e resolutions and some celebrations to recognize some really important landmark things that are going on in our community. At this particular board meeting, we're actually celebrating our Building Service Workers Appreciation Day. Our National Principals
Month and America's Safe Schools Week. So there's a lot to celebrate and a lot to be really proud of. And we're so honored to have so many guests here today and to kick things off to lead our presentation today is the Vice president of the Board of Education, Mrs.
Grace Rivera-Oven. Thank you, Doctor Taylor and distinguished guests. Thank you so much for taking time out of your day and for being here. Excuse me. So for me, this is a very
heartwarming proclamation because when I actually moved to this county. Oh, hello, Mr. McCarthy. When I actually moved to this county and I started school, the building service person was actually one of my dear friends and was such an
important person to me. He was the friendliest and nicest. He actually taught me different English, you know, words always, you know, was very welcoming and helped me with pronunciation. And he was a
genuine friend and I'm sure he's in a better place today. And this was Washington Grove Elementary many years ago. So I asked specifically that I wanted to present this award to the amazing people that take
care of our buildings, but they don't take care of a building. They take care of the children inside the building. And, you know, you do that. And I seen a lot of you. I have met you in person. And every time I go, I always like to shake your hand. And I always like to say
gracias. Thank you for doing what you do every day. You are there during the cold, during the hot. When we're closed, your day in the evenings, you're you're there when people are gone. So anyway, with that and now I have to read what they wrote for me, but I just,
I just wanted to say thanks from, from the, from del Corazon. So today we pause to celebrate the true unseen heroes of our district, our building service workers. They are the first to arrive and the last to leave, ensuring our
buildings are safe, clean and welcoming for every student, staff member and community members every single day. So let's welcome these remarkable 11 individuals. I'm going to call your name. And if you then are they coming up right here? Okay. If you can just come up
here and line up. So I'm going to be calling you by name. So I'm going to say Tiara Bones from Harmony Hills Elementary School, also wearing a wonderful Boston Celtics. Shelton Neal from Walter
Johnson High School. Chris Lasser from Wilson Williams. It was so nice to see Chris. Every time I go, I always say to him what an impeccable building his is. And he's also the mascot, by the way. So George Martinez
from Magruder High School. Jordan Mateo, Great Seneca Creek elementary school. Ana medrano. Anita from Cashell Elementary school. Jackie Mejia
from Roberto Clemente middle school, Idalia Romero from Clarksburg Elementary School Stephen Ricketts, from Halliwells Middle School Tim Taylor, from Poolesville
Elementary School, and finally Annalise James Tyler from Seneca Valley High School. Sierra. Mr. Hernandez, would
you like to maybe be in for him and receive his if he's not here? Because we have our wonderful principal from Seneca Valley, so I'm going to have him fill in. So another applause for Mr. The work that
they do goes far beyond simple maintenance. It's a foundation for success. A well-maintained school is about health, safety and dignity, creating the environment where learning can thrive by consistently handling everything. And I mean
everything from emergency cleanups to major summer projects to bursting pipes. Our building service workers demonstrate incredible professionalism and leadership. Their commitment reduces illnesses, prevents accidents, and they contribute directly to
the students well-being. Their impact is everywhere to our entire Building Service workers team who are here and also who cannot, who are not here today. We just want to say thank you for your unwavering care and your essential daily commitment.
You are truly the backbone of our operations, our deeply critical to our mission in our county. I encourage every principal, every teacher, every student and community member to share a story or offer personalized thanks today, because every custodian is truly making a difference. We
are profoundly grateful for your service. Thank you. Muchas gracias. And O'Neill to. One
two. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much. Thank you, thank you. Mr. Principal. Yes,
yes, yes I can do it. And they did it okay, Miss Rivera-Oven. I need my reading glasses back, please. Grace. Grace! Oh, I'm
so sorry. We're such a good colleagues, you know? Team effort here. Good afternoon everyone. I'm Carla Silvestre and it is my privilege today to recognize National Principals
Appreciation Month. You know, everybody in this school system, every single staff member is critical. Those of you that were here with us during the pandemic and we had staffing shortages, you know that every single position is essential and we cannot run the school
system without you. So I want to start out by saying that, and our principals are also key players in the success of our school system. Leadership really matters. To have a good leader at your school. Teachers are motivated, parents are
engaged, children are learning. So it is my privilege to talk about this topic here today. And we are joined by three exceptional principals who exemplify these values, as I call your name. Please join me at the podium here. Ricardo
Hernandez from Seneca Valley High School. Mr. Hernandez facilitated a Know Your Rights community forum with parents, students, MCPs staff and community partners to inform, educate and guide student
thinking and action regarding immigration rights so students can continue to attend school while learning in a safe environment. Mr. Hernandez is consistently available and visible to students throughout the day as he engages students during class changes, lunch and
arrival dismissal. The school graduation rate has increased from 85.71 to 88.33 during his first year as principal. Let's give him a round of applause.
Yang M Kim Herbert Hoover Middle School. Nope. Not here. Okay. All right. Doctor Kim is the epitome of a gracious leader and a hostess extraordinaire, as she hosted teachers from Taiwan this year
under her strategic leadership, Hoover Middle School implemented targeted instructional strategies to improve student outcomes on the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment. 72.9% of students achieve proficiency on the science Mysa, placing the
school among the top performing middle schools in the region. Her ability to foster collaboration, share best practices, and model excellence in teaching and learning reflects her deep commitment to continuous growth and global partnership. Let's give her a
round of applause. Probably working hard at Hoover right now. Yes. Okay. Directors here, doctor Dorothea Fuller, Galway
elementary school. Under Doctor Fuller's leadership, Galway Elementary has made significant strides in raising academic outcomes over the last several years. Student proficiency in reading has increased, exceeding the Maryland state average. In mathematics. The
school's proficiency rate has also exceeded the state average. These improvements are supported by strong engagement. Doctor Fuller's strategic emphasis on data driven instruction, transparent tracking systems, and instructional coherence has helped galvanize teaching teams
and strengthen the school home partnership, setting Galway on a clear upward trajectory in service of equity and excellence. A round of applause, please. Our principals are the
visionaries and chief executive officers of their campuses, and they are the people who bring M.C.P.S. core values to life every single day. So from on behalf of the Board of Education, we want to thank you so much for your leadership and
service to our students. Okay, so just because we recognize these three doesn't mean we don't want to recognize all the principals in the audience. So if you're a principal in the audience, please come up and take a picture with us. Don't
be shy. Come on. Rashonda. Sean. Glenda, come on up. Yes, I see my people do not have. Okay. All right. Thank you. Okay. Good to see you too tonight.
Student of mine. Let's get tighter, tighter, tighter, tighter. Okay. Okay. Okay. One.
Two. Three. Everybody on that same smile. Right here. Same smile. Don't change it. Don't look at Ryan. Thank you. That was good. Thank you, thank you.
You guys. Good afternoon. We are approaching the end of the first quarter. So here is your assessment. Okay. True or false statement okay. Education is a
team sport true true okay. In our schools actually teaching learning is the second highest priority. True true true or false? True true okay. Now the
open question. What is the first priority safety. Thank you. You all passed with flying colors. All right. Great. Good afternoon. I'm Julie Yang I'm the president of the board of Education. Really, truly.
Education is a team sport. Every one of you is on this team. Every single one of you. And today, we are very honored to invite a group that that's outside of m.c.p.s. We're breaking down the silos you see
here to into our boardroom so that we can express our deep appreciation for your partnership, for your effort to help us to build, to build
functional, healthy, successful citizens in American society. So when I call you, please come up to the front. We have from Rockville City Police Department, Chief of Police
Jason West and Deputy Chief Barry Dufek. Welcome. We have our county state attorney, our long time friend, John McCarthy.
We also have from our county's park police, which I learned something new today. Actually, our park police have high school designations that they work with our high school clusters. All right. So Assistant Chief Lakeisha
Robinson, Assistant Chief Lieberman and Lieutenant Francis Wolff welcome. We have from our county sheriff's office, Sheriff Maxwell, we and
assistant Sheriff Keena Jones. From our county police department. We have our chief, Mark Yamada. Captain Mike Pratt,
assistant chief Dave Beaubien, assistant chief Nick Augustine, assistant chief Darren Frank. Okay, I'm not saying this right. Frank, Cook are assistant chief Willie Parker long. Okay. From
our city, we also have city police from Takoma Park Police Department, deputy chief of police, Shibu Philipose. Now, we of course, cannot forget one of our most diverse city, the
city of Gaithersburg. Police. Our lieutenant Willie Delgado. All right. When this celebration was on the list, I signed up. I wanted to do this. I wanted to do this because
what you do is so, so, so important. Did I already say that? It's so, so, so important. So safety is a shared responsibility. It takes all of us educators, parents, community members and local
partners working together to build trust and awareness through teamwork, communication, proactive support. We can prevent problems before they start and strengthen the sense of belonging in every school.
So let's give them a another round of applause. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Take a picture together. Maybe we don't need to do in one line. Can we? You you are. So can we do 2 or 3 lines? This. I'm
thinking our dad is impossible for our dad. Come on, John. Come on, come on, John, get in the front. We put you in front.
Of all people in the back. Tall people in the back, right? Yeah. Yeah. Can you move up now? Yes, yes, go that way. All right.
Good. Fantastic. All right. One. Two. Three. Get one more. Good. One, two. Thank you, thank you.
Very long time. I wanted to do this for you. Oh, yeah. Thank you. How you been? I'm good,
I'm good. Yeah. It is. Yeah.
Good afternoon everyone. Good afternoon everyone. We are welcome to October 30th, 2025 Board of Education business meeting. It's great to see
M.C.P.S. families staff. And I want to also welcome the community members who are joining us online. Now, before we start the meeting, I want to ask board members to introduce themselves to establish a
quorum. Good afternoon. I love the excitement tonight and student member of the board. Good afternoon, Natalie Zimmerman representing district two. Buenas. Good afternoon. Carla Silvestre, school board member at large. Good afternoon,
Brenda Wolff. District five. Good afternoon. Rita montoya, board member at large. Good afternoon, Laura Stewart from district four. Good afternoon. I'm Julie Yang, district three.
Is there a motion to approve the revised agenda? Motion? Second, there's a motion and a second. All in favor, please raise your hand. That's unanimous. With those present,
miss Rivera-Oven will be joining us shortly online. I'm very excited about the next item, which is 4.2, is our color guard presentation. Today's a little bit special today. Later today we are going
to approve going to vote on a resolution to honor Veterans Day. So we use this meeting, have invited the members of Seneca Valley High School, Navy Junior ROTC Color Guard as we
commemorate Veterans Day. So please, let's welcome Cadet Brian Springer and Cadet Maya Anderson. Cadet Emilio Becerril and Cadet Irma. Major Montez,
cadet Alma Santiago. The cadets are led by Senior Chief James Hill, U.S Navy retired. Now I would like to ask everyone to stand and cadet may begin to
with the presentation of the colors. Ready two. Great great great. Forward march! Right
right right right. Left. Right right right. Left. Right. Right.
Right up. Up right right. Color up. Ready, two. Up. Right.
Right. Right. Up. Good. Oh. Present. Colors. Right, right. Let's recite the Pledge of
Allegiance together. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Color guard.
Carry. Colors. Ready. Cut. Carry. Six colors. Ready. Two. Left. Right. Right. Forward.
Right. Left. Right. Right. Right. Left. Left. Right. Right.
Right. Right. Right. Right. 000. I want to thank them. Let's give them a round of applause.
Thank you, Seneca Valley okay. Please be seated. Item 5.1. Doctor Taylor is the recommended appointment. I understand we have four appointments today. Yes. Madam president, I'm pleased to present the following
candidates for administrative positions and M.C.P.S. And when I call your name to ask you to stand while I say some really nice things about you, and then the Board of Education will vote on you one at a time, and we'll all get to a chance to congratulate you. The first
person up for consideration is Mr. Robbie S Snyder, for the position of supervisor in the Design and Construction team in the Department of Facilities Management and the Division of District Operations. Joining him today is his wife, Julie.
Robbie has been with M.C.P.S. for 18 years as a construction supervisor and most recently as a project manager in the Division of Design and Construction. And given the fact that we're talking about the Capital improvement program this month, he's a busy guy. He
looks forward to continuing his work in the Department of Facilities Management, and to build on the strong foundation of excellence in school design and construction that supports our students and staff. Is there a motion move to approve?
Second, there's a motion and a second. All in favor of the appointment. Please raise your hand. That's unanimous. With those present. Congratulations.
