Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the situation: higher FARMS means more attention needed for academic issues, ESOL, below grade level in math, less advanced classes, so yes it does make a difference for the quality of the schools. The goal should be that both MS for b-cc cluster produce kids ready for the rigor of B-CC. Option 1 gives the best chance of this IMHO.

And if BCC was its own, stand-alone district, this would make sense. But it isn't - it's a county-wide district, and MCPS is making decisions based on all the clusters and kids in the county. Hence the need to keep space at Westland for the inevitable influx of kids from the Westbard development that will be redistricted to go to Westland and BCC.

I don't think it's fair to assume that it is "inevitable" that new Westbard development gets redistricted to BCC. The BCC cluster does not have room for more students with THREE development projects in the pipeline as it is: Bethesda, Chevy Chase Lake and Lyttonsville.

Comments at this point should go to the Board of Education. And the info below is from the MCPS.

Members of the community will have an opportunity to give feedback on the CIP amendments during the Board of Education’s public hearings on November 10 and 14.

Individuals and groups may send written comments to the Board. Correspondence sent to the Board president will be copied to all Board members.

E-mail communications to Board of Education members should be addressed to boe@mcpsmd.org.

All Board members will receive the message.


Montgomery County Board of Education
850 Hungerford Drive
Rockville, Maryland 20850

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really don't understand the outrage over the Super's recommendation. ALL of the feeding elementary schools are excellent schools! They had to get divided somehow, and this rec seems to make the most geographic sense FOR THE KIDS, to minimize their commutes and keep neighborhoods together for a sense of community, being able to arrange school/social get togethers, etc. The only way to get an exactly even divide of the number of students between the schools would have been to split individual elementary schools to feed to separate middle schools, and I can't see any good in that. The future overcrowding concern is a real concern - but it exists for both middle schools along with many other middle schools in the County. Let's keep site of the fact that all of the affected kids will be at one of two excellent middle schools with involved parent support and relatively low farms rates (and, as a negative, relatively little diversity) compared to the rest of the County.

The outrage is over the immediate overcrowding at the new middle school. If the convenience of students is most important, then they should let elementary school students attend their home school and not require busing to RHPS.

Could CCES and NCC even accomodate the addition of grades k-2 in their current buildings? Unless so (which I doubt), then RHPS is a separate issue and I have no doubt that the uber organized Chevy Chase parents will get that next on the MCPS agenda.

Sure, if RHPS also turned into a K-5 school.

Anonymous wrote:I am a Chevy Chase parent and at our boundary study meetings the topic that was addressed first and spoken about intensely was how we did NOT want to split from our cachement of children from Silver Spring. We all voted to remove those options. I know our "uber organized Chevy Chase" PTA leaders are very passionate about this so I am hopeful we can stay together.

It's very rude and ignorant to assume that Chevy Chase resents or would want to separate from the children that have been part of our community for 7 years.

. . .

NP here. Then why don't you address the poster(s?) who keep screaming about how busing to RHES needs to stop? The rest of us are not making assumptions, we're addressing that poster.

I am a Chevy Chase parent and at our boundary study meetings the topic that was addressed first and spoken about intensely was how we did NOT want to split from our cachement of children from Silver Spring. We all voted to remove those options. I know our "uber organized Chevy Chase" PTA leaders are very passionate about this so I am hopeful we can stay together.

It's very rude and ignorant to assume that Chevy Chase resents or would want to separate from the children that have been part of our community for 7 years.

We don't want to go into an overcrowded school. I also remember that the opponents to the new middle school had a primary objection of it not being large enough, and MCPS assurances that the school would not be overcrowded.

I have never understood the attitude towards CC, there are residences in Bethesda that make homes in CC look like dog houses. Also I know a number of wealthy people who live in Rock Creek Forest who are much better off financially than my family.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really don't understand the outrage over the Super's recommendation. ALL of the feeding elementary schools are excellent schools! They had to get divided somehow, and this rec seems to make the most geographic sense FOR THE KIDS, to minimize their commutes and keep neighborhoods together for a sense of community, being able to arrange school/social get togethers, etc. The only way to get an exactly even divide of the number of students between the schools would have been to split individual elementary schools to feed to separate middle schools, and I can't see any good in that. The future overcrowding concern is a real concern - but it exists for both middle schools along with many other middle schools in the County. Let's keep site of the fact that all of the affected kids will be at one of two excellent middle schools with involved parent support and relatively low farms rates (and, as a negative, relatively little diversity) compared to the rest of the County.

