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SMCPS outlines redistricting timeline, urges attendance at Nov. 12–14 community forums
Summary
St. Mary’s County Public Schools staff on Nov. 5 updated the board on redistricting work with the Canon Group, said draft options will be presented at community forums Nov. 12–14, and asked residents to register by Friday to avoid consolidated sessions. A second, option-specific survey will open Nov. 17 through Dec. 5.
St. Mary’s County Public Schools staff told the Board of Education on Nov. 5 that the Canon Group has completed an independent analysis of enrollment and capacity data and will present draft boundary options at community forums Nov. 12–14.
The district reported more than 3,000 responses to an earlier calendar- and redistricting-related survey and said the Oct. 28 public forum recording, FAQ slide deck and an addendum are posted at smcps.org/redistricting. Staff advised residents to register by 4 p.m. Friday to keep the scheduled two sessions per night (4 p.m. and 7 p.m.) in place; low registration at a site could trigger consolidation to a single 5 p.m. session. Registration counts reported during the meeting showed varying interest by site and time; staff said they will notify registrants by email if sessions are consolidated.
Canon’s work, officials said, used the district’s data and community priorities to create possible plans driven by goals such as keeping students at schools close to home and preserving feeder-cohort continuity where feasible. Staff emphasized the Canon proposals are initial, technical recommendations and urged attendees not to treat any option as final. The board will hold a work session Dec. 10 to consider guiding principles before staff and Canon refine proposals for presentation in January and for a public hearing in February. A second survey, specific to the forum options, will open Nov. 17 and run through Dec. 5, staff said.
Mr. Watson and Ms. Howe, who presented the update, described ongoing outreach including website tabs, social-media posts and a dedicated email (redistricting@smcps.org). The presenters said the district attempts to answer inquiries within 24–36 hours on business days. Superintendent Dr. Smith and board members asked the public to encourage high-school students to attend the forums; student voices, staff said, are a priority in the process.
Staff also noted that the Canon Group was selected via the district’s solicitation process and that Canon’s role was to provide objective plan options based on data and stated community priorities. The district will layer local preferences and board guidance onto Canon’s technical proposals during December and January.
