Petition: Protect College Gardens’ K-12 IB Pathway

Protect College Gardens IB Program

Please reject the proposal that would destroy MCPS’s only nationally-recognized IB pathway and isolate students

Fill out your information and hit "Start Writing" to send an email to decision makers



THE ISSUE

We, the families and community members of College Gardens Elementary School (CGES), urgently call on decision makers to reject any redistricting plan that removes our students from the Julius West Middle School and Richard Montgomery High School cluster. On June 2, the Montgomery County Board of Education (BOE) laid out four boundary options under the Crown HS and Damascus HS Expansion study. Two options (Options 1 and 3) in the boundary proposal contradict the district’s stated priorities of:
  • Educational continuity
  • Equitable access to specialized academic programs
  • Proximity and collaboration, and
  • Balanced facility utilization across all impacted schools.


WHY THIS MATTERS

Preserving Equity in IB Education

CGES is a highly-diverse elementary school (44% free and reduced meals; 76% students of color). It holds a unique position in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) as the only elementary International Baccalaureate (IB) World School.

This globally-recognized program fosters critical thinking, international-mindedness, and interdisciplinary learning from an early age. It is a treasured program that draws families to the community.

IB Program Continuum with Middle Crossed Out
Currently, CGES students continue to Julius West Middle School, which is home to the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), and then to Richard Montgomery High School, which offers the IB Diploma Programme. This specialized IB pathway is the only continuous pathway in Montgomery County.

Reassigning CGES students to Gaithersburg Middle School would disrupt students’ academic progress and undermine years of investment in curriculum, teacher training, and program development.

Under Options 1 and 3, these CGES students would then be the only students at Gaithersburg Middle School to then attend Richard Montgomery High School—while all of the remaining students have had three years together at Julius West. There is no capacity or utilization rationale for this change. Singling out CGES’s diverse student body for this isolating experience does not further any of the Board’s stated goals, and simply defies common sense.


Geographic Proximity and Collaboration Matter

CGES is significantly closer to Julius West Middle School than to Gaithersburg Middle School, and the existing relationship is strong. These schools have existing enrichment opportunities, joint recreational programming, family engagement, and academic support services.

Remaining at Julius West would preserve shorter transportation times and costs and the strong connection that would be more difficult to maintain across longer distances and different school communities.


Systemwide Facility Optimization

Option 2 is the only plan that achieves optimal use of space at all the middle and high schools involved in this study—not just for CGES families. This solution balances enrollment and promotes long-term stability while avoiding overcapacity.

Option 2 presents a long-term, responsible use of taxpayer-funded resources which will prevent future overcrowding— a critical priority in a growing district.


Our Demands

  1. Preserve the continuity of the IB pathway to ensure the full benefit of high-quality and equitable academic offerings.
  2. Prevent the loss of inter-school collaboration for enrichment opportunities by prioritizing proximity and established community relationships.
  3. Protect students' rights to adequate school facilities by ensuring that the schools included in the study are not subject to overcrowding.
We recognize that these are difficult decisions with real impacts on students and families. We understand the complexity of this process and appreciate the Board’s commitment to equity, community voice, and academic excellence. Option 2 stands out as the only plan that honors all three. We respectfully request that the Board adopt Option 2 to protect programmatic continuity for CGES students and ensure a more balanced and sustainable future for our schools.

Sign Now to urge the Montgomery County Board of Education and the elected officials of Montgomery County and City of Rockville to prioritize our students’ well-being and make equitable decisions for College Gardens ES families!

Press Inquiry? mcps.cges.parents@gmail.com

Sponsored by
Petition_protect_college_gardens%e2%80%99_ib_program_(2)
CGES Parents for Better Boundaries
Rockville, MD