3/9 and 3/10 public hearings

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stupid question (I hope) - they can’t force students to leave the home school can they? For example, no one will want to leave Whitman. Can MCPS force kids to go to BCC or something or will they limit the number of kids who come into Whitman to keep capacity within reason?

No. They are assuming some kids will want to (and a kid leaving Whitman for BCC is not ludicrous given the number of kids at Whitman who might aspire to international universities) but you will retain the right to attend your in-bounds school, and we know Whitman's boundaries are not changing.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I mean, they have been pretty clear. They want to move Wootton to the Crown building. That means permanently. I would operate under that assumption.

They want to make the current building a holding school. There is NO PLAN RIGHT NOW to ever turn it back into Wootton.

Could that change if circumstances allow in the future like Woodward? Maybe. But in terms of the situation right now- the answer is that it is not going to become Wootton again.

Maybe there will be another boundary study in 10-15 years in which case everything is back on the drawing board in terms of where current Wootton feeders go. In fact, it's likely, and not only going to impact Wootton feeders.

But there is no CIP for Wootton to be turned into a holding school or for Magruder to use it (which is why Magruder is so upset).

Can anyone guarantee that Wootton will be turned into a holding school?

No. It's something Taylor has indicated he would like to do, pending budget. As of right now, there is no actual plan for Wootton building and they cannot give a timeline on holding school until they have CIP money.

And why didn’t Taylor lay out all of this when he first proposed Option H last December? Because the outcry would be deafening.

This is exactly why there is so much skepticism.

Didn't he though? All of these hopes for the Wootton property were per the community. The board never indicated anything other than the fact Wootton would be moved. Moved means moved.

Nope. Moved in this case means closed because there is no plan to keep the current building operating as a school.

Correct. The building is closed, the school is moved.

Nope. The school is being carved up AND its boundaries have to be moved in order to transplant its kids to Crown. You might have an argument if Wootton’s facility will be kept open as a holding school, but that’s not the plan right now.

Carved up? Who's been carved out, other than Cold Spring, who asked to be moved?

Every high school in the boundary study is getting their boundaries changed; nothing unique is happening to Wootton's school boundaries.

[Anonymous]

What schools are being added to Wootton?

[Anonymous]

Did anyone catch who the other Board member was who voted for Silvestre's (failed) proposal to have a hearing on changing the Region 3 boundaries back to Option B (or at least, that's how I understood her resolution)? One was Stewart, who was the other?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What schools are being added to Wootton?

In the Superintendent's recommendation, Fields Road and the Crown part of Rosemont ES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone catch who the other Board member was who voted for Silvestre's (failed) proposal to have a hearing on changing the Region 3 boundaries back to Option B (or at least, that's how I understood her resolution)? One was Stewart, who was the other?

Yang

[Anonymous]

Stick a fork in it Farmland and Luxmanor. It’s over. Start welcoming VMES and WWES and your arts programs.

Silvestre and Yang fail. They want to county council already…hopefully doesn’t happen.

[Anonymous]

TLDR from work session: Superintendent recommendation will be the boundary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone catch who the other Board member was who voted for Silvestre's (failed) proposal to have a hearing on changing the Region 3 boundaries back to Option B (or at least, that's how I understood her resolution)? One was Stewart, who was the other?

Yang. Yang seconded Silvrestre’s motion befofe she even finished reading it. It was clear they were working together on this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, they have been pretty clear. They want to move Wootton to the Crown building. That means permanently. I would operate under that assumption.

They want to make the current building a holding school. There is NO PLAN RIGHT NOW to ever turn it back into Wootton.

Could that change if circumstances allow in the future like Woodward? Maybe. But in terms of the situation right now- the answer is that it is not going to become Wootton again.

Maybe there will be another boundary study in 10-15 years in which case everything is back on the drawing board in terms of where current Wootton feeders go. In fact, it's likely, and not only going to impact Wootton feeders.

But there is no CIP for Wootton to be turned into a holding school or for Magruder to use it (which is why Magruder is so upset).

Can anyone guarantee that Wootton will be turned into a holding school?

No. It's something Taylor has indicated he would like to do, pending budget. As of right now, there is no actual plan for Wootton building and they cannot give a timeline on holding school until they have CIP money.

And why didn’t Taylor lay out all of this when he first proposed Option H last December? Because the outcry would be deafening.

This is exactly why there is so much skepticism.

Only people that have blinders on didn’t see this coming. Enrollment is way down in this county. Not far from Wootton is a HS with only 734 students! It’s a waste of taxpayer dollars and a sacrifice to student services to operate 27 high schools with such low numbers.

Anyone working at Wootton has seen teachers cut year after year due to declining enrollment. The writing was on the wall before Taylor ever arrived. Wootton parents should have considered this with all of their attention they brought to the condition of the building.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I watched yesterday's video recording, and it was not a pleasant experience. BOE chose to let the CO staff to defend their projection, whereas Wootton parents insisted their data were flawed. So they ended up in stuck, and BOE apparently firmly believed in the former. It's a lost war to me from a spectator's perspective.

