No renovation to Wootton?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wootton has already had one renovation. On the other hand Poolesville which was built in 1952 has never had a day of renovation. The building is not ADA compliant and if the right person made the right phone call to the right person Smith would be falling all over himself to kiss ass.

No one will do this but make a trip out to Poolesville on a Saturday when basketball is going on and take a tour of the school. It's amazing how much neglect has been allowed to occur. Kids cannot get down the hall between change of classes, there is no water in some of the bathrooms, and plaster is falling into classrooms.

If the same building would have stood in Rockville or Bethesda it would have been demolished 15 years ago.

It was renovated in 1978.

[Anonymous]

You're falling into their trap: we shouldn't be infighting against each other, we should be working together to get what is needed for ALL schools.

Agree with previous poster about the long range planning staff at MCPS. They couldn't plan their way out of a paper bag.

[Anonymous]

Well if you want to be a sanctuary county and welcome all the poor immigrants, you are going to see higher enrollment and higher FARMS, ESOL, and special education needs, but much less taxes that are being collected to go towards education. The middle class pays for every one of these FARMS kids. The wealthy have all the breaks and loopholes. They also don't care because they send their kids to the 180 private schools in the county alone. The poor don't pay taxes. The immigrants make more money than noted because they work under the table. so the middle class pay the majority. How about that massive property tax increase last year? Expect to see more in the future.

MCPS is stretched too thin. The BOE motto is to just ask the county and state for more and then cry that they have to increase ratios instead of getting rid of upper administration bulk and stupid programs like immersion, HGC, magnets, etc.. that cost a ton of money and only help a small window of kids by lottery What about the PEP program? Millions wasted. The state shouldn't have to keep giving so much for a poorly run overcrowded district. The county? If they want sanctuary as well as keep building apartments, condos, and townhouses, they need to fork over some more money instead of lining the pockets of the builders/politicians. But they don't and the county continues to go on a massive decline. Overcrowded, understaffed, building falling apart, and lack of security that keeps MCPS in the news weekly for sexual predators in the schools.

They also fudge their testing scores and grading to continue to look competitive when they are not. All honors and AP scores get a whole point higher. Most districts, it is only 0.5 higher. Add that to a 79.5 and an 89.5 equals an A for a semester grade. So if you get a 69.5 and a 79.5 in an honors course, you get an unweighted B and a weighted A for the year. It is total BS. And you wonder why all the kids were failing final exams? Oh wait, no one wonders. The county just got rid of them. Why? Because they were abysmal (60-70% failing.) So instead of getting to the root of what is wrong and making sure these kids are prepared for college, they yank them for good.

It is pretty sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well if you want to be a sanctuary county and welcome all the poor immigrants, you are going to see higher enrollment and higher FARMS, ESOL, and special education needs, but much less taxes that are being collected to go towards education. The middle class pays for every one of these FARMS kids. The wealthy have all the breaks and loopholes. They also don't care because they send their kids to the 180 private schools in the county alone. The poor don't pay taxes. The immigrants make more money than noted because they work under the table. so the middle class pay the majority. How about that massive property tax increase last year? Expect to see more in the future.

MCPS is stretched too thin. The BOE motto is to just ask the county and state for more and then cry that they have to increase ratios instead of getting rid of upper administration bulk and stupid programs like immersion, HGC, magnets, etc.. that cost a ton of money and only help a small window of kids by lottery What about the PEP program? Millions wasted. The state shouldn't have to keep giving so much for a poorly run overcrowded district. The county? If they want sanctuary as well as keep building apartments, condos, and townhouses, they need to fork over some more money instead of lining the pockets of the builders/politicians. But they don't and the county continues to go on a massive decline. Overcrowded, understaffed, building falling apart, and lack of security that keeps MCPS in the news weekly for sexual predators in the schools.

They also fudge their testing scores and grading to continue to look competitive when they are not. All honors and AP scores get a whole point higher. Most districts, it is only 0.5 higher. Add that to a 79.5 and an 89.5 equals an A for a semester grade. So if you get a 69.5 and a 79.5 in an honors course, you get an unweighted B and a weighted A for the year. It is total BS. And you wonder why all the kids were failing final exams? Oh wait, no one wonders. The county just got rid of them. Why? Because they were abysmal (60-70% failing.) So instead of getting to the root of what is wrong and making sure these kids are prepared for college, they yank them for good.

It is pretty sad.

