PLEASE READ: Woodward Boundary Options - What does this mean for KP?
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Elaine Liao Avin
May 27, 2025, 5:42:43 PM5/27/25
to KPEaglenet
KP Community --
MCPS has published/shared 4 options for the Woodward boundary study and this email summarizes the options with a focus on impact to KP. KP is one of the more impacted schools as 3 out of the 4 options splits our current KP school into different schools (mainly middle schools), also known as split articulation. As a reminder, this boundary study scope covers middle school and high school, it does not touch existing elementary school boundaries. A summary on the KP impact is below with a link that looks at all the current schools to help see the bigger picture for the cluster.
Option 1 - keeps current KP boundary together in Middle School and High School (Least amount of change, straight articulation/no splitting, but we do go to a different middle school meaning current 4th graders will have to switch middle school after one year at North Bethesda)
- Middle School: Silver Creek
- High School: Walter Johnson
Option 2 - splits KP into two groups, once split in Middle school, they will have a straight articulation to the same high school
- KP (Parkwood, KECA, KenGar, Town of Kensington): Silver Creek MS to WJ HS
- KP (Tuckerman): Tilden to Woodward HS
Option 3 - is the most significant change/difference from current boundaries and also splits KP into two groups (Please Note: this option also has Farmland going to Kennedy HS, Garrett Park to Wheaton HS, and parts of North Chevy Chase and Rosemary Hills also going to Einstein - by far the most re-shuffling)
- KP (Parkwood, KECA, KenGar, Town of Kensington): Newport MS to Einstein HS
- KP (Tuckerman): Tilden MS to Woodward HS
Option 4 - Splits KP into three groups (for some, this will be the same boundary as it is today but other parts of KP will articulate to a different MS and rejoin in HS or split off at MS and remain separate through HS)
- KP (Parkwood, KECA, KenGar???): North Bethesda MS to WJ HS
- KP (Town of Kensington): Silver Creek MS to WJ HS
- KP (Tuckerman): Tilden MS to Woodward HS
In terms of next steps, there are two more virtual sessions tonight Tuesday 5/27 at 6:30 and 7:30 pm and will have 4 in-person sessions over the next two days (Wednesday 5/28 @ Wheaton HS at 6:30-7:30 pm and 7:30 - 8:30 pm and Thursday 5/29 @ Kennedy HS at 6:30-7:30 pm and 7:30-8:30 pm).
What to do with this information?
1. Fill out the survey which asks for feedback on each option, scroll to the bottom to access the survey; focus on reasonable arguments such as transportation, keeping the elementary school together, etc.
2. Share this info with your friend and neighbors - feedback should be coming from the community impacted not just current students
3. Continue to send questions, concerns, feedback through the 'Ask a Question' feature
4. The WJ cluster will be meeting next week to determine points and areas to advocate. You can also reach out individually to Julie Yang (President of the Board of Education)
5. As it relates to KP, I created a survey to capture the KP-specific feedback and preferences to inform our upcoming WJ cluster meeting. Sorry for all the links but please see here to provide your feedback anonymously--> https://forms.gle/HPqiix7FHaAqtjcZ6
Thanks
Elaine
KP Cluster Rep
Ivan Prvulovic
May 28, 2025, 8:53:10 AM5/28/25
to KPEaglenet, Elaine Liao Avin
This is the first time that I saw these 4 options and they are all terrible , splitting the KP ES , Crazy part is that people are not upset about maybe having their kids possibly going to worse rated HS- Einstein HS or Wheaton HS, and most likely not so good Silver Creek MS.
Thanks for the heads-up.
Ivan Prvulovic
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Elaine Liao Avin
May 28, 2025, 3:23:27 PM5/28/25
to KPEaglenet
KP Community --
To follow-up on my email yesterday. After reviewing more closely, I missed that in Option 2 Silver Creek also splits into WJ and BCC so our kids in this option would split twice (we go to WJ, N Chevy Chase goes to BCC). Just a call-out for consideration, no need to re-do anything. Also to show you where the other WJ Elementary school falls, you can see how each option impacts (coloring is meant to show degree of change from current school or degree of splits - not a "good" or "bad" grading). This is in the same summary doc I shared yesterday so to the extent I have a typo in it, it will be updated there.
Elaine Liao Avin
May 28, 2025, 3:30:50 PM5/28/25
to KPEaglenet
KP Community --
To follow-up on my email yesterday. After reviewing more closely, I missed that in Option 2 Silver Creek also splits into WJ and BCC so our kids in this option would split twice (we go to WJ, N Chevy Chase goes to BCC). Just a call-out for consideration, no need to re-do anything. Also to show you where the other WJ Elementary school falls, you can see how each option impacts (coloring is meant to show degree of change from current school or degree of splits - not a "good" or "bad" grading). THis is in the same summary doc so to the extent I have a typo in it
Kenna Barrett, PhD
May 30, 2025, 11:05:56 PM5/30/25
to Ivan Prvulovic, KPEaglenet, Elaine Liao Avin
Thank you Elaine--this is a helpful chart.
