Option H is permanent and the old Wootton HS campus will be closed for good?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those in the Wootton Cluster advocating for Option "W," it's not clear to me what their option means with regard to which building becomes a holding school for MCPS, which is absolutely needed.

Is Option W advocating for Crown to be that holding school, as Taylor proposed? Is it not taking a stance on that?

If it's the latter, I think that sinks Option W because a secondary holding school is absolutely necessary for all of the schools currently in and likely to be moved into the CIP.

Also, if Wootton is advocating to be included in the CIP, who are they advocating be bumped out? I'm not seeing how they're creating leverage with Option W. It just basically seems like the Wootton Cluster wants its cake and to eat it too.

Wootton does not want to serve as a holding school. That position is independent of whether MCPS ultimately designates Crown as a holding school. Framing this as a black-and-white choice oversimplifies the situation. Taylor is already exploring a P3 model for school renovations, which makes it possible for two or even three schools to be renovated at the same time

You are kidding yourself if you think the choice is independent of the Crown decision. In order for Wootton to be added to the CIP as advocated, SOMETHING needs to be removed to add Wootton to the CIP.

MCPS already stated there would be serious savings in time and money if Damascus, which is the only high school currently in the CIP, was able to use Crown as a holding school. It sounds like they might have been willing, based on the Wootton community's advocacy for a safe and modern building, to shift them into Crown and use Wootton as the holding school, but it appears the Wootton community is rejecting that too.

The only other alternative to make Option W happen would be for Wootton to ask for Damascus to be bumped from the current CIP and added in its place. Is that what Option W is asking for? Again, Option W wants to wave a magic wand without making any difficult decisions or tradeoffs but doesn't explain how or why that would be feasible.

Wootton isn’t even included in the CIP, and the boundary study isn’t going to put Wootton into the CIP either, so I don’t see your point. Framing Crown as a holding school as if it’s Wootton’s problem only muddies the water. If Damascus needs a holding school, that’s something Damascus should advocate for. It’s not Wootton’s responsibility to advocate on Damascus’s behalf. Wootton is simply asking to remain where it is and receive an emergency fix for failing components of the building.

You might want to talk to your colleague. The PP who I was going back and forth with said Wootton wants emergency fixes AND to be put into the queue for a renovation in the CIP.

You're saying you don't want to get into the CIP. Which one is it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those in the Wootton Cluster advocating for Option "W," it's not clear to me what their option means with regard to which building becomes a holding school for MCPS, which is absolutely needed.

Is Option W advocating for Crown to be that holding school, as Taylor proposed? Is it not taking a stance on that?

If it's the latter, I think that sinks Option W because a secondary holding school is absolutely necessary for all of the schools currently in and likely to be moved into the CIP.

Also, if Wootton is advocating to be included in the CIP, who are they advocating be bumped out? I'm not seeing how they're creating leverage with Option W. It just basically seems like the Wootton Cluster wants its cake and to eat it too.

Wootton does not want to serve as a holding school. That position is independent of whether MCPS ultimately designates Crown as a holding school. Framing this as a black-and-white choice oversimplifies the situation. Taylor is already exploring a P3 model for school renovations, which makes it possible for two or even three schools to be renovated at the same time

You are kidding yourself if you think the choice is independent of the Crown decision. In order for Wootton to be added to the CIP as advocated, SOMETHING needs to be removed to add Wootton to the CIP.

MCPS already stated there would be serious savings in time and money if Damascus, which is the only high school currently in the CIP, was able to use Crown as a holding school. It sounds like they might have been willing, based on the Wootton community's advocacy for a safe and modern building, to shift them into Crown and use Wootton as the holding school, but it appears the Wootton community is rejecting that too.

The only other alternative to make Option W happen would be for Wootton to ask for Damascus to be bumped from the current CIP and added in its place. Is that what Option W is asking for? Again, Option W wants to wave a magic wand without making any difficult decisions or tradeoffs but doesn't explain how or why that would be feasible.

Wootton isn’t even included in the CIP, and the boundary study isn’t going to put Wootton into the CIP either, so I don’t see your point. Framing Crown as a holding school as if it’s Wootton’s problem only muddies the water. If Damascus needs a holding school, that’s something Damascus should advocate for. It’s not Wootton’s responsibility to advocate on Damascus’s behalf. Wootton is simply asking to remain where it is and receive an emergency fix for failing components of the building.

