New boundary study for Churchill, Clarksburg, Damascus, Gaithersburg, RM, Northwest, Poolesville, QO, SV, WM, Wootton

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With the recent budget cut, the expansion of Damascus HS is delayed indefinitely and the completion of Crown HS and Woodward HS is still on schedule (sort of), there should not be a combined boundary study while the actual implementation date is unknown for the most part of the Northern county. The scope must be re-accesses.

Anonymous wrote:Giving this one its own thread.

This morning, MCPS staff proposed combining the boundary studies for Crown and Damascus high schools into one large study with the following high schools and their feeder middle schools in scope: Churchill, Clarksburg, Damascus, Gaithersburg, Richard Montgomery, Northwest, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Watkins Mill, and Wootton.

The boundary study process would happen during 2025, and the final boundary vote would be in March 2026.

Detailed timeline:

Spring 2024--Request for Proposal released
Summer 2024--Board approves consultant
Fall 2024--Prepare for community engagement
Early 2025-Fall/Winter 2025--Boundary study process
January 2026--Boundary Study Report released
Early February 2026--Recommendation released
Late February-March 2026--Board work sessions, public hearings and action

This study has been proposed, but not approved by the board yet. That would happen at their March 19th meeting.

It should still occur because there may be ways to reduce over allocation currently. If not, then the study need only come back and say that there is not reasonable way to relieve overcrowding or improv conditions in the northern most part of the county without additional space and given the increased growth of this area it likely should be prioritized.

Unfortunately relieving overcrowding isn't a priority in the boundary policy.

Sure it is. Facility Utilization. Overcrowding is the reason new schools and additions get built. That and severe maintenance issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as King Farm all goes to one high school, which my guess will be Gaithersburg. So stupid to split a neighborhood up to two high schools

Been divided at least 20 years, and we all seem to be doing OK in King Farm.

As a current King Farm resident, I would prefer the neighborhood be in the same cluster. It is stupid it’s currently split. Why make the default option that kids who lives in the same, walkable neighborhood don’t go to school together?

You must live on the Gaithersburg side 😂[/quote
]

i was just about to post the same thing🤣 i used to live on that side. we would make the same argument as the reason to get that side into college gardens.

And now you don’t care because you moved a few blocks away? Gosh, such neighborhood spirit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With the recent budget cut, the expansion of Damascus HS is delayed indefinitely and the completion of Crown HS and Woodward HS is still on schedule (sort of), there should not be a combined boundary study while the actual implementation date is unknown for the most part of the Northern county. The scope must be re-accesses.

Anonymous wrote:Giving this one its own thread.

This morning, MCPS staff proposed combining the boundary studies for Crown and Damascus high schools into one large study with the following high schools and their feeder middle schools in scope: Churchill, Clarksburg, Damascus, Gaithersburg, Richard Montgomery, Northwest, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Watkins Mill, and Wootton.

The boundary study process would happen during 2025, and the final boundary vote would be in March 2026.

Detailed timeline:

Spring 2024--Request for Proposal released
Summer 2024--Board approves consultant
Fall 2024--Prepare for community engagement
Early 2025-Fall/Winter 2025--Boundary study process
January 2026--Boundary Study Report released
Early February 2026--Recommendation released
Late February-March 2026--Board work sessions, public hearings and action

This study has been proposed, but not approved by the board yet. That would happen at their March 19th meeting.

It should still occur because there may be ways to reduce over allocation currently. If not, then the study need only come back and say that there is not reasonable way to relieve overcrowding or improv conditions in the northern most part of the county without additional space and given the increased growth of this area it likely should be prioritized.

Unfortunately relieving overcrowding isn't a priority in the boundary policy.

Sure it is. Facility Utilization. Overcrowding is the reason new schools and additions get built. That and severe maintenance issues.

Where in the policy does it say that this is a priority, as opposed to just one of the factors to be considered?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as King Farm all goes to one high school, which my guess will be Gaithersburg. So stupid to split a neighborhood up to two high schools

King Farm is already split between two elementary schools (and will remain so).

Well, 3, actually. But how do you know it will remain that way?

Whats the third? College Gardens, Rosemont and ??

The Rosemont part was rezoned to Washington Grove a couple years ago. Still being phased in.

It's a slower phase-in than usual because of the presence of the two-way immersion program at WGES.

(Zone R9 is the King Farm area which had been zoned to Rosemont.)

Resolved, That Zones R2, R4, and R9 students be reassigned from Rosemont Elementary
School to Washington Grove Elementary School beginning with Grades Prekindergarten
and Kindergarten in the 2022–2023 school year, with full implementation to be completed
in the 2027–2028 school year; and be it further

Resolved, That for Grades 1–5 students from Rosemont Elementary School in Zones R2, R4,
and R9 in the 2022–2023 school year, if they meet the language requirements for the Two-way
Language Immersion program, students be reassigned to Washington Grove Elementary School;
otherwise, these students remain at Rosemont Elementary School to finish at Rosemont
Elementary School; and be it further

Resolved, That for students in Zones R2, R4, and R9 only that are reassigned to Washington Grove
Elementary School, but do not meet the language requirement for the Two-way Language
Immersion program, and therefore, remain at Rosemont Elementary School, will be given
the choice of either Forest Oak Middle School or Gaithersburg Middle School when articulating
to Grade 6

https://gis.mcpsmd.org/boundarystudypdfs/GaithersburgES8_ADOPTEDSupplementA.pdf

[Anonymous]

Wow, yikes. My heart goes out to everyone who purchased a home in a specific neighborhood of MoCo so that they could be zoned for a specific school. I understand the need for a full rezoning with the new schools, but it’s just tragic for people who put thought and good money into picking their kid’s school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, yikes. My heart goes out to everyone who purchased a home in a specific neighborhood of MoCo so that they could be zoned for a specific school. I understand the need for a full rezoning with the new schools, but it’s just tragic for people who put thought and good money into picking their kid’s school.

