Media Coverage

·                    March 29, 2006: Gazette: Eight options for Seven Locks"

·                    March 24, 2006: Washington Post: Seven Locks School debate confirms "worst fear"

·                    March 8, 2006: Gazette: Seven Locks decision moves to the Council: At risk is a $3.3M appropriation to cover cost increase at the Kendale site

·                    March 7, 2006: Washington Post: School Decisions Deivide Officials in Montgomery County

·                    Feb 15, 2006: Washington Post: School Board Criticized in Building Deal

·                    Feb 15, 2006: Gazette: County Council Blasts School System and Calls for Further Investigation

·                    Feb 14, 2006: Potomac Almanac: Inspector General's Audit faults MCPS for redistricting construction options, botching architect selection, and misrepresenting community sentiment

·                    Nov 16, 2005: the Washington Examiner

·                    Nov 16, 2005: Gazette

2003

November

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2003/200345/potomac/news/186018-1.html - Cluster plan to relieve overcrowding. Seven Locks community objects to two-stage plan, enlarging SLES, etc.

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2003/200347/potomac/news/188368-1.html - More concerns over two-stage plan, holding school. SL community asking BOE to reject budget.  SL community does not object to receiving more students.

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2003/200348/bethesda/news/189462-1.html - Modernization swap with Farmland proposed by SL community.  BOE approves budget.

2004

January

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200404/bethesda/news/198088-1.html - Farmland and BOE waiting for each other to discuss swap, so no action.

February

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200409/potomac/news/203601-1.html - County proposal to surplus up to 3 sites including Kendale.  Weast says Kendale should be "looked at" as new Seven Locks site, with affordable housing to go at old site.

March

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200411/bethesda/news/206064-1.html - Follow up on surplusing.  "We consider a boundary change a capital improvement ... but with no real cost," Cox said.  Weast suggests Kendale swap with SLES.  Potomac ES parents oppose surplusing. 

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200413/gaithersburg/news/208294-1.html - On March 22 BOE votes for Kendale swap.  Weast changes his mind on surplusing, isn't looking to surplus anything.

May

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200420/potomac/news/216290-1.html - Parents express concern over lack of public input about Kendale move.  Cox says there will be time for parents to weigh in over the summer and at hearing in November.  MCPS says moving school is preferable to holding school and Seven Locks has long term safety issues.  Gazette says, "The Board of Education decided to make the switch after receiving public comments on the county's previous plan to use the open Kendale site for affordable housing."  Weast said "The reason there is an amendment to it is that we were listening to the community."

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200421/potomac/news/217504-1.html - On May 14 Council votes to approve Kendale swap.  Parents don’t want to surplus either site, do want a reasonably small school (350 is mentioned) not 740, citing educational & parking issues.  Cox implies parents can weigh in on new design (apparently not location).

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200421/montgomerycty/letters/217638-1.html - PTA president Rigeaux asks for two schools, cites lack of public input.

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200422/potomac/news/218531-1.html - Combination class proposal (not about Kendale)

June

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200424/montgomerycty/letters/220816-1.html - Ellis letter mentioning new Seven Locks coalition, asking to keep school where it is to avoid ruining two communites.

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200425/potomac/news/221894-1.html - SL community cites lack of community input, calls for hearings.  MCPS says the move is decided, was voted on by the Council.

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200426/montgomerycty/letters/222956-1.html - Letters by Moran, Chen, Weinstein, Bleier et al.  One letter cites May 6 Kendale proposal announcement by MCPS and May 14 Council decision.  Another says Kendale not discussed at hearing and cites close 13-11 vote for Kendale at late night PTA meeting and lack of communication to non-PTA neighbors of Kendale.

July

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200429/potomac/news/225996-1.html - Architect appointed, neighbors upset this happened right before MCPS meeting to discuss the issue with the community. 

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200431/montgomerycty/letters/228095-1.html - Beck letter about Kendale safety issues.

August

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200433/bethesda/news/230307-1.html - Coalition appeals to state education board over process failures, asks them to order hearing

September

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200439/potomac/news/236784-1.html - State board rejects appeal on jurisdiction grounds, so coalition appeals to the state Interagency Committee on Public School Construction and the Public School Construction Program, which hasn't said anything.

