MCPS Announced Boundary Study Process for Gaithersburg ES #8 (Kelley Park)

The first information session about how the Boundary Study process will work for the proposed new elementary school at Kelly Park will be March 2, 2020, at Gaithersburg Middle School. To date, the City of Gaithersburg and MCPS have NOT yet come to an agreement on providing land to build that school.

I remain committed to building a new elementary school to help alleviate overcrowding on our city schools, but I also have remained consistent in my calls for MCPS to commit to including the neighborhoods that utilize Kelley Park in the boundaries for the new school.

It’s only fair—and logical—to tell the people who would be sacrificing a portion of their neighborhood park that they would enjoy the spoils of that sacrifice.

The study will also look at the area middle schools after BOE Member Rebecca Smondroski—at my request—introduced an amendment to the resolution recommending the Kelley Park location. It is my hope that this process will undo the grievous error made 20 years ago when Saybrooke was excluded from the Forest Oak Middle boundaries, despite being located in the Saybrooke neighborhood. It boggles the mind to think that if you lived at the school you couldn’t attend the school.

Opponents to the location of the new elementary school do bring up valid concerns about traffic and other issues that need to be addressed, but I feel these concerns can and should be addressed during the boundary study and development process, and are not necessarily disqualifying.

I remain convinced that a new elementary school at Kelley Park could be transformative for the surrounding neighborhoods—if they get to attend it. I also remain convinced that the decision makers are more likely to listen if the conversation remains constructive.

It’s hard to have a say if you don’t get a seat at the table.