My question is, what are the other options?

I still don't know why the move is permanent. I would guess that they have other plans for that building once the new Middle School is done.

Anonymous wrote:Goddard Montessori family here. Our in bound option is Hyattsville Middle School. Great. We picked Montessori precisely because of uncertainties surrounding Hyattsville Middle. We would probably have taken the Glenarden spot our kid was offered if we knew this outcome was a possibility.

The TAG lottery is still open if you want to apply.

Goddard Montessori family here. Our in bound option is Hyattsville Middle School. Great. We picked Montessori precisely because of uncertainties surrounding Hyattsville Middle. We would probably have taken the Glenarden spot our kid was offered if we knew this outcome was a possibility.

^^^^^
Another problem is this decision is pitting the school communities in direct conflict with each other.

Anonymous wrote:One of the many problems with this move is that the Hyattsville Middle School community has had years to plan and prepare for disruption. Yeah, there's been a lot of uncertainty, but nobody's been hiding the ball about that. Nobody knew where the kids would be placed during construction, but they knew that the students would be bussed somewhere and that site options were limited, so there was some unfortunate chance that the student body would be split up. It impacts middle school students for 2 years and then there will be a shiny new middle school at the end of that time. Families that might be impacted had a chance to consider their options. They had lead time to switch to independent, parochial, or specialty schools. Families moving to the area knew that this was in flux. Families were able to move away if the level of uncertainty was unacceptable.

Announcing this permanent move in mid-March to the RGMS community just, to put it bluntly, screws them. They had no idea this was even under consideration, not to mention plenty of reasons, such as the renovations mentioned above, to choose the long term commitment to Montessori. They have so few options now. This is disaster for that whole school community and is likely to destroy the school, at least as it's now constituted.

What on earth are you talking about? Hyattsville Middle School is a Title 1 school with 82% FARMS rate (probably higher because MS kids don't want to fill in the forms). They have 24% of the student body as English Language Learners. Do you really think that those parents have the options of sending their kids to independent or parochial schools? Most parents can't just decide to send their kids to a specialty program. They either get in or they don't. And getting in most programs after Kindergarten is almost impossible. Do you really think that the families moving into low income housing in the Hyattsville area were informed that the school might be moved? Most of the kids who go to Hyattsville Middle don't live in SFH in University Park or Historic Hyattsville, those parents figure out a way to get into specialty programs or private schools. They live in

I understand that it SUCKS for RG parents but the 880 Hyattsville Middle School kids are much more vulnerable than the kids at RG. RG has a FARMS rate of 33% and zero English Language learners. And you too have the option of going to your in bounds elementary school.

If you don't like the FREE Montessori education that your kid gets, go somewhere else. I'm sure that you are in a better position to do so than the vast majority of Hyattsville Middle School parents.

One of the many problems with this move is that the Hyattsville Middle School community has had years to plan and prepare for disruption. Yeah, there's been a lot of uncertainty, but nobody's been hiding the ball about that. Nobody knew where the kids would be placed during construction, but they knew that the students would be bussed somewhere and that site options were limited, so there was some unfortunate chance that the student body would be split up. It impacts middle school students for 2 years and then there will be a shiny new middle school at the end of that time. Families that might be impacted had a chance to consider their options. They had lead time to switch to independent, parochial, or specialty schools. Families moving to the area knew that this was in flux. Families were able to move away if the level of uncertainty was unacceptable.

Announcing this permanent move in mid-March to the RGMS community just, to put it bluntly, screws them. They had no idea this was even under consideration, not to mention plenty of reasons, such as the renovations mentioned above, to choose the long term commitment to Montessori. They have so few options now. This is disaster for that whole school community and is likely to destroy the school, at least as it's now constituted.

Anonymous wrote:In my experience with PGCPS, you are usually successful if you go in with an alternate plan. Figure out what buildings are open and then go on from there.

John Hansen is only using 46% of the building and Hoyer is only using 75%. Neither are in the ideal zone that they are aiming for in the boundary assessment survey that is going on.

