By Adam Pagnucco.
Here is today’s question.
The school board has approved the relocation of Wootton High School to the Crown site in Gaithersburg. Will you support the funding necessary to accomplish that move?
Fatmata Barrie (D)
I understand the need to address school capacity and plan for future growth, and I support making investments in school infrastructure where they are needed.
At the same time, decisions of this scale must reflect strong community engagement, careful review of costs, and long-term planning. I’ve heard directly from students, parents, and residents who have raised both support and concerns about the proposed relocation.
Before making a final decision, I would want to ensure that the plan fully addresses those concerns, is fiscally responsible, and aligns with the County’s long-term educational and infrastructure goals.
My approach is to make sure we get these decisions right, not just move quickly, so that the outcome serves both current students and future generations.
Josie Caballero (D)
The decision to close Wootton High was pushed through and the community provided both feedback, assessments, and more to make clear their opposition to this move. The best solution is to guarantee that we fund and repair Wootton High School to keep it on Wootton Parkway. Promises were made and broken to the Wootton community. I will push to go back to the drawing board and work in concert with the community, educators, professionals, and the BOE to find a solution that does not go back on promises made.
Radwan Chowdhury (D)
I support investing in school infrastructure to meet student needs and accommodate growth.
However, funding decisions must be based on clear data, community input, and fiscal responsibility. I would review the full plan to ensure it aligns with long-term capacity, equity, and budget priorities.
Our focus must be on delivering high-quality, accessible education across the county.
Marc Elrich (D)
The school is built and they already have the funding to operate it. No matter what scenario the school system adopted, they will have money to operate it.
Dana Gassaway (D)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Scott Goldberg (D)
This is what managed decline looks like. Not keeping our county affordable for young families, not prioritizing job and wage growth, and letting our schools stagnate has real consequences. In the year prior to COVID, MCPS peaked at 165,300 students. This year, we’re at 156,500 and projected to hit 149,700 in 2031. That’s a decline of over 15,000 students, or 7 high schools worth of kids that are just gone.
In October, with no input, MCPS notified the parents and the community that the process to close Silver Spring International Middle School, which happens to be my neighborhood’s school, in 5 years would be finalized on March 26, 2026 because the building was so obsolete. Except, it would be good enough to be patched up and turned into a holding school. They decided to have a community meeting in November as an afterthought. To say this was mishandled would be an understatement.
There’s a much better way to manage decline and MCPS needs to figure out how to do it right. That being said, unless the results of litigation dictate otherwise, by the time I would be on the Council, the process would be too far along to unravel this decision.
Hamza Khan (D)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Matt Losak (D)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Jim McNulty (D)
The dust is still settling after the Board of Education’s decision to relocate Wootton High School to Gaithersburg’s Crown community, and it is unfortunate the way the process played out—pitting community against community.
Now that the boundary decisions have been made across multiple clusters, it will be important for the Council to provide the funds required for a successful launch, so these reshaped school communities are able to coalesce and get back to the business of teaching and learning, especially Wootton at Crown. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t still hard work to be done.
This process highlighted glaring needs across MCPS, including at Magruder and Damascus, just to name a few. We need to triage the outstanding needs of our schools so we can prioritize how we invest our limited resources. But we also must demand increased transparency from MCPS so have a clearer picture of how your tax dollars are being spent.
Jeremiah Pope (D)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Laurie-Anne Sayles (D-Incumbent)
I take seriously both our responsibility to fund a strong capital program and the limits of the Council’s role. The Board of Education, not the County Council, decides how MCPS allocates its capital dollars, including whether to proceed with a relocation like Wootton to Crown.
That said, my job is to ensure taxpayers’ investments are responsible, transparent, and aligned with countywide needs. If MCPS advances this proposal, I will expect clear justification, including enrollment projections, equity impacts, cost comparisons, and how this move fits within broader capacity challenges across the system.
I am open to funding projects that are well planned, fiscally sound, and demonstrably in the best interest of students across Montgomery County, not just one cluster. But I will not support writing a blank check without that level of accountability.
In short, I will evaluate the request on its merits, insist on rigorous oversight, and work to ensure any funding decision reflects both educational priorities and stewardship of public resources.
Prabu Selvam (D)
Yes. Every student in our county deserves the resources they need to thrive. Let’s make sure that this move for Wootton HS is successful and that students receive an even better quality of education than they would have in the previous, outdated, and unsafe building. When change happens, it is up to us as a community to determine what that means. I’m determined to ensure that this move, as well as the planned Regional Model, is a net benefit to students and families.
As a K-12 graduate of MCPS myself, a father of a rising MCPS student, and a STEM graduate with degrees in engineering, public health, and medicine, I will be fully hands-on and engaged with MCPS leadership to ensure we provide a world-class education for our students. To me, that education includes support for the students and families who need additional help, as well as stronger dual-enrollment and entrepreneurship programs for students who demand greater challenge and opportunity.
Karla Silvestre (D)
I voted for this plan, and it is the fiscally responsible approach to addressing long-term capacity and growth in this part of the county.
At this point, the priority is to complete Crown. That is the funding that is needed now, and it has broad support. We will follow through on that commitment and deliver the project on time and on budget.
More broadly, school construction decisions must be driven by enrollment data, long-term planning, and what best serves students and families. I am open to rebuilding Wootton if future enrollment necessitates it and the funding is included in the Capital Improvements Program.
The Council also has a responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability throughout the process. That means effective community engagement, clear timelines, accurate cost projections, and regular public updates so residents understand how projects are progressing.
In the end, my focus is simple: deliver the Crown project responsibly now, and ensure every future decision is guided by data, transparency, and what best serves students and families.
Steve Solomon (D)
I was against the relocation of Wootton to the Crown site and Option H. This is a short sighted move that doesn’t make fiscal sense. We have a long list of CIP school repair projects including nearly $1 billion just in HVAC repairs and replacements. We should fix the problems at Wootton and keep the students there.
Lelia True (D)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Vicki Vergagni (D)
Not at this time. I am not convinced that if Wootton High School can be used for “holding” purposes for other school children, it certainly can be used for its current population. However, I also must caution that I have not taken a deep dive into all of the associated issues, and when elected, would do so.
Muhammad Arif Wali (D)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Sherwin Wells (R)
I am a Law Student and this issue is before the Courts. I will not comment on any current case before the Courts that is being litigated. Prior to the litigation my position was to keep Wootton High School and Crown site would be a separate High School.
Respectfully.