ok, once again: it is not MCPS. It is your elected Board of Education under which this is happening. People who work at MCPS are public employees. Only the Board of Education has the authority to make and execute these decisions. Did you vote for this Board of Education? Every single one of them was re-elected - and by large margins. If you voted for these people, this is what YOU WANT. P. Bienenfeld
There are several inaccuracies in Mr. Gleason’s article. It is written in a very alarmist tone. Please educate yourselves prior to taking a position on this issue. It is very irresponsible of this blog to post Mr. Gleason’s article without a balanced response from the McKenney Hills – Carroll Knolls community of 1100 who support the construction of the school as planned or the MCPS.
And McKenney Hills - Carroll Knolls, please specify WHICH school you support being built on this land. The one in the Feasibility Study or the one that was designed without community input by the new architect.
The community doesn't need to justify anything to you or your blog. Residents' energies are better spent supporting the school as planned and spending time with their children and families. This is not a parents' coalition, it's a Santucci coalition. The community knows what it voted for and supports it as noted at both the October and February Planning Board meetings. No further response necessary. The Planning Board has spoken and so has MCPS. The fact is Jack & Co. don't want a school. They have no vested interest in it, no kids that will be attending it and effectively don't want hundreds of kids walking the trails to get to school. These are the same kids that will be shouldering the debt left behind by Jack's generation and those before him.
The 550 school (that was designed in the Feasibility Study that was thrown out) or the 640 to 730 school that is going to be built that the community didn't plan?
Have you compared the footprint of the previous school to the new one? I seriously doubt you understand the size of the school that is going on that site. Nor do you understand that it will be one of the largest elementary school buildings in the entire county.
On Back to School night, as an example, where will you park? Dennis Avenue?
The "don't want a school" is frankly silly. There has been a school on that site for decades. A school that co-existed with the land. What is going to be built now is a school that is 3 times the size of the previous school. And the new school will be at Superintendent Jerry Weast's new supersized 730+ capacity.
When did Montgomery County citizens decide to supersize elementary schools? They didn't. For 20 years the community and Board size for elementary schools was 500 students. Policy FAA was a detailed Policy that took months to craft with significant community input and discussion. The consensus was that 500 was the appropriate size for a neighborhood elementary school. That's how the sites were sized for decades. That's why the average elementary school in the county is that size today.
But McKenney Hills will be one of Jerry Weast's mega schools. Maybe it will even be named after him when it is completed. The "Dr. Jerry D. Weast Mega Elementary School."
It will be the size of middle schools in the County.
And by the way, the 640 capacity is the MCPS trumped up number. The actual capacity according to State guidelines is over 700. The 640 number is only good as long as Superintendent Weast is here and can keep class sizes at lower levels. With a new Superintendent and budget changes the actual capacity of the new school will easily be 730+.
That will be different from Oakland Terrace, how? Even the Oakland Terrace Principal has been quoted as saying the new school might not be big enough to relieve OT.
Meanwhile, numerous other school sites sit unused in Silver Spring. There is school land in Silver Spring, quite a lot actually, with actual school buildings already there waiting to be reused for public school children.
Could a school be built on McKenney Hills without cutting down 120 trees? Of course. Could multiple schools in the area be re-opened to provide elementary school space for all of the students in Silver Spring? Of course.
As a person that doesn't live in the community, I return your quote back to you as I "seriously doubt you understand the size of the school". 120 trees is an immaterial amount of trees. Feel free to share with your readers what size of the trees compose the 120 number. Go ahead. I don't know what this is called a parents coalition as you criticize anything and everything out there. This isn't about the kids at all, which is quite disturbing. There's a lot of rehetoric here without much substance. Look over your post, educate yourself on the underlying information and try again.
@3:08 We are still waiting for your statement from the McKenney Hills - Carroll Knolls community. Is there a problem with making that statement public?
As for the trees, the entire list of trees slated for removal including the type and size of each has already been posted to this blog.
@3:08 Also add to your reading list this post about the $1.2 million that the County (you) invested to preserve the trees on the border of the McKenney Hills school site:
Thanks for the link. Certainly provides the history of the Parents Coalition. But the article doesn't really answer the questions I posted.
Who does belong? Is it even open to join? Are their dues? HOw does one join? What organizational structure exists? Apparently there is a PAC. Who controls it? Who decides when money is donated? Who raises the money? Who speaks for the Parents Coalition? Is there a President of the group or some elected leadership that makes decisions?
This blog raises awareness on some wonderful issues. Just witness the issues with the Brickyard lease that this site has brought out.
Just wondering who the people are beyond the coalition. I couldn't find anything on your website that answers these questions.
ok, once again: it is not MCPS. It is your elected Board of Education under which this is happening. People who work at MCPS are public employees. Only the Board of Education has the authority to make and execute these decisions. Did you vote for this Board of Education? Every single one of them was re-elected - and by large margins. If you voted for these people, this is what YOU WANT.
ReplyDeleteP. Bienenfeld
There are several inaccuracies in Mr. Gleason’s article. It is written in a very alarmist tone. Please educate yourselves prior to taking a position on this issue. It is very irresponsible of this blog to post Mr. Gleason’s article without a balanced response from the McKenney Hills – Carroll Knolls community of 1100 who support the construction of the school as planned or the MCPS.
