The Calvert County Board of Education (BOE) voted unanimously Thursday, March 7 to begin the process of redistricting elementary school boundary lines in the northeast segment of the county. The process will be done in an effort to relieve the severe overcrowding at Beach Elementary School (BES) in Chesapeake Beach. The action was taken in response to a resolution forwarded to the school board by the Chesapeake Beach Town Council back in January.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jack Smith indicated a committee will need to be appointed to study and propose options that will be subject to two public hearings before the BOE makes a decision on how to redraw the district lines.
While it hasn’t been made clear, in addition to BES, the schools likely to be impacted are Windy Hill, Plum Point and Sunderland elementary schools.
Enrollment data presented by Calvert County Public Schools staff indicates those schools have enrollments that are under capacity.
“I don’t think it’s wise to do nothing,” said Smith, who admitted, “there is a demonstrated need for it.” In order to effect the change in time for the 2013-2014 school year, the superintendent stated a decision needed to be made in May.
“I’m very pleased,” said Chesapeake Beach Mayor Bruce A Wahl, when contacted after the meeting. “It’s appropriate and an increasingly positive response.”
Current enrollment data shows BES has the largest enrollment of Calvert’s 13 public elementary schools—nearly 700 students, well above its state rated capacity.
