BCC Middle School Site Selction number 2 - 2012 version -

[Anonymous]

Wait...a vote whether MCPS can use its _own_ property? If MCPS is already there, what's the vote? What am I missing?


Some not very clever sarcasm. They are voting as to whether the community ass'n should have a position about the possibility of locating the new middle school there.

What! They are on the "List" yet this is the first time they have considered or voted on whether a school should be placed on property already owned by MCPS?

Whoa. They must have really felt protected...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think as MC residents, we need to understand how agencies think. What they say in public is as good an indicator as anything. I want to remind everyone of a quote from the Chief Operating Officer of MCPS.

At the MCPS Board of Education meeting on May 23, 2011, when the BOE voted to proceed with feasibility study of Rock Creek Hills as the site of the BCC Middle School #2, several members of the board expressed dismay over the school system’s working relationship with Parks. One month earlier, they had been caught off guard by M-NCPPC Chair Francoise M. Carrier’s April 27 letter to the Board of Education officially opposing the use of parkland for the construction of new schools in Montgomery County. Larry A. Bowers, the Chief Operating Officer of MCPS, said to the Board members “We’re going to need all parks”.

I was there that night and I can say that Mr. Bowers gave this directive with annoyance but without any second thoughts. This man is more than an employee of the school system. As the longtime COO, he dictates how MCPS thinks and operates.

This is where we are. As residents, we need to recognize this as a new time of cooperation and accountability for all government agencies. Wishful thinking or a challenge?

Wishful thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never thought I would see a "not in my back yard" reaction to a school. All I can say is wow.

Cue violins and feign indignation. Please. These are established neighborhoods, and people are talking about ripping out our green space. Kids, and adults, need parks to experience what little environment is left in this hodgepodge of development we have down county.

The people in these neighborhoods have yards.

[Anonymous]

The people in these neighborhoods have yards.

Some have no yards (apartment dwellers), some have tiny yards, and some have big yards.

But does that negate the public necessity for public parks?

Honestly, I am starting to feel a little "John Adams" about all this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Wait...a vote whether MCPS can use its _own_ property? If MCPS is already there, what's the vote? What am I missing?


Some not very clever sarcasm. They are voting as to whether the community ass'n should have a position about the possibility of locating the new middle school there.

What! They are on the "List" yet this is the first time they have considered or voted on whether a school should be placed on property already owned by MCPS?

Whoa. They must have really felt protected...

Has every community association had a vote? My impression is the last process happened fairly quickly with little public input, and "the list" for this process was released fairly recently, but if you want to proceed with your conspiracy theories, by all means...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never thought I would see a "not in my back yard" reaction to a school. All I can say is wow.

Cue violins and feign indignation. Please. These are established neighborhoods, and people are talking about ripping out our green space. Kids, and adults, need parks to experience what little environment is left in this hodgepodge of development we have down county.

The people in these neighborhoods have yards.

So, the violins would disturb them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Wait...a vote whether MCPS can use its _own_ property? If MCPS is already there, what's the vote? What am I missing?


Some not very clever sarcasm. They are voting as to whether the community ass'n should have a position about the possibility of locating the new middle school there.

What! They are on the "List" yet this is the first time they have considered or voted on whether a school should be placed on property already owned by MCPS?

Whoa. They must have really felt protected...

Has every community association had a vote? My impression is the last process happened fairly quickly with little public input, and "the list" for this process was released fairly recently, but if you want to proceed with your conspiracy theories, by all means...

All the sites previously considered were on the list the second time around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The people in these neighborhoods have yards.

Some have no yards (apartment dwellers), some have tiny yards, and some have big yards.

But does that negate the public necessity for public parks?

Honestly, I am starting to feel a little "John Adams" about all this.

Calm down, John. You have a lot of us behind you. Just because we don't flame with nasty posts doesn't mean we're not here. We support parks, and we will fight for them.

[Anonymous]

Has every community association had a vote? My impression is the last process happened fairly quickly with little public input, and "the list" for this process was released fairly recently, but if you want to proceed with your conspiracy theories, by all means...


