Northern “Rebanding” Project Update

The Northern Advisory Committee meeting held on 12/09/2024 was led by Paul Edwards, Director of Secondary Education for Garrett County Public Schools. The meeting outlined the draft findings of an advisory committee. This committee is tasked with analyzing the potential relocation of Accident Elementary School to Northern Middle School and the movement of eighth graders to Northern High School. While no questions were taken during the presentation, attendees were encouraged to email comments, which will be shared with the committee as they finalize their recommendations for the superintendent in January.

Jes Brown and Stephanie Boyd provided a draft presentation of recommendations from a committee analyzing potential changes in school configurations:

1. Relocation of Accident Elementary School Students to Northern Middle School

   • Renovations: $1.2M would be required to repurpose Northern Middle School for Pre-K to 7th grade. Keeping Accident Elementary open would cost $2.5M in renovations.
   • Building Utilization: Northern Middle School is under capacity and could house younger grades with some adjustments (e.g., playground, bathroom facilities).
   • Community Concerns:
     • Parents voiced worries about space adequacy, age-appropriate environments for young children, and safety.
     • Uncertainty about the future use of the Accident Elementary building and its impact on local dynamics if repurposed or leased to private schools.

1. Moving 8th Grade to Northern High School

   • Opportunities for Students:
     • Access to more specialized programs such as fine arts, JROTC, and Career and Technology Education (CTE).
     • Alleviates some capacity pressures at the middle school level.
   • Community Input: Questions raised about maturity differences between 8th graders and older students in a high school environment.

Supporting Data and Trends

• Enrollment Projections:
  • While countywide enrollment has declined, the Northern district saw slight growth recently.
  • Redistribution may better align facility usage with current population trends.
• Transportation:
  • New configurations could reduce travel times for some students by consolidating bus routes.
• Academic Concerns:
  • Preserving the 5-star performance of Accident Elementary, particularly its strong community-focused programs, was a priority for attendees.

Feedback and Adjustments

• Building Considerations:
  • Northern Middle’s capacity and its ability to accommodate a broad age range raised concerns.
  • Questions about how classrooms, lunch schedules, and library resources would be shared or expanded for younger students.

Next Steps:

• Feedback is encouraged via email to public.comments@garrettcountyschools.org and the committee will refine the draft based on public input and finalize recommendations for the superintendent in January.