More portables to be installed

Three more portables will be installed at Blair this summer because of a projected increase in Blair's enrollment for the next school year, said Business Manager Anne Alban. The portables will be built in the grassy area beside the batting cage and will not reduce parking spaces.

The current MCPS population project for the 2003-2004 school year is 3,256 students, which is 390 students above Blair's capacity. Blair's population was 3,185 as of Jan 31.

Four portables were installed last year because of overcrowding at Blair, where teachers have used the auditorium as a classroom because no other rooms are available, said Assistant Principal Linda Wolf.
As a result, foreign language teachers hold classes in the portables and find the environment disrupted by such problems as power outages, noise from outside construction and loss of heating. "There is never a dull moment," quipped Spanish teacher Dora Gonzalez.

Wolf is unhappy that the portables must be added because of their unsightly appearance and inconvenience for students. "What an eyesore for the community," Wolf remarked.

Parents are concerned about the safety of the portables. During the sniper attack last fall, according to PTSA co-president Marilyn Shoenfeld, parents were especially worried about students who had to leave the main building to get to the portables. "If there's another type of [emergency] that happens, you're going to have the same issues and same fears all over again," said Shoenfeld.

But Principal Phillip Gainous said the county has developed procedures to respond to emergency situations, and the portables would be "no more vulnerable" than the main building. Police and other emergency officials will notify students as to when it will be safe to go towards the portables. "When there are helicopters and police, don't go to the portables," said Gainous.

If a biological attack occurred around Blair, health officials will be put in charge and students will be told to stay either in the main building or in the portables. If students remain in the portables, teachers should shut off the air conditioning and heating system, Gainous said.

Despite safety concerns, new portables are the only solution to Blair's overcrowding, said Alban. "Gainous wouldn't have asked for them if they weren't absolutely necessary," she said.

The Downcounty Consortium, slated to open fall 2004, will progressively decrease Blair's population to its original capacity of about 2,800 students, according to MCPS planner Bruce Crispell. "This year should be the highest [population] Blair will see," said Crispell, who estimated that all portables at Blair could be removed a year or two after the consortium opens.

But parents like Shoenfeld worry that students form other schools in the consortium will want to enroll in the academies at Blair because of their appeal and thus continue to increase Blair's population.

Crispell believes Blair will remain overcrowded for the next two school years until the consortium is fully phased in. Ten plans currently in debate will create base areas for each consortium school (see story, page 5).

After Blair's population levels off, said Crispell, MCPS will place a ceiling on the students admitted into Blair every year. About 150 to 200 spots will be available to students outside of the Blair area, but additional students will not be able to enroll at Blair.

Despite the opening of the consortium, students still might try to sneak into Blair, even if they live outside the Blair base area, said social studies teacher Brian Hinkle, who worked at the MCPS Residency Compliance Office last summer.

The cost of installing one portable is about $50,000, with an annual lease fee of $5,000, said Alban. MCPS will pay for all expenses.

There are currently no plans to hire more building service workers to compensate for the increased number of portables, according to Alban.