Initial boundary options for Crown/Damascus study

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why isn't geography the only driving factor in boundary options? Why do they always want to bus kids further and further out of their community? We're upcounty but these "options" are ridiculous.

Demographics.

I forget what corresponds with which but a couple of posts mentioned which option fulfills which goal. ie little disruption (is option 1), balancing demographics, which probably includes SES/FARMS, capacity, etc.

In one of the recent rezonings at Howard County, one of the goals was to make sure each school didn't have a FARMS rate above a certain percentage or something like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:City of Rockville all go to RM or Wooton.
City of Gaithersburg all go to Gaithersburg or Crown.
South and west of Gaithersburg and Rockville split between Churchill and QO.
Germantown and Clarskburg split between Northwest, Seneca Valley, Clarksburg.

It's just common sense.

Not really. FG is closer to Crown than Wootton, but FG is Rockville.

Like I said, part of the issue is that some of the schools are so close together that some people who are close to one school will end up at another.

FG is not closer to Crown - its *maybe* almost equidistant but Wootton is closer and accessible via the Millenium Trail. Walking from Fallagrove to Crown has no designated walking routes - there's not even sidewalks on part of the road heading from Key West towards Rio and it requires crossing Shady Grove Road and Key West Highway during rush hour.

This, one can easily bike/walk from Fallsgrove to Wootton entirely on sidewalks, but no way bike/walk to Crown.

Yeah the SFH side is a quick bike ride to Wootton for sure. Only have to cross 28 and Wootton intersection and it is already well lit and has great crosswalks. They also have quick ride on buses to Fallsgrove because half of Wootton goes there for lunch

[Anonymous]

Just wondering, is that possible to keep all current clusters and initiate a selective admissions program to Crown HS, like Thomas Jefferson?

[Anonymous]

I know it's probably a budget issue and they won't be able to do so. But Crown should really be a holding school so that some of these older high schools can get renovated.

Looking at the 2023 Schools at a Glance (which might be outdated) the oldest schools and their most recent built/renovation/modernization dates are:
Magruder and Wootton 1970
Damascus and Poolesville 1978

The next one after that is Quince Orchard in 1988 but based on the outside of it, I would've guessed it was newer.

If they don't use Crown as a holding school, what building do they have to use as a holding school for these schools? (I know it'd be far for Damascus and Poolesville students)

And if there are no holding schools for them, will they ever get renovated?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just wondering, is that possible to keep all current clusters and initiate a selective admissions program to Crown HS, like Thomas Jefferson?

Best idea by far!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know it's probably a budget issue and they won't be able to do so. But Crown should really be a holding school so that some of these older high schools can get renovated.

Looking at the 2023 Schools at a Glance (which might be outdated) the oldest schools and their most recent built/renovation/modernization dates are:
Magruder and Wootton 1970
Damascus and Poolesville 1978

The next one after that is Quince Orchard in 1988 but based on the outside of it, I would've guessed it was newer.

If they don't use Crown as a holding school, what building do they have to use as a holding school for these schools? (I know it'd be far for Damascus and Poolesville students)

And if there are no holding schools for them, will they ever get renovated?

Frost is also pretty old with a date of 1971. It's kind of weird whenever I go in there and see it hasn't really changed since I went in there for activities more than 30 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know it's probably a budget issue and they won't be able to do so. But Crown should really be a holding school so that some of these older high schools can get renovated.

Looking at the 2023 Schools at a Glance (which might be outdated) the oldest schools and their most recent built/renovation/modernization dates are:
Magruder and Wootton 1970
Damascus and Poolesville 1978

The next one after that is Quince Orchard in 1988 but based on the outside of it, I would've guessed it was newer.

If they don't use Crown as a holding school, what building do they have to use as a holding school for these schools? (I know it'd be far for Damascus and Poolesville students)

And if there are no holding schools for them, will they ever get renovated?

