Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Gazette covers BOE testimony
The testimony given by Amanda Waugh at the Board of Education received prominent coverage in the Gazette last week. To read more about it go to: http://www.gazette.net/stories/11182009/montnew181853_32542.shtml
Friday, November 20, 2009
The CIP is Passed; Long Live the CIP
It’s one of those “yes, but…” moments. The Board of Education voted on Thursday, November 19, 2009 to pass the Capital Improvement Plan which includes modernization of Rock Creek Forest. Planning should being in 2010, construction in 2013.
Now we get to the “yes, but” part.
The CIP needs to be funded. Right now, the CIP functions as a Christmas list. It shows the wishes and intentions of the board, but without Santa, it is just a list. Now our advocacy shifts to the County Council and State of Maryland. For more on the timeline, see the post timeline to a new RCF.
Now we get to the “yes, but” part.
The CIP needs to be funded. Right now, the CIP functions as a Christmas list. It shows the wishes and intentions of the board, but without Santa, it is just a list. Now our advocacy shifts to the County Council and State of Maryland. For more on the timeline, see the post timeline to a new RCF.
Timeline to a new RCF
More than anything I have had questions about the process. It IS really confusing, for all of us. But here is how it works:
date action
11/11 -11/12/2009 Board of Education holds public hearings on the FYI 2011-2016
11/19/2009 BOE votes on CIP – vote held and CIP passed
11/30/2009 Final requests for state aid due
12/2009 Ike Leggett, County Executive reviews BOE request
1/15/2009 (tentative date)Ike Leggett, County Executive presents his recommendations.
1/27/2009 (tentative date)Board of Public Works hearing on CIP (tentative date)
2/20/2009 LAST possible date for the Governor to propose his Capital Budget
Feb – May, 2009 County Council holds hearings on CIP
4/5/2009 Both state houses vote on budget
May, 2009 County Council approves the FY 2011-2016 CIP and funding for the 2011 Capital Budget
Ok, so, that’s clear as mud. As you can see, it is a process that requires four/five separate stakeholders to buy in. The Board of Education, the County Executive, the State House and Senate, the Governor all need to do their part to make this happen.
Right now the BOE has approved the CIP, which is great. BUT, if the state does not give them the money, and we should be VERY concerned that they won’t, then the BOE needs to make some choices about what to do.
Now, they work their way down three lists of 1)schools additions 2) schools modernizations 3) high school modernizations. But what mix of funding they choose is where we need to be concerned.
Historically, the BOE has favored additions over modernizations – they are cheaper and they please more constituencies. That means that modernizations get pushed back.
date action
11/11 -11/12/2009 Board of Education holds public hearings on the FYI 2011-2016
11/19/2009 BOE votes on CIP – vote held and CIP passed
11/30/2009 Final requests for state aid due
12/2009 Ike Leggett, County Executive reviews BOE request
1/15/2009 (tentative date)Ike Leggett, County Executive presents his recommendations.
1/27/2009 (tentative date)Board of Public Works hearing on CIP (tentative date)
2/20/2009 LAST possible date for the Governor to propose his Capital Budget
Feb – May, 2009 County Council holds hearings on CIP
4/5/2009 Both state houses vote on budget
May, 2009 County Council approves the FY 2011-2016 CIP and funding for the 2011 Capital Budget
Ok, so, that’s clear as mud. As you can see, it is a process that requires four/five separate stakeholders to buy in. The Board of Education, the County Executive, the State House and Senate, the Governor all need to do their part to make this happen.
Right now the BOE has approved the CIP, which is great. BUT, if the state does not give them the money, and we should be VERY concerned that they won’t, then the BOE needs to make some choices about what to do.
Now, they work their way down three lists of 1)schools additions 2) schools modernizations 3) high school modernizations. But what mix of funding they choose is where we need to be concerned.
Historically, the BOE has favored additions over modernizations – they are cheaper and they please more constituencies. That means that modernizations get pushed back.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
40X40 -- pass it on
We are all frustrated and concerned about the pace of modernization at Rock Creek Forest. That is why we have developed a three prong strategy to: 1) get the funding we need from the Governor and state delegation 2) make sure it is allocated by the county council and 3) make sure the Board of Education remains focused on Rock Creek Forest ES.
Our theme is 40X40 – forty years since our last renovation; 40% over capacity. Please try to incorporate this phrase into your communication, we will be building a campaign around it.
Here what you can do:
1) Contact the Board of Education immediately, to ask that they
a. Prioritize modernizations and avoid the past tendency to put additions before modernizations, thereby punishing older, more run down facilities.
b. Adopt the Capital Improvement Plan
c. Remember Rock Creek Forest 40X40
Board of Education contact information: boe@mcpsmd.org or individually Shirley_Brandman@mcpsmd.org ; Phil_Kauffman@mcpsmd.org ; mailto:Patricia_O ; Judy_Docca@mcpsmd.org; Laura_Berthiaume@mcpsmd.org ; Chrisopher_Barclay@mcpsmd.org Michael_A_Durso@mcpsmd.org; Timothy_T_Hwang@mcpsmd.org
2) Contact the County Council and let them know that:
a. Our school is “40X40.” 40 years since it’s last renovation and 40% over capacity.
b. Regardless of what district they represent, RCF represents the entire county through the immersion program;
c. Even in tight economic times, we expect that they will fund our school’s modernization, which requires funding the CIP.
d. We have waited long enough.
