Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) will again try to find a solution to the severe overcrowding at Beach Elementary School (BES) in Chesapeake Beach. During a Calvert County Board of Education (BOE) work session Thursday, Sept. 19, Department of Student Services Director Kim Roof presented the panel with the planned timeline for elementary school redistricting in the north end of the county.

Two sparsely attended public hearings were held towards the end of the 2012-2013 school year to receive input on two options for repopulating three elementary schools—including BES—with the approved plan set to take affect at the start of the new school year. The BOE majority decided the process was moving too quickly and also considered warnings that the revised district lines would not offer a permanent solution to the dilemma. Further study with an expanded scope was deemed an appropriate strategy by the board’s majority.

During the Sept. 19 work session, Roof reported a preliminary staff meeting regarding the redistricting issue had been held and a new redistricting committee will be formed. The new committee is expected to conduct its first meeting Oct. 4.

The committee is expected to be comprised of PTA representatives from several elementary schools, staff from CCPS’ departments of Transportation, Student Services and Facilities, at least one principal, a Chesapeake Beach town staff member and a representative from the Calvert County Department of Community Planning and Building.

The 60-year old BES currently has the highest enrollment of any CCPS elementary school. The BOE approved the placement of two modular classrooms at the BES site as a temporary solution to the over-enrollment problem.

Roof assured the BOE the committee members would be provided “a litany of data” during the three months the issue is studied. School administrators hope to have the committee’s findings presented to the BOE in December, hold hearings in January or February and have the school board make a final decision in March.

“The last time was a sprint,” said Roof of last year’s attempt to approve a workable solution.

Super search

The BOE received a brief outline of a best practices strategy for selecting a new superintendent from Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE) officials. The presentation by former Maryland First Lady and MABE Executive Director Frances Hughes Glendening and MABE Director of Board Development Kathryn F. Blumsack was delivered three months to the day when the previous superintendent, Dr. Jack Smith, announced h