For Immediate ReleaseNovember 14, 2011Contact: A'Jeenah Chavez MCCPTA Public Relations ajeenahchavez@gmail.comMCCPTA Requests Board of Education Look at Alternatives to Superintendent's Recommended Capital Improvement BudgetAt the November 10 public hearing on the Superintendent's Capital Improvements Program (CIP), the Montgomery County Council of PTAs (MCCPTA) advised the Board of Education that they cannot support the Superintendent's CIP recommendation. MCCPTA President Kristin Trible stated, "Specifically, the proposed delay in our middle school and high school modernizations wastes the best construction market in a decade, and harms students at 23 middle and high schools either on or waiting to be added to the modernization list. The variability we observe in the schools our students attend is overwhelming at times. We must keep the modernization schedule on track." Ms. Trible requested the Board of Education continue to work on alternatives to the recommendation which would keep modernizations on track yet still provide capacity and fund systemic needs. She alluded to the need for all stakeholders to cooperate in the solution, "This will take a cooperative and practical attitude by more than us to accomplish. Some solutions will need assistance from the County Council. Some will require a "buy in" from local communities. Some solutions will require [the Board of Education] to prioritize projects that offer the best savings now. We can all cooperate, balance the economic realities, and support solutions that are in the best interest of our students." Thirteen MCCPTA Cluster Coordinators testified on Thursday, November 10, on the capital needs of the schools within their clusters. On Monday, November 14, the remaining 12 clusters will present their testimonies to the Board of Education. The MCCPTA testimony as well as the cluster testimonies will be available on the MCCPTA website.
|
