16 MCPS Schools That Closed At One Point and Have Since Reopened (Some With New Names)

MCS Staff October 30, 2023 at 8:37pm

Below you will see a list of 16 Montgomery County Public Schools that were closed by the school system at one point in time, but have since reopened. Schools on this list were either reopened or built new on the site of a former school. In some cases the school was renamed. Full list below, with some additional information about/from the schools:

Arcola Elementary School (1820 Franwall Avenue, Silver Spring): Arcola Elementary School opened its doors again in August 2007. The original Arcola Elementary was opened in the 1950’s and closed in the 1980’s. Even though the “new” Arcola is twice the size of the original building with state-of-the-art technology and a diverse student population of over 600 students, the neighborhood is very happy to have the beloved school open again.

Argyle Middle School (2400 Bel Pre Road, Silver Spring): Built in 1971 and situated on the outer edge of Montgomery County’s Downcounty area, Argyle’s evolution as a middle school has been both dramatic and emblematic of the development of MCPS. With the advent of the Middle School Magnet Consortium in 2005, Argyle’s enrollment area increased to include students from eight neighboring elementary schools, as well as a limited number of enrollment spaces for students beyond the Downcounty. It initially closed in 1981 before reopening in 1993.

Burnt Mills Elementary School (11211 Childs Street, Silver Spring): Burnt Mills was built in 1964 and taken out of service in 1977. When the surging student population required its return use, the school was reopened in 1990 with a new addition creating a total space for 382 students. By 2005, its enrollment soared to 588, nearly one and a half times the school’s capacity. This year is the first year in the school’s new building.

Cabin John Middle School (10701 Gainsborough Road, Potomac): Cabin John opened in 1967 as a junior high school, and its mascot was the roadrunner. In 1987, the school closed due to declining enrollment, and all students in the area attended Hoover. However, the county decided to reopen Cabin John in 1989 as a middle school. When it reopened, its mascot became the cougar. The original building closed in 2009 and reopened with a newly constructed building in 2011.

Cloverly Elementary School (800 Briggs Chaney Road, Silver Spring): Cloverly Elementary School was originally built in 1961 and later closed in 1983 due to a significant reduction in student enrollment. Cloverly was later renovated and reopened in 1989, with additional classrooms and storage and office spaces. A state-of-the-art gymnasium was built in 2008.

Francis Scott Key Middle School (910 Schindler Drive, Silver Spring): Francis Scott Key initially opened as a Junior High School, then closed and was used as a holding school before reopening as Francis Scott Key Middle School in 1990.

A. Mario Loiederman Middle School, Formerly Col. Joseph A. Belt Junior High School (12701 Goodhill Road, Silver Spring): Col. Joseph A. Belt Junior High School was closed in 1982 by the county board of education because of declining enrollments. It was going to be used by The Yeshiva of Greater Washington as a private school, but an agreement to transfer the former Col. Joseph A. Belt Junior High School facility back to the school system and, in return, gain the use of the Montgomery Hills Junior High School facility as its new building was made. In 2005 the school reopened as A. Mario Loiederman Middle School.

MacDonald Knolls Early Childhood Center (10611 Tenbrook Drive, Silver Spring): MacDonald Knolls Elementary School opened in Silver Spring in 1955. The school closed in 1976. It reopened in 2019 as an early childhood center, becoming the first pre-k/early childhood center to combine general and special education programming in one location.

Newport Mill Middle School (11311 Newport Mill Road, Silver Spring): The school opened in September 1958 with the name Newport Mill Junior High School. The school was named after a gristmill named Newport Mill that had been built nearby in 1756. The building operated as a public school until 1982 when it was closed due to declining enrollment. The building was leased to a private school that had formerly been operating under the name Town and Country Day School in Kensington. The private school changed its name to the Newport School when it moved to Newport Mill Junior High School’s building. When Sligo Middle School’s enrollment exceeded its capacity, the Montgomery County Board of Education decided to renovate and reopen it as a public school for the 2002–2003 school year.

Roscoe R. Nix Elementary School, Formerly Brookview Elementary School (1100 Corliss Street, Silver Spring): Brookview Elementary School opened in 1956. It remained open for over 25 years until closing in the 80s. The school reopened as Roscoe R. Nix ES in 2006.

North Bethesda Middle School (8935 Bradmoor Drive, Bethesda): Originally opened in the mid 50s, North Bethesda Junior High School closed in 1981. It was occupied by St. Andrew’s former from 1981 until 1989, when MCPS decided to reclaim the site. In 2018, an addition was added that includes 14 new classrooms, a second gym and staff offices on two floors. The new classroom spaces are flexible to allow for a mix of classes and there are also two science labs and a health classroom.

Northwood High School (919 University Boulevard, W., Silver Spring): Northwood opened as a combination junior/senior high school named Northwood Junior Senior High School in 1956. The closing of Northwood High School was discussed and voted on 3 times by the Montgomery County School Board starting in 1981 and finally ordered closed in a contested decision. it closed in 1985. From 1987 to 2004, Northwood was used to hold students from other high schools during renovations. The school was re-opened in 2004 due to increasing population in the area.

Bayard Rustin Elementary School, Formerly Hungerford Park Elementary School (332 West Edmonston Drive, Rockville): Hungerford Park Elementary School closed in 1982. Bayard Rustin Elementary School opened on the former site of Hungerford Park ES in 2018. Bayard Rustin was a believer in non-violence, a socialist, a civil rights organizer, and an openly gay black man.

Sargent Shriver Elementary School, Formerly Connecticut Park Elementary School (12518 Greenly Drive, Silver Spring): Connecticut Park Elementary School closed in 1983. The school reopened as Sargent Shriver Elementary School in 2006. Sargent Shriver was an international lawyer and administrator, ambassador and an advocate for the poor and powerless. He was also a Montgomery County Maryland resident.

Silver Creek Middle School, Formerly Kensington Junior High (3701 Saul Road, Kensington): Kensington Jr. High School opened on the Rock Creek Hills Local Park property in 1939. Due to declining enrollment Kensington Jr. High School was closed in 1979. For a period of time the property remained in Board of Education ownership, but the school was razed between 1987 and 1990. Silver Creek Middle School opened its doors for the first time on September 5, 2017. It is named after the “natural winding stream” nearby.

Flora M. Singer Elementary School, Formerly McKenney Hills Elementary School (2600 Hayden Drive, Silver Spring): The school was used as Board of Education storage for a while. Current Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich attended McKenney Hills Elementary School when he was growing up. Flora M. Singer Elementary School opened in 2011. Singer was an MCPS teacher and Holocaust survivor. She dedicated her life to sharing her Holocaust story with students and the world, focusing on messages about human kindness and tolerance.