Next for consideration is a familiar face on our capital improvements team is Miss Julie Morris for the position of Supervisor of planning and Real Estate for our planning and real estate team in the Division of Facilities Management and Operations. Mrs.
Morris has been employed with M.C.P.S. for 16 years as a planner, facilitnager and most recently as the director of the Division of Design and Construction. Mrs. Morris looks forward to continuing to lead planning and real estate teams in her new role. Shout outs to
her children Zach and Zoe, who will be watching online after school, lets out. Is there a motion move to approve? Second the motion. Okay, there's a motion and a second. All in favor, raise your hand. That's
unanimous. With those present. Congratulations, Miss Morris, including Miss Rivera-Oven, who's online. So that's unanimous. All right. Very excited to welcome Miss Gloria Ye for the position of assistant general counsel and the Division of Legal Services.
Miss ye brings to Montgomery County Public Schools more than 15 years of public interest law. She is eager to bring her wide range of skills and experience and commitment to public service in support of M.C.P.S. and its mission to unleash the potential of all students.
Welcome, Miss Ye. Move to approve. Second. There's a motion and a second. All in favor, please raise your hand. That's unanimous. Congratulations. Miss you. And
our last person for consideration today is for a principalship. And it's always exciting when we can recognize principals, especially during principal appreciation month. And I would like to ask Doctor Belinda m pen to stand for the
position of principal of the John L Gildner Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents. Joining her today is Miss Rashonda Pyles, Doctor Shawn Robinson and Tyshawn Fells. Doctor Penn has been employed with Montgomery County
Public Schools for eight years as a resource counselor, assistant principal, and most recently as the principal intern at Rockville High School. She looks forward to joining the Raqqa Royals and bringing her extensive expertise and commitment to student growth
and well-being. Shout outs to her mother, Mrs. Mary Penn, and her father, Mr. Earl Penn, and her family and friends who are watching from online from Virginia, Georgia, New York and overseas. Welcome. Move to
approve. Second, yes, a motion and a second. All in favor, raise your hand. That's unanimous. Congratulations. Thank you, Madam President. This concludes administrative
appointment recommendations for this evening. Thank you, Doctor Taylor. Now, item number six is association comment. This year, Board of Education has added association comment so that we
can keep 20 slots for our general public. We value hearing from the community. We thank you for providing you for providing us with your feedback. So today I will ask, oh, David
Stein from MCE is here. Mr. Stein, please come forward. Let's give it one minute for
transition. Right. Nice try. I just give it 15 more seconds.
All right, Mr. Stein, you may proceed. Good evening, Doctor Taylor. President Yang, members of the board. It's hard to imagine that we are only a few months into a new school year with so much going on, multiple and changing boundary studies, a CIP proposal, potential changes to secondary programs,
just to name a few. And regardless of how 1st May feel about any of those items, you'd be hard pressed to argue that not a lot is going on right now. But today I'm asking you to add something else to your ballooning to do list, and that's to be radically transparent. Transparency is the tonic that we need to
prevent government from becoming toxic. Radical transparency means ensuring that everyone educators, parents, students, community members not only knows what you're doing, but can authentically participate in and inform your work. When we subsume decision making in
Byzantine bureaucratic processes, we should not be surprised when our ambitions get stymied and when little public support is generated. How could it? The public doesn't know. My members don't know. The average person doesn't know. Now, some may think that's okay. The public can be messy and loud
troublemakers. I know because that's regularly said about me and my members. But when you're not clear, when you make decisions without authentic input and collaboration, you not only tarnish, but you corrode. Trust in our school system and in government writ large. So let me end my
transparency tirade by quoting two transparency radicals. First is Justice Louis Brandeis. You can't go on a rant about transparency without citing Brandeis. He said, if the light, broad light of day could be let in upon men's actions, it would purify them as the sun
disinfects. And the second is Leslie Knope. Yes, that Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation, Knope said when talking about public meetings. What I hear when people are yelling at me is people caring loudly at me and all of us in this room and
outside of it, care and care deeply about our kids, about M.C.P.S. And your job is to help us see the light of your decisions. And yes, get at least some of them to yell at you. And you can count on me and M.c.a members to do our part. Thank you. Thank you, Mr.
Stein. Item number seven is public comment. And why is the board? The board encourages public input. This is a standard verbiage I have to read. If it's the first time, that's fine. If it's the 10th
time for you, please bear with it. While the board encourages public input on policy, program and practices and will consider the comment received, it is not the board's practice doing its public comment to respond to
questions, provide comments or take action on the issues raised. This is a public meeting, and the board expects the conduct of all speakers and members of the audience to be within the bounds of proper etiquette. Inappropriate
personal remarks, rule retorts, or other such behavior is out of order and will not be tolerated. Those who demonstrate disruptive or disrespectful behavior during public comment may be asked to leave the room. In addition,
public comment is not the proper avenue to address specific student or employee matters. Such matters should be directed through the complaint or appeal process. Each speaker has two minutes to deliver comments. When your name is
called, press the button and speak clearly into the microphone. A yellow light at a single B indicate you have 30s remaining a red light and repeating B signal that time has expired. Once you have finished speaking, press the
same button to turn off the microphone for them. Following the live testimony will play any video and audio testimonies, so I'm going to call the first six speakers to come forward.
They are. And if if you have papers that you want to share with board members, just put it at the end of the the table. All right. First is Laura Drolet. Ellis. Good. Edward one
Claire Lee, Lorena wu, Elizabeth King. Lowell. You can
start. Press the button. There you go. Good afternoon. Members of the board. My name is, and I'm a sophomore at Northwood High School. Now, initially, I had anticipated coming before you all to speak on a rather lighthearted topic, that being to bring back the metal people that had stood on Northwood's
original campus on University Boulevard, though seemingly overnight this past week, a more pressing issue has emerged. The recent decision to remove several of northwest proposed magnet programs included in recent boundary studies, which included musical and theatrical performing arts and a medical science program, which have now been relocated to Albert Einstein High School to serve as criteria based programs.
This decision speaks volumes. Intentional or not, the decision to make dance the only criteria based program at its school, like Northwood, which has been historically underrepresented, makes it harder to ignore the broader patterns this begins reflecting on communities like Northwood's are shaped by decades of redlining, systemic inequality. Seeing programs that promise to
provide equity becomes stripped away from us only prove that history is repeating itself. These pathways being taken from us are not luxuries. They are opportunities for expression and passion, the passion that has fostered community and tradition in virtually every school in Montgomery County. But Northwood. What will all the effort our community has put in working around the
numerous burdens put on us by the county before? If we cannot have an equal chance to create that same tradition for the coming years. Even with the success Einstein High School has found in every single aspect of the arts, it still seems to not be enough for the Einstein community. How exactly can a school that is crammed with well over 400 additional
students, with a building quite literally falling apart, sustain an additional two more magnet programs? We're told these decisions are to provide a balance and efficiency. But when a school that has been forced to shut down for over two decades, like Northwood due to low funding and Underpopulation has been thrown into an active construction site with limited, very limited facilities and is now losing
the magnet programs that have provided some kind of fairness to our situation. What balance or efficiency is there? If we as a county are serious about creating equitable school system, then we need to start by not making any more decisions that deepen the divide. Generations before us have fought to close for too
long. Thank you. Eloise. So not here. Okay, Ella. Good afternoon, members of the board and Doctor Taylor. My name is Ella Wong and I'm a freshman at Richard Montgomery High School. I'm here today to speak on the
Crown High School boundary study and the need to prioritize renovations for schools that already have students in them. Across the county, students are learning in conditions that are not safe. At Wooton High School, there are reports of rats coming out of the walls. There have been
floods at Blake, and as I'm sure we all know, at Quince Orchard High School, the ceiling recently collapsed and the hallways were flooded with dirty water. These examples show how critical it is to address renovations now, because these problems are happening in real schools with
real students inside. For my own experience at Neelyville Middle School, I saw firsthand how hard it can be to learn when construction is happening right next door. Some days we couldn't even go outside because there was so much dust in the air. Students with asthma sometimes had to stay
home because it was unsafe for them to breathe, and the constant noise of machinery made it nearly impossible to focus in class. Students cannot be expected to learn their best in those conditions. Crown High School can help solve this problem, just like Woodward is serving Northwood students,
Crown could be used as a temporary holding school during major renovations. This would let students continue learning in a safe environment while their schools are being repaired. It will also allow construction crews to work more effectively without worrying about disrupting classes every day. As a student who has lived
through these disruptions, I am asking you to think about what it feels like to sit in a classroom where the ceiling might leak, where the walls have pests, or when the sounds of drills drowns out your teacher. No student should have to wonder if their school building is safe. Students deserve schools that support
their learning and their health. Renovations must come first because we cannot look towards the future without first fixing the present. Using crown as a temporary space is the cleanest way to make that happen quickly and safely. Students cannot
wait. Thank you for your time. Claire. Go ahead. Hello, doctor Taylor and members of the Board of Education. My name is Claire Lee, a sixth grader at Cabin John Middle School and a proud
Stone Mill Elementary graduate. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak. Four months ago, on July 24th, I stood here urging you to keep e Mill in Wooton cluster because I was worried about how the boundary changes might harm
our stone mill community. Well, I'm back today and this time I just want to say a huge thank you. We are so thrilled that the new options keep our stone mill tigers in Wooton cluster. Last time I said we weren't
just numbers on a map or chess pieces on a board to be moved around. You didn't just move the lines, you listened. You and the team worked hard to find a solution that not only kept Stone mill in Wooton cluster, but also didn't split
up our neighborhood. It also means the world to us that you cared about our need for stability. Thank you for your leadership and for making things right. We're also super excited about the change to Robert Frost Middle School.
It's so much closer to our house than Cabin John. The shorter bus ride means we get home earlier, which gives us more time for homework, hanging out with friends, and just being with our families. It really makes a huge difference
for us. Please keep doing what you're doing and keep Stone mill in Wooton cluster. I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you again in the future. Thank you for your time. Lorena.
Good afternoon, distinguished Board of Education members and superintendent Doctor Taylor. My name is Lorena Wu, and I'm a sophomore at Poolesville High School, part of the Global Ecology Program. I'm here today to express my concern towards the proposed changes to countywide programs. I was fortunate to be accepted into
several countywide and regional programs after middle school. While regional programs are undoubtedly great, I chose a countywide one, Global Ecology, because of its unique combination of community coursework and real world learning, and it is truly shaped who I am today. Through field studies, I've learned to connect classroom lessons to
the environment around us. My teachers go above and beyond to make learning engaging and meaningful, and my peers, who come from all across the county have created a diverse, supportive community that's helped me grow both academically and personally. This option should still exist for my sixth grade sister, who,
after seeing my experience, dreams of joining the global ecology program of today. But the proposed regionalization plan would take that opportunity away from her and her peers. Instead, a modified version of the global program would only be available to those in the region six ZIP code while the plan aims to
promote equity, it raises serious concerns. One funding expanding to 25 plus new programs without clear resources risks lowering quality across the board. Two staffing specialized courses need resources and highly trained teachers. Replicating that six times over is
challenging. And three equity. Instead of expanding opportunity, this plan could create regional disparities where students education depends on their ZIP code. If the currently proposed changes are voted for, don't jump in head first. Please ensure the implementation of surveys and piloting to properly reflect the desires and needs of our
community. Equity isn't achieved by spreading programs thinner. It's achieved by strengthening foundational education, especially in middle schools, and ensuring that existing programs like Global Ecology can thrive. On behalf of global, I invite you to join one of our field studies to see firsthand the impact and value
of this program. Please consider the voices of the global ecology community as you make your decisions. Thank you for your time and for supporting meaningful, equitable education in Montgomery County. Thank you. Miss King. Show me a high
school that gained almost a thousand students in 16 years, and I'll show you Walter Johnson growth in the WJ area, soon to be served by WJ and Woodward High Schools. Thank you for keeping your word on that. That growth continues.
