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Stories from the NFCCA Newsletter, the “Northwood News” |
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Stories from the NFCCA Newsletter, the “Northwood News” |
| Elementary Schools to be Studied for Additions | Other Cluster Elementary Schools Included in the Study |
|---|---|
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Montgomery Knolls ES New Hampshire Estates ES Oak View ES Pine Crest ES Sligo Creek ES |
East Silver Spring ES Forest Knolls ES Highland View ES Piney Branch ES Rolling Terrace ES Takoma Park ES Woodlin ES |
Montgomery County Public Schools will be holding a series of public information meetings about expanding the elementary school capacity in the Downcounty Consortium (DCC) area. This will primarily involve whether to build additions to five existing school buildings or to find land to build a new school. (This does not include any new schools necessitated by the new White Oak Master Plan, which could result in 8,600 or more residential units being built in that area.) Seven other elementary schools also are being studied, including Forest Knolls Elementary School.
FKES expanded its classroom capacity in 2007, adding a dozen new classrooms and removing the portable classrooms that had been in use until then. By 2012, portables had been returned for the increased enrollment. Although FKES only has room for 506 students, in the 2012–2013 school year enrollment reached 683. Current enrollment, including pre-K and speech students, stands at 758, 252 over the school’s capacity.
The results of the DCC capacity study will be compared to the cost of opening a new elementary school. During the study, all relevant materials will be posted, as they become available, at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/construction/studies/dcc-capacitystudy.aspx.
The meetings at each elementary school will allow community members to provide input on the classroom additions being studied. At each school, the architect will present one or more concepts for the classroom addition. Comments will be recorded and the architect will incorporate any changes based on the input.
Public meetings to review the concept plans for the additions have already been held at Sligo Creek Elementary School (11 March 2015) and Oak View Elementary School (17 March 2015). The three remaining plan reviews will be (in the Media Centers at each):
The initial public information meeting was held 2 March 2015 at Montgomery Blair High School. The final informational meeting, on the results of all the elementary school meetings, will be held 1 June 2015, 7:00–8:30 p.m., at the Northwood High School cafeteria (919 University Blvd. West).
Spanish interpreters will be present at all evening meetings. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who need accommodations or special assistance may contact the Office of Interpreting Services at 301.517.5539 or via video phone at 301.637.2933.
Following completion of all these meetings, the architect will develop cost estimates for each proposed school addition. The cost of additions will be compared with the cost of a new elementary school. This Fall, the Superintendent of Schools will make a recommendation on whether to construct additions at some schools, build a new elementary school, or a combination of both. The recommendation will be included as part of the Superintendent’s Recommended FY 2017–2022 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) where funds and opening dates will be recommended. ■
© 2015 NFCCA [Source: https://nfcca.org/news/nn201504c.html]