Poolesville is completely new this year

Damascus is getting an addition

But yes Wootton, Magruder, and QO in that order should be in there 1 year each for renovations. But they won’t. Wootton will never get done

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To no one’s surprise, very little change to Churchill under any of the options.

I’m in the small part that is changing. It’s pretty nuts because I live in the area right by the Potomac Community Center. That part of Wayside has been Churchill since its opening. We are literally 1.7-2 miles from Churchill yet the four options have us moving to Wootton which is 15-20 minutes a day longer commute. Not to mention this brings the Wootton boundary so far south. Very disappointed mostly because of Wootton being incredibly old/asbestos, the aforementioned increased time, and the fact that our neighborhood is very much part of the community with Beverly Farms, Bells Mill, Potomac and Seven Locks ES.

A big chunk of Wayside was developed in the mid 90s and originally was meant to go to Frost and Wootton but due to overcrowding at both, they moved them to the then under crowded Churchill.

Additionally a huge section of Potomac ES would stay at Churchill and drive past much of Wayside on the way. Whereas those areas might be equidistant from each, they are far closer to North Potomac community wise and should look different.

They really needed to redo ES boundaries as some are quite wacky and massively large. Also whoever was bright enough to build both Cabin John and Hoover MS within a mile from each other made a big mistake. A MS up closer to QO/Wootton/Crown would have been so much better.

The MS to HS splits are going to be pretty messy from both under these options.

That's not going to matter. Right now Fallsgrove is walking distance to Lakewood and Wootton but get bussed 15 minutes to Richie Park and Richard Montgomery. It's just the way ut is and always will work out that way for some neighborhoods close to certain schools but bussed to others.

Fallsgrove was part of a land sale deal which was contingent on this community never going to Wootton. No idea of the reasoning but this was the deal.

I read somewhere Fallsgrove went to Wootton like 30 years ago? (Can't remember precisely.)

Fallsgrove was built in 2002. During pre-build it was preliminarily zoned for Wootton but before anyone moved in it was moved to RM cluster. Meeting minutes from a 2000 city council meeting show tge council was concerned about overcrowding at Wootton due to Fallsgrove but other new communities have been built since and zoned into Wootton so it makes no sense. All of the new neighborhoods zoned into Wootton after Fallsgrove are farther away to the school than Fallsgrove is.

City Council minutes January 2000:
https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/2868?MOBILE=ON

"
The Mayor said she had concerns about the school issues because it was clear Wootton High School could not absorb the population projected for Fallsgrove. However, if the Montgomery County Board of Education decides the students in Fallsgrove should go to Richard Montgomery High School and the staging of the development corresponds to either the building of a new RM or its substantial renovation, this issue could be very successfully resolved."

The Millenium Trail literally goes through/connects Fallsgrove to Lakewood and Wootton via the city's biggest bike/walking path but the kids get bussed to Ritchie Park, JW and RM when they could be walkers to elementary and high school.

Oh yea the ole bait n switch. I remember this clearly. Buy a new home into a W school district!! Then as the plots were sold and the houses were built they were like welp, sorry. We are gonna bus you further to a crappier district and you already lost 10-20% of your home value. People were spitting mad.

And for the people claiming they prefer RM must only be renters because Fallsgrove, Potomac Woods, Horizon Hill, Orchard Ridge, etc.. would see an increase of 50-100K on their homes value if they were moved back to Wootton.

My kid being at RM is more important to me than my house price. Having stated that, my kid will be gone from MCPS by then, thankfully.

[Anonymous]

County should turn over Wootton and RM to Rockville and Crown and Gaithersburg to Gaithersburg and let them run their own schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just wondering, is that possible to keep all current clusters and initiate a selective admissions program to Crown HS, like Thomas Jefferson?

Best idea by far!

No, because MCPS doesn't one a whole school magnet like TJ. They are creating more regional programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:City of Rockville all go to RM or Wooton.
City of Gaithersburg all go to Gaithersburg or Crown.
South and west of Gaithersburg and Rockville split between Churchill and QO.
Germantown and Clarskburg split between Northwest, Seneca Valley, Clarksburg.

