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What every Montgomery County
parent should know about theproposed BCC-Cluster Middle School
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Background
• Construction scheduled to begin July 2015 – Completion scheduled Summer 2017
• As currently designed, the project will yield a
substandard school, lacking required academic andathletic program elements, which will adverselyimpact the education and development of up to 1,200middle school students a year…
…for 25 + years.
• Identification of which students will attend this school(“redistricting”) will not be made until winter 2017 -6 months before it opens.
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MCPS Math
Site that is 50% of County and State standard
+ Numerous Avoidable Design Compromises
+ Unresolved Safety Concerns
+ Unrealistic Construction Schedule
+ $52+M of Taxpayer Funds
A deficient school that will adversely impact the
education, safety and athletic development of futureMontgomery County Middle School students
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Issues
• Approved DesignDevelopment Documents donot meet: – MCPS and state standards
– Requirements established for
this project – Requirements provided by
similar projects
• Building deficiencies – Academic and support program
elements deleted, or reduced,
to fit in smaller footprint• No International Baccalaureate
program
– Inefficient, 4 story building
• Site deficiencies – Insufficient space for athletic
fields, vehicular/pedestriancirculation, parking
– Inconsistent guidance providedto Site Selection Board inJanuary 2012
• Safety concerns – Does not meet all MCPS
standards
– Topography and tight siteresults in unresolved potentialtraffic and pedestrian safetyhazards identified byMontgomery County PlanningCommission staff
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The Flawed Plan for MS #2
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15’ Retaining Wall
22’ Retaining Wall
Deficient Athletic Fields
Deficient Bus Parking• 20 Required
• 15 ProvidedDeficient Car
Parking• 125 Required
• 110 Provided
Single Entry for
Parents, Staff and
Service Vehicles
4 Story (65’ High)
Building Mass
Winding, steep,
one-way, single
lane access road
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“How Big a Site?”
11 Acres
Unbuildable
Preferably
adjacent to park
(e.g. Farquhar
+ 17 acres)
20 Acres
(e.g.
Clarksburg
22 Acres)
20 Acres,
PLUS
1 addl. Acre/
100 students
= 32 acres
15.5 Acres
State
Standards
BCCMS#2
Site
FutureCounty
Standards
CurrentCounty
Standards
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What should be. What is.
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“Space to Learn and Play?”
StateStandards
BCC MS#2Site
Future
County
Standards
Current
County
Standards
Each Child Icon =
40 students (1,200 total)
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What kids deserve. What they get.
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What They Get.
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What’s missing:
400’x400’ Playing Field.
3 Useable Softball Fields.60 yd. Sprint Track.
55’x110’ Paved Play Area.
2 Tennis Courts
Soccer Fields Overlay Softball.
1 “Softball field” has no infield.
11 Acre, Steep Site
Remaining space for
school, parking, road
network, storm
water management,
green space.
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Montgomery County Requirements:
General Classroom (20) 900 SF
Computer Classroom (3) 950 SFSpecial Education Classroom (2) 900 SF
BCC Middle School #2 As Designed:
Total Classroom Dimensions: 24’ x 36’4” = 871 SF
Actual Useable Dimensions: 24’ x ~30’ =~ 750 SF
Source: Design Development Submission, Sheet A 2.02,
First Floor Plan Overall dated 3/31/14
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Classrooms too small?How many
students can
fit in this
remaining
space?
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What’s Wrong Inside?
General Classrooms:
20 of 20 Classrooms > 15% undersized
3 of 3 Computer Classrooms >20 % undersized
ESOL, Special and Alternative Education:
2 of 2 Special Ed. Classrooms > 15% undersized
1 of 2 ESOL Rooms (600 SF) deletedInstructional Data Assistant (400 SF) deleted
Developmental Reading Room 25% undersized
Special Education Team Room 50% undersized
Speech Therapy Room mis-located per program
Student Support:
Student Dining >15% undersized
3 of 3 Auxiliary Gyms >15% undersized
3 of 3 Auxiliary Gyms mis-located per program
Other:
Single elevator supporting 4 stories
1 of 1 Recycling room (250 SF) deleted
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Safety Concerns
• Car entrance fails to meet 200
foot sight line distance
requirement, due to intersections
at 100 and 150 feet.
•
Right of way fails to meet County70 foot standard.
• MCPS fire safety evacuation
requirements potentially
compromised by site restrictions.
