Walter Johnson Cluster

Inputs to the 2017-2022 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) Budget

July 2015
Walter Johnson PTA Cluster
Walter Johnson High School North Bethesda Middle School Tilden Middle School
Ashburton Elementary School Farmland Elementary School Garrett Park Elementary School
Kensington-Parkwood Elementary School Luxmanor Elementary School Wyngate
Elementary School Rock Terrace School
Thank you for the opportunity to submit inputs and comments on the FY 2017-2022 Capital
Improvements Program (CIP).
Enrollment Changes in the Walter Johnson Cluster
In the Walter Johnson cluster, we are now seeing the resale of many homes within the boundaries
of our cluster from empty nesters to families with school-age children, generating more students.
Couple that with significant new residential development that is both in process and under
review for approval, and we see continuing pressure on the capacity of our facilities. In fact, all
CIP enrollment data shows steady enrollment or increasing enrollment at all schools within the
cluster.
From the CIP we can already predict that there will be about 1080 more students in six years, and
1500 more students in ten years, in our cluster. However, the CIP does not account for most of
the potential students who would result from development in the first White Flint sector plan,
from any project without site plan approval (even where residences are scheduled to open by
2020), or several more approved sites.
What would the CIP look like if those students were included? Consider the impact if the only
additional development built in the cluster in the next six years is phase 1 of the first White Flint
sector plan and two additional high-rises a modest assumption. This would add about another
200 students to our area almost 1280 more than today, in six years.
Then, consider the result of ten years of comparable development. It is reasonable to assume that
would generate almost another 220 students, resulting in almost 1920 more than today1, in ten
years.
Nor will this be the end of development - there will be most of two more stages of building for
the White Flint and Kensington plans (ultimately including a total of an estimated 10,800
housing units), a second White Flint sector plan, and at least four other potential major
developments within our cluster.
We need to do a better job of planning for the developments that are expected to be built and the
turnover in existing housing. We need to be proactive so that we dont find our schools and our
1 This estimate uses MCPS data and assumptions for development sizes, student
generation rates, and sector plan timeframes.
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teachers over-stretched.
Facility Characteristics
Here are the Clusters views on some important aspects of school facilities:
Safety We view relocatable classrooms as a safety issue, especially in a lock-down
situation. These units are installed on school property, but are only connected to the
brick and mortar building by covered wooden walkways.
Playgrounds and Fields Play (exercise) is an essential part of the school day for
elementary school children, allowing students to stay healthy, maintain focus, and
develop academic skills. Middle and high school fields (including courts) are critical for
physical education and team sports, and developing skills related to group work and
leadership. Playgrounds and fields must be sized to accommodate the enrolled student
body. At elementary schools, playgrounds need to have defined perimeters to allow the
playground monitor(s) to keep track of the students using the playground. Relocatable
classrooms both take away space normally used for playgrounds and fields and create
areas where students and visitors can hide from the monitor.
Staff Office or Workspace While the addition of classrooms to an overcrowded school
is the first step to reducing or, hopefully, eliminating the need for relocatable classrooms
on the school property, there are other considerations, especially school staff who provide
outside the classroom services to our students, e.g., counselors. MCPS needs to establish
a reasonable, workable ceiling for the number of students that can be serviced by each
school counselor and then provide an adequate number of counselors to each school. But
these personnel need a place from which to perform their duties office space or
workspace adequate for meeting with students individually or in small groups.
Cafeteria Space The school day should not be disrupted by multiple lunch breaks. Each
school should have an adequately sized and staffed cafeteria to serve lunch to all enrolled
students in two 30-minute lunch periods for elementary and middle school students and
one 60-minute period for high school students. Many of our schools have received
classroom additions, but the cafeteria (or All Purpose Room) was not expanded.
Moreover, there need to be enough separate food choice lines to get the students to tables
and eating with sufficient time to complete their meals. The All Purpose Rooms in
elementary schools are also used as the space for cultural and school assemblies. When
there are three or more lunch periods in a day, it is almost impossible to fit in enough
time to have any assemblies. Also, there is not enough room to fit all of the students in
one assembly, and the result is either multiple days of the same assembly, with a much
higher cost for cultural assemblies or not all of the students being included in the
assemblies, which is not acceptable for school assemblies and school-conducted townhall meetings
Gymnasiums A similar comment to the cafeteria sizing is necessary for gymnasiums.
As the school grows and more classrooms or relocatable classrooms are added, there need
to be adequately sized gymnasiums to hold the number of students who are participating
in indoor activities or recess at one time. Inadequate space can lead to injuries!
The following paragraphs address specific CIP issues at each elementary school within the
Walter Johnson Cluster:
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1. Kensington-Parkwood (KP) The Amendments to the FY 2015-2020 CIP have an

