MCPS suggests postponing Crown High School opening for use as holding school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone in the know tell us if this is a done deal -- that Crown HS will be a holding school for Wootton starting 2027?

And what happens to the new regions? Is that going to be postponed, too?

They are still insisting on being full steam ahead on the regional model, no matter how many people tell them to slow down.

My understanding is that Sup needs a couple weeks to sort out whether Crown being a holding school can actually be feasible, due to some funding restrictions. So we the public get to wait and see what the outcome will be (not nice of them to leave us hanging).

How does Crown (possibly/likely) becoming a holding school affect regional model? It won't overall. MCPS still pushing forward. If Crown does become a holding school, MCPS will simply rework Region 5 program offerings, but won't rework anything else. They said this on one of their info presentations earlier this week.

How does Crown becoming a holding school affect boundary study? I'd love to know. After all, one of the main reasons why a boundary study even started was because... Crown was going to open.

[Anonymous]

DCUM, please correct me if I'm wrong. I thought the date for regional model got *moved up* to Nov from Dec. Not delayed to March. I interpreted that to mean that regional model final action is presented next month (Nov). Then BOE presumably says ok run with it (NOT a vote), then MCPS finalizes the boundary study with regional model built in and then presents that proposal in March for final vote.

So I understood that to mean MCPS plans to be done with regional model proposal next month/Nov. Did I get that right?

Of course, MCPS doesn't mind overlooking key assumptions like whether Crown becomes a holding school or opens!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People arent fleeing the schools, although thats part of it.
People are fleeing Maryland, in general.
Its poorly run, the infrastructure doesnt support the people, the crime is astronomical, the schools do not educate children, the neighborhoods are overcrowded, the people who are here have fractured societies that dont follow the same cultural expectations, there arent enough jobs, theres too little Greenspace, the architecture is mostly ugly and the taxes are appalling.
Why would you stay?

I know some families move to Virginia from Maryland because there are better schools in FCPS, more job opportunities (corporate headquarters), cost living is relatively cheaper, and more better public universities choice.

At the same time, as a teacher in MCPS, 50% of the non-immigrants that I encounter as new students moved here from PA, NC, and the Midwest. There must be a reason their families chose Maryland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone in the know tell us if this is a done deal -- that Crown HS will be a holding school for Wootton starting 2027?

And what happens to the new regions? Is that going to be postponed, too?

They are still insisting on being full steam ahead on the regional model, no matter how many people tell them to slow down.

My understanding is that Sup needs a couple weeks to sort out whether Crown being a holding school can actually be feasible, due to some funding restrictions. So we the public get to wait and see what the outcome will be (not nice of them to leave us hanging).

How does Crown (possibly/likely) becoming a holding school affect regional model? It won't overall. MCPS still pushing forward. If Crown does become a holding school, MCPS will simply rework Region 5 program offerings, but won't rework anything else. They said this on one of their info presentations earlier this week.

How does Crown becoming a holding school affect boundary study? I'd love to know. After all, one of the main reasons why a boundary study even started was because... Crown was going to open.

This is the most critical question left unanswered at every BOE and community engagement session MCPS has had.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People arent fleeing the schools, although thats part of it.
People are fleeing Maryland, in general.
Its poorly run, the infrastructure doesnt support the people, the crime is astronomical, the schools do not educate children, the neighborhoods are overcrowded, the people who are here have fractured societies that dont follow the same cultural expectations, there arent enough jobs, theres too little Greenspace, the architecture is mostly ugly and the taxes are appalling.
Why would you stay?

I know some families move to Virginia from Maryland because there are better schools in FCPS, more job opportunities (corporate headquarters), cost living is relatively cheaper, and more better public universities choice.

At the same time, as a teacher in MCPS, 50% of the non-immigrants that I encounter as new students moved here from PA, NC, and the Midwest. There must be a reason their families chose Maryland.

Recent Bethesda Mag/WTOP article on Maryland population changes. It is a net migration out of MD.
https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/high-housing-costs-leaving-maryland/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone in the know tell us if this is a done deal -- that Crown HS will be a holding school for Wootton starting 2027?

And what happens to the new regions? Is that going to be postponed, too?

