Initial boundary options for Woodward study area are up

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t MCPS policy literally that all 4 factors must be considered equally? Why are we even looking at these 4 options that don’t even try to do that?

Waste of taxpayer money for consultants to do that. Let’s see options consistent with policy.

Unless of course the board has changed the policy when we weren’t looking.

No, it's that they should attempt to advance all four factors, but acknowledging that may not always be possible.

[Anonymous]

https://moderatelymoco.com/mcps-50-school-redistricting-how-boundary-changes-could-impact-families-opinion/

Great article here about the history of the four factors as well as some information on how lengthy bus rides to school contribute to absenteeism.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Man, I didn't realize just how massive the variation in EML/FARMS is between high schools right now, and these options barely touch it (even option 3, which looks like it does the most to balance those factors, still has really large disparities)...

It is not up to schools to social engineer this.

You are right. We shouldn't intentionally keep the richest Kensington families in SFHs separate from the lower income ones in the apartments on University. Social engineering is what is currently happening.

Exactly. That Town of Kensington carve out for those rich mostly white students to ride a bus all the way to Walter Johnson when they could WALK to Einstein is somehow not social engineering?

They cannot walk to Einstein. Most parts are 2-4 miles and not safe.

NP - if kids who attend Rock View and Oakland Terrace live close enough that they are expected to cross University to walk to Einstein, plenty of kids in ToK live close enough, as well. Those outside the two mile radius can get a bus.

That's just a very small part of the TOK. And no its not safe. Kids have been hit by cars on Conn, University and Viers Mill.

And yet current Einstein students have been crossing all three of those streets for many years.

Very few.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crossing Conn Ave, Veirs Mill and University are all challenging today for current Einstein walkers. And let’s be real, many people will be driven or drive themselves to school, just like today. The parts of TOK near St Paul Ave are much closer than areas where current walkers live.

Lots of cars on the side streets of Einstein. I see few walkers. Most drive or are driven.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://moderatelymoco.com/mcps-50-school-redistricting-how-boundary-changes-could-impact-families-opinion/

Great article here about the history of the four factors as well as some information on how lengthy bus rides to school contribute to absenteeism.

I live by Woodward and see the Northwood kids straggling in late. They seem to take the metro to Grosvenor then walk to the school. That’s a pretty long walk but very long metro ride around from the east side of the county. I feel bad for these kids every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://moderatelymoco.com/mcps-50-school-redistricting-how-boundary-changes-could-impact-families-opinion/

Great article here about the history of the four factors as well as some information on how lengthy bus rides to school contribute to absenteeism.

I live by Woodward and see the Northwood kids straggling in late. They seem to take the metro to Grosvenor then walk to the school. That’s a pretty long walk but very long metro ride around from the east side of the county. I feel bad for these kids every day.

Isn't there a school bus?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I was expecting a range of options on the demographics/equalizing FARMS dimension. But options 1, 2 and 4 do basically nothing to improve on that front, or in some cases make things worse. And option 3 is only a moderate improvement, the kind of thing I would have expected as a middle-ground option between "no improvement on demographics/diversity" and "significant improvement on demographics/diversity."

I feel like all the options other than #3 are non-starters. #3 has plenty of flaws but it feels like we need to focus on iterating off of it to make it better. It's ridiculous to have some schools with 6% FARMS rates and some schools with over 60% FARMS rates (or up to 75% at some middle schools!) and have 3 of the 4 options not do a thing to try to address that.

Option 3 has most wacky boundaries and you’re looking for even more wacky boundaries

I think there are ways to fix #3 (especially if you focus on "kids not having too long of a commute" and not "avoiding boundaries that look weird") so let's figure that out and advocate for those changes.

No. #3 is a terrible option. I don’t understand why we can’t have community schools. I’m tired of driving all over and my kids spending 90 minutes a day on the bus!

We can have community schools. It then have to realize they will be very disparate diversity and socioeconomic class wise given that they mirror those disparities in the community. So Whitman and "W" schools will remain as the lower FARMS rate schools and teachers having a much more resourced parent community and fewer kids who need additional help and those scores will be high. And other schools that need many more resources to even meet the base level requirements as the school tries to fix what they didn't break. And we will continue to have hiatal where parents pay for the renovations of field and high schools without adequate toilet paper and air conditioning because parents can't donate those things.

I think you’ll have this no matter what. If option 3 happens, so many of those wealthier families will head to private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/boundarystudyoptions/home/woodward-initial-options?authuser=0

What do folks think?

Clarksburg mom here now at Seneca Valley, courtesy of the upcounty boundary study. Watching this like a seasoned spectator, popcorn included.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://moderatelymoco.com/mcps-50-school-redistricting-how-boundary-changes-could-impact-families-opinion/

Great article here about the history of the four factors as well as some information on how lengthy bus rides to school contribute to absenteeism.