addition with construction beginning in January 2017 and completing in August 2018 that
will eliminate the need for relocatable classrooms, i.e., all of our students will be taught
inside the walls of the permanent structure. We will continue to monitor housing turnover
and its influence on enrollment. With an enrollment capacity of 746 students once the
addition is complete, KP does not expect any more construction on this site and is not
requesting further additions. This may mean that the proposed seventh elementary school
within the Walter Johnson cluster will be needed sooner than currently anticipated.
2. Luxmanor The Luxmanor Renovation/Expansion (Rev/Ex) project is now scheduled to
be completed in January 2020. When the Rev/Ex is completed, Luxmanor will have a
Program Capacity for 745 students. As in the Kensington-Parkwood case, there will be
continuing housing turnover and construction of additional housing units (especially
apartments) within the Luxmanor boundaries. Luxmanor is not requesting further
additions. This may mean that the proposed seventh elementary school within the Walter
Johnson cluster will be needed sooner than currently anticipated.
3. Ashburton As one of the largest elementary schools in MCPS, Ashburton is not only
significantly over enrollment capacity inside the physical structure of the school, but also
is larger than MCPS planners desire for an elementary school. With a planned addition to
be ready for occupation in August 2020, the student enrollment will still be greater than
the capacity inside the building. In other words, even after completing the addition,
Ashburton will still need relocatable classrooms on its property. Ashburton, too, is not
requesting further additions. This may mean that the proposed seventh elementary school
within the Walter Johnson cluster will be needed sooner than currently anticipated.
4. Garrett Park Garrett Park recently completed Rev/Ex, but is now nearing full capacity.
Some of the housing construction in the White Flint development area will impact Garrett
Park enrollment, adding at least 200 students (most not yet in the CIP) to a site that has
no more room for horizontal additions. This may mean that the proposed seventh
elementary school within the Walter Johnson cluster will be needed sooner than currently
anticipated.
5. Seventh Elementary School The housing turnover and housing development within the
Walter Johnson Cluster show no signs of abating. The development on the Lerner
property is currently held back by the lawsuits filed by Lord and Taylor against Lerner.
This is delaying the decisions necessary to (1) identify property for a seventh elementary
school and (2) begin planning and construction of that school. This seventh elementary
school will not only house the students from the new residences being constructed under
the first White Flint sector plan and other developments, but may need to accept students
that currently attend Kensington-Parkwood, Luxmanor, Ashburton, and Garrett Park.
Since, under the best case scenario, our elementary schools will be, on average, close to
or above 700 students in less than ten years, we must plan for the high likelihood that our
cluster will require a seventh elementary school site. Please keep all options open for
obtaining such a site in our cluster. As stated in previous inputs:
a. We continue to urge the Board of Education, the County Council, and the
Planning Board to work together to secure a site for a seventh elementary school
in the first White Flint sector plan. Despite requests for the dedicated site from

MCPS, developers have refused to make this commitment.2 Without expressing a

site preference, we call on the three agencies involved to (1) require that White
Flint (WF) Mall South be returned to its intended 4.2-acre size, insist on a partial
or total dedication, affirm that you will purchase the land not dedicated, and
reserve the site, or, (2) amend the first WF sector plan, solely to assign WF Park
North as the school site, with at least 2.5 acres, and reserve the site. We also ask
you to listen to the voices of affected communities in the design and use of such a
site.
b. Keeping all options open also entails reviewing the existing county owned
properties in the WJ cluster. We seek a review so that MCPS designs leases of,
and studies options for, relocating operations that are currently in, those properties
to determine how likely it is that MCPS could use these properties. We are aware
that it may be highly difficult or expensive to use some existing school sites in our
cluster, and wish to know which ones are reasonable options. We also ask that you
keep the current Rock Terrace school site as school space rather than an
administrative facility, in hopes that the Grosvenor holding school could be
moved there.
c. We ask that you affirm that you will fund plans for schools to be located on
smaller sites, which could include the use of multi-story schools, as well as
underground parking.
6. Farmland and Wyngate We are pleased to state that we have two elementary schools
within the Walter Johnson Cluster that are adequately sized with no addition or Rev/Ex
action planned or needed at this time.
7. Eighth Elementary School Although we believe that the current boundaries of the
Walter Johnson Cluster will not require an eighth elementary school soon, if it becomes
necessary to redistrict the Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Whitman clusters, there may be a
need for an eighth elementary school within the current Walter Johnson boundaries. This
school may not feed into the Walter Johnson cluster, but there may be land available for
its construction, especially in the Rock Spring office park. We remain open to the
discussion of many options to accommodate our student population in the overall area
that includes these three clusters for the greatest benefits to their education.
Middle Schools
Our WJ middle schools have been experiencing the anticipated domino effect from higher
enrollments in our feeder elementary schools. Pressure is being felt in terms of both facilities and
programs.
Tilden Middle School/Rock Terrace School
The WJ cluster strongly supports the complete expansion and revitalization of the former Tilden
Middle School located on Tilden Lane for use as Tilden Middle School again. The cluster is
disappointed with the continued postponement of planned construction, for which the end date is
2WenotethatmembersofPlanningBoardhaveexpressedinterestinapartialdedicationofasite,withdevelopers
inthefirstWhiteFlintsectorpayingforsomeoralloftheremainingcostsofacquisition.Ifafulldedicationis
impossible,westronglysupportthisapproach.

