Recent experiences with Silver Spring International

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The track is on park land -- it was transferred to M-NCPPC/Montgomery Parks when the old Blair HS was decommissioned and cut up into SSIMS and Sligo Creek ES. Why? Because the spec for middle schools did not include a track and field of that size, whereas the HS had to have one. (Lots of head-scratching facility decisions over the past 3 decades, especially in areas like downcounty where space is at a premuim and the county hasn't done enough to ensure public-use space isn't overwhelmed by private development interests.)

Like many adjacent park facilities that are used for school athletics/activities, it is supposed to be reserved for school use during school hours and otherwise open to the community. A problem at SSIMS (and, honestly, and sadly unsurprisingly much of downcounty) is that the park has not been well kept by the parks folks. Ignoring the overgrowth, field condition, etc., the fencing/access is poor and poorly marked.

The "random people" walking the track, using the blacktop, etc., are just those from the extended neighborhood, often accessing it via the popular, adjacent trail along Sligo Creek -- the same folks you'd see using outdoor facilities while walking the Capital Crescent Trail or Bethesda Trolley Trail. The differences are the dual use, school and community, and the poor upkeep, signage and care by the parks folks to pay attention/enforce the hours that are supposed to be school-only.

I doubt this is intentional, just that there are louder voices elsewhere that divert attention/resources.

I agree it’s most likely not intentional. But to clarify, are students using the track during the school day? At the same time as community members? If so, I just feel like that is unsafe. Anyone that enters a school building needs to be buzzed in, provide identification, and receive a visitor pass.

The track is outdoors, in a public park adjacent to the school.

[Anonymous]

From my understanding the track is right next to the school’s gym. The gym isn’t connected to the main building. So students have to exit the building to walk to the gym and or track. It’s problematic that students are required to leave the school and walk to a separate area that is bordering a public park. Additionally, the gym and track run alongside a busy roadway. I don’t know how this gone unchecked for so long.

[Anonymous]

Where are the schools where the track is completely fenced in like a prison yard?. I live right there, have a kid at SCES and no, most people don’t use the track while school is in session. The gym is on Wayne but not right on the street and the track is even farther back along the Sligo Creek trail. I don’t get the expectation that the track be so closed off. The issue of the gym not being connected I somewhat get…but as someone who routinely walked 10-15 to gym facilities as a middle and high schooler in Europe, this expectation that all schools have a gym and track is very odd to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are the schools where the track is completely fenced in like a prison yard?. I live right there, have a kid at SCES and no, most people don’t use the track while school is in session. The gym is on Wayne but not right on the street and the track is even farther back along the Sligo Creek trail. I don’t get the expectation that the track be so closed off. The issue of the gym not being connected I somewhat get…but as someone who routinely walked 10-15 to gym facilities as a middle and high schooler in Europe, this expectation that all schools have a gym and track is very odd to me.

With respect, PP, you were walking to and from those facilities in a part of the world where there is much less physical danger available.

[Anonymous]

It doesn't need to be fenced off in the sense that it be gated & locked/not allow any access, but the fencing is broken and overgrown, the entries are similar and with poor signage, and the parks folks don't do the job they are supposed to do in keeping it school-use only during the school day. It's not like they need a cop there all the time, but they do need frequent, regular visits by park personnel to make sure others aren't using it when they shouldn't. That's not supposed to be on the PE teacher. And maybe they could, you know, actually maintain the grounds?

Not sure how you say the gym is not right on the street. The front door faces Wayne, about 15 paces from the intersection with the light at Mansfield, and right where the Purple line's being constructed. The fact that there's a small parking lot between the track and the road doesn't really separate it, either.

[Anonymous]

Great school and community! We love it!!!

[Anonymous]

I don’t think we are allowed to talk about SSIMS on this site. I posted a link to this article when it was first came out. After a few responses thread was removed. Weird censorship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't need to be fenced off in the sense that it be gated & locked/not allow any access, but the fencing is broken and overgrown, the entries are similar and with poor signage, and the parks folks don't do the job they are supposed to do in keeping it school-use only during the school day. It's not like they need a cop there all the time, but they do need frequent, regular visits by park personnel to make sure others aren't using it when they shouldn't. That's not supposed to be on the PE teacher. And maybe they could, you know, actually maintain the grounds?

