Woodward HS boundary study - BCC, Blair, Einstein, WJ, Kennedy, Northwood, Wheaton, Whitman impacts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here’s the link to the proposed Takoma Park HS some of you have been mentioning: https://takomatorch.com/index.php/2019/11/13/takoma-park-announces-plans-for-new-high-school/

hahaha! Honestly though, that would have been a good site for a HS (I used to live in the neighborhood).

I don't know where another HS could be built, but with the priority for denser housing around metro stations, MCPS is going to have to build another high school eventually. Was it ever considered back during the big "revitalization" of downtown SS a couple decades ago? Likely not possible now but might have been a better use of land than the largely empty mall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s the link to the proposed Takoma Park HS some of you have been mentioning: https://takomatorch.com/index.php/2019/11/13/takoma-park-announces-plans-for-new-high-school/

hahaha! Honestly though, that would have been a good site for a HS (I used to live in the neighborhood).

I don't know where another HS could be built, but with the priority for denser housing around metro stations, MCPS is going to have to build another high school eventually. Was it ever considered back during the big "revitalization" of downtown SS a couple decades ago? Likely not possible now but might have been a better use of land than the largely empty mall.

or all the vacant office buildings

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s the link to the proposed Takoma Park HS some of you have been mentioning: https://takomatorch.com/index.php/2019/11/13/takoma-park-announces-plans-for-new-high-school/

hahaha! Honestly though, that would have been a good site for a HS (I used to live in the neighborhood).

I don't know where another HS could be built, but with the priority for denser housing around metro stations, MCPS is going to have to build another high school eventually. Was it ever considered back during the big "revitalization" of downtown SS a couple decades ago? Likely not possible now but might have been a better use of land than the largely empty mall.

or all the vacant office buildings

The MCPS Planning Department can't even imagine a purpose-built new school building where people don't have to walk around the bus loop and parking lot to get to the front door. There's no way they could deal with a retrofit of a vacant multistory office building. Which, also, would not be cheap. MCPS would have to pay market value for the land, and then do the retrofit, and then everyone would still complain because there's no track or football stadium and there's not enough free parking (or any), like they did when that was a possibility at Woodward.

[Anonymous]

Blair took on many, many more students when the Tacoma Langley Park area was added to Montgomery County from Prince George’s County in 1997. That has added to the current capacity crunch, and precipitated the reopening of Northwood HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they send the TOK kids to Einstein doesn't that mean that the entirety of KP Elementary would be rezoned to Einstein?

Maybe but since Einstein is already beyond capacity makes a lot more since to rezone kids to Woodward.

This has happened before. Look what happened all those years ago when Woodward closed and homes in Rockville / Potomac were re-zoned from Wootton to Richard Montgomery. The home owners tried law suits, public protests, getting a mayor elected, and even getting a home owner on the school board. Nothing worked, the kids got moved, and the stature of RM improved.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1987/05/25/school-shift-stirs-rockville-dispute/a460e6bd-9d22-4b6d-a490-c8aef025f231/

And people are still b|tching about it. 40 years later.

It ruined a community, destroyed marriages, and told MCPS that you can win against a strong affluent community. Good Luck Parkwood!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they send the TOK kids to Einstein doesn't that mean that the entirety of KP Elementary would be rezoned to Einstein?

Maybe but since Einstein is already beyond capacity makes a lot more since to rezone kids to Woodward.

This has happened before. Look what happened all those years ago when Woodward closed and homes in Rockville / Potomac were re-zoned from Wootton to Richard Montgomery. The home owners tried law suits, public protests, getting a mayor elected, and even getting a home owner on the school board. Nothing worked, the kids got moved, and the stature of RM improved.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1987/05/25/school-shift-stirs-rockville-dispute/a460e6bd-9d22-4b6d-a490-c8aef025f231/

And people are still b|tching about it. 40 years later.

It ruined a community, destroyed marriages, and told MCPS that you can win against a strong affluent community. Good Luck Parkwood!!!!

Ruined a community! Destroyed marriages! Say it ain't so!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they send the TOK kids to Einstein doesn't that mean that the entirety of KP Elementary would be rezoned to Einstein?

Maybe but since Einstein is already beyond capacity makes a lot more since to rezone kids to Woodward.