now August 2020. By August of 2020, Tilden will be beyond capacity. Not only will 1050
students from current neighborhoods attend Tilden, but about 40 students will join us from the
early stages of new developments, based on MCPS projections.
By 2024, Tilden is projected to have over 1250 students, with 1200 from the current
neighborhoods and about 70 from new developments with many more to come. Given the
projected influx of students, we ask that you increase the size of the fully expanded facility on
Tilden Lane, building it to a core capacity of at least 1300 students, with structural capacity
designed for further vertical additions.
The cluster supports the co-location of Tilden MS with the Rock Terrace School, and the cluster
hopes that the school and neighborhood communities will work together on a facility design that
works for all our students. All the schools in the cluster have special education students, and the
cluster sees the benefits of integration and opportunities for students and parents to be part of a
school community.
North Bethesda Middle School (NBMS)
The expected enrollment of NBMS is expected to grow from 948 for the 2014-2015 school year,
to 1,172 for the 2017-2018 school year. NBMS is pleased that the expansion project for 17
additional classrooms, new auxiliary gym and widened cafeteria is scheduled to begin January
2017. With enrollment already above program capacity, it is imperative that this project remain
in the CIP. The NB cafeteria, already pushed beyond capacity at every lunch period, will become
even more crammed when NBMS welcomes new 6th graders in the fall of 2015. Add those
students to the number of returning 7th- and 8th-graders, and you have a population that exceeds
program capacity.
WMAL Site
The sale of the WMAL property could result in 300+ homes, many of which will have children
attending schools in the WJ cluster. The WMAL property sale is particularly concerning because
of the estimated number of homes and the fact that the majority of the property is within the
boundaries of the WJ cluster. The cluster wants to ensure that an additional school is included in
the development plans preferably a middle school. Assuming that MCPS will find it necessary
to reopen a HS in the Bethesda area, it will need a corresponding MS. Since there is no other
large undeveloped area in the southern end of the County, the WMAL property is the logical site
for that MS and the time to acquire the land is now. If the cost of obtaining land at the WMAL
site for a school is prohibitive, the cluster would support less expensive options for obtaining the
land needed for an additional school in the cluster. In particular, we urge the Planning Board,
MCPS, and the County Council to fully consider an option that collocates a school with county
facilities at the WMAL site and accesses multiple funding sources.
High School
We are alarmed by the projected increase in student enrollment at Walter Johnson High School to about 120 percent of capacity in 6 years. We know that MCPS staff and the County Council
have considered addressing the overcrowding by: (1) building an addition to Walter Johnson
High School, to increase its size to 3200 students, (2) reopening the Woodward building as a
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high school, or (3) placing an 8-room classroom addition in the CIP, as a placeholder, allowing
development to continue in our cluster.
Approach (1): MCPS DLRP staff have suggested that the feasibility study for Walter Johnson
High School address a 30 40 classroom addition. We have concerns about greatly increasing
the size of the high school. Even now, 2264 students have limited opportunities to participate in a
single team sport, drama production, or class election, which promote group learning and
leadership. However, we accept the need for an addition with classrooms and corresponding core
space on the high school campus.
Approach (2): DLRP staff have discussed the possibility of addressing Bethesda-area high school
overcrowding by using the Woodward building as an additional high school. Woodward will
house Tilden Middle School until the school moves, about August 2020. Once that day comes,
we ask you to retain the Woodward building for a high school. All three of the clusters in our
area B-CC, Whitman, and Walter Johnson - are bursting at the seams. One or more of them will
surely need additional high school capacity (and middle school and elementary school space).
Approach (3): On June 30, the County Council introduced an amendment (Amendment) to the
FY 2015 2020 CIP concerning a Walter Johnson cluster high school solution. The Amendment
proposes a placeholder for the CIP for an 8-classroom addition. We understand the pressure on
the County to use a placeholder to avert a construction moratorium despite future development
being a major cause of our high school growth. If the County uses a placeholder, we ask that:
1. The addition be paid for with added funds. The Amendment does not add funding. If the
addition it describes - or the 30 40 classroom addition described above - was approved,
it would compete with other school projects for CIP funds. Our cluster has six other
schools that badly need those funds. It is hugely unfair to push back other projects due to
a clamor for more development. Please issue bonds and make a supplemental
appropriation for the Walter Johnson High School addition.
2. The resulting addition provide more core space. Imagine an addition that brings Walter
Johnson High School capacity to 3200 students, as contemplated for the feasibility study.
This would add more than 900 students to the high school enough to fill a single high
school by themselves. Please approve a project with major core space, such as a
gymnasium, an auditorium, a library, counseling space, and more.
Although there has not been much public discussion of a fourth approach, we wish to make our
opinion clear: We will adamantly oppose any plan to redraw our cluster boundaries unless it
involves opening a high school within those cluster boundaries (presumably Woodward). There
is no space for our students in the clusters surrounding ours, so other redistricting would not
resolve the capacity issues.
Finally, please find attached consolidated inputs to Attachment A Requests for Individual
Projects, Attachment B Requests for County-wide Projects, and the letters submitted by
PT(S)As within the Cluster.

Attachment A
Requests for Individual Projects
Walter Johnson High School Cluster
A. Request for Individual Projects
.

