FEAC Announces Series of Meetings Seeking Input

HAGERSTOWN, MD (April 16, 2007) – The Facilities and Enrollment Advisory Committee (FEAC) has planned four public meetings for stakeholders that will provide information and seek input about proposed changes in attendance zones that are being considered as recommendations to the Washington County Board of Education (WCBOE). FEAC, which includes parent and community representation from all school attendance areas in the county, has been working on the recommendations for the past several months. Each meeting will include an informative presentation tailored for stakeholders interested in particular geographic areas and/or specific attendance zones. The meetings will also include planned time for stakeholders to provide input into the process using a variety of feedback options.

“We are looking forward to sharing the work the committee has completed thus far and to seek input from the communities affected by the proposed changes,” said Boyd Michael, Assistant Superintendent for School Operations. “Establishing boundaries for a new school is an exciting exercise for our county. With the majority of our elementary schools currently overcapacity, realigning boundaries, although challenging, provides an opportunity to relieve enrollment stress at many schools.”

All four meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m. and conclude at 8:00 p.m. The first two meetings will focus on the boundary realignments related to the establishment of the attendance zone for the opening of Washington County’s newest elementary school, which will be located on Rockland Road in the Westfields subdivision. Based on current recommendations, students assigned to the new elementary will continue to follow their current secondary (middle/high school) attendance patterns.

The first two meetings are scheduled as follows:

• April 24, 2007 – Meeting at Boonsboro High School for stakeholders likely impacted or interested in the proposed boundary realignments of Boonsboro, Emma K. Doub, Funkstown, Fountain Rock, and Greenbrier elementary schools.

• May 7, 2007 – Meeting at Williamsport High School for stakeholders likely impacted or interested in the proposed boundary realignments of Boonsboro, Emma K. Doub, Funkstown, Fountain Rock, and Greenbrier elementary schools.

The third meeting will focus on the realignment of existing attendance zones and programs affected by the establishment of the new school’s attendance boundaries:

• May 21, 2007 – Meeting at South Hagerstown High School for stakeholders likely impacted or interested in the proposed boundary realignments of Emma K. Doub, Funkstown, Lincolnshire, Bester, and Eastern elementary schools.

The fourth meeting will focus on boundary realignments related to the opening of the new Maugansville Elementary School:

• May 29, 2007 – Meeting at North Hagerstown High School for stakeholders likely impacted or interested in the proposed boundary realignments of Conococheague, Maugansville, and Paramount elementary schools. Based on current recommendations, students assigned to the new Maugansville Elementary School will continue to follow their current secondary (middle/high school) attendance patterns.

Stakeholders from throughout the county are welcome to attend any or all of the four meetings. Once feedback has been considered, the committee will finalize its recommendations. The committee anticipates that its recommendations will be ready for the Board by mid to late summer. The committee’s work has focused on changes in attendance boundaries that would occur as of August 2008 that relate to the openings of the new elementary school in the Westfields subdivision and the new Maugansville Elementary School. Students who will be in the fifth grade in 2008-2009 may opt to remain in their current elementary schools by applying for special permission; however, parents would be responsible for transportation if the student lives in an area that has been reassigned to another school.

At this time, the committee does not foresee any changes to the existing Pangborn Elementary School boundaries since data available indicate that the new Pangborn Elementary School will be filled from the existing attendance area. In addition to these public meetings, FEAC has posted maps, meeting minutes/schedules, and other information, on the WCPS website
in the “Parents and Community” and “Public Information” sections. The committee welcomes feedback at the public meetings as well as feedback sent via email or letter.