Not sure how you say the gym is not right on the street. The front door faces Wayne, about 15 paces from the intersection with the light at Mansfield, and right where the Purple line's being constructed. The fact that there's a small parking lot between the track and the road doesn't really separate it, either.

What’s the problem with the gym being close to the road? Most school buildings I see are near roads and not all that set back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think we are allowed to talk about SSIMS on this site. I posted a link to this article when it was first came out. After a few responses thread was removed. Weird censorship.

It seems like SSIMS has gone under the radar for too long. I’m glad people are speaking out. It’s refreshing to see a school community advocate for needed improvements. I feel like most of the issues in MCPS come from ignoring problems until they snowball. I would hope that the removal was for other reasons rather than censorship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't need to be fenced off in the sense that it be gated & locked/not allow any access, but the fencing is broken and overgrown, the entries are similar and with poor signage, and the parks folks don't do the job they are supposed to do in keeping it school-use only during the school day. It's not like they need a cop there all the time, but they do need frequent, regular visits by park personnel to make sure others aren't using it when they shouldn't. That's not supposed to be on the PE teacher. And maybe they could, you know, actually maintain the grounds?

Not sure how you say the gym is not right on the street. The front door faces Wayne, about 15 paces from the intersection with the light at Mansfield, and right where the Purple line's being constructed. The fact that there's a small parking lot between the track and the road doesn't really separate it, either.

What’s the problem with the gym being close to the road? Most school buildings I see are near roads and not all that set back.

It's different when the gym is in a field house and the kids have to walk back & forth outside each day. Both families and admins are concerned about the exposure to unknown adults, and the increased adult pedestrian use of the space right in front of the school with the Purple Line stop is what's driving the coming move of the gym to a rebuilt space where the old Blair HS auditorium now is mothballed.

[Anonymous]

As an incoming parent, the track and field house seem less of an issue then staff sending a letter to the principal with statements like this:

“A number of serious incidents have led staff members to feel unsafe coming to work, and the unstructured atmosphere in the hallways has negatively impacted student learning and wellbeing,” the letter read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are the schools where the track is completely fenced in like a prison yard?. I live right there, have a kid at SCES and no, most people don’t use the track while school is in session. The gym is on Wayne but not right on the street and the track is even farther back along the Sligo Creek trail. I don’t get the expectation that the track be so closed off. The issue of the gym not being connected I somewhat get…but as someone who routinely walked 10-15 to gym facilities as a middle and high schooler in Europe, this expectation that all schools have a gym and track is very odd to me.

With respect, PP, you were walking to and from those facilities in a part of the world where there is much less physical danger available.

You have no idea where in Europe, PP lived or their social class growing up. My coworker grew up poor in France and was regularly robbed or randomly beat up as a teen. Another coworker is Croatian and was abducted walking home from school and forced to participate in a crime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As an incoming parent, the track and field house seem less of an issue then staff sending a letter to the principal with statements like this:

“A number of serious incidents have led staff members to feel unsafe coming to work, and the unstructured atmosphere in the hallways has negatively impacted student learning and wellbeing,” the letter read.

Exactly. I’m a PP with a kid at SCES and we got a similar letter just last week. That concerns me a lot more than the gym/track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are the schools where the track is completely fenced in like a prison yard?. I live right there, have a kid at SCES and no, most people don’t use the track while school is in session. The gym is on Wayne but not right on the street and the track is even farther back along the Sligo Creek trail. I don’t get the expectation that the track be so closed off. The issue of the gym not being connected I somewhat get…but as someone who routinely walked 10-15 to gym facilities as a middle and high schooler in Europe, this expectation that all schools have a gym and track is very odd to me.

With respect, PP, you were walking to and from those facilities in a part of the world where there is much less physical danger available.

You have no idea where in Europe, PP lived or their social class growing up. My coworker grew up poor in France and was regularly robbed or randomly beat up as a teen. Another coworker is Croatian and was abducted walking home from school and forced to participate in a crime.

I’m the PP who grew up in Europe (in this case a Paris suburb) and the main issues were drug dealing right outside the schools (fortunately mostly pot) and rival groups pulling knives on each other (and using them in a case or two). Just like at SSIMS, the buildings were old, with multiple fire code violations etc…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think we are allowed to talk about SSIMS on this site. I posted a link to this article when it was first came out. After a few responses thread was removed. Weird censorship.

Seemed like a pretty generic article that could be about HS in the USA.