Friendship Academy wants to set up a new school where the old Montessori School used to be, offering a STEM program for up to 480 students. They’ve been chatting with locals to get feedback, and so far, it sounds like people are pretty on board with the idea.
Here are the highlights:
- Friendship Academy proposes a new school program at the former Montessori School site on Rustic Hill Drive.
- The program will accommodate 480 students with a STEM and project-based learning curriculum.
- Meetings with local residents have been held to gauge support for the proposal.
- Initial enrollment will start with K-1 students and expand over time.
- The investment for renovations and enhancements is estimated between 8 to 10 million dollars.
- Council Members expressed relief that the program will start small and not require significant site changes.
- Friendship Academy’s teacher compensation and retention rates exceed those of most other programs.
- Bowie has a substantial population of teachers and school employees available for recruitment.
- The previous Montessori School served 400 students before its closure.
- Resident opposition led to the reconsideration of a proposal to convert the site into single-family homes.
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New School Program Proposed at Rustic Woods
Representatives from Friendship Academy, a national charter school program, detailed plans to fill the space previously occupied by the Montessori School on Rustic Hill Drive.
Friendship Academy operates 22 schools in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Arkansas, and Louisiana. They propose a 480 student program with a STEM and project-based learning curriculum at the former Montessori School site.
Their representatives have been taking meetings with residents along Rustic Hill Drive to gauge support for the concept. Two of those residents attended the council hearing and spoke largely favorably of the program.
Connie Carter, a longtime Rustic Hill Drive resident, offered questions about the intended student body size, construction plans, and traffic impact to local residents.
Friendship's spokespersons described that the existing school site fit their needs well and that mostly only renovations and enhancements would be needed. They anticipate an 8 million to 10 million dollar investment at the location.
The new school would start small with only K-1 students, expanding as students matriculated over time.
Council Members expressed relief that the proposed Friendship Academy program would start small and not likely require substantial changes to the site. They were also pleased that the new school will ultimately reach a student capacity similar to its predecessor, meaning there would not be a significant change to traffic impact.
Council Members also inquired about how the program will navigate–and potentially contribute to–the ongoing teacher and bus driver shortage. Friendship reps detailed their teacher compensation and retention exceeds that of most other programs.
They added that Bowie has a substantial population of teachers and school employees from which to recruit. They described a win-win for teachers and support staff being able to continue their professions closer to home.
They also boasted a professional development program with a history of success attracting new teachers to the profession.
The previous Montessori School served 400 students before closing following the passing of its founder.
The founder's sons, who now own the property, approached the city earlier this year with a proposal to convert the site to 35 single family homes. Resident opposition to the proposal caused the brothers to reconsider and search for a new education owner.
The Friendship Academy presentation can be read here. The city council hearing can be viewed at the city's Youtube channel.