8/8/2019 Upper Crossroads Letter
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Fallston,December6,2010
Membersoftheboard,Dr.Tomback:
MynameisCyrusEtemadMoghadamof, Uppercrossroads
neighborhood,inFallston.Afterleavingthelastboardmeeting,IfeltthattheonlytruegoaloftheSTAC
wastofillalltheschoolsevenlyagoalnotmetinitselfbasedonthedatafromtheSTAC.The
parametersset
for
the
STAC
as
stated
on
the
board
of
education
web
site
were
not
met
in
many
cases.
IhavegonethroughthelistwithrespecttoFallstonandpointedouttothenoncompliances
evenwhentherequirementsarequalitative.TherearetoomanytocoversoIwouldliketofocusonthe
moreimportancerequirementsastheyapplytoourchildren:
UndertheContinuityofNeighborhoodssection,themaingoalswerenotlookedatperMr.
Licata.Inhisownwords,distanceisnotanissue,somekidshaveover45minuteridesnorthofthe
county.Uppercrossroadshasbeensplitinthemiddledespitebeingoneoftheoldestneighborhoodsin
Fallstonitselfoneoftheoldestcommunitiesasawhole. The1milemaximumrequirementisnotmet
ascanbeseenintheattachedchart.Somestreetsarealsospitasshown.
InthecaseofMultiplesiblingsopportunitytoattendsameschool,thiswillnothappensince
theproposedplanistopossiblygrandfatheronlythefifthgraders.Inaddition,oneissuenotconsidered
isthesplittingofkidsbetweenFallstonMSandHSandJarrettsvilleadding7milesonewaycomparedto
YBESforparents.
UndertheTimingsectionaswellasTransportation,busridesareapriority.Rightnowmy
kidshavea2.5milesfromYBESwhichtakes 30minutes.Mr.LicatastatedthattheUppercrossroards
cornerisonly5.2milesfromJarrettsvilleElementaryduringthelastmeeting.However,wecannottake
aleftturnfromFranklinsChancesowehavetogotheotherroute,whichis7miles. Howcan7miles
(taking152
to
146
only
way
to
go
with
right
turns)
work
for
Uppercrossroads?
This
is
only
for
our
neighborhood,whatabouttheothers.Mr.Licatastatedthattherewouldbenoroutesdrawnuntilthe
redistrictingisapproved.
UndertheCapacity/Enrollment/Utilizationsection,theplanofbeinginthe8595%capacityis
notmet.Beforeredistricting,16schoolsareoverthe95%capacity,17after. Whyistheoldcapacityof
890beingusedforYBESbeforeand958aftertheredistrictingwhentherehavebeennostructural
changestotheschool?WhyisDarlingtonbeingincreased>100%whenDublinisat76%?Whyis
Edgewood,inthemiddleofpopulatedareasat50%(beingreduced)thesebeingexamplesthe
requirementsnotbeingmet.
Insummary,
Ihope
you,
our
school
board,
will
serve
your
first
customers,
your
children,
our
childrenandreverseoratleastslowdowntheprocesssuchthattheSTACparametersarethoroughly
reviewedandtheFallstonarea,asallotherareas,arefairlytreated.Thankyou
CyrusEtemadMoghadam
Uppercrossroadsneighborhood
Fallston,Maryland
8/8/2019 Upper Crossroads Letter
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Description Requirement St
Boundary
ExceptionsConsiderspecialprograms
Specialprogramswerenotd
boardmembersaskedforad
Keeppolicyinplace
NoboundaryexceptionsfordaycaresThiscreatesproblemsforfa
JarrettsvilleElementary
Maintainboundariesforspecialeducationstudentsinregionalcenters
uponparentrequest
Bemore
strict
with
boundary
exceptions
Continuityof
NeighborhoodsConsiderkeepingneighborhoodstogether
Fallstonisalargeneighboho
Uppercrossroadsneighborh
southbetweenYBESandJES
Defineneighborhoods
Keepnamedsubdivisionstogether,ifmustsplitupdosobyphaseUppercrossroadsisahistori
isbeingsplitbytheredistric
Multiplesiblings
opportunity
to
attend
same
school That
cannot
happen
since
obeingconsideredforgrandf
Considerthedivisionofroadsinthenorthregion
Neighborhoodsasdefinedbysubdivisionor"parceldevelopment"(i.e.
ForestLakes/HamptonRidge)
Attendingtheschoolclosesttocommunity
Fallstonneighborhoodsare
thanJarrettsville,notconsid
Fallstonnotconsideredaco
Don'tdividestreetsAtleasttwostreetsaredivid
maps(seeattached) mapi
Lookat
major
roads
as
natural
dividing
lines
Trytokeepdevelopmenttogetherifpossible
Considerthoseschoolswithinahighdevelopmentalarea(where'sthe
growth?)
