Welcome to the EBCA Neighborhood

The EBCA Education Committee is committed to supporting the education needs of our community and ensuring that East Bethesda citizens have a voice in the public schools that our children attend. The Education Committee was formed in January 1998.  For more information on the Committee, please contact Monica Hayes Education Committee chairperson at education@ebca.org.

EBCA School Assignment Survey
Over 300 residents completed the EBCA School Assignment Survey. The final survey results are provided here.  Here are some preliminary high-level results.  A sample of the online survey is here.

Ongoing work with MCPS staff and Board of Education  

Recent Education News:

Possible East Bethesda School Changes

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase (B-CC) cluster Roundtable group approaches to relieve elementary school overcrowding, and B-CC Cluster schools Parent Teacher Association (PTA) comments, have been posted to the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Roundtable website.

Roundtable approaches evaluated by the group include:

          -  Moving 6^th grades at North Chevy Chase and/or Chevy Chase Elementary Schools to Westland Middle School.  This would not require a boundary study and could be implemented as soon as August 2011.

·        -   Establishing a boundary study for East Bethesda (and Paddington Square) to examine elementary schools assignments.

·        -  Additions for B-CC cluster Elementary schools.

·        -  Opening a new elementary and/or middle school in the B-CC Cluster. These would require boundary studies.

Click here to view the complete B-CC Cluster Group Roundtable report.  Click here for EBCA comments on the MCPS June 16, 2010 report based on our community survey, and click here for the 2 July 2010 MCPS response to EBCA's comments.

 Want to Advocate on East Bethesda Schools?  Click here for Advocacy Information.

Recent articles on B-CC Cluster planning activities see the May 2010, March 2010 and Winter 2009 EBCA newsletters. 

Additional information see the links to the Montgomery County Public Schools website below.  

MCPS information on Bethesda-Chevy Chase Roundtable Discussion Group can be found at:
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/planning/CommunityInfo_Roundtable.shtml
 

MCPS information on Bethesda-Chevy Chase Planning activities and the boundary change process can be found at:
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/planning/CommunityInfo_Boundary2.shtml
 
Links to MCPS information on the transfer process can be found at:
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/transfers/%20

Questions?  Contact EBCA Education Committee Chair Monica Hayes at mailto:ebca@education.org

Previous Meetings:

The EBCA Education Committee hosted Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) officials Dr. Frank  Stetson, Community Superintendent, and Bruce Crispell, Long Range  Planning, at a community meeting on Monday, November 10 at the Lynnbrook Recreation Center.  Mr. Crispell discussed Supplement A of the CIP and Dr. Stetson talked about how transfers will be handled in the coming year.  A complete write-up of the meeting is available and will be summarized in the December issue of the EBCA newsletter.

On November 12, Monica Hayes, Chair of the Education Committee, testified at the Board of Education hearings. Her testimony is provided here.Testimony, Attachment 1, Attachment 2a, Attachment 2b

On November 20, 2008 the MCPS Board of Education passed Supplement A: Amendments to the FY 2009-2014 CIP Master and Educational Facilities for Bethesda-Chevy Chase Cluster Elementary Schools.

• MCPS anticipates planning activities, including boundary studies, in the FY 2011-2016 Capital Improvements Program
• Parents of 2nd graders at Rosemary Hills that would like to attend other than their assigned school fill out a Change of  School Assignment (transfer) form to request a different school. Transportation will be provided for all students, in all communities, to whichever school they choose unless within designated walking distance.
• Transfers to BE will be handled through Policy JEE and will be granted only for hardship or older siblings. Older sibling option not available for BE siblings in grades 3-5.
• MCPS commits to dealing with the over utilization of elementary schools in the B-CC cluster and to keeping EBCA involved. MCPS requests EBCA assist in efforts to provide clear direction and information on the topic. 

Other Information
Monica Hayes, Chair, EBCA Education Committee, has written numerous articles on the latest developments for the EBCA Newsletter.  Recent articles have appeared in the September, October and November 2008 issues.

• MCPS Schools
• Bethesda-Chevy Chase (B-CC) Cluster Schools
• East Bethesda Assigned Public Schools
• Map of East Bethesda Public Schools
• Other School Assignment Options for East Bethesda Residents
• Special Programs
• Detailed Information on East Bethesda and other MCPS Schools
• How To Enroll Your Child in School
• Transfers to Other Than Assigned Schools
• Presentations

  • Presentation to General Membership, September, 2006 (PDF)