Taylor's Feb Rec for Crown Boundary Study

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t homes in Crown far more expensive?

Hence the Crown families are eager to bring the Wootton families to Crown.

The Churchill people don't want to go to Wootton because they see it as a downgrade.

Similar to how some Wootton families don't trust that the school will maintain it's same academic standing with the move.

Then the Crown/Rosemont island people don't want their kids to go to Gaithersburg HS.

So there is a bit of classism going on and it's going on at different levels.

With the Wootton families, remember it's not just academic performance but also stability. Where sure the enrollment numbers currently show there's a decline in enrollment. But what happens when enrollment goes back up? Richard Montgomery and Bayard were both opened at over capacity and have portables right? So that should show confidence in the projections from MCPS. So they have empty school building on Wootton Parkway and reopen and some of the previous areas that fed into Wootton would stay at Crown. Those families that have to stay at Crown probably won't be at a bad school. But it won't be the third top school in the state.

This is why a lot of Wootton families are questioning the data and input for question H and want more information on it before anything is finalized. But in a lot of ways it seems like MCPS revealed option H at the 11th hour with questionable data.

And this is why Wootton families are asking for MCPS to slowdown and show proof behind the data before making irreversible decisions.

hearing so much about wootton's current state, I am highly doubting this claim of 3rd top school in the state? How can it be that high when they don't have functioning science labs? Do they just bypass all the MCPS curriculum that's done at QO, RM, NW etc? No bunson burners? seems like they could be measuring things inaccurately. sus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are no irreversible decisions. If there's a baby boom or a federal government hiring boom leading to families flocking to Rockville, Wootton can be re-opened.

But it won't be the same Wootton because it will be determined that some feeder ES schools remain at Crown.

So it could be something like Dufief and Stone Mill stays at Crown. While the other original feeder schools go back to Wootton.

Then those Dufief and Stone Mill families wouldn't be in the same type of school that Wootton was. Like I said, it might not be a bad school. But would it be top five or ten in the state?

If the building conditions were really that bad, then wouldn't the pro H Wootton families jump at the chance for a new school regardless if the rest of the community goes with them? No, they spent all time wanting to keep the community together and now they want the new school too.

And the Rosemont island people? It used to be a given, you either choose a nice house/newer school or you choose the higher performing schools and sacrifice what you get a bit. Take the developments around Lakeforest mall. Some people may have initially bought into those neighborhoods for the nice/new homes. But a good number of families moved out once it was time for their kids to go to school. The homes around Rosemont island are on the expensive side. But they would be even more expensive if they were zoned for another school. And the Rosemont island people want the nice homes they got AND a higher performing school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t homes in Crown far more expensive?

Hence the Crown families are eager to bring the Wootton families to Crown.

The Churchill people don't want to go to Wootton because they see it as a downgrade.

Similar to how some Wootton families don't trust that the school will maintain it's same academic standing with the move.

Then the Crown/Rosemont island people don't want their kids to go to Gaithersburg HS.

So there is a bit of classism going on and it's going on at different levels.

With the Wootton families, remember it's not just academic performance but also stability. Where sure the enrollment numbers currently show there's a decline in enrollment. But what happens when enrollment goes back up? Richard Montgomery and Bayard were both opened at over capacity and have portables right? So that should show confidence in the projections from MCPS. So they have empty school building on Wootton Parkway and reopen and some of the previous areas that fed into Wootton would stay at Crown. Those families that have to stay at Crown probably won't be at a bad school. But it won't be the third top school in the state.

This is why a lot of Wootton families are questioning the data and input for question H and want more information on it before anything is finalized. But in a lot of ways it seems like MCPS revealed option H at the 11th hour with questionable data.

And this is why Wootton families are asking for MCPS to slowdown and show proof behind the data before making irreversible decisions.

hearing so much about wootton's current state, I am highly doubting this claim of 3rd top school in the state? How can it be that high when they don't have functioning science labs? Do they just bypass all the MCPS curriculum that's done at QO, RM, NW etc? No bunson burners? seems like they could be measuring things inaccurately. sus.

It's the third best high school in the state according to the US News High School rankings:
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/maryland

And we know families who moved out of the area and said they picked the specific schools based on these rankings.

[Anonymous]

^^^ moved in from out of the area

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t homes in Crown far more expensive?

Now they are with developers banking on Wootton @ Crown.

