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Attendance Zone public hearing and Overcrowding at Eagle Ridge/Briar Woods

Discussion in 'Broadlands Community Issues' started by krmckee, Dec 5, 2016.

  1. krmckee

    krmckee Member

    Joined:
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    LAST ATTENDANCE ZONE PUBLIC HEARING TOMORROW DEC 5TH AND PROJECTED ENROLLMENT DATA / OVERCROWDING AT BRIAR WOODS INFO:

    Since the May 2016 re-zoning and vote, projected enrollment for Briar Woods has shot up significantly. Yet, projections for Rock Ridge have gone down for the years 2020-22.

    Briar Woods capacity, even with the current trailers (1855 students) is smaller than Rock Ridge (1935 students).

    If Plan 8 becomes into effect, Briar Woods enrollment (2055, 1981, 1863 students) for the 2019-2022 time period will be much higher than Rock Ridge (1442, 1498, 1611 students) for the same time period. The smaller school will house more students than the bigger school that can actually house them.

    How can this unbalance be justified?

    Plan 8 will result in significant overcapacity at Briar Woods and underutilization of Rock Ridge. Moreover, these unacceptable levels are being achieved by extending the useful life of the existing trailers by another 4-5 years. The trailers were scheduled to be removed in 2018 but now the board has voted to keep them another 5 yrs.

    There is little to no margin for error in Plan 8 - so much depends on projections going as planned and on trailers staying at Briar Woods past the 5 year mark. Past their useful life.

    Even in the best of scenarios (trailers remain usable for another 5 years and Briar Woods enrollment does not exceed projections), Briar Woods will remain over capacity on both plans while Rock Ridge remains in the 70% (Plan 8) or 80% (Plan 7) range. This does not fit in with SB policy 2-32 regarding balancing of enrollment and minimizing long-term use of mobile or modular classrooms.

    I believe the excuse of this new data gives the board another opportunity to change their vote from last May.

    Plan 7 will benefit every child by not subjecting them to overcrowding or learning in trailers that are nearing the end of their usable life and are temporary solutions, not permanent ones.

    The last attendance zone public hearing is Monday Dec 5th at 6:30pm. http://www.lcps.org/Page/104704

    ***

    BACKGROUND:

    Attendance areas for Eagle Ridge/Briar Woods are currently under review as part of the process of establishing a new attendance zone for MS-7 opening Fall 2018 in Aldie.

    No Broadlands residents are currently at risk of being moved out of their schools, HOWEVER, there is an opportunity to provide relief for the current and projected overcrowding situation at Eagle Ridge and Briar Woods.

    As you know, many teachers at Eagle Ridge are without classrooms and travel on carts. Hallways and cafeteria are crowded. Many students access lockers outside of their ‘house’. Not one grade level currently fits in the auditorium and it is being used as a Resource classroom. Some students are eating their lunch outside or at the library. At Briar Woods, the trailers are in poor condition and schedule to be removed. They will not be removed if the school remains significantly over capacity. If nothing is done, Briar Woods would see numbers as high as 125% over capacity!

    At this point, only two attendance zone plans under consideration: Plan 7 and Plan 8. The only difference between the plans is two planning zones (sections of Belle Terra) are moved from Eagle Ridge/Briar Woods to Stone Hill/Rock Ridge.

    Plan 7 will free up capacity and reduce the overcrowding by roughly 6% which means or 3-4 classrooms at the MS level (~70 students) and 4-5 classrooms at the HS level (~100 students). This is significant and could improve the day to day of our students and faculty.

    Plan 8 keeps the status quo, and worse, keeps Stone Hill/Rock Ridge significantly underutilized (70-80% vs up to 125% capacity at our schools!). Plan 7 offers better balance among the 2 school clusters and also improves the splinter feed ratio at Moorefield Station ES.

    As a neighborhood, this is our LAST CHANCE to ask for relief. Eagle Ridge and Briar Woods are not expected to be involved in any boundary/attendance zone reviews in the foreseeable future. This is our last chance to get it right.

    The final public hearing is Monday, December 5 and the vote is on Tuesday, December 13. We need residents to attend and sign up to speak! To sign up go to http://www.lcps.org/cms/module/selectsurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx…

    The School Board has not yet heard from Broadlands residents in big numbers. They don’t get the impression we care about the overcrowding at our schools. If you do, the time to act is now!

    Please email or call the school board members to let them know you support Plan 7 because you want to see them take action about the overcrowding situation at our schools.

    Tom.marshall@lcps.org
    Jeff.morse@lcps.org
    Jill.Turgeon@lcps.org
    Debbie.rose@lcps.org
    Eric.dekenipp@lcps.org
    Brenda.sheridan@lcps.org
    Beth.huck@lcps.org
    Eric.hornberger@lcps.org
    Joy.maloney@lcps.org
     

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