Situation at Wootton

[Anonymous]

Where does the school stand for a much needed renovation? Were students even able to have classes with the gas leak today?

[Anonymous]

Good summary here:

https://mocoshow.com/2025/11/24/wootton-high-school-evacuated-due-to-reported-gas-smell-fire-department-and-washington-gas-on-scene/

[Anonymous]

DS attends Wootton. There are frequent disruptions to learning due to the poor condition of the school - HVAC and electrical. There’s also mold and plumbing issues. It’s so bad they should be making emergency repairs and moving the school to the front of the line for renovation. I’m shocked that CO and the school board feel no sense of urgency.

Today was a gas leak. Kids were outside for almost 2 hours. They should have just closed since it was already an early dismissal day. DS said most older students left. I drove by around 9 and the student parking lot was close to empty and tons of kids were walking. Then at 9:30 the principal sent an email they were letting students back in for 3rd period. I don’t know how many kids were still there. Mine went back to school since we live nearby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS attends Wootton. There are frequent disruptions to learning due to the poor condition of the school - HVAC and electrical. There’s also mold and plumbing issues. It’s so bad they should be making emergency repairs and moving the school to the front of the line for renovation. I’m shocked that CO and the school board feel no sense of urgency.

Today was a gas leak. Kids were outside for almost 2 hours. They should have just closed since it was already an early dismissal day. DS said most older students left. I drove by around 9 and the student parking lot was close to empty and tons of kids were walking. Then at 9:30 the principal sent an email they were letting students back in for 3rd period. I don’t know how many kids were still there. Mine went back to school since we live nearby.

I think Taylor and the BOE will pull a switcheroo later and/or Elrich will and get the Wootton renovation done somehow, some way. That's the stunt they pulled with the Woodward auditorium and athletic fields.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS attends Wootton. There are frequent disruptions to learning due to the poor condition of the school - HVAC and electrical. There’s also mold and plumbing issues. It’s so bad they should be making emergency repairs and moving the school to the front of the line for renovation. I’m shocked that CO and the school board feel no sense of urgency.

Today was a gas leak. Kids were outside for almost 2 hours. They should have just closed since it was already an early dismissal day. DS said most older students left. I drove by around 9 and the student parking lot was close to empty and tons of kids were walking. Then at 9:30 the principal sent an email they were letting students back in for 3rd period. I don’t know how many kids were still there. Mine went back to school since we live nearby.

I think Taylor and the BOE will pull a switcheroo later and/or Elrich will and get the Wootton renovation done somehow, some way. That's the stunt they pulled with the Woodward auditorium and athletic fields.

This article details the last-minute stunt save that Elrich pulled for Woodward and Northwood: https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/01/16/capital-budget-woodward-auditorium/

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich’s revised capital budget proposal calls for the county to help pay for construction of an auditorium at Charles W. Woodward High School in Rockville, potentially alleviating significant complaints and criticism from the school community after the project was cut from the fiscal year 2025 capital budget.

In March, the county school board delayed the construction of the auditorium at the newly rebuilt school because of budget shortfalls and other issues. Though the school doesn’t officially open until 2027, Northwood High School has moved into the building while its facility is being rebuilt in Silver Spring.

Elrich’s revised proposal also includes increased funding to build the auditorium; stadium and classrooms at Gaithersburg’s new Crown High School, set to open in 2027; and stadium upgrades for the new Northwood High, also set to open in 2027; as well as HVAC upgrades across the school system.

“The schools don’t have any funding sources other than us, so we’re holding the bag, and we’re going have to pay the difference here,” Elrich (D) said while announcing his proposal during a media briefing Wednesday.

[Anonymous]

Is this similar to what happened at Loeiderman last week?

[Anonymous]

So will there be school tomorrow without heat?

[Anonymous]

I thought this question was going to be more of a "how did it get this bad?" I remember several years ago, Wootton students speaking at BOE meetings regarding the conditions. How has MCPS simply let the building just keep declining?

If someone has a brief synopsis they could provide, that would be great. Please not the "Crown vs. Wootton" debate.

