An elementary school under construction in Rockville could pull students from four surrounding schools and become home to a Chinese immersion program, with an attendance plan released Monday.
Superintendent Jack Smith’s recommendation relies on building Richard Montgomery Elementary School #5 with room for 740 students, about 140 more than previously planned. His proposal is a tweaked version of one presented to parents from Beall, College Gardens, Ritchie Park and Twinbrook elementary schools during a study process that began in November 2016.
The eight attendance options previously presented to parents assumed that the new school at 332 W. Edmonston Drive would open in September 2018 with classroom space for 602 students.
Smith wrote in his recommendation that a building of that size would not hold enough students to relieve crowding pressures at some surrounding schools. On the other hand, constructing the school with space for 740 students would enable all elementary schools in the cluster to stay within 80 to 100 percent capacity, the ideal range, his estimates showed.
His decision is in keeping with a request made earlier this year by Rockville Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton, who also argued for moving the Chinese immersion program from College Gardens Elementary School into the new building. College Gardens is currently about 27 percent over capacity.
Smith also reported that his plan would promote students’ geographic proximity to their school and the creation of diverse student bodies.
“I’m glad diversity was taken into consideration for the boundary study,” board member Pat O’Neill said during a meeting Monday.
The proposed boundaries including a fifth elementary school in Rockville. Credit: Montgomery County Public Schools
For most schools, the boundary change would affect students in kindergarten through fourth grade in September 2018, under Smith’s recommendation. Students in fifth grade could stay at the elementary school they attended in previous years.
However, the changes would apply differently at College Gardens Elementary School, which runs the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. At that school, students in grades three through five as of September 2018 should be allowed to stay at College Gardens to complete this program, Smith advised. Younger students would be reassigned.
School board members will consider the proposed attendance boundaries in coming weeks as they review the district’s plan for capital projects.
