Our “School Board Members” voices of the “People”, guardians of the current & future educational system in Prince George’s County, we ask of you to “Hear Our Voices”.   While we are aware that change is always on the forefront, we ask that it be “Fair and Equal to All”!! Currently you have proposals before you concerning our school, Forestville High School / Forestville Military Academy. We are also aware that many items in the proposed boundary changes affect many respective districts. What we would like to remind you is Forestville has attendee’s from each nine district and we are all interconnected.  We are well aware that the proposal was submitted to you by the CEO of PGCPS, however each of you are our representatives!!!!  HEAR OUR VOICES.

When do we stop examining just the momentary & statistics? When do we incorporate the best education for our children, their mental health and safety, especially those in the Southern part of the County into the entire formula? Closing any large entity has a trickle down affect; closing a school dismantles the community.

We are requesting that boundary changes relating to any subsequent closure be segregated from the general boundary changes. By doing this, it will allow a clear and equal consideration path that does not connect to items in your districts.

 

We leave you with these facts and questions and hope that the fair and equal treatment of all Prince George’s County Public School attendee’s prevails.

Q&A Sampling on the PGCPS website from “Community Meetings” held in December-January with added comments & The Board of Education Questions to PGCPS Operating Officials during January 2016 BOE meeting.

• These are some of your questions/comments four weeks ago that support further discussions: HAVE THESE QUESTIONS BEEN ANWSERED AT ALL OR TO YOUR SATISFACTION BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS?

How has the “Community Forum’s impacted the decision making process ….was any of the feedback implemented?
 What is the plan to transition Forestville and what impact does it have?
 Have we considered reinstatement of the full “Military Academy” / IV Programs?

“Are We Willing To Make An Investment”

Are we providing “Quality & Performance” across the entire school system?

When will we start reviewing data on PGCPS “High Schools”; the data will present what options are available; …what the community wants and what we can …… subject matter has not been visited since the opening of Wise?

Observation Questions: Did we not ask for the communities input; did we just check off boxes; was there “Good Faith” arbitration in this process. What did you hear from the community. What where their concerns?

Performance levels of schools & the disparity between locations.

Peake enrollment numbers for Forestville; what does history reflect. (Pre & Post change from Forestville H.S. to Military Academy back to Forestville High School.)

Perception that schools in North County receive favoritism …. What actions are in the best interest of our Students…

Create portfolio of equality….Visits schools to see the “Full Story”….. Roosevelt is at 120% & Accokeek is at 150%??? (My question is why are these entities not on the fast track action recommendation along with Forestville if we are presenting a fair and equal “Enrollment Review”?)

Efficiency vs Effectiveness across the board….. Are the Needs of the Students possible being lost?

Utilization: “Are We Having The Right Conversations”; “Missed Opportunities”? So many disparities….Creating “More Choices” Messing with Success ….. Two conversations: New Schools/Closing Schools….. Make “Existing Schools” better …. Losing anchors of community support from alumni

From “Community Meetings” held in December-January with added comments from the PTSA/Community:

QUESTION FROM COMMMUNITY: In August 2006, Oxon Hill High and its adjacent schools, Crossland, Friendly and Potomac, were all overcrowded. The 2007-2012 CIP proposed a replacement building for Oxon Hill High, with a capacity for 2,300 students, and an addition for Potomac High. The addition at Potomac High was built first and increased the school’s capacity to 2,100. Since then, enrollment at Oxon Hill High and its adjacent schools declined by about 1,500 students. While some decrease in enrollment was anticipated due to demographics, the collapse of the housing market and the foreclosure crisis deepened the decline. Due to these decreases in enrollment, the Maryland Public School Construction Program (PSCP) advised that they would not approve funding for a replacement Oxon Hill High with 2,300 seats due to the availability of open seats in adjacent schools. A revised proposal with a smaller capacity was substituted in order to obtain PSCP approval and full state funding. In FY2011, the state approved funding for the Oxon Hill High replacement to be built with a 1,200 student capacity.

PTSA/Community: Have we not learned anything from these recent events? Are the same formulas and predictions in place today? Former boundary students, predominately middle to low income families where sent to a nearby High School and were not provided the benefits of the programs or the privilege of thriving in the state of the art new building known as Oxon Hill High School. While this may not have been the intent, it is the reality. What are the true long term costs when we encounter events such as these?

Area high schools cannot obtain state capital funding without addressing utilization.

PTSA/Community: Has a completed fair and equal overview of all High Schools been examined to best serve the entire population in this group before swift and unsteadied actions are approved. There is no evidence that this has been done. Why?

QUESTION FROM COMMMUNITY: Part of the county's mission is to incorporate small-learning environments. Why isn't Forestville High being supported?

PTSA/Community: Small Learning Communities have been implemented at a number of high schools including Forestville and Suitland. Therefore, providing Forestville students with access to small learning communities does not require the continued operation of the school. While Forestville High has been supported as a small (undersized) school in the past, limited operational funds and state requirements for obtaining capital funding require that we take action to reduce excess capacity.

Small Learning Environments vs Large Learning Environments
U.S. Department of Education - http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/hs/schoolsize.html
The potential and problems of large high schools--and the related question of optimal school size--have been debated over the last 40 years and are of growing interest today. Approximately 70% of American high school students attend schools enrolling 1,000 or more students; nearly 50% of high school students attend schools enrolling more than 1,500 students. Some students attend schools enrolling as many as 4,000-5,000 students.
At the heart of the debate are three questions:
• Are large or smaller schools are more effective in increasing student achievement and producing other important school outcomes?
• How much of the benefits of smaller schools is related to size versus other factors such as smaller communities, supportive educational environments, instructional quality or parental involvement?
• Can any benefits to smaller schools be produced by restructuring larger schools into smaller learning environments?
• The size of high schools may have an indirect effect on student learning. Essentially, more moderately sized schools-those with 900 or fewer students-likely improve the climate and conditions for student success, especially teacher sense of self-efficacy and appropriate sense of responsibility for student learning, when accompanied by high expectations, standards and supporting strategies. (Report available for a fee.)

QUESTION FROM COMMMUNITY: Why is it fair for the District to close schools for a decision that was made by the CEO and/or the Board?

PGCPS Administration Response: Both the Board and the CEO are charged with the efficient operation of the public school system. Given the surplus capacity which exists in the district and the limited operational funds which are available some difficult decisions are required. These decisions are made with the best interest of the students and the district in mind.

PTSA/Community: House Bill 1107 States: The purpose of the County Board of Education is to raise the level of academic achievement in the public school system and to raise the level of engagement of parents, students, and community as a whole.

QUESTION FROM COMMMUNITY: Programs increase enrollment but some schools have many programs while others have none. Is this an effective way to keep "neighborhood" schools open?

PGCPS Administration Response: In considering how to address under or over utilized schools, program adjustments are among the options which are considered.

PTSA/Community: The response addresses the future, it does not address the question of what has been done in the past or the reality now.

QUESTION FROM COMMMUNITY: What is the cost/savings related to closing schools?

PGCPS Administration Response: With the consolidation of Skyline and Forestville approximately $71,000,000 in capital costs would be averted. The savings in operational costs is dependent on the distribution of students who were attending the consolidated school. The combined operational savings from consolidation of Skyline and Forestville is approximately $2,000,000 per year.

PTSA/Community: What is the breakdown of these operational costs? Does this include cost of teaching and administration positions which should go with the students to ensure that classrooms are not overcrowded and ample administration is available to support students in their learning environment? Is this not a case of quality vs quantities?