Two new MCPS HSs with no auditoriums

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They could always borrow auditoriums from nearby high schools. It stinks for the kids who would use it but it’s not the end of the world.

I would imagine Woodward could use WJ's auditorium. It's not ideal for play practices etc because I'm sure there would be conflicts but for parent events and concerts it seems doable.

It's possible, but would be really hard on the theater and orchestra kids in particular. Just dealing with two different sets, not to mention two different sets of rehearsals, sounds like a nightmare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They could always borrow auditoriums from nearby high schools. It stinks for the kids who would use it but it’s not the end of the world.

I would imagine Woodward could use WJ's auditorium. It's not ideal for play practices etc because I'm sure there would be conflicts but for parent events and concerts it seems doable.

It's possible, but would be really hard on the theater and orchestra kids in particular. Just dealing with two different sets, not to mention two different sets of rehearsals, sounds like a nightmare.

HS auditoriums are also used for MS band/orchestra/chorus concerts, ES 5th Grade promotion ceremonies, academic meetings, class year meetings, etc., community use - so there are some major conflicts, especially around December and May/June. In addition, for the short term the kids in Woodward are coming from Northwood, so WJ is not a sensical choice for after hours

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They could always borrow auditoriums from nearby high schools. It stinks for the kids who would use it but it’s not the end of the world.

I would imagine Woodward could use WJ's auditorium. It's not ideal for play practices etc because I'm sure there would be conflicts but for parent events and concerts it seems doable.

Maybe but they'll likely have their own auditorium since this entire thread is just a big troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I missed the portion of the meeting when they voted to push the Woodward auditorium construction to phase 3. Did they vote yes to push to phase 3? The meeting recording isn’t yet posted online. Thanks!

Yes, they approved all three CIP resolutions. You can watch the voting here:

https://www.youtube.com/live/j0LMARTT0mo?si=0iRw6l0syRkMt6P1&t=27407

#Notatrollthread MCPS has no $ for the auditoriums

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I missed the portion of the meeting when they voted to push the Woodward auditorium construction to phase 3. Did they vote yes to push to phase 3? The meeting recording isn’t yet posted online. Thanks!

Yes, they approved all three CIP resolutions. You can watch the voting here:

https://www.youtube.com/live/j0LMARTT0mo?si=0iRw6l0syRkMt6P1&t=27407

#Notatrollthread MCPS has no $ for the auditoriums

#YesTrollThread MCPS has stated it would be done in the next CIP cycle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I missed the portion of the meeting when they voted to push the Woodward auditorium construction to phase 3. Did they vote yes to push to phase 3? The meeting recording isn’t yet posted online. Thanks!

Yes, they approved all three CIP resolutions. You can watch the voting here:

https://www.youtube.com/live/j0LMARTT0mo?si=0iRw6l0syRkMt6P1&t=27407

#Notatrollthread MCPS has no $ for the auditoriums

#YesTrollThread MCPS has stated it would be done in the next CIP cycle.

Clearly you haven’t witnessed the non recommend reductions and changes that MCPS has to make in every CIP cycle. If you think an auditorium is going to rise above some of the other concerns out there you’re in for a surprise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS is not planning to build schools without auditoriums. They are DELAYING the build to a later phase and not FUNDING the construction of said auditoriums with this fiscal year’s budget.

You can be skeptical that it will be funded in future years, but that is just skepticism.

Yes, this. They are staging the projects in phases due to the capital budget situation. They have every intention of building the auditoriums.

I guess due to budget constraints, the phase 3 could be another 10 years

There's no reason to expect that. At the board meeting yesterday, they were talking about a one or two year delay.

Which means students will go to high school without an auditorium. Future construction is meaningless to current students.

The plan all along for the Northwood students has been to be at the Woodward holding school with no auditorium. That's been known to be the case for years now, and somehow people could accept that.

The plan wasn't phased originally. As it got closer to adoption, it became phased, with Northwood getting the short shrift -- construction during occupancy, no athletic fields and no auditorium, all of which were then to be complete by the time the W students moved in.

With the auditorium moved into a Phase 3, they'll shrug their shoulders about DCC relief that was, at first, supposed to come directly, then was re-envisioned into some draw from the DCC into a Woodward arts magnet. That was the bill of goods that was sold and progressively walked back after eschewing options for direct relief of the DCC with a new HS, where the alternatingly unimaginative and unpleasant strawman options presented were all deemed unworkable and/or too expensive.

Where would you find a workable and not-too-expensive site to build a new HS within the DCC itself?

If the only places available would be expensive, then they have to fund an expensive solution. It would have been better to retain sites from long ago and pay to preserve them, but going with no solution for kids in that area is inequitable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the people who are upset about this, which projects that have been approved in the CIP pipeline do you want to see postponed so that the $40 million necessary to fund the auditoriums for Crown and Woodward can be put back into the budget?

