The Board of Education has scheduled a public hearing to receive community input on a request by the City of Gaithersburg to use the name “Lakelands Park Middle School” for a new school on property in the Lakelands community that the city is planning to sell to the Montgomery County Public Schools.

The hearing will be held on July 18, 2001, beginning at 7:30 p.m., in the auditorium of Carver Educational Services Center at 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. Individuals and organizations planning to testify may register in advance by calling 301-279-3617.

The new school site is being sought in the Quince Orchard cluster to relieve over-utilization of Kingsview Middle School. The City of Gaithersburg has agreed to sell a site of about 10 acres in the Lakelands subdivision that is adjacent to the city parkland. The site was identified after a search for suitable school locations in the cluster.

The mayor and City Council of Gaithersburg have requested that the new school be named the “Lakelands Park Middle School” in reference to the community and the adjacent park. The Board of Education believes it is appropriate to give consideration to this request because of the continuing partnership between the city and the school system on numerous projects for the benefit of students and schools within the city’s geographical limits. The Board recognizes, however, that Board Policy FFA establishes a process for obtaining community input as to potential names for new schools, after which the Board is vested by law and policy in making the final determination.

The purpose of the hearing is two-fold: (a) to hear testimony as to whether the Board should suspend its policy to give due consideration to the request of the City of Gaithersburg and (b) to hear testimony as to the suggested name of “Lakelands Park Middle School.”

At the hearing, organizations will be allotted five minutes each and individuals will be allotted three minutes each to speak. Speakers are asked to provide 25 copies of their statements at the hearing for distribution to Board, staff, and the media.