Notdiscussed,fluctionation
Fallston(BelAirRoad,Harfo
development butthatpart
growthunderthepresentp
Timing Redistrictentirecountynowwithplanoffutureschoolinplan Nofutureschoolsinplan
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Description Requirement St
Donotredistrictelementarystudentsmorethan1timewhilein
elementaryyears(K5)
Nomorethan30minutes(orsomereasonabletimeonthebuseachway)
Rightnowuppercrossroads
minuteride howcan7mile
waytogowithrightturns)w
Ensurethatallspecialservicesareincludedinallelementaryschools,but
maintaintheregionalservicesNoYMCAatJarrettsville
Capacity/Enrollme
ntUtilizationStickwith8595%capacity
Moreschoolsabovetheave
redistric,16schoolsoverth
after
Modifydistrictalleviateregion5overcrowding
CreateRedPumpattendancearea
Redistrictwithinregions
Staffing
Noportablesonschoolsites
Considerthecurrentuseofbuildingspaceforspecialprograms(utilization
rate)
Discussedduringthepresen
Equalizingclasssizeacrosscounty
Planfor10years(thisplan)trynottoredistrictagainfor10years
Redpumpissuebroughtup
Krchnavy alreadyovercap
workneededtobedone
Transportation 45minutelimitonthebusNotmet nonewrouteside
havea30minuteride2.5m
Combinebusstops
Createroutesforbusestoarriveanddepartontime
Minimizetime
on
bus Duplicate
requirement
Minimizewalkingdistance reconsiderpolicy
Considerfourthtierbuses/daycareissuesDaycareissuesnotdiscusse
Iquote"zipcodesdon'tmat
Limitbusridestonomorethan45minutes Duplicaterequirement
Minimizetotalmilesbusestravel
Congestion>Drivetime>45minutes>Congestion Duplicaterequirement
Increasingwalkingdistancewithinconfinedarea,withsidewalks
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Description Requirement St
Grandfathering FifthgradershavechoiceofstayingincurrentschoolDuringthepresentation,no
made
MaintainoptionforfifthgraderstoremainincurrentschoolDuringthepresentation,no
made
Siblingconsiderations 5thgradechildand2ndgradechildDuringthepresentation,no
made
Onlyforfifthgraders finishouttheirlastyearDuringthepresentation,no
made
Studentsshould
not
be
redistricted
within
elementary
school
years
more
thanonce
Optionforincoming5thgraderstostayatcurrentschool(forfirstyearof
implementation)
Parentscan"optout"ofgrandfatheringinordertokeepfamiliestogether
nstructional
Program
Ensureinstructionalprogramsareconsistentfromschooltoschool(i.e.
childcare,music(band,etc.),afterschoolcare,beforeafterschool
programs
Specialprogramsnotdiscus
availabledocumentation
Studentsshould
have
equal
access
to
programs
(i.e.
G/T
program,
music)s Not
discussed
Resourcesshouldbecomparable(i.e.books,technology,intervention
programs)Notdiscussed
Schoolshousingregionalprograms(autism,CSP)shouldhavereduced
capacitytoaccommodateallneeds
Onlydiscussedinschoolswi
notforrestofschools
Cost Fillbusestocapacity Noplanningdonetodate
Don'tletcostofbusesdictateorimpact#ofbusesneeded
Operationalcostshouldbeo
expenditures schoolsshou
available
MiscellaneousTrytoavoid"smallpockets"ofstudentsfromoneelementaryschool
feedingintoadifferentmiddleschoolthantherestoftheirclassmates
NotconsideredbySTAC(an
Nov.29orDec.6meetings)
Theplanshouldbeasleastdisruptiveaspossible.Don'tmovepeoplefor
thesakeofmovingthem.Moveasfewstudentsaspossible
Fillingschoolsusedasprima
considered manyneighbor
othersacrosscountylines
8/8/2019 Upper Crossroads Letter
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Description Requirement St
PotentialGrowth Room/spaceforexpansionpotentialshouldbeconsidered If considerednotshown,on
Considerplacingschoolswherethemostexpansionmayoccur Boardstatedthatithasnoo
Security/
TransportatioDoorsidedropoffonmajorroadspj
Lefthandturns/difficultymaking Notconsidered,south152h
Historyofaccidentsonroads
Lengthof
bus
rides Duplicate
requirement
Adequatenumberofbusestoalleviatebehaviorproblems,overcrowding
atbusstops
Partnerwithroadsandzoningtolookcloselyattrafficpatterns,conditions
ofroadsNotconsidered
ClassSize Keepclasssizeslow,consistentwithcurrentBoardofEducationpolicy Requirementnotproven
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SplitstreetsinproposedYBES district
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1mileradiusinproposeddistrict
8/8/2019 Upper Crossroads Letter
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117%isactually109%undernewcriteria,andfor2010its107% Therewere16sc
hoolsoveraveragecapacitybeforeredistr
ictandRedPump,21
after