County Council Contact information:
councilmember.andrews@montgomerycountymd.gov ; councilmember.berliner@montgomerycountymd.gov ; councilmember.elrich@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.ervin@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.floreen@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.knapp@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.leventhal@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.navarro@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.trachtenberg@montgomerycountymd.gov
3) Contact your state delegate and let them know:
a. Our school is “40X40.” 40 years since it’s last renovation and 40% over capacity.
b. Regardless of what district they represent, RCF represents the entire county through the immersion program;
c. Even in tight economic times, we expect that they will fund our school’s modernization, which requires funding capital projects.
d. We have waited long enough.
Contact information for the state house: go to http://mdelect.net/electedofficials/ to find your representatives.
4) Contact Governor O’Malley and tell him:
a. Our school is “40X40.” 40 years since it’s last renovation and 40% over capacity.
b. RCF represents the entire county through the immersion program;
c. Even in tight economic times, we expect that he will fund our school’s modernization, which requires funding capital projects.
d. We have waited long enough.
Contact Information for Gov. O'Malley: http://www.governor.maryland.gov/mail/
Our theme is 40X40 – forty years since our last renovation; 40% over capacity. Please try to incorporate this phrase into your communication, we will be building a campaign around it.
Here what you can do:
1) Contact the Board of Education immediately, to ask that they
a. Prioritize modernizations and avoid the past tendency to put additions before modernizations, thereby punishing older, more run down facilities.
b. Adopt the Capital Improvement Plan
c. Remember Rock Creek Forest 40X40
Board of Education contact information: boe@mcpsmd.org or individually Shirley_Brandman@mcpsmd.org ; Phil_Kauffman@mcpsmd.org ; mailto:Patricia_O ; Judy_Docca@mcpsmd.org; Laura_Berthiaume@mcpsmd.org ; Chrisopher_Barclay@mcpsmd.org Michael_A_Durso@mcpsmd.org; Timothy_T_Hwang@mcpsmd.org
2) Contact the County Council and let them know that:
a. Our school is “40X40.” 40 years since it’s last renovation and 40% over capacity.
b. Regardless of what district they represent, RCF represents the entire county through the immersion program;
c. Even in tight economic times, we expect that they will fund our school’s modernization, which requires funding the CIP.
d. We have waited long enough.
County Council Contact information:
councilmember.andrews@montgomerycountymd.gov ; councilmember.berliner@montgomerycountymd.gov ; councilmember.elrich@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.ervin@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.floreen@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.knapp@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.leventhal@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.navarro@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.trachtenberg@montgomerycountymd.gov
3) Contact your state delegate and let them know:
a. Our school is “40X40.” 40 years since it’s last renovation and 40% over capacity.
b. Regardless of what district they represent, RCF represents the entire county through the immersion program;
c. Even in tight economic times, we expect that they will fund our school’s modernization, which requires funding capital projects.
d. We have waited long enough.
Contact information for the state house: go to http://mdelect.net/electedofficials/ to find your representatives.
4) Contact Governor O’Malley and tell him:
a. Our school is “40X40.” 40 years since it’s last renovation and 40% over capacity.
b. RCF represents the entire county through the immersion program;
c. Even in tight economic times, we expect that he will fund our school’s modernization, which requires funding capital projects.
d. We have waited long enough.
Contact Information for Gov. O'Malley: http://www.governor.maryland.gov/mail/
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Tonights Testimony on the CIP
Testimony of Amanda Waugh
Rock Creek Forest PTA
November 12, 2009
Board of Education Facilities and Boundaries Hearing
Thank you for having me tonight. I am testifying on behalf of the Rock Creek Forest ES PTA and I want to tell you about our school and its many, many facility needs.
As you know, Rock Creek Forest is on the queue for modernization and we thank you for continuing to hold our place.
Rock Creek Forest was built in 1950 and last modernized in 1971. Our facility designed for 372 kids and currently serves 501. I want to draw your attention to that number. We were built for 372 and hold 501. That puts us at 139% capacity. We have six portables and expect to need a seventh next year. The most in our cluster.
Now, I am drawing attention to these numbers because I also want to address the “elephant in the room,” the unstated rule that we are never supposed to pit schools against each other or compare clusters. But I am here to serve the rock creek forest community.
