 26, 2026.