Woodward Boundary Study discussion at next BoE meeting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BOE should do boundary study of Crown and Woodward at the same time. Just do it in advance and make the best possible choice in one go.

That would be

Woodward: B-CC, Blair, Einstein, WJ, Kennedy, Northwood, Wheaton, Whitman
Crown: Gaithersburg, QO, RM, Northwest

A total of 12 high schools, out of 25 total.

Plus Damascus, which should include Clarksburg and also Gaithersburg, which increases the total to 14.

Well, that would certainly be ambitious. I'm happy that my last child is graduating next year, enabling me to ignore all of it and redirect my time and mental energy to something productive, like maybe reading all of Proust in French.

No, they said in November they have different timelines in mind for each.

Even if they do them separately, it will mean that over half of the high schools will be involved in boundary studies within a span of just a few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not surprised to see Whitman and BCC here. It makes sense.

Not doing that will be illogical.

Sure, but then we’ll have Whitman parents screaming about “bussing,” as we did in the Before Times. They paid a premium to live away from the Poors, and don’t you forget it.

Just rearrange the boundaries which allows efficient use of resource and also create as much diversity as possible in all schools. Whitman boundary can't be change too much due to where it's located unless solution is long distance bussing. I don't think long distance bussing should be an option, but boundary of Whitman should be adjusted along other schools.

It will help Whitman if it gets a bit more socioeconomic diversity.

I don’t disagree with you at all. I just remember the vitriol around this issue from a particular Whitman parent on FB again, pre-covid. It was… not pretty. People get very, very nasty when they perceive any decrease in their property values.

A small portion of Whitman may go to either WJ or BCC. It's not going to make too much difference.

More likely that some get added to Whitman, since it’s under capacity.

Yes. They can rezone Westbrook from BCC to Whitman, and then Woodlin from Einstein to BCC. That makes more sense than sending them to Woodward.

I do not think Whitman will go to BCc, that would just make BCC whiter. The only exception would be if they reversed the current split articulation of Bethesda ES, which half goes to BCc and half to Whitman.

I also don’t think Woodlin will come to BCC. BCC had an addition and will be at capacity in 5 years. At the end of the last BCC addition MCPS said there is no room to expand BCC any further.

If any area is vulnerable based on geography, it is the south east and west parts of Kensington. West half goes to WJ and east half goes to BCC. It could make sense geographically to send those parts to Einstein - but the east half that goes to BCC is where they just built the new BCC MS - Silver Creek. So that seems unlikely.

BCC will not become part of the DCC based on geography. DCC is based on a choice model where students are guaranteed their base school if they rank it first. Just based on distance, most BCC families would rank BCC first - the closest other DCC schools that would act as choice magnets - Blair and Einstein are pretty far away from most of white BCC and closer to non-white parts of the BCC cluster. Best case scenario if BCC were in the DCC the best case scenario would be a drain of the diverse populations away from BCC - not desirable. Also the programs of interest - Blair SMACS - is already a magnet to which BCC kids can apply. Einstein has Ib, but so does BCC - so really why would students choose Einstein over BCC? The other DC. schools like Woodward and Kennedy are way too far away to act as choice magnets pulling kids away from BCC, no matter how great the program.

[Anonymous]

We are in Kensington and Silver Creek is walkable for us but we are zoned to NB. That switch would make sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in Kensington and Silver Creek is walkable for us but we are zoned to NB. That switch would make sense.

If they add middle school reassignments, the boundary study will be even huger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not surprised to see Whitman and BCC here. It makes sense.

Not doing that will be illogical.

Sure, but then we’ll have Whitman parents screaming about “bussing,” as we did in the Before Times. They paid a premium to live away from the Poors, and don’t you forget it.

Just rearrange the boundaries which allows efficient use of resource and also create as much diversity as possible in all schools. Whitman boundary can't be change too much due to where it's located unless solution is long distance bussing. I don't think long distance bussing should be an option, but boundary of Whitman should be adjusted along other schools.

It will help Whitman if it gets a bit more socioeconomic diversity.

I don’t disagree with you at all. I just remember the vitriol around this issue from a particular Whitman parent on FB again, pre-covid. It was… not pretty. People get very, very nasty when they perceive any decrease in their property values.

A small portion of Whitman may go to either WJ or BCC. It's not going to make too much difference.

More likely that some get added to Whitman, since it’s under capacity.

Yes. They can rezone Westbrook from BCC to Whitman, and then Woodlin from Einstein to BCC. That makes more sense than sending them to Woodward.

I do not think Whitman will go to BCc, that would just make BCC whiter. The only exception would be if they reversed the current split articulation of Bethesda ES, which half goes to BCc and half to Whitman.