I am asking you, our elected officials, to look at the capacity numbers for rock creek forest and consider the tendency to put additions before modernizations. Should the funding from the state not be what we hope, and we have every reason to be concerned, schools with less crowding and more modern buildings will receive additions before Rock Creek Forest, where the facility is 40 years old and the capacity is exceeded by nearly 40%, will get its modernization.
Having drawn your attention to that, I want to assure you that we, at Rock Creek Forest, are reaching out to our state legislators and Governor O’Malley with letters and emails to request that funding for the county’s capital needs is adequate.
As I said, it has been almost 40 years since Rock Creek Forest was last modernized. That is older than the parents of many rock creek forest students, but more importantly, it means we struggle to meet the needs of 21st century kids in a building designed before cassette tapes were widely used.
Our cafeteria is routinely over crowded.
Our buses back up nearly to East West Highway, since in 1970 we served walkers, but now, with our immersion program drawing from across the county, we receive 10 buses every day.
We find ourselves in a double bind. On the face of things we are in line to get what we need, but in reality we crippled by our place in the modernization queue.
At any given time up to 25% of our students are being taught in a portable. Our lunches are served not only in the APR but also on the stage. One out of 5 students at RCF is on FARMS and we have the highest percentage of students receiving ESOL services in the cluster.
I bring that to your attention so you can imagine being six years old and waiting for your lunch in the line, but the cafeteria is so crowded, you have to wait and wait. The line stretches down the hall. By the time it’s your turn, you have ten minutes left to eat. Oh, and the kitchen does not connect directly to the cafeteria, so you need to carry your lunch into the busy main hallway, through the main door to the cafeteria where students and staff are also coming and going and to your seat, up five steps on the stage.
The roof leaks at times, the front of the school floods in a rain like we have had the last few days, rooms are either stifling hot or freezing cold, paint bubbles off the walls due to moisture, windows cannot be tightly closed and insects are common and every little space is used for something, closets have been repurposed for offices. I have sat in meetings with teachers where the thermostat read over 80 degrees because the heat is either on or not.
We have waited long enough. Please make sure that the children of Rock Creek Forest get the attention they need.
Rock Creek Forest PTA
November 12, 2009
Board of Education Facilities and Boundaries Hearing
Thank you for having me tonight. I am testifying on behalf of the Rock Creek Forest ES PTA and I want to tell you about our school and its many, many facility needs.
As you know, Rock Creek Forest is on the queue for modernization and we thank you for continuing to hold our place.
Rock Creek Forest was built in 1950 and last modernized in 1971. Our facility designed for 372 kids and currently serves 501. I want to draw your attention to that number. We were built for 372 and hold 501. That puts us at 139% capacity. We have six portables and expect to need a seventh next year. The most in our cluster.
Now, I am drawing attention to these numbers because I also want to address the “elephant in the room,” the unstated rule that we are never supposed to pit schools against each other or compare clusters. But I am here to serve the rock creek forest community.
I am asking you, our elected officials, to look at the capacity numbers for rock creek forest and consider the tendency to put additions before modernizations. Should the funding from the state not be what we hope, and we have every reason to be concerned, schools with less crowding and more modern buildings will receive additions before Rock Creek Forest, where the facility is 40 years old and the capacity is exceeded by nearly 40%, will get its modernization.
Having drawn your attention to that, I want to assure you that we, at Rock Creek Forest, are reaching out to our state legislators and Governor O’Malley with letters and emails to request that funding for the county’s capital needs is adequate.
As I said, it has been almost 40 years since Rock Creek Forest was last modernized. That is older than the parents of many rock creek forest students, but more importantly, it means we struggle to meet the needs of 21st century kids in a building designed before cassette tapes were widely used.
Our cafeteria is routinely over crowded.
Our buses back up nearly to East West Highway, since in 1970 we served walkers, but now, with our immersion program drawing from across the county, we receive 10 buses every day.
We find ourselves in a double bind. On the face of things we are in line to get what we need, but in reality we crippled by our place in the modernization queue.
At any given time up to 25% of our students are being taught in a portable. Our lunches are served not only in the APR but also on the stage. One out of 5 students at RCF is on FARMS and we have the highest percentage of students receiving ESOL services in the cluster.
I bring that to your attention so you can imagine being six years old and waiting for your lunch in the line, but the cafeteria is so crowded, you have to wait and wait. The line stretches down the hall. By the time it’s your turn, you have ten minutes left to eat. Oh, and the kitchen does not connect directly to the cafeteria, so you need to carry your lunch into the busy main hallway, through the main door to the cafeteria where students and staff are also coming and going and to your seat, up five steps on the stage.
The roof leaks at times, the front of the school floods in a rain like we have had the last few days, rooms are either stifling hot or freezing cold, paint bubbles off the walls due to moisture, windows cannot be tightly closed and insects are common and every little space is used for something, closets have been repurposed for offices. I have sat in meetings with teachers where the thermostat read over 80 degrees because the heat is either on or not.
We have waited long enough. Please make sure that the children of Rock Creek Forest get the attention they need.
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