It's looks like a "Public Storage" facility.

I took these photos of the school awhile ago. It really is quite beautiful... very "artsy" and definitely fits in line with a "Creative and Performing Arts" program theme. It's probably the nicest elementary school I've seen in the county. No other school looks like it, either.










Regards,

Antonio

Anonymous wrote:What is the new school name and what area will is zone be?

It hasn't been named yet (so it's still be called the New Hyattsville Area Elementary School). The approved boundaries for the new school, which will have a creative arts theme program, are here: http://www1.pgcps.org/pasb/index.aspx?id=153333

Basically, its boundaries will be much of West Hyattsville between Queens Chapel, Ager Road, and Northwest Branch, and then including some of the apartments north and west of Prince George's Plaza.

You can see the new school from the Home Depot parking lot. It is very nice and pretty impressive.

Anyone have a picture?

What is the new school name and what area will is zone be?

I know most of the neighboring schools are overcrowded, but I don't see University Park voluntarily losing students so wouldn't that leave extra spaces available at the new school? There is a 30 minute bus ride minimum and a 200 kid waitlist to Glenarden Woods for TAG kids. how much does the county spend on transportation to Glenarden and wouldn't those resources be better pent on new programs?

Fall is when the boundary meetings should start so that the BoE can approve the new boundaries around February or March 2014. Although I would be happy to be surprised by a different outcome, it is unlikely for the new school to end up with a TAG Center in large part because the seats are needed to alleviate overcrowding in most of the area schools. Even with the new school adding 700+ seats, most of the schools in this corner of the county will continue to be above state-rated capacity.

I have heard that there will be meetings on the school boundaries this Fall. PGCS should offer language immersion as well as other things with this school; TAG included.

Any idea if the new Hyattsville area elementary school is still being considered for a TAG program in the northeast section of the county?

Anon 16:55, this is 16:26 ... I'm not from the school board, but I am connected with Hyattsville Elementary and am involved with education issues in the city of Hyattsville.

PP, thanks for the info. Since I am currently zoned for Chavez, I know that it is really a long shot to be zoned for the new school.

Are you from the school board?

A few quick things, it's the new Hyattsville AREA Elementary School. The existing HES on 43rd and Jefferson is not being replaced or going anywhere. Hopefully PGCPS will assign a proper name to the school soon because it's causing more than a bit of confusion. The school is aiming for LEED silver (I believe), which means it will have a number of energy efficient and environmentally friendly features.

The school is slated to open for SY2014/15 (so not this fall, but next), as construction's not due for completion before November or December of 2013.

A boundary proposal for the new school should be coming out in the fall, hopefully by October, and there will be public meetings at that time; the BoE should approve the boundaries early in 2014 and then the school system can start talking about a principal and staffing.

Given the location of the school on Nicholson St., the most likely neighborhoods to be zoned to it will be in West Hyattsville (currently zoned to Rosa L. Parks) and some of the area northwest of The Mall at Prince George's (currently zoned to Carole Highlands and maybe some of what's zoned to University Park Elementary).

Almost all of the elementary schools in the northwestern part of the county are overcrowded so even though the new school will add about 790 seats, the surrounding schools will still be at or above capacity. As part of the boundary process, I know that capacity issues at a lot of the area schools are being looked at, including César Chávez, and I'd expect that the boundaries for several of these schools will be adjusted when the boundaries for the new school are set.

Here is a link to the architecture firm:

http://www.hcm2.com/studio/education/#

And a press release about the construction company:

http://www.sigal.com/about/news/2012-04-09/sigal-awarded-new-hyattsville-area-elementary-school

Today at lunchtime, I drove over to see the new Hyattsville Elementary School. Wow, am I impressed with the physical space. My community is currently zoned for Chevez and I hope that our community can be rezoned for the new school or have a good chance to petition into the school. I have heard that they will have boundary discussions this fall, so I am going to try to attend those.

Other than the older newspaper articles, does anyone have the inside scope on the school?

Kiki