They were already close to a million for townhouses; over a million for single family. It's more expensive than Kentlands / Lakelands.

Crown is also completely finished house construction wise.

Find a new slant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the potential FARMS rate at Wootton @ Crown?

Asking as a family in a Woodward zone.

19%. Wootton's current FARMS rate is 14%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t homes in Crown far more expensive?

Hence the Crown families are eager to bring the Wootton families to Crown.

The Churchill people don't want to go to Wootton because they see it as a downgrade.

Similar to how some Wootton families don't trust that the school will maintain it's same academic standing with the move.

Then the Crown/Rosemont island people don't want their kids to go to Gaithersburg HS.

So there is a bit of classism going on and it's going on at different levels.

With the Wootton families, remember it's not just academic performance but also stability. Where sure the enrollment numbers currently show there's a decline in enrollment. But what happens when enrollment goes back up? Richard Montgomery and Bayard were both opened at over capacity and have portables right? So that should show confidence in the projections from MCPS. So they have empty school building on Wootton Parkway and reopen and some of the previous areas that fed into Wootton would stay at Crown. Those families that have to stay at Crown probably won't be at a bad school. But it won't be the third top school in the state.

This is why a lot of Wootton families are questioning the data and input for question H and want more information on it before anything is finalized. But in a lot of ways it seems like MCPS revealed option H at the 11th hour with questionable data.

And this is why Wootton families are asking for MCPS to slowdown and show proof behind the data before making irreversible decisions.

hearing so much about wootton's current state, I am highly doubting this claim of 3rd top school in the state? How can it be that high when they don't have functioning science labs? Do they just bypass all the MCPS curriculum that's done at QO, RM, NW etc? No bunson burners? seems like they could be measuring things inaccurately. sus.

It's the third best high school in the state according to the US News High School rankings:
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/maryland

And we know families who moved out of the area and said they picked the specific schools based on these rankings.

ranking are based on this "Maryland high school students are assessed in English language arts and math through the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program and in science through the Maryland Integrated Science Assessments. Learn more from the Maryland State Department of Education."
so MCAP scores. not exactly a holistic assessment of the entirety of any school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the woman who went to the candidate forum last night and who was the only person when asking a question that was repeatedly shouted at and interrupted throughout my attempt to ask the candidates my question. For every person who spoke, we all quietly and respectfully listened. Once it was my turn to speak, as I tried to explain why many of us parents support the rec and don't want to stay in the building with no money for renovations until the next cycle, multiple people in the audience started screaming and shouting at me, interrupting and telling me to ask my question. I refuse to be silenced and so I kept on talking over the shouting. I asked the candidates about Policy FAA's factor that *requires* that a boundary change strive to *increase* diversity and whether if elected they would follow that requirement even if they had constituents telling them that they don't want to move because of increased diversity. And important preface to that question was me informing them of the fact that I have personally been told to my face on Tuesday night (with witnesses!) and I have seen numerous comments in writing that some people are against the Rec because they don't want to go to school with Crown kids. This is a verifiable fact that has been said to me directly, in person, with witnesses, and in writing with hundreds of witnesses. I never once said any racial group was racist, obviously, and to say otherwise is defamatory and I will not tolerate it. There's a video. Also, one of the candidates previously expressed support and encouragement for the planned lawsuit against the BOE she is running for, which I took the opportunity to call out as disqualifying. After the forum was over, I approached the woman who told the crowd at Tuesday's forum to ask her why she said what she said about MCPS getting approval for options A-G but not H, in light of the facts and the law. We got into a heated exchange and decided to agree to disagree. I was then approached by several people, at different times, who came up to me yelling about Dufief, yelling at me "why did Dufief drag us into this" "just go to Crown" "you're hypocrites." There were a couple of nice people who actually engaged respectfully with me in productive conversations about getting renovations at Wootton and how to improve this process. One woman in particular who is against the Rec was so sweet to me in particular, and asked me about what I had heard. I told her exactly the racist comments I was told on Tuesday, and she told me to ignore those voices. We even talked with one of the candidates who approached me after to thank me for bravely speaking out and calling out racism, and who admonished those who rudely screamed and interrupted me. Many of the candidates thanked me in their answers for bravely calling this to their attention. I have dozens of messages from parents over the past few months decrying the racism they've witnessed, sending me the screenshots of vile comments made about certain demographics and whose stated reason for not wanting to go to Crown is because of the demographics of the Crown kids. I can't begin to explain how hurtful this is to Crown families I've talked with. No one including me is saying ALL people who are against the rec are racist, of course. There are many different reasons people have to be against the rec. I am being an ally and calling out the racist comments I am told directly and see with my own eyes. There are so many issues with this boundary process, and it's unfortunate as a community that all too often when discussing the merits of particular ways to address boundaries, those conversations are hijacked by some individuals to throw in race into the debate. The silence and complicity of not calling out these individuals when they make racist comments is destructive to the community and it undermines the very valid reasons and objections people may have. Let's do better folks.