ReplyDeleteSo where's the response McKenney Hill - Carroll Knolls?
ReplyDeleteThe trees are coming down. Time's a wastin!
And McKenney Hills - Carroll Knolls, please specify WHICH school you support being built on this land. The one in the Feasibility Study or the one that was designed without community input by the new architect.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
The community doesn't need to justify anything to you or your blog. Residents' energies are better spent supporting the school as planned and spending time with their children and families. This is not a parents' coalition, it's a Santucci coalition. The community knows what it voted for and supports it as noted at both the October and February Planning Board meetings. No further response necessary. The Planning Board has spoken and so has MCPS. The fact is Jack & Co. don't want a school. They have no vested interest in it, no kids that will be attending it and effectively don't want hundreds of kids walking the trails to get to school. These are the same kids that will be shouldering the debt left behind by Jack's generation and those before him.
ReplyDeleteAs planned? Which plan? Answer the question.
ReplyDeleteThe 550 school (that was designed in the Feasibility Study that was thrown out) or the 640 to 730 school that is going to be built that the community didn't plan?
Have you compared the footprint of the previous school to the new one? I seriously doubt you understand the size of the school that is going on that site. Nor do you understand that it will be one of the largest elementary school buildings in the entire county.
On Back to School night, as an example, where will you park? Dennis Avenue?
The "don't want a school" is frankly silly. There has been a school on that site for decades. A school that co-existed with the land. What is going to be built now is a school that is 3 times the size of the previous school. And the new school will be at Superintendent Jerry Weast's new supersized 730+ capacity.
When did Montgomery County citizens decide to supersize elementary schools? They didn't. For 20 years the community and Board size for elementary schools was 500 students. Policy FAA was a detailed Policy that took months to craft with significant community input and discussion. The consensus was that 500 was the appropriate size for a neighborhood elementary school. That's how the sites were sized for decades. That's why the average elementary school in the county is that size today.
But McKenney Hills will be one of Jerry Weast's mega schools. Maybe it will even be named after him when it is completed. The "Dr. Jerry D. Weast Mega Elementary School."
It will be the size of middle schools in the County.
And by the way, the 640 capacity is the MCPS trumped up number. The actual capacity according to State guidelines is over 700. The 640 number is only good as long as Superintendent Weast is here and can keep class sizes at lower levels. With a new Superintendent and budget changes the actual capacity of the new school will easily be 730+.
That will be different from Oakland Terrace, how?
Even the Oakland Terrace Principal has been quoted as saying the new school might not be big enough to relieve OT.
Meanwhile, numerous other school sites sit unused in Silver Spring. There is school land in Silver Spring, quite a lot actually, with actual school buildings already there waiting to be reused for public school children.
Could a school be built on McKenney Hills without cutting down 120 trees? Of course. Could multiple schools in the area be re-opened to provide elementary school space for all of the students in Silver Spring? Of course.
As a person that doesn't live in the community, I return your quote back to you as I "seriously doubt you understand the size of the school". 120 trees is an immaterial amount of trees. Feel free to share with your readers what size of the trees compose the 120 number. Go ahead. I don't know what this is called a parents coalition as you criticize anything and everything out there. This isn't about the kids at all, which is quite disturbing. There's a lot of rehetoric here without much substance. Look over your post, educate yourself on the underlying information and try again.
ReplyDelete@3:08 We are still waiting for your statement from the McKenney Hills - Carroll Knolls community. Is there a problem with making that statement public?
ReplyDeleteAs for the trees, the entire list of trees slated for removal including the type and size of each has already been posted to this blog.
http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2011/03/cut-list-mckenney-hills-trees-slated-to.html
We have already shared this information. Time for you to do a little reading and catch up on the facts.
New poster to this topic, but curious and have a few questions that perhaps can get answered.
ReplyDeleteWho belongs to the Parent Coalition and/or how does one join?
What type of organizational structure does the Parent Coalition have?
Is there anyone who speaks for the Coalition? How does the Coalition (or does it) reach consensus on the opinions they promote?
Perhaps there is another site for the Coalition or this is on this site, but I cant find it.
Thank you.
http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2009/11/happy-birthday-parents-coalition.html
ReplyDelete@3:08 Also add to your reading list this post about the $1.2 million that the County (you) invested to preserve the trees on the border of the McKenney Hills school site:
ReplyDeletehttp://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2011/02/wayne-goldsteins-advocacy-to-preserve.html
Thanks for the link. Certainly provides the history of the Parents Coalition. But the article doesn't really answer the questions I posted.
ReplyDeleteWho does belong? Is it even open to join? Are their dues? HOw does one join? What organizational structure exists? Apparently there is a PAC. Who controls it? Who decides when money is donated? Who raises the money? Who speaks for the Parents Coalition? Is there a President of the group or some elected leadership that makes decisions?
This blog raises awareness on some wonderful issues. Just witness the issues with the Brickyard lease that this site has brought out.
Just wondering who the people are beyond the coalition. I couldn't find anything on your website that answers these questions.