What are its sources and how will they impact the two high school area and Woodward boundary options? The area had students produced by seven master and sector plans. That's a lot more than the students in the six year forecast used to create the Woodward boundary options. Why the plans generate
students, which the county needs to count through 2048. Jason Sartori of the Planning department established a total build out enrollment for the area that shows that there would be 700 plus more high school students in the two high school area than there are in
the forecast. Even if the plans just build out to 65%, that's 500 more high school students. True, the economy may delay the development, but not for long. The Cip's say that WJ gets a significantly larger amount of its growth from existing
housing than development. If so, an area with 500 high school students from development could receive 600 high school students from existing housing. Total 1100 more students. The Woodward Boundary Study must give the two high schools major
room to grow, but option D allows for far less growth in the two high school area than options A, B, and C. Among the options I support option B or option A modified to include all Garrett Park in Woodward
elementary schools need room to grow too for their boundary study. Ensure complete enrollment projections with growth from entire master and sector plans and a high build out rate for developments near Rockville Pike and above all,
place all current WJ neighborhoods in Walter Johnson or Woodward. Thank you. Please return to your seat. I'm calling the next six speaker to come forward. I just want to
double check. Is Eloise good here? Okay. Nicole. Fourie, Cassidy Mullen, Laura miles. Nicole. Hass, Julie Brandt,
Stephen. Jess. Caught. And I can go one more. Maddox. Goodrich. Okay, so maybe next
round. Thank you. So is Eloise here? Is that. No. Okay. So I call too many people. Okay. Nicole. First, Miss Ferry, please, Forry. Please begin.
Thank you for this opportunity. I'm here to represent the town of Garrett Park Citizen Association. In that capacity, I'd like to bring to the board's attention an important issue related to the Woodward boundary study. That is the division of the Garrett Park community. In the current boundary study options, the
Garrett Park community, which includes the town of Garrett Park, Garrett Park Estates and Whiteland Park, is split in two ways. In one option, the independent incorporated historic town of Garrett Park is split in half at Strathmore Avenue. In two of the remaining options, the town of Garrett
Park is divided from the remainder of our Garrett Park community, dividing the town of Garrett Park in half would fracture our small town, negatively impact our children. In Garrett Park, south of Strathmore Avenue, there are only 38 children between the ages of zero and 16. If enacted,
this division would result in 1 to 5 children, depending on the year from incorporated Garrett Park entering a different high school than their peers in town, as well as the rest of our park community. As evidenced by the signed letter in your attached document, families living on
the south side of Garrett Park find this to be a grave issue. The second split between the town of Garrett Park and Garrett Park Estates Wetland Park, would also result in a very small number of children being separated from their community peer group. The whole town of Garrett Park averages
ten children per year. Entering high school, we're committed to ensuring that none of our town's children are isolated from their peers in our community. This type of division would negatively impact the historical and carefully constructed social fabric of our community, and we'd like to let our peers be
together. We request that the board select option B, which keeps our Garrett Park community together, or amend the borders of option A to include the residents of the town of Garrett Park south of Strathmore Avenue, so that our community can matriculate together to Walter Johnson or
Woodward High School. Thank you. Thank you. Next is Cassidy Mullen. Thank you, and good afternoon. My name is Cassidy Mullen, and I come here as a member of the Garrett Park Estates neighborhood. And as an
MCPs parent, I'm going to speak about the proposed options for the boundary study. Garrett Park Estates, as has been mentioned in the previous testimony, is a part of the Garrett Park Estates White Flint Park Town of Garrett Park community. These areas have different names and may seem like different places when just
viewed from a high level on a map, but they need to be seen as one distinct community. This community has, you know, bonds that tie together children and families. And whether it's, you know, dozens of community events per year, summer swim teams, trick or treating meal trains, people have grown up
together in this community as really as one group. Any boundary changes that split this community are going to have a major detrimental effect on the community, its bonds and well-being. Just for instance, children and families in this neighborhood will know that their friends and families that they see every day will
eventually be split apart in an area where virtue can be civic virtue. Excuse me, can be rare. I know I'm extraordinarily lucky that I'm able to live in a place as close knit as this, and I'm here to urge the board to preserve those connections. So fortunately, there is a single option, option B, that
keeps our community together. We want to say thank you again to the M.C.P.S. staff for taking our community into account in this option, and for the tireless work that they have done on the boundary study to date. Therefore, I urge support for option B or modified option A that also
includes the Town of Garrett Park that is south of Strathmore Avenue. These are what we believe will keep our bonds in place. And thank you, thank you. Laura miles. Good afternoon, members of the board and Doctor Taylor. My name is
Laura miles. I am a parent of a elementary student and a proud defeat. Frost and Wootton graduate myself. I moved back to this community from Virginia so my children could walk the same halls. I did, learn from the same community and grow up surrounded by the values that shaped me. My kindergartner was thrilled to learn that we were
moving to the community where I grew up. He is excited to go to the same schools I did. Tfif isn't just a school, it is a cornerstone of this neighborhood. For 50 years, it has been an integral part of the Wooton cluster. Yet Dufief is the only school being completely removed from the cluster and all the boundary study options. All other North
Potomac elementary schools, including Stone Mill and Travilah remain in the cluster. Why exclude us, especially when doing so does not satisfy a single one of the board's four policy goals? Let's look at the data. The boundary study is meant to balance demographics, geography, stability and utilization. But moving to fee
fails on every one. Frost and Wootton are already within the ideal range for capacity. 89% and 93%, removing defeats. Approximately 35 students per grade provides no relief. This is disruption without any capacity benefit in all options.
Removing defeat decreases farms rates and does not improve diversity. It moves both Frost and Wootton in the wrong direction. Defeat is the only long standing community in the Wootton cluster being severed from its decades old feeder pattern, the opposite of stability. Today, our students can walk or bike to our
neighbors at Stone Mill and Travilah. We share a community center with them. Under these options we would have to cross route 28, even I-270 to see new cluster peers. This breaks friendships, routines, and a sense of safety for our children. So let's be clear this change advances none of the board's four priorities and instead causes real and
avoidable harm to a small, tightly connected community. Taffy families aren't asking for change. We're asking to remain where we are to preserve the relationships, access, and identity that have defined us for half a century. Please don't erase 50 years of connection. Keep defeat at Wootton, because breaking a community should never be
considered a solution. Thank you. Nicole Haas. You're good. Thanks. Thank you for taking the time today to listen to the concerns of our tiny but mighty
dufief community. My name is Nicole Haas. I'm a former M.c.p.s teacher, licensed clinical therapist, and mom of three kind kids. I'm also the author of this Don't Move Dufief community letter that you all receiv that has somehow thus far garnered over
550 signatures from 225 households. The numbers significant because that's a larger number of households than we actually have in boundary students at Dufief Elementary. You've already heard the ways that moving our small community from our current feeder pattern fails to advance any of the goals written into your current
policy related to school assignment reassignment. So I'm not going to rehash that. Instead, I want to share with you some of the lessons that I try to instill in my own kids and relate them to our process as we consider opening a brand new school and reorganizing the current articulation process of
our existing schools. Lesson one money doesn't grow on trees, even if we wish it did. Each year, you all have the difficult job of deciding what to do with the money given to you by the county council, and the truth is that money is never enough to fully support the current 211 schools that we
have. By opening Crown as a unique new school, necessitating all new staff, we would further be diluting an already less than enough budget that we receive. Lesson two help when you can and acknowledge when you can't. Truly, if I believe that moving to fee from our current cluster
would be advantageous to M.c.p.s, I wouldn't be here today. I very much believe in community responsibility and that the benefit of the whole outweighs the benefit of the individual. As the second smallest K-5 school in all of M.c.p.s were simply too small to be statistically significant.
Moving Dufief does nothing to help either our current or proposed cluster, and only creates disruption to our students. Lesson three when you're overwhelmed, take a pause. Boundary studies, a move towards regionalization, and two beautiful brand new buildings. It's a lot,
especially as we're learning about continued population decline, the sustainability of all these interdependent projects depends on wise choices made thoughtfully. With this in mind, I ask you today to take a pause and give these projects the time they and our
kids deserve. Thank you. Julie Brant. Good afternoon. My name is Julie Brann. I'm an M.c.p.s. Parent, teacher and proud resident of Garrett Park. Thank you for the opportunity to
speak. We appreciate that the most recent options maintain the commitment that every child in the Walter Johnson cluster will go to WJ or Woodward High Schools. However, I'm concerned that some of the options would divide the town of Garrett Park and the Garrett Park Estates
White Flint Park community, our small town and neighboring Garrett Park Estates. White Flint Park communities act as one. Garrett Park is a special place. We still gather at the post office to pick up our mail and catch up on local news in Garrett Bugle. We celebrate
together from 4th of July parades to our Halloween Spooky Woods Walk, all organized by community volunteers and enjoyed by neighbors near and far. With so many things that bring us together, it would be heartbreaking to see our students broken apart into different high schools.
Families rely on each other for carpools, childcare, and the countless small acts of support that make Garrett Park feel like an extended family. We pride ourselves in our communal parenting approach. We know that everyone is looking out for each other, separating our
close Garrett Park community students from one another will dilute the strong connections we share. As Garrett Park Elementary teacher, I see firsthand how these peer connections matter. When students feel rooted and supported, they thrive. When
our children lift each other up, they grow together. They deserve to stay together. We respectfully ask the board to select option B or modify option A so that the town of Garrett Park, south of Strathmore Avenue, remains united with the rest of our
community. Thank you, thank you. Stephen. Just caught. Good afternoon, Miss Brant. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to testify in front of the board and in front of Doctor Taylor. My name is Stephen, and I am the parent of
a child who will be in the second fully phased in year in the proposed region. Two in the proposed six region academic programs model. I would like to focus your attention on the criteria based programs because as you've heard from others, it takes many years of building a
program and teacher development and strong student cohorts for the program to become special. Many years ago, I attended the Eleanor Roosevelt Science and Technology Center in Greenbelt in neighboring Prince George's County. It's a testing program
similar to the math, science, and computer science magnets at Blair and Poolesville. At the time, it was the only such program in that county, and it attracted the most talented, motivated and dedicated students and their parents from across the entire county and teachers from all across the
region and beyond, willing to suffer long commutes just to teach at Eleanor Roosevelt. As a result, it had a culture of excellence across the board in math and science, and also in many other areas. For example, the orchestra finished second among 54 in an international
competition. They were invited to participate in Vienna, Austria. How are we here? Going to have the concentration of top talent and top motivation? If we dilute the program into six regions? How will Blair's program maintain its quality?
If the student and teacher pipelines are spread thin, region four sends more than four times as many students to the program at Blair as region three and region five sent to these programs at Blair and Poolesville, which are outside of all three of those regions. How will the regions, as
proposed be able to have equitable criteria based programs for math, science and computer science? Are there other criteria based programs that should also be viewed in this light? I hope Doctor Taylor and the board will take the time to carefully and thoughtfully consider these questions. Gather community input, seriously study this
matter and revise the proposal accordingly. Thank you very much. Thank you. You may return to the seats, as I call the next set of public commenters. I want to make sure since today's testimony actually so
far all on the boundary and program analysis, that staff will forward these comments to the design teams and so that they they can have it to inform the the community's feedback.
All right. We'll do that. Next. Is Myra School. Rich and Amy Mix Jennifer Wong, Chris Keller,
Diana Conway. Miss Goodrich, you may proceed. Good evening everyone. Thank you for giving me the chance to speak. First,
I just want to really quickly say wow to the middle and high school students who testified today. Definitely. We have some future civic leaders out there right now. My name is Midas Goodrich. I am the parent of a first grader at Travilah Elementary. I'm also the PTA
president. I'm here today to speak to you on behalf of our community, and we want to say thank you for engaging families throughout this boundary study process. We appreciate that you've listened and worked to incorporate the feedback from our community so far as we continue to review the new
proposals. I am here to speak to Travilah community's feedback so far on these new options. The majority of our community supports option A, it provides the best overall balance, has the strongest utilization rates, and results in the fewest split articulations, both within
region four and across the broader study area. Just as importantly, it maintains a diversity and inclusiveness that makes Travilah such a welcoming and connected place. Option A also keeps Travilah within the Wooton cluster, where our children and families are academically and socially
rooted. Travilah has been part of the Wooton cluster since its opening, and that continuity is deeply valued by our families, many of whom are present multiple generations of attending the Wooton area schools. While we know the process may continue to evolve, we ask that this principal
keeping communities intact and maintaining consistent articulation to Woot Wooton remain a guiding priority. In any future iterations. We do, however, seek clarification regarding the new idea of using Crown as a holding school. I'm not sure if this is the right
time for questions, but if you could speak to how does this relate to the current boundary study? We do not answer questions. I can submit this is not a conversation. I'm just wondering what would the current process pause and restart later? Or would this work be done in parallel and this work continue forward? As always, the community remains
committed to engaging constructively in this process. Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration. Thank you, Amy Mix. Good afternoon. My name is Amy Mix. I'm the president. The president of the PTSA at Northwood. I also have
a senior at Northwood and an eighth grader at Sims who will be at Northwood Gladiator next year. I realize you probably haven't heard a lot of Northwood voices recently, because a lot of our community is actually excited about a change. And until very recently, we thought we were excited about some very cool academic programs that were coming to
our school. But within the last week and a half, we've seen several new proposals that actually move those academic programs out of Northwood, leaving us just with performing arts programs. However, that's a big shout out to our wonderful performing arts program. So we do appreciate that these frequent about faces
and lack of getting meaningful input, meaningful input from our community, is not garnering faith from our community. This really isn't the way to manage a sea change. When we asked Northwood Community to give us some feedback, we got more than 80 responses over about 48 hours. And so they said it
better than I can. So I'm going to read to you some of their responses. The full text of it is in my written testimony. First, we had to move to a holding school for three years without athletic fields or an auditorium and a long bus ride. Then M.c.p.s. Announced the plans to close Sims. Now academic programs are being
taken away from Northwood. Moving the humanities magnet to Northwood seems to be obvious to me. It would be a new school and it's centrally located. The fact that the proposal from M.c.p.s put all six humanities magnets in the schools with the lowest farm rates is definitely noticed in our community. Much of the student body at Northwood consists of first
generation, college bound students interested in pursuing majors in science and medical fields. I urge M.c.p.s to honor its commitment to equitable practices. It's exceedingly tone deaf and disingenuous for M.c.p.s to justify the regional program by speaking of equity, and yet to favor the wealthier
schools if they have patently done in this program. Distributions. Under the most recent proposal, Northwood will still end up with less, even though it has a larger brand new building. As usual, M.c.p.s. Is pandering to the richest and loudest voices and leaving the most vulnerable families behind, and last from one of our
Northwood staff members. The removal of the Science Medical Science program to leave only a dance program is so steeped in implicit and explicit racism and bias that m.c.p.s. Should be ashamed. The take away for our predominantly black and brown students is that they can't aspire to be doctors and medical researchers, but it's
okay for them to be performers. I would direct you to look at the rest of the comments in the written submission. Thank you. Thank you. Jennifer Wong. Good afternoon, board members. Miss mix, can you turn off? Yes.
