BCC/WJ Joint New ES Study

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they need this elementary school, then another one a few years down the road for White Flint etc etc

They should first redraw the lines to fill the empty seats at Kensington Parkwood, North Chevy Chase, and Westbrook.

You realize that KP only has empty seats because the school was bursting at the seams and the country recently finished a renovation.

Yes, I do realize that. And my point was that I think they should use those empty seats, along with the already-planned new BCC/WJ school, before finding money to build yet another new WJ (or Woodward) school.

Why can’t they just open up a COSA for Ashburton and Farmland kids to voluntarily go to K-P? Why does there have to be such a drawn out boundary changing process? Just ask if kids want to move and then let them move. I’m sure there are people who would happily transfer to K-P. Parents could drive the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they need this elementary school, then another one a few years down the road for White Flint etc etc

They should first redraw the lines to fill the empty seats at Kensington Parkwood, North Chevy Chase, and Westbrook.

You realize that KP only has empty seats because the school was bursting at the seams and the country recently finished a renovation.

Yes, I do realize that. And my point was that I think they should use those empty seats, along with the already-planned new BCC/WJ school, before finding money to build yet another new WJ (or Woodward) school.

Why can’t they just open up a COSA for Ashburton and Farmland kids to voluntarily go to K-P? Why does there have to be such a drawn out boundary changing process? Just ask if kids want to move and then let them move. I’m sure there are people who would happily transfer to K-P. Parents could drive the kids.

And the kids whose parents aren’t able to drive them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they need this elementary school, then another one a few years down the road for White Flint etc etc

They should first redraw the lines to fill the empty seats at Kensington Parkwood, North Chevy Chase, and Westbrook.

You realize that KP only has empty seats because the school was bursting at the seams and the country recently finished a renovation.

Yes, I do realize that. And my point was that I think they should use those empty seats, along with the already-planned new BCC/WJ school, before finding money to build yet another new WJ (or Woodward) school.

Why can’t they just open up a COSA for Ashburton and Farmland kids to voluntarily go to K-P? Why does there have to be such a drawn out boundary changing process? Just ask if kids want to move and then let them move. I’m sure there are people who would happily transfer to K-P. Parents could drive the kids.

And the kids whose parents aren’t able to drive them?

Don’t ask for a COSA. These are all changes in the same cluster. Isn’t this worth a try to alleviate the overcrowding?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think any of the families of the almost 1000 kids at Ashburton or Farmland agree with you, but apparently MCPS does, so there's that.

If you're suggesting that those two schools are so overcapacity that they themselves would justify building a new school, that's not the case. Ashburton is currently 134 over and Farmland is 142 over. The projections show Ashburton getting as high as 193 and Farmland decreasing each year. Also, you have to factor in that K-P is currently 114 undercapacity.

I think the overage of Farmland kids are destined for Lux Manor when the Rexex is done.

You are clearly not living in the WJ Cluster. The kids in the Luxmanor holding school will just about fill Luxmanor when it opens. Farmland and everyone from WF. esp. Twinbrook Quarter be damned. MCPS projections are so bad - this is why WJ Cluster needs an entire ES.

THey're 740 kids in the holding school?

678.

They project Luxmanor to grow to 732 next year, and 792 by 2023. The new building's capacity is 767.

Whoa, I am a WJ cluster parent, but that is not the quaint little Luxmanor that I remember from my ES years (only 5 years ago)!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think any of the families of the almost 1000 kids at Ashburton or Farmland agree with you, but apparently MCPS does, so there's that.

If you're suggesting that those two schools are so overcapacity that they themselves would justify building a new school, that's not the case. Ashburton is currently 134 over and Farmland is 142 over. The projections show Ashburton getting as high as 193 and Farmland decreasing each year. Also, you have to factor in that K-P is currently 114 undercapacity.

I think the overage of Farmland kids are destined for Lux Manor when the Rexex is done.

You are clearly not living in the WJ Cluster. The kids in the Luxmanor holding school will just about fill Luxmanor when it opens. Farmland and everyone from WF. esp. Twinbrook Quarter be damned. MCPS projections are so bad - this is why WJ Cluster needs an entire ES.

THey're 740 kids in the holding school?

678.

They project Luxmanor to grow to 732 next year, and 792 by 2023. The new building's capacity is 767.

Whoa, I am a WJ cluster parent, but that is not the quaint little Luxmanor that I remember from my ES years (only 5 years ago)!

Nope, Luxmanor, Farmland and GP are all huge now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they need this elementary school, then another one a few years down the road for White Flint etc etc

They should first redraw the lines to fill the empty seats at Kensington Parkwood, North Chevy Chase, and Westbrook.

You realize that KP only has empty seats because the school was bursting at the seams and the country recently finished a renovation.

Yes, I do realize that. And my point was that I think they should use those empty seats, along with the already-planned new BCC/WJ school, before finding money to build yet another new WJ (or Woodward) school.

Why can’t they just open up a COSA for Ashburton and Farmland kids to voluntarily go to K-P? Why does there have to be such a drawn out boundary changing process? Just ask if kids want to move and then let them move. I’m sure there are people who would happily transfer to K-P. Parents could drive the kids.

Maybe ideas like this will be included in the countywide boundary analysis report.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they need this elementary school, then another one a few years down the road for White Flint etc etc

They should first redraw the lines to fill the empty seats at Kensington Parkwood, North Chevy Chase, and Westbrook.

You realize that KP only has empty seats because the school was bursting at the seams and the country recently finished a renovation.

Yes, I do realize that. And my point was that I think they should use those empty seats, along with the already-planned new BCC/WJ school, before finding money to build yet another new WJ (or Woodward) school.