Additions
. Kensington-Parkwood Elementary School

We ask that our addition remain on track to begin in January 2017 and be completed by August
of 2018, as proposed in the FY 2017-2022 CIP. We believe that the growth of our student
population will continue to outpace estimates as the neighborhood turns over to younger
families, the rental market demands remain strong due to the expansion of the nearby Walter
Reed National Military Medical Center and ever present workforce at the National Institutes of
Health, and the approval of the Kensington Sector Plan brings new development to the area.
b. Walter Johnson High School
Complete the initial feasibility study for an addition to the high school structure. Include
consideration of additional common areas to support during and before/after school activities and
social-emotional interactions of high school-age students.
c. North Bethesda Middle School
We are pleased that the expansion project for 17 additional classrooms, new auxiliary gym and
widened cafeteria is scheduled to begin January 2017. With enrollment already above program
capacity, it is imperative that this project remain scheduled in the CIP.
2.Revitalizations/Expansions
. Tilden Middle School and Rock Terrace School
The Tilden Middle School PTSA strongly supports the complete expansion and revitalization of
the former Tilden Middle School located on Tilden Lane for use as Tilden Middle School again.
We support the collocation of Tilden MS with the Rock Terrace School, and look forward to
working with our new neighbors on a facility design that works for all our students. However, we
are sorely disappointed with the continued postponement of planned construction, for which the
end date is now August 2020.
Our PTSA urges you: Please maintain the new schedule, allowing no additional postponements.
By August of 2020 Tilden will be beyond capacity. Not only will 1050 students from current
neighborhoods attend Tilden (current CIP), but about 40 students will join us from the early
stages of new developments (White Flint Sector I and nearby developments, using MCPS
projections and methodology).
By 2024, Tilden is projected to have over 1250 students, with 1200 from the current
neighborhoods and about 70 from new developments with many more to come. Given the
projected influx of students, we ask that you increase the size of the fully expanded facility on
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Tilden Lane, building it to a core capacity of at least 1300 students, with structural capacity
designed for further vertical additions.
As you design the collocated Tilden and Rock Terrace schools, we urge MCPS to keep several
features in mind. The two schools need two main entrances with controlled access. They also
need all available outdoor space, to maximize student fitness and concentration, and promote
group learning, social competency, and leadership abilities through outdoor activities. The site
should include full-size athletic fields, for school and community use. We urge you to consider
and would encourage the County to fund -underground staff parking to make the most efficient
use of land at this site.
The Tilden PTSA supports classroom additions at Ashburton ES, Kensington Parkwood ES, and
North Bethesda MS, and a revitalization/expansion of Luxmanor ES. As the large cohort of
students in our elementary schools is moving into middle schools and approaching high school,
we urge to you act quickly to plan and construct an addition at Walter Johnson HS, or other
capacity in our cluster. Also, at the appropriate time, please expedite the construction or
renovation of a 7th elementary school for our cluster. We ask for full funding of these projects in
order to keep them on schedule.
b.

Luxmanor Elementary School

Do not further delay the renovation/expansion of Luxmanor. The feasibility study was conducted
two school years ago and the community is excited about having our students in a modern
building. Our building was constructed in 1966 and, after 49 years, the building is really showing
its age. Currently, the completion date for the modernization is projected for January 2019. At
that time, the building will be 54 years old. Despite moving into our new building addition a few
years ago, we have already outgrown our current capacity and expect to grow at a faster rate for
the next several years.
3. New Schools
Expedite the planning and construction of the seventh elementary school for our cluster, as
outlined in the White Flint sector plan.

Attachment B
Requests for County-wide Projects
Walter Johnson High School Cluster
2. Asbestos Abatement
Rock Terrace School: Maintenance projects scheduled for summer 2015 were delayed pending
a feasibility study including asbestos removal from ceiling tiles and rekeying the building.
3. Building Modifications and Program Improvements (BMPI)
Tilden Middle School: Install permanent walls in ESOL and World Language areas between
classrooms that only have partitions. This issue is substantially affecting the ability of students to
hear instruction in these subjects.
6. Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Replacement
Tilden Middle School: We wholeheartedly thank MCPS for meeting Tildens most urgent need
replacement of the chiller. This allows students and teachers to use instructional time to focus on
learning, rather than relocating students, and the heat is not an obstacle to concentration.
North Bethesda Middle School: Our HVAC system continues to be problematic, with frequent
chiller problems and uneven zone cooling and heating.
9. Planned Life Cycle Asset Replacement (PLAR)
North Bethesda Middle School: Waterproof masonry walls and windows in courtyard.
Luxmanor Elementary School: Replace security gate in the hallway at Room 13.
Tilden Middle School: Install a clearly audible, school-wide public address system. Our current
system is inaudible in the hallways, making it impossible to send directions quickly when the
school shelters in place.
Tilden Middle School: Repair exterior doors three locations. (Project 21 in the
Superintendents March 26, 2015, memorandum on PLAR projects.)
Tilden Middle School: Please continue to update the weight room, modernizing equipment
annually or as needed.
13. School Security Systems
Rock Terrace School: The school community is appreciative of the security cameras installed in
the halls, gymnasium and cafeteria of the school. The media center and exterior spaces in front of
the school would also make a difference to monitoring public spaces. We hope that these projects
can be completed soon.

