what every parent needs to know about the proposed b-cc middle school #2

8/9/2019 What Every Parent Needs to Know About the Proposed B-CC Middle School #2

1/23

What every Montgomery County

parent should know about theproposed BCC-Cluster Middle School

1


2/23

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.

2


3/23

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

3


4/23

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

4


5/23

The Flawed Plan for MS #2

5

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


6/23

“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

6

What should be. What is.


7/23

“Space to Learn and Play?”

StateStandards

BCC MS#2Site

Future

County

Standards

Current

County

Standards

Each Child Icon =

40 students (1,200 total)

7

What kids deserve. What they get.


8/23


9/23

What They Get.

9

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.


10/23

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

10

Classrooms too small?How many

students can

fit in this

remaining

space?


11/23

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

11


12/23

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

12


13/23

Access, Flow and Safety.

13

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


14/23

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

14


15/23

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)

15


16/23

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.

16


17/23

Back Up Slides

17


18/23

Dining 6000 SF required4900 SF useable

Recycling 250 SF required

0 SF provided

Only accessible by one elevator

Ground (1st) Floor

Deficiencies

18


19/23

Classrooms (7) 900 SF required


20/23



21/23



22/23

“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)

22


23/23

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)

23

Requirements

provided at

Clarksburg, thatare missing at

MS #2….