MCPS Somerset and Westbrook ES boundary study

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for posting the slides. I'm in another cluster but always curious about boundary studies, so I looked through them. I'm confused, and maybe somebody more knowledgeable about the area/cluster can answer this. It looks like Somerset was ~70 kids over capacity, and Westbrook already had ~200 empty seats, but is also building out a classroom shell to add in ~70 more, leading to this boundary study and the move of some Somerset kids to Westbrook. Why in the world is the new addition being built when there was already so much extra capacity at Westbrook? Or why, if the addition is to help with overcrowding in the area, is the boundary study limited to just those two schools? Seems like there would be higher priorities within the school system for building additions. What am I missing?

The Westbard redevelopment.

The last I heard, they had cut down the authorized number of new Westbard housing units to 1500. Some mix of townhouses, townhouse style condos, and aprtments/condos. The drugstore and bank are closed and due to be demolished any day. But it will be a 3+ years long build out. Anyone know more?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for posting the slides. I'm in another cluster but always curious about boundary studies, so I looked through them. I'm confused, and maybe somebody more knowledgeable about the area/cluster can answer this. It looks like Somerset was ~70 kids over capacity, and Westbrook already had ~200 empty seats, but is also building out a classroom shell to add in ~70 more, leading to this boundary study and the move of some Somerset kids to Westbrook. Why in the world is the new addition being built when there was already so much extra capacity at Westbrook? Or why, if the addition is to help with overcrowding in the area, is the boundary study limited to just those two schools? Seems like there would be higher priorities within the school system for building additions. What am I missing?

The Westbard redevelopment.

Yup. Westbrook is slightly underenrolled. Somerset is way over enrolled. Enrollment in this area is increasing rapidly. There’s nowhere to build an additional Somerset, so if Westbrook has space...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for posting the slides. I'm in another cluster but always curious about boundary studies, so I looked through them. I'm confused, and maybe somebody more knowledgeable about the area/cluster can answer this. It looks like Somerset was ~70 kids over capacity, and Westbrook already had ~200 empty seats, but is also building out a classroom shell to add in ~70 more, leading to this boundary study and the move of some Somerset kids to Westbrook. Why in the world is the new addition being built when there was already so much extra capacity at Westbrook? Or why, if the addition is to help with overcrowding in the area, is the boundary study limited to just those two schools? Seems like there would be higher priorities within the school system for building additions. What am I missing?

The Westbard redevelopment.

Yup. Westbrook is slightly underenrolled. Somerset is way over enrolled. Enrollment in this area is increasing rapidly. There’s nowhere to build an additional Somerset, so if Westbrook has space...

And also Wood Acres, where the Westbard redevelopment currently is zoned, is full.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for posting the slides. I'm in another cluster but always curious about boundary studies, so I looked through them. I'm confused, and maybe somebody more knowledgeable about the area/cluster can answer this. It looks like Somerset was ~70 kids over capacity, and Westbrook already had ~200 empty seats, but is also building out a classroom shell to add in ~70 more, leading to this boundary study and the move of some Somerset kids to Westbrook. Why in the world is the new addition being built when there was already so much extra capacity at Westbrook? Or why, if the addition is to help with overcrowding in the area, is the boundary study limited to just those two schools? Seems like there would be higher priorities within the school system for building additions. What am I missing?

The Westbard redevelopment.

Yup. Westbrook is slightly underenrolled. Somerset is way over enrolled. Enrollment in this area is increasing rapidly. There’s nowhere to build an additional Somerset, so if Westbrook has space...

And also Wood Acres, where the Westbard redevelopment currently is zoned, is full.

Is Wood Acres full after their expansion a few years ago?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for posting the slides. I'm in another cluster but always curious about boundary studies, so I looked through them. I'm confused, and maybe somebody more knowledgeable about the area/cluster can answer this. It looks like Somerset was ~70 kids over capacity, and Westbrook already had ~200 empty seats, but is also building out a classroom shell to add in ~70 more, leading to this boundary study and the move of some Somerset kids to Westbrook. Why in the world is the new addition being built when there was already so much extra capacity at Westbrook? Or why, if the addition is to help with overcrowding in the area, is the boundary study limited to just those two schools? Seems like there would be higher priorities within the school system for building additions. What am I missing?

The Westbard redevelopment.

Yup. Westbrook is slightly underenrolled. Somerset is way over enrolled. Enrollment in this area is increasing rapidly. There’s nowhere to build an additional Somerset, so if Westbrook has space...

And also Wood Acres, where the Westbard redevelopment currently is zoned, is full.

Is Wood Acres full after their expansion a few years ago?

It actually has 76 available seats this year. Capacity 725, enrollment 649.

http://gis.mcpsmd.org/cipmasterpdfs/CIP21_Chap4_Whitman.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for posting the slides. I'm in another cluster but always curious about boundary studies, so I looked through them. I'm confused, and maybe somebody more knowledgeable about the area/cluster can answer this. It looks like Somerset was ~70 kids over capacity, and Westbrook already had ~200 empty seats, but is also building out a classroom shell to add in ~70 more, leading to this boundary study and the move of some Somerset kids to Westbrook. Why in the world is the new addition being built when there was already so much extra capacity at Westbrook? Or why, if the addition is to help with overcrowding in the area, is the boundary study limited to just those two schools? Seems like there would be higher priorities within the school system for building additions. What am I missing?

The Westbard redevelopment.

The last I heard, they had cut down the authorized number of new Westbard housing units to 1500. Some mix of townhouses, townhouse style condos, and aprtments/condos. The drugstore and bank are closed and due to be demolished any day. But it will be a 3+ years long build out. Anyone know more?

The developer proposed building fewer units. The allowable number of units hasn't changed.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/development/westwood-shopping-center-plans-approved/

[Anonymous]

Looks like the August report was posted. Option 2 looks to be the preference of most (provides the most equal split of utilization between the two schools). Thoughts? What is MCPS’ next step here?

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/planning/SomersetWestbrookBoundaryStudy.aspx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looks like the August report was posted. Option 2 looks to be the preference of most (provides the most equal split of utilization between the two schools). Thoughts? What is MCPS’ next step here?

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/planning/SomersetWestbrookBoundaryStudy.aspx

Next steps: the superintendent releases his recommendation in October. Then there will be work sessions and public hearings before the Board votes on the new boundaries in late November.