Northwood High School students reported for first day of school Monday at a brand new building on Old Georgetown Road – where the old Woodward High School used to stand – while their old building undergoes a multiyear renovation.
In the spring, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) announced the move for 1800+ students. The news sparked a student walkout and protest.
Monday morning, several parents were upbeat about their kids coming to a brand new building though many expressed frustration about new traffic patterns which caused challenges getting in and out of the parking lot for their kids’ new temporary home.
According to officials from the MCPS Department of Transportation, 43 buses entered another parking lot to deliver students. Meanwhile southbound SUV’s trying to make turns into the school grounds were impeded by bike lane posts. They had to maneuver a Y turn which led to backups in both lanes. Some parents mistakenly used the bike lanes to exit school grounds amid the first day confusion.