SEVEN LOCKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL – TIME LINE

Introduction/Summary

This document provides a time line for events concerning the modernization and expansion of Seven Locks Elementary School (ES) at the intersection of Bradley Boulevard and Seven Locks Road in Bethesda, Maryland. It starts with County Council approval of one part of the project in spring 2000. It reflects the series of changes by the County School Board and County Council from 2000 to the present, brought about in large part due to citizen activists who spoke out when County officials were making decisions based on erroneous information. Some of the more important events are in bold. The time line indicates that the budget action in May 2006 resulted in funding for the modernization of Seven Locks ES and some expansion (extent to be determined) – similar to what had been planned in 2001 before the County Executive and School Superintendent introduced plans to use school property for non-educational purposes. The time line reflects the following themes:

n Potential for change in County decisions

n Frequent lack of due process for community and PTA

n Politicization of the decision-making process

n Need for enhanced accountability in local government

n Need for more oversight of the school budget and the decision-making process of the school system

n Need for civic vigilance and active participation in County political process

n Need to maintain factual records (such as this Time Line) to refute future misstatements by Montgomery County School Officials, who in the past have suppressed information and presented biased and incomplete information

Time Line: 2000-2006

5/2000: County Council approves School Board FY 2001-2006 CIP that includes addition for Potomac Elementary and modernization of Seven Locks Elementary that is to be completed by 2006.

1/2001: MCPS completes feasibility study for plans to conduct a modernization project at Seven Locks Elementary.

3/30/2001: County Council Education Committee recommends as part of review of FY 2002 Capital Budget that FY 2001-2006 CIP be amended to add capacity during the Seven Locks modernization to provide relief for Potomac in lieu of building addition for Potomac ES. Full Council approves this modification to School Board request.

5/2001: County Council approves $250,000 in planning funds for the project which MCPS says will address overcapacity at Potomac ES. Council directs School Board to expand the project to include an addition to Seven Locks and undertake a boundary study. The addition is to open in 9/2006.

7/2001: MCPS forms an architect selection committee for the Seven Locks project. Parents complain about exclusion from process.

9/19/01: Seven Locks is scheduled for addition and modernization to relieve overcrowding at Potomac Elementary. Feasibility study is completed – concluding that preferred option of architect and PTA is Option 1 (tear-down of current school, replaced by compact two-story structure). Note: Option 1 is same as option reintroduced by Council Member Denis in 2/28/2006.

1/2002: MCPS concludes feasibility study for current Seven Locks ES site. The report endorses Option 1 (rebuilding new school on site), but this option is never presented to County Council or to civic associations that later requested information on all options. This option provided for a new building (63,600 square feet) versus 59,000 sf for proposed Kendale Road facility which, despite being larger, was estimated to be less expensive.

3/22/2002: Education Committee supports plan to delay all modernizations. It defers Seven Locks modernization until 2010 and recommends funding to complete addition by 2006. Council approves those recommendations in FY 2003-2008 CIP with understanding that approval would not affect priority order of modernizations.

7/2002: Based on Council direction, MCPS terminates plan to complete Seven Locks addition/modernization as single project and develops feasibility plans to phase addition and modernization.

5/2003: Council affirms FY 2003-2008 CIP action to move ahead with phased addition/modernization for Seven Locks Elementary as part of FY 2004 amendments to CIP.

10/20/2003: Letter from County Executive Douglas Duncan to School Superintendent Weast requests three properties (Kendale, Brickyard and Edson Lane) be declared surplus for workforce housing to meet goals of housing policy adopted by County Council (7/2001)

11/17/2003: Seven Locks PTA passes resolution regarding concerns over multi-step renovation process and distant and different holding schools proposed by MCPS, as well as need to address traffic issue at Seven Locks site with different outlets to Seven Locks Road and Bradley Boulevard.

11/20/2003: School Board approves a six-year CIP which recommends funding for a 10-room addition to Seven Locks by fall 2006.

1/2004: Seven Locks PTA endorses position of Churchill Cluster rep (Rosanne Hurwitz) opposing possible surplusing.

2/2004: County Council staff release comprehensive report on affordable housing that includes recommendation that the County seek public land, including school property, to be turned over to the County for such housing. County Executive Duncan calls on school system to identify such property for surplusing.

2/12/2004: Council holds a public hearing on the recommended FY 2005-2010 CIP for MCPS.