•
No sidewalks to school
“…creates pedestrian conflicts with the crosswalkon Saul Road angled across the access to the parent drop-off loop…”
“…height of the retaining walls creates a potential hazard and inviting nuisance…theheights are such that children could suffer serious
injury or death by playing on these walls.”
“… parent drop-off loop provides a likely shortcut for pedestrians… hazardous for pedestrian use.”
“…design of the parent drop-off loop is extremelyattractive for skateboarding while the entranceitself has a limited site distance, creating asituation where skateboarders or bicyclists couldbe exiting the site at a high rate of speed withoutdrivers being able to see them in time.”
All quotes from Montgomery County PlanningBoard comments in Mandatory Referral report
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Access, Flow and Safety.
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15’ Drop
22’ Drop! (2 stacked walls ,
+ 3’ “safety” fence )
Main Entrance
Handicapped must cross all traffic
All traffic must pass loading docks
Single entrance and exit for staff, parents, visitors and trucks.
There are NO sidewalks
accessing this school.
Tight bus radius,
conflicting with local
traffic
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Current Site
Pros
Design Complete
Funds allocated
Deliver for Fall 2017 (if
schedule is maintained)
Cons
o Delivers inequitable, substandardschool facility for the 25 year life ofthe school
o Relative complexity of siteworkraises reasonable risk that bids willexceed budget, requiring:• Additional funds
• Additional compromises
• Additional time
o High risk that completion will miss
school year 2017, due to tightschedule, weather and difficult site
o No capability for growth
o Safety/access concerns
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Alternate Site
Cons
o Cost
• Redesign
• Market escalation
o Justify reassignment of funds
o Possible site acquisition
o Potential three year delay - 1,500
students and families willcontinue status quo until
complete
(assumes 900 student load)
Pros
Funds spent on building andathletics, not site
Centrally located in cluster•
Sidewalk and Metro accessible Safe Environment for Students and
Vehicles
For 25 years, over 10,000 students
and families will benefit from aschool which meets MontgomeryCounty standard
(assumes 900 students 1st three years,1,200 for the balance)
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Choose the “harder right”, instead of the“easier wrong”:
Relocate construction of the New Middle
School for Bethesda-Chevy Chase Cluster
to a site that will yield a solution that
meets MCPS requirements, and will
provide equitable programs and services for all Middle School Students.
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Back Up Slides
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Dining 6000 SF required4900 SF useable
Recycling 250 SF required
0 SF provided
Only accessible by one elevator
Ground (1st) Floor
Deficiencies
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Classrooms (7) 900 SF required
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Classrooms (6) 900 SF required
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Classrooms (7) 900 SF required
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“Right” vs. “Wrong”• BCC MS #2
– 944 initial students• 1,200 projected students
• 25+12 classrooms master planned
– $52.3M total budget*
x 11 buildable acre sitex ½ of MCPS standard
x 151,000 total building SFx Inefficient , 4-story construction
x 110 parking spacesx 125 spaces required
x 2 year construction
x Fundamental academic spaces
compromised
x Athletic fields deleted
Clarksburg/Damascus
988 initial students 1,200 projected students
25 +14 classrooms master planned
$52.7M total budget*
20+ buildable acre site Meets MCPS standard
145,000 total building SF Spacious, yet efficient, design
130 parking spaces
2 year construction
All program requirements generously
accommodated
All athletic fields provided
As designed, the proposed BCC MS #2 delivers a less efficient building (more costly to operate),
with teaching spaces and athletic fields deleted or reduced from MCPS standards,
with less expansion capability…for the same cost.
(* Per FY 2016 BOE Capital Improvement Plan, dated 1 December 2014)
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xx
x
xxx x
x
Impact of Poor Site Selection
Required Athletic Fields Deleted :
o 1 of 1 400’ x 400’ Playing Field
o 3 of 4 Softball Fields
(one field as designed has no infield or pitchers mound )
o 2 of 6 Tennis Courts
o 1 of 1 Sprint Track
o 1 of 1 Hard Play Area
Other Site Compromises:
o 4 story Construction Solution
o 20% parking reduction
o 15 bus capacity vs. 20 required
o Inadequate traffic segregation• All staff, parent, handicapped and service vehicles
must share a single lane, one-way road
• All staff, parents and students must drive by two
loading docks, dumpsters and building utilities to
exit student drop off area
o NO adjacent open space
o NO space for expansionComparison Source: Clarksburg/Damascus Middle School Feasibility Study October 2009
Final Recommended Site Plan (22 acres)
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Requirements
provided at
Clarksburg, thatare missing at
MS #2….