First day in Northwood brings optimism, but also traffic problems

Northwood High School students reported to class Monday for the first day of school in a brand new building on Old Georgetown Road — where the old Woodward High School once stood — while their old building undergoes a multi-year renovation.

In the spring, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) announced the relocation of over 1,800 students. The news sparked a student strike and protest.

On Monday morning, several parents expressed optimism that their children would be moving into a brand new building, but many expressed frustration with the new traffic patterns that made it difficult to get in and out of the parking lot in front of their children’s new temporary home.

According to MCPS Department of Transportation officials, 43 buses pulled into another parking lot to pick up students. Meanwhile, SUVs heading south onto school property were blocked by bike lane posts and forced to make a Y-turn, causing congestion in both lanes. Some parents mistakenly used the bike lanes to exit school property in the confusion of the first day.