Five New Schools, 11 Major Addition and Modification Projects Completed for Start of New School Year

About 860,000 Square Feet of New Space Will Ease Overcrowding,Reduce Number of Portable Classrooms


Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is opening five new schools this year: Clarksburg High School and Great Seneca Creek, Little Bennett, Roscoe R. Nix, and Sargent Shriver elementary schools. In addition, 11 major addition and modification projects have been completed for the 2006–2007 school year. In all, 860,000 square feet of new space will be ready for the opening of school. Fifteen additional projects will continue under construction throughout the 2006–2007 school year.

The new buildings, as well as the addition and modification projects, will help to ease overcrowding and reduce the number of portable classrooms in use. In the 2005-2006 year, the school system had about 17,000 students attending classes in 719 portable classrooms. This year, the number of portable classrooms will be reduced by 112.

The six-year Capital Improvements Program calls for MCPS to add enough permanent classroom space to lower the number of portable classrooms to 367 by FY 2012.

The 11 major addition and modification projects being completed for the opening of school are:

• Northwest High School: Added 30 classrooms, including some for art and science and a dance studio.

• Gaithersburg High School: Added 16 classrooms for art and music classes and a computer lab.

• Watkins Mill Elementary School: Added 16 classrooms and a gymnasium.

• Gaithersburg Elementary School: Completed the second phase of a 15-classroom addition, a school-based health center, and site work.

• Broad Acres Elementary School: Added 13 classrooms. The school entrance, administrative suite, cafeteria, and multi-purpose room were reconfigured and modified. In 2005–2006, the school was housed at the Fairland Center holding facility, but is now back at Broad Acres.

• Forest Knolls Elementary School: Finished the second phase of a 12-classroom addition and completed site work.

• Farmland Elementary School: Added eight classrooms and a gymnasium.

• Garrett Park Elementary School: Added six classrooms.

• Lois P. Rockwell Elementary School: Added a gymnasium.

• Poolesville High School: Modified the computer lab.

• Argyle Middle School: Completed interior renovations.

###