REDISTRICTING PUBLIC HEARING

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• MAY 13, 2026, at 6:00 PM

• MAY 14, 2026, at 6:00 PM

Both public hearings will be held at:
WCPS Center for Education Services
10435 Downsville Pike, Hagerstown, MD

A previous Board of Education approved a plan to close two of the oldest elementary schools, Hickory Elementary and Fountain Rock Elementary. These facilities will close at the end of the 2026–2027 school year when the new school on Downsville Pike opens. Because of this change, the school system needs to reassign students from the closing attendance zones and create a new attendance zone for "Downsville Pike" Elementary. This also provides an opportunity to review and adjust other school boundaries based on several factors, like future student enrollment.

The proposed attendance zone realignments were created by the Facilities and Enrollment Advisory Committee (FEAC) after careful review and analysis spanning several months of public meetings. The FEAC presented 14 recommendations for attendance zone changes at the WCBOE’s public work session on April 7, 2026. The Superintendent of Schools, Dr. David T. Sovine, reviewed and agreed with the recommendations from the FEAC. He also provided an implementation date for one recommendation and an additional recommendation for the Board’s consideration at the WCBOE’s public business meeting on April 21, 2026.

The recommendations are posted on the WCPS website, and a hard copy of the recommendations can be accessed at each school referenced in the recommendations, including:

• Bester Elementary
• Eastern Elementary*
• Emma K. Doub Elementary
• Fountain Rock Elementary
• Greenbrier Elementary*
• Hickory Elementary
• Jonathan Hager Elementary
• Lincolnshire Elementary
• Pangborn Elementary
• Potomac Heights Elementary
• Rockland Woods Elementary
• Ruth Ann Monroe Primary*
• Salem Avenue Elementary
• Sharpsburg Elementary
• Williamsport Elementary
• Boonsboro Middle*
• Boonsboro High*
• Smithsburg Middle*
• Smithsburg High*

*Please note that the proposed attendance zone changes affect an area where a residential development is planned but not yet built. As a result, there are currently no students living in this area who would be impacted by these changes.

In accordance with Policy KD, the public hearing will last up to two and a half hours but may end sooner if all speakers are provided with an opportunity to speak. Anyone intending to speak at the public hearing is encouraged to sign up in advance by emailing publicfeedback@wcps.k12.md.us or by calling 301-766-2971. Speakers are asked to submit nine (9) copies of their remarks at the hearing, if possible. Persons speaking as individuals will have three (3) minutes to share comments; those representing an organization will have five (5) minutes to speak.

Written comments can also be submitted by email to publicfeedback@wcps.k12.md.us or mailed to:

Washington County Board of Education

Attn: Facilities Department

10435 Downsville Pike

Hagerstown, MD 21740

Individuals who need special accommodations are asked to contact Washington County Public Schools by calling 301-766-2971 or emailing publicfeedback@wcps.k12.md.us at least five (5) business days in advance of the hearing.

Additional information about the recommendations is also available by contacting the WCPS Public Information Office at 301-766-2809.

The new Downsville Pike Elementary School is scheduled to open for the 2027-2028 school year. A committee is currently working on recommendations to offer for the school’s official name.