This has happened before. Look what happened all those years ago when Woodward closed and homes in Rockville / Potomac were re-zoned from Wootton to Richard Montgomery. The home owners tried law suits, public protests, getting a mayor elected, and even getting a home owner on the school board. Nothing worked, the kids got moved, and the stature of RM improved.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1987/05/25/school-shift-stirs-rockville-dispute/a460e6bd-9d22-4b6d-a490-c8aef025f231/

And people are still b|tching about it. 40 years later.

It ruined a community, destroyed marriages, and told MCPS that you can win against a strong affluent community. Good Luck Parkwood!!!!

Please let this be sarcasm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they send the TOK kids to Einstein doesn't that mean that the entirety of KP Elementary would be rezoned to Einstein?

Maybe but since Einstein is already beyond capacity makes a lot more since to rezone kids to Woodward.

This has happened before. Look what happened all those years ago when Woodward closed and homes in Rockville / Potomac were re-zoned from Wootton to Richard Montgomery. The home owners tried law suits, public protests, getting a mayor elected, and even getting a home owner on the school board. Nothing worked, the kids got moved, and the stature of RM improved.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1987/05/25/school-shift-stirs-rockville-dispute/a460e6bd-9d22-4b6d-a490-c8aef025f231/

And people are still b|tching about it. 40 years later.

It ruined a community, destroyed marriages, and told MCPS that you can win against a strong affluent community. Good Luck Parkwood!!!!

I love you! Keep on posting with more information!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Can anyone give a quick overview re what might happen with Takoma park schools? Any likelihood that TPMS or Blair boundaries will change for homes in Takoma Park.

I doubt TPMS boundaries will change. But Blair's are going to need to be trimmed back to relieve it from being 600ish students over capacity. No one knows where they will make the changes.

What if MCPS move the SMAC magnet and CAP from Blair Northwood, it would take 600+ students from Blair.

These programs are woven into the fabric of that school, so it's not a practical choice. It makes more sense to adjust the boundary on the edges near Northwood and possibly Einsten by creating space there with Woodward.

It's not impossible, but it would mean some specific design/build decisions that I've not seen on the table for Northwood. More recording spaces and expandable classrooms for the CAP kids (a pretty small design change), and more lab space for the SMCS kids.

A better idea is to incorporate Whitman and BCC into the DCC. They are both down county and we could offload more students while reducing the segregation at those schools.

This sounds logical. Not sure logistically how it would work. Whitman and B-CC would likely need to develop unique academic programs to qualify for membership in the DCC.

Offering some unique application programs at those schools to DCC students to create pull and improve diversity without forced busing at those schools does seem like a win.

The best thing would be to get rid of the DCC. The special DCC programs (other than CAP which also has non-DCC students who attended certain middle schools) are not strong and having students in a neighborhood scattered at different DCC schools decreases the sense of community. The DCC has not been successful.

The DCC should be expanded! Also, the DCC should be abolished!

Both are true. The fact that there is only one DCC- essentially school choice, available to a part of the county but not the rest is not right. Either create multiple DCCs to ensure equity or abolish it entirely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone give a quick overview re what might happen with Takoma park schools? Any likelihood that TPMS or Blair boundaries will change for homes in Takoma Park.

I doubt TPMS boundaries will change. But Blair's are going to need to be trimmed back to relieve it from being 600ish students over capacity. No one knows where they will make the changes.

What if MCPS move the SMAC magnet and CAP from Blair Northwood, it would take 600+ students from Blair.

These programs are woven into the fabric of that school, so it's not a practical choice. It makes more sense to adjust the boundary on the edges near Northwood and possibly Einsten by creating space there with Woodward.

It's not impossible, but it would mean some specific design/build decisions that I've not seen on the table for Northwood. More recording spaces and expandable classrooms for the CAP kids (a pretty small design change), and more lab space for the SMCS kids.

A better idea is to incorporate Whitman and BCC into the DCC. They are both down county and we could offload more students while reducing the segregation at those schools.

This sounds logical. Not sure logistically how it would work. Whitman and B-CC would likely need to develop unique academic programs to qualify for membership in the DCC.

Offering some unique application programs at those schools to DCC students to create pull and improve diversity without forced busing at those schools does seem like a win.

The best thing would be to get rid of the DCC. The special DCC programs (other than CAP which also has non-DCC students who attended certain middle schools) are not strong and having students in a neighborhood scattered at different DCC schools decreases the sense of community. The DCC has not been successful.

The DCC should be expanded! Also, the DCC should be abolished!

Both are true. The fact that there is only one DCC- essentially school choice, available to a part of the county but not the rest is not right. Either create multiple DCCs to ensure equity or abolish it entirely.

