Germantown Elementary Update - Moving Forward

Plans for the new Germantown Elementary School are moving forward. Recently I participated in a meeting with House Speaker Mike Busch, Principal Walter Reap and several other stakeholders to revisit the agreement for use of the athletic fields behind Germantown. This athletic complex is a perfect example of how projects in Annapolis often involve multiple levels of government. The construction, use and maintenance of these fields are a joint effort among the City of Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, AACPS and the State of Maryland. Fortunately, this example is a positive one of how these levels of government can work together successfully.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) has retained an architectural firm for the Germantown Project. The firm has produced a new site plan for the fields and floor plan for the new school (the current site plan is HERE). AAPCS will construct a completely new school at the west end of the athletic complex. The school will be designed with all the modern bells and whistles including an expanded gym, and will become a real gem of the Annapolis school system.

Vehicles will access the school from Windell Avenue, not Cedar Park Road. To improve safety, there will be separate entrances for school buses and for personal vehicles.

Many people ask me about whether the Poplar Trail will still connect through to Windell Avenue. The answer is yes, the trail will be relocated adjacent to the new bus access road, and in fact that segment will gain a couple of more feet in width.

Timeline

The Germantown project is the first of three related projects for Annapolis area schools that need to happen in sequence. Construction for the new Germantown school is anticipated to begin Spring 2010. The new school is expected to open in August 2011 in time for the start of the 2011-2012 school year.

The second project is to relocate the Phoenix Center. This project is contingent upon receiving local and state approval and funding. If this project is approved and funded, once the new Germantown is built, AACPS will renovate the old (current) Germantown. This building will become the new, larger home for the Phoenix Center which is presently at the other corner of the athletic complex.

The third project is to renovate Annapolis Elementary School. Again, pending approval and funding, once the Phoenix Center students move into the old Germantown building, the administrative staff at the Board of Education (Green Street) building downtown next to Annapolis Elementary will move to occupy the old (current) Phoenix Center. AACPS will then relocate the students at Annapolis Elementary in order to complete a massive renovation and upgrade to the school. The project will combine the current Annapolis Elementary building with the administration building to result in a new school with expanded capacity and upgraded facilities that meet current building codes.

For more information

Mary Patz, an architect in AACPS' Design Department, is the primary contact person for the Germantown project. She can be reached at 443-770-5966 or by email at mpatz [at] aacps.org.

Annapolis Schools Funding Update

This afternoon the County Council took up amendments to the Fiscal Year 2010 budget. I am thrilled to report that the County Council unanimously delivered a huge victory for Annapolis schools.

1. Bates Performing and Visual Arts (PVA) Magnet Program

The County Council restored $800,000 to fully implement the Arts Magnet at Bates this Fall. The County Executive's proposed budget had eliminated this funding which the Board of Education had proposed.

2. Germantown Elementary and Annapolis Elementary Construction Projects

The County Council took no action on the County Auditor's recommendation to close Annapolis Elementary and combine its students into a new mega-elementary school complex at Germantown. Both County Executive Leopold and the Board of Education strongly supported keeping the two schools separate. The County Council's support for the Board of Ed's recommendation effectively assures that the new Germantown project will continue as planned with construction of the new school starting next year. Annapolis Elementary will also remain as a stand-alone revitalization project with design slated for FY 2012 and construction to begin in FY 2013.

I have no doubt that these budget votes would have been different without the tremendous outpouring of support from the community. I thank the parents and students who came out for impromptu rallies, waited long hours to testify at public hearings, and otherwise made their voices heard. The community's voice does make a difference.

The final vote on the amended budget is next week so it's not over yet, but the heavy lifting took place today. I am grateful for the bipartisan support of my colleagues on the County Council during this very difficult budget season. I am also grateful for the personal involvement of House Speaker Mike Busch and the Annapolis City Council, especially Alderwoman Sheila Finlayson and Alderman Fred Paone, all of whom went the extra mile to convey the importance of these votes to Annapolis families.

Bates Arts Magnet funding cut

As reported in today's Capital, the County Executive's proposed budget fails to fund the Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Program at Bates Middle School this Fall.

This budget cut is disappointing to say the least. The Annapolis feeder system has more middle-school students attending private school than any feeder system in the county. Signature programs such as the Middle Years Programme at Annapolis Middle School and the Arts Magnet at Bates are key to the long term viability of city public schools.

The County Council needs to restore the Arts Magnet funding, and community support will be key to making it happen.

Tough fiscal times

Fiscally, the County is hard-pressed to fund any enhancements for FY2010. It is a challenge simply to maintain our existing level of services. From that viewpoint, any increase such as the Arts Magnet sticks out as an easy target to cut.

Enrollment decisions already made

Although the full implementation of the Arts Magnet will be an enhancement over the current budget, it is one that the schools have committed to in writing. Parents have passed the point of no return in making school decisions for their children next Fall. After receiving the Arts Magnet acceptance letters, parents withdrew their children's slots at other schools.

