Students raise concerns about school construction delays; council says projects are coordinated with MCPS and community input
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Summary
Students asked about construction at Northwood and the MBLI charter site; councilmembers said the council reviews MCPS project timing, approved supplemental funding for an Up‑county transit study, and acknowledged transportation and temporary facility challenges while the Germantown charter site is completed.
Students raised several questions about school construction during the county’s youth town hall, highlighting disruptions at Northwood and a delayed Germantown charter campus.
A Northwood student described limited campus facilities during ongoing construction and asked how the council would prioritize completing the new campus without harming student well‑being. Council President Kate Stewart and members said the council works in partnership with MCPS to plan projects with community input and to sequence work to limit impacts on students. “We are making sure that when we’re planning a project... we actually deliver a project that meets the community needs,” Stewart said.
Online and in‑room students also asked about MBLI (the charter school referenced at the meeting). Councilmember Marilyn Balcom said MBLI’s Germantown construction is delayed and that students are temporarily attending a school in Bethesda; she cited transportation concerns raised by parents and noted the Germantown site sits near the Montgomery College campus (Golden Run). She said students will move to the Germantown campus once construction is complete.
Councilmembers reminded students that capital budgeting, construction oversight and project sequencing involve MCPS and county coordination; specifics about schedules and contractor timelines were not provided at the town hall.