Monocacy Valley Montessori says new building might not be ready until September

Jillian Atelsek, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
Updated ·2 min read

Jul. 7—Monocacy Valley Montessori Public Charter School might not have a finished building in time for the first day of school, administrators say.

The school moved out of its old facility on Dill Avenue at the end of last school year. The Banner School, a private school for students up to eighth grade, is taking over that building at the start of the coming school year.

Monocacy Valley Montessori (MVM) is set to close on a purchase of 64 Thomas Johnson Drive next week, said Tara Dunsmore, president of Monocacy Montessori Communities Inc. (MMCI), the nonprofit that manages the school.

But permit delays and supply chain problems mean the building might not be ready for students by the start of Frederick County Public Schools' academic year on Aug. 23, Dunsmore said.

So the school is making contingency plans: FCPS is trying to help MVM find a temporary space, but Dunsmore said nothing had been finalized yet. Officials are also considering a virtual start to the school year.

The district granted MVM approval to operate virtually until December if necessary, Dunsmore said, but officials have no intention of using all of that time.

If a remote start to the school year ends up being necessary, school leaders will work to implement a hybrid model so that students could get at least one or two days of in-person instruction per week, Dunsmore said.

In a community email, Bob Weiland, chair of the school's Governing Council, wrote that the body "voted to approve the start of our upcoming school year virtually up until September 12th."

"We know this is not ideal; the vote was necessary to have a plan in place to finalize our financing for the new building," the email says. "Please understand that this decision has not been taken lightly."

Still, Dunsmore said, the primary goal is to finish construction on time.

"We're gonna do everything we can to push against that clock," she said.

Work on the school is being done in two phases, Dunsmore said. The first phase is finishing the main classroom spaces, which will occupy one half of the building.

Once students are in those classrooms, the plan is to work on the other half of the building, which will house art and music rooms, science labs and more.

MVM is expanding to offer high school courses starting this fall, making it the first charter high school in Frederick County.

Principal Amy Dorman said it was an exciting time for the school, despite the challenges.

Administrators are working to notify all parents of the potential changes to the start of the school year, using social media, public meetings and emails, she said.

"We're trying to make sure we touch a lot of bases," Dorman said.

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