Well said. I just can't agree you any more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well if you want to be a sanctuary county and welcome all the poor immigrants, you are going to see higher enrollment and higher FARMS, ESOL, and special education needs, but much less taxes that are being collected to go towards education. The middle class pays for every one of these FARMS kids. The wealthy have all the breaks and loopholes. They also don't care because they send their kids to the 180 private schools in the county alone. The poor don't pay taxes. The immigrants make more money than noted because they work under the table. so the middle class pay the majority. How about that massive property tax increase last year? Expect to see more in the future.

MCPS is stretched too thin. The BOE motto is to just ask the county and state for more and then cry that they have to increase ratios instead of getting rid of upper administration bulk and stupid programs like immersion, HGC, magnets, etc.. that cost a ton of money and only help a small window of kids by lottery What about the PEP program? Millions wasted. The state shouldn't have to keep giving so much for a poorly run overcrowded district. The county? If they want sanctuary as well as keep building apartments, condos, and townhouses, they need to fork over some more money instead of lining the pockets of the builders/politicians. But they don't and the county continues to go on a massive decline. Overcrowded, understaffed, building falling apart, and lack of security that keeps MCPS in the news weekly for sexual predators in the schools.

They also fudge their testing scores and grading to continue to look competitive when they are not. All honors and AP scores get a whole point higher. Most districts, it is only 0.5 higher. Add that to a 79.5 and an 89.5 equals an A for a semester grade. So if you get a 69.5 and a 79.5 in an honors course, you get an unweighted B and a weighted A for the year. It is total BS. And you wonder why all the kids were failing final exams? Oh wait, no one wonders. The county just got rid of them. Why? Because they were abysmal (60-70% failing.) So instead of getting to the root of what is wrong and making sure these kids are prepared for college, they yank them for good.

It is pretty sad.

Those expensive programs keep the smarter kids sticking with the county instead of moving to private. So it keeps up the SAT/ACT scores and grades. They know how to play the game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well if you want to be a sanctuary county and welcome all the poor immigrants, you are going to see higher enrollment and higher FARMS, ESOL, and special education needs, but much less taxes that are being collected to go towards education. The middle class pays for every one of these FARMS kids. The wealthy have all the breaks and loopholes. They also don't care because they send their kids to the 180 private schools in the county alone. The poor don't pay taxes. The immigrants make more money than noted because they work under the table. so the middle class pay the majority. How about that massive property tax increase last year? Expect to see more in the future.

MCPS is stretched too thin. The BOE motto is to just ask the county and state for more and then cry that they have to increase ratios instead of getting rid of upper administration bulk and stupid programs like immersion, HGC, magnets, etc.. that cost a ton of money and only help a small window of kids by lottery What about the PEP program? Millions wasted. The state shouldn't have to keep giving so much for a poorly run overcrowded district. The county? If they want sanctuary as well as keep building apartments, condos, and townhouses, they need to fork over some more money instead of lining the pockets of the builders/politicians. But they don't and the county continues to go on a massive decline. Overcrowded, understaffed, building falling apart, and lack of security that keeps MCPS in the news weekly for sexual predators in the schools.

They also fudge their testing scores and grading to continue to look competitive when they are not. All honors and AP scores get a whole point higher. Most districts, it is only 0.5 higher. Add that to a 79.5 and an 89.5 equals an A for a semester grade. So if you get a 69.5 and a 79.5 in an honors course, you get an unweighted B and a weighted A for the year. It is total BS. And you wonder why all the kids were failing final exams? Oh wait, no one wonders. The county just got rid of them. Why? Because they were abysmal (60-70% failing.) So instead of getting to the root of what is wrong and making sure these kids are prepared for college, they yank them for good.

It is pretty sad.

FYI- PEP and special ed services are not just for immigrants who do not pay taxes. My DS is white, we pay taxes and he has some needs that require special ed services in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well if you want to be a sanctuary county and welcome all the poor immigrants, you are going to see higher enrollment and higher FARMS, ESOL, and special education needs, but much less taxes that are being collected to go towards education. The middle class pays for every one of these FARMS kids. The wealthy have all the breaks and loopholes. They also don't care because they send their kids to the 180 private schools in the county alone. The poor don't pay taxes. The immigrants make more money than noted because they work under the table. so the middle class pay the majority. How about that massive property tax increase last year? Expect to see more in the future.

