Proposal to close SSIMS in 2031

[Anonymous]

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/13/mcps-recommend-closure-silver-spring-international-middle/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are currently rebuilding SSIMS... what a waste. Taylor needs to go.

They are NOT rebuilding SSIMS. Whatever work they were doing at SSIMS was cancelled in June. MCPS needs to do a lot of work at SSIMS just to keep it open for the next four years as SSIMS, and then for the holding school communities that will follow in that currently dilapidated, sick building. I don't understand how Taylor acts like that building is OK for a holding school.

[Anonymous]

MCPS could've gutted and renovated the historic part of SSIMS years ago, not unlike the thorough renovation of the old B-CC HS. It's a shame because SSIMS is in a walkable neighborhood convenient to transit and close to downtown Silver Spring. A holding facility makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS could've gutted and renovated the historic part of SSIMS years ago, not unlike the thorough renovation of the old B-CC HS. It's a shame because SSIMS is in a walkable neighborhood convenient to transit and close to downtown Silver Spring. A holding facility makes no sense.

Taylor thinks its proximity to the purple line makes it unsuitable for walkers. I guess that’s not an issue for a holding facility.

[Anonymous]

Wow, so they're going to make Eastern a 1500-student school and Sligo a 1200-student school? How does that compare to other middle schools in the county and can folks speak to the pros and cons of being at a middle schools that's that big?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, so they're going to make Eastern a 1500-student school and Sligo a 1200-student school? How does that compare to other middle schools in the county and can folks speak to the pros and cons of being at a middle schools that's that big?

Pyle is at 1500, and Julius West just under that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS could've gutted and renovated the historic part of SSIMS years ago, not unlike the thorough renovation of the old B-CC HS. It's a shame because SSIMS is in a walkable neighborhood convenient to transit and close to downtown Silver Spring. A holding facility makes no sense.

Taylor thinks its proximity to the purple line makes it unsuitable for walkers. I guess that’s not an issue for a holding facility.

Years and years of planning to put purple line there and now suddenly Taylor says that is a problem?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS could've gutted and renovated the historic part of SSIMS years ago, not unlike the thorough renovation of the old B-CC HS. It's a shame because SSIMS is in a walkable neighborhood convenient to transit and close to downtown Silver Spring. A holding facility makes no sense.

Taylor thinks its proximity to the purple line makes it unsuitable for walkers. I guess that’s not an issue for a holding facility.

Schools all over Europe are located adjacent to tram lines. Students even ride the trams to school. For all the talk about smart growth, walkability, supporting public transit, etc., MCPS really lacks vision with this decision.

[Anonymous]

It's not really about the purple line, it's about the building itself.

[Anonymous]

If Taylor did a little bit of research, he would have discovered that many Montgomery Blair parents back in 1997 wanted a large, band new high school campus equal to the newer school facilities MCPS was building at the time. But there were also parents and students against moving Montgomery Blair who preferred a renovation of the historic campus, and liked its central location. There was never a debate on whether or not the building/site itself was suitable for kids which is what he is insinuating. (Decades of deferred maintenance will of course make any building unsuitable for people of any age.)

The building and site are ideally located for a state-of-the-art, renovated, walkable, and transit friendly school to serve the community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS could've gutted and renovated the historic part of SSIMS years ago, not unlike the thorough renovation of the old B-CC HS. It's a shame because SSIMS is in a walkable neighborhood convenient to transit and close to downtown Silver Spring. A holding facility makes no sense.

Taylor thinks its proximity to the purple line makes it unsuitable for walkers. I guess that’s not an issue for a holding facility.

Schools all over Europe are located adjacent to tram lines. Students even ride the trams to school. For all the talk about smart growth, walkability, supporting public transit, etc., MCPS really lacks vision with this decision.

+1. Of all the WTF decisions by MCPS as of late, this has got to be the worst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Taylor did a little bit of research, he would have discovered that many Montgomery Blair parents back in 1997 wanted a large, band new high school campus equal to the newer school facilities MCPS was building at the time. But there were also parents and students against moving Montgomery Blair who preferred a renovation of the historic campus, and liked its central location. There was never a debate on whether or not the building/site itself was suitable for kids which is what he is insinuating. (Decades of deferred maintenance will of course make any building unsuitable for people of any age.)

The building and site are ideally located for a state-of-the-art, renovated, walkable, and transit friendly school to serve the community.

Hey, it's east county, non-Takoma Park. So, you get ignored and marginalized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS could've gutted and renovated the historic part of SSIMS years ago, not unlike the thorough renovation of the old B-CC HS. It's a shame because SSIMS is in a walkable neighborhood convenient to transit and close to downtown Silver Spring. A holding facility makes no sense.

Taylor thinks its proximity to the purple line makes it unsuitable for walkers. I guess that’s not an issue for a holding facility.

Years and years of planning to put purple line there and now suddenly Taylor says that is a problem?

Taylor just got here 2 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Taylor did a little bit of research, he would have discovered that many Montgomery Blair parents back in 1997 wanted a large, band new high school campus equal to the newer school facilities MCPS was building at the time. But there were also parents and students against moving Montgomery Blair who preferred a renovation of the historic campus, and liked its central location. There was never a debate on whether or not the building/site itself was suitable for kids which is what he is insinuating. (Decades of deferred maintenance will of course make any building unsuitable for people of any age.)

The building and site are ideally located for a state-of-the-art, renovated, walkable, and transit friendly school to serve the community.

The old Blair property was never going to be big enough for the uber-large school that Blair was envisioned to become in the 1990s at its current campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If Taylor did a little bit of research, he would have discovered that many Montgomery Blair parents back in 1997 wanted a large, band new high school campus equal to the newer school facilities MCPS was building at the time. But there were also parents and students against moving Montgomery Blair who preferred a renovation of the historic campus, and liked its central location. There was never a debate on whether or not the building/site itself was suitable for kids which is what he is insinuating. (Decades of deferred maintenance will of course make any building unsuitable for people of any age.)

The building and site are ideally located for a state-of-the-art, renovated, walkable, and transit friendly school to serve the community.

The old Blair property was never going to be big enough for the uber-large school that Blair was envisioned to become in the 1990s at its current campus.

I agree, but it's certainly big enough for a MS, the building just need to be upgraded/renovated. Does he ultimately want to lease or sell the land to make money or something? I am really struggling to understand the reasoning behind this proposal.