You might want to talk to your colleague. The PP who I was going back and forth with said Wootton wants emergency fixes AND to be put into the queue for a renovation in the CIP.

You're saying you don't want to get into the CIP. Which one is it?

All I know is that boundary study isn’t going to put Wootton into CIP. These are two separate things. CIP is already over for this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those in the Wootton Cluster advocating for Option "W," it's not clear to me what their option means with regard to which building becomes a holding school for MCPS, which is absolutely needed.

Is Option W advocating for Crown to be that holding school, as Taylor proposed? Is it not taking a stance on that?

If it's the latter, I think that sinks Option W because a secondary holding school is absolutely necessary for all of the schools currently in and likely to be moved into the CIP.

Also, if Wootton is advocating to be included in the CIP, who are they advocating be bumped out? I'm not seeing how they're creating leverage with Option W. It just basically seems like the Wootton Cluster wants its cake and to eat it too.

Wootton does not want to serve as a holding school. That position is independent of whether MCPS ultimately designates Crown as a holding school. Framing this as a black-and-white choice oversimplifies the situation. Taylor is already exploring a P3 model for school renovations, which makes it possible for two or even three schools to be renovated at the same time

You are kidding yourself if you think the choice is independent of the Crown decision. In order for Wootton to be added to the CIP as advocated, SOMETHING needs to be removed to add Wootton to the CIP.

MCPS already stated there would be serious savings in time and money if Damascus, which is the only high school currently in the CIP, was able to use Crown as a holding school. It sounds like they might have been willing, based on the Wootton community's advocacy for a safe and modern building, to shift them into Crown and use Wootton as the holding school, but it appears the Wootton community is rejecting that too.

The only other alternative to make Option W happen would be for Wootton to ask for Damascus to be bumped from the current CIP and added in its place. Is that what Option W is asking for? Again, Option W wants to wave a magic wand without making any difficult decisions or tradeoffs but doesn't explain how or why that would be feasible.

Wootton isn’t even included in the CIP, and the boundary study isn’t going to put Wootton into the CIP either, so I don’t see your point. Framing Crown as a holding school as if it’s Wootton’s problem only muddies the water. If Damascus needs a holding school, that’s something Damascus should advocate for. It’s not Wootton’s responsibility to advocate on Damascus’s behalf. Wootton is simply asking to remain where it is and receive an emergency fix for failing components of the building.

You might want to talk to your colleague. The PP who I was going back and forth with said Wootton wants emergency fixes AND to be put into the queue for a renovation in the CIP.

You're saying you don't want to get into the CIP. Which one is it?

I thought Wootton was already in the CIP for 2035+? https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/OMB/Resources/Files/omb/pdfs/fy25/cip_pdf/P652115.pdf

What's wrong with performing emergency fixes now, and then Wootton waiting 10+ years for a full renovation? Has anyone done a financial assessment for the costs of the emergency fixes Wootton is requesting? Maybe some of the FY26 amount of $1.456M includes this (see above link)? One would think that emergency fixes wouldn't bump anyone down in the CIP, which I thought only included full renovations (hence the name "Capital Improvement Plan")? Emergency fixes could be done over the summer of 2027, obviating the need for any holding school for Wootton, thereby causing the least amount of disruption.

[Anonymous]

Predictably, people who don’t actually live in the cluster don’t have any concern about them closing a high school. I’m not going to pretend that I would care if the same thing was going on in a cluster that didn’t have any effect on me either. That’s why your opinion should not matter and shouldn’t hold any water. You can say “it’s a community decision” all day long but in the end if it doesn’t affect you at all you really don’t have any business having an opinion that counts for anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those in the Wootton Cluster advocating for Option "W," it's not clear to me what their option means with regard to which building becomes a holding school for MCPS, which is absolutely needed.

Is Option W advocating for Crown to be that holding school, as Taylor proposed? Is it not taking a stance on that?

If it's the latter, I think that sinks Option W because a secondary holding school is absolutely necessary for all of the schools currently in and likely to be moved into the CIP.

Also, if Wootton is advocating to be included in the CIP, who are they advocating be bumped out? I'm not seeing how they're creating leverage with Option W. It just basically seems like the Wootton Cluster wants its cake and to eat it too.

