The Howard County Board of Education yesterday decided to hold another public hearing before making adjustments to correct errors in the new elementary and middle school boundary lines approved last month.
The changes involve pupils attending Ilchester, Rockburn, Waterloo and Bellows Spring elementary schools as well as Oakland Mills and Ellicott Mills middle schools.
At yesterday's meeting, board member James P. O'Donnell seconded member Virginia Charles' motion asking for a delay in voting on the changes, which had been scheduled for yesterday.
The wording of four proposed motions has been adjusted to clarify confusing descriptions in the previously approved redistricting. The motions also are intended to correct mistakes that moved groups of pupils to the wrong schools.
Yesterday, the board acted on a fifth motion that sends 120 children living on or having egress to Wheatfield Way and the south side of Montgomery Road from Long Gate shopping center to Wheatfield Elementary from Worthington Elementary. Members neglected to vote on that motion Nov. 21, when elementary line changes were made official. "We went on to other discussion," said Sandra H. French, the board chairman, "and forgot to vote on [it]."
In other business, the board agreed to a "memorandum of understanding" with the Howard County Administration Association - a bargaining group for the county's administrative education staff - that will give principals and other instructional facilitators a lump sum of cash Friday.
The agreement provides a retroactive 4 percent salary increase for fiscal year 2003, which began in July. A 6 percent salary increase will take effect in July next year for fiscal year 2004.
Howard's teachers reached agreement last spring on a three-year contract that gave them only experience step increases the first year, a 4 percent raise the second year and 6 percent the third.
A public hearing on the redistricting motions will be held Jan. 9 during the board's first meeting next year. Discussion at the hearing will be limited to issues related to these changes, French said. The changes follow, with the new language in italics:
Ilchester Elementary will send to Waterloo Elementary current pupils in grades one through five and future kindergarten pupils "who reside on or have egress to Brampton Parkway, Yorkshire Drive, Ilkley Moor Lane, Red Hill Way and Avoca Avenue; Chatsworth Way; and both sides of Montgomery Road from Wheatfield Road to New Cut Road."
Rockburn Elementary will send to Bellows Spring Elementary current pupils in grades one through five and future kindergarten pupils "who reside on Old Montgomery Road from Brightfield Road to Montgomery Road; streets with egress to and inclusive of Brightfield Road; and the south side of Montgomery Road from Hinting Horn south to Brightfield Road."
Waterloo Elementary will send to Bellows Spring current pupils in grades one through five and future kindergarten pupils "who reside on or have egress to Montgomery Run; on or have egress to Cotoneaster Drive including Goldfinch Court or reside on the east side of Route 108 from Old Montgomery Road to Route 104."
Oakland Mills Middle will send to Ellicott Mills Middle current pupils in grades six through eight "who reside on Summer Hollow or Billow Row or Five Fingers Way; and all roads that egress these roads."