Ashburton Elementary School PTA

6314 Lone Oak Drive
Bethesda, MD 20817
June 4, 2015
Mr. Larry Bowers
Superintendent of Schools
Montgomery County Public Schools
850 Hungerford Drive
Rockville, Maryland 20850
Dear Dr. Bowers:
The Ashburton Parent-Teacher Association is pleased to have the opportunity to submit
comments on the FY 2017 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget.
Ashburton continues to see steady growth and there is more development proposed for our area.
Since our 2009 ten room addition we have added eight portables. We request that this next
addition will be built in accordance with the committees recommendations with adequate
classroom and work space for our growing school. The proposed addition will include eight
classrooms, several large and small instructional support rooms and an expansion of the allpurpose room. We look forward to the expansion of the all-purpose room to alleviate the need for
six lunch periods and provide more opportunities for larger groups for performances. The core
capacity of the school after the addition will be 766. The Board of Education approved the 2019
completion date but we understand that the County Council has budgeted funds for 2020.
We continue to see growth in enrollment throughout our cluster and within our school
boundaries. This is an issue throughout our cluster with new development impacting all of our
schoolsparticularly along Rockville Pike, although the elementary schools that feed into North
Bethesda Middle School are all over capacity. We have seen enrollment growth as our older
neighborhoods continue to produce new students and our apartment complexes house more and
more children. We had a large attendance at Kindergarten Orientation and we feel that this
sustained growth demonstrates a need for more permanent classroom space. We are carefully
monitoring proposed new developments in our area; including the 1,000 new apartment units in
Rock Spring II, the 150 unit town-house development next to Fleming Park, the additional high
rise apartment building in Pooks Hill, townhouses on Rock Spring, MNCCPCs approval of
productivity housing in Wildwood Shopping Center, and the sale of the WMAL property, which
could result in 300+ homes, all of which will result in additional children attending Ashburton.
The WMAL property sale is particularly concerning with so many homes; even though one
access is off of Greentree Road, the majority of the property is within Ashburtons boundaries.
While some of these developments are deemed upscale, we find they do produce students. We
want to ensure that additional schools are included in the development plans for the WMAL land,
especially an elementary school.
We want to point out, once again, that the September 30 enrollment figures of 891 does not
accurately reflect our school enrollment. Our PEP (Pre-School Education Program) students
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enroll throughout the year as they turn three years old. Additionally, we have a PEP Pilot
program that includes typical peers who are not counted since they are not formally enrolled but
are registered and attend class. Our mobility throughout the year continues to be a factor. Our
enrollment at this time is at 926.
We understand the competing needs for scarce capital budget dollars, with numerous
modernizations, additions and repair/replacement projects. We also urge you to keep
modernization on track for our other cluster schools, Luxmanor Elementary Schools, and Tilden
Middle School at Tilden Center and the proposed additions at Kensington Parkwood ES and
North Bethesda Middle School and planning for future expansion at Walter Johnson High
School. We support the move of Tilden Middle School to the Tilden Lane site along with colocation of the Rock Terrace School. Ashburton has had special education students in our school
for many years and we see the benefits of integration and opportunities for students and parents
to be part of a school community.
Our Categories A, Requests for Capital Projects request is for approval of the future addition and
funding in future years, but none for B, Requests for Individual School projects. This summer we
will have a small project to convert a computer lab into a classroom. We continue to have HVAC
issues in several classrooms in particular and in the main office suite.
Thank you for this opportunity to share our concerns with you.
Sincerely,
Laura Chace
Ashburton PTA President
cc: Charlene Garran, Principal
Greg Mullenholz, Principal 2015-16

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Walter Johnson High School PTSA

6400 Rock Spring Drive
Bethesda, MD 20814
July 20, 2015
Mr. Larry Bowers
Superintendent of Schools
Montgomery County Public Schools
850 Hungerford Drive
Rockville, Maryland 20850
Dear Dr. Bowers:
The Walter Johnson High School Parent-Teacher-Student Association is pleased to have the
opportunity to submit comments on the FY 2017 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget.
There continues to be significant housing development in the area that defines the Walter Johnson
Cluster of schools and we are noticing that homes that no longer included school age children are being
resold to families that do include school age children. Our student enrollment projections show a trend of
increases in the total student at Walter Johnson HS as well as the elementary and middle schools that feed
WJHS. For example, in the last six years the graduating class size has increased from 475 to 575 students.
As a result, initial feasibility studies for building a 38 room addition at WJHS have begun.
Besides offering a broad academic curriculum, WJHS also needs to consider the social-emotional
development of our students. We need space for students to interact during the school day and during
after-school activities. A projected student population of 3200 cannot be accommodated within the walls
of our building without considering additional space for non-classroom activities. We strongly suggest the
consideration of a flexibly arranged auxiliary gym (no bleachers required) and another space for students
to congregate within the building. This is a request for two additional, flexibly arrange-able spaces to
accommodate 500 to 600 students each. We will work with the MCPS facility planning personnel to
identify the footprint on our property for these spaces that are in addition to the added classrooms.
Since our facility last completed refurbishment in 2010, our physical plant is still operating within
specifications and we do not require any HVAC or other special maintenance items at this time.
We understand the competing needs for scarce capital budget dollars, with numerous
modernizations, additions and repair/replacement projects. We also urge you to keep modernization on
track for our other cluster schools, Luxmanor Elementary School and Tilden Middle School at Tilden
Center, and the proposed additions at Ashburton and Kensington Parkwood Elementary Schools and
North Bethesda Middle School. We support the move of Tilden Middle School to the Tilden Lane site
along with co-location of the Rock Terrace School. Walter Johnson has had special education students in
our school for many years and we see the benefits of integration and opportunities for students and
parents to be part of a school community.
Thank you for this opportunity to share our concerns with you.
Sincerely,
Joseph C. Pif
Joseph Piff
Walter Johnson HS MCCPTA Delegate
Walter Johnson HS Cluster Coordinator
cc: Jennifer Baker, Principal

