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?
District 1
Drew Morrison (D)
I will oppose funding to relocate Wootton High School. This school is the center of a community. That center should not move elsewhere because of missteps made by the school system itself in planning for future capacity and repair needs. That is a significant change that will impact so many, and it is unfair to create such uncertainty and anxiety within the process of a larger boundary study.
Over the past year, MCPS decided to tackle too many large decisions at once, and Board of Education leadership has failed to provide the governance we need. All at the same time, MCPS pursued a boundary study to change school lines, a complete re-thinking of how local schools work through the programs analysis, and major school closures like Wootton.
I believe we should have effective neighborhood schools that deliver excellence for all. And I think that the Board of Education and the Council need to work together to rebuild trust, engage fully with parents on decisions, and build the future of the system together instead of through rushed and non-transparent processes.
Debbie Spielberg (D)
It is the separately elected Board of Education that makes the decisions reIated to schools. In my limited role as a Councilmember, I will review the proposal carefully, be sure that the procedure is appropriate and consider its costs, benefits, and impact on students and the broader community. My priority will be ensuring that any major capital investment is fiscally responsible, educationally sound, and equitable.
If the relocation meets those standards and is part of a broader strategy to address capacity and improve outcomes for students, I would support funding it. If not, I will not support it.
Reardon “Sully” Sullivan (R)
I would not support funding for the relocation as currently proposed.
While I would support the concept of a boundary study to more evenly distribute students between neighboring/adjacent schools in order to balance resources, I do not support bussing student to achieve diversity as indicated in Superintendent Taylor’s video on the boundary study ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI4d8pXieFs )
While I support efforts to ensure equitable distribution of resources across schools, I believe those goals should be addressed through thoughtful boundary reviews and planning. Any major capital investment should be carefully evaluated to ensure it aligns with both educational priorities and fiscal responsibility.
Julie Yang (D)
I believe Wootton High School’s move to the Crown location should be temporary. As a county, we need to grow our economy to generate funds to renovate Wootton and Magruder to modern standards.
The relocation of Wootton High School to Crown will be an operational cost handled by MCPS. It is not a budget line item for the County Council. Furniture and technology in the Crown location have already been included in the original Crown capital improvement plan. The move now entails teachers’ and staff items, which will not be a significant budget item and can be handled internally by MCPS.
District 2
Marilyn Balcombe (D-Incumbent)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Arian Borghei (R-Write-in)
I would evaluate the proposal carefully to ensure it is financially responsible and meets the long-term needs of students and the community.
If the move is shown to improve capacity, educational outcomes, and infrastructure efficiency without placing an undue burden on taxpayers, I would support it. Transparency and fiscal responsibility will guide my decision.
District 3
Jud Ashman (D)
While the County Council has no authority to change the Board of Education’s decision to relocate Wootton to the new high school at Crown, what I can assure your readers are two things:
I will work with, facilitate, and make myself available to the community to do whatever I can to make the transition smooth and the school experience at the new Crown school as outstanding as it can be.
As a County Councilmember, I will look for opportunities to help MCPS get through its backlog of capital projects, with specific emphasis on funding renovations at Wootton so that a return to the current facility can be a viable option when the boundaries are revisited.
Allison Eriksen (D)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Ricky Fai Mui (R)
I oppose the permanent relocation of Wootton students to Crown High School. It is necessary to use Crown HS as a holding school to dedicate expedient construction and rehabilitation repairs to Wootton’s facilities. I commit to provide the proper oversight, audit and accountability that has been missing for decades, that has permitted multiple school facilities to deteriorate to unsafe conditions (e.g., mold growth, inoperable: lights, fire alarms systems, HVAC systems, electrical sockets; gas and raw sewage leaks, broken floor tiles, exposed electrical wiring, leaking ceilings, pest infestation (Clarksburg HS), etc.,).
We can all clearly see a direct trend and correlation; that MCPS officials and the Board of Education members have colluded to allow school facilities to deteriorate beyond wear and tear, but rather border on condemnation of buildings, forcing CIP funding on full reconstruction. In my Navy experience and in the corporate sector, I have never allowed my facilities to rot like this, it’s truly criminal. We must make evaluate our facilities annually.
I propose to save County funds by making Crown a holding facility for the next decade; leading to optimizing space in co-locating a condensed Central Office HQ into Crown, mitigating $ millions in leasing costs.
Izola Shaw (D)
I do not agree with the school board’s decision to relocate Wootton High School to the Crown site in Gaithersburg. Before supporting any funding for this move, I would work diligently to explore whether this decision can be reversed. Our schools have been underfunded for years, which has put both our schools and community in a position where they must fight for scarce resources and make difficult decisions between communities. The relocation has significant impacts on our community, and it’s crucial to carefully consider those effects and listen to residents’ concerns before moving forward with such a major change.