2/23/2004: School Superintendent Weast sends memorandum to the School Board

n Says that additions to existing schools are more cost-effective than opening new schools when projected growth is modest, as is case in Churchill Cluster

n Declares that Kendale might be possible site for replacement Seven Locks School

n Discusses option of public-private partnership whereby Seven Locks site could be surplussed for workforce housing, with proceeds used to help fund construction of needed schools

n Says that such funding would enable building of new school on Kendale without delaying any other projects in the CIP

n Weast states: “If it proves more cost effective to build a new school on the Kendale site, I am inclined to recommend that the Seven Locks site be transferred to the County for work workforce housing, contingent on being able to generate funding for the completion of the new school by 9/2007 without impacting funding for the current queue of elementary school modernizations.” But, Weast also indicated on 2/23/2004 that Seven Locks PTA proposed plan to build replacement Seven Locks E.S. on Kendale Road. That was not true. Nor was it true, as Weast contended, that there was strong community support for this sudden change of plans.

2/23/2004: Council’s Education Committee holds a work session on the recommended FY 2005-2110 CIP for MCPS.

3/3/2004: School Board holds Public Hearing on CIP items, including Superintendent’s recommendation on surplusing. No notice to affected community associations. Seven Locks PTA testimony protests process.

3/4/2004: Council’s Education Committee holds a second work session on the recommended FY 2005-2010 CIP for MCPS. Noting the Superintendent’s Feb. 23, 2004 recommendation, the Education Committee recommends deferring action on the Seven Locks addition project.

3/18/2004: Third work session of Council Education Committee.

3/22/2004: Superintendent memo to County Board recommends amendment to 2005-2010 CIP and 2005 capital budget to build Seven Locks replacement school on Kendale Road with completion date of 9/2007 (one year later than planned addition to current Seven Locks ES). Superintendent cites alleged cost saving of $2-3 million. (Note: MCPS never provided detailed comparative cost data requested by community and County Council to document that assertion. Nor did the County School County Board produce the required feasibility study of the Kendale site including community input.) School Board adopts resolution to alter the 2005 capital budget and 2005-2010 CIP to remove funding for Seven Locks addition and instead fund replacement school on Kendale Road through MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the county to use the value of the current Seven Locks site to support construction of replacement school. Community groups begin to protest what they consider fly-by-night change of plan.

3/23/2004: Council holds work session on the recommended FY 2005-2110 CIP for MCPS and defers action on the Seven Locks addition project.

4/13/2004: President of Deerfield Weathered Oak Citizens Association testifies to County Council that the community did not support the closure of Seven Locks Elementary School and the building of Kendale School. This was the start of well over 50 testimonies given by community leaders to the County Council, the Board of Education, and the Planning Board against the Board of Education plans proposed by Superintendent Weast.

5/5/2004: Council’s Education Committee holds work session on Board’s revised Seven Locks ES proposal. The Committee recommends approval of a replacement facility on Kendale Road.

5/11/2004: Superintendent Weast indicates that the replacement school will be for 740 students, not 500 as had been planned for Seven Locks site. Seven Locks PTA holds emergency meeting and passes resolution requesting County Council to return Seven Locks revised proposal to County Board in order to follow established County procedure and regulations and to reflect community input.

5/13/2004: County Council holds work session on the Board’s revised Seven Locks ES proposal and recommends approval of a replacement facility on Kendale Road. Weast and Cox assert that proposal for replacement school has strong community support.

5/14/2004: County Council approves $14.024 million for funding the replacement school on Kendale during fiscal years 2005-2008, with $818,000 appropriated for FY 2005. According to MCPS response to OIG report (2/2006), “Following a public hearing, a revised Board request, and a Council public hearing, the Council approved the revised request to build a replacement Seven Locks Elementary School with gymnasium at the Kendale site instead of a phased addition/modernization solution at the existing Seven Locks Elementary School site.”

6/9/2004: Community holds meeting at Seven Locks ES. Petition signed by over 150 attendees unanimously condemned change of plans for Seven Locks.

7/6/2004: County Board approves $817,500 sole source contract for architect for replacement school. Meeting between PTA and community representatives with MCPS staff at Seven Locks that evening results in refusal of MCPS staff to answer many community/PTA questions or to provide requested cost data and other information that MCPS and PTA/community representatives had agreed would be included in final minutes of the meeting. MCPS personal also made statements regarding approval of architect by PTA representatives that were untrue. (Video tape of meeting available)

8/2/2004: Community coalition of 5000-families files appeal to State Board of Education to put on hold County Board decision to close and surplus Seven Locks E.S. and build replacement school on Kendale Road. State Board rejected appeal as matter outside their jurisdiction and referred coalition to State Interagency Committee on Public School Construction. That committee headed by Dr. David Lever also said that it had no jurisdiction over the matter, so that appeal was rejected later in August, as was the subsequent Motion for Reconsideration of Appeal.

