2nd round options for Crown/Damascus HS?

[Anonymous]

So is QO - no more access to Poolesville magnets if student didn't want IB

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just want to point out — one of your “horrendous” initial options was where Ritchie Park would split in half and then half would go to CJMS and then on to RMHS.

In the new options, one option is exactly like that, but swap CJMS for RFMS, and the other three are almost as bad in terms of split articulation. What they are proposing to do to RPES makes zero sense.

Write in the survey. Julius West is not overcrowded so not sure why they need to do this.

Yes, I'm confused with the new options for RMHS cluster.

It seems like no area in RM is being zoned for Crown in the new options. RM is over capacity. Are they assuming that more students will choose programs in other schools than students choosing programs at RM? Maybe I missed something here. Can someone explain the RMHS boundary change, if any?

And as you stated, JWMS is not over capacity. So, why are they moving RPES to Frost?

RM was supposed to get an addition years ago due to overcrowding - they had the architectural plans and everything and then BoE scrapped it because of the Crown study. It makes no sense to not move some students from RM to Crown or another school since there has been overcrowding and Crown was supposed to address it instead of building the expansion - there are 10 portables in the parking lot now.

This +1. RM is the one that's overcrowding, and I'm very confused why it's currently over-utilized, but then all 4 options reach "under-utilization" without moving out any of its ESs?

Currently, around 30-40% of students in RMIB are from home schools that are not in Region 4 under the new proposed model. I suspect they will reduce the size of the IB program now that all students outside of Region 4 will be ineligible to apply, which will help with utilization

You mean to tell me that of the 2300 students at RM 30-40% (720-960) are from schools other than Churchill Wootton or Rockville? IIRC the former two have about 150 kids there. Removing that many will free up a ton of space. Seems high though

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just want to point out — one of your “horrendous” initial options was where Ritchie Park would split in half and then half would go to CJMS and then on to RMHS.

In the new options, one option is exactly like that, but swap CJMS for RFMS, and the other three are almost as bad in terms of split articulation. What they are proposing to do to RPES makes zero sense.

Write in the survey. Julius West is not overcrowded so not sure why they need to do this.

Yes, I'm confused with the new options for RMHS cluster.

It seems like no area in RM is being zoned for Crown in the new options. RM is over capacity. Are they assuming that more students will choose programs in other schools than students choosing programs at RM? Maybe I missed something here. Can someone explain the RMHS boundary change, if any?

And as you stated, JWMS is not over capacity. So, why are they moving RPES to Frost?

RM was supposed to get an addition years ago due to overcrowding - they had the architectural plans and everything and then BoE scrapped it because of the Crown study. It makes no sense to not move some students from RM to Crown or another school since there has been overcrowding and Crown was supposed to address it instead of building the expansion - there are 10 portables in the parking lot now.

This +1. RM is the one that's overcrowding, and I'm very confused why it's currently over-utilized, but then all 4 options reach "under-utilization" without moving out any of its ESs?

Currently, around 30-40% of students in RMIB are from home schools that are not in Region 4 under the new proposed model. I suspect they will reduce the size of the IB program now that all students outside of Region 4 will be ineligible to apply, which will help with utilization

OK, so if they are planning to shrink the program size, I guess that could make sense, however, the majority of the RMIB students actually are from in cluster.

Someone posted a chart of the magnet program break out by HS. Can someone post that here?

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DJVQ56678E2B/$file/Attachment%20D%20SY2025%20Student%20Enrollment%20Countywide%20Programs%20250724.pdf

Majority RMIB students are in cluster from RM, Churchill, and Wootton. But fair amount are from other schools like WJ, Northwest, QO, Damascus, and Clarksburg. It was pointed out in another thread that WJ is the clear loser in the regional model because those kids will essentially lose access to IB (i.e. they will only have access to Kennedy)

Thanks. So, let's say the number of students outside region 4 in RMIB is 240 based on that doc.

According the slide deck of the new regions, they are going to bring in at least 4 additional programs because there is in total 20 programs on offer. Divided by 4 HS, each HS would have five programs.

Even if they shrink the IB down to 90 per class (360 total vs 475 now), if you add the additional 4 programs at 30 students each, that brings the total 480 (120 other programs + 360IB).

Let's say 1/4 of the students are from in cluster, so 120 students. So, 480 - 120 = 360 from other schools.

The big question is how many RM students would go to other programs in that region. If there's an even number going out, then I could see how RM could be at capacity even with the new programs. But, this is a big assumption on their part.

What if not as many RM students go to other programs as students from other HS come into RM?

This is why it makes no sense to put this new program in place at the same time as the boundary change. Variables are unknown.


https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DKRJWU4F383C/$file/10.01%20Program%20Analysis%20Boundary%20Studies%20Comm%20Engage%20Plan%20Update%20250821%20PPT%20REV.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just want to point out — one of your “horrendous” initial options was where Ritchie Park would split in half and then half would go to CJMS and then on to RMHS.

