This is not a request for donations

As residents living near Rachel Carson Elementary School (RCES), we respectfully urge the Board of Education and MCPS staff to prioritize preserving the student community that has long attended RCES → Lakelands Park Middle School (LPMS) → Quince Orchard High School (QOHS). Keeping this student community intact aligns with the core goals outlined by MCPS for this redistricting process: proximity, stability, efficient use of facilities, and demographic balance. Here’s why:

1. Proximity & Walkability

Our community is just 1.7 miles from QOHS, making it the most logical and accessible high school for our students. In contrast, Crown HS is 3.6 miles away and Gaithersburg HS is nearly 5 miles away, both requiring significantly longer commutes and new bus routes. It makes little sense to bypass our closest high school for one farther away, especially when other communities such as DuFief ES would attend QOHS despite living farther away.

2. Community Continuity & Stability

Rachel Carson families have long been part of the LPMS and QOHS school communities alongside our nearby neighbors. Preserving that connection keeps siblings, extended families, neighbors, and peer groups together across school levels. This continuity and longstanding community connection supports student mental and emotional health, parent involvement, and academic success: key pillars in any thriving school system.

3. Transportation Efficiency

Sending RCES students to Crown HS or Gaithersburg HS creates inefficient and inequitable travel patterns, with students bused away from nearby schools while others drive by our neighborhoods to reach them. Keeping RCES students at QOHS minimizes unnecessary busing, reduces transportation costs, and supports environmental sustainability, aligning with both fiscal and logistical priorities.

4. Balanced Enrollment & Facility Use

According to MCPS data, both options 2 and 4 under the proposed boundary study reduce overcrowding at QOHS  while responsibly populating Crown HS:

•  Option 2 brings QOHS to 90.4% capacity and Crown HS to 83.4%.

•  Option 4 brings QOHS to 95.3% capacity and Crown HS to 86.2%.

These data demonstrate that Crown can be successfully utilized without reassigning nearby QOHS neighborhoods.

5. Preserves Diversity and Equity

Options 2 and 4 under the proposed boundary study also sustain a strong balance in student demographics at QOHS, maintaining MCPS’s commitment to diverse and inclusive learning environments without causing demographic imbalances or fragmentation.

Retaining the current RCES feeder pattern is a sensible, equitable, and community-focused solution for the greater good of children and families impacted. It maximizes proximity, preserves stability, uses resources wisely, and supports MCPS’s long-term goals. We urge the Board to retain the student community that has long brought connection and joy to our children and families.

Thank you for your time, service, and commitment to listening to families.