Save New Windsor Middle School!
Donation protected
This story ought to start with "one day, while I was minding my own business..." and end with "and now I'm fighting tooth and nail to save my son's school."
The school board's announcement that they wanted to close New Windsor Middle School hit me right out of the blue. They wanted it that way. The school board did not make any information about this potential school closing available until September 9, just after the start of this school year. They already knew then that they were closing in on a December vote. On December 9, the school board voted 4-1 to close New Windsor Middle School, along with two other schools, for next year. That was fast!
This is a terrible blow to our community. The loss of our school means sending our children to other middle schools in communities farther away. It means our children will go to crowded schools, with fewer opportunities to participate in activities at school and after school. It means parents will be challenged to engage in their child's education, with the school so far away. It means our houses will lose value. It means we lose the use of the fields, stage, cafeteria, gym and other amenities we currently enjoy.
I have read years of newspaper archives and spoken to countless residents about how New Windsor, Union Bridge and Taneytown seem always to come "last" in the school board's priorities for quality education. I imagine they did not believe we would fight their decision.
They almost got their wish. Upon hearing that the Town of New Windsor voted not to appeal, I jumped into action and wrote an appeal. Others have joined me on that appeal. My husband and I have secured an attorney to help all the appellants fight the decision in the Office of Administrative Hearings. We will use funds to pay our attorneys to help us win back our school.
We have a solid case focused on administrative law, policies and procedures. We have a hearing tentatively scheduled to begin May 31. If we get this hearing, which appears likely, we will make Maryland legal history.
Let's win this one for all our students, all our future students and the entire community. Let's keep OUR beautiful, vibrant community school for OUR use!
In the event the $35k is not all spent on attorney fees and we prevail, we will contribute the difference to the New Windsor MS PTO. In the event we are not successful, the remainder will go to the West Carroll Rec Association (and/or a special fund at the Carroll County Community Foundation to assist affected families with transportation costs, extracurricular registration fees and other associated expenses).
To stay on top of our fundraising efforts, including
Our Family Talent Night/Spaghetti Dinner on April 22 at the New Windsor fire hall;
A Schultz's Sub Sandwich sale;
Upcoming 5K fun run; or
To learn more about the issues, please
visit our Campaign to Save New Windsor page on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1656329377943835/
The school board's announcement that they wanted to close New Windsor Middle School hit me right out of the blue. They wanted it that way. The school board did not make any information about this potential school closing available until September 9, just after the start of this school year. They already knew then that they were closing in on a December vote. On December 9, the school board voted 4-1 to close New Windsor Middle School, along with two other schools, for next year. That was fast!
This is a terrible blow to our community. The loss of our school means sending our children to other middle schools in communities farther away. It means our children will go to crowded schools, with fewer opportunities to participate in activities at school and after school. It means parents will be challenged to engage in their child's education, with the school so far away. It means our houses will lose value. It means we lose the use of the fields, stage, cafeteria, gym and other amenities we currently enjoy.
I have read years of newspaper archives and spoken to countless residents about how New Windsor, Union Bridge and Taneytown seem always to come "last" in the school board's priorities for quality education. I imagine they did not believe we would fight their decision.
They almost got their wish. Upon hearing that the Town of New Windsor voted not to appeal, I jumped into action and wrote an appeal. Others have joined me on that appeal. My husband and I have secured an attorney to help all the appellants fight the decision in the Office of Administrative Hearings. We will use funds to pay our attorneys to help us win back our school.
We have a solid case focused on administrative law, policies and procedures. We have a hearing tentatively scheduled to begin May 31. If we get this hearing, which appears likely, we will make Maryland legal history.
Let's win this one for all our students, all our future students and the entire community. Let's keep OUR beautiful, vibrant community school for OUR use!
In the event the $35k is not all spent on attorney fees and we prevail, we will contribute the difference to the New Windsor MS PTO. In the event we are not successful, the remainder will go to the West Carroll Rec Association (and/or a special fund at the Carroll County Community Foundation to assist affected families with transportation costs, extracurricular registration fees and other associated expenses).
To stay on top of our fundraising efforts, including
Our Family Talent Night/Spaghetti Dinner on April 22 at the New Windsor fire hall;
A Schultz's Sub Sandwich sale;
Upcoming 5K fun run; or
To learn more about the issues, please
visit our Campaign to Save New Windsor page on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1656329377943835/
Organizer
Elizabeth Harris Galaida
Organizer
Union Bridge, MD