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Saint Mary’s board narrows redistricting recommendation, directs phased high‑school moves
Summary
After a lengthy presentation and public comment, the board directed staff to proceed with a phased redistricting that shifts some zones from Leonardtown High School to Chopticon High School and clarifies transportation options; staff will return on March 18 with materials for a formal vote and family notifications expected by April 30 if approved.
The Saint Mary’s County Board of Education on March 4 gave administrators direction to advance a phased redistricting plan that would move specified attendance zones from Leonardtown High School to Chopticon and, in some cases, to Great Mills. Staff said the proposal is intended to rebalance utilization across the three county high schools and would be implemented by moving incoming freshmen first while grandfathering most current 10th–12th graders.
Presenter(s) for the district outlined the legal framework under the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR), saying the board and superintendent have authority to set school attendance boundaries and that the consultant Cannon Design supplied geocoded options to guide the superintendent’s recommendation. The presentation identified specific road segments and neighborhoods proposed for reassignment and estimated the phased student moves (for example, 24 freshmen to Great Mills and 65 to Chopticon in year one under the current recommendation).
Trustees pressed staff on transportation logistics and the cost of providing shuttle or doubled routes. Staff said one model would route the same bus to two drop‑off sites—serving redistricted students and grandfathered students—with estimated additional transportation costs in the hundreds of thousands of dollars; adding a dedicated bus contract was estimated near $300,000. Board members also asked about projected housing developments near affected boundaries; staff noted several concept and site‑plan proposals that could yield additional students over multiple years but cautioned most would take months to years to generate enrollment.
Several trustees urged caution about immediately moving all recommended parcels. One board member suggested limiting the initial action to the Hollywood‑area transfers to Chopticon and deferring other changes (including portions of Indian Bridge Road) until enrollment and development patterns are clearer. The superintendent and staff said they would run transportation scenarios and return on March 18 with formal materials for board action and with the address‑by‑address notifications required by policy.
Public comment earlier in the meeting urged the board to restore Indian Bridge Road to Leonardtown’s attendance area; the board’s discussion incorporated that neighborhood concern and transportation constraints when shaping its direction. The board set March 18 as the date for the action item; if approved then, staff said families affected would be notified by April 30.
What’s next: staff will finalize cost and routing analyses and submit the formal redistricting resolution and notifications for the March 18 meeting.
Quote: “With the advice of the superintendent,” the presenter said, “the board shall determine the geographic attendance area for each school,” framing the board’s legal authority and the timeline for decisions.
