New Traffic Light at Charles Street and Greenwood

There is a new traffic light going in a Charles Street and Greenwood in Towson.

It will be a big adjustment for those coming north on Charles St from the West Towson area, because it is around a curve where many people drive quickly.

The reason for the light is the new West Towson Elementary School, which is located at that intersection. This will make it easier for crossing guards helping children cross the very busy Charles Street, and for parents dropping off and picking their children up at the brand new school.

It should really help slow the flow of traffic through this point, and hopefully help with the delays seen now around the time of dismissal from the multitude of schools in the area.

The West Towson Elementary School will open for the 2010 school year at the end of August.

Students from Rodgers Forge Elementary and Riderwood Elementary schools have been redistricted to the new school on Charles Street.

Contact me for more information on West Towson real estate and how these marked changes are welcome to the West Towson neighborhoods!

Baltimore County Property Taxes to Remain Steady in 2010

Baltimore County property taxes will not be raised in 2010, according to County Executive Jim Smith’s budget, released last week.

County pension and healthcare benefits were cut back to ensure that Baltimore County property taxes would not be raised.

Baltimore City income tax may be raised due to a deficit. Luckily the cuts and management of the Baltimore County budget prevent this need in the County.

Included in the budget is staffing for the new West Towson Elementary School.

The Baltimore Business Journal reported this great news about the budget.

To have property taxes not raised in a year where the economy is hurting so many people is a nice relief, and a definite plus for living in Baltimore County!

West Towson Elementary School Boundaries Meeting March 10 and West Towson Homeowners

On March 10, the Baltimore County Board of Education had a final meeting before their March 23 vote on the boundaries of the new West Towson Elementary School.

This meeting, unlike the one in January, which had hundreds of attendees with many speaking about the boundary options, this one had very few, and only four Board of Education members available.

Loni Ingraham of the Towson Times covered the hearing, and described it as very tame in comparison to other sessions.

The scenario that has been recommended by the panel for the vote is the West Towson Scenerio G, as depicted in the 4th page of this document provided by Towson Families United.

It is a relief to have these meetings behind us and will be nice to be able to move forward, knowing where children will be attending school in the fall. Most West Towson homeowners were in the same position as my family, where in any of the scenerios, our district would be changed to the West Towson Elementary School, so we were not as affected as others.

I can understand the irritation and passion over where someone send their child to school, but redistricting can ALWAYS happen, and at least the Baltimore County Board of Education gave Towson residents the opportunity to have their voices heard.

This redistricting is part of why Maryland Realtors® are not allowed to talk about the quality of schools when helping someone with the purchase or sale of a home. Most also recommend calling your local school board or looking online (like www.bcps.org for Baltimore County Public Schools) to find a school district. You cannot safely choose a home solely because of a school district because you never know when the attendance boundaries might be changed.

Towson Residents Help Determine West Towson Elementary School Boundaries

Over 300 people attended the meeting at Loch Raven High School last night about where the boundaries may be drawn, and which children in Towson may be redistricted to the new West Towson Elementary School.

The Towson Families United group, which is “A coalition of parents and residents seeking a long-term solution to Towson’s overcrowded schools”, reports on their site that four different options were presented, and then the attendees were split into smaller groups to discuss what factor was most important to them in making a boundary change, and each individual was asked to choose which of the four they would prefer to see. The data collected will be sent to an independent research facility for analyzing and the results sent to the committee for further review.

The boundary committee making these recommendations to the Baltimore County School Board is run by Central Area Assistant Superintendent Barbara Walker, and is comprised of parents, community representatives (for example, there is one from the Ruxton Riderwood Lake Roland Improvement Association and one from the Rodgers Forge Community Association) , teachers, and Administrators.

A formal recommendation will be given to the Baltimore County School Board by school officials on February 9, 2010 at its regular Board Meeting. After that point, another meeting will be held for public commentary on February 24, 2010 at Loch Raven High School.

The final decision will be announced March 9, 2010 at 7:00 pm.

It is wonderful that Towson residents are given this opportunity to voice their opinions and be such a large part of this large decision making process. It makes it more and more prevalent why living in Towson is such a great thing!

West Towson Elementary School Boundaries to be Revealed January 6, 2010

The West Towson Elementary School is under construction, and the plans for boundaries are being revealed at a public meeting on January 6, 2010.

The Baltimore County School Board would like input on the boundary drawing possibilities from the Towson neighborhoods affected by the possible change in redistricting.

The open meeting being held January 6 will be at Loch Raven High School, which is located at 1212 Cowpens Avenue in Towson, MD 21286 at 7 pm.

The West Towson Elementary School is scheduled to open in August 2010 and is located on Charles Street next to the Ridge Ruxton School. The school is being built primarily to help reduce the overcrowding at Riderwood Elementary School and Rodgers Forge Elementary School in Towson.

West Towson House Values Not Hurt by New Elementary School

On June 3, 2009, Judge Michael J. Finifter declared that the West Towson Elementary School can continue construction, ruling against a few Towson homeowners who had filed suit against the Board of Education in April.

The homeowners live adjacent to the Ridge Ruxton School on Charles Street, the site where the new school is to be built. Their claim that the construction would inconvenience them, and their Towson house values would be diminished were found to be unconvincing to the judge.

The Baltimore Sun’s Arin Gencer reported on Judge Finifter’s findings, and has been following the case since its hearing on May 21, keeping the West Towson Community updated on the school.

The Towson West Elementary School will house approximately 451 students coming from the overcrowded Riderwood Elementary School and Rodgers Forge Elementary Schools. It is scheduled to open in August 2010.