Anonymous
10/31/2025 08:36
Subject: Where will new Sligo Creek ES be?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote: Apparently, only PBES kids are special enough to warrant a close-in holding school and requiring the closing of a neighborhood school to accommodate that.
I’m pretty frustrated with the favoritism for PBES displayed by the superintendent and board thus far. The petition sent around by PBES families in support of converting SSIMS/ SCES to holding schools has made me even more disgruntled.
Can we petition MCPS to move PBES to coveted green space in TP (not unlike the plan to move SCES to Nolte) and then use their old PBES building as a holding school for SCES while they renovate? Only half kidding.
Wow! A petition supporting the closure of someone else's schools? That's a new low. Is that what the PBES community is about? How do we see this petition? I would be very eager to get a copy to verify that it's true.
The odds are so stacked against SSIMS right now. It's so unfair.
Anonymous
10/31/2025 05:41
Subject: Where will new Sligo Creek ES be?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote: Apparently, only PBES kids are special enough to warrant a close-in holding school and requiring the closing of a neighborhood school to accommodate that.
I’m pretty frustrated with the favoritism for PBES displayed by the superintendent and board thus far. The petition sent around by PBES families in support of converting SSIMS/ SCES to holding schools has made me even more disgruntled.
Can we petition MCPS to move PBES to coveted green space in TP (not unlike the plan to move SCES to Nolte) and then use their old PBES building as a holding school for SCES while they renovate? Only half kidding.
You may be half kidding but one of the sites considered for a new elementary school by MCPS in 2017 was Silver Spring Intermediate Park, which despite its name is in Takoma Park on Philadelphia Avenue. The report at the URL below states that it was "ideal for a new elementary school." Maybe MCPS can build a holding school there!
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/rem/dynamic/571036/
You mean the park they just spent $$ to update?
Anonymous
10/31/2025 05:33
Subject: Where will new Sligo Creek ES be?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
I do wonder how the Eastern and Sligo MS communities feel about their middle schools becoming super-sized? I suspect that Taylor will assume they will be grateful for the renovations, but at Eastern was already slated for them. Now they will occur at a later date and will include 500 more kids.
Anecdotally I know at least one person zoned for Sligo that is rooting for SSIMS to get closed because one of the MS/HS boundary options has them moving to SSIMS, and they understandably want to stay with friends at Sligo.
All of this is further evidence that MCPS is pitting communities against each other with everything going on right now. It feels really unfair.
I am in a similar situation and have been fighting this instinct too. I agree it stinks.
Same- although we are only rezoned from Sligo to SSIMS in one of the boundary scenarios, and it makes completely no sense because we are in the WALK zone for Sligo. Like it never should be included in a boundary scenario to begin with.
Anonymous
10/31/2025 05:31
Subject: Where will new Sligo Creek ES be?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
I do wonder how the Eastern and Sligo MS communities feel about their middle schools becoming super-sized? I suspect that Taylor will assume they will be grateful for the renovations, but at Eastern was already slated for them. Now they will occur at a later date and will include 500 more kids.
Anecdotally I know at least one person zoned for Sligo that is rooting for SSIMS to get closed because one of the MS/HS boundary options has them moving to SSIMS, and they understandably want to stay with friends at Sligo.
All of this is further evidence that MCPS is pitting communities against each other with everything going on right now. It feels really unfair.
Right- I think MCPS is making this unecessarily confusing with so many proposed changes at once.
Anonymous
10/31/2025 05:29
Subject: Where will new Sligo Creek ES be?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don't like the idea of turning SSIMS into a holding school and then closing it, but they said they were doing it to renovate Eastern and Sligo Middle, which are not west county or rich.
But I agree that shutting down schools in a central dense area is a bad idea, and I think MCPS needs to provide a lot more information on what led them to come to the conclusion that this option was better than renovating or tearing down and rebuilding those schools in the same l studocation.
Regarding your first point, no - - both Eastern and Sligo MS students will remain on-site during construction. Eastern will have a new school constructed next to the old school (which will remain occupied) and Sligo MS is only getting an addition.
