The Anne Arundel County Board of Education could decide the fate of Severna Park Middle School on Wednesday night.
At nearly 40 years old, the school has problems, such as classrooms that are smaller than the state and county recommend, said Sharon Morell, principal at Severna Park Middle School.
Its capacity is 1,379 students, but it needs to hold 1,478 students in order to meet new educational standards.
The board could not come to a conclusion about whether to make changes to the building after three hours of debate during a Dec. 6 meeting.
“I just hope it goes smoothly on Wednesday. I hope we can decide whether to deal with it or not,” said Tricia Johnson, county School Board president.
The choices include painting and patching; constructing moderate or major renovationsl; doing nothing; or replacing the school.
The board likely is to decide Wednesday whether to enact county Superintendent Kevin Maxwell?s recommendation for moderate renovations, board attorney Tyson Bennett said.
Maxwell?s proposal would cost $46 million and take 27 months to complete, said Alex Szachnowicz, acting director of facilities for Anne Arundel County Public Schools.
About 20 Severna Park Middle School parents protested Maxwell?s recommendation during the Dec. 6 meeting, instead asking for major renovations or replacement of the school.
The proposal for major renovations would expand the school?s 39 academic classrooms by about 100 square feet and construct a partial second floor. The plan would cost about $56 million, Szachnowicz said.
Building a new two-story school on athletic fields that are closer to Jumpers Hole Road would cost about $58 million, he said. Painting and patching the building would include replacing damaged flooring and ceiling tiles and would cost $900,000.
More info
The Anne Arundel County Board of Education will discuss Severna Park Middle School at its Dec. 20 meeting, to be held at 7 p.m. in the Board of Education headquarters on Riva Road in Annapolis.