District 4
Paula Bienenfeld (D)
Right now, we are in stasis with the move of the Wootton student body to Crown. Specifically, MCPS has not provided feasibility studies or a cost analysis to allow for an assessment of the possible costs and impacts from the proposed relocation. The public has not seen any analysis of the likely effects of the proposed move, so it is not possible to answer the question. Further, the answer to the question regarding Wootton and Crown alone should be seen within the context of the entire school system and lack of outreach, transparency, and information for the residents and parents/guardians of the school communities. When the Wootton revised Option H was made public, for example, the public had a very limited time to review available documents, which were limited, and comment on the modified Option.
Kate Stewart (D-Incumbent)
I am very empathetic to the families who are trying to manage plans for their children’s education and for the need to consider changes to our school. The decision to relocate Wootton was made by the school board and while the Council does appropriate money for MCPS, the ultimate decision on what the money funds is made by the school board.
I understand the great need at Wotton as well as the many of the construction and renovation needs across the County, and now that the decision has been made, I support making sure we have the money to accomplish the move.
Peter “Rocky” Whitesell (D)
Yes. It is the clear responsibility of the Council to ensure that school construction and renovation plans are fully funded and carried out. I think the process behind this decision had flaws that made an already difficult process harder, but now that the Board has made its decision, I will support moving it forward and ensure it is implemented as smoothly and quickly as possible.
District 5
Charles Kirchman (D)
Yes, as difficult as the decision is for the Wooten HS community, the county does not currently have the funding to renovate or rebuild the school.
Kristin Mink (D-Incumbent)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Josephine Salazar (R)
I do not support the relocation of Wootten High School to the Crown site in Gaithersburg. One crucial reason it is not cost effective. Congested and prolonged transportation to the new the Crown site. The parents and residents’ opinion should be respected and honored about not wanting the relocation.
District 6
Natali Fani-González (D-Incumbent)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Sonia Garcia (D)
Every Montgomery County student deserves to learn in a safe, modern, and well-maintained school. That is a shared value across our community.
At the same time, decisions of this scale deserve careful review and a clear understanding of how they fit within the County’s broader planning framework. Thrive Montgomery 2050 calls for creating complete, connected communities where residents can access essential services close to home. Relocating a high school raises important questions about how we balance those goals with enrollment needs, capacity planning, and long-term growth.
If the Board of Education has concluded, through a thoughtful and inclusive process, that the Crown site is the best long-term option, I would be prepared to consider the funding. However, that consideration must be informed by a transparent review of the costs, the impact on the existing Wootton community, and how this decision aligns with our broader land use and transportation priorities.
We also have an obligation to look at the full picture. Our Capital Improvements Program reflects the County’s values, and we must ensure that investments are made equitably. Communities in the Upcounty and East County, including District 6, have significant unmet needs when it comes to school facilities. As we evaluate this proposal, we must ensure it does not come at the expense of students who have been waiting far too long for improvements.
This is about balance, supporting strong schools, respecting community input, and making decisions that reflect both our planning principles and our commitment to fairness across the County.
Louella Tham (R)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
District 7
Van Free (D)
I would carefully review the proposal, including costs, long-term planning needs, and community input. School infrastructure decisions must be based on data, equity, and fiscal responsibility.
If the relocation is shown to address capacity needs, improve educational outcomes, and be a responsible use of taxpayer funds, I would support it. However, I want to ensure that investments are balanced across the county so all students benefit.
My priority is making sure every student has access to a safe, modern learning environment while being mindful of costs and competing needs.
Sharif Hidayat (D)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Dawn Luedtke (D-Incumbent)
While I understand MCPS has declining enrollment and operational decisions must be made in accordance with this reality, I have significant concerns about the Wootton High School decision and in particular the suggestion that students and educators from other schools that need major capital projects – specifically Magruder or Damascus High Schools – should set up their holding schools at the Wootton building. If the Wootton building is in such disrepair that the Wootton students must move to another building, then why should other school communities temporarily move there? We await the details of any such proposals for Wootton’s use as a holding school, the funding requests associated with it, and a clear plan for how the existing Wootton building would be used in our next capital budget.
Harold Maldonado (R)
I do not support funding the relocation of Wootton High School to the Crown site in Gaithersburg as currently proposed. Major school relocation projects of this scale must be justified not only on paper, but in terms of real educational benefit, cost efficiency, and long-term community impact.
Many parents and stakeholders have raised serious concerns about the financial burden of the project, the disruption to students, and whether relocation is truly the best solution compared to alternatives such as renovation or phased expansion at the existing site. These are valid questions that have not been fully resolved. At a time when MCPS faces significant capital needs across multiple schools, we must prioritize investments that maximize impact per dollar spent.
I believe the County should carefully re-evaluate whether relocation is necessary at all, and fully explore less disruptive and more cost-effective alternatives. Large-scale decisions like this should only move forward when there is clear evidence of educational necessity, fiscal responsibility, and broad community alignment—not uncertainty or division. Ultimately, my focus is on ensuring that every capital dollar strengthens MCPS as a whole, rather than committing to projects that may not represent the best long-term use of taxpayer resources.