Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Support the Action Items

In the public discussion session of the Takoma Park Council Meeting, the following action actions were requested on the proposed TPES/ESS school boundary issues:

There are five action items:
  1. We want the TPK Mayor and City Council to tell Montgomery County Schools superintendent Weast and the Board of Education "No to Options 4 & 5".
  2. We want the Mayor and City Council to ask MCPS and Supt. Weast to open the process and allow for additional plan options to be considered BEFORE Weast releases his report on Oct 15, 2009.
  3. We want the Mayor and City Council to demand that the county have the boundaries in the study reflect the ACTUAL city limits (esp in ESS2, ESS4 and TP1/1b).
  4. We want the Mayor and City Council to ask MCPS for currentdemographic information on those communities within the Takoma Park city lines that are being moved from TP/PBES in any of Options 1-6.
  5. We want the Mayor and City Council to demand that the county use current, accurate enrollment information rather than the figures currently being used (especially for the middle schools).

    Send your letters and comments to:

    Josh Wright, Councilmember, Ward 1 (TP/PB 1b)
    7401 Maple Ave., Takoma Park, MD 20912
    Phone: 301-312-2717

    City of Takoma Park Mayor Bruce Williams
    326 Lincoln Ave., Takoma Park, MD 20912
    Phone: 240-676-6234
    Fax: 301-891-1771

    Christopher S. Barclay, Board of Education, District 4
    Carver Educational Services Center, Rm. 123
    850 Hungerford Dr., Rockville, MD 20850
    Phone: 301-431-7736
    Fax: 301-279-3860

    Find additional BOE members >>

    Jerry D. Weast, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools
    Carver Educational Services Center, Rm. 122
    850 Hungerford Dr., Rockville, MD 20850
    Phone: 301-279-3381
    Fax: 301-279-3205
    email via Suzanne Peng-Meth
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6 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 29, 2009 at 9:46 PM

    Why only oppose options 4 and 5. Option 6 also sends TP kids to ESS. The logic in arguing against Option 4 and 5 also applies to Option 6. While I am fully supportive of TP1pb staying with TPES, it is not clear to me why ESS3 should stay with TPES. It is not part of TP. Over time school boundaries do change, and it would be nice to have ESS3 kids at ESS. Are there no additional options besides these 6?

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  2. Takoma School BoundariesMay 29, 2009 at 9:54 PM

    Even the county seems to acknowledge that Option 6 isn't a viable solution, so we hadn't taken a stand on it. But you make a good point. And to answer your question, no, there aren't any additional options. The county is allowed to propose up to 10 options to the superintendent but has taken the position that these 6 are the only options they will propose. They will not be making any further adjustments. We would like to propose at least one other option that deals with the concerns of all of the schools. What that option is? We don't know yet, but we're starting to research demographics -- specifically density and actual community identity. The sectors as proposed in these Options were somewhat randomly selected by staff in the Div of Long Range Planning. They did so without making visits to our communities to see for themselves how their choices worked in reality. Have any ideas? Post them. Have any concerns? Post those too.

    Blog Mom

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  3. AnonymousMay 30, 2009 at 12:06 PM

    Please reconsider lobbying straight out against options 4 or 5. Rather, think about whether a better strategy for ALL the schools involved is a modified version of 4 or 5 that keeps the small TP zone at TP Elementary.

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  4. AnonymousJune 1, 2009 at 12:31 PM

    Please try to keep in mind that TP1 and ESS3 do not effect a significant change in enrollment numbers one way or the other. However, options 4 and 5 move a very large number of families out of ESS.

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  5. Takoma School BoundariesJune 1, 2009 at 11:26 PM

    The county has made it clear that they will not make adjustments to any of the options, so asking for a modified version of 4 or 5 will not work. Superintendent Weast must come up with a new option that meets the needs of our communities. And if he does not, we will lobby the BOE to present a new option that does.

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  6. Takoma School BoundariesJune 1, 2009 at 11:30 PM

    Option 4 & 5 don't change the population of ESS by more than 3%, which seems pretty small. To best utilize Sligo Creek, there will need to be some movement from ESS and/or TPES. However, this movement needs to not effect the core communities. I'm not familiar enough yet with the ESS concerns/desires to know what their thoughts are on either of these options.

    Blog Mom

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