Dear Members of the Board of Education and MCPS Planning Office,

As parents and residents of the Wootton community, we respectfully submit this letter to urge MCPS to keep the Wootton High School area intact in the final Crown High School boundary decision.

We understand that the current four options are only preliminary drafts, and that MCPS will revise them based on community feedback. Therefore, our voices now are essential to ensure that the final decision aligns with educational, demographic, and community well-being goals.

Why Wootton Should Remain Whole

1. Wootton is Already a Diverse, Strong, and Cohesive Community
Wootton High School is home to a deeply multicultural population and an academically strong, tightly knit community. Splitting neighborhoods away from Wootton would weaken the strong support networks and collective investment families have built over years.

2. Wootton Meets MCPS’s Ideal Capacity Range
According to MCPS data, Wootton is projected to operate at 91–93% capacity through 2030–31, comfortably within the district’s target range of 80%–100%. There is no capacity-driven reason to break up this school zone.

3. Community Integrity and Shared Identity
The Wootton community is built on strong relationships, shared extracurricular programs, and long-standing neighborhood connections. Families actively participate in local events, school-based clubs, and informal networks that span multiple years and generations. Breaking apart this school community would cause emotional disruption and weaken the social fabric that supports our students and their well-being.

4. Student Well-being and Stability Are at Risk
Unnecessary reassignment from Wootton — a stable and high-performing environment — poses emotional stress, logistical hardship, and academic disruption for students. Children need predictability and belonging, especially post-pandemic.

5. Crown Assignment Should Prioritize Overcrowded Schools
Schools like Seneca Valley and Gaithersburg are projected to exceed 100% capacity under several options. These are the schools that most urgently need relief — not Wootton.

6. Split Pathways Harm Educational Continuity
In all four options, certain elementary and middle schools are split across multiple high schools, including diverging paths between Crown and Wootton. This fractures peer support systems and undermines academic and emotional continuity for students during critical transitions.

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 Supporting Data:

These numbers show:
- Wootton is not overcrowded
- Its demographics remain stable across all scenarios
- Breaking up Wootton achieves little, but harms much

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 Our Recommendation

We strongly advocate that Wootton remain a fully intact, unified school community in the final redistricting decision. This respects:
- MCPS’s equity and capacity goals
- The community’s diversity and cohesion
- The long-term well-being of our students
- The integrity of neighborhood planning

We believe this approach best serves all students in the Crown boundary process and upholds the values of inclusivity, fairness, and educational excellence.