They are still insisting on being full steam ahead on the regional model, no matter how many people tell them to slow down.

My understanding is that Sup needs a couple weeks to sort out whether Crown being a holding school can actually be feasible, due to some funding restrictions. So we the public get to wait and see what the outcome will be (not nice of them to leave us hanging).

How does Crown (possibly/likely) becoming a holding school affect regional model? It won't overall. MCPS still pushing forward. If Crown does become a holding school, MCPS will simply rework Region 5 program offerings, but won't rework anything else. They said this on one of their info presentations earlier this week.

How does Crown becoming a holding school affect boundary study? I'd love to know. After all, one of the main reasons why a boundary study even started was because... Crown was going to open.

This is the most critical question left unanswered at every BOE and community engagement session MCPS has had.

They have said that if Crown becomes a holding school that they would need to redo the scope and/or timeline of that boundary study.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People arent fleeing the schools, although thats part of it.
People are fleeing Maryland, in general.
Its poorly run, the infrastructure doesnt support the people, the crime is astronomical, the schools do not educate children, the neighborhoods are overcrowded, the people who are here have fractured societies that dont follow the same cultural expectations, there arent enough jobs, theres too little Greenspace, the architecture is mostly ugly and the taxes are appalling.
Why would you stay?

I know some families move to Virginia from Maryland because there are better schools in FCPS, more job opportunities (corporate headquarters), cost living is relatively cheaper, and more better public universities choice.

At the same time, as a teacher in MCPS, 50% of the non-immigrants that I encounter as new students moved here from PA, NC, and the Midwest. There must be a reason their families chose Maryland.

Housing prices are lower...and there really are great college choices in MD too if you look into it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone in the know tell us if this is a done deal -- that Crown HS will be a holding school for Wootton starting 2027?

And what happens to the new regions? Is that going to be postponed, too?

They are still insisting on being full steam ahead on the regional model, no matter how many people tell them to slow down.

My understanding is that Sup needs a couple weeks to sort out whether Crown being a holding school can actually be feasible, due to some funding restrictions. So we the public get to wait and see what the outcome will be (not nice of them to leave us hanging).

How does Crown (possibly/likely) becoming a holding school affect regional model? It won't overall. MCPS still pushing forward. If Crown does become a holding school, MCPS will simply rework Region 5 program offerings, but won't rework anything else. They said this on one of their info presentations earlier this week.

How does Crown becoming a holding school affect boundary study? I'd love to know. After all, one of the main reasons why a boundary study even started was because... Crown was going to open.

This is the most critical question left unanswered at every BOE and community engagement session MCPS has had.

They have said that if Crown becomes a holding school that they would need to redo the scope and/or timeline of that boundary study.

If they can redo the scope and timeline of the boundary study, they can also redo the scope and timeline of the regional program study. I don’t know why they keep insisting they cannot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone in the know tell us if this is a done deal -- that Crown HS will be a holding school for Wootton starting 2027?

And what happens to the new regions? Is that going to be postponed, too?

They are still insisting on being full steam ahead on the regional model, no matter how many people tell them to slow down.

My understanding is that Sup needs a couple weeks to sort out whether Crown being a holding school can actually be feasible, due to some funding restrictions. So we the public get to wait and see what the outcome will be (not nice of them to leave us hanging).

How does Crown (possibly/likely) becoming a holding school affect regional model? It won't overall. MCPS still pushing forward. If Crown does become a holding school, MCPS will simply rework Region 5 program offerings, but won't rework anything else. They said this on one of their info presentations earlier this week.

How does Crown becoming a holding school affect boundary study? I'd love to know. After all, one of the main reasons why a boundary study even started was because... Crown was going to open.

This is the most critical question left unanswered at every BOE and community engagement session MCPS has had.

They have said that if Crown becomes a holding school that they would need to redo the scope and/or timeline of that boundary study.

That answers nothing. Redo what specific parts of the boundaries? Only the boundaries directly related to Crown? Boundaries related to DHS too? They should give more information.

Agree- what does it mean for the regions? Why would those go forward without Crown?

