Back to School

Orientation

• What about orientation for students? Will there be additional orientation for rising 10th-12th graders, in addition to 9th graders?

  Once the Northwood@Woodward building is released for occupancy, we will offer volunteer/optional building tours for students, staff and families.

  Traditional New Student Orientation on August 22, 2024 will be expanded to all Northwood students regardless of grade level. Transportation will be provided via regular bus routes.

Opening Events

• How will families be engaged during the opening weeks? Will there be an Open House prior to the first day? (this was done at the very last minute at Odessa Shannon - it turned out great, but the lack of planning caused anxiety for families)

  Once the Northwood@Woodward building is released for occupancy, we will release opportunities for community tours. In addition, open house opportunities specifically for building tours in addition to Back to School Night will be organized in the beginning of the 2024-25 school year.

• As mentioned in the busing sections, will there be family buses to bring families to Woodward for key events? How will those be scheduled, communicated, reserved, managed? Has Northwood’s share of the transportation budget been increased?

  Buses may be provided for families attending events at Woodward using the MCPS Department of Transportation Field Trip Request system. Bus availability is 9:35 a.m. to 2:10 p.m. and after 4:35 p.m. School administration is responsible for requesting buses in advance through the WebTrips system.

  Schools do not receive specific transportation funding with the exception of extra curricular activity funds allocated for activity buses. MCPS DOT “charges” schools for service using field trip rates and often absorbs the costs of providing additional service, often at a loss, in order to provide service in circumstances such as this. However, MCPS DOT is working with the Division of Budget to identify additional funding to support these requests.

Buses and Transportation

Bus Stops

• What are the locations?

  All current bus stops assigned to Northwood High School at their home site have been maintained and will be serviced on the same existing nineteen bus routes. There are approximately 700 students who are currently walkers and will require bus service. Therefore, the Department of Transportation (DOT) identified stops within the current walkshed of Northwood’s home site for these walkers.

  DOT determined that sixteen new bus routes to support students in the current walkshed are needed to transport all students to the Woodward Center.

• Are they centralized locations or neighborhood stops?

  All bus stops are neighborhood stops which is the level of service provided to high school students eligible for regular transportation. Bus stop locations must be equitable based on school level and age-appropriateness. All schools receiving bus service in the Downcounty Consortium receive identical stop service for eligible riders.

• Will the “sweeper” buses stop at all stops or just centralized locations?

  DOT is prepared to provide two sweeper buses as needed. However, these buses would not be available until after 9:35 a.m. given they are on other assigned routes and trips until that time. If sweeper buses are needed then students would need to get to a central location. It is important to note that students would likely not arrive at Northwood High School at the Woodward Center until after 10:00 a.m. given the geographic distance and timing.

Bus Schedules

• What is the timing of the scheduled regular routes?

  Buses will need to drop off students between 7:00-7:20 a.m. for a 7:25 a.m. bell time with instruction beginning at 7:40 a.m.

• What is the timing of the “sweeper” buses?

  If sweeper buses are utilized then pick up times from central stops will be 9:35 a.m. It is important to note that students would not arrive at Northwood High School at the Woodward Center until later given the geographic distance and timing.

• What is the timing of activity buses?

  DOT will augment the two existing activity buses with three additional activity buses and will provide service Monday through Friday. Activity buses will depart at 4:35 p.m. Additional activity buses may be provided at 5:30 p.m. based on needs.

• How long are the routes from stop 1 to the school?

   

  Bus routes are published for students and families to determine bus stop locations and times. Routes are subject to change based on timing and ridership. Bus routes are designed geographically meaning bus stops furthest from the school are generally picked up first and dropped off last. Modifications to routes may be necessary based on student ridership and timing issues.

• Is there a possibility of starting Northwood’s schedule later than the typical high school schedule to accommodate the requisite early start for bus rides?

  The bell time shift is necessary in order for transportation to be provided for each student attending Northwood High School. This helps facilitate the continued accessibility and participation in athletics, academic programming during and after school, and other extracurricular activities.

Activity & Specialty Buses

• Will there be “off-schedule” busing available for students whose schedules are half-day because of dual enrollment at MC, work schedules, or attendance at Thomas Edison?

  Transportation will provide service for students attending any midday programs.

• Will there be special event busing from the Northwood area to Woodward for Back to School Night, PTA meetings, games, and performances so parents can access the school easily?

  Special event bussing may be requested by the school to support transportation for students and families attending Back to School Night. Further consideration will need to be given for additional events based on resources and bus availability.

MCDOT

• Has MCPS discussed with MCDOT the possibility of a dedicated Ride-On route between Northwood and Woodward during the school day?

  Yes, MCPS has engaged MCDOT to request additional public transit services to the Woodward Center. However, we have learned that MCDOT has limited resources and are currently unable to support additional service at this time. MCPS will continue to engage our partners while Northwood High School is at the Woodward Center.

• Has MCPS discussed with MCDOT the possibility of a Ride-On Flex shuttle from the North Bethesda metro to Woodward? This could be a loop or on-demand (per the Flex model).

  See above.

• If a Metro option was possible, has MCPS discussed discounted student farecards?

  Metro stops are not geographically close to the Woodward Center.

Athletics

Athletic Fields

• When is the expected release date of the athletic fields?

  The stadium, track and athletic fields will be available for the 2026 fall season and year three.

• What is the plan for athletics and physical education while there are no fields available?

  Athletics practices will be held at park and middle/elementary school fields. Games will be held at opposing schools and alternate sites. Northwood will administer a full athletic program.

  For physical education, the health and physical education central services will work collaboratively with the staff at Northwood to ensure that student voice data is being used to help determine what courses are available to students.

