The Washington Post ran this article today about problems of overcrowding in Maryland schools – with Montgomery County bearing the brunt as the state’s largest school system. As 200,000 Maryland students headed back to school, growth in classroom size has been pitched against funding difficulties meaning school’s have been unable to hire more teachers, leaving parents understandably anxious.
Concerning Bethesda:
At Ashburton Elementary School in Bethesda, enrollment has grown to 770 this year from 650 last year, mostly in kindergarten and first grade. Principal Charlene Eroh Garran said that she had hired two veteran teachers and two rookies in the past month and had to find new space in the school to accommodate all the students, but she was optimistic that things would work out. Any more and she’ll have to call in the trailers, she said.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Jerry D. Weast, who is retiring in June, undertook a “back-to-school-tour” yesterday marking the final of his 12 years as Superintendent. He began the day at Bethesda’s Walter Johnson High School.
Read the full article here.
