Week Ahead: School Board To Discuss a 210-Day Academic Year for Two Silver Spring Schools

Plus: Rockville leaders consider next steps on Stonestreet Corridor Study; popsicle social set for Germantown park

BY BETHANY RODGERS

Officials required to request state waiver to lengthen school year at Arcola, Roscoe Nix

The school board on Monday evening is slated to talk about experimenting with an extended academic year at Arcola and Roscoe R. Nix elementary schools in Silver Spring.

Officials are interested in providing additional instructional days for students at those schools during the 2019-2020 year and will need to seek a state waiver to move forward with the pilot program. The 210-day academic calendar under consideration would schedule the first day of classes for July 8, 2019, and the last day as early as June 9, 2020.

Lengthening the school year could provide one method for addressing opportunity gaps across Montgomery County Public Schools, according to a staff report. Arcola and Nix were chosen for the pilot because they’re both Title I schools and because of principal tenure, levels of participation in existing summer programs and community engagement, the report stated.

To secure a state waiver, the school system will have to show evidence that performance on literacy and mathematics at the two schools is below average for the district and that there are other signs that achievement gaps are present.

The Montgomery County Board of Education is expected to discuss the pilot program at around 7 p.m. during its meeting at the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville.

Rockville to move ahead on Stonesteet Corridor Study recommendations

City of Rockville officials on Wednesday are planning to take action to implement a study on transforming the Stonestreet Corridor.

The mayor and council will discuss getting the ball rolling on amending the city’s comprehensive growth plan for properties covered by the study. They’ll also consider projects to improve the sidewalk and street at N. Stonestreet Avenue and the intersection of Park Road and S. Stonestreet Avenue, according to a staff report.

If the city leaders give their consent, Rockville staff will submit a draft amendment of the growth plan to the city’s planning commission.

Wednesday’s meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Rockville City Hall.

Free popsicles available at parks celebration

Montgomery Parks is capping off “Park & Recreation Month” on Tuesday with a popsicle social at Plumgar Local Park.

The popsicles will be free for the first 200 people to arrive at the event, scheduled to run from 4 to 6 p.m. Family-friendly games and activities will round out the festivities at the park at 19561 Scenery Drive in Germantown.