Thank you. Please go ahead. Good afternoon, board members and superintendent Doctor Taylor. My name is Jennifer Wong, and I'm a parent of two M.C.P.S. students and a resident of the Garrett Park Estates White Flint Park neighborhood. Here, on behalf of our Citizens Association. First, thank you for ensuring
that every Walter Johnson Cluster student will have a seat at either Woodward or Walter Johnson High School. Our neighborhood, Garrett Park Estates White Flint Park, sits west of Rockville Pike, north of Strathmore Avenue, and borders the town of Garrett Park. Together, we form one
cohesive community with the town of Garrett Park. Yet in three of the four options proposed, our neighborhood is split from the rest of Garrett Park. Dividing our children across different high schools would weaken community ties and create unnecessary barriers to supporting their educational
success. As a licensed clinical social worker, I see how isolation and disconnection affect students. They are growing up as digital natives in an era of full connection through screens. While rates of anxiety and depression continue to rise in contrast, real
in-person community is a protective factor, and research bears this out. You can see the attached list of studies in my written testimony. Garrett Park Town and Garrett Park Estates have built that kind of community together. Our
children grow up surrounded by the same friends, from nursery school to swim team to community cookouts. When someone is struggling, we show up with food, help and presents. This connectedness and real life keeps kids grounded and healthy. Please strengthen this kind of community building across the county, not
dismantle ours. We must not overlook the power of belonging, the real human connections that make children feel seen, supported, and safe. On behalf of our Citizens Association, I urge you to please support option B, the only proposal that preserves the fabric of the entire Garrett Park community, or modify aid to
bring us all together. Our children's well-being depends on it. Thank you. Thank you. Chris Keller. Go ahead. Good afternoon. My name is Chris Keller. I'm the mayor of the town of Garrett Park. I'm
testifying today. Excuse me. With the approval of our town council on behalf of our incorporated municipality, we commend the board for its inclusive approach that you have taken throughout the Woodward Boundary study. And we
are deeply grateful that this iteration of the study honors earlier commitments to align the Walter Johnson Cluster feeder schools to either Walter Johnson or Woodward. The priority of our neighborhood is
to maintain the town of Garrett Park as an undivided community, consistent with its long established municipal borders. We also urge, however, that the school boundary preserve the town's natural unity with
adjacent neighbors in Garrett Park Estates and White Flint Park. If you, as you've heard. Accordingly, we are here to express our strong support for option B. B is in blackboard, which keeps the town of Garrett
Park intact and joined with its immediate neighbors. We also recognize that option A can foster the same unity and cohesion, but only if the board makes a small but critical adjustment to the boundary
study border along Strathmore Avenue. As you've heard, town is a small, historic and independent municipality, and that our bond with our neighbors is woven tightly into daily life. We share parks,
churches, sports teams, and so on. Preserving this honor. This unity honors the practical reality of how our residents live. We therefore support option B because it includes all of municipal Garrett Park,
along with its Garrett Park Estates and White Flint neighbors. Thank you, thank you. Thank you, mayor Miss Diana Conway. Thank you. Good afternoon, President Yang and
members of the board and Doctor Taylor. Your microphone. Mr. Keller, can you turn off your afternoon? President Yang and members of the board and Doctor Taylor, I'm Diana Conway, president of Safe Healthy Playing Fields, incorporated, is an all volunteer 500 1C3
working to equip community leaders and the municipal, state, and federal officials on why grass sports fields are superior to plastic fields. And that's what they are plastic. I submitted extended written remarks plus a packet of photos. I have 15 copies. If they
didn't come to you, here's the ask an Act, the long discussed pilot program of high quality, well-maintained grass fields. You have Woodward, Crown and Northwood coming online. A pilot will give grass fields with plastic gets automatically expert prep, installation and
maintenance. It rolls maintenance into the CIP contract just like plastic gets into the CIP. Today, grass has to beg for operating funds each year. There are five reasons plastic fields are losers. First, too hot 40 to 70 degrees
hotter than grass on warm, sunny days than add climate change. You don't want a Jordan McNair event. Second to toxic, especially for kids. Heavy metals, endocrine disruptors, PFAS, microplastics all ingested or inhaled plastic is way more expensive when you
include replacements and disposal. Are multimillion dollar plastic fields your priority? Your budget says yes, plastics create more injuries. My written remarks show how studies to the contrary are flawed in both methodology and
by their funding sources. Finally, fifth trash. There is no disposal solution to 400 tons of mixed toxic plastic waste per field per 8 to 10 years. We paid extra for that recycling. By the way, Richard Montgomery and Walter Johnson are cautionary tales. Where are
the breach of contract suits for those two? And plastic fields make a mockery of M.C.P.S. sustainability. Plus, now, since 2024, state law requires you include disposal costs. So Crown, Woodward, Northwood, we ask you to engage in a good faith effort on the
long promised grass pilots. We get bids for quality grass plus maintenance like plastic gets and commit to our kids with a bonus to your budgets. Thank you, thank you. Please return to your seats. Thank you so
much. I'm calling Jordan Khan and Nora Welsh. Did you all get my documents? You can give it to the staff and they will pass
it to me. I'm Jordan, may I begin? Yes, please go ahead. I'm Jordan Khan for Gaithersburg families imploring you to slow down for Crown. Please do not vote to consider it a holding school. Just two weeks after the idea was
floated. The data released earlier today has not been reviewed and we're skeptical. Crown High School has been in the works for decades. My family moved here in 2014, like many of us, to send our kids to this high school. We're multicultural, like so many in Gaithersburg, the most diverse city in the country. But we
know that Gaithersburg suffers from inadequate academic resources. Our daughters attend Rosemont and Forest Oak for more than a decade. We gladly paid taxes for this school. We watched in awe and marveled at the opportunities it would provide this historically disadvantaged community. And we
were shocked to learn two weeks ago that Crown High School could be used as a holding school. It's not only a terrible idea, but extremely unfair and we think unlawful. This sudden pivot is anathema to transparency. Crown residents were not consulted
before voting. You must consider funding restrictions from the state of Maryland and the city of Gaithersburg, which donated the land. The obvious intent of Crown High School is to benefit the community, and we need it. Gaithersburg high schools are overcrowded with deficient infrastructure. The Land Conveyance Agreement calls
for a permanent neighborhood high school, as do the Crown Farm sector and county master plans. These binding legal documents cannot change on a whim without due process. Do not vote without understanding that holding schools corrode community and cause mass disruption. Traffic alone would
be calamitous. Needs environmental analysis. Holding schools are not well cared for. Are we going to trash $180 million investment school renovations can happen on site. It's maybe less than ideal, but far worse to use Crown as a holding school, which again causes Gaithersburg to suffer.
We're negatively impacted, but we haven't had a voice. We're the ones being silenced and ignored. Don't let this be another tragic instance where a historically disadvantaged community that's already hurting continues. Having to sacrifice and take a back seat to its better off neighbors.
Thank you, thank you. Nora Welsh. Go ahead. Good evening, members of the board. My name is Nora Welsh, a long standing Montgomery County resident, two term PTA president and county
PTA representative who has worked directly on the Capital Improvement program. I'm very familiar with what it takes to meet the criteria for school renovations and new construction. CIP is driven by data, not politics. It follows
the same standards criterion eligibility for every school to preserve MCPs credibility and public trust. But today, that consistency is being undermined. Until today, every community in Montgomery County has been
expected to follow the rules of the Capital Improvement Program and accept the results of boundary studies, even when they're difficult. Historically, no cluster has ever liked the outcome of the boundary study. But we honor the process because it's based on
consistency, transparency, and data. Yet now the standard is being rewritten because one cluster doesn't like the results. Instead of respecting the process, we're seeing a proposal to modify it midstream
and convert Crown into a temporary holding school. This is unprecedented, unlawful and unfair. Damascus isn't even scheduled for construction until 2031, and Crown is the only fully funded high school
project in the CIP set to open for the Gaithersburg community August of 2027, and the superintendent's own CIP documents state this over 40 times by voting yes on his
proposed revision, the board would set a precedence, a dangerous precedence, allowing after the fact community engagement, manipulating the process and rewarding political influence over objective planning, including Wooten
Magruder as justifications as disingenuous. Neither school is in the CIP for renovation. They're now added that they and and they're now added they'd be jumping the line ahead of all the other schools that follow
the rules and waited their turn. The county council fully funded Crown High School with a legally binding land conveyance agreement requiring a permanent neighborhood high school for Gaithersburg. Thank you ma'am, we land agreement. It's the
only time Crown has been able to talk. Altering the land agreement violates the master plan. CIP and the Apfo the claim of declining. Thank you. We have your written testimony.
Thank you. We appreciate everyone for coming in. And I'm going to. Oh, we have a video to play. MCPs TV, would you
please play the video testimony. Greetings. Members of the Board of Education. It has been brought to my attention that there is competition for the possession of a criteria based performing arts magnet program between Northwood High School and Albert Einstein High School I, and many others within and
outside the Northwood community, believe that this proposal is both illogical, irresponsible, and unfair, given that Northwood's performing arts coordinators were never notified of this change. When making a decision, I feel that it is necessary to directly notify both parties involved,
which did not happen. Northwood students have advocated for progress for the Performing Arts magnet program, and many students have already been looking forward to it. I have looked through a few comments by whom I assumed to be from Einstein parents, arguing that they require the program because it will affect
enrollment. Einstein will forever be a renowned school, and simply not having the magnet title will not change that. Einstein will forever be an incredible school. While systemic change is certainly necessary, this plan is ill conceived. There has been a significant lack of study of
individual school programs and the unintentional consequences of these restructuring will create severe and devastating change, not just for Northwood, but for every single high school in M.c.p.s. So please, members of the Board of Education, consider the repercussions of taking the
Performing Arts Magnet program from Northwood High School. Thank you for your time. Thank you. I would like to open I would like to open up for my board member comment. Would need to do one comment, one
question for the first round. I'm looking to my left. Miss Zimmerman. Thank you and thank you everyone for coming out today. I also really identify with the Leslie Knope quote
that Mr. Stein shared earlier. In fact, I say it often when I talk about this job, so I really appreciate all the care in the community. Your passion is evident, and as someone that deeply loves public school, what I see here is a lot of people who also really love
public school. And I think that's a wonderful thing about our county and our community. I also want to speak to the the fields and that were planning to further discuss that at our CIP, hearing that some of the
questions and things raised will be answered, then you mean the CIP work session? Work session? I'm sorry. Tuesday. Thank you. So many words. Thanks, Miss Silvestre. Yeah, I wanted to just ask the staff to send over to the board. Just
the latest program options at all schools, including Northwood. I'm looking at the website and, you know, there's multiple dates. So I just want to make sure I have the latest information and to see how Northwood is impacted. Thank
you. I'm looking to my right, Miss Montoya. Thank you. I want to appreciate those of you who brought up the lack of transparency, the lack of community engagement, the lack,
the silencing. I hear you, I'm trying to make it better. I appreciate you raising the issues and I'm happy to chat with anyone. You can email me and we'll set up some time. Thank you, Miss Stewart. I also
resonated with. David Stein's comments about radically being radically transparent. I also have a little mantra going through my mind this year, and that is radical engagement. So I will continue to try to do
better on that aspect as well. I also wanted to make sure that we have that fulsome conversation on turf versus plastic, and the different pluses and minuses on both
sides of that, because I don't think we've I haven't heard that conversation be held at the board table. So looking forward to that. And I want to thank everyone that came out today. We hear your your
passion. I also say, much like Leslie Knope, that I actually signed up to be yelled at. But what's important is the message and that I and that we listen. So thank you so much for coming out and we look forward to the
continued conversation. Thank you, Miss Malone. I just want to thank everyone for coming out today, especially the students as well. I love seeing the video. It was very nice to see how many people that came together over an issue. And I hope you know that we are truly listening, and it takes a lot to come out at such a young age.