MCPS is stretched too thin. The BOE motto is to just ask the county and state for more and then cry that they have to increase ratios instead of getting rid of upper administration bulk and stupid programs like immersion, HGC, magnets, etc.. that cost a ton of money and only help a small window of kids by lottery What about the PEP program? Millions wasted. The state shouldn't have to keep giving so much for a poorly run overcrowded district. The county? If they want sanctuary as well as keep building apartments, condos, and townhouses, they need to fork over some more money instead of lining the pockets of the builders/politicians. But they don't and the county continues to go on a massive decline. Overcrowded, understaffed, building falling apart, and lack of security that keeps MCPS in the news weekly for sexual predators in the schools.

They also fudge their testing scores and grading to continue to look competitive when they are not. All honors and AP scores get a whole point higher. Most districts, it is only 0.5 higher. Add that to a 79.5 and an 89.5 equals an A for a semester grade. So if you get a 69.5 and a 79.5 in an honors course, you get an unweighted B and a weighted A for the year. It is total BS. And you wonder why all the kids were failing final exams? Oh wait, no one wonders. The county just got rid of them. Why? Because they were abysmal (60-70% failing.) So instead of getting to the root of what is wrong and making sure these kids are prepared for college, they yank them for good.

It is pretty sad.

FYI- PEP and special ed services are not just for immigrants who do not pay taxes. My DS is white, we pay taxes and he has some needs that require special ed services in school.

I am sorry, I didn't mean PEP. I meant the PCE, Ted talks etc... i confused the two. Millions wasted on a fake coalition that is supposed to better the county. Free TED talks that cost 5 figures to host and only 50 people show up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wootton has already had one renovation. On the other hand Poolesville which was built in 1952 has never had a day of renovation. The building is not ADA compliant and if the right person made the right phone call to the right person Smith would be falling all over himself to kiss ass.

No one will do this but make a trip out to Poolesville on a Saturday when basketball is going on and take a tour of the school. It's amazing how much neglect has been allowed to occur. Kids cannot get down the hall between change of classes, there is no water in some of the bathrooms, and plaster is falling into classrooms.

If the same building would have stood in Rockville or Bethesda it would have been demolished 15 years ago.

Agreed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well if you want to be a sanctuary county and welcome all the poor immigrants, you are going to see higher enrollment and higher FARMS, ESOL, and special education needs, but much less taxes that are being collected to go towards education. The middle class pays for every one of these FARMS kids. The wealthy have all the breaks and loopholes. They also don't care because they send their kids to the 180 private schools in the county alone. The poor don't pay taxes. The immigrants make more money than noted because they work under the table. so the middle class pay the majority. How about that massive property tax increase last year? Expect to see more in the future.

MCPS is stretched too thin. The BOE motto is to just ask the county and state for more and then cry that they have to increase ratios instead of getting rid of upper administration bulk and stupid programs like immersion, HGC, magnets, etc.. that cost a ton of money and only help a small window of kids by lottery What about the PEP program? Millions wasted. The state shouldn't have to keep giving so much for a poorly run overcrowded district. The county? If they want sanctuary as well as keep building apartments, condos, and townhouses, they need to fork over some more money instead of lining the pockets of the builders/politicians. But they don't and the county continues to go on a massive decline. Overcrowded, understaffed, building falling apart, and lack of security that keeps MCPS in the news weekly for sexual predators in the schools.

They also fudge their testing scores and grading to continue to look competitive when they are not. All honors and AP scores get a whole point higher. Most districts, it is only 0.5 higher. Add that to a 79.5 and an 89.5 equals an A for a semester grade. So if you get a 69.5 and a 79.5 in an honors course, you get an unweighted B and a weighted A for the year. It is total BS. And you wonder why all the kids were failing final exams? Oh wait, no one wonders. The county just got rid of them. Why? Because they were abysmal (60-70% failing.) So instead of getting to the root of what is wrong and making sure these kids are prepared for college, they yank them for good.

It is pretty sad.

Well said PP, it's the middle class/upper middle class getting squeezed. The wealthy go private and collect tax breaks just as they pass 'Go' in the MoCo monopoly game. I'm not anti-immigrant, I am anti-illegal alien and having to watch money go down the drain to educate those kids because this county welcomes them with open arms. Yes, legally we have to educate them but it doesn't mean the local laws should be lax and harbor sanctuary communities. Those screaming we need feed, clothe and educate them, are the very liberals living in gated/posh communities. Most of the time their only interaction with immigrants is through volunteering or home services( cut grass, maid or nanny)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Well said PP, it's the middle class/upper middle class getting squeezed. The wealthy go private and collect tax breaks just as they pass 'Go' in the MoCo monopoly game. I'm not anti-immigrant, I am anti-illegal alien and having to watch money go down the drain to educate those kids because this county welcomes them with open arms. Yes, legally we have to educate them but it doesn't mean the local laws should be lax and harbor sanctuary communities. Those screaming we need feed, clothe and educate them, are the very liberals living in gated/posh communities. Most of the time their only interaction with immigrants is through volunteering or home services( cut grass, maid or nanny)

Which local laws, specifically, are lax? Which sanctuary communities are being harbored, how?