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200445/potomac/news/243541-1.html - Potomac and SLES PTAs hold joint forum, almost all speakers are against closing SLES.

November

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200448/potomac/news/246879-1.html - Architectural plans presented.  State appeal heard and rejected?  Vogelgesang endorses adding 10 classrooms to SLES. 

December

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200449/montgomerycty/letters/247887-1.html - Weinstein letter of support from SLES to Potomac ES.  Accuses politicians of pushing for workforce housing for developer contributions, says SL-Bradley intersection is too dangerous for dense housing.

2005

January

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005/200501/montgomerycty/letters/253356-1.html - Weinstein letter criticizing Silverman for wanting to surplus land while claiming to support schools. Koenig letter saying Kendale cost is $16M vs. $8M for Seven Locks addition, plus other surplusing concerns.

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005/200502/potomac/news/254547-1.html - Kendale design meetings turn into discussions about the move.  Coalition cites lack of parking and field space, MCPS says it meets standards, says school will be “small-scale, child-friendly and inviting”.  MCPS says $14M for Kendale option vs. $17.7M for SL option, coalition disputes this. Silverman requests update on costs from board, suggests council might intervene.

February

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005/200507/potomac/news/260306-1.html - More community reaction. MCPS says plans for SL site not set yet, disputes coalition cost estimates.

March

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005/200508/montgomerycty/letters/261236-1.html - Letters by Chen, Vogelgesang, Ellis.  Sandy says cost $15M vs. $7.5M, says to go back to ’00-’03 plan adding 10 classrooms and gym, cites environmental issues, etc.  Says SL expansion could be done by 9/06.

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005/200508/weekend/a_section/262272-1.html - Mostly about Cox and Ervin, but Cox says Kendale situation ripe for lawsuit and article says Council originally requested Kendale site be used for housing.

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005/200509/potomac/news/262554-1.html - MoCo District 15  delegation expresses support for SLES.

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005/200510/potomac/news/263833-1.html - School board approves Kendale architectural plans.  Abrams calls fears of surplusing old site “urban myth”, suggests 10-year moratorium on decision there to eliminate fear of housing as part of the equation. Weast rejects that idea, won’t react to “rumor and innuendo”.

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005b/200512/montgomerycty/letters/265839-1.html - Tiktinsky letter cites cost issue, rebuts “urban myth” comment, says Cox accused community of bullying the board.

June

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005b/200522/weekend/a_section/278597-1.html - General article about boad demeanor. Abrams criticizes (non-SL) speaker at a 5/3 hearing, incites audience.  PTA and others critical of Abrams and O’Neill over rebuttals and confrontations.  O’Neill says testifiers on issues including Seven Locks have said inaccurate and “incendiary” things.

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005b/200524/montgomerycty/letters/280102-1.html - Boykin letter citing cost of Kendale as $20M vs. $10M to expand Seven Locks.

July

http://gazette.net/gazette_archive/2005b/200527/montgomerycty/letters/283452-1.html - Nice Weinstein letter affirming school spirit.

November

http://www.gazette.net/stories/110205/montlet154954_31955.shtml - Weinstein letter cites great test scores.

2006

January

http://www.gazette.net/stories/011806/montlet151058_31903.shtml - Wolfe letter cites costs.  It also mentions inspector general investigation, Park & Planning review, council’s request for updated cost data, Duncan’s promise to review the project.

February

http://www.gazette.net/stories/020106/nortnew204242_31916.shtml - MCPS updates costs, Kendale still cheaper than 2-stage SL plan. MCPS will release estimates for 2 other options at Denis’s request.  Construction contract awarded 1/10 but contingent on full funding from council.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/021506/montedu185605_31947.shtml - Inspector general report finds problems.   MCPS responds that IG doesn’t have the authority, only looked at cost, etc.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/021706/polia%20s201208_31962.shtml - Similar to previous, with extra quotes by council members, IG reaction.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/022206/montope153417_31961.shtml - Weinstein letter says IG report affirms coalition’s claims.  Letter emphasizes cost and efficiency (as do earlier letters).

http://www.gazette.net/stories/022206/potonew201011_31991.shtml - Boundary study, recap of other issues.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/022206/montedu183418_31987.shtml - BOE disputes IG report in detail.