There is only one DCC. Also, there is only one NEC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone give a quick overview re what might happen with Takoma park schools? Any likelihood that TPMS or Blair boundaries will change for homes in Takoma Park.

Blair's boundary is adjacent to Northwood and Einstein, so those must be trimmed back to make room. With Woodward opening, it should create sufficient space there to accommodate maybe 200 students; similarly, with Northwood's expansion, they can pick up a few hundred from the area outside (or near) the beltway. After all, Blair's existed in DTSS, and even though its new location is elsewhere, it is the only school for that part of the county.

Where we live in Western SS near the park, BCC is the closest school, not Einstein or Blair, but we're zoned to Blair. BCC will also play a part in this, especially with the ToK moving to Woodward.

Yes. Blair’s move from Wayne Ave in Silver Spring to Four Corners created some issues with the present boundaries. It will be interesting to see which neighborhoods are moved to Woodward et al to relive the crowding.

I could see them moving ESS and the Blair-zoned part of Sligo Creek to Northwood, which are both adjacent to the part of Sligo Creek already zoned to Northwood. That would allow them to keep the city of Takoma Park together at Blair.

The city of Takoma park is so far from any other schools it doesn’t make sense to do anything other than stay with Blair. Really a new high school in downtown silver spring or Takoma Park would make a lot of sense.

Where do you think this new high school should be?

Read my previous post.

Where specifically near downtown Silver Spring or Takoma Park is there an available parcel of ten or more acres for a new high school?

30+ acres for a HS in MoCo (and 30 is small). MCPS hasn't purchased land for a new school in decades, certainly not pricey downtown space. It's not going to happen. Next!

BCC's site is ~16 acres, and is the smallest HS site in the county. But I agree they aren't going to be able to find a site of that size in DTSS or TKPK.

BCC's size seems to work for them. It's one of the top schools in the area diveristy included! Size doesn't matter when it comes to results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone give a quick overview re what might happen with Takoma park schools? Any likelihood that TPMS or Blair boundaries will change for homes in Takoma Park.

I doubt TPMS boundaries will change. But Blair's are going to need to be trimmed back to relieve it from being 600ish students over capacity. No one knows where they will make the changes.

What if MCPS move the SMAC magnet and CAP from Blair Northwood, it would take 600+ students from Blair.

These programs are woven into the fabric of that school, so it's not a practical choice. It makes more sense to adjust the boundary on the edges near Northwood and possibly Einsten by creating space there with Woodward.

It's not impossible, but it would mean some specific design/build decisions that I've not seen on the table for Northwood. More recording spaces and expandable classrooms for the CAP kids (a pretty small design change), and more lab space for the SMCS kids.

A better idea is to incorporate Whitman and BCC into the DCC. They are both down county and we could offload more students while reducing the segregation at those schools.

This sounds logical. Not sure logistically how it would work. Whitman and B-CC would likely need to develop unique academic programs to qualify for membership in the DCC.

Offering some unique application programs at those schools to DCC students to create pull and improve diversity without forced busing at those schools does seem like a win.

The best thing would be to get rid of the DCC. The special DCC programs (other than CAP which also has non-DCC students who attended certain middle schools) are not strong and having students in a neighborhood scattered at different DCC schools decreases the sense of community. The DCC has not been successful.

The DCC should be expanded! Also, the DCC should be abolished!

Both are true. The fact that there is only one DCC- essentially school choice, available to a part of the county but not the rest is not right. Either create multiple DCCs to ensure equity or abolish it entirely.

You can move down county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone give a quick overview re what might happen with Takoma park schools? Any likelihood that TPMS or Blair boundaries will change for homes in Takoma Park.

I doubt TPMS boundaries will change. But Blair's are going to need to be trimmed back to relieve it from being 600ish students over capacity. No one knows where they will make the changes.

What if MCPS move the SMAC magnet and CAP from Blair Northwood, it would take 600+ students from Blair.

These programs are woven into the fabric of that school, so it's not a practical choice. It makes more sense to adjust the boundary on the edges near Northwood and possibly Einsten by creating space there with Woodward.

It's not impossible, but it would mean some specific design/build decisions that I've not seen on the table for Northwood. More recording spaces and expandable classrooms for the CAP kids (a pretty small design change), and more lab space for the SMCS kids.

A better idea is to incorporate Whitman and BCC into the DCC. They are both down county and we could offload more students while reducing the segregation at those schools.

This sounds logical. Not sure logistically how it would work. Whitman and B-CC would likely need to develop unique academic programs to qualify for membership in the DCC.

