At the end of the 2023-2024 academic year, Northwood High School closed its doors again, this time for demolition and reconstruction.
Northwood High School was originally constructed and opened in 1956 at 919 University Blvd. West. Northwood closed in 1985 due to under-enrollment, but as the community grew, so did the student population, which prompted Northwood to re-open in 2004.
That year Northwood began with only a freshman class, the Class of 2008. Each year the school’s student body grew, and it soon became a four-year high school during the 2007-2008 school year.
However, overcrowding quickly became an issue according to MoCo360.
On March 25, the Montgomery County Board of Education approved for Northwood students to be moved off-site to the newly rebuilt Charles W. Woodward High School in Rockville during the reconstruction process. As explained in the Northwood High School Preliminary Plan Presentation prepared for the school board, Woodward will serve as a temporary holding facility until the new Northwood building is complete. Woodward was rebuilt for this specific reason.
The school district announced that the reconstruction plan will cost around $124 million. This plan aims to tackle capacity issues and to provide an up-to-date facility. This will expand the number of seats available by 1,200, increasing the capacity to 2,700 students according to the Montgomery County Capital Budget.
On Aug. 26, Northwood students had their first day of school at Woodward High School.
“They’re saying we’re going to be at this school for two years, and now they’re saying three, and now someone’s even saying four. It’s not definite,” Monica Bond-Lamberty said.
Bond-Lamberty, a Silver Spring resident, started teaching at Northwood High School in 2008 and now teaches at the holding school in Rockville. Bond-Lamberty teaches Advanced Placement World History, Honors Modern World History, and Latin American History.
Bond-Lamberty explained that community members were met with many frustrations over the school board’s decision, mainly over Woodward’s lack of facilities. Woodward reopened and underwent reconstruction in preparation for the arrival of Northwood students, according to the school district.
“We have an Academy of Musical Theater and Dance and we don’t have an auditorium,” Bond-Lamberty said. “We don’t have outdoor fields.”
“It’s honestly been a logistical nightmare,” said Marco Fuggitti.
Fuggitti is the Athletic Director for Northwood High School and has held that position for 16 years. Fuggitti started his career as a middle school math teacher and later went on to get his master’s degree in athletic administration from McDaniel College. He is also currently working at the holding school in Rockville.
Without indoor athletic facilities or playing fields, Fuggitti explained that student-athletes must venture elsewhere for their practices and home games. Soccer players have been practicing at North Four Corners Local Park, the Field Hockey team has been practicing at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreational Park, and cross-country at Wheaton Regional Park.
“Each sport is a little isolated,” said Fuggitti. “It’s a little bit of a disconnect from that type of community, I think that’s been the toughest part.”
This change has not only been hard on student-athletes but it has also been difficult for Fuggitti himself. With student-athletes not all being in the same location for after-school practices, he struggles to connect and build relationships with the students.
“It’s been tough to get to know all the student-athletes like I normally would like to,” Fuggitti said.
Before moving to Woodward, many Northwood students took part in a walkout to protest the unfinished school in April. Students were protesting three main issues: the lack of facilities for extracurricular activities, bell times being earlier than other county schools, and the lack of community feedback on the matter according to the Montgomery Perspective.
Bond-Lamberty said that students are trying to be optimistic, but it is no easy feat.
“It’s frustrating, just in terms of trying to build that school spirit,” Bond-Lamberty said.
In addition to unfinished facilities for extracurriculars, there is also an extra 20-minute commute without rush hour traffic for staff and students, according to ABC 7 News. Northwood students struggle to feel connected to one another and their community because of these changes.
“And obviously this change doesn’t just affect us,” Fuggitti remarked.
Rockville residents are also displeased.
“There definitely is a feeling of ‘you’re not welcome here,’” Bond-Lamberty said when asked about Northwood’s reception.
Bond-Lamberty explained that part of the reason why this community is unhappy with Northwood’s arrival is because of the construction and that they haven’t had the commotion of a school in their local area for several years. Community members grew accustomed to a slower pace in their neighborhoods.
Bond-Lamberty’s response to that?
“You should have gone to school board meetings and done something,” she said. “Because you can’t blame us.”
Photo: “Northwood High School at Woodward North Bethesda MD 2024-08-28 18-27-19” by G. Edward Johnson is licensed under CC BY 4.0.