Board of Education Narrows Options for Wheaton and Edison Modernization

In a marathon meeting that went past midnight, the Montgomery County Board of Education voted to include two options in the feasibility study for Wheaton and Edison High Schools' modernization.

“I’d hate to report back to you that the option that you’ve asked staff to study isn't feasible.” Facilities director James Song told the Board, describing a scenario that would set back the modernization efforts at least a year, if the board "locked in" to a decision on Monday evening.

Wheaton and Edison are on the same schedule for modernization, a complete renovation or rebuilding of a school, as the schools share the same building, although with two driveways and separate entrances.

Song’s concern was given the school site’s “extreme difficulties” to work around - the 20 foot grade drop between the building and the fields, the relative small size of land available at 20 acres, building around and near the existing school, and the need to build facilities for two programs, could largely determine whether two buildings were possible or not. 

“It is the process and purpose of a feasibility study to consider all options,” Song said.

Based on Song's testimony and their own concerns, the Board approved a feasibility study for two specific options: two buildings or one building with “two driveways” and “two identities".

They took a longer portion of time to work with deletions and additions on the programmatic recommendations for both schools, most notably adding a resolution that MCPS develop recommendations for career and technical education programs that "cannot be replicated in other schools."

There was no discussion of the administrative make-up of Edison's program in a one-building option.

"There's a real frustration and trust issue we have to get beyond so we can make a good decision," Board President Christophe Barclay, who proposed many of the amendments to the original recommendation, said.

Board of Education members seemed to be split, if not evenly, on preferring the two or one building option, but ultimately voted to go ahead with the feasiblity study on both.

"There's a high Board interest in not only the outcome, but also the process," Laura Berthiaume, board member for the 2nd district said, adding the feasiblity study should not be undertaken with "a foregone conclusion."