8/3/2004: Two Board of Education members (President Cox and Vice President O’Neill and MCPS staff (e.g. Joe Lavorgna) met with four civic association leaders, and told civic leaders that Board of Education considers community inputs just from PTAs and not civic associations or other groups, and therefore no notice was given to civic groups regarding changed plan to build at Kendale and close Seven Locks Road school.

10/29/2004: Funding for the Seven Locks “replacement” school is included in FY 2005 recommended Capital Budget and FY 2005-2010 Capital Improvements Program (CIP).

9/2004 – 2/2005: MCPS conducts Facilities Advisory Committee meetings on site plan and preliminary design of replacement school on Kendale Road. (Note: MCPS had indicated at beginning of the process that participants would have opportunity to register views and vote on final proposal. When community and PTA opposition became clear, MCPS announced that no vote would be taken. Attendees at final meeting decided, nonetheless, to hold vote and rejected MCPS plan for replacement school overwhelmingly (well over 2 to 1 against Kendale).

11/2/2004: Presidential/local Election. Seven Locks Coalition helps defeat incumbent representative for School Board who refused to meet with community.

11/10/2004: County School Board holds Hearings. Representatives of Seven Locks Coalition testify and more than 150 citizens from Seven Locks area attend hearing on the FY 2006 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget protesting the planned closing of Seven Locks Elementary.

11/18/2004: School Board approves amended FY 2005-2010 CIP, including amendment to surplus Edson Lane.

12/6/2004: After meeting with then Council President Silverman (12/3/2004), Seven Locks Coalition sends letter to Mr. Silverman, presenting comparative cost data on Seven Locks options and noting questions for MCPS response. Silverman forwards request to MCPS for full range of cost-effective options and other information.

12/9/2004: Seven Locks PTA passes resolution, by two-to-one vote, supporting keeping current Seven Locks ES open, opposing plans to surplus property where there is an existing school, and requesting halt to action to build “replacement” school and instead to proceed with more cost-effective, neighborhood-friendly options that will expand and or upgrade Seven Locks ES. Full text available.

1/13/2005: County School Board holds hearing on Operating Budget. Representatives from Seven Locks Coalition testify against MCPS plans for Kendale, and for school at Seven Locks Road.

2/7/2005: Silverman sends follow-up letter to MCPS when MCPS fails to respond fully to his earlier letter of Dec. 6, 2004.

2/2005: Seven Locks Coalition collects over 1300 signatures from local community protesting closing of Seven Locks Elementary School.

2/17/2005: Seven Locks Coalition sends first of many letters to the County Executive requesting meeting. No response, 2005-2006.

3/3/2005: County Council Education Committee Chair Subin agrees to request from Howard Denis and Steve Silverman to have Committee address key community questions on Seven Locks ES.

3/8/2005: County School Board approves preliminary site plans for the Seven Locks replacement school, despite questions raised by some Board members and opposing testimony from the community.

3/21/2005: School Board decides to fund the costs of several new programs “by leasing the Radnor Center to a private school while that facility is not needed for use as a holding school…” (Note: Radnor was thus leased to the private Avalon School, from summer 2005-summer 2007 even though earlier MCPS had indicated that Radnor, the holding school preferred by the Seven Locks ES PTA, would not be available at that time for construction on the Seven Locks site, when in fact it was available and had not yet been leased.) Note: The availability of Radnor becomes pertinent later since the Denis proposal for building a replacement school on the Seven Locks site would require a holding school for the Summer 2007-August 2008 period. MCPS CIP records indicate that the Radnor facility would be available from summer 2007 – January 2009 at which point it is to be a holding school for Carderock ES.

3/24/2005: Lt. Governor Steele visits Seven Locks Elementary School, partly because of community concerns.

4/29/2005: Staff report to the Montgomery County Planning Board regarding mandatory referral and preliminary forest conservation plan for the Kendale project notes significant tree loss and storm water management issues.

Spring/2005: Seven Locks Coalition representatives meet with members of County Council and School Board and their staffs but receive little response or support.

5/3/2005: County Council holds hearing on FY 2006 budget, including request for construction of Seven Locks replacement school. Representatives from the Seven Locks Coalition testify and are criticized by several Council members.

