New Middle School Site Selection Released

The board of education and Dr. Weast released yesterday the recommendation that a new middle school to serve the eastern half of the BCC cluster be built on the site of the current Coffield Center and park.

The site was identified by a group of parents who represented each of the PTAs in the cluster and MCPS staff as being the best available for a new school. Among the considerations used are the size of the lot, which is quite a hurdle in this very congested area. MCPS recommends that a middle school have 20 acres of land.

Neighbors have been very surprised to find out that the parkland they have grown accostomed to, and indeed purchased their homes for, may be in jeopardy. As is often the case, MCPS has done a terrible job explaining the process and has left these neighbors feeling like this recommendation is a done deal and the true process was hidden away.

These feelings have been compounded by the rush to bring this recommendation to a vote on Monday, March 28.

Having spent more time than I like on MCPS facilities issues, I am not surprised at the recommendation to try to locate the school at Coffield Center: Show me another parcel in the cluster that matches it for size, county ownership and accessibilty via Grubb Road/Lyttonsville.

However, I would like to see the Board of Education delay this vote and send the planning office out to meet with the community to explicitly explain the process of site selection and the process for feasibility studies going forward.

Neighbors are concerned that a new building will be dropped in their midst tomorrow and want to know what it will look like, where it will go, how many kids and buses, where the entrance will be and how much greenspace will remain.

MCPS has not figured any of these things out yet, but the process is so confusing that anyone who has not spent way too much time with the CIP would not know that all this recommendation is is the first step in a multi year process. Literally all the site selection committee does is point to the most likely piece of land and recommend it.

So, MCPS/BOE - delay this vote, take some time to explain the process to the neighborhood and then decide if this really is the best site.

New Budget Hurdles

Each day brings a new wrinkle to the ongoing budget discussions between the Board of Education, the County Executive, the County Council and the state. The latest budget released by the County Executive cuts MCPS by $82 million dollars.

The initial cuts planned for by Superintendent Weast are only $45 million (by the way, the mere fact that I can say ONLY $45 million should underscore the problem.)

The County Council needs to hear from YOU - today - that there is a limit to what we can absorb. Our system has taken in 3,300 new students, many poor and with additional needs. How can we adequately address their needs, if we don't fund the school system?

How can we address the needs of the kids currently in the system? And must we ALWAYS forget the kids in the middle -- the ones who are doing OK, not enough to need intervention, not enough to get into special programs? These kids make up the VAST majority of the system and are often the ones in the most over crowded classrooms.

How can we claim to be one of the best systems in the nation when everything that is not reading or math is on the chopping block? And even reading and math are taught in ever larger groups?

There has to be a limit, and I think I have reached mine.

To contact the County Council, use these email addresses (I haven't hyperlinked them, just copy and paste into your email):
councilmember.andrews@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.berliner@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.elrich@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.ervin@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.floreen@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.rice@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.riemer@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.leventhal@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.navarro@montgomerycountymd.gov;county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov;

To contact the Board of Education: BOE@mcpsmd.org

And don't forget County Executive Leggett: ocemail@montgomerycountymd.gov

On going Middle School Debate

There has been a lot written in the press about the proposal by Superintendent Weast to build a new middle school to serve the eastern side of the cluster and relieve future overcrowding at Westland. I encourage all parents to take a look at Washingtonpost.com and Gazette.net for background information and read our blog posts at www.buildanewrcf.blogspot.com for the PTA and Cluster postions.

In a nutshell, we are concerned that we have not had adequate time or information to assess the impact of a new middle school on our community, nor has the Superintendent specifically said that RCF would articulate to the new school. Given that we are sandwiched between North Chevy Chase, Chevy Chase and Rosemary Hills, it is likely that we would go to a new school though.

Snow Days

Wow, who would have thought we would see 20 inches of snow in early December and miss three days before winter break?

With everything shut down, perhaps we can all take time to enjoy the peace, to remember that winter break should be a break, not a mad dash from store, to stove, to party, to airport.

One of the lovely things about our school is it's location on a hill. There are several sledding sites, and they are all in heavy use. Some industrious person saw the opportunity in the plowed parking lot and created tunnels through the piled up snow. I am sure Mr. Chia would have a cow if he saw this, I know I was wondering if I was going to need to pull Jack out by his boots if/when the tunnel collapsed.

One parent, you know who you are, built a jump that quickly had to be demolished because it is not the winter olymics yet and even the jumpers there don't land on asphalt.

The Deli and Red Dog did a booming business in hot cocoa and coffee as parents and kids needed to warm up before heading back out again. Palais de Lune stayed open throughout the storm and many families walked to the coop to do their shopping. Many kids earned a fortune shoveling and clearing cars.

The result? We saw friends and neighbors, students and alumni, business owners and residents slowing down and reconnecting.

Being a part of the community, coming out and seeing neighbors and friends, this is what winter break is all about and why, although I had to swap kids to finish my holiday shopping, I am glad for the unexpected days off. Thanks Dr. Weast!