March

http://www.gazette.net/stories/030106/montope195709_31962.shtml - Taxpayers League letter defends IG.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/030106/montedu185558_31963.shtml - IG role questioned, IG pros and cons.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/030106/montedu185600_31964.shtml - More IG reaction, more criticism of IG by Subin.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/030806/montedu182613_31902.shtml - Joint council committee session invoving BOE and IG, contentious debate between camps.  Ervin and Navarro say they weren’t consulted on BOE response to IG report.  Potomac PTA votes to support rebuilding at Seven Locks site.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/031006/montedu160345_31909.shtml - Task force created to look at all options.  Denis introduces his amendment.  Leventhal says council votes aren’t there to support Kendale move.  Potomac PTA vote cited by Leventhal and Haughey as allowing new look.  Subin cited reduced enrollment at Potomac also.  Weast more conciliatory.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/031506/nortnew204350_31957.shtml - Recap.  Unanimous opposition by SL community to Kendale.  Potomac PTA person says they can wait a year, want to defer to Seven Locks.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/032906/potonew194741_31940.shtml - Task force comes up with eight options but not done yet. Council votes non-support for Kendale.  Abrams lashes out at Denis, IG, SL community.

April

http://www.gazette.net/stories/040506/montlet161153_31941.shtml - K’Singam letter on school size, says 300-400 students best.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/042606/potonew193751_31940.shtml - Task force report released, closing school is only option cheaper than moving it.  BOE votes 5-2 to hold hearing on the closing option but no others.  Weast hints concern over this.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/042606/montedu185934_31942.shtml - Nastiness by Abrams towards Ervin.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/042606/montcou185936_31943.shtml - Abrams accuses IG of pandering to Leventhal and Denis; Subin says IG was duped.  Leventhal very critical of Abrams.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/042606/montlet164648_31956.shtml - Letter from Bells Mill PTA asking for immediate help, complaining that the task force didn’t even consider Bells Mills’ problems while supposedly looking at the entire cluster

May

http://www.gazette.net/stories/050306/potonew222227_31951.shtml - Contentious hearing on four-school option. Bells Mill parents concerned their problems weren’t addressed by task force.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/051006/potonew202615_31969.shtml - School Board votes 5-2 for Kendale plan and to make Seven Locks a holding school or admin offices.  Weast claims they listened to the community.  Abrams said he looked at quality of testimony.  Haughey cites traffic issue.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/051006/montedu203444_31939.shtml - Council education committee votes 2-1 for Kendale, votes down Denis amendment, votes 3-0 to study moving Bells Mill improvements up a year to ‘09.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/051106/polia%20s210612_31985.shtml - Council votes 6-3 against Kendale.  Subin admits Kendale site “suboptimal”.  Bracing for battle between BOE and council.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/051706/montope93015_31965.shtml - Tiktinsky letter cites cost errors in task force report.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/051706/montlet164307_31961.shtml - Lyons letter complaining that Weast’s late plan gives SL no “new construction” at all.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/051706/potonew210022_31941.shtml - Council vote triggered search for compromise by Weast over the weekend.  Weast’s new plan rebuilds Bells Mill, keeps Seven Locks small with 2011 modernization.  Ed committee approves but Denis and coalition say this leaves Seven Locks too small. 

http://www.gazette.net/stories/051706/montedu163941_31951.shtml - Full Council supports Weast-like plan + 4-8 extra classrooms at SL and design to start in ‘07.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/052406/potonew203354_31950.shtml - More reporting on prior week’s events.  Subin credits Silverman for compromise.  BOE claimed unanimous support for Weast proposal though Navarro and Ervin weren’t consulted, later changed to “majority” support.  

http://www.gazette.net/stories/052406/potonew203341_31940.shtml - Article about Potomac mistrust.  Good quotes by Draffin about BOE.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/053106/montlet170128_31939.shtml - Letter from Potomac ES parent saying they got nothing.

Press Releases

·                    Nov 12, responding to Dr Weast’s memo regarding his new position on surplusing of Seven Locks school land.