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Kensington-Parkwood Parent Teacher Association

4710 Saul Road
Kensington, MD 20895
June 9, 2015
Larry A. Bowers
Acting Superintendent of Schools
Carver Educational Services Center
850 Hungerford Drive, Room 122
Rockville, MD 20895
Dear Mr. Bowers:
The Kensington Parkwood Elementary School PTA appreciates the opportunity to submit our comments
on the Superintendents MCPS Fiscal Year 2017 Capital Improvement Plan budget.
KPES continues to experience very large student enrollment numbers that exceed our buildings capacity
by 40%. This overcrowding challenges the safety of our school. Our students are dismissed in staggered
time slots to avoid unsafe, extremely crowded hallways as we move 659 students through a single, long
hallway. In an emergency situation, we would not be able to stagger evacuation of the students and staff
and our hallway could not absorb this capacity. In each of three lunch periods, over 200 students are
crowded into a cafeteria without enough space to maneuver between lunch tables. We must relegate the 4 th
graders outside the building into seven relocatable classrooms.
The overcrowding also impacts the students and families connection to the larger school community.
Teachers cannot hold all-school assemblies because enrollment exceeds the capacity of the all-purpose
room. Students must gather only by grade level and do not develop as strong a sense of the overall student
body and their place in it. The school administrators are forced to discourage family attendance at school
performances and the 5th grade promotion in an effort to keep the number of people in the building at a
safer level.
We ask that the planned addition for KPES remain a high priority in the Capital Improvement Plan. We
ask that our addition remain on track to begin in January 2017 and be completed by August of 2018, as
proposed in the FY 2017-2022 CIP. We believe that the growth of our student population will continue to
outpace estimates as the neighborhood turns over to younger families, the rental market demands remain
strong due to the expansion of the nearby Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and ever present
workforce at the National Institutes of Health, and the approval of the Kensington Sector Plan brings new
development to the area.
Thank you for your attention to our planned addition. We also continue to support the modernization of
Tilden Middle School as well as additions to Ashburton Elementary, Luxmanor Elementary and North
Bethesda Middle schools. In response to the sustained growth in enrollment in our Cluster, as well as the
burgeoning population incoming from the White Flint sector plans, we also support the request to hold
open all options for a seventh elementary school and an addition or other capacity to relieve the coming
overcrowding at Walter Johnson High School.
Sincerely,
Elaine Thomas, PTA Cluster Representative
Dafna Silberfeld, PTA President
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Luxmanor Elementary School PTA

6201 Tilden Lane
Rockville, Maryland 20852
May 11, 2015
Larry A. Bowers, Interim Superintendent of Schools
Montgomery County Public Schools
850 Hungerford Drive
Rockville, Maryland 20850
Dear Mr. Bowers,
The Luxmanor Elementary School PTA appreciates the opportunity to submit recommendations
for the Montgomery County Public Schools Capital Improvements Program.
The Luxmanor Elementary School PTA appreciates the addition to our building, which was
completed five years ago. Unfortunately, we had already outgrown the new addition shortly after
it was completed. After having to obtain one portable the first year after the addition opened, we
now have three portables housing our overflow of classrooms. We are pleased that in the latest
MCPS plans, our planned Renovation/Expansion project, which had been delayed again, has
been moved back up and is now scheduled to be completed in January of 2019, which is still
almost four years away. We have two new apartment buildings within our boundary, with 174
units in one and 341 in the other, that opened last summer, from which there are children
attending Luxmanor. There is a third new apartment building with another 319 units in
construction that will be completed this summer, and there are many more residential projects in
design in the White Flint sector which will house students for Luxmanor ES.
The Luxmanor Elementary School PTA would like to make the following requests:
Part A
1. Do not delay the renovation/expansion of Luxmanor anymore. The feasibility study was
conducted two school years ago and the community is excited about having our students
in a modern building. Our building was constructed in 1966 and after 49 years, the
building is really showing its age. Currently, the completion date for the modernization is
projected for January 2019. At that time, the building will be 54 years old. Despite
moving into our new building addition a few years ago, we have already outgrown our
current capacity and expect to grow at a faster rate for the next several years.
Part B
1.

2.

