Saturday, October 10, 2020

Update: We're Getting a Fort Washington Middle School


On Wednesday, Oct 14th, the Tantallon Square Area Civic Association (TSACA) will host a virtual (Zoom) meeting to learn about the new K-8 school planned for Fort Washington. Edward Burroughs III, Vice Chair of the Prince George's County School Board, will participate.
Details of the meeting:
Time: Oct 14, 2020 07:30 PM
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Meeting ID: 912 450 1782
Passcode: 6xERm0
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  • Today [October 7, 2020], Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) Chief Executive Officer Dr. Monica Goldson announced the next stage of the school system’s innovative and collaborative school construction program, a move designed to address rapid enrollment growth amid aging school buildings.
  • Prince George’s County Education and Community Partners — which is comprised of Fengate Capital Management Ltd. and Gilbane Development Company, Inc., Gilbane Building Company, Stantec and Honeywell — will be recommended to the Prince George’s County Board of Education to lead the Alternative Construction Finance Program, a public-private partnership. The Board is expected to vote on the proposed developer during its Thursday, Oct. 21 meeting.
  • With the Board’s approval, Fengate Capital Management Ltd., Gilbane Development Company, Inc., and Gilbane Building Company will serve as the design-builder; Stantec as the architect and design lead; and Honeywell as the lead services provider. The design-build team of Gilbane and Stantec combines the expertise of the nation’s top K-12 schools builder and designer with services provided by Honeywell through local school-based staff. 
  • The new schools will result in upgraded learning environments for approximately 8,000 students. If approved, over the next four years the developer will build the new Drew-Freeman, Hyattsville, Kenmoor and Walker Mill middle schools in addition to an Adelphi area middle school and a south county kindergarten through eighth grade school. Under the normal process, it would take at least 12 years to build the new facilities. All schools are scheduled to be ready for occupancy July 2024
[June 27, 2019 post]
At the June 6, 2019 Board of Education meeting, the board voted to approve option 1 of the Action Summary to address overcrowding at Accokeek Academy.  This means that Potomac Landing will become a K-8 with 240 elementary students and an addition will be built for 400 middle school students by 2023. Potomac Landing 6th graders will start staying at Potomac Landing in 2020.
A briefing given at Accokeek Academy on March 19 is here. School CEO Dr. Goldson said that the money for option 1 was already secured.
Thanks to Phil VanWiltenburg for the information.