[Anonymous]

The big questions I have with Crown being a holding school are:

1. How often are holding schools needed for high schools?

2. Can the building be used to house two middle schools simultaneously to speed up renovations at that level?

3. What are the plans for the building in the event there are no school renovations on deck for a year?

4. Will the county pay for extra contract time for teachers who have to completely set up and tear down their classrooms and move them across the county. It feels unfair and like a violation of union agreements to make these staffs do everything during the 2-3 days of designated classroom prep during inservice week and the end of the year.

5. What happens in the event repairs and renovations at a school get completed in less than a school year?

This project seems way too big and expensive for the building to ever be empty

[Anonymous]

They should host all the special needs programs in the new Crown school and separate those kids who cannot be in the general population. Crown is centrally located in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The big questions I have with Crown being a holding school are:

1. How often are holding schools needed for high schools? they've mentioned 3, Damascus, Magruder and Wootton - not in that order. That is 6-9 years, but there are probably other high schools and MSs on the list afterward)

2. Can the building be used to house two middle schools simultaneously to speed up renovations at that level? unlikely - there's a reason not to have that many middle schoolers in one place, not to mention 2 sets of everything from Building Service workers to Principals and APs to Cohnselors - it's built to be a HS, not 2 schools in one

3. What are the plans for the building in the event there are no school renovations on deck for a year? unlikely - there's always one on deck, usually many, esp given the age and size of MCPS

4. Will the county pay for extra contract time for teachers who have to completely set up and tear down their classrooms and move them across the county. It feels unfair and like a violation of union agreements to make these staffs do everything during the 2-3 days of designated classroom prep during inservice week and the end of the year.I have no idea, but you could ask a Northwood teacher of they were awarded this extra time to set up a classroom 9 miles from their school while they are at Woodward for 3 years. I suspect you box up your classroom at the end of the year and show up at your new temporary location and unpack - they just move your boxes and you hope none gets lost in the move

5. What happens in the event repairs and renovations at a school get completed in less than a school year? lol, you haven't been around MCPS very long, have you? See Northwood at Woodward, and the building of Woodward, which each took an extra year. When you project plan, you plan for the time you are given and it isually takes longer, not shorter to complete the project

This project seems way too big and expensive for the building to ever be empty

[Anonymous]

. Will the county pay for extra contract time for teachers who have to completely set up and tear down their classrooms and move them across the county. It feels unfair and like a violation of union agreements to make these staffs do everything during the 2-3 days of designated classroom prep during inservice week and the end of the year


Teachers move classrooms often between years. Some teachers do not even have their own room but switch between periods. By HS classroom decor is minimal in most cases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The big questions I have with Crown being a holding school are:

1. How often are holding schools needed for high schools? they've mentioned 3, Damascus, Magruder and Wootton - not in that order. That is 6-9 years, but there are probably other high schools and MSs on the list afterward)

2. Can the building be used to house two middle schools simultaneously to speed up renovations at that level? unlikely - there's a reason not to have that many middle schoolers in one place, not to mention 2 sets of everything from Building Service workers to Principals and APs to Cohnselors - it's built to be a HS, not 2 schools in one

3. What are the plans for the building in the event there are no school renovations on deck for a year? unlikely - there's always one on deck, usually many, esp given the age and size of MCPS

4. Will the county pay for extra contract time for teachers who have to completely set up and tear down their classrooms and move them across the county. It feels unfair and like a violation of union agreements to make these staffs do everything during the 2-3 days of designated classroom prep during inservice week and the end of the year.I have no idea, but you could ask a Northwood teacher of they were awarded this extra time to set up a classroom 9 miles from their school while they are at Woodward for 3 years. I suspect you box up your classroom at the end of the year and show up at your new temporary location and unpack - they just move your boxes and you hope none gets lost in the move

5. What happens in the event repairs and renovations at a school get completed in less than a school year? lol, you haven't been around MCPS very long, have you? See Northwood at Woodward, and the building of Woodward, which each took an extra year. When you project plan, you plan for the time you are given and it isually takes longer, not shorter to complete the project

This project seems way too big and expensive for the building to ever be empty

Which HS is going to be renovated in 2027? Right now it looks like there are 2 year gap between crown opening and Damascus renovation

[Anonymous]

I can't wait to see and hear the complaining from Damascus families when their kids have to spend a year outside of their bubble.