The only school slated to utilize the SCES/SSIMS property as a holding school in the FY27-32 CIP is Piney Branch Elementary. Meanwhile, Highland View is getting a replacement school, but HVES kids will be bussed way up Colesville to Fairland Center. Apparently, only PBES kids are special enough to warrant a close-in holding school and requiring the closing of a neighborhood school to accommodate that. While I am sympathetic to PBES' need for renovations, it's worth noting that we are only talking about grade 3-5 kids. Both Highland View and Woodlin before it are K-5 schools and so you have 5-year olds having to endure long bus rides (Woodlin was a Grosvenor Center for two years I think?)
Anyway, if you look at p. 1-12 of the CIP, it lists the expected facility use schedule. This includes MCPS-owned properties that could potentially be developed into holding schools.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/planning/fy2027/cip27_entirebook.pdf
Sligo MS is also scheduled to utilize SSIMS as a holding school for the 2030-31 school year.
PP here, I stand corrected. PBES will use Sligo Creek for two years and Sligo will use SSIMS for a year.
I do wonder how the Eastern and Sligo MS communities feel about their middle schools becoming super-sized? I suspect that Taylor will assume they will be grateful for the renovations, but at Eastern was already slated for them. Now they will occur at a later date and will include 500 more kids.
We're zoned for SLigo and people are really concerned. But I will also say a lot of people are still unaware, despite our ES PTA sending out messages to parents.
Anonymous
10/30/2025 21:10
Subject: Where will new Sligo Creek ES be?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
I do wonder how the Eastern and Sligo MS communities feel about their middle schools becoming super-sized? I suspect that Taylor will assume they will be grateful for the renovations, but at Eastern was already slated for them. Now they will occur at a later date and will include 500 more kids.
Anecdotally I know at least one person zoned for Sligo that is rooting for SSIMS to get closed because one of the MS/HS boundary options has them moving to SSIMS, and they understandably want to stay with friends at Sligo.
All of this is further evidence that MCPS is pitting communities against each other with everything going on right now. It feels really unfair.
I am in a similar situation and have been fighting this instinct too. I agree it stinks.
Anonymous
10/30/2025 20:33
Subject: Re:Where will new Sligo Creek ES be?
I am zoned to Sligo with a child at SSIMS and a younger child whose middle school years now look like they might be severely disrupted. I do not want SSIMS to close, nor do I want super-sized middle schools at Sligo and Eastern. I know plenty of people who are also against expanding those middle schools.
Anonymous
10/30/2025 19:31
Subject: Where will new Sligo Creek ES be?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote: Apparently, only PBES kids are special enough to warrant a close-in holding school and requiring the closing of a neighborhood school to accommodate that.
I’m pretty frustrated with the favoritism for PBES displayed by the superintendent and board thus far. The petition sent around by PBES families in support of converting SSIMS/ SCES to holding schools has made me even more disgruntled.
Can we petition MCPS to move PBES to coveted green space in TP (not unlike the plan to move SCES to Nolte) and then use their old PBES building as a holding school for SCES while they renovate? Only half kidding.
You may be half kidding but one of the sites considered for a new elementary school by MCPS in 2017 was Silver Spring Intermediate Park, which despite its name is in Takoma Park on Philadelphia Avenue. The report at the URL below states that it was "ideal for a new elementary school." Maybe MCPS can build a holding school there!
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/rem/dynamic/571036/
Anonymous
10/30/2025 18:43
Subject: Where will new Sligo Creek ES be?
Anonymous wrote: Apparently, only PBES kids are special enough to warrant a close-in holding school and requiring the closing of a neighborhood school to accommodate that.
I’m pretty frustrated with the favoritism for PBES displayed by the superintendent and board thus far. The petition sent around by PBES families in support of converting SSIMS/ SCES to holding schools has made me even more disgruntled.
Can we petition MCPS to move PBES to coveted green space in TP (not unlike the plan to move SCES to Nolte) and then use their old PBES building as a holding school for SCES while they renovate? Only half kidding.
Anonymous
10/30/2025 18:05
Subject: Where will new Sligo Creek ES be?