I also don’t think Woodlin will come to BCC. BCC had an addition and will be at capacity in 5 years. At the end of the last BCC addition MCPS said there is no room to expand BCC any further.

If any area is vulnerable based on geography, it is the south east and west parts of Kensington. West half goes to WJ and east half goes to BCC. It could make sense geographically to send those parts to Einstein - but the east half that goes to BCC is where they just built the new BCC MS - Silver Creek. So that seems unlikely.

BCC will not become part of the DCC based on geography. DCC is based on a choice model where students are guaranteed their base school if they rank it first. Just based on distance, most BCC families would rank BCC first - the closest other DCC schools that would act as choice magnets - Blair and Einstein are pretty far away from most of white BCC and closer to non-white parts of the BCC cluster. Best case scenario if BCC were in the DCC the best case scenario would be a drain of the diverse populations away from BCC - not desirable. Also the programs of interest - Blair SMACS - is already a magnet to which BCC kids can apply. Einstein has Ib, but so does BCC - so really why would students choose Einstein over BCC? The other DC. schools like Woodward and Kennedy are way too far away to act as choice magnets pulling kids away from BCC, no matter how great the program.

Bethesda ES is not split-articulated. It all goes to BCC.

[Anonymous]

What about moving Flora Singer elementary kids to Northwood? The geography makes sense and it’s a relatively affluent part of Einstein’s boundary. Opens up some space at Einstein for the western part of Kensington to join the eastern part there, and then BCC could pull some of the southern portion of Walter Johnson. And Bel Pre elementary (that I believe currently feeds to Einstein) could go to Woodward along with schools from further west in the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about moving Flora Singer elementary kids to Northwood? The geography makes sense and it’s a relatively affluent part of Einstein’s boundary. Opens up some space at Einstein for the western part of Kensington to join the eastern part there, and then BCC could pull some of the southern portion of Walter Johnson. And Bel Pre elementary (that I believe currently feeds to Einstein) could go to Woodward along with schools from further west in the county.

Bel Pre feeds to Kennedy and is nowhere near Woodward.

Closest DCC schools to Woodward are Viers Mill, Sargent Shriver, Wheaton Woods, Rock View, and Oakland Terrace. Rock View is almost all walkable to Einstein, so it won't be rezoned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about moving Flora Singer elementary kids to Northwood? The geography makes sense and it’s a relatively affluent part of Einstein’s boundary. Opens up some space at Einstein for the western part of Kensington to join the eastern part there, and then BCC could pull some of the southern portion of Walter Johnson. And Bel Pre elementary (that I believe currently feeds to Einstein) could go to Woodward along with schools from further west in the county.

Bel Pre feeds to Kennedy and is nowhere near Woodward.

Closest DCC schools to Woodward are Viers Mill, Sargent Shriver, Wheaton Woods, Rock View, and Oakland Terrace. Rock View is almost all walkable to Einstein, so it won't be rezoned.

Pp here, oops. Well how about the same plan I outlined above but move one of the northernmost elementary schools that feed to Einstein? Just curious whether something like this might make sense - I have a Flora Singer kid and am agnostic about whether we switch high schools or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about moving Flora Singer elementary kids to Northwood? The geography makes sense and it’s a relatively affluent part of Einstein’s boundary. Opens up some space at Einstein for the western part of Kensington to join the eastern part there, and then BCC could pull some of the southern portion of Walter Johnson. And Bel Pre elementary (that I believe currently feeds to Einstein) could go to Woodward along with schools from further west in the county.

TBH, the boundary between WJ and BCC is a bit weird because of NIH and the Naval Hospital - neither of which really have any/many kids. The southern part of NIH “goes” to BCC and the northern part of NIH goes to WJ. All of the the Naval Hospital “goes” to BCC, but again, there are no students except for the occasional kid of a high-ranking base commander. The rest of the southern part of WJ is pretty far from BCC and much closer to WJ. There are a few streets north of the Naval Hospital that are bounded by Navy and 495 but go to BCC and are probably closer to WJ. WJ is so large and Woodward is so close to WJ, that I think that they could shift 700-1000 kids from WJ to Woodward just by splitting WJ into opposite East/West halves. The Q is from where to fill the rest of Woodward? Likely some of Einstein?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not surprised to see Whitman and BCC here. It makes sense.

Not doing that will be illogical.

Sure, but then we’ll have Whitman parents screaming about “bussing,” as we did in the Before Times. They paid a premium to live away from the Poors, and don’t you forget it.

Just rearrange the boundaries which allows efficient use of resource and also create as much diversity as possible in all schools. Whitman boundary can't be change too much due to where it's located unless solution is long distance bussing. I don't think long distance bussing should be an option, but boundary of Whitman should be adjusted along other schools.

It will help Whitman if it gets a bit more socioeconomic diversity.