It can be disruptive, sure, but tragic? It's a public school system. You can pick your house, not your kid's school. Nothing is set in stone. I wish real estate agents would be more truthful about this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, yikes. My heart goes out to everyone who purchased a home in a specific neighborhood of MoCo so that they could be zoned for a specific school. I understand the need for a full rezoning with the new schools, but it’s just tragic for people who put thought and good money into picking their kid’s school.

As the investment houses say: Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Nothing is writ in stone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, yikes. My heart goes out to everyone who purchased a home in a specific neighborhood of MoCo so that they could be zoned for a specific school. I understand the need for a full rezoning with the new schools, but it’s just tragic for people who put thought and good money into picking their kid’s school.

Tragic? lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, yikes. My heart goes out to everyone who purchased a home in a specific neighborhood of MoCo so that they could be zoned for a specific school. I understand the need for a full rezoning with the new schools, but it’s just tragic for people who put thought and good money into picking their kid’s school.

? There aren't even any changes yet. With new schools being constructed, it is completely possible for them to make changes that are upgrades for everyone. Newer facilities for those who want them, leave successful districts untouched.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm pretty sure the boundary line between RM and Gaithersburg has been there on Redland since before the King Farm homes were built on both sides of it.

Originally KF was all RM.The change was made after construction started.

Back in the day, we thought that we would have both a ES and MS within King Farm. Land was allocated. False promises from the developers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as King Farm all goes to one high school, which my guess will be Gaithersburg. So stupid to split a neighborhood up to two high schools

Been divided at least 20 years, and we all seem to be doing OK in King Farm.

As a current King Farm resident, I would prefer the neighborhood be in the same cluster. It is stupid it’s currently split. Why make the default option that kids who lives in the same, walkable neighborhood don’t go to school together?

You must live on the Gaithersburg side 😂[/quote
]

i was just about to post the same thing🤣 i used to live on that side. we would make the same argument as the reason to get that side into college gardens.

And now you don’t care because you moved a few blocks away? Gosh, such neighborhood spirit.

Yes, it was that way when you moved in and you got a better deal on your house because of your cluster. You want to ruin your neighbors’ property values? Such neighborhood spirit!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm pretty sure the boundary line between RM and Gaithersburg has been there on Redland since before the King Farm homes were built on both sides of it.

Originally KF was all RM.The change was made after construction started.

Back in the day, we thought that we would have both a ES and MS within King Farm. Land was allocated. False promises from the developers.

The land for both schools is still there, should the need arise for a new ES or MS in the area. As of now there isn't that need, especially compared to other areas of the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm pretty sure the boundary line between RM and Gaithersburg has been there on Redland since before the King Farm homes were built on both sides of it.

Originally KF was all RM.The change was made after construction started.

Back in the day, we thought that we would have both a ES and MS within King Farm. Land was allocated. False promises from the developers.

The recent luxury homes in Mt. Prospect, which is down the road from QO, is going to get its own taste of "false promises from the developers".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, yikes. My heart goes out to everyone who purchased a home in a specific neighborhood of MoCo so that they could be zoned for a specific school. I understand the need for a full rezoning with the new schools, but it’s just tragic for people who put thought and good money into picking their kid’s school.

As the investment houses say: Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Nothing is writ in stone.

Exactly. The school is not conveyed with the house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as King Farm all goes to one high school, which my guess will be Gaithersburg. So stupid to split a neighborhood up to two high schools

Been divided at least 20 years, and we all seem to be doing OK in King Farm.

As a current King Farm resident, I would prefer the neighborhood be in the same cluster. It is stupid it’s currently split. Why make the default option that kids who lives in the same, walkable neighborhood don’t go to school together?

You must live on the Gaithersburg side 😂[/quote
]

i was just about to post the same thing🤣 i used to live on that side. we would make the same argument as the reason to get that side into college gardens.

And now you don’t care because you moved a few blocks away? Gosh, such neighborhood spirit.

Yes, it was that way when you moved in and you got a better deal on your house because of your cluster. You want to ruin your neighbors’ property values? Such neighborhood spirit!

Lots of false assumptions here. I won’t address the personal ones but generally:

First: property values. The actual data shows that comparable houses, on both sides of the neighborhood, sell for comparable prices. Actually, the townhouses on the north side have been selling for significantly more lately per SF than those on the south side.

Second: that this is a win-lose situation. Why not advocate for a win-win outcome? Maybe everyone goes to Crown and loves it! Or… some other win-win outcome.

I’ll personally keep advocating for better outcomes for my WHOLE neighborhood, not just my own family, and, gasp, even children outside my neighborhood.