Wootton does not want to serve as a holding school. That position is independent of whether MCPS ultimately designates Crown as a holding school. Framing this as a black-and-white choice oversimplifies the situation. Taylor is already exploring a P3 model for school renovations, which makes it possible for two or even three schools to be renovated at the same time

You are kidding yourself if you think the choice is independent of the Crown decision. In order for Wootton to be added to the CIP as advocated, SOMETHING needs to be removed to add Wootton to the CIP.

MCPS already stated there would be serious savings in time and money if Damascus, which is the only high school currently in the CIP, was able to use Crown as a holding school. It sounds like they might have been willing, based on the Wootton community's advocacy for a safe and modern building, to shift them into Crown and use Wootton as the holding school, but it appears the Wootton community is rejecting that too.

The only other alternative to make Option W happen would be for Wootton to ask for Damascus to be bumped from the current CIP and added in its place. Is that what Option W is asking for? Again, Option W wants to wave a magic wand without making any difficult decisions or tradeoffs but doesn't explain how or why that would be feasible.

Wootton isn’t even included in the CIP, and the boundary study isn’t going to put Wootton into the CIP either, so I don’t see your point. Framing Crown as a holding school as if it’s Wootton’s problem only muddies the water. If Damascus needs a holding school, that’s something Damascus should advocate for. It’s not Wootton’s responsibility to advocate on Damascus’s behalf. Wootton is simply asking to remain where it is and receive an emergency fix for failing components of the building.

You might want to talk to your colleague. The PP who I was going back and forth with said Wootton wants emergency fixes AND to be put into the queue for a renovation in the CIP.

You're saying you don't want to get into the CIP. Which one is it?

I thought Wootton was already in the CIP for 2035+? https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/OMB/Resources/Files/omb/pdfs/fy25/cip_pdf/P652115.pdf

What's wrong with performing emergency fixes now, and then Wootton waiting 10+ years for a full renovation? Has anyone done a financial assessment for the costs of the emergency fixes Wootton is requesting? Maybe some of the FY26 amount of $1.456M includes this (see above link)? One would think that emergency fixes wouldn't bump anyone down in the CIP, which I thought only included full renovations (hence the name "Capital Improvement Plan")? Emergency fixes could be done over the summer of 2027, obviating the need for any holding school for Wootton, thereby causing the least amount of disruption.

No, that’s not CIP. CIP only covers 6 years. That slide is only MCPS projection and nobody will guarantee it’ll be on CIP at this point

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Predictably, people who don’t actually live in the cluster don’t have any concern about them closing a high school. I’m not going to pretend that I would care if the same thing was going on in a cluster that didn’t have any effect on me either. That’s why your opinion should not matter and shouldn’t hold any water. You can say “it’s a community decision” all day long but in the end if it doesn’t affect you at all you really don’t have any business having an opinion that counts for anything.

You miss the point that MCPS is trying to find a solution that works for the whole county-- not the solution that is best for one school or the pair of schools in question. There's no getting around the fact that some neighborhoods or schools will be happier or angrier about the outcome than others. But the outcome very much affects everyone. If one school mounts a campaign to insulate itself from any change (or, worse, insists on additional funds to improve their own school and is manages to insulate itself from any of the other changes), then everyone else is worse off. It's the difference between the local and the global optimum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those in the Wootton Cluster advocating for Option "W," it's not clear to me what their option means with regard to which building becomes a holding school for MCPS, which is absolutely needed.

Is Option W advocating for Crown to be that holding school, as Taylor proposed? Is it not taking a stance on that?

If it's the latter, I think that sinks Option W because a secondary holding school is absolutely necessary for all of the schools currently in and likely to be moved into the CIP.

Also, if Wootton is advocating to be included in the CIP, who are they advocating be bumped out? I'm not seeing how they're creating leverage with Option W. It just basically seems like the Wootton Cluster wants its cake and to eat it too.

Wootton does not want to serve as a holding school. That position is independent of whether MCPS ultimately designates Crown as a holding school. Framing this as a black-and-white choice oversimplifies the situation. Taylor is already exploring a P3 model for school renovations, which makes it possible for two or even three schools to be renovated at the same time

You are kidding yourself if you think the choice is independent of the Crown decision. In order for Wootton to be added to the CIP as advocated, SOMETHING needs to be removed to add Wootton to the CIP.