Athletics Coordination with Other Schools
“Off-Site Athletics”

• If the plan is to share with a nearby school, what will the logistics be for booking?

  Albert Einstein High School will serve as the primary location for summer workouts and practices. Blair High School will host varsity and JV football games. Logistics for coordinating practice and contest sites will be handled collaboratively by school staff and central services. The Department of Athletics and Montgomery Parks have supported field and facility use.

• Transportation to and from? Activity buses? Games?

  Transportation will be provided to games, similar to typical operations; however, instead of coming back to Northwood, buses will drop off at Forest Knolls Elementary School. Forest Knolls will serve as the “hub” for Northwood Athletics. Buses will drop off here after events, so parents and caregivers should plan on picking up from this location.

  For practices, activity buses will run from Woodward to Forest Knolls each day. Bus times will be confirmed to support practice times. Buses will also be available to assist with shuttling students to practice locations closer to Northwood. In those instances, parents and caregivers should plan on picking up from these locations.

Fall Athletics

• What are the highlights of the fall athletics schedule?

  The fall contest schedule is complete and available on the Northwood Athletics website. Football games will be played at Blair, soccer and field hockey will play all “home” games at opposing sites. Volleyball will play in the Woodward gymnasium. Cross country will run at Wheaton Regional Park or at an opposing school’s course.

Winter Athletics

• What are the highlights of the winter athletics schedule?

  Practice schedules are being confirmed. Basketball games, bocce, and wrestling matches will be played in the Woodward gymnasium.

Spring Athletics

• What are the highlights of the spring athletics schedule?

  Practice schedules are being confirmed. Lacrosse will play all “home” games at the opposing site. Volleyball (boys & coed) and Allied softball will play in the Woodward gymnasium. Baseball and softball games are still being confirmed. Tennis will be played on the Woodward tennis courts. Track will run away meets.

Facilities

Phases of Construction

• What is included in each phase of the construction timeline?

  Phase 1 of Woodward construction includes all standard and special programming classroom instructional spaces, science labs, media center, child development space, music instruction spaces, black box performance space, dining area, main gym, fitness room, 3 aux gyms, athletics team rooms, wellness center, main office & guidance suites, health suite, greenhouse, tennis courts, bus loop, bathrooms, staff team rooms, primary service roads and parking.  Building spaces are turning over in June 2024, in time for Northwood staff to relocate at the end of the school year.  Parking and adjacent roads turn over by August 2024.

  Phase 2 construction includes a 300 space parking garage, secondary gym, synthetic turf stadium, track and field areas, baseball and softball fields.  Parking Garage completion is scheduled for Summer 2025.  Building and athletic field completion are scheduled for Summer 2026.

  Phase 3 will include the auditorium, associated back of stage spaces, additional music instruction and practice spaces, and a second small performance space.  Date of completion is pending funding and planning.

Auditorium & Performing Arts

• What mitigation plans are being discussed for three years of lacking an auditorium space?

  A three year performing arts plan is being developed similar to the athletics plan. Students will be provided with alternate performance spaces, including both rehearsals/practices and performances, and transportation.

• If an option is sharing with Walter Johnson, what will the logistics be for booking? Transportation to and from for students? Transportation for attendees? Activity buses?

  Multiple facilities will be used including DCC locations and community facilities. Transportation will be provided for students.

• If an option is using performance space at Strathmore or AMP by Strathmore, when and how is that being negotiated? What will the logistics be for booking? Transportation to and from for students? Transportation for attendees? Activity buses?

  Please see above.

Community Resources

Wellness Center

• Has the Wellness Center space been built out at Woodward?

  Woodward High School will have full Wellness Center space for both medical and positive youth development programs just as the current Northwood High School building.

• Will those services be available to students?

  There will be no interruption in service for the Wellness Center.

• Will there be options for family members to receive wellness center services at another DCC school if that is more convenient for transportation purposes?

  Families with transportation or other needs will be able to receive a referral to the Wheaton High School or John F. Kennedy High School Wellness Centers for student and family medical care.

Downcounty Consortium

Choice Programs

• How many Northwood-zoned students had another DCC school ranked above Northwood in their choices?

  The first choices to Northwood have decreased by 8% from students in the Choice process in years 2021-2022 to 2022-2023. The Choice process results for Grade 8 students in 2023- 2024 have decreased some and this information will be released to the BOE in May 2024.

• Was that in line with previous years or increased?

  More time is needed to evaluate the trends of first choices to Northwood HS beyond 2021-2022 until now. However, it was anticipated that first choices may decline when information was finalized that Northwood HS students would be Northwood@Woodward for three years.

• How is the Choice office planning to message and handle the next two years of requests?

  The Division of Consortia Choice and Application Program Services (DCCAPS) will partner with MCPS Communications and Northwood @ Woodward HS and be proactive with promoting information to the Downcounty Consortium (DCC) community this summer and into the fall of 2024 when the Choice process begins. DCCAPS communication efforts will occur through various social media, parent/family mailers, local PTAs, middle school counselor/staff presentations and student presentations. The messages will be highlighting opportunities, instructional programs and unique offerings at Northwood HS such as their academies, regional program, extracurriculars and dynamic staff and students.

  These messages will also extend to highlights of Northwood HS’ Middle College and Montgomery College (MC)2 Regional/Countywide program during the fall admission season.

  For example, during the fall, middle school counselors will have the opportunity to visit Northwood @ Woodward HS so they have first hand experience of the school climate and see the academies in action. They will be more informed to help support the eligible Grade 8 students to learn about the school and its offerings. Finally, “Northwood @ Woodward” staff will host an open house in late October for rising Grade 8 families within the DCC, and those interested in attending the (MC)2 program. Efforts to coordinate MCPS bus transportation for families will be explored.