And finally, I want to align myself with Miss Zimmerman. Miss Stewart's comments about the concerns about the turf fields and just wanting to have a conversation about it in general. Thank you. Agree. I also want to thank everyone to come out. You have provided
very important feedback on the boundary and the program designed, and I want to make sure our staff capture that. The boundary study and the program analysis is in the second phase right now. And the
board also look forward to many other engagement opportunities when it comes to the board in the spring. And right now, surveys, emails, public testimony are all channels good channels to convey your
thoughts on those important decisions we need to make. So the next business meeting of the Board of Education for public comment is Thursday, November 20th. Signed up for public comment will open on Thursday, November 13th at 6
p.m. in addition to online sign up for public comments, we allow for in-person, same day sign up. We have two that did it today. When space allows, unallocated slots, we feel on a first come, first serve basis on the day of the meeting. In
order to sign up in person, please arrive at least 15 to 20 minutes before the start of the open session and sign the form in person. Sign ups will close 15 minutes before the meeting begins, so thank you. We are
going to go to our item number eight, which is consent item, and I would like to ask board members, are there any items that you wish to pull, miss Montoya? Yes, I would like to pull item 8.9. Cancellation and
award of contract. Crown High school friends. New close friends. New phase two project. Thank you. Any other items? Okay. Can I have the rest of the motion to move the rest of
the items? Motion to move. Second. All right, there's a motion and a second to move the rest of the item in block. All in favor, please raise your hand. That's unanimous. All
right. What's your question about 8.9? Please go ahead. Thank you. I noticed in reading this award, I recognize it seems like the primary basis was that there was just a vendor error rate on calculations. And it seems like
the team has looked into that to make sure and verified, you know, whatever needed to be verified, which is great. But I wanted to draw attention to page two the second, whereas and I'm just going to read it for the benefit of the community who might be listening. Whereas the scope of
the Crown High School parents, new Close Friends project includes an artificial turf stadium field, which was planned for award in a later phase comma, but will be added
to the scope of work in the updated phase two contract award semicolon and then it proceeds with the other whereases. So I just want to one. Make sure that I understand clearly so we can make sure the community understands clearly that this
new contract, should it go forward, is theoretically also including what what might be called for the old contract, an amendment to now include an artificial turf first. Is that correct? That is correct. Okay.
Thank you for that clarification. My concern, I guess, is, is really you know what Miss Stewart spoke to that this conversation hasn't been had in front of the board. I know even in the CIP and we had some folks testify before about, you know, can you make sure we
get this filled at our school? And I personally don't have a lot of information about turf fields versus natural grass fields. So I appreciate Miss Conway. I'm not sure if she's still here, but she was here earlier, provided some information. I plan to look at the submitted documents as well. And but what I do know is that
people have a lot of feelings about it, and there's science and all kinds of things that this isn't just something where we have feelings about something, right? There's actual data and things that we can look at. And so it's challenging for me to consider this, which I also just want to
be honest, it's really hidden in this second page here. Right? There's a whole first page of whereases things that we might expect. And then kind of hidden in there, there's this clause about this whole big turf field. And these turf fields also cost a lot of money. So I'm concerned that we're being asked in the name of re
approving a prior contract to kind of slip this turf field in here without any conversation to the community, especially in light of the fact that it is kind of a controversial issue in some ways. We've heard testimony about it today. This is not the first time I've heard Miss Stewart bring it up
as well. So I'm not necessarily sure that we're ready to have that conversation here today either. So if you have any comments before I make a proposal, I would love to hear them from anyone or Doctor Taylor. Sorry. I'll start and then I'll pass it to Miss
Sueoka. My understanding is that synthetic turf was originally scoped in the original project of the school, and so when the school construction was designed, it was designed with that in mind. So although I think this changes the order of operations
a little bit, it doesn't change the nature of the project as it was designed. Okay. And I think that actually might be sufficient just so that I understand. So this was originally included in the scope of the full project. It was just in a different phase. Is that correct? Okay. Were you going to say something okay.
Yes. So most of our high school projects are designed and then usually are bid out in phases because there are funding that comes in throughout the years. So yes, this was always included in the project and it was just going to be included
in phase two just because of the way the funding was going to be awarded. So the it didn't change the scope. It was always in the scope. Okay. So how do we have funding now then if it was supposed to be in a later phase, or did I miss here? Maybe it was supposed to
actually be a phase three. We were going to come to you for one more. We were trying not to delay the auditorium, which is important. You know, we have to get you all the bid documents. The GMP for the auditorium originally came in in July in order to get to the August board meeting. When we found the air and we needed to revise,
we were able to get the bids for the field and time to combine so we didn't have to do a phase two and phase three to come back to you trying to consolidate into less contracts. Okay. And then I guess and I know we're going to get to this later, but I can't not consider this in the context of this
proposal for Crown to be a holding school and not now a local school for the local community. And that gets into questions about spending and various things. And of course, we can revisit that, you know, shortly when that when that item on the agenda comes up,
hopefully it's in the ten category. But I guess I'm just wondering, is it typical when we build schools just for holding that? Then we would do those things? I just I want to make sure that I really understand what's going on here, because it seems like we're proceeding with it in one way.
But then there's a proposal to do something else. And I mean, none of this stuff is even really happening for about 5 or 6 years anyway. I mean, building this out is really thinking about it for the long term investment and the comprehensive look at it. The auditorium needs to be a key part of any comprehensive high
school. And I know there's another conversation happening, and it's certainly getting confusing, but these components really are intended to be part of that comprehensive high school. From an equity standpoint. We have been trying to include all of these in every high school. Right. But here, if the proposal is for the Crown to be a potential
holding school until, what, 2038, 2040, I mean, someone please educate me. But I imagine does the turf field even last that long? Are we going to have to replace it before then or shortly thereafter? I just want to understand how this works. On average, they last about ten
years. It ultimately depends on the amount of usage that you get. Something that is used quite a bit might only last about eight years. Something that is not used as frequently can last 12 years. Okay, so potentially maybe even twice, we might need to replace this before the local community has
access to that high school. Iftg school goes through, very much depends on how long we use it for holding school based on the current proposal. I mean, okay. Thank you, Miss Stewart. Sure.
So this actually I need some clarification on the change order. With the amount of money we're approving. So it was the 15 million and now it's 18 million. But now you're saying it now includes artificial turf.
And I see in other documents that's now costing 2.75 million. So how much of that is because of the electric cost? And how much of that is because of this artificial turf? Yes. So the turf here, it the numbers in
the CIP depend on if we're doing track and other site work with it. So when you see closer to a $2 million, it's because we are adding drainage. We are adding track 2.75. Correct. Okay. And so that's a significant difference than just the actual turf replacement, which is closer to
that like 1.2 million, which is what everything else is included. We just need the additional artificial turf layer. So it's it's around a million for this. The air and the administration was the electrical subcontractor air. We negotiated with the
contractor and they are absorbing some of the costs in their fees as a general contractor, since it was their administrative error. And so it was around $3 million for the electrical air, so 1 million for the turf and 3 million for the. I don't think that still
adds up. It does not because the general contractor again, is is taking quite a bit of hit on their fee. Okay. That helps clarify some of that because it wasn't very clear. And you heard about the community. I've
heard for years about wanting at least a model, state of the art grass field to see what we could do with that, because we've actually haven't ever done a new state of the art grass field. And I would like
to have that discussion. And with Crown now possibly being a holding school, I would just at least have us consider it and and just look at the price of that. But again, I'm not I'm not saying that should be that
should happen right there. I'm just saying we could have that as part of the discussion. And so and now I have more information about the price. So I appreciate that. Thank you. One more question from me. Just to clarify, we're not changing
any thing that we we were we voted on before. This is okay. All right. So with that is there a motion. Move to approve.
Is there a second. Second okay. All in favor. Can you please raise your hand? It's 1234, five. The motion carries. Thank you. Everyone right. Turning
now. Yes. Just for the record, we just want to make sure we have a confirmed record of all those present and what their vote was, if their vote was against or abstain. So the five was Miss Malone, Miss Zimmerman, Miss Silvestre, Miss Yang and
Miss Wolff opposed. Please raise your hand. No. Oppose. Abstain. Please raise your hand. To Mr. and Miss Montoya and.
And Miss Rivera. Evans. Thank you. All right. So we're going to item 9.1 approval of fiscal year 2.20 26 Program Evaluation.
Before we get to that, Miss Yang, I do have a brief announcement about some really positive things that the board approved in their consent agenda earlier today, before the board convened its meeting, we had the opportunity to
celebrate some of the special activities going on in the school system. We celebrated our Building Service Worker day. We celebrated Principal Appreciation Month and Safe Schools Week, and we had a number of guests that we were able to recognize who are part of that celebration, and we
thank them for being a part of that. Please check it out on social media to recognize our partners in our community who really help make M.C.P.S. a great place. The board also recognized and voted to approve several resolutions recognizing some pretty important
celebrations in our school year. They voted to recognize in the consent agenda, National Career Development Month in November of 2025, National Family Engagement Month in November of 2025. And certainly one of the
ways we can honor National Family Engagement Month is to hear the voices of our community, and that is certainly present today. The board voted to recognize Native American Heritage Month in the month of November and Native American Heritage Day, specifically on November 28th
of this upcoming month. We also the board voted to approve Maryland Emancipation Day on November 1st, which is this upcoming Saturday. National School Psychology Week and Mental Health Awareness Week, which is coming up next week.
National Stem and Steam Day on November 8th, Veterans Day on November 11th, American Education Week November 17th through the 21st Education Support Professionals Day. The folks that work behind the scenes to make school happen in
M.C.P.S. on November 19th and Substitute Educators Day on November 21st. There are a ton of folks that we certainly love to celebrate and recognize, but I'm also saddened to report that there is some sad news
that the board also voted to approve. On a sad note, the board also approved two resolutions recognizing important employees who have recently passed away. We honor Mrs. Perry Bahrami, a paraeducator at Cashel Middle
Elementary School who served Montgomery County Public Schools for more than three years and was known for her dedication to care of students, staff and families. We also remember Georgios Sideris, a
painter in the division of maintenance for more than three years of service, who was known as a valued and committed team member, and always somebody who was willing to chip in. And so thank you for taking a moment to recognize those two employees in the service that they gave, and to help us
celebrate all of the upcoming excitement in the month of November. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you. The next item is 9.1 Approval of Fiscal Year 2026 Program Evaluation. Welcome, Doctor Edison, this is
the third time you're here to share with us the program evaluation. So we have we took a look at it on the September 4th and October 16th work session. The board discussed
the development of this year. Plan is one of the important things that we do. Accountability and oversight. We want to know how well the things are working. Programs are working so that we can be responsible stewards of the
public money and trust in our school system. So. Why don't you go ahead? Thank you, Madam President. There is a resolution attached to board docs as well as the plan itself for those in the community that
are interested what the board is going to be reviewing this year under the leadership of Doctor Addison. And the resolve says that the Montgy County Board of Education hereby approves the program evaluation work plan for the 2025 2026 school year. Thank you. Are
there any comments from colleagues? Miss Montoya? I'm having a hard time because when I take a look at the various, let's just say, layers that were taken in this process to
get to today, and what I'm looking at for the benefit of the public is on October 16th, there was a slide show presentation on this topic, and in that slide show, it also references the prior September 2025 review as well. So I'm
looking at slides four, which is the September 2025 review. And I'm looking at slide six from that October 16th presentation, which was the kind of second layer or second round. And the and then I'm also looking at the what's
what's the final like evaluation proposal. And now when I take a look at these, the, the idea was that there would be some proposed items. The board might have questions, perhaps the community might weigh in. Right. It gives folks a chance to weigh in. We would come back, propose some things,
you know, kind of a back and forth, right? A conversation, if you will. But when I look at each of these September 4th, October 16th and then today on October 30th, it's effectively the same list as the initial list that was proposed on September 4th. And then at the
at the bottom of that, it says that they were requested in fiscal year 25. Right. So when you look at that, all of those items that are starred that they were requested in fiscal year 2025, with the exception of high school science curriculum from the very first one in September, made it to the final round, if you will.
