Superintendent Dance Announces School Crowding Plan

A plan to reduce school crowding in Baltimore County by building 4,500 new or replacement seats will go before the Board of Education next week.

Superintendent S. Dallas Dance announced his plans would be presented to the Board of Education on Tuesday.  

"By working so closely with our community and government stakeholders, we have developed proposed solutions that do much more than create more room for our students," Dance said in a news release. "By taking a thoughtful approach and aligning these projects with our soon-to-be-released 10-year facilities plan, we are designing 21st century learning environments that will facilitate student engagement and our instructional digital conversion; enhance safety; maximize flexibility; and abide by sustainable design standards."

County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, said in a separate news release that he has agreed to earmark the funds for the proposed school construction, but that the Baltimore County School Board must approve the projects and they will then to a voter referendum.

"The most important investment that we can make in our communities is to ensure that our children attend state-of-the-art, 21st century schools," Kamenetz said in a news release. "I applaud Dr. Dance, his staff and the Board of Education for putting forth a comprehensive plan to address serious overcrowding issues.

Proposals from the county include:

• A new $3 million Community/PAL Center on the grounds of Padonia International Elementary School that includes a gymnasium and theater for dual use by the school, freeing up additional space for classroom instruction
• Funding renovation to reopen a 500-seat Loch Raven Elementary School, replacing the current Halstead Academy, which will be converted into an elementary magnet school.
• A 289-seat addition at Cromwell Valley Elementary School
• Build a 200-seat addition at Sparks Elementary School
• Construct a new 700-seat elementary school at Mays Chapel, which is to open in fall 2014.
• Fund construction of a new 700-seat elementary school on the grounds of Westowne Elementary School; the old school would be demolished to provide substitute field space.
• Renovate and expand the former Catonsville Middle School on Bloomsbury Avenue to create a 700-seat elementary school.
• Build a 700-seat elementary school on the grounds of Relay Elementary School; the old school would be demolished to provide substitute field space.
• Fund a 200-seat addition to Westchester Elementary School