In the new options, one option is exactly like that, but swap CJMS for RFMS, and the other three are almost as bad in terms of split articulation. What they are proposing to do to RPES makes zero sense.

Write in the survey. Julius West is not overcrowded so not sure why they need to do this.

Yes, I'm confused with the new options for RMHS cluster.

It seems like no area in RM is being zoned for Crown in the new options. RM is over capacity. Are they assuming that more students will choose programs in other schools than students choosing programs at RM? Maybe I missed something here. Can someone explain the RMHS boundary change, if any?

And as you stated, JWMS is not over capacity. So, why are they moving RPES to Frost?

RM was supposed to get an addition years ago due to overcrowding - they had the architectural plans and everything and then BoE scrapped it because of the Crown study. It makes no sense to not move some students from RM to Crown or another school since there has been overcrowding and Crown was supposed to address it instead of building the expansion - there are 10 portables in the parking lot now.

This +1. RM is the one that's overcrowding, and I'm very confused why it's currently over-utilized, but then all 4 options reach "under-utilization" without moving out any of its ESs?

Currently, around 30-40% of students in RMIB are from home schools that are not in Region 4 under the new proposed model. I suspect they will reduce the size of the IB program now that all students outside of Region 4 will be ineligible to apply, which will help with utilization

You mean to tell me that of the 2300 students at RM 30-40% (720-960) are from schools other than Churchill Wootton or Rockville? IIRC the former two have about 150 kids there. Removing that many will free up a ton of space. Seems high though

No, PP is saying out of the 475 RMIB students, about half are from those HS outside of region 4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just want to point out — one of your “horrendous” initial options was where Ritchie Park would split in half and then half would go to CJMS and then on to RMHS.

In the new options, one option is exactly like that, but swap CJMS for RFMS, and the other three are almost as bad in terms of split articulation. What they are proposing to do to RPES makes zero sense.

Write in the survey. Julius West is not overcrowded so not sure why they need to do this.

Yes, I'm confused with the new options for RMHS cluster.

It seems like no area in RM is being zoned for Crown in the new options. RM is over capacity. Are they assuming that more students will choose programs in other schools than students choosing programs at RM? Maybe I missed something here. Can someone explain the RMHS boundary change, if any?

And as you stated, JWMS is not over capacity. So, why are they moving RPES to Frost?

RM was supposed to get an addition years ago due to overcrowding - they had the architectural plans and everything and then BoE scrapped it because of the Crown study. It makes no sense to not move some students from RM to Crown or another school since there has been overcrowding and Crown was supposed to address it instead of building the expansion - there are 10 portables in the parking lot now.

This +1. RM is the one that's overcrowding, and I'm very confused why it's currently over-utilized, but then all 4 options reach "under-utilization" without moving out any of its ESs?

Currently, around 30-40% of students in RMIB are from home schools that are not in Region 4 under the new proposed model. I suspect they will reduce the size of the IB program now that all students outside of Region 4 will be ineligible to apply, which will help with utilization

OK, so if they are planning to shrink the program size, I guess that could make sense, however, the majority of the RMIB students actually are from in cluster.

Someone posted a chart of the magnet program break out by HS. Can someone post that here?

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DJVQ56678E2B/$file/Attachment%20D%20SY2025%20Student%20Enrollment%20Countywide%20Programs%20250724.pdf

Majority RMIB students are in cluster from RM, Churchill, and Wootton. But fair amount are from other schools like WJ, Northwest, QO, Damascus, and Clarksburg. It was pointed out in another thread that WJ is the clear loser in the regional model because those kids will essentially lose access to IB (i.e. they will only have access to Kennedy)

Thanks. So, let's say the number of students outside region 4 in RMIB is 240 based on that doc.

According the slide deck of the new regions, they are going to bring in at least 4 additional programs because there is in total 20 programs on offer. Divided by 4 HS, each HS would have five programs.

Even if they shrink the IB down to 90 per class (360 total vs 475 now), if you add the additional 4 programs at 30 students each, that brings the total 480 (120 other programs + 360IB).

Let's say 1/4 of the students are from in cluster, so 120 students. So, 480 - 120 = 360 from other schools.

The big question is how many RM students would go to other programs in that region. If there's an even number going out, then I could see how RM could be at capacity even with the new programs. But, this is a big assumption on their part.

What if not as many RM students go to other programs as students from other HS come into RM?

This is why it makes no sense to put this new program in place at the same time as the boundary change. Variables are unknown.


https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DKRJWU4F383C/$file/10.01%20Program%20Analysis%20Boundary%20Studies%20Comm%20Engage%20Plan%20Update%20250821%20PPT%20REV.pdf

I doubt it’ll be even if they’re truly criteria based

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So after that whole uproar in 2019 about Cabin Branch being moved from Clarksburg to Seneca Valley...all four of these new options move Cabin Branch back to Clarksburg.

