that will “address aging infrastructure,” according to the county. All three projects were previously delayed due to budget costs.education and culture committee.The school system submits its capital improvement funding priorities to the county executive, who decides what projects to include in their overall county budget proposal to the county council, which then considers how much of the request can be fulfilled.
Dawn Luedtke said during a council work session this week that her constituents in parts of Upcounty and Midcounty have complained about feeling ignored by the county officials. “Damascus High School hasn’t had a refresh since 1978,” she said. “It is astounding that this part of the county has been repeatedly shoved to the back of the line.”Silver Spring International Middle School would have added roughly 400 seats to the school.
plans. The group recounted stories of ceiling tiles falling during the school day, sweltering classrooms that have reached almost 90 degrees and students with disabilities having difficulty navigating the building. They also want more security guards and cameras.The current plans would include an addition to the school costing just over $20 million and scheduled to be completed in August 2025.
Under this scaled-down plan some changes would be made, including moving a gym inside the school instead of how it exists now in a separate building and locker rooms. Updates like those are appreciated, said Gretchen Winch, who has taught at the school for eight years, “but this needs to be a first step, not the only step, to improve student safety and well-being.
To address some of the safety concerns, school system officials have started a monthly committee to discuss problems and are reviewing areas that connect the middle and elementary schools.