My youngest graduated in 2022 so I have not been reading as much about MCPS as I should have. I am in a cluster that was supposed to benefit from Crown, but I am not in Gaithersburg. I thought Wootton was in the CIP at some point, but maybe I was confused -- or maybe they got removed?

[Anonymous]

Woodson is currently scheduled to undergo renovations in 2042.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought this question was going to be more of a "how did it get this bad?" I remember several years ago, Wootton students speaking at BOE meetings regarding the conditions. How has MCPS simply let the building just keep declining?

If someone has a brief synopsis they could provide, that would be great. Please not the "Crown vs. Wootton" debate.

My youngest graduated in 2022 so I have not been reading as much about MCPS as I should have. I am in a cluster that was supposed to benefit from Crown, but I am not in Gaithersburg. I thought Wootton was in the CIP at some point, but maybe I was confused -- or maybe they got removed?

Honestly it has to do with crown, as MCPS used the money to renovate Damascus and wootton to build crown (in order to conduct the county wide redistricting). Now they have no money to renovate these schools.

[Anonymous]

I think Wooten parents should pay to fix their own school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought this question was going to be more of a "how did it get this bad?" I remember several years ago, Wootton students speaking at BOE meetings regarding the conditions. How has MCPS simply let the building just keep declining?

If someone has a brief synopsis they could provide, that would be great. Please not the "Crown vs. Wootton" debate.

My youngest graduated in 2022 so I have not been reading as much about MCPS as I should have. I am in a cluster that was supposed to benefit from Crown, but I am not in Gaithersburg. I thought Wootton was in the CIP at some point, but maybe I was confused -- or maybe they got removed?

Honestly it has to do with crown, as MCPS used the money to renovate Damascus and wootton to build crown (in order to conduct the county wide redistricting). Now they have no money to renovate these schools.

I'm the person who asked the question about "what happened?"

So I decided to do a deep dive into MCPS CIPs over the years. In the FY 2026 CIP Superintendent's recommendation, it states that in May 2024, the County Council's final vote on the MCPS CIP removed funding for Wootton & Magruder, including other items. So, as I understand it, it wasn't BOE that failed Wootton -- it was the County Council. In addition, Damascus HS construction was "delayed", but not removed, in that 2024 county council vote.

[Anonymous]

About 10 years ago, Wootton was on the CIP (as was Cold Spring ES). But memory recalls that the BOE decided to add a new core value called "equity," which then dropped Wootton from the CIP. Don't think Wootton has ever made it back on.

That was when a kiddo was in elementary school. That kiddo is now college student.

When I see heavy equipment on the grounds of Wootton, then I'll believe that it will be renovated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Woodson is currently scheduled to undergo renovations in 2042.

No, it actually isn't currently scheduled for any renovations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought this question was going to be more of a "how did it get this bad?" I remember several years ago, Wootton students speaking at BOE meetings regarding the conditions. How has MCPS simply let the building just keep declining?

If someone has a brief synopsis they could provide, that would be great. Please not the "Crown vs. Wootton" debate.

My youngest graduated in 2022 so I have not been reading as much about MCPS as I should have. I am in a cluster that was supposed to benefit from Crown, but I am not in Gaithersburg. I thought Wootton was in the CIP at some point, but maybe I was confused -- or maybe they got removed?

Honestly it has to do with crown, as MCPS used the money to renovate Damascus and wootton to build crown (in order to conduct the county wide redistricting). Now they have no money to renovate these schools.

I'm the person who asked the question about "what happened?"

So I decided to do a deep dive into MCPS CIPs over the years. In the FY 2026 CIP Superintendent's recommendation, it states that in May 2024, the County Council's final vote on the MCPS CIP removed funding for Wootton & Magruder, including other items. So, as I understand it, it wasn't BOE that failed Wootton -- it was the County Council. In addition, Damascus HS construction was "delayed", but not removed, in that 2024 county council vote.

Wootton was delayed multiple times and meanwhile crown was suddenly approved in CIP. 2024 wasn’t the only time. They just don’t have to money to renovate now.