On 9/23 the Board of Education voted to approve the Capital Budget for HCPSS. After listening to numerous people speak out in support of funding OM schools along with many letters to the Board through written testimony, the Board of Education voted 7-0 to accelerate the OMMS renovation, originally scheduled for 2029 to 2024.
In addition, the Board of Education voted 6-1 to put OMHS on the Capital Improvement Plan, scheduled for 2026. The Board also voted 7-0 to add JHES to the long range master plan.
Read our Executive Director's response and letter to the Board of Education below:
Hello members of the Board of Education,
First, I want to thank you for your time on 9/23 to listen to my testimony on the HCPSS Capital Budget. Thank you for not only listening to my testimony, but also the testimony of numerous other HCPSS stakeholder and residents that spoke up regarding the deferred maintenance in the Oakland Mills cluster.
On behalf of Oakland Mills United, I want to thank this board for voting to accelerate the renovation of Oakland Mills Middle School, voting to finally add Oakland Mills High School to the Capital Improvement Plan, and voting to add Jeffers Hill Elementary School to the Long Range Plan.
The impact of your vote will be remembered by the Oakland Mills community. I cannot tell you or express the level of excitement from students, Oakland Mills staff members, parents, and Oakland Mills United when we saw that our schools were finally added to the Capital Improvement Plan and that our voices have been heard, listened to, and that this Board acted equitably for the Oakland Mills community.
Now that HCPSS has added OM schools to the Capital Improvement Plan, I understand that there may be funding challenges that may come up with the county and state. I want to let you know that Oakland Mills United is ready and more than willing to help in any way and capacity to ensure that you secure the funding needed to turn your Capital Improvement Plan into reality.
Again, on behalf of Oakland Mills United, thank you for listening to the voices of Oakland Mills and voting to add OM schools to the Capital Improvement Plan.
Thank you,
Samuel Hahn
Executive Director, Oakland Mills United
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