And my frustration is that in an attempt to fully inform myself so that I can advocate properly on behalf of the community, I asked for additional information so that I can understand the universe of programs or items that could be considered to be proposed in this, so that I could make sure
that I wasn't overlooking something that needed to be looked into, or that the community had raised. I asked for that information from my own staff, and one of my staff members told me to look for it myself, and did not get the information for it to me. I asked for it ultimately from
M.C.P.S. I think I might have even put that on the record on October 16th and I still did not receive as of today, as I stand here today and I have to raise my hand to vote, I still have not received that information, and I noticed this pattern of effectively, what M.C.P.S. proposed on September
4th is what's here now. One of the things that folks advocate about quite frequently is that they feel the board sometimes just rubber stamps what M.C.P.S. puts up. And I'm a current parent, and so I completely understand how you
feel. And I don't do that. And so I'm having a hard time understanding how I'm supposed to make a decision on behalf of the entire community when I don't have all of the information that I feel I need to make that decision, and I
requested it. I believe the staff has program evaluation is about everything within the the school system. Doing our two presentations, we share some priorities and we the school
program school site proposed these and we have asked board members to provide feedback and suggestions. So are there any other comments? Correct. But I couldn't provide the feedback and suggestions when I didn't get the requested information.
And that's a problem. Thank you, Miss Silvestre. Thank you. Thank you, Doctor Addison for your work on this. And thank you for meeting with me to better understand all of the proposals for this year. I just
wanted to share, Doctor Taylor, that, you know, I really value the program evaluation work of the system. It does give us information about what is return on investment, what is working in education based on
our investment in tax dollars, what programs need to be looked at because they're not yielding the results that we need and what programs need to be stopped. And so, Doctor Taylor, I look forward to having that conversation with you in terms of what we're doing with these
program evaluations. Doctor Addison put out several last year. Some of them had yellow, which we use the traffic signal yellow for. Let's take a pause and examine if this is still effective. There's some that were red. And so I think as we
develop our budget for the upcoming cycle, I think we need to look back at these program evaluations to help us make the decisions, to ensure that we are continuing to do things that are being effective and making the hard decisions when
we have data that certain things are not being effective. So thank you for your work. And I think it's up to the board and the superintendent to look at this seriously in our budget development process going forward. Thank you, Miss Silvestri. And to piggyback on
that policy committee this year is looking at a policy on program evaluation. And one of the criterias that we have set forth is the return of investment. So I'm actually very excited to work on that
policy in collaboration with staff, community member and field experts, so that we can actually have a policy to help us, to really guide us in this work of how to evaluate program.
And to Miss Sylvester's point. After we evaluate, then what? So so I'm excited about that work. Is there? Oh, Miss Stewart, go ahead. So in the
spirit of having a growth mindset, I think that the evaluation when I saw the color coded descriptions, I wasn't exactly clear. Like what's the
next step forward. Right. Like when do we finally come to the decision to close out a program or start something new? And I think evaluating is always so important, especially as we embark on a lot of new programing. So I look forward
to helping to engage even though I'm not on the policy committee, but engage in that policy. You feedback is always welcome. Thank you. Value. Yeah, because we need to make this very clear. So we understand
that our dollars are going where it is most effective for our students and to move our system forward. So again, I'm looking forward to having a process that's even more clear in the future. Sure, absolutely. And thank you for this year to
put on the deadline when we can expect a report on your plan. So I appreciate that. All right. Is there a motion move to approve. Second okay. There's a motion. And a second. All in
favor of the 2026 program evaluation plan. Please raise your hand. That's 1234567 Rivera-Oven is online and opposed. Please raise your hand.
That's one, Miss Montoya. Okay. Thank you everyone. We're going to our next item, which is revised boundary scope to determine the service area for new Crown High School and
expansion of Damascus High School. Doctor Taylor. Thank you, Madam President. Today we invite the board to have a discussion and potentially take action on revisions to boundary study scopes for the reopening
of the Charles W Woodward High School and expansion of Northwood High School, as well as the opening of Crown High School and the expansion of Damascus High School. In my recommended FY 27 capital budget and FY 27 through 32
Capital Improvements program, I recommended building a new Sligo Creek Elementary School on a new site in the Silver Spring area, and initiating the process to close Silver Spring International Middle School and as an operating school. As I
shared, given the challenges of unforeseen building conditions, intractable structural issues, and construction around the area of the school, I cannot in good conscience recommend the level of investment in the
building that would be necessary to facilitate continued use, as it is currently in use right now as two permanent schools. At the October 16th, 2025 board work session, I also recommended
using the new Crown High School as a temporary holding school for upcoming projects to include projects like Damascus High School, Magruder High School, as well as Wootton High School before establishing a permanent and comprehensive high school in that area, which
is absolutely our intent. These recommendations obviously impact our current boundary studies, and I'm proposing amendments to the current boundary scopes based on these recommendations. And before our team jumps in and shares a
brief presentation, I want to go back to something that that was said earlier this evening about following the data and making difficult choices. There are no easy choices in boundary studies, not a one. And there
are difficult choices that need to be made in a really resource constricted environment. Coupled with that, when you have changes in the landscape with enrollment, it really calls upon us to be pragmatic and to think ahead and to
consider more than just the next couple of years, but really to think about the next couple decades. This is a shift for us, and a pretty meaningful one at that. For us to start thinking a little bit bigger picture. And our community is going through some changes
right now. It's not clear as to whether or not those changes will be temporary or whether or not those changes will be long lived. But we have to position ourselves in a way that we can weather that storm no matter what. I appreciate everybody who has come tonight to to add
their voice to the conversation, because it really is very valuable and everybody is very invested in hearing what you have to say, because it does make a difference in terms of adding context to the bigger picture. But we would love to have more options on the table
than the ones that we currently have, and would love to explore a wider array so that we make sure that we make a good recommendation to the board, and that the board have ample time to to weigh that recommendation. So without
further ado, I'll introduce Mr. Adnan Mamoun and Miss Andrea Andrea Sueoka, who will give a brief presentation, and I'll read some resolves and offer the board an opportunity to ask questions and discuss amongst
themselves. Good evening. Thank you. Doctor Taylor. As Doctor Taylor already mentioned, we are here to. Request the board to give us an option to explore possible additional options for
both the Woodward reopening of Woodward High School, as well as the expansion of Northwood Boundary Study. This recommendation would be to build additional options that take into account building Sirgo Sligo Creek Elementary to
a new site in the Silver Spring area, and to initiate the process of closing Silver Spring International Middle School as a future holding school in that area, and for the Crown and Damascus Boundary Study. We would like to work on some additional options that
take into account Doctor Taylor's recommendation about using Crown High School as a temporary holding school for the modernization and renewal projects for Damascus, Magruder and Wootton High School. And as
Doctor Taylor already mentioned, the resolutions that are that is before the board. We're not asking for the board to authorize the closure of Silver Spring International Middle School at this point, nor authorize the use of Crown High School as a holding school. The request is to authorize
development of additional boundary options that reflect these potential changes for the board's consideration in the future. And then, you know, it would allow us enough time to provide the public notice when these options are developed so
that we could go through the engagement process that is necessary for us to collect feedback, so we can provide that feedback to the board as well. So for the Crown High School, as well as the expansion of Damascus High School boundary study, we
wanted to kind of give a overview of where we were planning wise when the whole project started. So the planning for Crown High School started in the CIP for FY 23,
which was back in 2021 when we were looking at the enrollment data. At that point, as you can see from the chart, the projection was. But by 2027, when the Crown High School was
going to open, we were going to we were projecting that we're going to have a total of 1838 students over utilized in all the high schools that are in the Crown Boundary study area. That was the reason for us to,
at that point, propose the Crown High School building, the new Crown High School, and doing this boundary study to fill those seats. Fast forward to today and our new reality, the 11 high schools currently in the boundary study area are
projected to have 957 available seats by August of 2027. At the time, Crown High School would open. This is a difference of a -2795 students from when Crown High School was being planned,
so from 2021 to 2027, we're not projecting we're going to be about 2800 students less than what we were projecting back in 2021. We're also in our CIP, proposing a major capital project for Damascus High School, which would add another
707 seats to the area with and the total capacity of Damascus at that time would be 2250. By August of 2031, and then Crown High School, that is finishing up in 2027 will have a capacity
of 2219 with if you combine those available seats, we're going to be having an excess capacity of close to 4000 seats in these high schools. And that was the proposal that Doctor Taylor made. And this is why we're requesting for us to have
the options to create work with our boundary consultants, to work on some additional options that show Crown being used as a holding school. So we did some preliminary analysis, and we worked with a third party
consultant to look at a few scenarios and see what, you know, utilizing Crown as a holding school could do fiscally for us. So in the scenarios, the first one that you see, and you will notice that in all the scenarios, the
amount and the date for Damascus High School expansion remains the same, because that's what is proposed in our CIP. The other dates for Magruder and Wootton in these scenarios are based on the path we choose to modernize these
schools. So the first column you would notice without a holding school, the Damascus would cost roughly estimated $306 million, and it would open in August of 2031. And Magruder High School would be a renewal project. And it is anticipated
that we would open it in 2038. The anticipation here, building out the schedule, is because it would be occupied and without any holding school, it would take longer to renew Magruder. Magruder. And same thing goes for Wootton. The cost would be
roughly $453 million in our estimate, and the timeline would be August of 2042 to open that school. In the second second scenario, we anticipated again you know same timeline and the estimate for Damascus
High School opening in August of 2031. And then Magruder replacing on site, but without a holding school that would, you know, take that schedule out to 2037 and cost us 367 million. And Wootton would be
replaced on site while the students are in the current building. The anticipated schedule would be 2040, and it would cost about 383 million, for a total of $1.57 billion. As you can see, the first scenario and the second
scenario, there is a difference. However, if you look at the third option as using Crown as a holding school for both Magruder and Wootton, the the anticipated timeline for both those schools come down
significantly to August of 2033 for Magruder and August of 2035 for Wootton, and the cost would be significantly less due to the fact that we're doing it in a much faster pace, being able to utilize Crown as a holding school. The timeline for construction would be shorter,
so we would pay less in anticipated escalation costs as well, and the timeline for construction would also save money. So that's the basically, it provides a estimated savings of over $273 million, and it
would significantly cut the construction timeline by seven years for all those three schools. With that, I'm going to pass it on to Miss Docca for the Woodward and Northwood boundary. Yes. So the resolution and proposal on the table takes into consideration
when we released the original Woodward boundary, Northwood expansion. It was a week prior to the CIP being released. We needed to keep moving forward with the CIP and the options, and unfortunately, the timing just did not allow for us to take into consideration the
proposal that came a week later. So following that, as part of the CIP recommendation, the proposal was recommended to consider a closure at Silver Spring International Middle School that would take place at the end of school year 22, or, sorry, 29 to 30. Those students
would be reassigned, most likely to Eastern Middle School. That would receive a brand new replacement expected to open in August of 2030, and a renovated and expanded Sligo Middle School with an expected completion of August 31st. The
existing facilities that both Silver Spring International Middle School and Sligo Creek currently occupy would then turn into a much needed holding center in that area of the county and the Silver Spring area. So really just seeking the opportunity to revise and
provide 2 or 3 additional opportunities for boundary study, understanding that potential closure on the table. If we go to the last slide, just wanted to share with you all an anticipated boundary timeline, taking these two resolutions into an account, we
would start working with the consultant to develop these additional options here in the month of November, and share that by the end of the month, we would then have additional community engagement sessions, just like we have been doing for these additional options in early December, with still of
the target date of February 5th for the superintendent's recommendation for both boundary studies allowing for public hearings and work sessions in February and March, with opportunity for the board to take action. March 26th. And
with that, we're happy to take any questions. Thank you. Before our discussion, doctor Taylor, can you actually read the resolve for the resolutions?