Anonymous wrote:
I do wonder how the Eastern and Sligo MS communities feel about their middle schools becoming super-sized? I suspect that Taylor will assume they will be grateful for the renovations, but at Eastern was already slated for them. Now they will occur at a later date and will include 500 more kids.
Anecdotally I know at least one person zoned for Sligo that is rooting for SSIMS to get closed because one of the MS/HS boundary options has them moving to SSIMS, and they understandably want to stay with friends at Sligo.
All of this is further evidence that MCPS is pitting communities against each other with everything going on right now. It feels really unfair.
Anonymous
10/30/2025 17:39
Subject: Where will new Sligo Creek ES be?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don't like the idea of turning SSIMS into a holding school and then closing it, but they said they were doing it to renovate Eastern and Sligo Middle, which are not west county or rich.
But I agree that shutting down schools in a central dense area is a bad idea, and I think MCPS needs to provide a lot more information on what led them to come to the conclusion that this option was better than renovating or tearing down and rebuilding those schools in the same l studocation.
Regarding your first point, no - - both Eastern and Sligo MS students will remain on-site during construction. Eastern will have a new school constructed next to the old school (which will remain occupied) and Sligo MS is only getting an addition.
The only school slated to utilize the SCES/SSIMS property as a holding school in the FY27-32 CIP is Piney Branch Elementary. Meanwhile, Highland View is getting a replacement school, but HVES kids will be bussed way up Colesville to Fairland Center. Apparently, only PBES kids are special enough to warrant a close-in holding school and requiring the closing of a neighborhood school to accommodate that. While I am sympathetic to PBES' need for renovations, it's worth noting that we are only talking about grade 3-5 kids. Both Highland View and Woodlin before it are K-5 schools and so you have 5-year olds having to endure long bus rides (Woodlin was a Grosvenor Center for two years I think?)
Anyway, if you look at p. 1-12 of the CIP, it lists the expected facility use schedule. This includes MCPS-owned properties that could potentially be developed into holding schools.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/planning/fy2027/cip27_entirebook.pdf
Sligo MS is also scheduled to utilize SSIMS as a holding school for the 2030-31 school year.
Isn’t it the closing of SSIMS and reassignment of half those kids to Sligo MS that’s resulting in the need for expansion of Sligo and thus a holding school to accommodate that construction? How ironic.
Anonymous
10/30/2025 16:57
Subject: Where will new Sligo Creek ES be?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don't like the idea of turning SSIMS into a holding school and then closing it, but they said they were doing it to renovate Eastern and Sligo Middle, which are not west county or rich.
But I agree that shutting down schools in a central dense area is a bad idea, and I think MCPS needs to provide a lot more information on what led them to come to the conclusion that this option was better than renovating or tearing down and rebuilding those schools in the same l studocation.
Regarding your first point, no - - both Eastern and Sligo MS students will remain on-site during construction. Eastern will have a new school constructed next to the old school (which will remain occupied) and Sligo MS is only getting an addition.
The only school slated to utilize the SCES/SSIMS property as a holding school in the FY27-32 CIP is Piney Branch Elementary. Meanwhile, Highland View is getting a replacement school, but HVES kids will be bussed way up Colesville to Fairland Center. Apparently, only PBES kids are special enough to warrant a close-in holding school and requiring the closing of a neighborhood school to accommodate that. While I am sympathetic to PBES' need for renovations, it's worth noting that we are only talking about grade 3-5 kids. Both Highland View and Woodlin before it are K-5 schools and so you have 5-year olds having to endure long bus rides (Woodlin was a Grosvenor Center for two years I think?)
Anyway, if you look at p. 1-12 of the CIP, it lists the expected facility use schedule. This includes MCPS-owned properties that could potentially be developed into holding schools.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/planning/fy2027/cip27_entirebook.pdf
Sligo MS is also scheduled to utilize SSIMS as a holding school for the 2030-31 school year.
PP here, I stand corrected. PBES will use Sligo Creek for two years and Sligo will use SSIMS for a year.
I do wonder how the Eastern and Sligo MS communities feel about their middle schools becoming super-sized? I suspect that Taylor will assume they will be grateful for the renovations, but at Eastern was already slated for them. Now they will occur at a later date and will include 500 more kids.
