Crofton High School Supporters Urge Turnout at Budget Hearings

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Supporters of a long-awaited Crofton High School are urging residents to attend county budget meetings to show their support of County Executive Steve Schuh’s move to speed construction of the school.

In his budget proposals released Friday, Schuh included $500,000 to plan for a Crofton High School, reports the Capital-Gazette.

The County Council must approve Schuh’s budget before there can be movement on the school.

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The proposal is called the “JumpStart Anne Arundel” Capital Funding Program by Schuh’s office, which says the growing county must accelerate school construction, road repairs and water access, as well as expand the county’s bike trails, water access, and regional park network.

Schuh’s budget would increase construction by $150 million in the next six years, the county says.

Crofton students attend either attend South River High School in Edgewater or Arundel High School in Gambrills.

Crofton high school supporters have argued that building a school in the community will ease crowding at South River and Arundel. On the group’s Facebook page they say the school system “owns 154 acres on the Crofton Middle School/Cardinal Field/Crofton Park site. Land that was purchased over 30 years ago for a high school and two middle schools. We have the middle school, but are still waiting on the high school.”

Anne Arundel County Public Schools Superintendent George Arlotto said in a statement Friday that the earmark for Crofton doesn’t follow previously agreed-upon plans to study the issue.

“I want to be very clear that I am not opposed to a Crofton High School, and I appreciate that the County Executive did not take money away from the other much-needed projects in the school system’s capital budget to fund the Crofton project,” Arlotto said. “I am, however, disappointed that the County Executive has chosen to jump ahead of the results of the pending school facilities study and politicize this process with a unilateral budgetary decision.”

The Crofton High School group said on Facebook Monday: “May 11th WE NEED YOU to come down to Annapolis High School and stand with us as we ask the County Council to fund Crofton High School! Please spread the word and join us next Monday. We’ll have the purple shirts, but we need you to bring your family and neighbors! We will meet in the parking lot at 6:30pm.”