There are several. Resolved that additional boundary options be developed for Crown Damascus Study Area, reflecting the option to use Crown High School as a temporary holding center with the understanding that it would not be considered
for use as a holding center unless aligned with state funding requirements, and be it further resolved that additional community engagement sessions be held for the new options prior to the superintendent's recommendation, and may it further be resolved
that there be no other changes to the high schools and middle schools included in the existing scope, and may it further be resolved that the updated timeline for the boundary study process determined service areas for the new Crown High School and
the expansion of Damascus High School shall be as follows, and they are listed on the slide that is projected, and may it further be resolved that this boundary study be concluded,
conducted in accordance with the Board of Education Policy, FAA Educational Facilities Planning, and Montgomery County Public Schools Regulation, FFA R-ar Educational Facilities Planning. Thank you. And that is one of two. So this is just
the Crown Damascus one. And it is for your consideration. Right. So that's the first one I'm going to ask is. So I think we need to ask for a motion before we can go into
discussion. So is there a motion for, for approval of the Damascus Crown resolution. Yes. We need a motion first for for discussion. Do I have a motion for discussion? Thank you. So
moved for discussion purposes. Do I have a second, second, second now can do discussion, miss Zimmerman, thank you. So we've heard some from the
community on this proposal. We've heard about the conditions at Wooton High School. And it's clear that, you know, it is one of our many schools that does require renovation. We've also heard from community members and elected officials that if this is something that we choose to
adopt, that if this resolution does go forward, that we would like to see an option that shows a hybrid school option that would have local students attending Crown High School, and it would simultaneously function as a holding school.
So is that an option that can be shown if we were to move forward with this? Yes, certainly. Okay. So let's I just want to make it clear that that is like our intention as we choose to move forward, that we will have at least one
option reflecting this. Yes, Miss Silvestre. Yeah. Doctor Taylor, just a process question. Why are these resolutions needed? Why can't you just develop options and let us
explore them as possibilities? Absolutely. So when the board conceived the the process of having a boundary study to reflect the opening of two new schools, as well as the expansion of other schools that
were planned and and this case, the opening of Crown High School as a comprehensive school and the expansion of Damascus High School. You defined the scope of work in that boundary study. And so if we are going to make any modifications to the scope of
work and consider options that are outside of that scope of work, we do need to document that somehow and articulate to the community and to you what our intentions are, and to put that out there transparently. And I think it's important to
that. If you're going to take this step and make this a serious consideration, that you make sure that it's conditional on appropriate funding and that you make sure that it's in line with, with all other legal requirements, and that you
build that into any changes that you have and that you make your intentions clear about seeking community feedback and engagement as well. Thank you. I'll have more questions. I'll wait. We will we'll we'll come back, Miss Wolff. Yes. Thank
you. I wanted to just be clear that we're not making any decision about using Crown as a holding school. This is just to develop options. In the event that we do decide this, so that we know what we are looking at.
Right? Yes, that is correct. Okay. Thank you, Miss Montoya. Thank you. Radical transparency is the theme today. Thank you so much, Mr. Stein, and I appreciate you still being here in a similar vein, for this very same item, I specifically
asked on Monday afternoon, in order to be fully informed and to fully inform my community, can I please have some information and data to make sure that I can understand what we're doing here? And I was specifically told there would be no action in any way taken today, as it related to Crown,
that this was just a discussion. There would be no action, but we are asked to do an action here today, and I did not receive the information that I requested. So it's challenging for me to sit up here and make a decision on behalf of the community with my vote. Nonetheless, since it seems to
be moving forward anyway, today I have a few concerns. But first, I have a question. So when we're looking at, I think you call it where we are today, our new reality. Does the data in our new reality take into
account population projections? I'm not saying enrollment. I'm not talking about live births. I'm talking about actual population projections. Projections in the actual areas. Gaithersburg. Right. I'm not talking about what's happening in Churchill or in Rockville,
in the actual area where the school is proposed to be built, where the school is being built. Does that does that data in that chart that's in the slide show take into account population projections? Yes it does. Based on the developmental data that we have from the county that's built
into all of our projections. These numbers do include I'm not asking about projections. I'm talking about like, you know, the cities, right? They produce population data, right? City of Gaithersburg. They have their own municipal government. They produce population projections based on
developments based on, you know, their own incoming and outcoming various projects that they have in the pipes. Yes. That's the same data that planning that we use and gather from planning. They they look into all of that information
that you're talking about before they share it back with us. And for us to develop our student projections. Okay. Because when I looked at that data, it doesn't show steep declines in population in the city of Gaithersburg. So I feel very confused. I see my friends over here, they're shaking
their heads, so I just feel confused as to when I look at that data, which I ultimately had to Google myself. And it doesn't seem to show that. So that's just something that is concerning to me when we're asking to sign up for this multi year plan, which I'm not
even sure will ultimately be binding, because in December of 2028, every single one of us elected officials could not be up here on this board. And these projects aren't slated to be complete, irrespective of which option, until at least 2031. Right? So if there's an
entirely new board here, whether it's in a year or three years and they say, you know what, never mind. Then our Magruder and Wooten even getting what they're hoping for anyway, or are we pulling the football away like I think it was? Mr. Silva suggested the
other day. So I just I feel confused about what's being said about enrollments and seats and all of those things. When I can see the Gaithersburg population data. So all. I have some more questions. Thank you. But I'll let Mr. Mr. in that
vein, as far as our how we get our numbers from planning, and there's different points during developments that we get the numbers. I think that we need
to actually I would love to hear from Gaithersburg planning or the county planning department directly. And so we can have this discussion. So that is something I would like to dig in more, because it is something we hear a lot, not
just in this area, but any area where we are having more development. It's more dense. We hear a lot about the numbers not really matching up, and so it would help for me to understand exactly where the numbers are coming from. And I
know that we do generally have a meeting, but is that something you all could help me with? Yeah, we can work to figure out and generate the right time for planning to come join. We work very closely with them and I know that they publish their student
generation number. And that is often what people look at. Right? And it's apartment. They do it very specific because we have an MoU with them. They receive information about our students, which we obviously are not allowed to share. That is sensitive student data, but they do it down to the cluster
and they look at student generation within each cluster based on single family, detached, single family, detached, multifamily, low rise, multifamily, high rise. And they create a very specific student generation number per cluster. So they are not doing a countywide number for us because they're geo mapping
each student and where they physically reside in the county would be great to have that discussion. Also see how well that worked out in past years. So we know, you know, back map. Also, do you have a one more
question? One more question is we'll come back to you. You have your one question. We'll come back to you, Miss Zimmerman. Thank you. If this resolution does go forward, it is in the resolve that there
will be additional community engagement, correct? Yes, that is correct. And then that community engagement will be used to inform what options would we would choose to go forward with. So if, for example, the community is really against some of the options that we're going forward with, that those
options wouldn't be considered any longer. Yes. Those feedback obviously will be shared with Doctor Taylor prior to him making a recommendation for the board. So it sounds like the point of this resolution is to expand options at the and have
the community garner feedback on those options. That is correct. It is the second resolved. Just to be clear, Miss Silvestre. I think as a part of the option development process, I would like to
understand the financials. How does the funding. Work out? Because this is what you would spend and how much you would save. But it all depends on how much we get from the county.
And so in your option development process, I need scenarios so fully funded, bad year. And you know, if if we don't get fully funded, how long down the road would
Magruder and Wooten get built and what would that mean for a holding school if there is no project for it to cater to? So that's one big question mark for me, is what if we're not fully funded? Is it going to
what what other purpose will it will it have because it has to have a purpose. I'd like to understand that better. Thank you. Thank you, Doctor Taylor. My questions is about the the the timeline. The timeline is changed. Can you tell us what's
the thought process going into this timeline change? Yes. Introducing a new option. And I, I don't think it's anyone's intention to throw a curve ball into anything. It's really to be respective of feedback that we've received and to be
pragmatic. When we do receive that feedback. And there's new data that points us in a different direction. And so the original timeline that we were looking at was to make a recommendation to the Board of Education at the end of January. I would really benefit from
having two additional weeks of community engagement in December and January to formalize that recommendation, and would like to postpone my recommendation from the end of January to the beginning of February to allow for some
additional opportunities for engagement. It's it's going to be pretty busy for a couple of reasons. This is not just boundary season. It's not just capital improvement season. It's also operating budget season. And we've we've
definitely got some high talk programing options that are on the table. And knowing that it's that we're going to be collecting feedback on a lot of different things at a lot of different touch points. It may be better for us to just get a couple extra weeks of that
feedback before formalizing something and bringing it to the board in a in a more concrete fashion. Thank you, Miss Wolff. Yes, I have a couple of questions. Looking at the timeline, just that you have here projecting when
Magruder and Wooten would be completed if it was done on site while the while the students were still on site. I'd like I'd like to understand a little bit more about how you came up with those dates. Is this work that's only being done in the summer? Is it work
that's being done while they're in the buildings? Yeah. So for the the first option, which is a renewal for both Magruder and Wooten, meaning we're going to be renovating the building
because there is no holding school. We had to assume that it's going to be done in parts which extended the timeline. So it would have to be doing while the students are in the building. We would, you know, have basically take over sections of the building trying to renovate and move them over
to the completed section, then do the next part, which is essentially where that timeline stretched out. So can I just can I just understand now? So you're saying a renewal. So you're not talking about tearing down the building. That's that that is the second
second option in the in the chart. So the second option assumes that it is going to be replaced on site. So Magruder students would sit in the Magruder while we build over their field or other spaces within that site. So you will
see that that timeline is slightly shorter. Okay. My second question is for Doctor Taylor. There is a little unrest here on the board about this issue today. And I'm wondering a lot of times we have a resolution lay on the
table for 30 days. I'm wondering how that would affect your timeline if we postponed a decision until next month, so that our fellow board members could have an opportunity to obtain the data that they're
interested in? Certainly. And and you. Absolutely. I mean, we work for you. The challenge, of course, is that that does shorten the amount of engagement time that we would have because it it would be working at the board's direction to generate maps. We
could spend the month of November generating the maps, or we could spend the month of November waiting for the board's direction. You know, we we will make it work however you want it to work, but it does condense our timeline in terms of engagement that that
is a feature. It is also partly why I wanted to introduce this as an idea in the middle of October, and allow for us to even figure out the feasibility before bringing this to you. And and candidly, we don't have it all figured out in, in one
regard, in terms of getting straight commitments from the state in writing of, you know, what we can and can't do, which is why there's a conditional component in this resolution. But it's it's about timing. I think that being clear that the
board wants to hear from the community on a specific thing, giving us the time to work with the third party, that is, that is generating our maps, that would be helpful. And so I see it from that perspective of of wanting to have more of the
time. But but obviously, you know, we serve at the board's pleasure. So right now you are bound by the current scope. That's what you're saying. So you can't develop new options. And I certainly wouldn't recommend that the board postpone its decision making in
March, that that could have some negative downwind effects in terms of US scoping and sequencing next steps, everything from planning, transportation, programing, you name it. So, you know, to the extent practical, holding that March deadline really is a is a
good time frame for a decision. Make decision making in terms of a final decision. But in terms of what you do to allow us the space and wiggle room to to plan and to generate maps, I think the community would be very interested in what those
maps would look like. Thank you. Mr. There's one part, the piece of the puzzle we haven't talked about, and now everything's kind of linked together, and that is the programing. So we had certain programing that was
going to be at Crown. And so I do think that the thoughts on that needs to be shared, even though that's not your side of the house, it needs to all be together. I do also believe
that more data for the community to look at the better. So even though I'm, you know, I don't think we would be ready to make a vote today on either of these resolutions if it said
we're moving forward with this. Right. But this is just about getting data out to the public. And I am, again, for radical engagement. So if I lean towards any of these, it's just really because I'm always want
to get more information to public, the earlier the better. And I think people are really tired of surprises. So let's just get everything out on the table and have the full discussion. Yeah. I'm looking
at a table to see Mrs. Zimmerman, the caveat in the first resolved, you know, contingent upon the state funding requirements being met, can that be explained further? Yeah. Go ahead. So the analysis
that you're seeing, we have worked with the with the third party and the enrollment data that we shared, we shared all that information with the state. So they're looking at the analysis as far as the cost saving, as well as the new enrollment data that we have provided based on our
projections. So they're going to let us know based on, you know, once they have had a chance to look at their data, whether, you know, the Crown Building could be funded at the current level that the state is funding. So that's why that contingency that you're seeing is there that, you know, we
have not gotten that confirmed confirmation from the state. So what would be the result if we were not to get that confirmation? So, I mean, based
on what the state tells us, then we will have to come back to the board and let you know, let the board know what the state's outcome is, and then we can decide whether to move forward with Crown being a holding school or not. And so just a small clarification to to add on to that, when, when
the state approves funding for projects, it does so under a very, you know, strict formula that has different assumptions in it. And so what we wanted to do was certainly we needed to share back with them. These would be the assumptions. Until that has worked through sort of
the process with with the Iacc and their project process with that, we need that to be resolved in order to know for sure that the same funding would apply to these assumptions. And that's very important for the balance of the CIP and how the project is
funded between the state and local funding. So again, it's really about saying, okay, this was the first set of assumptions. Here's the second set of assumptions. And if those align then we can move forward. And that's just that confirmation that we're waiting for. So do we know when we will
get this confirmation. So we are working with the state. We're hoping to definitely have that information prior to the next board meeting. Okay. Thank you, Miss Wolff. I see this
resolution as a positive only because I think it lays out what our plans are and get you what you need in order to bring forth further consideration. And the sooner we can do that
for the public, the better. Because this we could see this is a very contentious issue. Boundaries always are, but the more information we have, the better. So I, I see this as not making a decision about anything today other than
allowing you to come up with more options. Thank you, Miss Montoya. Thank you. I actually was going to ask one question, but in light of some of the comments, I just want to share some things I've heard from the community. Some community
members feel like this is just a bit of a charade, right? We're saying, well, we're not actually deciding anything because we still have to wait on these things and those. That's true. Right? That is what the scope of this resolution is not saying Crown is going to become a holding school. Absolutely. Based on
the experiences of some community members. These types of things have typically just been, as someone you know, called it. It's just it's just a paper game, right? We're putting this up. We kind of already know what we're going to do. We're saying we're going to consider these things. I heard Miss Zimmerman ask, well,
if the community says they don't like certain options, are those options going to will those options not be considered? And the answer wasn't correct. Those options will not be considered. It was the community's concerns will be shared with Doctor Taylor so he can make a proposal. And those are two different things. So I
want to make sure the community is clear on what that answer is, that it was not that if you share your concerns or don't like certain options, then those will be taken out. That was not the answer that was given, and it's important to understand that. And so so what? I also want to give everyone a
chance. I can appreciate that. But some folks have had more chances even than I had. So thank you, Miss Yang. So the concern here, I hear that the resolution also contains a whereas or resolved for additional community engagement, which is wonderful. But again
again it's coming a little bit after the fact here. The process, the timeline is still very rushed when I've requested additional community engagement for the various big topics that we have, I'm repeatedly told the team is stretched. They're doing so many things bandwidth.