We support the feasibility study for the future renovation/expansion of Tilden Middle
School, as well as the proposed classroom additions for North Bethesda Middle School,
Ashburton Elementary School and Kensington-Parkwood Elementary School. We urge
full funding of these projects.
We support the renovation/expansion of the old Tilden Middle School on Tilden Lane for
use as Tilden Middle School. We are pleased to see that MCPS has modified the schedule
again and that the feasibility study is scheduled to begin this year, and the planned
construction end date has been moved back up August 2019. The old building continues
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to sit empty down the block from Luxmanor ES and its condition will continue to
deteriorate. Also, given the projected influx of an estimated 380 middle school students
from the approved White Flint Sector I, the unknown student projections from White
Flint Sector II, and the planned expansion in the Kensington area, we ask that
consideration be given to increasing the size of the modernized facility on Tilden Lane.
Also at the appropriate time, please expedite the planning and construction of the 7 th
elementary school for our cluster, as outlined in the White Flint sector plan.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Debbie Corwin
PTA President

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North Bethesda Middle School PTSA

8935 Bradmoor Drive
Bethesda, MD 20817

July 1, 2015
Mr. Larry A. Bowers
Interim Superintendent of Schools
Montgomery County Public Schools
850 Hungerford Drive, Room 122
Rockville, Maryland 20850-1747
Dear Mr. Bowers:
On behalf of its parents, students, faculty, staff and administrators, the North
Bethesda PTSA is pleased to submit for your consideration recommendations for
inclusion in the MCPS FY 2017 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget. The
2013 completion of the feasibility study for an addition to North Bethesda Middle
School reinforced in the minds of our constituents that MCPS is cognizant of, and
attentive to, the needs of our school community. Such proactive efforts are
commendable. We encourage you to build upon that goodwill by keeping the
addition and the other capital needs of our school and cluster on track.
We have been experiencing the anticipated domino effect from higher
enrollments in our feeder elementary schools; pressure is being felt in terms of
both facilities and programs. Our cafeteria, already pushed beyond capacity at
every lunch period, will become even more crammed when North Bethesda
Middle School welcomes new 6 graders in the fall of 2015. Add those students
to the number of returning 7 - and 8 -graders, and you have a population that
exceeds program capacity. Our enrollment is expected to grow from 948 for the
current school year, to 1,172 for the 2017-2018 school year, so that is why we
are pleased that the expansion project for 17 additional classrooms, new
auxiliary gym and widened cafeteria is scheduled to begin January 2017. With
enrollment already above program capacity, it is imperative that this project
remain as scheduled in the CIP. Potential development projects, such as the
Bethesda Mews (on the site of the former American College of Cardiology) will
swell the ranks of students at North Bethesda Middle School.
th

th

th

While our addition is a few years in the offing, there are some immediate needs.
Our HVAC system continues to be problematic, with frequent chiller problems
and uneven zone cooling and heating.
To assist you in categorizing and classifying our requests, we have included an
attachment that conforms to the format provided by the MCPS Department of
Facilities Management. The PTSA leadership at North Bethesda Middle School is
available to respond to questions or concerns. We appreciate your thoughtful
consideration of our recommendations and look forward to seeing them included
in the MCPS 2017 CIP budget.

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Sincerely,
Howard Philips
NBPTSA Vice President

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R Y

R o c k Te r r a c e S c h o o l
390 Martins Lane

Rockville, Maryland 20850

301-279-4940

FAX: 301-279-4943

Mrs. Katherine W. Lertora

Pr i n c i p a l

June 2015
Mr. Larry Bowers, Interim Superintendent
Montgomery County Public Schools
850 Hungerford Drive, Room 122
Rockville, MD 20850
Dear Interim Superintendent Bowers,
The Rock Terrace School community is pleased to have the opportunity to submit comments for
consideration on the Superintendents Recommended FY 2017 Capital Budget and the FY 20172022 Capital Improvements Program.
We continue to support the of Tilden Middle with the revitalization/expansion and collocation of
Rock Terrace School and Tilden Middle, the revitalization/expansion of Luxmanor Elementary
as well as additions to Ashburton Elementary, Kensington Parkwood Elementary, North Bethesda
Middle, and Walter Johnson High schools. In response to the sustained growth in enrollment in
our Cluster, as well as the White Flint sector plans, we also support the request to hold open all
options in our cluster for a seventh elementary school.
Maintenance projects scheduled for this summer at Rock Terrace School were delayed pending a
feasibility study including asbestos removal from ceiling tiles and rekeying the building. The
school community is appreciative of the security cameras installed in the halls, gymnasium and
cafeteria of the school. The media center and exterior spaces in front of the school would also
make a difference to monitoring public spaces. We hope that these projects can be completed
soon.
Sincerely,
Katherine W. Lertora
Principal