I want to respond to the idea of school quality. I'm sure most of us would love to just articulate straight to WJ. But as a parent of a graduating WJ senior (as well as a rising 6th grader), I do want to point out that a child's high school experience is based on more than some ranking--it's about fit, friendships, and so much more. Many of my daughter's friends absolutely cherished their time at Einstein, Wheaton, and other DCC schools. (And, yes, these kids are going on to great colleges.) Plus, I knew a kid who couldn't stand WJ! It's not perfect and we do need to relieve the overcrowding which is what this boundary study is for.
We are fortunate to live in MOCO and have our kids attend schools where they will get a good education no matter what--and they'll meet kids from different life experiences who will enrich their understanding of the world and vice versa.
Just a plug for reasonable dialogue.
Kenna
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/kppta.org/d/msgid/kpeaglenet/471328551.1190847.1748436784378%40mail.yahoo.com.
Joanna Pappafotis
May 31, 2025, 3:26:09 PM5/31/25
to Kenna Barrett, PhD, Ivan Prvulovic, KPEaglenet, Elaine Liao Avin
I agree Kenna. Thank you for posting. I taught at Einstein High School for 16 years. It is a thriving school with an arts magnet, an IB program and AP classes.
Graciela Marie
May 31, 2025, 5:57:43 PM5/31/25
to Joanna Pappafotis, Kenna Barrett, PhD, Ivan Prvulovic, KPEaglenet, Elaine Liao Avin
Hi all,
I attended one of the information sessions last week. I think they are being very thoughtful about the process and are giving the community a lot of space to weigh in. This is just phase one. They will come back with a second set of recommendations after hearing from the public.
What I find most interesting in the data is the lack of diversity for many of the schools. For example, Wheaton HS has 72% Latinos and Walt Whitman HS has 57.5% Whites. I think HS should be a place to expose kids to different cultures.
The way they addressed this in these options is not great because they split the kids up multiple times. I'd love to see them try to address this by keeping elementary school kids together. For example, having our sister school Arcola move wherever KP goes. Arcola is 68% Latinos, 19% African American, and 5.4% White.
My recommendation is that everyone stay curious, informed, and open. They had about 20 security guards at this event and I'm sure it is because some parents are not open, just sticking to their original opinion :/
Graciela
Rebecca Smith
May 31, 2025, 7:05:12 PM5/31/25
to Joanna Pappafotis, Kenna Barrett PhD, Ivan Prvulovic, KPEaglenet, Elaine Liao Avin
As a parent of a 6th and 9th grader I’m very concerned about the options other than option #1. My kids and those of their generation have many deep negative impacts from COVID. A lot of these kids are deeply anxious. They have social issues and act out. I believe a huge change in school could be suicide inducing to kids who have had great friends since KP days and then don't go to school with their best friends. Especially, in Middle School which, basically sucks for everyone kid.
Rebecca
Mom of KP grads
Silvana Tasca Sina
May 31, 2025, 10:01:53 PM5/31/25
to Rebecca Smith, Joanna Pappafotis, Kenna Barrett PhD, Ivan Prvulovic, KPEaglenet, Elaine Liao Avin
Rebecca,
Are fully aware that you are writing this in a chat with parents, like myself, forced to move out of state or even out of the country, because of job related or personal issues?
We already have enough worries without an other parent suggesting our kids kill themselves because they are unable to be in the same middle school with their best friends.
Regards,
Silvana
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/kppta.org/d/msgid/kpeaglenet/1DAE292F-1DF4-4BE5-8FA5-659C678A7616%40gmail.com.
Rebecca Smith
May 31, 2025, 10:35:21 PM5/31/25
to Silvana Tasca Sina, Joanna Pappafotis, Kenna Barrett PhD, Ivan Prvulovic, KPEaglenet, Elaine Liao Avin
Unfortunately, these kids have had little time or perspective. I have found this generation crumbling and not resilient.
I pray for your resilience if you are struggling with personal employment matters and I hope things work out for your good. But, I personally worry about the kids at the schools. Your personal struggle does not make another struggle not true. I believe there are many struggles and these kids have little perspective and my kids have already had friends threaten suicide.
- Suicide rates among youth and young adults ages 10-24 increased by 52.2% between 2000 and 2021.
Also, the County had always promise the kids would go to either WJ or Woodward. This has been going on for more then 10 years. If I had know the county would have been dishonest and untrustworthy I would has moved.
Rebecca
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