The outrage is over the immediate overcrowding at the new middle school. If the convenience of students is most important, then they should let elementary school students attend their home school and not require busing to RHPS.

Could CCES and NCC even accomodate the addition of grades k-2 in their current buildings? Unless so (which I doubt), then RHPS is a separate issue and I have no doubt that the uber organized Chevy Chase parents will get that next on the MCPS agenda.

Anonymous wrote:I really don't understand the outrage over the Super's recommendation. ALL of the feeding elementary schools are excellent schools! They had to get divided somehow, and this rec seems to make the most geographic sense FOR THE KIDS, to minimize their commutes and keep neighborhoods together for a sense of community, being able to arrange school/social get togethers, etc. The only way to get an exactly even divide of the number of students between the schools would have been to split individual elementary schools to feed to separate middle schools, and I can't see any good in that. The future overcrowding concern is a real concern - but it exists for both middle schools along with many other middle schools in the County. Let's keep site of the fact that all of the affected kids will be at one of two excellent middle schools with involved parent support and relatively low farms rates (and, as a negative, relatively little diversity) compared to the rest of the County.

The outrage is over the immediate overcrowding at the new middle school. If the convenience of students is most important, then they should let elementary school students attend their home school and not require busing to RHPS.

I really don't understand the outrage over the Super's recommendation. ALL of the feeding elementary schools are excellent schools! They had to get divided somehow, and this rec seems to make the most geographic sense FOR THE KIDS, to minimize their commutes and keep neighborhoods together for a sense of community, being able to arrange school/social get togethers, etc. The only way to get an exactly even divide of the number of students between the schools would have been to split individual elementary schools to feed to separate middle schools, and I can't see any good in that. The future overcrowding concern is a real concern - but it exists for both middle schools along with many other middle schools in the County. Let's keep site of the fact that all of the affected kids will be at one of two excellent middle schools with involved parent support and relatively low farms rates (and, as a negative, relatively little diversity) compared to the rest of the County.

Anonymous wrote:So what is the best way to express concern about the superintendent's decision?

Can someone address this question? thanks

Anonymous wrote:This is the situation: higher FARMS means more attention needed for academic issues, ESOL, below grade level in math, less advanced classes, so yes it does make a difference for the quality of the schools. The goal should be that both MS for b-cc cluster produce kids ready for the rigor of B-CC. Option 1 gives the best chance of this IMHO.

And if BCC was its own, stand-alone district, this would make sense. But it isn't - it's a county-wide district, and MCPS is making decisions based on all the clusters and kids in the county. Hence the need to keep space at Westland for the inevitable influx of kids from the Westbard development that will be redistricted to go to Westland and BCC.

This is the situation: higher FARMS means more attention needed for academic issues, ESOL, below grade level in math, less advanced classes, so yes it does make a difference for the quality of the schools. The goal should be that both MS for b-cc cluster produce kids ready for the rigor of B-CC. Option 1 gives the best chance of this IMHO.

Anonymous wrote:To be truly fair they should end busing for CCES and NCC if proximity is the only consideration. End busing at NCC and CCES and use Connecticut Ave as your separation line. Done!

110%. This is exactly what should happen.

You are mistaking better education for higher test scores.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just for a counterbalance point of view, as a Bethesda Elementary parent I think the new superintendent should political courage and hit this one out of the park. I never dared dream number 7 would be selected but couldn't be happier it was.

Of course you are. You guys went nuts when some people proposed you split and go to the new school.

The PP's elation has nothing to do with BE not splitting. She is happy because it makes Westland whiter and is probably the same person who is obsessed with Westland's ranking vis a vis Pyle.

You sound so bitter. You read the worst in everybody else's statements which more than likely is a reflection of what's in your heart. You are obviously upset because BCC MS2# wasn't artificially gerrymandered to be better than Westland

You just proved my point by assuming Westland will be better than MS#2. I have no doubt that my kid could get a similar education at both.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just for a counterbalance point of view, as a Bethesda Elementary parent I think the new superintendent should political courage and hit this one out of the park. I never dared dream number 7 would be selected but couldn't be happier it was.

Of course you are. You guys went nuts when some people proposed you split and go to the new school.

The PP's elation has nothing to do with BE not splitting. She is happy because it makes Westland whiter and is probably the same person who is obsessed with Westland's ranking vis a vis Pyle.

You sound so bitter. You read the worst in everybody else's statements which more than likely is a reflection of what's in your heart. You are obviously upset because BCC MS2# wasn't artificially gerrymandered to be better than Westland