Also, where are these gated communities that the liberals are living in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Well said PP, it's the middle class/upper middle class getting squeezed. The wealthy go private and collect tax breaks just as they pass 'Go' in the MoCo monopoly game. I'm not anti-immigrant, I am anti-illegal alien and having to watch money go down the drain to educate those kids because this county welcomes them with open arms. Yes, legally we have to educate them but it doesn't mean the local laws should be lax and harbor sanctuary communities. Those screaming we need feed, clothe and educate them, are the very liberals living in gated/posh communities. Most of the time their only interaction with immigrants is through volunteering or home services( cut grass, maid or nanny)

Which local laws, specifically, are lax? Which sanctuary communities are being harbored, how?

Also, where are these gated communities that the liberals are living in?

Doesn't Montgomery College offer tuition discounts for illegals? For what? They aren't even legally allowed to work in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wootton has already had one renovation. On the other hand Poolesville which was built in 1952 has never had a day of renovation. The building is not ADA compliant and if the right person made the right phone call to the right person Smith would be falling all over himself to kiss ass.

No one will do this but make a trip out to Poolesville on a Saturday when basketball is going on and take a tour of the school. It's amazing how much neglect has been allowed to occur. Kids cannot get down the hall between change of classes, there is no water in some of the bathrooms, and plaster is falling into classrooms.

If the same building would have stood in Rockville or Bethesda it would have been demolished 15 years ago.

It was renovated in 1978.

No it was "modernized" in 1978. The original building is still the same as the 50's. The lights aren't working, ceiling pieces open, leaking, poor heat control, bathroom not working, no wheelchair accessibility within the school, cramped cafeteria and gym, etc.. How does Potomac schools get so many elementary renovations while a major high school stays untouched for 40 years. They need new computer labs, no science and technology rooms, better athletic training/facilities, a larger cafeteria, a gym with bleachers that can fit the school. An auditorium with working show lights and an up to date A/V system where more than a 1/4 of the school can sit. This takes priority over the simplicity of the elementary school needs in Potomac/Bethesda.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/maryland-schools-insider/post/poolesville-students-spotlight-outdated-high-school/2011/11/11/gIQAGpsvDN_blog.html?utm_term=.b15ba9085ffe

[Anonymous]

It may not be the politically correct thing to say, but capacity issues are going to trump old buildings every day of the week. And there's a lot of capacity issues in some of the areas mentioned as getting big renovations whereas the other schools don't. When you have 600 kids and no place to seat them in a classroom, you have to either add on to a school, or build a new school.If a building is falling apart, they try to patch it together for as long as they can, and then some more.

I'm not saying it's right, but the reality is there is not enough money to do it all. There isn't even enough money to address all the capacity issues that exist. So if you are waiting for a school to be fixed because it's old or needs to be modernized, you're going to be waiting for a long, long, time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:...The wealthy have all the breaks and loopholes. They also don't care because they send their kids to the 180 private schools in the county alone.

As far as I know, there are no loopholes for getting out of paying property taxes. I laugh all the way to my public school thinking about all those property owners who pay $10,000+ per year in property taxes and then send their kids to private schools. They are doing the rest of us a favor. MCPS has lots of issues, but this isn't one of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It may not be the politically correct thing to say, but capacity issues are going to trump old buildings every day of the week. And there's a lot of capacity issues in some of the areas mentioned as getting big renovations whereas the other schools don't. When you have 600 kids and no place to seat them in a classroom, you have to either add on to a school, or build a new school.If a building is falling apart, they try to patch it together for as long as they can, and then some more.

I'm not saying it's right, but the reality is there is not enough money to do it all. There isn't even enough money to address all the capacity issues that exist. So if you are waiting for a school to be fixed because it's old or needs to be modernized, you're going to be waiting for a long, long, time.

Capacity issues:

Hoover Middle School
Potomac Elementary School
Beverly Farms Elementary School
Wayside Elementary School

NONE had capacity issues. They are all still under enrolled.