Anonymous
10/30/2025 16:40
Subject: Where will new Sligo Creek ES be?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don't like the idea of turning SSIMS into a holding school and then closing it, but they said they were doing it to renovate Eastern and Sligo Middle, which are not west county or rich.
But I agree that shutting down schools in a central dense area is a bad idea, and I think MCPS needs to provide a lot more information on what led them to come to the conclusion that this option was better than renovating or tearing down and rebuilding those schools in the same l studocation.
Regarding your first point, no - - both Eastern and Sligo MS students will remain on-site during construction. Eastern will have a new school constructed next to the old school (which will remain occupied) and Sligo MS is only getting an addition.
The only school slated to utilize the SCES/SSIMS property as a holding school in the FY27-32 CIP is Piney Branch Elementary. Meanwhile, Highland View is getting a replacement school, but HVES kids will be bussed way up Colesville to Fairland Center. Apparently, only PBES kids are special enough to warrant a close-in holding school and requiring the closing of a neighborhood school to accommodate that. While I am sympathetic to PBES' need for renovations, it's worth noting that we are only talking about grade 3-5 kids. Both Highland View and Woodlin before it are K-5 schools and so you have 5-year olds having to endure long bus rides (Woodlin was a Grosvenor Center for two years I think?)
Anyway, if you look at p. 1-12 of the CIP, it lists the expected facility use schedule. This includes MCPS-owned properties that could potentially be developed into holding schools.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/planning/fy2027/cip27_entirebook.pdf
Sligo MS is also scheduled to utilize SSIMS as a holding school for the 2030-31 school year.
Anonymous
10/30/2025 16:21
Subject: Where will new Sligo Creek ES be?
Anonymous wrote:I don't like the idea of turning SSIMS into a holding school and then closing it, but they said they were doing it to renovate Eastern and Sligo Middle, which are not west county or rich.
But I agree that shutting down schools in a central dense area is a bad idea, and I think MCPS needs to provide a lot more information on what led them to come to the conclusion that this option was better than renovating or tearing down and rebuilding those schools in the same l studocation.
Regarding your first point, no - - both Eastern and Sligo MS students will remain on-site during construction. Eastern will have a new school constructed next to the old school (which will remain occupied) and Sligo MS is only getting an addition.
The only school slated to utilize the SCES/SSIMS property as a holding school in the FY27-32 CIP is Piney Branch Elementary. Meanwhile, Highland View is getting a replacement school, but HVES kids will be bussed way up Colesville to Fairland Center. Apparently, only PBES kids are special enough to warrant a close-in holding school and requiring the closing of a neighborhood school to accommodate that. While I am sympathetic to PBES' need for renovations, it's worth noting that we are only talking about grade 3-5 kids. Both Highland View and Woodlin before it are K-5 schools and so you have 5-year olds having to endure long bus rides (Woodlin was a Grosvenor Center for two years I think?)
Anyway, if you look at p. 1-12 of the CIP, it lists the expected facility use schedule. This includes MCPS-owned properties that could potentially be developed into holding schools.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/planning/fy2027/cip27_entirebook.pdf
Anonymous
10/30/2025 13:13
Subject: Where will new Sligo Creek ES be?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:They are proposing buidling a new Eastern on the current campus and keeping the current Eastern in use while it's being built. Why not use that as a holding school for SSIMS students after the new Eastern is built and renovate SSIMS?
Or convert just SCES to a holding elementary school and let SSIMS students use it, plus parts of their current building while renovating SSIMS? Then it could be used for Piney Branch and other elementary communities after SSIMS is renovated.
The point is, there are creative solutions here that do not involve putting the entire burden of needing a holding school on one neighborhood/community. This plan is a complete slap in the face to the SSIMS community.
They can't have two whole middle schools operating on one middle school site simultaneously.
Why not? We have an ES and a MS that have been operating on the same site for 25+ years.
They are operating on a larger site that was formerly a high school. Eastern's site is not large enough to support double the number of cars and buses, plus neither school would have fields to use during that time.
According to Taylor, people in holding schools can tolerate temporary inconveniences, so…