MCPS already stated there would be serious savings in time and money if Damascus, which is the only high school currently in the CIP, was able to use Crown as a holding school. It sounds like they might have been willing, based on the Wootton community's advocacy for a safe and modern building, to shift them into Crown and use Wootton as the holding school, but it appears the Wootton community is rejecting that too.

The only other alternative to make Option W happen would be for Wootton to ask for Damascus to be bumped from the current CIP and added in its place. Is that what Option W is asking for? Again, Option W wants to wave a magic wand without making any difficult decisions or tradeoffs but doesn't explain how or why that would be feasible.

Wootton isn’t even included in the CIP, and the boundary study isn’t going to put Wootton into the CIP either, so I don’t see your point. Framing Crown as a holding school as if it’s Wootton’s problem only muddies the water. If Damascus needs a holding school, that’s something Damascus should advocate for. It’s not Wootton’s responsibility to advocate on Damascus’s behalf. Wootton is simply asking to remain where it is and receive an emergency fix for failing components of the building.

You might want to talk to your colleague. The PP who I was going back and forth with said Wootton wants emergency fixes AND to be put into the queue for a renovation in the CIP.

You're saying you don't want to get into the CIP. Which one is it?

I thought Wootton was already in the CIP for 2035+? https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/OMB/Resources/Files/omb/pdfs/fy25/cip_pdf/P652115.pdf

What's wrong with performing emergency fixes now, and then Wootton waiting 10+ years for a full renovation? Has anyone done a financial assessment for the costs of the emergency fixes Wootton is requesting? Maybe some of the FY26 amount of $1.456M includes this (see above link)? One would think that emergency fixes wouldn't bump anyone down in the CIP, which I thought only included full renovations (hence the name "Capital Improvement Plan")? Emergency fixes could be done over the summer of 2027, obviating the need for any holding school for Wootton, thereby causing the least amount of disruption.

According to the Wootton newspaper they have been getting regular fixes and updates including new bathrooms, paint, etc. if it’s a true emergency it will get fixed, but they want a full remodel now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those in the Wootton Cluster advocating for Option "W," it's not clear to me what their option means with regard to which building becomes a holding school for MCPS, which is absolutely needed.

Is Option W advocating for Crown to be that holding school, as Taylor proposed? Is it not taking a stance on that?

If it's the latter, I think that sinks Option W because a secondary holding school is absolutely necessary for all of the schools currently in and likely to be moved into the CIP.

Also, if Wootton is advocating to be included in the CIP, who are they advocating be bumped out? I'm not seeing how they're creating leverage with Option W. It just basically seems like the Wootton Cluster wants its cake and to eat it too.

Wootton does not want to serve as a holding school. That position is independent of whether MCPS ultimately designates Crown as a holding school. Framing this as a black-and-white choice oversimplifies the situation. Taylor is already exploring a P3 model for school renovations, which makes it possible for two or even three schools to be renovated at the same time

You are kidding yourself if you think the choice is independent of the Crown decision. In order for Wootton to be added to the CIP as advocated, SOMETHING needs to be removed to add Wootton to the CIP.

MCPS already stated there would be serious savings in time and money if Damascus, which is the only high school currently in the CIP, was able to use Crown as a holding school. It sounds like they might have been willing, based on the Wootton community's advocacy for a safe and modern building, to shift them into Crown and use Wootton as the holding school, but it appears the Wootton community is rejecting that too.

The only other alternative to make Option W happen would be for Wootton to ask for Damascus to be bumped from the current CIP and added in its place. Is that what Option W is asking for? Again, Option W wants to wave a magic wand without making any difficult decisions or tradeoffs but doesn't explain how or why that would be feasible.

Wootton isn’t even included in the CIP, and the boundary study isn’t going to put Wootton into the CIP either, so I don’t see your point. Framing Crown as a holding school as if it’s Wootton’s problem only muddies the water. If Damascus needs a holding school, that’s something Damascus should advocate for. It’s not Wootton’s responsibility to advocate on Damascus’s behalf. Wootton is simply asking to remain where it is and receive an emergency fix for failing components of the building.

You might want to talk to your colleague. The PP who I was going back and forth with said Wootton wants emergency fixes AND to be put into the queue for a renovation in the CIP.

