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City Seeks to Expand NCP School

For some time, the students and teachers at the district’s only elementary public school are going through some growing pain. The Holloywood Elementary School on 49th Avenue has outgrown 133% and is projected to grow 161% by the year 2015, according to the county statistics.  Hollywood is currently one of the top five most overcrowded schools in Prince George’s County.

Theer have been several attempts to fix this overcrowding problem – one option is to reboundary the school district, a move very unpopular to post of the parents living in our part of the neighborhood. Back in last January, that plan was put on hold.

Rather than continuing to redo boundaries, College Park officials have advocated that an addition be built onto Hollywood. However, county officials have said budget woes would make such a project unlikely in the next few years. No cost estimate has been provided for the expansion.

“Although the schools don’t have a lot of money right now, the Board of Education members representing our area have suggested that we begin now advocating for an expansion at Hollywood, so that when PGCPS has more money, it will be at the top of their agenda.”- said councilman Patrick Wojahn.

In addition to sending a letter in support of an expansion of Hollywood, the City also voted encouraging theschool board to look into the possibility of making it a K-8 school.

In last Tuesday’s special council session, the City approved a motion to consider a letter the PG school board in support of that expansion. The Board is currently  considering its capital budget for the next year. The council vote was unanimous.