There's no more money coming in. So some projects or elements of projects are going to have to be postponed or deferred. And someone, somewhere who's hoping and paying for whatever project gets deferred is going to be pissed off. There's no pleasing everyone here.

Predictably, no one who's complaining about the auditoriums being cut from the budget could muster up an answer to these questions.

MCPS as a whole has been making poor financial choices leading to this crappy moment. My suggestion for drastic measures to save money that puts the least number of students in schools unable to meet their needs —ie no auditorium— is to look at elementary schools that are under capacity and not predicted to grow — there are many— and sort how closing very underutilized schools and sending students to other nearby under capacity schools might save money while still allowing all children to attend a fully build school. Also look at redistricting to allow students to attend schools when possible in walking distance and push MCPS to build sidewalks as needed so we can save on transportation. Both of these actions are sure to make lots of folk angry but would allow students to go to fully build schools and would allow the county to save money.

That's a valid, long-term move that could free up money for future projects. It would also take a significant amount of time and resources to complete.

But you're not answering the question that was posed: What will you eliminate from the current approved CIP pipeline so that the auditorium projects can be reinserted to take their place?

I think the answer from folks here is that nothing should be cut and that the County Council should have the courage to fund that which they've underfunded for decades, now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS is not planning to build schools without auditoriums. They are DELAYING the build to a later phase and not FUNDING the construction of said auditoriums with this fiscal year’s budget.

You can be skeptical that it will be funded in future years, but that is just skepticism.

Yes, this. They are staging the projects in phases due to the capital budget situation. They have every intention of building the auditoriums.

I guess due to budget constraints, the phase 3 could be another 10 years

There's no reason to expect that. At the board meeting yesterday, they were talking about a one or two year delay.

Which means students will go to high school without an auditorium. Future construction is meaningless to current students.

The plan all along for the Northwood students has been to be at the Woodward holding school with no auditorium. That's been known to be the case for years now, and somehow people could accept that.

Not true. The plan had been they'd open Woodward holding this August but the auditorium wouldn't be ready until August 2025. So one year without. Now it will be three years without plus who can guarantee that the new Northwood will have one ready in August 2027?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the people who are upset about this, which projects that have been approved in the CIP pipeline do you want to see postponed so that the $40 million necessary to fund the auditoriums for Crown and Woodward can be put back into the budget?

There's no more money coming in. So some projects or elements of projects are going to have to be postponed or deferred. And someone, somewhere who's hoping and paying for whatever project gets deferred is going to be pissed off. There's no pleasing everyone here.

Predictably, no one who's complaining about the auditoriums being cut from the budget could muster up an answer to these questions.

MCPS as a whole has been making poor financial choices leading to this crappy moment. My suggestion for drastic measures to save money that puts the least number of students in schools unable to meet their needs —ie no auditorium— is to look at elementary schools that are under capacity and not predicted to grow — there are many— and sort how closing very underutilized schools and sending students to other nearby under capacity schools might save money while still allowing all children to attend a fully build school. Also look at redistricting to allow students to attend schools when possible in walking distance and push MCPS to build sidewalks as needed so we can save on transportation. Both of these actions are sure to make lots of folk angry but would allow students to go to fully build schools and would allow the county to save money.

That's a valid, long-term move that could free up money for future projects. It would also take a significant amount of time and resources to complete.

But you're not answering the question that was posed: What will you eliminate from the current approved CIP pipeline so that the auditorium projects can be reinserted to take their place?

I think the answer from folks here is that nothing should be cut and that the County Council should have the courage to fund that which they've underfunded for decades, now.

But from WHERE? The money has to come from somewhere. Which couch cushions in the county coffers have $40 million up for the taking? Or are you advocating we cut something from somewhere else in the county budget to fund this? If so, what cuts are you recommending?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the people who are upset about this, which projects that have been approved in the CIP pipeline do you want to see postponed so that the $40 million necessary to fund the auditoriums for Crown and Woodward can be put back into the budget?

There's no more money coming in. So some projects or elements of projects are going to have to be postponed or deferred. And someone, somewhere who's hoping and paying for whatever project gets deferred is going to be pissed off. There's no pleasing everyone here.

Predictably, no one who's complaining about the auditoriums being cut from the budget could muster up an answer to these questions.

MCPS as a whole has been making poor financial choices leading to this crappy moment. My suggestion for drastic measures to save money that puts the least number of students in schools unable to meet their needs —ie no auditorium— is to look at elementary schools that are under capacity and not predicted to grow — there are many— and sort how closing very underutilized schools and sending students to other nearby under capacity schools might save money while still allowing all children to attend a fully build school. Also look at redistricting to allow students to attend schools when possible in walking distance and push MCPS to build sidewalks as needed so we can save on transportation. Both of these actions are sure to make lots of folk angry but would allow students to go to fully build schools and would allow the county to save money.

