Garrett County Public Schools is set to begin the next phase of possible considerations regarding the current and future footprint of the school system. This includes a facility utilization and grade-band alignment study of the northern district schools, and two separate advisory groups to examine and make a recommendation for the future of Swan Meadow School and Route 40 Elementary School in accordance with GCPS Board Policy FCB.
A facility utilization and grade-band alignment committee will be formed to study the northern district schools, similar to what occurred recently in southern district schools. The recommended footprint would provide for grades 7th-12th in high school and align grades Pre-Kindergarten-6th in the elementary schools. The committee will examine instructional benefits and challenges, other considerations, proposed footprint, facility utilization estimates, estimated budgetary impacts, and a recommended timeline—each of these are spelled out in greater detail in the full grade-band alignment plan released in February 2022.
Two separate advisory groups will be formed to examine and make a recommendation for the future of Swan Meadow School and Route 40 Elementary School. Each advisory group will operate independently of the other and will focus only on their respective school. Each group will consider student enrollment trends, age/condition of the school building, transportation, educational programs, the racial composition of the student body, financial considerations, student relocations, impact on the community in the geographic attendance area, and such other factors enumerated by the Superintendent or that the advisory group finds to be relevant.
Initiation of each of the steps referenced above is slated to begin in December 2022. If you have comments about the process, or proposed planned steps, please contact us via email at gradeband.alignment@garrettcountyschools.org.