Offering some unique application programs at those schools to DCC students to create pull and improve diversity without forced busing at those schools does seem like a win.

The best thing would be to get rid of the DCC. The special DCC programs (other than CAP which also has non-DCC students who attended certain middle schools) are not strong and having students in a neighborhood scattered at different DCC schools decreases the sense of community. The DCC has not been successful.

The DCC should be expanded! Also, the DCC should be abolished!

Both are true. The fact that there is only one DCC- essentially school choice, available to a part of the county but not the rest is not right. Either create multiple DCCs to ensure equity or abolish it entirely.

Part of why was to create the programs to keep the more wealthy families in these schools. They still often have less than the w schools. I don’t get why parents move to wealthy areas for the schools and then push for a different school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone give a quick overview re what might happen with Takoma park schools? Any likelihood that TPMS or Blair boundaries will change for homes in Takoma Park.

I doubt TPMS boundaries will change. But Blair's are going to need to be trimmed back to relieve it from being 600ish students over capacity. No one knows where they will make the changes.

What if MCPS move the SMAC magnet and CAP from Blair Northwood, it would take 600+ students from Blair.

These programs are woven into the fabric of that school, so it's not a practical choice. It makes more sense to adjust the boundary on the edges near Northwood and possibly Einsten by creating space there with Woodward.

It's not impossible, but it would mean some specific design/build decisions that I've not seen on the table for Northwood. More recording spaces and expandable classrooms for the CAP kids (a pretty small design change), and more lab space for the SMCS kids.

A better idea is to incorporate Whitman and BCC into the DCC. They are both down county and we could offload more students while reducing the segregation at those schools.

This sounds logical. Not sure logistically how it would work. Whitman and B-CC would likely need to develop unique academic programs to qualify for membership in the DCC.

Offering some unique application programs at those schools to DCC students to create pull and improve diversity without forced busing at those schools does seem like a win.

The best thing would be to get rid of the DCC. The special DCC programs (other than CAP which also has non-DCC students who attended certain middle schools) are not strong and having students in a neighborhood scattered at different DCC schools decreases the sense of community. The DCC has not been successful.

The DCC should be expanded! Also, the DCC should be abolished!

Both are true. The fact that there is only one DCC- essentially school choice, available to a part of the county but not the rest is not right. Either create multiple DCCs to ensure equity or abolish it entirely.

You can move down county.

Unrealistic and stupid solution. Not everyone can or wants to or should move to down county. That's why there is housing in upcounty and mid-county. Make it available for all or get rid of it. MCPS is all about equity, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone give a quick overview re what might happen with Takoma park schools? Any likelihood that TPMS or Blair boundaries will change for homes in Takoma Park.

I doubt TPMS boundaries will change. But Blair's are going to need to be trimmed back to relieve it from being 600ish students over capacity. No one knows where they will make the changes.

What if MCPS move the SMAC magnet and CAP from Blair Northwood, it would take 600+ students from Blair.

These programs are woven into the fabric of that school, so it's not a practical choice. It makes more sense to adjust the boundary on the edges near Northwood and possibly Einsten by creating space there with Woodward.

It's not impossible, but it would mean some specific design/build decisions that I've not seen on the table for Northwood. More recording spaces and expandable classrooms for the CAP kids (a pretty small design change), and more lab space for the SMCS kids.

A better idea is to incorporate Whitman and BCC into the DCC. They are both down county and we could offload more students while reducing the segregation at those schools.

This sounds logical. Not sure logistically how it would work. Whitman and B-CC would likely need to develop unique academic programs to qualify for membership in the DCC.

Offering some unique application programs at those schools to DCC students to create pull and improve diversity without forced busing at those schools does seem like a win.

The best thing would be to get rid of the DCC. The special DCC programs (other than CAP which also has non-DCC students who attended certain middle schools) are not strong and having students in a neighborhood scattered at different DCC schools decreases the sense of community. The DCC has not been successful.

The DCC should be expanded! Also, the DCC should be abolished!

Both are true. The fact that there is only one DCC- essentially school choice, available to a part of the county but not the rest is not right. Either create multiple DCCs to ensure equity or abolish it entirely.

You can move down county.

Unrealistic and stupid solution. Not everyone can or wants to or should move to down county. That's why there is housing in upcounty and mid-county. Make it available for all or get rid of it. MCPS is all about equity, right?

Make WHAT available for all? The DCC and the NEC?