That sets up the BOE’s decision as being arbitrary and capricious. Disregarding clear data flaws is the very definition. If the BOE were smart (and honest) it would redo its numbers. But that would mean Wootton can’t move to Crown in the fall of 2027.

The data doesn’t seem flawed. I’ve watched all the presentations even the joint one with planning board. It all seems very defensible and would withstand legal challenge.

A court looks at everything - it’s not obligated to believe anyone.

Uh no.
No, they look at the record before it. And will defer to policy makers when reasoned. Seems reasoned here. I wouldn’t want to be the one wasting money on this suit. MCPS will win despite you not liking it.

Suing because you didn’t get the outcome you wanted is such a waste of money…why won’t they learn that MCPS and the BOE can make these decisions? They choose to give communities a voice…it doesn’t mean they have to agree with what is said.

Lawsuits will turn up corruption. This whole process has been bizarre and there is no logical argument as to why Wootton should close but Magruder remain open. Hold them to the fire and let’s see what turns up.

And then this board will light up complaining about all the money MCPS spent on lawsuits…it’s like a full circle, that we end up causing.

If everything is on the up and up, why is MCPS (and posters on DCUM) afraid of what it might uncover? If there’s such confidence, then the case should get dismissed quickly, so little to no legal expenses. Then again, MCPS blew millions on a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court when if had a very inexpensive alternative it could have taken (but flatly refused, even though it had done it before).

This logic is so faulty. Filing lawsuits because you don’t like something and want to see what if “something sticks.”

Do you welcome any and all lawsuits that anybody could file against you in your personal and professional capacity because you are confident you have done nothing wrong?

Or maybe do you see it as a wasteful drain on time and resources?

Litigation is often the only way for the truth to come out. Maybe MCPS should have thought about the risk of litigation before it cooked up Option H and tried to sneak it past everyone over the holidays? Why do that if it was perfectly legal? Why fear litigation if MCPS is right? Indeed, the case should get dismissed quickly if MCPS is right.

Then again, MCPS thought it was right until the Supreme Court told it that it was dead wrong. Likewise, MCPS broke the rules when it bought EV buses. Seems like MCPS can get important matters very wrong.

People keep trying to make this point that they snuck it in before the holidays and no one had a chance to comment or respond to it. This is demonstrably false. There was a survey, which a lot of people in the Wootton cluster responded to, and there have been public meetings. They can’t make people engage.

Go ahead and tell us what the survey results were. And while you’re at it, what was the community’s response at the public meetings? They didn’t have to make anyone engage - sneaking in Option H in early December guaranteed community response would be delayed until after the 1st of the year. Then a snowstorm hit and meetings were canceled.

So yeah, MCPS gave little time for a response. But when that response came, it was loud and unequivocal but MCPS ignored it anyway.

Just because the opposition is loud, doesn't mean MCPS or the BOE needs to follow it.

MCPS has already incorporated feedback into the process (moving Cold Spring into Churchill, moved Fields Road to Wootton). They've held multiple meetings and took many survey results. There's been a robust debate between all the stakeholders.

This kind of decision isn't decided by whether a school population supports it or not; there's going to be various trade-offs of any decision, even maintaining the status quo.

MCPS and BOE need to make decisions based on the entire county holistically and not let the process to be hijacked by an outspoken minority.

The survey has come out overwhelmingly against the proposal. It has been dismissed as manipulated.

And yet it aligns with the meetings held have been filled with people who vehemently opposed to the proposal.

All because MCPS and BOE obviously decided the outcome on their own, outside the process, because they think they know better.

Subverting the will of the community is unacceptable. It's unacceptable at the national level and it's unacceptable at the local level. This was not done properly, full stop, and the community has shown it is not going to roll over on this. It's time to go back to the drawing board.

Think about how you’re using the word “community”. Do you mean only people that communicate like you? We don’t all show up in matching t shirts with signs, create petitions or file civil rights lawsuits. Many school communities have been communicating directly with Taylor and the BOE supporting his proposal. This is isn’t a trial and we don’t have to share our opinion in front of you for it to matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, they have been pretty clear. They want to move Wootton to the Crown building. That means permanently. I would operate under that assumption.

They want to make the current building a holding school. There is NO PLAN RIGHT NOW to ever turn it back into Wootton.

Could that change if circumstances allow in the future like Woodward? Maybe. But in terms of the situation right now- the answer is that it is not going to become Wootton again.

Maybe there will be another boundary study in 10-15 years in which case everything is back on the drawing board in terms of where current Wootton feeders go. In fact, it's likely, and not only going to impact Wootton feeders.

But there is no CIP for Wootton to be turned into a holding school or for Magruder to use it (which is why Magruder is so upset).

Can anyone guarantee that Wootton will be turned into a holding school?

No. It's something Taylor has indicated he would like to do, pending budget. As of right now, there is no actual plan for Wootton building and they cannot give a timeline on holding school until they have CIP money.

And why didn’t Taylor lay out all of this when he first proposed Option H last December? Because the outcry would be deafening.

This is exactly why there is so much skepticism.