You're saying you don't want to get into the CIP. Which one is it?

I thought Wootton was already in the CIP for 2035+? https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/OMB/Resources/Files/omb/pdfs/fy25/cip_pdf/P652115.pdf

What's wrong with performing emergency fixes now, and then Wootton waiting 10+ years for a full renovation? Has anyone done a financial assessment for the costs of the emergency fixes Wootton is requesting? Maybe some of the FY26 amount of $1.456M includes this (see above link)? One would think that emergency fixes wouldn't bump anyone down in the CIP, which I thought only included full renovations (hence the name "Capital Improvement Plan")? Emergency fixes could be done over the summer of 2027, obviating the need for any holding school for Wootton, thereby causing the least amount of disruption.

No, that’s not CIP. CIP only covers 6 years. That slide is only MCPS projection and nobody will guarantee it’ll be on CIP at this point

There are schools in much worse condition like Magruder and Sherwood. Schools flooding constantly or having ceilings falling down should get priority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those in the Wootton Cluster advocating for Option "W," it's not clear to me what their option means with regard to which building becomes a holding school for MCPS, which is absolutely needed.

Is Option W advocating for Crown to be that holding school, as Taylor proposed? Is it not taking a stance on that?

If it's the latter, I think that sinks Option W because a secondary holding school is absolutely necessary for all of the schools currently in and likely to be moved into the CIP.

Also, if Wootton is advocating to be included in the CIP, who are they advocating be bumped out? I'm not seeing how they're creating leverage with Option W. It just basically seems like the Wootton Cluster wants its cake and to eat it too.

Wootton does not want to serve as a holding school. That position is independent of whether MCPS ultimately designates Crown as a holding school. Framing this as a black-and-white choice oversimplifies the situation. Taylor is already exploring a P3 model for school renovations, which makes it possible for two or even three schools to be renovated at the same time

You are kidding yourself if you think the choice is independent of the Crown decision. In order for Wootton to be added to the CIP as advocated, SOMETHING needs to be removed to add Wootton to the CIP.

MCPS already stated there would be serious savings in time and money if Damascus, which is the only high school currently in the CIP, was able to use Crown as a holding school. It sounds like they might have been willing, based on the Wootton community's advocacy for a safe and modern building, to shift them into Crown and use Wootton as the holding school, but it appears the Wootton community is rejecting that too.

The only other alternative to make Option W happen would be for Wootton to ask for Damascus to be bumped from the current CIP and added in its place. Is that what Option W is asking for? Again, Option W wants to wave a magic wand without making any difficult decisions or tradeoffs but doesn't explain how or why that would be feasible.

You seem confused. Damascus is already on the CIP first in line. Wootton is not any closer to Damascus than Crown is. They can use Crown as a holding school. We aren’t advocating to push Damascus out. We are advocating for the short term emergency repairs that won’t require us to use a holding school. and then wait our turn on the CIP for the larger scale renovation.

So you want two bites at the apple. Again, from an advocacy perspective, I'm not sure how that makes sense where there are finite resources, declining enrollments and increasing costs for construction.

How much would the short-term emergency repairs be? And does it make sense to do a emergency repairs and then a large scale renovation both? Or does Wootton need to be a complete teardown and rebuild?

Has the Wootton Cluster done the homework behind its Option W to make a compelling case here? Based on what I've seen thus far, not so much.

I tend to agree. Wootton wants repairs but doesn’t want to use a holding school? Do you think the other schools like Damascus WANT to move to a holding school for repairs? You’ll need to craft a better argument here.

Wootton families are more than happy to use Crown as a holding school while Wootton is renovated or rebuilt. What they don't want if for Crown to become the new Wootton permanently and for Wootton to be razed or used as a holding school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Predictably, people who don’t actually live in the cluster don’t have any concern about them closing a high school. I’m not going to pretend that I would care if the same thing was going on in a cluster that didn’t have any effect on me either. That’s why your opinion should not matter and shouldn’t hold any water. You can say “it’s a community decision” all day long but in the end if it doesn’t affect you at all you really don’t have any business having an opinion that counts for anything.