Why can’t they just open up a COSA for Ashburton and Farmland kids to voluntarily go to K-P? Why does there have to be such a drawn out boundary changing process? Just ask if kids want to move and then let them move. I’m sure there are people who would happily transfer to K-P. Parents could drive the kids.

And the kids whose parents aren’t able to drive them?

Don’t ask for a COSA. These are all changes in the same cluster. Isn’t this worth a try to alleviate the overcrowding?

I don't think so. School pick-up and drop-off are already terrible at way too many schools where parents drive kids who are in the walk zone or receive school bus service. The last thing we need is more parents in more cars driving more kids to and from school every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they need this elementary school, then another one a few years down the road for White Flint etc etc

They should first redraw the lines to fill the empty seats at Kensington Parkwood, North Chevy Chase, and Westbrook.

You realize that KP only has empty seats because the school was bursting at the seams and the country recently finished a renovation.

Yes, I do realize that. And my point was that I think they should use those empty seats, along with the already-planned new BCC/WJ school, before finding money to build yet another new WJ (or Woodward) school.

Why can’t they just open up a COSA for Ashburton and Farmland kids to voluntarily go to K-P? Why does there have to be such a drawn out boundary changing process? Just ask if kids want to move and then let them move. I’m sure there are people who would happily transfer to K-P. Parents could drive the kids.

Maybe ideas like this will be included in the countywide boundary analysis report.

You mean to freely allow COSAs at underenrolled schools? That would be a pretty big new burden on admin and could turn into a mess if projections for a particular grade level are off from one year to the next.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they need this elementary school, then another one a few years down the road for White Flint etc etc

They should first redraw the lines to fill the empty seats at Kensington Parkwood, North Chevy Chase, and Westbrook.

You realize that KP only has empty seats because the school was bursting at the seams and the country recently finished a renovation.

Yes, I do realize that. And my point was that I think they should use those empty seats, along with the already-planned new BCC/WJ school, before finding money to build yet another new WJ (or Woodward) school.

Why can’t they just open up a COSA for Ashburton and Farmland kids to voluntarily go to K-P? Why does there have to be such a drawn out boundary changing process? Just ask if kids want to move and then let them move. I’m sure there are people who would happily transfer to K-P. Parents could drive the kids.

Maybe ideas like this will be included in the countywide boundary analysis report.

You mean to freely allow COSAs at underenrolled schools? That would be a pretty big new burden on admin and could turn into a mess if projections for a particular grade level are off from one year to the next.

I don’t think it would be that hard and could alleviate overcrowding quickly rather than waiting for boundary studies, new buildings etc. Ashburton has been overcrowded for YEARS. Why not give them a break?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they need this elementary school, then another one a few years down the road for White Flint etc etc

They should first redraw the lines to fill the empty seats at Kensington Parkwood, North Chevy Chase, and Westbrook.

You realize that KP only has empty seats because the school was bursting at the seams and the country recently finished a renovation.

Yes, I do realize that. And my point was that I think they should use those empty seats, along with the already-planned new BCC/WJ school, before finding money to build yet another new WJ (or Woodward) school.

Why can’t they just open up a COSA for Ashburton and Farmland kids to voluntarily go to K-P? Why does there have to be such a drawn out boundary changing process? Just ask if kids want to move and then let them move. I’m sure there are people who would happily transfer to K-P. Parents could drive the kids.

Maybe ideas like this will be included in the countywide boundary analysis report.

You mean to freely allow COSAs at underenrolled schools? That would be a pretty big new burden on admin and could turn into a mess if projections for a particular grade level are off from one year to the next.

I don’t think it would be that hard and could alleviate overcrowding quickly rather than waiting for boundary studies, new buildings etc. Ashburton has been overcrowded for YEARS. Why not give them a break?

THe MCPS powers that be decided long ago that Ashburton would be overcrowded for the duration. At least they replaced the portables with a modular addition for the 5th Graders.

[Anonymous]

Personally, I would rather the schools operate close to capacity to limit developers from building more housing in the area. I don't mind having new neighbors but our infrastructure cannot handle more people living in this area-roads, wssc, power grid, etc. It's already a nightmare. I wish they could do temporary redistricting-seems cheaper to use buses to handle temporary changes in capacity at cluster schools than to create more schools. Plus timing of new school openings rarely match the need. Also, why don't they move the special program out of Ashburton to relieve the overcrowding there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Personally, I would rather the schools operate close to capacity to limit developers from building more housing in the area. I don't mind having new neighbors but our infrastructure cannot handle more people living in this area-roads, wssc, power grid, etc. It's already a nightmare. I wish they could do temporary redistricting-seems cheaper to use buses to handle temporary changes in capacity at cluster schools than to create more schools. Plus timing of new school openings rarely match the need. Also, why don't they move the special program out of Ashburton to relieve the overcrowding there?

They did move the special programs (PEP) out of Ashburton.

[Anonymous]

And it is STILL overcrowded!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looking at these maps, I realize that the problem is really that somehow, at some point in the past, a big part of Kennsington became deluded to think that they were "North Chevy Chase" or "Chevy Chase View" and probably with some political will forced themselves into the BCC cluster. If those kids just got moved to the WJ cluster like they should be, then East Bethesda can get moved back to Rosemary Hills/North Chevy Chase ES and Bethesda ES is no longer crowded.

This makes a lot of sense geographically

[Anonymous]

There;s a meeting on this tomorrow night at NBMS.

I think WJ cluster is promoting the Grosvenor location because they are trying to get 100% of the seats in the new school