How heartbreaking this will be for these students who applied for admission and received the acceptance letter, only to have it pulled away. If this action stands it will severely erode families' confidence and trust in their school system.

It would be understandable to defer a funding enhancement that was never committed to. But, at this late date it is unacceptable to cancel the implementation of the Arts Magnet after scores of parents have already made irreversible enrollment decisions for this Fall.

Needless to say, I am committed to restoring this funding. I am cautiously optimistic that a majority of my colleagues will support the effort, but it is a very difficult year fiscally. Community support will be the key to making it happen.

To testify

The County Council is holding two public hearings on the budget next week. They both start at 7 p.m. as follows:

- Monday, May 11 at Old Mill High School
- Wednesday, May 13 at the Arundel Center in Annapolis

Individuals are given two minutes to speak. The best testimonial is simply from the heart. Parents whose children have already been accepted into the magnet should bring their acceptance letter with them.

Annapolis schools update

Today the Board of Education finalized its FY 2010 budget request and reaffirmed its significant commitment to the Annapolis-area school system. Despite the difficult budget climate, the Board approved all three Annapolis school construction projects: Germantown Elementary, Annapolis Elementary, and the Phoenix Center. It also approved the new funding needed to fully implement the Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Program at Bates Middle School this Fall -- one of the very few funding enhancements in the FY 2010 budget.

These projects have passed a critical juncture in the budget process with today's vote. Now the budget process moves on to the County Executive followed by the County Council. The final outcome is by no means assured, but our success so far is a testament to the power of grassroots community support. Thank you to all of you who have made your voices heard. Let's keep it going as we aim for final budget approval in May.

The best laid plans...

Citizens of Anne Arundel County and the City of Annapolis have an opportunity right now to help shape development and land use for the next 10 years.

Both the County and City are in the process of updating their long-range development plans. Once finalized, these two documents will serve as blueprints for everything from zoning and development to housing and economic development to transportation and environmental protection. Several key dates and opportunities for input are coming up soon.

Anne Arundel County's General Development Plan (GDP)

On January 20th, the County will release the draft GDP on its website. The County will then hold four public forums to present the plan and receive public input. All forums will run from 6 to 9 p.m. at the following locations:

• January 26th at Annapolis High School
• January 28th at Old Mill High School
• February 3rd at Southern High School
• February 5th at Meade High School

The County will also accept input in writing or by email through February 16th.

After this public outreach effort concludes, the County will revise the draft and present a final proposed plan to the County Council shortly thereafter. Once the County Council receives it, the Council will hold public hearings of its own. I and likely other council members intend to hold special public forums in our districts to highlight local changes and to receive constituent input.

Community forum this Sunday: Two local organizations -- The League of Women Voters of Anne Arundel County and Growth Action Network -- are sponsoring a special public program on the GDP. It is scheduled for this Sunday afternoon, January 11th at 1:30 p.m. at Woods Memorial Church in Severna Park. LWV member and Growth Action Network chair Ann Fligsten will chair a panel discussion that will include Al Johnston, longtime civic activist and member of the County's Special Advisory Committee for the GDP. For more information contact Ann.

City of Annapolis' Comprehensive Plan

The City has already posted the public draft of its Comprehensive Plan online. The City's Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive input on Thursday, February 5th at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 160 Duke of Gloucester Street.

The City will also accept comments in writing or by email through February 9th.

I encourage all citizens to make the most of this opportunity to be heard and to shape the future of our city and county.

Arts Magnet Program at Bates update

This post is to encourage parents who support the Performing and Visual Arts Magnet Program at Bates Middle School to mobilize in support of it at the Board of Education's budget hearings in January.

Last Wednesday, Schools Superintendent Kevin Maxwell presented his proposed FY2010 operating budget to the school board. It is a bare-bones budget with very few enhancements, a reflection of our dismal government revenue outlook. The wonderful point for local families is that one of the few proposed enhancements is funding for the continued implementation of the Arts Magnet Program at Bates next year. Many families have already been making plans for their kids based on the expectation that the Arts Magnet will be fully implemented. It is critical for it to stay on track.

(In fact, support is not just local - parents all over the county are hoping to send their kids to Bates for the magnet program. The strong countywide interest is prompting school officials to consider moving up the opening of another arts magnet program in the northern part of the county.)

Dr. Maxwell's proposed funding is the first step; the next step is for the Board of Education to support it. Not everyone in the county shares our local enthusiasm for the Arts Magnet, and it is an easy target for anyone looking for a program to cut. Supporters need to demonstrate the community's strong backing for this program and to reinforce that Dr. Maxwell made the right decision for our kids.

Two budget hearings are scheduled: one is on Tuesday, January 13th in Glen Burnie, the other is on Thursday, January 15th at the Board of Education on Riva Road. Both public hearings start at 7:00 p.m.

On the web:

• The Sun: Arundel officials agree on school budget goals (Dec. 19, 2008)