Parents, students and teachers urge council to keep Cold Spring Elementary replacement on schedule

Residents from Cold Spring Elementary pressed the county council to keep the school’s replacement on the capital improvements program and to fund it without delay.

Brook Rickett, PTA president and mother of four, said Cold Spring is the county’s only open‑concept elementary school and warned that the MCPS prioritization framework undercounts safety risks. "We are already at 95% capacity and enrollment has grown by more than 30 students over the past two years," Rickett said, noting the school could exceed 100% utilization within two years and arguing this makes the project one of the county’s highest priorities.

Nine‑ and 10‑year‑old students described daily learning and safety challenges. Daniel Chen said noise from adjacent classes and the lack of enclosed spaces make focused instruction and lockdown drills difficult. "In Cold Spring, there are very few doors and walls," Chen said. Giovani Scaralini said lockdown procedures during a recent countywide school shooting were especially hard to execute in an open floor plan.

Teachers echoed those concerns. Kira Mickelson Guestner said the school’s design limits confidential conversations, small‑group work and timely sheltering: "It takes about 1 minute and 15 seconds to reach a space that can be secured. For that entire 75 seconds, my students and I are visible and exposed," she said.

Community leaders and parents asked the council to follow the superintendent’s recommendation to begin replacement in FY28 and to fully fund the project so future students do not spend additional years in a building designed in the 1970s.

The council did not act on the Cold Spring request during the hearing; the public hearing closed for the evening and council members will consider budget amendments during upcoming committee work sessions.