You miss the point that MCPS is trying to find a solution that works for the whole county-- not the solution that is best for one school or the pair of schools in question. There's no getting around the fact that some neighborhoods or schools will be happier or angrier about the outcome than others. But the outcome very much affects everyone. If one school mounts a campaign to insulate itself from any change (or, worse, insists on additional funds to improve their own school and is manages to insulate itself from any of the other changes), then everyone else is worse off. It's the difference between the local and the global optimum.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those in the Wootton Cluster advocating for Option "W," it's not clear to me what their option means with regard to which building becomes a holding school for MCPS, which is absolutely needed.

Is Option W advocating for Crown to be that holding school, as Taylor proposed? Is it not taking a stance on that?

If it's the latter, I think that sinks Option W because a secondary holding school is absolutely necessary for all of the schools currently in and likely to be moved into the CIP.

Also, if Wootton is advocating to be included in the CIP, who are they advocating be bumped out? I'm not seeing how they're creating leverage with Option W. It just basically seems like the Wootton Cluster wants its cake and to eat it too.

Wootton does not want to serve as a holding school. That position is independent of whether MCPS ultimately designates Crown as a holding school. Framing this as a black-and-white choice oversimplifies the situation. Taylor is already exploring a P3 model for school renovations, which makes it possible for two or even three schools to be renovated at the same time

You are kidding yourself if you think the choice is independent of the Crown decision. In order for Wootton to be added to the CIP as advocated, SOMETHING needs to be removed to add Wootton to the CIP.

MCPS already stated there would be serious savings in time and money if Damascus, which is the only high school currently in the CIP, was able to use Crown as a holding school. It sounds like they might have been willing, based on the Wootton community's advocacy for a safe and modern building, to shift them into Crown and use Wootton as the holding school, but it appears the Wootton community is rejecting that too.

The only other alternative to make Option W happen would be for Wootton to ask for Damascus to be bumped from the current CIP and added in its place. Is that what Option W is asking for? Again, Option W wants to wave a magic wand without making any difficult decisions or tradeoffs but doesn't explain how or why that would be feasible.

You seem confused. Damascus is already on the CIP first in line. Wootton is not any closer to Damascus than Crown is. They can use Crown as a holding school. We aren’t advocating to push Damascus out. We are advocating for the short term emergency repairs that won’t require us to use a holding school. and then wait our turn on the CIP for the larger scale renovation.

So you want two bites at the apple. Again, from an advocacy perspective, I'm not sure how that makes sense where there are finite resources, declining enrollments and increasing costs for construction.

How much would the short-term emergency repairs be? And does it make sense to do a emergency repairs and then a large scale renovation both? Or does Wootton need to be a complete teardown and rebuild?

Has the Wootton Cluster done the homework behind its Option W to make a compelling case here? Based on what I've seen thus far, not so much.

I tend to agree. Wootton wants repairs but doesn’t want to use a holding school? Do you think the other schools like Damascus WANT to move to a holding school for repairs? You’ll need to craft a better argument here.

Wootton families are more than happy to use Crown as a holding school while Wootton is renovated or rebuilt. What they don't want if for Crown to become the new Wootton permanently and for Wootton to be razed or used as a holding school.

That makes sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those in the Wootton Cluster advocating for Option "W," it's not clear to me what their option means with regard to which building becomes a holding school for MCPS, which is absolutely needed.

Is Option W advocating for Crown to be that holding school, as Taylor proposed? Is it not taking a stance on that?

If it's the latter, I think that sinks Option W because a secondary holding school is absolutely necessary for all of the schools currently in and likely to be moved into the CIP.

Also, if Wootton is advocating to be included in the CIP, who are they advocating be bumped out? I'm not seeing how they're creating leverage with Option W. It just basically seems like the Wootton Cluster wants its cake and to eat it too.

Wootton does not want to serve as a holding school. That position is independent of whether MCPS ultimately designates Crown as a holding school. Framing this as a black-and-white choice oversimplifies the situation. Taylor is already exploring a P3 model for school renovations, which makes it possible for two or even three schools to be renovated at the same time

You are kidding yourself if you think the choice is independent of the Crown decision. In order for Wootton to be added to the CIP as advocated, SOMETHING needs to be removed to add Wootton to the CIP.

MCPS already stated there would be serious savings in time and money if Damascus, which is the only high school currently in the CIP, was able to use Crown as a holding school. It sounds like they might have been willing, based on the Wootton community's advocacy for a safe and modern building, to shift them into Crown and use Wootton as the holding school, but it appears the Wootton community is rejecting that too.