Yes, please let’s do better. The crowd did not single you out. They interrupted you because you start telling everyone their opposition was racist.

I was standing right by the woman you “approached.”’ And by I approach, I mean you rushed over to yell at her.

This was not an “heated exchange.” This was you yelling at her face non stop. I heard her telling you multiple times that she would love to have a civil conversation with you but you kept screaming at her. She never once yelled in your face. It took one of the CANDIDATES to step in and physically remove this woman from you for you to stop yelling at her.

As Dr. Taylor said, just relax. Do better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are no irreversible decisions. If there's a baby boom or a federal government hiring boom leading to families flocking to Rockville, Wootton can be re-opened.

But it won't be the same Wootton because it will be determined that some feeder ES schools remain at Crown.

So it could be something like Dufief and Stone Mill stays at Crown. While the other original feeder schools go back to Wootton.

Then those Dufief and Stone Mill families wouldn't be in the same type of school that Wootton was. Like I said, it might not be a bad school. But would it be top five or ten in the state?

If the building conditions were really that bad, then wouldn't the pro H Wootton families jump at the chance for a new school regardless if the rest of the community goes with them? No, they spent all time wanting to keep the community together and now they want the new school too.

And the Rosemont island people? It used to be a given, you either choose a nice house/newer school or you choose the higher performing schools and sacrifice what you get a bit. Take the developments around Lakeforest mall. Some people may have initially bought into those neighborhoods for the nice/new homes. But a good number of families moved out once it was time for their kids to go to school. The homes around Rosemont island are on the expensive side. But they would be even more expensive if they were zoned for another school. And the Rosemont island people want the nice homes they got AND a higher performing school.

No, it won't be the "same Wootton" nor will it even be called Wootton since that same will be taken by the school @ Crown. But families who live near it would attend, albeit not with the exact same 6 clusters they do now. But that's life. Boundaries change. If you want a school district that never changes, move to a small town. A high school's entire student body turns over every 4 years anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t homes in Crown far more expensive?

Hence the Crown families are eager to bring the Wootton families to Crown.

The Churchill people don't want to go to Wootton because they see it as a downgrade.

Similar to how some Wootton families don't trust that the school will maintain it's same academic standing with the move.

Then the Crown/Rosemont island people don't want their kids to go to Gaithersburg HS.

So there is a bit of classism going on and it's going on at different levels.

With the Wootton families, remember it's not just academic performance but also stability. Where sure the enrollment numbers currently show there's a decline in enrollment. But what happens when enrollment goes back up? Richard Montgomery and Bayard were both opened at over capacity and have portables right? So that should show confidence in the projections from MCPS. So they have empty school building on Wootton Parkway and reopen and some of the previous areas that fed into Wootton would stay at Crown. Those families that have to stay at Crown probably won't be at a bad school. But it won't be the third top school in the state.

This is why a lot of Wootton families are questioning the data and input for question H and want more information on it before anything is finalized. But in a lot of ways it seems like MCPS revealed option H at the 11th hour with questionable data.

And this is why Wootton families are asking for MCPS to slowdown and show proof behind the data before making irreversible decisions.

hearing so much about wootton's current state, I am highly doubting this claim of 3rd top school in the state? How can it be that high when they don't have functioning science labs? Do they just bypass all the MCPS curriculum that's done at QO, RM, NW etc? No bunson burners? seems like they could be measuring things inaccurately. sus.

It's the third best high school in the state according to the US News High School rankings:
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/maryland

And we know families who moved out of the area and said they picked the specific schools based on these rankings.

Many families hugely overemphasize school rankings and underemphasize fit for their individual kids (Wootton isn't a great environment for everyone same as every other school). All of the ranking systems (US News, Greatschools.org) have massive flaws that flatten information that really matters when picking a school - but possibly fixable if they start doing a better job counting bunsen burners?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the potential FARMS rate at Wootton @ Crown?

