Stupid question, why don't they just tear down the structure and build a more modern one? Many area schools have been completely rebuilt. Recent one was Woodlin ES in Silver Spring. Do they only focus on ES, until overcrowding becomes an issue at a MS or HS - such as a new HS that will be near Walter Johnson HS in North (!) Bethesda/Rockville.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The building is almost 100 years old. Very patchy renovations and unreliable HVAC. Chaotic inside and outside of the building.

"Silver Spring International Middle School's (SSIMS) original building was constructed in 1934. Additional buildings were added to the site in 1936, 1940, 1949, and 1951. These buildings were connected with additions in 1953, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1985, and 1999."

1999 wasn't much of an "addition." More of a "what we absolutely had to do to minimally create the two separated schools out of the one facility" plus a new entry for the ES.

Anonymous wrote:The building is almost 100 years old. Very patchy renovations and unreliable HVAC. Chaotic inside and outside of the building.

"Silver Spring International Middle School's (SSIMS) original building was constructed in 1934. Additional buildings were added to the site in 1936, 1940, 1949, and 1951. These buildings were connected with additions in 1953, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1985, and 1999."

Cautiously optimistic sums us up. We have a sixth grader there and it’s been much better than expected given the messaging last year. We are happy with new principal’s efforts. Advanced math course is quite rigorous. Band program has been great. We have numerous friends who opted for other options based on the situation last year and most are now less satisfied than we are. I’d say go for it!

The building is almost 100 years old. Very patchy renovations and unreliable HVAC. Chaotic inside and outside of the building.

Anonymous wrote:The building is old?

Hodgepodge of construction from the 30s to the 70s, with a late 90s modest conversion from the old Blair HS, after that moved across the beltway, splitting the building and grounds between two schools, SSIMS and SCES. Current construction will mothball the old, external field house gym for one inside the MS part of the building, but still will leave many deficits versus other MCPS MS facilities.

The building is old?

I think the school has gone through some rough times, with the Purple Line project, the long-delayed renovation, and transition to a new administrator.

With that said, the Colesville section of the Purple Line seems set to wrap up shortly, the renovation is on track, and the highly-respected interim principal has been given the job on a permanent basis.

So, I think there are strong signs that this "perfect storm" of issues (some internal to MCPS, some in the hands of Montgomery County) are coming to an end.

Basically, I think folks are cautiously optimistic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. It’s not great TBH and my kid is there.

The new principal Bilock is fantastic, however, and will hopefully clean things up.

Fights, weed smell in stairwells, no HW, no school spirit. It’s been pretty awful.

No MS has school spirit because MCPS neglects all things MS.

“Middle School Reform” is another fad that went by the wayside.

Anonymous wrote:My child seems happy enough there. I've heard good things about French, but my child is in Spanish and doing well in the immersion classes. I don't think it has problems that other schools don't have. It feeds into Blair so we are already thinking ahead to that.

A small part does feed to Blair, but most of it feeds to Northwood.

My child seems happy enough there. I've heard good things about French, but my child is in Spanish and doing well in the immersion classes. I don't think it has problems that other schools don't have. It feeds into Blair so we are already thinking ahead to that.

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. It’s not great TBH and my kid is there.

The new principal Bilock is fantastic, however, and will hopefully clean things up.

Fights, weed smell in stairwells, no HW, no school spirit. It’s been pretty awful.

No MS has school spirit because MCPS neglects all things MS.

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. It’s not great TBH and my kid is there.

The new principal Bilock is fantastic, however, and will hopefully clean things up.

Fights, weed smell in stairwells, no HW, no school spirit. It’s been pretty awful.

Eh, it’s middle school. The principal really is great, and he was just made permanent. We’re happy enough there!

Ugh. It’s not great TBH and my kid is there.

The new principal Bilock is fantastic, however, and will hopefully clean things up.

Fights, weed smell in stairwells, no HW, no school spirit. It’s been pretty awful.

Hi,

Can anyone share feedback on this MS? DD is in French Immersion now and we’d love to keep it up. We are thinking about moving to the SS area.

Thanks!