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T H E G AZ ET T E
Thursday, January 9, 2014 lr
PRIORITIES
Continued from Page A-1 be evaluating our facilities,” Newman said. “We want to move towards a more holistic approach.” This new Educational Adequacy Assessment is still being developed, Woodhead said. The additional criteria that may be considered include the overall learning environment, the size and quality of specialty spaces, sustainability, security, and school capacity and utilization, Newman said. “Schools that are currently overutilized are in the north part of the county, and schools that are underutilized tend to be in the south, and tend to be inside the Beltway,” Newman said. Newman noted that most of the school system’s 22 high schools are more than 40 years old. Currently, only Fairmont Heights High School in Capitol Heights is slated for replacement, Woodhead said. A feasibility study is currently being done on High Point High School
in Beltsville. Woodhead said the goal is to have all the high schools evaluated under the new set of criteria by June. Jocelyn Nolasco, a junior at Parkdale High School in Riverdale, noted that her school lacks an auditorium. The school’s cafeteria is a multipurpose room but only holds 422 students, Nolasco said, in a school of around 2,200 students. “How can we prioritize one of our main projects to push forward, which is an auditorium?” asked Nolasco. “It’s not just a want; it’s become a necessity for us.” Woodhead said an auditorium is considered a standard feature for a high school and would figure into the new assessment model. Kevin Kendrick, a seventhgrade teacher at William Wirt Middle School in Riverdale, said his school does not have drinking water, and has had recurring mold and mildew problems. “It’s frustrating to see the county come in and put a BandAid on a problem, only to see the Band-Aid fall off again and again,” Kendrick said.
Newman noted that Wirt was ranked 161 out of 186 facilities in priority under the assessment, also known as the Parsons Report. WIth the additional criteria, Wirt would rank higher in priority, she said. “That’s why you don’t want to just use the Parsons Report, because William Wirt is a sick building; that’s what we keep hearing,” Newman said. Woodhead said the new assessment is beginning with the high schools, but that doing all 204 schools at once would necessitate bringing on a consultant. Woodhead said the school system has almost $2 billion worth of deferred maintenance, because of a lack of funding. “We can’t modernize everything in five years. It’s going to be a process that has some duration,” Woodhead said. A meeting for the southern planning area is scheduled for Jan. 16 at Crossland High School in Temple Hills and for the central planning area on Jan. 22 at Largo High School. janfenson-comeau@ gazette.net
PHOTOS BY BILL RYAN/THE GAZETTE
Above, Prince George’s County Police Department Chief Mark Magaw talks about working together to reduce the county crime rate during a press conference in Wegmans at Woodmore on Jan. 2. Below, Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) speaks during the press conference.
CRIME
Continued from Page A-1 which puts a special focus on communities with low employment and high poverty, crime rates and foreclosure rates, both indicators of areas with high criminal activity. TNI was started in April 2012 and targets the East Riverdale/ Bladensburg, Glassmanor/Oxon Hill, Hillcrest Heights/Marlow Heights, Langley Park, Kentland/Palmer Park and Suitland/ Coral Hills areas. Sharing information on these neighborhoods with police helps them understand what is needed in those areas and how to respond appropriately, Baker said. “Here we are, 18 months later, and we have made a difference,” Baker said. County Police Chief Mark Magaw said another change that has reduced crime was launching the police department’s regional investigation division. This new division, launched in January 2013, created a centralized chain of command that oversees investigations divisions across the county, Magaw said. One of the crime trends Prince George’s police plan to focus on in 2014 is domestic violence, which was responsible
for 2014’s first two homicides on Jan. 1, Magaw said. The department’s new domestic violence unit will put an
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emphasis on tracking that crime and working with the community to incarcerate repeat offenders and protect men and women at risk of home-based violence, Magaw said. “I’m looking forward to that group reducing domestic violence,” Magaw said. “Our work is not over.” Queen-Howard said residents need to be involved in crime reduction just like the police. Instead of chasing down and arresting criminals, QueenHoward said residents need to report suspicious behavior and protect their belongings from crimes of opportunity, such as putting valuables out of sight in their vehicles. If the people stay involved, the county will continue to see decreases in crime, Queen-Howard said. “Police can’t be everywhere, but citizens are all around,” Queen-Howard said. “[Active citizens] are the reason why crime is reduced.” ccook@gazette.net