And that's all true. You guys are doing. I mean, it's the same group of people working on these very large projects, and I absolutely can appreciate that. I mean, I see how exhausted you all are because you're doing so much work. So then it just gets a little confusing to me as to how now we're going to suddenly have more community engagement. And
what I don't see here, though, is meaningful community engagement, right? A presentation is not meaningful to the community. If we're not going to the spaces where the community that's being impacted live, it's not meaningful to the community if we're not giving them notice. Again, I didn't find out until last
night around 9:30 p.m. that this was even coming up for action, and I am a Board of Education member who is supposed to decide this issue. How is the community supposed to respond in these ways? So I have significant concerns over the lack of transparency that is going on, whether we're only
deciding whether to produce other options, because those other options are not without a cost. Right? We pay staff your time, your energy. If you're working on that, you're not working on something else potentially. Right. We've already done all of this time and effort into all of these different options and boundaries and quite frankly,
yanked the community back and forth on all of these things only to at the last minute, say, hey, wait a minute. Let's put all that aside and let's look at something else. I'm also wondering if in this chart that's currently up where it talks about potentially doing these things on site, which
would actually move the timeline up, at least for McGruder and Wooten. Have we discussed that with those schools? Perhaps McGruder and Wooten say, yeah, great. We just would like to have it faster because we know we cannot bind this board, and we know that the county council, the county council could be a whole different council as well.
So when we talk about community engagement, my ultimate my question here is with respect to this chart, have we talked to McGruder and Wooten to see whether they might entertain something like this? Have we considered whether when Woodward. Excuse me, Miss Yang, I have a duty as Miss Yang, as
Miss Rivera-Oven did, to ask and express the concerns my community has. You should. Have we considered when Woodward is no chance. And I have. And so have others. Miss Yang, please, have we also considered potentially with Woodward coming up as no longer being
needed for what it's currently utilized at? Right. Have we have we considered other options is what I'm trying to get at here. Right. We have Crown as a holding potentially there's potentially Woodward that could potentially be used. Right. If we're looking at spaces to the goal here is to
get our students into safe spaces as quickly as possible, which I think is the community's goal. Right. Have we considered some of these other options other than just saying, well, look, folks, it's going to cost a lot less money if we just make it a holding school. So that's what we
should go with. Thank you. Mr. Okay. Just I think Mr. Mamoon. Wanted you to answer. Yes. I'm sorry. I'm. I didn't understand the could you repeat the question about the Woodward? Have we considered potentially let's just take Wooten, for
example, have we considered potentially having Wooten move into Woodward when when it's when it's empty. And what is that 2027 I believe to then get their renovations and things done. Well also potentially maybe for example, using Crown
initially for Damascus or something like that, but then so that it's not for such an extended period of time that we're letting other schools use this school before the local community can have an opportunity to be inside that school. So so the Woodward is
part of a separate boundary study. You know, the for as far as the Crown school is concerned, yes. The using it for Damascus is also on the table. We definitely considered using it for a holding school
for Damascus. Yes. No, I know and I recognize that Woodward is part of a separate boundary study. But when we're trying to find solutions, I'm just trying to get a wider angle view here so that we can figure out some better solutions, because again, we can't even find future boards to any of these anyway. If we need those future
solutions, we need to change the scope. Otherwise no options can be discussed or put on the table for the community. Mr. I just wanted to reiterate about. Future boards and binding them
to some of this, because some of the dates go very far out, and I just I am just cautioning us to making any promises that we can't keep for future boards.
So, for instance, you know, Wooten, some of these completion dates are way in the future. I don't I just want to make it clear that when we do a CIP, we look at it every two
years. If there was somehow a huge jump in kids being born in new development, that we would review population treevery two years, and at some point the plan could change. So I
just want to make that very clear to the community, because I think folks see their school in the CIP and it's like four down, four years down in the CIP, and then in two years, all of a sudden that change, and then two years later it changes.
So very clear. And this we have a six year CIP. But can that be changed in the every two year cycle. So so yes I'm just so a couple of things. One, I do I appreciate the point. I think
that of what you're sharing, Mr. Stewart, which is that this slide that we're looking at is an analysis of the relative cost and timeline of doing these projects with and without a holding school. So this is not, you know, it would absolutely need to be evaluated
in the context of a future CIP. So this is an analysis that shows what's possible and what the potential time and money scope would be with and without a holding school. But each year, as you're saying, we have amendments to the CIP. Every two years we revisit CIP as a
whole. And that is the context in which those future project decisions, specific project decisions would be made. Thank you. I want to be just as clear as possible on that. So thank you. And that's all I think I have. Thank you. We have have a
lot of discussion. I understand that there might be even, you know, how emotional this topic is. And this is the second time we look at the scope. And then it's very uncertain. And it triggers a lot of emotions from our community. And people might
even feel fatigued because there are a lot of issues at the table because they impact real neighborhood, real people's lives. And the students experience in our schools. But for us to have the
best uses, usage of the the investment and to meet the comprehensive needs of the whole M.C.P.S. community. The process is that in order to
explore all options that we need to look at the original approved scope. So that is why the resolution is at the table. So with that discussion can do we have a motion? Oh, we did have a motion to approve. The
motion that we have on record was by Miss Silvestre, seconded by Miss Wolff. Just want to confirm that that is what that motion is for. If that motion is for approval of the resolution, yes, that is correct. There's a motion to approve. There is a second. So
sorry. Are we voting on both at the same time or just the first one? Just the first one. I just want to make sure I'm just a crown and Damascus resolution. So there's a motion on the table and a second. All in favor, please raise your hand.
One, two. Three. Four, five. Against. Please raise your hand. One abstain. Please raise your hand. One. Thank you. And we
have another resolution. We do. The second proposed resolution is a recommendation to the Board of Education to approve the revised boundary study scope to determine the service area for reopening of Charles W
Woodward High School and expansion of Northwood High School. The resolved resolved that the scope of the Charles W Woodward High School boundary study process shall include additional options that address the possible realignment of articulation patterns for
students from Silver Spring International Middle School to nearby middle schools, primarily to rebuild. Primarily a rebuilt and expanded Eastern Middle School and an expanded Sligo Middle School, along with their corresponding high school
assignments, and may further be resolved that the additional that additional community engagement sessions be held for these new options prior to the superintendent's recommendation, and may further be resolved that the high schools and middle schools identified in the board adopted boundary
study scope. Resolution number 14423 remain unchanged, except as noted for the articulation adjustments, and may it further be resolved that, as stated in, the board adopted boundary scope again. Resolution 14423.
No elementary schools are to be included in the boundary study at this time, and may it further be resolved that the updated timeline for additional options related to Charles W Woodward High School and Northwood High School Boundary Study shall be as followed, and
they are the ones listed on the screen behind me. And and and for the public. And may it further be resolved that the boundary study shall be conducted in accordance with the Board of Education Policy, FAA Educational Facilities Planning, and the Montgomery County Public Schools
Regulation f a a a Educational Facilities Planning. Thank you for discussion. I need a motion on the table. Is there a motion? Motion? Motion to motion to approve? To approve? Do I have
a second? Second. There's a second. There's a motion to approve. And a second. Any comments and discussion from the board I will start from my right hand side. Miss, I just want to note I think it was it might have been just this most recent meeting that I believe
Miss Stewart asked for the costs of rebuilding both Sligo Creek and Simms. So I just wanted to make sure that that was noted here in this meeting as well. I know we just requested it, so I don't expect that you have that information. Thank you. Mr. Yes. I was going
to remind us that we needed to have that for the community. And yeah, that's my that was it. I have a clarification. We are not saying in this resolution that we're closing Simms or
we're closing. That's correct. That is to explore options. All that this resolution would be doing would be asking the staff to expand the scope of the boundary study, to include that
as a option or options. Thank you, Miss Silvestri. Yeah, I wanted to. Just state that since this has been proposed by the superintendent, I've gotten a lot of questions, as I'm sure everybody has, and I don't have
the answers to those questions because it hasn't been developed. And that's what this resolution does, is like, okay, so if we did this, then what would happen to this program or what would happen to this school? And how would the middle schools be impacted? So
I, I don't we can't really move forward with exploring this fully until all those options are developed. And this is what that resolution allows us to do. Mr. I remember, the really other important thing I wanted
to say is programing. This is really important to deal with the programs. There are very distinct programs at both the elementary school and the middle school. And so we just need to have that clear along
with the actual boundary decisions. And again, reiterating this, this is just information. So the public can have that. And so we can have an informed decision going forward. Thank you. Thank you
Doctor Taylor about your timeline. I didn't finish my asking. You have some very specific dates on it. And we know how sometimes things can happen. And these can be can be
revised or how does it work. Well, changing the scope of the boundary study does put these dates as written into the scope of your boundary study. So that's going to be binding. Yes. To meet the deadlines. So staff
these are binding deadlines. And I and then I do see that you continue to build the months in between for feedbacks okay. Seeing no other lights we have a motion on the table to approve. And a second all in
favor please raise your hand. 12345. That's unanimous with those present. Thank you. That
is item 10.1. Item 10.2 is done. That's 10.2. Item 11 is informational item. Several informational items are included in board packet. No
action is required of the board on for these items at this time. Now, before I move to item 12, I want to thank everyone. It has been a meeting with a lot
of important decisions for the school system and in this and that for us to be in, be open to community feedbacks, continue to do meaningful community engagement. And these
are the things that board will look for in the future. Madam president, can I draw the public's attention to one item in the information items? It's a new item. Okay. I'd like to draw the attention of the community to item 11.5, which is student attendance and
suspension data. This is a brand new item and something that the board adopted in your strategic plan. M.C.P.S. future ready? Part of this is being radically transparent and sharing our by school attendance data and our by
school discipline data by discipline code, including suspensions. This is the first time that we've done this publicly, and we are doing this with the effort of finding ways to make improvements. And in response to changes that we've made to both our academic
approach and regulations, as well as our student code of conduct. And so as this continues to evolve, we invite the community to join us on this journey and to watch how these numbers change and improve over time. Thank you.
Thank you for pointing that out. Item 12 is adjournment. May I have a motion? Move to adjourn. Second, all in favor, please raise your hand. That's unanimous. With those present.
Thank you.