5/5/2005: County Council Education Committee holds hearing on FY 2006 school budget, including discussion of Seven Locks Elementary School. (Note: Questions presented in advance by the Seven Locks Coalition are not addressed fully, especially the question of comparative cost data for all school project options. There was no reference then or at any previous time to the question as to whether options presented by MCPS might be precluded by policy issues or other considerations. The Seven Locks community and PTA were not permitted to testify or to refute the misrepresentations made by School Board Members and the Superintendent and MCPS staff.)

5/5/2005: Park and Planning Board holds hearing on mandatory referral of Seven Locks “replacement” school on Kendale Road. Many members of Seven Locks and Kendale community testify against the suitability of the Kendale site. The Park and Planning staff memo contained extensive questioning about the site and voluminous documentation in opposition to the site. Despite strong criticism of the Kendale site by two members of the Planning Board and questions raised by the Planning Board staff, the Board approves the mandatory referral with one negative vote, one abstention (with that member stating his frustration that the Planning Board had no authority to reject an MCPS project, especially one such as this proposal where political considerations dominated). See large package of material assembled by Planning Board staff.

5/17/2005: Seven Locks Coalition leaders meet with Chief of Staff (Jerry Pasternak) for County Executive. He maintains that decision on Seven Locks School is strictly up to the School Board.

5/19/2005: County Council approves budget, including construction funding ($14 million) for Seven Locks replacement school, in off-year review of CIP .

Late 5/2005: MCPS makes “35 percent” plans for new school available for public inspection.

6/14/2005: School Board finalizes FY 2006 budget.

7/1/2005: FY 2006 budget takes effect.

Fall 2005: MCPS makes “99 percent” plans available for public inspection and sets timetable for requesting bids on construction of Seven Locks replacement school on Kendale Road.

11/2/2005: Memo goes from the County Office of the Inspector General (OIG) on Seven Locks, informing County Council of impending audit.

11/9/2005: School Board holds hearings on FY 2007-2012 CIP. Seven Locks representatives testify against Kendale and for school at Seven Locks Road. After hearing, Superintendent Weast and School Board Member O’Neill surprise community reps by indicating that they are prepared to state that Seven Locks site will not be declared surplus. This reversal occurs shortly after OIG informed MCPS of planned audit.

11/10/2005: Weast states on the record that during his tenure as Superintendent he will not recommend that Seven Locks be declared surplus.

11/17/2005: School Board passes resolution against surplusing existing Seven Locks ES and site at least through the 2011-2012 school year.

11/30/2005: OIG issues Memo on “Financial Audit of MCPS Seven Locks Elementary School Projects.”

12/8/2005: Seven Locks Coalition sends letter to County Attorney asking about procedure for review of MCPS construction contracts. (with 12/19/2005 response).

Mid-December 2005: Final construction bids are due to MCPS for Kendale project

12/19/2005: County Attorney responds to 12/8/2005 letter that MCPS is not subject to County’s procurement law.

12/22/2005: Planning Board approves Forest Conservation Plan Amendment sought by MCPS for Kendale site but decides that Board will send letter noting “serious reservations” of Board majority about the Kendale site.

1/9/2006: Planning Board chairman sends letter to Superintendent Weast, County Executive Duncan and County Council President Leventhal indicating that three of five Board Commissioners have “serious reservations” about building a large elementary school on Kendale Road. Letter was sent only after reported senior-level revisions of the letter and released only after prodding by Montgomery County Civic Federation.

1/10/2006: School Board awards construction contract for “replacement” school on Kendale Road (approximately $16 million) – despite OIG recommendation that action be deferred until completion of audit on Seven Locks and letter from Planning Board. Seven Locks community testifies in opposition to action. This contract is contingent on Council approving a $3.3 million special appropriation request to cover projected cost overruns attributed to inflation and the rising cost of construction materials.

1/12/2006: School Board holds hearings for FY 2007 Operating Budget. Seven Locks community testifies against School Board plans.

1/12/2006: County Council receives a supplemental appropriation request and amendment from MCPS for $3.3 million to address construction price increases in the Seven Locks ES replacement project at Kendale.

2/6/2006: MCPS begins boundary study for “replacement” school on Kendale.

2/8/2006: County Council holds Hearings on FY2007-2012 CIP. Seven Locks sends written statement indicating that we would hold comments for March 7 hearing.

2/14/2006: Council Member Denis holds press conference to announce the release of “final draft” of the OIG report on Seven Locks.