That's a valid, long-term move that could free up money for future projects. It would also take a significant amount of time and resources to complete.

But you're not answering the question that was posed: What will you eliminate from the current approved CIP pipeline so that the auditorium projects can be reinserted to take their place?

I think the answer from folks here is that nothing should be cut and that the County Council should have the courage to fund that which they've underfunded for decades, now.

But from WHERE? The money has to come from somewhere. Which couch cushions in the county coffers have $40 million up for the taking? Or are you advocating we cut something from somewhere else in the county budget to fund this? If so, what cuts are you recommending?

Cut some central office positions and reduce these costly DEI initiatives

[Anonymous]

Look at projects that were fast-tracked and see if they can be put back on their original schedule to free up funds.

I'd still delay Crown for a year, since that will only affect one class, not four.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I missed the portion of the meeting when they voted to push the Woodward auditorium construction to phase 3. Did they vote yes to push to phase 3? The meeting recording isn’t yet posted online. Thanks!

Yes, they approved all three CIP resolutions. You can watch the voting here:

https://www.youtube.com/live/j0LMARTT0mo?si=0iRw6l0syRkMt6P1&t=27407

#Notatrollthread MCPS has no $ for the auditoriums

#YesTrollThread MCPS has stated it would be done in the next CIP cycle.

You mean like how it stated Wootton would be renovated fifteen years ago?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the people who are upset about this, which projects that have been approved in the CIP pipeline do you want to see postponed so that the $40 million necessary to fund the auditoriums for Crown and Woodward can be put back into the budget?

There's no more money coming in. So some projects or elements of projects are going to have to be postponed or deferred. And someone, somewhere who's hoping and paying for whatever project gets deferred is going to be pissed off. There's no pleasing everyone here.

Predictably, no one who's complaining about the auditoriums being cut from the budget could muster up an answer to these questions.

MCPS as a whole has been making poor financial choices leading to this crappy moment. My suggestion for drastic measures to save money that puts the least number of students in schools unable to meet their needs —ie no auditorium— is to look at elementary schools that are under capacity and not predicted to grow — there are many— and sort how closing very underutilized schools and sending students to other nearby under capacity schools might save money while still allowing all children to attend a fully build school. Also look at redistricting to allow students to attend schools when possible in walking distance and push MCPS to build sidewalks as needed so we can save on transportation. Both of these actions are sure to make lots of folk angry but would allow students to go to fully build schools and would allow the county to save money.

That's a valid, long-term move that could free up money for future projects. It would also take a significant amount of time and resources to complete.

But you're not answering the question that was posed: What will you eliminate from the current approved CIP pipeline so that the auditorium projects can be reinserted to take their place?

I think the answer from folks here is that nothing should be cut and that the County Council should have the courage to fund that which they've underfunded for decades, now.

But from WHERE? The money has to come from somewhere. Which couch cushions in the county coffers have $40 million up for the taking? Or are you advocating we cut something from somewhere else in the county budget to fund this? If so, what cuts are you recommending?

Um...increased taxes, school bonds, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the people who are upset about this, which projects that have been approved in the CIP pipeline do you want to see postponed so that the $40 million necessary to fund the auditoriums for Crown and Woodward can be put back into the budget?

There's no more money coming in. So some projects or elements of projects are going to have to be postponed or deferred. And someone, somewhere who's hoping and paying for whatever project gets deferred is going to be pissed off. There's no pleasing everyone here.

Predictably, no one who's complaining about the auditoriums being cut from the budget could muster up an answer to these questions.

MCPS as a whole has been making poor financial choices leading to this crappy moment. My suggestion for drastic measures to save money that puts the least number of students in schools unable to meet their needs —ie no auditorium— is to look at elementary schools that are under capacity and not predicted to grow — there are many— and sort how closing very underutilized schools and sending students to other nearby under capacity schools might save money while still allowing all children to attend a fully build school. Also look at redistricting to allow students to attend schools when possible in walking distance and push MCPS to build sidewalks as needed so we can save on transportation. Both of these actions are sure to make lots of folk angry but would allow students to go to fully build schools and would allow the county to save money.

That's a valid, long-term move that could free up money for future projects. It would also take a significant amount of time and resources to complete.

But you're not answering the question that was posed: What will you eliminate from the current approved CIP pipeline so that the auditorium projects can be reinserted to take their place?

I think the answer from folks here is that nothing should be cut and that the County Council should have the courage to fund that which they've underfunded for decades, now.

But from WHERE? The money has to come from somewhere. Which couch cushions in the county coffers have $40 million up for the taking? Or are you advocating we cut something from somewhere else in the county budget to fund this? If so, what cuts are you recommending?

Um...increased taxes, school bonds, etc.

Property tax is already increased a lot. Tax burden in this county is high. They need to cut spending and be lean on administrative costs rather than delaying the critical projects. $1.3 million to pay to Monifa is outrageous.