DISCUSSION/ACTION

Office of the Superintendent of Schools

MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Rockville, Maryland

April 21, 2020

MEMORANDUM

To: Members of the Board of Education

From: Jack R. Smith, Superintendent of Schools

Subject: Gaithersburg Cluster Elementary School #8—City of Gaithersburg Land

Acquisition Agreement

As elementary school student enrollment growth continues in the Gaithersburg Cluster,

several schools exceed their program capacities: Gaithersburg, Rosemont, Strawberry Knoll,
Summit Hall, and Washington Grove elementary schools. In recent years, we have
worked to identify and evaluate capital planning options to address enrollment pressures
in the Gaithersburg Cluster elementary schools.
• On April 19, 2016, the Board of Education approved the construction of an addition
at Gaithersburg Elementary School (Resolution No. 170-16). A feasibility study
was conducted for the addition at Gaithersburg Elementary School, which revealed
a number of challenges with significant expansion of the current site.
• To mitigate those challenges and to address the overutilization at Rosemont and
Strawberry Knoll elementary schools, on August 31, 2017, the Board approved that a Site
Selection Advisory Committee convene to evaluate potential new elementary school
sites in the Gaithersburg Cluster (Resolution No. 385-17).
• On February 26, 2018, the superintendent of schools supported the Site Selection Advisory
Committee recommendation and recommended the City of Gaithersburg Kelley Park site
as the location for the new Gaithersburg Cluster Elementary School.
• Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) staff also evaluated the feasibility
of the Victory Farm Park site to provide comparative analysis of this property
as an alternative. The review highlighted several environmental and additional site
challenges that indicated against using this parcel for a new school.
• On March 22, 2018, the Board approved the superintendent of schools’ recommendation
to use a portion of Kelley Park for a new Gaithersburg elementary school (Resolution
No. 156-18).
Members of the Board of Education 2 April 21, 2020

Funding requested in the Board’s Fiscal Year 2021–2026 Capital Improvements Program reflects
the expenditures for this new elementary school. This new school is scheduled to be completed
in August 2022. On October 28, 2019, the Board reviewed and approved the preliminary plans
for the new school (Resolution No. 533-19). These preliminary plans then were presented
to the Mayor of the City of Gaithersburg and the Gaithersburg City Council.

Kelley Park sits on a 28-acre site that is owned by the City of Gaithersburg. MCPS staff has worked
with City of Gaithersburg staff to reach an agreement on transferring ownership of the portion
of Kelley Park needed for the new school. Having reached agreement on the terms of the property
transfer, I recommend that the Board approve the transfer of property for this purpose.
The Gaithersburg City Council also is taking action on the property transfer.

The agreement is to convey to the Board of Education a 5.71-acre portion of the Kelley Park
site for a new Gaithersburg Cluster elementary school. Construction is scheduled to begin
in January 2021 and the new school is expected to open in August 2022. The school building
is anticipated to be 99,763 square feet with capacity for 740 students in Grades K–5.
The school also will include prekindergarten and Head Start classrooms, as well as a Linkages
to Learning Center.

Shared Amenities

An important part of the discussion between MCPS and the City of Gaithersburg regarding
the use of a portion of Kelley Park has been the need to preserve and maximize the park as a valued
community resource. MCPS and the City of Gaithersburg both have a strong interest in the park
remaining a vital outdoor area for school and community use and recreation. As part
of the proposed design for the school and as part of the property transfer, MCPS has agreed
to provide the following shared amenities to improve the Kelley Park site.

Athletic Field
• The field will be constructed by MCPS as part of the elementary school project work;
• The final surface will be built, maintained, and operated by the City of Gaithersburg;
• Consideration of artificial turf may be explored; and
• MCPS and the City of Gaithersburg will share use of the field once completed.

Community Tot-Lot
• Will be built by MCPS to meet City of Gaithersburg standards; and
• Intended for a day-use tot-lot with five dedicated parking spaces.

New Walk Path Connection

• New connections will be made such that the existing park pathways will remain continuous
around the site and accessible at all times.
Members of the Board of Education 3 April 21, 2020

We are confident that these important amenities will enhance the park’s value in the community
and the recreational opportunities that are available to both the new elementary school
and the City of Gaithersburg.

Next Steps

Following Board of Education and City of Gaithersburg approval of the property transfer, we will
finalize the agreement for signature. MCPS and City of Gaithersburg staff will continue their work
around collaborative design of the shared amenities and integration with the park as a whole.
MCPS staff will continue community engagement processes related to the design and planning
of the elementary school. An important element of the planning process will be to explore
opportunities to minimize disruption of park operations during construction.

I recommend approval of the following resolution.

WHEREAS, The Board of Education has determined that a new elementary school is needed
in the Gaithersburg Cluster; and

WHEREAS, The approved Montgomery County Fiscal Year 2020 Capital Improvements
Program includes planning funds for a new elementary school to open in the Gaithersburg Cluster
by August 2022; and

WHEREAS, The Board of Education has requested that the City of Gaithersburg provide
a portion of the Kelley Park property, which is owned by the City of Gaithersburg, as the site
for the new elementary school; and

WHEREAS, The Mayor of the City of Gaithersburg and the Gaithersburg City Council agree
to the conveyance of 5.71 acres of property in Kelley Park to the Board of Education as the site
for the new elementary school; and

WHEREAS, The Board of Education and the City of Gaithersburg intend for the remainder of the
Kelley Park site to continue to be used for park use, and have agreed that Montgomery County
Public Schools will provide, as part of the project, several shared amenities on the Kelley Park site
including athletic fields, a tot-lot, and a walk path connection; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education authorize the superintendent of schools to execute
a property transfer agreement with the City of Gaithersburg; and be it further

Resolved, That the property transfer agreement transfer ownership of the 5.71-acre parcel
of land from the City of Gaithersburg to the Board of Education for the purpose of constructing
a new elementary school.

JRS:AMZ:EM:bls