Being rich has its benefits I suppose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:QO sees a massive decline in FARMS.

I haven't really taken a look at the new maps or charts closely.

But there wasn't really any way that the QO's FARMS numbers wouldn't go down.

The areas pretty close to where Crown High, in particular the Fields Road Elementary area and areas further up Muddy Branch Road by NIST, have more affordable townhomes and apartments. This includes the area behind Festival Shopping Center, which looks like it currently is an island that goes to Jones Lane ES and QO.

It's a reason why most of the options has Crown HS starting at 35 percent FARMS, because it takes a lot of the high FARMS area from QO.

They might've been able to try to balance it more by spreading out some areas between Crown HS, Northwest HS and QO HS, in particular that area around Festival Shopping Center. Where the current commute times aren't that different from the Festival Shopping Center to each of the high schools:

QO
4.5 miles 12 minutes

Crown
2.9 miles 11 minutes

Northwest
6.6 miles 14 minutes

But based on distance, Crown HS is still the closest. Which goes back to that location may not have been the best location to put a school but guess it was a matter of the free land.

The current proposals is still better than the initial. Where in two of the initial proposals, it had QO having its FARMS rate go down to around 13 and 15 percent. So it looks like they did try to balance it a bit better than they did the first time around.

QO’s own FARMs rate will go down, but being switched to Region 5 means our cohorts in the new special programs will be coming from schools with higher FARMs rates than if we had stayed in Region 6. QO itself will be fine, but students who want to attend special programs no longer have access to Poolesville. It’s a huge disappointment.

This. The cohorts in the magnet will be from higher Farms rates schools and the region 5 magnet is probably going to be the worst. Good if your kid stays in QO but bad if your kid is a high achiever and gets into a magnet.

[Anonymous]

With the maybe decision of placing crown HS as a holding school from 10/16 meeting, does that mean 4 options from this 2nd round of Crown MS/HS school rezone not valid and will be subjected to major changes again at 3rd rounds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With the maybe decision of placing crown HS as a holding school from 10/16 meeting, does that mean 4 options from this 2nd round of Crown MS/HS school rezone not valid and will be subjected to major changes again at 3rd rounds?

First they have to get permission from the state and then the board apparently has to vote on whether to go along with Taylor's holding school proposal for Crown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With the maybe decision of placing crown HS as a holding school from 10/16 meeting, does that mean 4 options from this 2nd round of Crown MS/HS school rezone not valid and will be subjected to major changes again at 3rd rounds?

First they have to get permission from the state and then the board apparently has to vote on whether to go along with Taylor's holding school proposal for Crown.

What happens if the proposal of Crown HS as holding school approves? Likely or not likely to happen? It seems like to be a good decision from another standpoint. My brain is foggy and cannot process and predict what the outcomes are if it is approved?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With the maybe decision of placing crown HS as a holding school from 10/16 meeting, does that mean 4 options from this 2nd round of Crown MS/HS school rezone not valid and will be subjected to major changes again at 3rd rounds?

First they have to get permission from the state and then the board apparently has to vote on whether to go along with Taylor's holding school proposal for Crown.

What happens if the proposal of Crown HS as holding school approves? Likely or not likely to happen? It seems like to be a good decision from another standpoint. My brain is foggy and cannot process and predict what the outcomes are if it is approved?

Hard to say, but I'm assuming the board would need to redraw the scope of the boundary study. It sounded like they were proposing Damascus be the first high school to occupy Crown as a holding school, and that they would do so including the newly-reassigned students there.

[Anonymous]

This is so confusing. So if they use Crown as a holding school, does that mean all of this boundary stuff was for nothing?

[Anonymous]

After all this, MCPS might be considering delaying the opening of Crown HS. From Bethesda Magazine https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/16/crown-high-boundary-study/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is so confusing. So if they use Crown as a holding school, does that mean all of this boundary stuff was for nothing?

I think they could still reassign some Clarksburg students to Damascus to relieve overcrowding there, for example, but wouldn't reassign any students directly to Crown at this time. That would come later, sometime after Damascus, Magruder, and Wootton had used it for a holding school. Note that neither Magruder nor Wootton's project sare included in the new CIP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so confusing. So if they use Crown as a holding school, does that mean all of this boundary stuff was for nothing?

I think they could still reassign some Clarksburg students to Damascus to relieve overcrowding there, for example, but wouldn't reassign any students directly to Crown at this time. That would come later, sometime after Damascus, Magruder, and Wootton had used it for a holding school. Note that neither Magruder nor Wootton's project sare included in the new CIP.

That seems to we are talking about a decade like 10 years after if wait until Damascus, Magruder, and Wootton have used Crown HS as a holding school. My kids may have graduated from MCPS by then. Lol