Kate Stewart asks BOE to reject SSIMS closure resolution

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So is SSIMS going to be closed on 2030 or later? I didn't have time to listen yesterday's BOE meeting and would like a quick update if someone can help, plz. Thanks!

It still could be, but the decision will get pushed back another 2 years or so to align with the timing of the countywide boundary study. (Presumably to decrease the heat by closing SSIMS at the same time as a number of elementary schools so they can say "look, it's not just you.") That could still leave plenty of time for a 2030 closure, though.

Sorry, countywide *elementary* boundary study, I mean.

[Anonymous]

What does it do to the current CIP though?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope they reconsider. Closing a poorer school so that rich west county schools can have a holding school isn’t a good look.

West county has holding schools. Piney Branch ES parents in Takoma Park complained to the superintendent to get a nearby holding school. There isn't a down-county ES holding school when these schools are rebuilt.

As part of his recalculating numerous facilities, Taylor proposed making Sligo Creek ES the holding school for Piney Branch, and other eastside ESs needing rebuilding in the future. He proposed that Sligo Creek get a new facility on a very quick schedule, but not in its current neighborhood. Add to this that he has proposed SSIMS' closing.

This is a mess of Taylor's making. He is causing problems, not solving them.

Well closing a Silver Spring school to be a holding school for a Takoma Park school is not a great look either.

Stewart was likely to be a one-term board member if she didn't take a stand on this- people are pretty pissed, not just SSIMS/SCES parents but Sligo and Eastern parents too.

Agreed. This is absolutely a loss for Taylor, and a win for families who were blindsided with school closure out of the clear blue sky, literally in between boundary revision options.

It's honestly also a loss for the PBES parent community, who as a group behaved terribly during this process. I'm not a TkPk hater, but their concerted advocacy to screw over a much needier school so that they could have a short commute and retain their swimming pool was gross. I think it points to overall demographic shift in Takoma Park from folks who are community-minded to folks who would otherwise live in Bethesda but got priced out.

Absolutely. Woodlin students had to bus to Grosvenor for 2 years and the CIP proposes that Highland View will use Fairland as a holding school for their renovations, but that's not good enough for PBES. Don't even get me started on the 10 million dollar pool. What's wrong with the county pools that everyone else uses?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does it do to the current CIP though?

MCPS announced that this vote changes nothing about the current CIP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does it do to the current CIP though?

Liliana Lopez said the CIP recommendation remains unchanged.

However, it hasn't gone through Elrich or the county council yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does it do to the current CIP though?

MCPS announced that this vote changes nothing about the current CIP.

Thanks.

That’s …. Interesting. Does the plan for Eastern even make sense if SSIMS closure doesn’t go through?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does it do to the current CIP though?

MCPS announced that this vote changes nothing about the current CIP.

Thanks.

That’s …. Interesting. Does the plan for Eastern even make sense if SSIMS closure doesn’t go through?

A new building still makes sense, but not with that extra capacity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does it do to the current CIP though?

MCPS announced that this vote changes nothing about the current CIP.

Thanks.

That’s …. Interesting. Does the plan for Eastern even make sense if SSIMS closure doesn’t go through?

Eastern was already slated for a big renovation (albeit not one that would accommodate 1500 students as proposed in the CIP). They had meetings on the design plan last school year. I hope they still get one because it's desperately needed. But this is a great question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does it do to the current CIP though?

MCPS announced that this vote changes nothing about the current CIP.

Thanks.

That’s …. Interesting. Does the plan for Eastern even make sense if SSIMS closure doesn’t go through?

Eastern was already slated for a big renovation (albeit not one that would accommodate 1500 students as proposed in the CIP). They had meetings on the design plan last school year. I hope they still get one because it's desperately needed. But this is a great question.

The real question is if they build it big because they're leaning towards closing SSIMS, build it smaller because they're leaning towards keeping SSIMS open, or delay the construction altogether until a decision is made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does it do to the current CIP though?

MCPS announced that this vote changes nothing about the current CIP.

Thanks.

That’s …. Interesting. Does the plan for Eastern even make sense if SSIMS closure doesn’t go through?

Eastern was already slated for a big renovation (albeit not one that would accommodate 1500 students as proposed in the CIP). They had meetings on the design plan last school year. I hope they still get one because it's desperately needed. But this is a great question.

Oh yes, I meant the size and scale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will Jawando just released his own statement in opposition on his social...

https://www.instagram.com/p/DSIw4rvkw-r/

Can you post the statement instead?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, in effect, this newly passed resolution means that the three new options E, F, and G are eliminated as possibilities?

Not really, the superintendent can propose whatever he wants

This means, at a minimum, that the timeline for closing SSIMS and moving SCES is pushed out into the future.

Good to see that Taylor is finally getting some pushback regarding his manic need to immediately impose his snap judgments on the community.

I hope the BOE is mapping out a long runway on the calendar for hiring Taylor's replacement. Hiring in a hurry is what got us Taylor in the first place.

ADHD??