I don’t disagree with you at all. I just remember the vitriol around this issue from a particular Whitman parent on FB again, pre-covid. It was… not pretty. People get very, very nasty when they perceive any decrease in their property values.

A small portion of Whitman may go to either WJ or BCC. It's not going to make too much difference.

More likely that some get added to Whitman, since it’s under capacity.

Yes. They can rezone Westbrook from BCC to Whitman, and then Woodlin from Einstein to BCC. That makes more sense than sending them to Woodward.

I do not think Whitman will go to BCc, that would just make BCC whiter. The only exception would be if they reversed the current split articulation of Bethesda ES, which half goes to BCc and half to Whitman.

I also don’t think Woodlin will come to BCC. BCC had an addition and will be at capacity in 5 years. At the end of the last BCC addition MCPS said there is no room to expand BCC any further.

If any area is vulnerable based on geography, it is the south east and west parts of Kensington. West half goes to WJ and east half goes to BCC. It could make sense geographically to send those parts to Einstein - but the east half that goes to BCC is where they just built the new BCC MS - Silver Creek. So that seems unlikely.

BCC will not become part of the DCC based on geography. DCC is based on a choice model where students are guaranteed their base school if they rank it first. Just based on distance, most BCC families would rank BCC first - the closest other DCC schools that would act as choice magnets - Blair and Einstein are pretty far away from most of white BCC and closer to non-white parts of the BCC cluster. Best case scenario if BCC were in the DCC the best case scenario would be a drain of the diverse populations away from BCC - not desirable. Also the programs of interest - Blair SMACS - is already a magnet to which BCC kids can apply. Einstein has Ib, but so does BCC - so really why would students choose Einstein over BCC? The other DC. schools like Woodward and Kennedy are way too far away to act as choice magnets pulling kids away from BCC, no matter how great the program.

Bethesda ES is not split-articulated. It all goes to BCC.

Interesting. I thought I had remembered they fixed that, but the county-wide boundary map posted on MCPS still shows the split articulation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Eh, BCC was included in the beginning of this whole process and so it's no surprise it's still in the mix. That doesn't mean massive changes. The reality is that much of the new school is going to draw from WJ and Einstein. Other schools will have minor adjustments.

Probably tweaks along current boundaries. Then again, that’s what MCPS has been saying all along. Should be interesting!

I don’t think small tweaks will comply with the policy that requires them to prioritize diversity above all else when looking at boundaries.

Nice trolling, but there's no such requirement.

Please enlighten me about how the BOE can bypass its own regs regarding redistricting, which make clear that diversity has to carry the most weight in any boundary adjustment.

[Anonymous]

Folks, what most are missing is that the DCC schools are the ones that need to shift the population burden over towards the west. Just look at the numbers.

Whitman is in the mix since it has capacity and could absorb domino-effect catchments from BCC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in Kensington and Silver Creek is walkable for us but we are zoned to NB. That switch wofee uld make sense.

If they add middle school reassignments, the boundary study will be even huger.

It is naive to think that they can adjust high school boundaries with no trickle-down, even to the ES level. I am thinking about the housing on Tuckerman/Edson right in the backyard of the new Woodward that feeds to Garrett Park or KP. It does not make a lot of sense to not redistrict those KP kids to Woodward, which, if they keep the current matriculation model, also would involve a switch from NB to Tilden.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BOE should do boundary study of Crown and Woodward at the same time. Just do it in advance and make the best possible choice in one go.

That would be

Woodward: B-CC, Blair, Einstein, WJ, Kennedy, Northwood, Wheaton, Whitman
Crown: Gaithersburg, QO, RM, Northwest

A total of 12 high schools, out of 25 total.

Plus Damascus, which should include Clarksburg and also Gaithersburg, which increases the total to 14.

Well, that would certainly be ambitious. I'm happy that my last child is graduating next year, enabling me to ignore all of it and redirect my time and mental energy to something productive, like maybe reading all of Proust in French.

Crown will surely affect Churchill, now that Whitman and BCC are part of Woodward, don’t you think?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Eh, BCC was included in the beginning of this whole process and so it's no surprise it's still in the mix. That doesn't mean massive changes. The reality is that much of the new school is going to draw from WJ and Einstein. Other schools will have minor adjustments.

Probably tweaks along current boundaries. Then again, that’s what MCPS has been saying all along. Should be interesting!

I don’t think small tweaks will comply with the policy that requires them to prioritize diversity above all else when looking at boundaries.

Nice trolling, but there's no such requirement.

Please enlighten me about how the BOE can bypass its own regs regarding redistricting, which make clear that diversity has to carry the most weight in any boundary adjustment.

Are you posting from 2019? Steve Austin has moved out of Montgomery County and is busy deploring "wokeness".