All the sites previously considered were on the list the second time around.

So... they must have really felt insulated from the first decision...They were listed as one of 10 sites but let's face it, never really thought they would be actually considered.

[Anonymous]

So... they must have really felt insulated from the first decision...They were listed as one of 10 sites but let's face it, never really thought they would be actually considered.

Probably because the total site barely squeaks by the bare minimum acreage that MCPS says they need, as I've stated earlier on this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think as MC residents, we need to understand how agencies think. What they say in public is as good an indicator as anything. I want to remind everyone of a quote from the Chief Operating Officer of MCPS.

At the MCPS Board of Education meeting on May 23, 2011, when the BOE voted to proceed with feasibility study of Rock Creek Hills as the site of the BCC Middle School #2, several members of the board expressed dismay over the school system’s working relationship with Parks. One month earlier, they had been caught off guard by M-NCPPC Chair Francoise M. Carrier’s April 27 letter to the Board of Education officially opposing the use of parkland for the construction of new schools in Montgomery County. Larry A. Bowers, the Chief Operating Officer of MCPS, said to the Board members “We’re going to need all parks”.

I was there that night and I can say that Mr. Bowers gave this directive with annoyance but without any second thoughts. This man is more than an employee of the school system. As the longtime COO, he dictates how MCPS thinks and operates.

This is where we are. As residents, we need to recognize this as a new time of cooperation and accountability for all government agencies. Wishful thinking or a challenge?

Wishful thinking.

PP, I think you're right, that this dude/dudette is hoping for the impossible. Looking at the 'Hot Topics' on this DC Urban Mom forum, the important discussion entitled "Describe your sex life with a movie title" currently has 249 responses and 18,327 views. This middle school tantrum has only 202 and 3404. No one cares. We're doomed to get what we ask for...or not get what we don't ask for.

[Anonymous]

Calm down, John. You have a lot of us behind you. Just because we don't flame with nasty posts doesn't mean we're not here. We support parks, and we will fight for them.

This post I agree with 100%. Done.

We will fight for our parks. All Parks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think as MC residents, we need to understand how agencies think. What they say in public is as good an indicator as anything. I want to remind everyone of a quote from the Chief Operating Officer of MCPS.

At the MCPS Board of Education meeting on May 23, 2011, when the BOE voted to proceed with feasibility study of Rock Creek Hills as the site of the BCC Middle School #2, several members of the board expressed dismay over the school system’s working relationship with Parks. One month earlier, they had been caught off guard by M-NCPPC Chair Francoise M. Carrier’s April 27 letter to the Board of Education officially opposing the use of parkland for the construction of new schools in Montgomery County. Larry A. Bowers, the Chief Operating Officer of MCPS, said to the Board members “We’re going to need all parks”.

I was there that night and I can say that Mr. Bowers gave this directive with annoyance but without any second thoughts. This man is more than an employee of the school system. As the longtime COO, he dictates how MCPS thinks and operates.

This is where we are. As residents, we need to recognize this as a new time of cooperation and accountability for all government agencies. Wishful thinking or a challenge?

Wishful thinking.

PP, I think you're right, that this dude/dudette is hoping for the impossible. Looking at the 'Hot Topics' on this DC Urban Mom forum, the important discussion entitled "Describe your sex life with a movie title" currently has 249 responses and 18,327 views. This middle school tantrum has only 202 and 3404. No one cares. We're doomed to get what we ask for...or not get what we don't ask for.

Wait...there's a Hot Topic, "Describe your sex life with a movie title?" See ya!

[Anonymous]

We will fight for our parks. All Parks.

So what's your solution? Where would you put the middle school?

[Anonymous]

Probably because the total site barely squeaks by the bare minimum acreage that MCPS says they need, as I've stated earlier on this thread.

But you are obviously so wrong about. We have to think about smaller more urban and compact sites.

Can we please try to maintain sanity here?