Two Silver Spring school construction projects paused due to rising costs, improper planning, MCPS says

 Changes are latest setbacks for Silver Spring International Middle, Highland View Elementary schools

...Mamoon said during the June 24 school board meeting the district had to “take a step back” because adding spaces such as the science labs required additional work including testing due to new HVAC requirements. When the district was able to “assess the condition properly,” staff determined the current budget wouldn’t be enough to pay for completing the spaces, he told the board.   

“When this project was originally planned, it did not take into account a lot of the existing challenges with that building, including the HVAC system. … The restrooms are needing upgrades,” Mamoon said. “There’s a historic portion of the building that also needs a roof replacement. So, this current budget is not going to support beyond just finishing up the gymnasium addition.”  

DiNicola said pause of constructing those spaces was frustrating, but at this point it was expected.  

“It’s super deflating,” DiNicola said. “Everyone’s reaction on our community side was like ‘Yeah, of course they’re not going to invest in us. Why is it never us?’ ”..

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/04/silver-spring-school-projects-paused/

Folks near Highland View Elementary School in Silver Spring want flood lights + security cameras added to the upper playground. The reason? Crime.

NEW: Folks near Highland View Elementary School in Silver Spring want flood lights + security cameras added to the upper playground. The reason? Crime.

In the last 12 months alone, vandalism, suspicious vehicles, people loitering + three reports of gunfire in the immediate area. pic.twitter.com/QFwZ8ZZJ4h

— Kevin Lewis (@ABC7Kevin) August 14, 2018

Highland View ES Action Alert

Working copiers or Promethean Boards: the Highland View ES PTA notes the irony:

Families at Highland View Elementary School, in Montgomery County, Maryland, were urged in an Action Alert dated February 3, 2009, to contact the members of the Board of Education concerning certain budget recommendations. The Action Alert included Talking Points so that families could advocate effectively for resources for their school. Talking Point number 3 is reproduced here in its entirety:

The recommendation to replace old copiers with refurbished copiers that will be maintained in-house by MCPS while at the same time cutting the budget for the maintenance department and operations will impact performance, morale and efficiency. This cut is unacceptable and will directly impact homework, instruction and operational efficiency of teachers and staff within our school.

Background: In an effort to cut outside contract costs, the budget proposes replacing old copy machines with refurbished equipment which is more likely to breakdown. Moreover, the recommendation seeks to terminate outside repair contractors instead making copy machine equipment repairs part of the maintenance department’s responsibilities. This is all the while simultaneously cutting funding for the maintenance and operations.

The irony is that while we are struggling to keep functioning copiers that are essential to the business of our school and classrooms, MCPS has invested millions in high-tech Promethean Boards.

Bottom line, our teachers and kids depend on a functioning copier that can be fixed in a timely manner. Outsourcing repair and replacing copiers with high quality equipment is a priority. At HVES our copier machine has been a problem for years. This has already impacted our children’s access to teaching materials and resources – our staff and front office spend countless hours trying to keep our copier functioning.

(end of quote)

*********************

Millions of dollars for Promethean Boards, or a working copier for all schools? Did the public have a chance to weigh in on this choice before the thousands of Promethean Boards were "leased" and installed?