The Montgomery County Board of Education approved a FY 2010 Capital Budget appropriation request totaling $200.7 million and an amended FY 2009–2014 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) request totaling $1.3 billion at a Nov. 20 evening meeting. Two resolutions for boundary recommendations – one for schools in the Clarksburg area and one for Potomac – were also approved.

Following Superintendent Jerry D. Weast’s release of his recommended capital budget and public comment, the Board approved amendments to the six-year CIP totaling $15.6 million. Most of those funds would be used to expand additions at six elementary schools to accommodate increased enrollment. The projects—at Brookhaven, Fairland, Harmony Hills, Jackson Road, Montgomery Knolls and Rock View elementary schools—will be delayed by six months or a year, depending on the project, to allow necessary time for planning and design changes.

This is the second year of the county’s biennial CIP process, so only minor amendments were recommended and approved. The additional request of $15.6 million also includes $1 million for relocatable classrooms to accommodate enrollment growth, along with funds for additional heating, ventilation and air conditioning replacement projects, and for pollution prevention measures required by state legislation..

The Board also approved that a portion of the FY 2009 appropriation for the Ridgeview Middle School improvement project be allocated for planning and design priorities of the Ridgeview community. An elementary boundary study to relieve overuse at Sligo Creek Elementary School, related to the Board’s adopted plan to reorganize East Silver Spring Elementary School from grades pre-K–2 to pre-K–5, also were approved.

The Board’s capital budget and CIP amendments will now be transmitted to the county executive and County Council.

Two Boundary Decisions for Potomac, Clarksburg Areas

The Board also approved two resolutions related to boundary areas, one involving schools in the Potomac area and one related to the creation of a new service area for a new elementary school opening next year in Clarksburg.

Boundary changes were made for Bells Mill, Potomac and Seven Locks elementary schools in Potomac. The changes are needed to address overutilization at Potomac Elementary School. Capacity is being added as part of the Bells Mill and Seven Locks elementary school modernizations. The modernized Bells Mill opens in August 2009. Seven Locks will be relocated to the Radnor Center holding facility from August 2010 through December 2011 while the facility undergoes modernization and expansion. Seven Locks will reopen in January 2012.

The boundary changes include specific areas related to the schools below:

-Reassignments from Seven Locks Elementary to Bells Mill Elementary, beginning with kindergarten through grade 4 students in the 2009–10 school year.
-Reassignments from Potomac Elementary to Seven Locks Elementary, beginning with kindergarten through grade 4 students in the 2010–11 school year.
-Reassignment from Herbert Hoover Middle School to Cabin John Middle School, beginning with grade 6 students in the 2012–13 school years.

Creation of a new service area for the new Clarksburg Elementary School #8 was approved. The new school is needed to relieve overutilization at Cedar Grove, Clarksburg and Little Bennett elementary schools. Effective August 2009, boundaries for the four schools will reflect the following changes.

-Reassignment of specific neighborhoods from Cedar Grove and Clarksburg elementary schools to Clarksburg Elementary School #8, beginning with kindergarten through grade 4 in the 2009–10 school year.
-Reassignment of specific neighborhoods from Little Bennett ES to Cedar Grove Elementary, beginning with kindergarten through grade 3 in the 2009–10 school year.

Additional information can be found at the links below.