Asking as a family in a Woodward zone.

19%. Wootton's current FARMS rate is 14%.

Just putting this out there, this may be the best option you get Wootton families. Things can change over time. Board members changes, FAA policies change …. etc.

~ Woodward family

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t homes in Crown far more expensive?

Hence the Crown families are eager to bring the Wootton families to Crown.

The Churchill people don't want to go to Wootton because they see it as a downgrade.

Similar to how some Wootton families don't trust that the school will maintain it's same academic standing with the move.

Then the Crown/Rosemont island people don't want their kids to go to Gaithersburg HS.

So there is a bit of classism going on and it's going on at different levels.

With the Wootton families, remember it's not just academic performance but also stability. Where sure the enrollment numbers currently show there's a decline in enrollment. But what happens when enrollment goes back up? Richard Montgomery and Bayard were both opened at over capacity and have portables right? So that should show confidence in the projections from MCPS. So they have empty school building on Wootton Parkway and reopen and some of the previous areas that fed into Wootton would stay at Crown. Those families that have to stay at Crown probably won't be at a bad school. But it won't be the third top school in the state.

This is why a lot of Wootton families are questioning the data and input for question H and want more information on it before anything is finalized. But in a lot of ways it seems like MCPS revealed option H at the 11th hour with questionable data.

And this is why Wootton families are asking for MCPS to slowdown and show proof behind the data before making irreversible decisions.

hearing so much about wootton's current state, I am highly doubting this claim of 3rd top school in the state? How can it be that high when they don't have functioning science labs? Do they just bypass all the MCPS curriculum that's done at QO, RM, NW etc? No bunson burners? seems like they could be measuring things inaccurately. sus.

Rankings are typically mostly based on test scores, which are generally largely a result of the demographics of the student body. Doesn't tell you much about the teachers, classes, or facilities (other than that they didn't screw up the advantage of having a student body who came in largely primed to excel on tests already.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the potential FARMS rate at Wootton @ Crown?

Asking as a family in a Woodward zone.

19%. Wootton's current FARMS rate is 14%.

Just putting this out there, this may be the best option you get Wootton families. Things can change over time. Board members changes, FAA policies change …. etc.

~ Woodward family

revelation ~ the "best option here" is that all kids deserve to eat so they can learn!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t homes in Crown far more expensive?

Hence the Crown families are eager to bring the Wootton families to Crown.

The Churchill people don't want to go to Wootton because they see it as a downgrade.

Similar to how some Wootton families don't trust that the school will maintain it's same academic standing with the move.

Then the Crown/Rosemont island people don't want their kids to go to Gaithersburg HS.

So there is a bit of classism going on and it's going on at different levels.

With the Wootton families, remember it's not just academic performance but also stability. Where sure the enrollment numbers currently show there's a decline in enrollment. But what happens when enrollment goes back up? Richard Montgomery and Bayard were both opened at over capacity and have portables right? So that should show confidence in the projections from MCPS. So they have empty school building on Wootton Parkway and reopen and some of the previous areas that fed into Wootton would stay at Crown. Those families that have to stay at Crown probably won't be at a bad school. But it won't be the third top school in the state.

This is why a lot of Wootton families are questioning the data and input for question H and want more information on it before anything is finalized. But in a lot of ways it seems like MCPS revealed option H at the 11th hour with questionable data.

And this is why Wootton families are asking for MCPS to slowdown and show proof behind the data before making irreversible decisions.

hearing so much about wootton's current state, I am highly doubting this claim of 3rd top school in the state? How can it be that high when they don't have functioning science labs? Do they just bypass all the MCPS curriculum that's done at QO, RM, NW etc? No bunson burners? seems like they could be measuring things inaccurately. sus.

It's the third best high school in the state according to the US News High School rankings:
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/maryland

And we know families who moved out of the area and said they picked the specific schools based on these rankings.

Best is subjective. Those scores don't take into account the violence that has happened, it strictly looks at test scores so if you put all wealthy, high scoring students at a school, then you will get a high ranking. If they moved all those kids to Kennedy and moved Kennedy students out, Kennedy would be that ranking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the potential FARMS rate at Wootton @ Crown?

Asking as a family in a Woodward zone.

19%. Wootton's current FARMS rate is 14%.

Students with parent who are low income can also be smart and do well in school.