The only other alternative to make Option W happen would be for Wootton to ask for Damascus to be bumped from the current CIP and added in its place. Is that what Option W is asking for? Again, Option W wants to wave a magic wand without making any difficult decisions or tradeoffs but doesn't explain how or why that would be feasible.

Wootton isn’t even included in the CIP, and the boundary study isn’t going to put Wootton into the CIP either, so I don’t see your point. Framing Crown as a holding school as if it’s Wootton’s problem only muddies the water. If Damascus needs a holding school, that’s something Damascus should advocate for. It’s not Wootton’s responsibility to advocate on Damascus’s behalf. Wootton is simply asking to remain where it is and receive an emergency fix for failing components of the building.

You might want to talk to your colleague. The PP who I was going back and forth with said Wootton wants emergency fixes AND to be put into the queue for a renovation in the CIP.

You're saying you don't want to get into the CIP. Which one is it?

I thought Wootton was already in the CIP for 2035+? https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/OMB/Resources/Files/omb/pdfs/fy25/cip_pdf/P652115.pdf

What's wrong with performing emergency fixes now, and then Wootton waiting 10+ years for a full renovation? Has anyone done a financial assessment for the costs of the emergency fixes Wootton is requesting? Maybe some of the FY26 amount of $1.456M includes this (see above link)? One would think that emergency fixes wouldn't bump anyone down in the CIP, which I thought only included full renovations (hence the name "Capital Improvement Plan")? Emergency fixes could be done over the summer of 2027, obviating the need for any holding school for Wootton, thereby causing the least amount of disruption.

No, that’s not CIP. CIP only covers 6 years. That slide is only MCPS projection and nobody will guarantee it’ll be on CIP at this point

There are schools in much worse condition like Magruder and Sherwood. Schools flooding constantly or having ceilings falling down should get priority.

To be fair, Wootton has the same problems that have led to closures: https://www.fox5dc.com/news/wootton-high-school-evacuated-after-gas-leak

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Predictably, people who don’t actually live in the cluster don’t have any concern about them closing a high school. I’m not going to pretend that I would care if the same thing was going on in a cluster that didn’t have any effect on me either. That’s why your opinion should not matter and shouldn’t hold any water. You can say “it’s a community decision” all day long but in the end if it doesn’t affect you at all you really don’t have any business having an opinion that counts for anything.

There's a contingent of jealous east county folx who want to eliminate as many W schools as they can. They're licking their chops over the prospective closure of Wootton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Predictably, people who don’t actually live in the cluster don’t have any concern about them closing a high school. I’m not going to pretend that I would care if the same thing was going on in a cluster that didn’t have any effect on me either. That’s why your opinion should not matter and shouldn’t hold any water. You can say “it’s a community decision” all day long but in the end if it doesn’t affect you at all you really don’t have any business having an opinion that counts for anything.

You miss the point that MCPS is trying to find a solution that works for the whole county-- not the solution that is best for one school or the pair of schools in question. There's no getting around the fact that some neighborhoods or schools will be happier or angrier about the outcome than others. But the outcome very much affects everyone. If one school mounts a campaign to insulate itself from any change (or, worse, insists on additional funds to improve their own school and is manages to insulate itself from any of the other changes), then everyone else is worse off. It's the difference between the local and the global optimum.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Predictably, people who don’t actually live in the cluster don’t have any concern about them closing a high school. I’m not going to pretend that I would care if the same thing was going on in a cluster that didn’t have any effect on me either. That’s why your opinion should not matter and shouldn’t hold any water. You can say “it’s a community decision” all day long but in the end if it doesn’t affect you at all you really don’t have any business having an opinion that counts for anything.

You miss the point that MCPS is trying to find a solution that works for the whole county-- not the solution that is best for one school or the pair of schools in question. There's no getting around the fact that some neighborhoods or schools will be happier or angrier about the outcome than others. But the outcome very much affects everyone. If one school mounts a campaign to insulate itself from any change (or, worse, insists on additional funds to improve their own school and is manages to insulate itself from any of the other changes), then everyone else is worse off. It's the difference between the local and the global optimum.

+1

You say that like they're simply proposing to change the school mascot instead changing everything including razing the entire school.