Kamenetz to Meet Friday with Stoneleigh Parents
One day after controversial letter, county executive agrees to sit down with Stoneleigh United parents.
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Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz will meet with a group of Stoneleigh Elementary parents Friday, two days after his office asked the school board to examine alternatives to expanding the overcrowded school.
Kamenetz will meet with members of Stoneleigh United, a group of parents pushing for an expansion and renovation there.
In a letter, released by the county executive's office Wednesday, Kamenetz said he wanted the Board of Education to study other options, including moving students in some grades to middle schools. Many middle schools in the county are under capacity, unlike elementary schools.
"There does not appear to be any magic in the middle school structure that is limited to grades 6-8," Kamenetz wrote.
Last week, the county Planning Board transferred $2 million into its recommendation to the county executive for school construction money to cover design costs for the project. County officials estimate the Stoneleigh Elementary project would cost about $18 million.
Kamenetz's confused and upset some Stoneleigh parents.
Moving some elementary students to middle schools is not unheard of—most recently, when Rodgers Forge Elementary's fourth-graders attended Dumbarton Middle for a year before West Towson Elementary opened.
Parents said it would not work for Stoneleigh and would do little to address the problem.
"What we're really looking at is a long-term solution to fix the elementary schools," Juliet Fisher, a member of Stoneleigh United, told Patch Wednesday. "(Moving students to Dumbarton) deprives those kids of having the enrichment and the activities that are set aside for elementary students."
Cathi Forbes, chairwoman of Towson Families United, said this is familiar territory. She says the call for the study is "driven by economics" and doesn't believe moving students to middle school would be effective in the long run.
"A cursory look at the numbers shows Dumbarton's filling up," she said, pointing to county school enrollment projections that the middle school will be at capacity by 2013. "I don't think it will be a receptacle for additional kids."
Lisa Mathias
5:38 pm on Thursday, March 10, 2011
The situation between Rodgers Forge and Stoneleigh is quite different. The distance factor is quite obvious. Rodgers Forge is next door to Dumbarton Middle School - Stoneleigh is nearly a mile away. The fourth graders that were moved were able to return to Rodger's Forge to use the playground and for specials. And, it must not be forgotten that middle school students were moved into trailers in order to make room for the 4th graders. Empty seats under the outdated state rate capacities for middle schools does not equal empty classrooms. There is more to this that it seems and I hope Mr. Kamenetz will understand that feasible (if it even is) is not the same thing as appropriate. The well being of all children in Baltimore County Schools should be paramount. We need long term solutions and I hope that Mr. Kamenetz understands this need.
Bissett Schwanke
9:12 am on Friday, March 11, 2011
Well said Lisa. I completely agree with your statement. Thanks for posting.
K Blue
5:56 pm on Thursday, March 10, 2011
Lisa, all good points and exactly the type of information the County Executive needs to hear first-hand. Best of luck to the greater Stoneleigh community. I really hope that the County Executive includes the $2 million for the design so the overcrowding in that long-established community can finally be addressed.
AlwaysQuestioning
1:00 pm on Friday, March 11, 2011
Wasn't this addition "promised" during his campaign? Another ploy to get the votes? Is this his way to save the money so he can put it into the education budget to handle salaries/pensions?
mike gardiner
1:19 pm on Friday, March 11, 2011
Create a school tax for these parents who seem to want it all.