It's just common sense.

That actually doesn't work fully because Wootton is on the border of Rockville. There are non-city-of-Rockville neighborhoods right by it that would need to be bused FAR to Churchill or QO.

Incorrect. All three neighborhoods that back to Wootton are city of Rockville neighborhoods. So are the three ES they go to which are Ritchie Park, Lakewood, and Fallsmead.

Travilah, Dufief, Cold Spring, and Stone Mill are not Rockville. Cold Spring should be the only one that should absolutely stay. The rest are closer to QO and Crown.

Please read better. I didn't say "back" to Wootton. I said "right by it." Look back and Overlea dr and the neigbhorhood near Frost.

Doesn't Overlea Dr go to Fallsmead and has a Rockville address??

Rockville address, yes, but not city of Rockville

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:City of Rockville all go to RM or Wooton.
City of Gaithersburg all go to Gaithersburg or Crown.
South and west of Gaithersburg and Rockville split between Churchill and QO.
Germantown and Clarskburg split between Northwest, Seneca Valley, Clarksburg.

It's just common sense.

Not really. FG is closer to Crown than Wootton, but FG is Rockville.

Like I said, part of the issue is that some of the schools are so close together that some people who are close to one school will end up at another.

FG is not closer to Crown - its *maybe* almost equidistant but Wootton is closer and accessible via the Millenium Trail. Walking from Fallagrove to Crown has no designated walking routes - there's not even sidewalks on part of the road heading from Key West towards Rio and it requires crossing Shady Grove Road and Key West Highway during rush hour.

This, one can easily bike/walk from Fallsgrove to Wootton entirely on sidewalks, but no way bike/walk to Crown.

Yeah the SFH side is a quick bike ride to Wootton for sure. Only have to cross 28 and Wootton intersection and it is already well lit and has great crosswalks. They also have quick ride on buses to Fallsgrove because half of Wootton goes there for lunch

FG to Wootton would probably make Wootton over capacity. FG is pretty large.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:City of Rockville all go to RM or Wooton.
City of Gaithersburg all go to Gaithersburg or Crown.
South and west of Gaithersburg and Rockville split between Churchill and QO.
Germantown and Clarskburg split between Northwest, Seneca Valley, Clarksburg.

It's just common sense.

Not really. FG is closer to Crown than Wootton, but FG is Rockville.

Like I said, part of the issue is that some of the schools are so close together that some people who are close to one school will end up at another.

FG is not closer to Crown - its *maybe* almost equidistant but Wootton is closer and accessible via the Millenium Trail. Walking from Fallagrove to Crown has no designated walking routes - there's not even sidewalks on part of the road heading from Key West towards Rio and it requires crossing Shady Grove Road and Key West Highway during rush hour.

This, one can easily bike/walk from Fallsgrove to Wootton entirely on sidewalks, but no way bike/walk to Crown.

Yeah the SFH side is a quick bike ride to Wootton for sure. Only have to cross 28 and Wootton intersection and it is already well lit and has great crosswalks. They also have quick ride on buses to Fallsgrove because half of Wootton goes there for lunch

FG to Wootton would probably make Wootton over capacity. FG is pretty large.

Not if DuFief and Stone Mill are removed as they should be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just wondering, is that possible to keep all current clusters and initiate a selective admissions program to Crown HS, like Thomas Jefferson?

Best idea by far!

No, because MCPS doesn't one a whole school magnet like TJ. They are creating more regional programs.

What's going to happen to kids entering magnets this fall and kids already in magnets like PHS, RMIB and Blair?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:County should turn over Wootton and RM to Rockville and Crown and Gaithersburg to Gaithersburg and let them run their own schools.

I highly doubt the City of Rockville and the City of Gaithersburg want to create their own school districts and all the headaches that come along with it. And all four of those schools have students who don't live within the respective incorporated city boundaries. Even under the most compact boundaries (option 4), Gaithersburg is still going to pull in a significant number of students that don't live within city limits.