2/15/2006: Inspector General releases audit on “Seven Locks School Projects” that is highly critical of MCPS and that provides four findings and recommendations. It faults MCPS for providing misleading and inflated cost data about modernizing Seven Locks and omitting less costly options for Council consideration. It also notes misrepresentation of community views and challenges MCPS compliance with County Board procedures.

2/28/2006: Council Member Denis introduces amendment to FY 2005-2010 CIP to fund the building of a new school on the current Seven Locks site.

3/2/2006: Council Member Denis holds press conference on his amendment.

3/3/2006: Joint Committee Meeting (Education and Budget) of County Council is held on the OIG report on Seven Locks. Criticism of MCPS and Board of Education leadership by County Councilmembers. Senior MCPS official stated MCPS withholds information if not favorable to their position.

3/7/2006: County Council holds public hearing on the School Board request for a special appropriation ($3.3 million) to cover cost overruns on the Seven Locks “replacement” school on Kendale Road and Denis CIP amendment to build new school on current Seven Locks site, as well as to address findings and recommendations in the OIG report. Testimony is overwhelmingly negative with regard to Kendale site.

3/10/2006: Council President Leventhal, Education Committee Chairman Subin, Board President Haughey, and Superintendent Weast release joint statement that noted the formation of a Working Group to review all options to address the elementary school capacity and facility issues in the Churchill Cluster.

3/21/2006: County Council holds second hearing on above subjects. Testimony is overwhelmingly negative with regard to Kendale site and positive regarding Denis amendment to build new school on current Seven Locks site.

3/23/2006: County Council Education Committee holds meeting on Seven Locks project. The Committee votes to note its opposition to moving Seven Locks ES to the Kendale property (option 1). It also expresses its support for resolving the cluster’s elementary school capacity issues without involving other school clusters.

3/28/2006: In its initial review of the options being reviewed by the Staff Working Group, the Council unanimously notes its opposition to moving Seven Locks ES to the Kendale property. The Council also expresses its support for resolving cluster capacity within the cluster.

4/20/2006: Superintendent reaffirms his support for relocating Seven Locks ES to Kendale site and revising the scope from 740-core to 640-core. The School Board then votes to send the Superintendent’s recommendation to a public hearing on May 9 and to include Option 5B (four-school option involving closing Seven Locks Elementary School, which was very suspicious because for six years the School Board and the Superintendent had stated an expanded Seven Locks Elementary School was needed) within the advertisement for the public hearing.

5/1/ 2006: School Board public hearings on two above options. Unanimous opposition (60 speakers) to Weast / Board of Education plans to close Seven Locks Elementary School; strong support for keep public school at current Seven Locks Road

5/2/2006: Council holds public hearing on facility issues within the Churchill cluster. Most testimony for immediate construction of new school at current Seven Locks Road site, also testimony for accelerated construction of new school at Bells Mill, less than 5% of people supporting Kendale even after concerted effort by a few county officials to get Kendale built

5/5/2006: MCPS staff informs Council staff of new Board proposal to build Kendale as a holding facility for Bells Mill ES. Under the proposal, Seven Locks and 110 students from Potomac ES would move to Kendale in 2010. A 20-25 year agreement might then be signed with the County Council, County Executive, Park and Planning on preserving the grounds for public use, but no language was ever written.

5/8/2006: Superintendent formally proposes to use Kendale as a holding facility for Bells Mill.

5/9/2006: School Board approves resolution endorsing the construction of Kendale for Seven Locks and 110 Potomac students and the subsequent use of Seven Locks ES as a holding facility. The Board also calls on the Council to accelerate the modernization of Bells Mill ES by one year and to conduct a feasibility study of Potomac ES needs.

5/10/2006: Council Education Committee meeting. Votes 2 -1 for new MCPS plan.

5/11/2006: Council holds work session and votes to defer consideration of Denis amendment.

5/17/2006: Council votes for Denis “friendly amendment” to MCPS/Education Committee plan which includes: accelerated modernization of Bells Mill, addition/modernization of Seven Locks to be completed by December 2011, and some modest repairs of Potomac ES. Superintendent Weast, senior MCPS officials, President Haughey, VP Cox and other Board of Education members attend Council meeting and agree to negotiated final Council plan for Seven Locks.

5/25/2006: Council approves budget including Project Description Form (PDF) for Seven Locks ES Addition/Modernization (No. 026503), replacing old PDF 7-52 (02 App).

NOTE: This Time Line was prepared by the Seven Locks Coalition from public County documents and working notes of Coalition members. Information is available on the web site:

http://www.save7locksschool.org/