A small number of residents attended the first of two public hearings on proposals for easing overcrowding at Beach Elementary School (BES) by moving several students to adjacent schools. The first hearing at the Mary Harrison Center on the Northern High/Northern Middle campus in Owings was held Monday, June 3.
The Calvert County Board of Education (BOE) is considering the implementation of one of two plans. Two elementary schools that are currently under the state rated capacity—Plum Point (PPES) and Windy Hill (WHES)—would take on the additional students.
Of the nine residents who spoke, a majority indicated the redistricting plan was ill-timed, since families would have only a few weeks during summer to become acclimated to the change in schools.
“I encourage you to put the pause button on,” said Erica Stone, who noted that many children “living on the same road as Beach Elementary” will now have to take a long bus ride to PPES. Stone called the bus commute “a significant draw” on children’s time.
Under both proposals, two of BES’ longtime neighborhoods—Summer City and The Highlands—would be shifted to other school districts.
“I have nothing against Windy Hill Elementary School,” said Highlands resident Jacki Jonas, who nonetheless lamented the short transition time that will be given families in her neighborhood.
“We’re playing a shell game with our kids,” said Joe Galarza, who noted despite the cramped conditions, BES students were achieving. “Our test scores are high,” said Galarza, who addressed the hearing after his son Joe, implored school officials to allow him to stay at BES.
Brenda Tyrell, the owner of Prime Time Daycare, was critical of the plans since the redistricting committee failed to consider the impact on daycare facilities. “We’re baking a cake and we don’t have all the ingredients,” said Tyrell.
The redistricting committee was formed earlier this year after the BOE was petitioned by the Chesapeake Beach Town Council to consider the realignment. Beach is by far Calvert’s most populated elementary school.
Plans to expand the school appear at least five years away and could be hampered by a lack of land on which to expand the 60-year-old facility.
Town Council Vice Chairman Patrick J. “Irish”