Only people that have blinders on didn’t see this coming. Enrollment is way down in this county. Not far from Wootton is a HS with only 734 students! It’s a waste of taxpayer dollars and a sacrifice to student services to operate 27 high schools with such low numbers.

Anyone working at Wootton has seen teachers cut year after year due to declining enrollment. The writing was on the wall before Taylor ever arrived. Wootton parents should have considered this with all of their attention they brought to the condition of the building.

What HS has only 734 students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, they have been pretty clear. They want to move Wootton to the Crown building. That means permanently. I would operate under that assumption.

They want to make the current building a holding school. There is NO PLAN RIGHT NOW to ever turn it back into Wootton.

Could that change if circumstances allow in the future like Woodward? Maybe. But in terms of the situation right now- the answer is that it is not going to become Wootton again.

Maybe there will be another boundary study in 10-15 years in which case everything is back on the drawing board in terms of where current Wootton feeders go. In fact, it's likely, and not only going to impact Wootton feeders.

But there is no CIP for Wootton to be turned into a holding school or for Magruder to use it (which is why Magruder is so upset).

Can anyone guarantee that Wootton will be turned into a holding school?

No. It's something Taylor has indicated he would like to do, pending budget. As of right now, there is no actual plan for Wootton building and they cannot give a timeline on holding school until they have CIP money.

And why didn’t Taylor lay out all of this when he first proposed Option H last December? Because the outcry would be deafening.

This is exactly why there is so much skepticism.

Only people that have blinders on didn’t see this coming. Enrollment is way down in this county. Not far from Wootton is a HS with only 734 students! It’s a waste of taxpayer dollars and a sacrifice to student services to operate 27 high schools with such low numbers.

Anyone working at Wootton has seen teachers cut year after year due to declining enrollment. The writing was on the wall before Taylor ever arrived. Wootton parents should have considered this with all of their attention they brought to the condition of the building.

What HS has only 734 students?

Watkins Mill

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, they have been pretty clear. They want to move Wootton to the Crown building. That means permanently. I would operate under that assumption.

They want to make the current building a holding school. There is NO PLAN RIGHT NOW to ever turn it back into Wootton.

Could that change if circumstances allow in the future like Woodward? Maybe. But in terms of the situation right now- the answer is that it is not going to become Wootton again.

Maybe there will be another boundary study in 10-15 years in which case everything is back on the drawing board in terms of where current Wootton feeders go. In fact, it's likely, and not only going to impact Wootton feeders.

But there is no CIP for Wootton to be turned into a holding school or for Magruder to use it (which is why Magruder is so upset).

Can anyone guarantee that Wootton will be turned into a holding school?

No. It's something Taylor has indicated he would like to do, pending budget. As of right now, there is no actual plan for Wootton building and they cannot give a timeline on holding school until they have CIP money.

And why didn’t Taylor lay out all of this when he first proposed Option H last December? Because the outcry would be deafening.

This is exactly why there is so much skepticism.

Only people that have blinders on didn’t see this coming. Enrollment is way down in this county. Not far from Wootton is a HS with only 734 students! It’s a waste of taxpayer dollars and a sacrifice to student services to operate 27 high schools with such low numbers.

Anyone working at Wootton has seen teachers cut year after year due to declining enrollment. The writing was on the wall before Taylor ever arrived. Wootton parents should have considered this with all of their attention they brought to the condition of the building.

What HS has only 734 students?

Watkins Mill

Watkins Mill HS enrollment is 1544 as of Sept 30, 2025

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/planning/fy2027/CIP27_Chapter4_WatkinsMill-Cluster.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, they have been pretty clear. They want to move Wootton to the Crown building. That means permanently. I would operate under that assumption.

They want to make the current building a holding school. There is NO PLAN RIGHT NOW to ever turn it back into Wootton.

Could that change if circumstances allow in the future like Woodward? Maybe. But in terms of the situation right now- the answer is that it is not going to become Wootton again.

Maybe there will be another boundary study in 10-15 years in which case everything is back on the drawing board in terms of where current Wootton feeders go. In fact, it's likely, and not only going to impact Wootton feeders.

But there is no CIP for Wootton to be turned into a holding school or for Magruder to use it (which is why Magruder is so upset).

Can anyone guarantee that Wootton will be turned into a holding school?

No. It's something Taylor has indicated he would like to do, pending budget. As of right now, there is no actual plan for Wootton building and they cannot give a timeline on holding school until they have CIP money.

And why didn’t Taylor lay out all of this when he first proposed Option H last December? Because the outcry would be deafening.

This is exactly why there is so much skepticism.

Only people that have blinders on didn’t see this coming. Enrollment is way down in this county. Not far from Wootton is a HS with only 734 students! It’s a waste of taxpayer dollars and a sacrifice to student services to operate 27 high schools with such low numbers.

Anyone working at Wootton has seen teachers cut year after year due to declining enrollment. The writing was on the wall before Taylor ever arrived. Wootton parents should have considered this with all of their attention they brought to the condition of the building.

That doesn't sound right because we built Crown due to overcrowding. That would suggest MCPS is completely incompetent. If they're completely incompetent, we probably shouldn't be accepting last minute drastic changes of plan without looking at it closely and thinking it through.