Part 1. Public comments TPK Council meeting 5/26

Several community members from Takoma Park read statements to the TPK Council & Mayor tonight. This was one:

MCPS is proposing changes in our school boundaries. If these changes are implemented, current school assignments for our children could change, affecting East Silver Spring ES (ESS), Takoma Park ES (TPES), Piney Branch ES (PBES), Sligo Creek ES (SCES), Takoma Park Middle School (TPMS) and Silver Spring International MS (SSIMS).

We as a community are concerned because none of the options fully recognizes the current Takoma Park city boundaries. Additionally, Option 4 and Option 5 would move the North Takoma neighborhood (TP/PB1b) from Takoma Park Elementary School to East Silver Spring Elementary School (see map).

Options 4 and 5 would also eliminate the choice our neighbors in East Silver Spring (ESS3) have to attend Takoma Park schools.

We who live here would like to stay in our neighborhood schools for several reasons, including but not limited to:

• Our children and families have built strong friendships, social networks, and community ties and we want to maintain our after-school access to the Community Center and other Recreation programs in Takoma Park.

• We want to maintain current geographic boundaries, as members of the Takoma Park community.

• We want our neighbors in ESS3 to continue to have the choice to attend schools in Takoma Park, as they have been doing historically.

• Because of the expansion at TPES, we will be busing our TPES children to Grovesnor (about 30 minutes away) for the 2009 school year. If Option 4 or Option 5 are accepted, our children would be required to move again, to ESS, beginning with the 2010 school year.

• With Options 4 and 5, families may be forced to have their children attend two different elementary schools simultaneously.

• We want to retain our short walk to the Takoma Park school where most children walk to school daily. Some parents walk their children to school and then continue walking to the Metro.

We picked this neighborhood to live in so our children could attend the Takoma Park schools. We're deeply concerned about the potential impact the proposed changes will have on the community and ask for your help in supporting your neighbors.