After learning of plans by Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to install two portable classrooms at Chevy Chase Elementary School (CCES) this summer, the Town reached out to MCPS officials to offer feedback and work out a mutually-agreeable alternative. Recently, the Town and MCPS agreed to a plan to install one portable classroom at CCES and to remove it after three years.
In several meetings with MCPS representatives, the Town noted the impacts on recreational space and the playing field at CCES, and the existence of an agreement between the Town, the school and the state that ensures that this open space will not be converted to any other use. The Town also noted other concerns, including the common perception that portable classrooms often become permanent structures. MCPS officials were very receptive to the Town’s concerns and explained the need for additional classroom space at CCES given projected enrollment numbers. They also explained that the portable classrooms were only necessary as a short-term solution while a new middle school is under construction.
Following these conversations, MCPS agreed to installation of only one portable classroom at CCES, along with confirmation of the plan to remove it after three years. MCPS also will continue to monitor student enrollment. The school system will now seek the appropriate approvals and permits to construct the portable classroom this summer.
The Town is very grateful for MCPS’s willingness to work with us to develop a plan that addresses both the interests of the Town and the needs of the school, as well as our collective interest in preserving open space.