cc. Rick Wright and Penny Mylonas, Parent Teacher Group co-presidents

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Tilden Middle School PTSA

11211 Old Georgetown Road
Rockville, MD 20852
June 23, 2015
Mr. Larry Bowers, Superintendent
Carver Educational Services Center
850 Hungerford Drive, Room 122
Rockville, MD 20850
Dear Mr. Bowers:
The Tilden Middle School PTSA appreciates the opportunity to submit recommendations for the
FY 2017 Capital Budget and the FY 2017-2022 Capital Improvements Program.
Our paramount concern is the full expansion and revitalization (expansion) of the Tilden
facility on Tilden Lane. As you well know, the completion date for this expansion has been
delayed yet again, to August 2020. By then, Tilden will be beyond capacity (see Attachment A)
and growing rapidly. We simply must maintain Tildens schedule for expansion. We support the
collocation of Tilden MS with the Rock Terrace School, and look forward to working with our
new neighbors on a facility design that works for all our students. However, we are sorely
disappointed with the continued postponement of planned construction.
In addition, we have a few important issues at the Woodward facility where Tilden is now
located. These include installing permanent walls in ESOL and World Language areas. We also
request installation of a clearly audible, school-wide public address system. Our current system
is inaudible in the hallways, making it impossible to send directions quickly when the school
shelters in place. Repair exterior doors and continue to modernize our weight room.
Thank you for your consideration of our views on facilities issues at Tilden and in the Walter
Johnson cluster. We look forward to working with you and your staff on the CIP.
Sincerely,
Debby Orsak
Tilden MS PTSA President

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Attachment A
Requests for Individual Projects
The Tilden Middle School PTSA strongly supports the complete expansion and revitalization
(expansion) of the former Tilden Middle School located on Tilden Lane for use as Tilden
Middle School again. We support the collocation of Tilden MS with the Rock Terrace School,
and look forward to working with our new neighbors on a facility design that works for all our
students. However, we are sorely disappointed with the continued postponement of planned
construction, for which the end date is now August 2020.
Our PTSA urges you: Please maintain the new schedule, allowing no additional postponements.
By August of 2020 Tilden will be beyond capacity. Not only will 1050 students from current
neighborhoods attend Tilden (current CIP), but about 40 students will join us from the early
stages of new developments (White Flint Sector I and nearby developments, using MCPS
projections and methodology).
By 2024, Tilden is projected to have over 1250 students, with 1200 from the current
neighborhoods and about 70 from new developments with many more to come. Given the
projected influx of students, we ask that you increase the size of the fully expanded facility on
Tilden Lane, building it to a core capacity of at least 1300 students, with structural support for
further additions.
As you design the collocated Tilden and Rock Terrace schools, we urge MCPS to keep several
features in mind. The two schools need two main entrances with controlled access. They also
need all available outdoor space, to maximize student fitness and concentration, and promote
group learning, social competency, and leadership abilities through outdoor activities. The site
should include full-size athletic fields, for school and community use. We urge you to consider
and would encourage the County to fund -underground staff parking to make the most efficient
use of land at this site.
The Tilden PTSA supports classroom additions at Ashburton ES, Kensington Parkwood ES, and
North Bethesda MS, and a revitalization/expansion of Luxmanor ES. As the large cohort of
students in our elementary schools is moving into middle schools and approaching high school,
we urge to you act quickly to plan and construct an addition at Walter Johnson HS, or other
capacity in our cluster. Also, at the appropriate time, please expedite the construction or
renovation of a seventh elementary school for our cluster. We ask for full funding of these
projects in order to keep them on schedule.

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Attachment B
Requests for County-wide Projects
With the continued delay of the modernization of Tilden Middle School, the following repairs or
replacements of various items are needed:
3. Building Modifications and Program Improvements
Install permanent walls in ESOL and World Language areas between classrooms that only have
partitions. This issue is substantially affecting the ability of students to hear instruction in these
subjects.
6. Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Replacement
We wholeheartedly thank MCPS for meeting Tildens most urgent need replacement of the
chiller. This allows students and teachers to use instructional time to focus on learning, rather
than relocating students, and the heat is not an obstacle to concentration.
9. Planned Life Cycle Asset Replacement (PLAR)
Install a clearly audible, school-wide public address system. Our current system is inaudible in
the hallways, making it impossible to send directions quickly when the school shelters in place.
Repair exterior doors three locations. (Project 21 in the Superintendents March 26, 2015
memorandum on PLAR projects.)
Please continue to update the weight room, modernizing equipment annually or as needed.

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Wyngate Elementary School

Parent Teacher Association
9300 Wadsworth Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20817-2414

June 2015
Mr. Larry Bowers, Superintendent
Montgomery County Public Schools
850 Hungerford Drive, Room 122
Rockville, MD 20850
Dear Superintendent Bowers,
The Parent Teacher Association of Wyngate Elementary School is pleased to have the
opportunity to submit comments for consideration on the Superintendents Recommended FY
2017 Capital Budget and the FY 2017-2022 Capital Improvements Program.
We continue to support the revitalization/expansion of Tilden Middle and Luxmanor
Elementary as well as additions to Ashburton Elementary, Kensington Parkwood Elementary,
North Bethesda Middle, and Walter Johnson High schools. In response to the sustained growth in
enrollment in our Cluster, as well as the White Flint sector plans, we also support the request to
hold open all options in our cluster for a seventh elementary school.
Sincerely,
Naira Darius, Jessica Lieberman, Michele Solomon
Co-Presidents, Wyngate PTA
Cc: Barbara J. Leister, Principal

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