I live by Woodward and see the Northwood kids straggling in late. They seem to take the metro to Grosvenor then walk to the school. That’s a pretty long walk but very long metro ride around from the east side of the county. I feel bad for these kids every day.

Isn't there a school bus?

Yes, they even run a late bus for kids who miss the regular bus (I think). And yet they still seem to straggle in via metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://moderatelymoco.com/mcps-50-school-redistricting-how-boundary-changes-could-impact-families-opinion/

Great article here about the history of the four factors as well as some information on how lengthy bus rides to school contribute to absenteeism.

I live by Woodward and see the Northwood kids straggling in late. They seem to take the metro to Grosvenor then walk to the school. That’s a pretty long walk but very long metro ride around from the east side of the county. I feel bad for these kids every day.

Isn't there a school bus?

Yes, they even run a late bus for kids who miss the regular bus (I think). And yet they still seem to straggle in via metro.

To be clear, I’m glad they show up to school. And it shows a lot of initiative to take the metro and walk that far. But it’s got to be exhausting to get up so early to get on the bus to go cross county. Poor things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know option 3 = bad, but which option is good?

This is too simplistic because different people define "good" different ways. What is important to you? 1 is best if you want minimal change and split articulation. 2 is best if you care most about utilization and not having overcrowding anywhere. 3 is best if you prioritize less segregation and demographic disparities. 4 is best if you prioritize proximity and walkers. And if you care about multiple of these factors, none of these is really good and you should be calling for options that better balance multiple factors rather than going all-in on one.

I disagree about option 4. It has Holiday Park going to Parkland which is further away than several other middle schools including the current Loiederman that were zoned for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://moderatelymoco.com/mcps-50-school-redistricting-how-boundary-changes-could-impact-families-opinion/

Great article here about the history of the four factors as well as some information on how lengthy bus rides to school contribute to absenteeism.

I live by Woodward and see the Northwood kids straggling in late. They seem to take the metro to Grosvenor then walk to the school. That’s a pretty long walk but very long metro ride around from the east side of the county. I feel bad for these kids every day.

Isn't there a school bus?

Yes, they even run a late bus for kids who miss the regular bus (I think). And yet they still seem to straggle in via metro.

To be clear, I’m glad they show up to school. And it shows a lot of initiative to take the metro and walk that far. But it’s got to be exhausting to get up so early to get on the bus to go cross county. Poor things.

Maybe they are dual enrollment with late arrival or something. But regardless it’s quite a commute to ask if a young person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was expecting a range of options on the demographics/equalizing FARMS dimension. But options 1, 2 and 4 do basically nothing to improve on that front, or in some cases make things worse. And option 3 is only a moderate improvement, the kind of thing I would have expected as a middle-ground option between "no improvement on demographics/diversity" and "significant improvement on demographics/diversity."

I feel like all the options other than #3 are non-starters. #3 has plenty of flaws but it feels like we need to focus on iterating off of it to make it better. It's ridiculous to have some schools with 6% FARMS rates and some schools with over 60% FARMS rates (or up to 75% at some middle schools!) and have 3 of the 4 options not do a thing to try to address that.

Option 3 has most wacky boundaries and you’re looking for even more wacky boundaries

I think there are ways to fix #3 (especially if you focus on "kids not having too long of a commute" and not "avoiding boundaries that look weird") so let's figure that out and advocate for those changes.

No. #3 is a terrible option. I don’t understand why we can’t have community schools. I’m tired of driving all over and my kids spending 90 minutes a day on the bus!

We can have community schools. It then have to realize they will be very disparate diversity and socioeconomic class wise given that they mirror those disparities in the community. So Whitman and "W" schools will remain as the lower FARMS rate schools and teachers having a much more resourced parent community and fewer kids who need additional help and those scores will be high. And other schools that need many more resources to even meet the base level requirements as the school tries to fix what they didn't break. And we will continue to have hiatal where parents pay for the renovations of field and high schools without adequate toilet paper and air conditioning because parents can't donate those things.

I think you’ll have this no matter what. If option 3 happens, so many of those wealthier families will head to private school.

Yup. They aren’t going to ask their kids to commute cross county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They should just have the Tilden MS kids matriculate to Woodward and add some kids from Einstein and Wheaton to fill the seats. Leave everything else alone.

Agree! That’s what I thought they were going to do all along. I mean, what demographics were these maps based off of to begin with? MoCo is still suffering the consequences of the second Trump administration. Uprooting everyone would be a moot point if half the county moves out of state to find new jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should just have the Tilden MS kids matriculate to Woodward and add some kids from Einstein and Wheaton to fill the seats. Leave everything else alone.

Agree! That’s what I thought they were going to do all along. I mean, what demographics were these maps based off of to begin with? MoCo is still suffering the consequences of the second Trump administration. Uprooting everyone would be a moot point if half the county moves out of state to find new jobs.

Agree with all of this. They should open this new school with the least amount of disruptions possible, especially considering how so many kids were impacted by COVID. Let’s give the majority of kids stability in their lives.