12 Students Save Monocacy Elementary School

MCPS' Long Term Enrollment Projections for the Poolesville Cluster change once again as Superintendent Weast releases his recommendation for Monocacy Elementary School.  

Superintendent Weast also makes clear he sees no reason to protect an elementary school in the Agricultural Reserve of Montgomery County, Maryland. But this is Superintendent Weast's last school year in MCPS and the next Superintendent may have a different perspective on preserving public schools in rural areas. 

Superintendent Weast says Poolesville Elementary School has "reversed the downward trend" in enrollment. See the chart supplied with Superintendent Weast's memo. Poolesville Elementary went from 387 students last year to 399 students this year, and that was enough to save Monocacy Elementary School! 

Superintendent’s Recommendation for Poolesville and Monocacy Elementary Schools

This fall, the enrollment at Poolesville Elementary School has reversed the downward trend that had been evident in the past at the school....

...As a result of the enrollment growth now projected for Poolesville Elementary School, I am recommending that Monocacy Elementary School remain an operating school for the foreseeable future...

...The Report of the Poolesville-Monocacy Roundtable Discussion Group included a request that the Board of Education institute a policy that specifically would accept lower enrollment levels at schools in the Agricultural Reserve. The only school that is located in the Agricultural Reserve with a service area completely within the Agricultural Reserve is Monocacy Elementary School.

John Poole Middle School, Poolesville Elementary School, and Poolesville High School are located within the incorporated area of the Town of Poolesville, an area that is surrounded by the Agricultural Reserve but is exempt from the development restrictions of the Agricultural Reserve.

Schools that have portions of their service areas in the Agricultural Reserve include Damascus, Laytonsville, Little Bennett, and Poolesville elementary schools; John T. Baker, John Poole, and Rocky Hill middle schools; and Clarksburg, Damascus, and Poolesville high schools.

While I understand the interest in formally exempting Monocacy Elementary School from the minimum desired enrollment standards, I do not support a Board of Education policy to accomplish this special consideration. Such a policy would only apply to Monocacy Elementary School because it is the only school physically located in the Agricultural Reserve. Board of Education policies should not be written for individual cases, such as that of Monocacy Elementary School. In addition, exceptions to preferred enrollment levels already are evident in a number of schools that either are below these desired enrollment levels or above them. The minimum and maximum enrollments are described as “preferred,” not mandatory. (link added to blog post)