Funny noises are coming from Wootton Parkway. Is it the high school putting on a homespun version of Glee?
I doubt it. If anything, the shouts of joy are coming from Dr. Doran and his buddies from Carver.
You may ask why.
In this age of tight budgets and overcrowded classrooms, Wootton is getting yet another building addition! Seems as if the last project was just completed - although it was in 2002.
Surprise. Mr. Crispell's projections are wrong again.
In most parts of the county, kids are crammed into overcrowded and aging classrooms, and have to wait until for any type of building improvements because precious construction dollars must be allocated and carefully planned.
But not at Wootton. We don't want those darling test wizards to be in an overcrowded facility.
Whatever Wootton wants, Wootton gets (sorry Damn Yankees fans, this one comes to mind).
But curious taxpayers want to know - what did Dr. Doran have to promise to get a construction process fast tracked?
Thank goodness the community stopped the cell tower project last year. Hasn't anyone told MCPS that land is a limited resource?
At Mr. Tofig's request, I am posting the following, edited for space limitations.
ReplyDeleteThis item, which was approved by the Board, is for a feasibility study for the renovation/expansion (modernization) project at Wootton High School. . . . it has been in the MCPS Capital Improvements Program since 2009 (see page 4-119). The project was originally slated for completion in 2018, but due to budget constraints, it has been pushed back to 2020/2021. The feasibility study is an early step in the process and there are planning funds in the FY 2016 Capital Budget to begin the architectural design. . . .
. . .
IN REALITY: This is a renovation/expansion project, not an addition. Wootton was constructed in 1970, making it the oldest school in the cluster that has not been modernized.
IN REALITY: Actually, the district’s projections were very accurate. In 2009, as part of the 2011-2016 CIP, the projected enrollment at Wootton for the 2014-2015 school year was 2,239 students. The ACTUAL enrollment this year is 2,194 students—a variance of just 45 students—or 2 percent—from the original projection. As you are aware, enrollment is not the only factor in considering which schools are slated for revitalization/expansion.
IN REALITY: Revitalization/Expansion projects and classroom additions are distributed in a geographically equitable manner throughout the county. Consider the most recent high school renovation and expansion projects—Paint Branch and Gaithersburg High Schools. The next high school rev/ex to open will be at Wheaton High School/Edison, followed by Seneca Valley High School and Wootton. Yes, we would like to accelerate the timeline on many of the projects that are in the queue and have sought additional help from the state to do so.
IN REALITY: I think many of the students, teachers, and parents in the Wootton cluster would disagree with you. In fact, during public hearings on amendments to the 2015-2020 CIP in November, Wootton Cluster co-chair Chris Cartwright stated:
“The much delayed revitalization at Wootton high school is critically needed. Wootton opened in 1970 and will be 50 years old at the earliest the revitalization is completed. A Wootton student, Toni Walker, is here tonight and will show you some of the conditions at the school. Students face crowded hallways and common areas, lack of classroom space, aging conditions, and safety and accessibility not up to current standards. As one example, stairwells are only five feet in width, an amount that may be appropriate for a home but inadequate when over 2,000 students are attempting to move throughout the building in a few minutes between classes. Lack of available music classrooms impacts the curriculum and variety of offerings the school can provide. The music space the school does have is badly dated. Lack of space for required testing leads to displacing students and impacts learning in the classroom. In order to complete testing requirements like PARCC and HSA, other students will be displaced from their programs in computer labs. Surely it was not the intention of testing to take away from student learning. Administrators do their best to manage and make do with restricted facilities in these situations, but they take a toll on the school environment.”
Doesn’t sound to me like Wootton is getting what Wootton wants.
IN REALITY: Nothing, which should be clear by the fact that this revitalization/expansion has been delayed at least twice. But we do hope that, under Dr. Doran’s leadership, Wootton students continue to perform well and that we are able to provide a new school that the community has been seeking for many years.
Have a good day,
Dana Tofig
Director, Public Information and Web Services
Montgomery County Public Schools
. . .
Twitter: @MCPS
Does Poolesville HS have an ACTUAL band room yet? They didn't as of 10-15 years ago - it was a back wing of the auditorium with the auditorium chairs removed - calling it "badly dated" wouldn't have come close to describing the inadequacy of the facility. :-(
Delete(Haven't been out there for some time; if it's been updated, someone please do fill me in.)
Huh? Isn't expansion the same as addition?
ReplyDeleteMCPS uses these terms to obscure what is really happening. Green zone school with high test scores gets more space whenever it wants, other schools have to fall apart and have kids get sick - and still no projects.
What did Doomy Mike promise to get the addition? Another three cell towers?
Cell towers= good for student health
ReplyDeleteCell towers= good (source) for student health (problems)
DeleteWhatever Dana wants he gets. Why does he represent the school system?
ReplyDeleteDana Tofig is beyond arrogant. He is not even pleasant. Why anyone thought he would be a good PR rep for MCPS is beyond reason.
ReplyDeleteI hope the new superintendent replaces him with someone who is more respectful of people in general. Tofig takes questions personally, he acts as if he is better than parents and how dare anyone question anything he says. He should be a part of the clean sweep. MCPS needs a renewal.
He has a verbal delivery and appearance that only a mother could love. He whines and I've even seen tears in his eyes answering questions. Yes, he takes things personally because deep down inside he knows that he is doing wrong by the community. It is only a matter of time before he gets a real job somewhere else, maybe Baltimore, where he will not be able to play hide and seek all the time.
ReplyDeleteDana is a girl's name, and Tofig sounds like Tofu.
ReplyDeleteDidn't Dana leave for another job and then come back to MCPS a couple of years ago? I guess he found out he can't do what he is doing at MCPS anywhere else.
ReplyDelete