A school building in north/central county with a capacity of ~1000 that is under utilized was bound to be part of the broader school utilization study given the surrounding elementary and middle schools are busting at the seams.

I meant Robert Goddard not John Hansen.

In my experience with PGCPS, you are usually successful if you go in with an alternate plan. Figure out what buildings are open and then go on from there.

John Hansen is only using 46% of the building and Hoyer is only using 75%. Neither are in the ideal zone that they are aiming for in the boundary assessment survey that is going on.

A school building in north/central county with a capacity of ~1000 that is under utilized was bound to be part of the broader school utilization study given the surrounding elementary and middle schools are busting at the seams.

Anonymous wrote:They should have picked a building in the northern county. The new location is central county and kids who are in the Montessori program that live in central county will likely not be able to attend the school even if it is closer.

Is there an empty building in decent condition in the North? I know that Meadowbrook was used when Tulip Grove was being renovated.

Honestly, they should consolidate (or eliminate) the 6-8th grades of the Montessori programs. There are only 20-30 kids in each middle school grade at both Goddard and Hoyer.

They should have picked a building in the northern county. The new location is central county and kids who are in the Montessori program that live in central county will likely not be able to attend the school even if it is closer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm so angry they are doing this to our school.

Where do you propose they put the Hyattsville middle school students during their renovation?

What are the other school options that could handle ~1000 middle school students? As far as I know there aren't any vacant PGCPS buildings that could handle that many kids while the school RGM is moving to is going to be more than big enough.

Don't be selfish. Montessori students already get more resources than other PGCPS students. Check your privilege.

There's no easy answer to this. I'm not invested in either outcome, but it's terrible management to have spent money renovating bathrooms for three-year-olds a couple of years ago and then permanently move everyone away so it all goes unused. There are SOOO many other schools with ventilation, leaking buildings with horrible bathrooms. It's especially awful that they are wasting money renovating a building and then changing their minds.

I didn't think it was a permanent move. I thought it was just temporary until school construction is over. Which should be 2023 or 2024. Hyattsville middle is part of the 3P program.

Sorry, I just read the announcement and it looks like they are saying permanent. Then your point about renovation is totally valid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm so angry they are doing this to our school.

Where do you propose they put the Hyattsville middle school students during their renovation?

What are the other school options that could handle ~1000 middle school students? As far as I know there aren't any vacant PGCPS buildings that could handle that many kids while the school RGM is moving to is going to be more than big enough.

Don't be selfish. Montessori students already get more resources than other PGCPS students. Check your privilege.

There's no easy answer to this. I'm not invested in either outcome, but it's terrible management to have spent money renovating bathrooms for three-year-olds a couple of years ago and then permanently move everyone away so it all goes unused. There are SOOO many other schools with ventilation, leaking buildings with horrible bathrooms. It's especially awful that they are wasting money renovating a building and then changing their minds.

I didn't think it was a permanent move. I thought it was just temporary until school construction is over. Which should be 2023 or 2024. Hyattsville middle is part of the 3P program.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm so angry they are doing this to our school.

Where do you propose they put the Hyattsville middle school students during their renovation?

What are the other school options that could handle ~1000 middle school students? As far as I know there aren't any vacant PGCPS buildings that could handle that many kids while the school RGM is moving to is going to be more than big enough.

Don't be selfish. Montessori students already get more resources than other PGCPS students. Check your privilege.

There's no easy answer to this. I'm not invested in either outcome, but it's terrible management to have spent money renovating bathrooms for three-year-olds a couple of years ago and then permanently move everyone away so it all goes unused. There are SOOO many other schools with ventilation, leaking buildings with horrible bathrooms. It's especially awful that they are wasting money renovating a building and then changing their minds.

Anonymous wrote:I'm so angry they are doing this to our school.

Where do you propose they put the Hyattsville middle school students during their renovation?

What are the other school options that could handle ~1000 middle school students? As far as I know there aren't any vacant PGCPS buildings that could handle that many kids while the school RGM is moving to is going to be more than big enough.

Don't be selfish. Montessori students already get more resources than other PGCPS students. Check your privilege.

I'm so angry they are doing this to our school.