WHY WE ARE CONCERNED

Our community wants school boundaries that are safe, stable, and practical, boundaries that keep students connected to their classmates, use school buildings responsibly, and support the needs of all learners. We want decisions that make sense not just for the next year, but for the long term.

Assigning all Fields Road Elementary students to Crown High School directly reflects those goals. It is the simplest and most sensible solution because it aligns with proximity, community continuity, diversity, and capacity.

Crown High School is the closest high school for Fields Road families and offers safer, more accessible travel, including walkability for many students. This matters for daily attendance, participation in after school activities, and family access, especially for families without reliable transportation.

Keeping all Fields Road students together also preserves long standing peer relationships and community ties. Splitting the Fields Road community across multiple high schools would separate students who have grown up together and introduce unnecessary disruption.

Fields Road’s diverse community helps Crown High School reflect the broader Gaithersburg population. At the same time, assigning Fields Road to Crown High School reduces strain on overcrowded schools, particularly Gaithersburg High School, while using the space Crown High School was built to provide.

Our kids deserve to be a part of what Crown HS has to offer. 

Crown HS will be providing specialized programs In STEM, Information Technology, and bioscience, preparing students for high-demand and emerging carreers. Through dual enrollment oppertunities, students can earn college credit while In high school and work toward an associate degree, creating a clear pathway from secondary education to college and the workforce. 

Oppertunities to go to magnet schools In other locations , like Poolesville, are NO LONGER AN OPTION for the Fields Road Elementary students. 

THIS Is a once and a lifetime opportunity. 

When a school is overcrowded, learning becomes harder for everyone. Classrooms get more crowded, hallways get noisier, and teachers have less time to work with each student. Overcrowded schools also lose important spaces. Rooms used for tutoring, counseling, testing, quiet breaks, and small group instruction are often repurposed when space runs out.

These spaces benefit all students, and they are especially important for students who need additional support. When more students are added to a school that is already full, resources are stretched thinner. This results in fewer support services, limited flexibility, and increased stress on both students and staff. It affects students who are already enrolled as well as those who are newly assigned.

Several options in the study would send additional students to Gaithersburg High School even though it is already struggling with space. The data provided does not explain how all students would receive the support they need in a building that might not have sufficient room.

Overcrowding does not only affect support services. 

It also limits access to programs that benefit all students, including advanced coursework, electives, career and technical programs, the arts, athletics, and extracurricular activities. When schools are too full, schedules tighten, class sizes increase, and opportunities shrink.

All students feel the effects. A school cannot offer a full and balanced educational experience when space and staffing are consistently strained.

Families need to trust that school assignments will last. Repeated boundary changes create uncertainty, disrupt learning, and make it harder for schools to build strong programs and relationships.

Updated enrollment projections show that some options provide only short term relief, with overcrowding returning within a few years at certain schools. This raises concerns that families could face additional boundary changes in the future. Assigning Fields Road fully to Crown High School provides a long term, stable solution that aligns with projected enrollment trends and supports consistency for students and families.

Crown High School was built to serve this growing area and has significant available space in the coming years. At the same time, other schools, particularly Gaithersburg High School, remain overcrowded or close to capacity under several options.

Sending Fields Road students to Crown High School places students where space already exists instead of adding pressure to schools that are already stretched. This helps classrooms function better, protects access to programs and supports, and reduces strain on teachers and staff across the system.

Crown High School is the closest high school for Fields Road families. Many students can walk or travel safely without crossing a major highway. For families without reliable transportation, this proximity matters every day.

Assigning students to farther schools increases commute times, limits participation in after school activities, and creates real safety concerns. Proximity is not just a convenience, it directly affects attendance, engagement, and student wellbeing.

The boundary study does not clearly explain how staffing, counseling services, language supports, or academic interventions would be adjusted as students are added to already crowded schools. It does not show whether additional teachers, counselors, or specialists would be provided to match increased enrollment.

Without this information, families cannot make informed decisions or understand how schools will realistically meet the needs of all students, especially those who rely on consistent academic or emotional support.

We are united in one message:
All of Fields Road Elementary should be fully assigned to Crown High School.

Crown HS offers more space, stability, and modern learning environments.

Our Final Message:

Every child deserves a safe, stable, and well resourced school environment. 

The decision before MCPS should reflect what works best for students and families both now and in the years ahead.

Assigning all Fields Road Elementary students to Crown High School supports the four key considerations that guide sound boundary decisions. Crown High School is the closest high school for the Fields Road community, allowing for safer travel, stronger family access, and greater student participation. Keeping the Fields Road community together provides stability over time, preserving relationships and minimizing disruption. The diverse Fields Road community helps Crown High School reflect the broader Gaithersburg area. Finally, Crown High School has the space to serve these students, while other schools are already overcrowded.

This approach balances proximity, stability, diversity, and effective use of facilities. It supports student wellbeing, strengthens community ties, and ensures Crown High School is built for long term success as a permanent high school serving the Gaithersburg community.