Thomas S. Wootton High School is in dire need of a renovation and desperately needs to be added back into the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). 

Adults who attended Wootton in their youth are shocked that Wootton looks the exact same when they visit as adults, and not in a good way. It’s because nothing has been fixed!  Recently, the Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Dr. Thomas Taylor, gave a presentation called “Hard Truths About Our School Buildings - And How To Fix Them” ( https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/news/mcps-news/2025/10/cip-meeting/ and it explained the dilemma MCPS has to deal with many schools needing major renovations and the limited budget that they have to work with. I’m going to add one more “hard truth” to his list. Wootton HS cannot wait any longer. It needs to be reprioritized to number 1, and I’m going to tell you why. 

Wootton is not a safe environment for learning. In the handbook of Student Rights and Responsibilities, it states, “The safety of students and staff is essential to maintaining a positive learning environment.” It goes on to describe how infrastructure and data-driven accountability is essential and a key priority. Wootton has electrical issues where half the building loses power at a time, plumbing issues where outdated pipes are corroded and clogged causing backups and leaks, active mold where my son is no longer allowed to keep his football gear in the JV locker room because it comes home reeking of mold and my husband’s throat closes (severely allergic) every Friday when it’s time to wash practice jerseys, nonworking lab vents in a stem-tracked school where we require students to be is honestly negligent at this point, and last but not least, it is not ADA compliant, making it impossible for students to get to their classes without assistance. This also affects any student who is injured and can’t open doors by themselves and anyone who depends on the elevator because it only accesses part of the building. All of these issues and MORE are documented as data gathered in the Facility Condition Assessment (https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/FCI/reports/172559.25R000-202.354%20-%20Thomas%20S.%20Wootton%20High%20School%20-%20Rockville,%20MD%20-%20FCA(Final).pdf

Wootton is in the unique category of having a building that should really be condemned but maintaining incredible scores and well-performing students. We are ranked #191 nationally, #3 in the state of Maryland, and #2 in Montgomery County. Wootton is also one of the top 25 source schools for University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering.  Students from other countries come to the USA to tour Wootton! As huge of a celebration as this is, it’s also a travesty. As leaders boast of Wootton’s accolades, the families that currently attend Wootton are embarrassed. We are embarrassed of our school building and offended that we are constantly pushed farther and farther down, and now completely off of, the CIP. Our students give their all every single day and make Wootton look good. It’s time for Wootton to repay the favor. It’s time for MCPS and the Board of Education to step up give Wootton the attention it deserves and has earned. Give justice to Wootton! 

Where would the students and staff go while Wootton is being renovated? I’ll give a solution to this dilemma! How about to a brand new school building currently under construction named Crown High School? If MCPS makes Crown HS a holding school before filling it with its new student population, they can knock out all the renovations in no time! And it won’t cost any extra money! Wootton HS can be temporarily held there, Magruder HS can be temporarily held there, and even Damascus HS can be temporarily held there, so it’s safer for those students and staff than remaining on their property during construction. My suggestion is to put a pin in the Boundary Analysis that is happening concurrently and put those funds into fixing our schools. Crown HS may be the answer to all of our problems! This way, everyone gets a functioning safe school building, no matter what school they are assigned to.  If that’s not equity, I don’t know what is!

Please show your support in getting Wootton renovated by signing this petition. Wootton cannot afford to wait another 2 years for the next CIP hearing. The County will only reconsider its position if the community agrees this needs addressing. These kids deserve a safe place to learn where they can just worry about their next assignment instead of worrying breathing mold, dreading using disgusting bathrooms, inconsistent power supply, leaking roof, and conducting science experiments in broken labs.  The list goes on. Those who need ADA accommodations due to physical limitations should be able to go through their school day independently. To not have handicap access throughout a public this day and age is egregious. Please sign and share this petition today so that the County has no excuse to continue to delay renovations.

Thanks for your support!