Editor’s note: This article, published at 11:44 p.m. on Aug. 26, 2024, was updated at 1:34 p.m. on Aug. 26, 2024, to add more information.
Students gathered and hugged outside Kensington’s Albert Einstein High School on Monday morning as they found their friends or walked together into the building to the sound of the high school’s marching band.
Those high schoolers were among thousands of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students heading back to classes for the start of the 2024-2025 school year. MCPS officials touted the day as a start to a good year for the district after a turbulent period marked by leadership changes, controversy and discipline and safety issues.
MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor, who began the job July 1, greeted students at Einstein, telling them that the day marked the start of a “good, good year,” a message he emphasized in a back-to-school video set to “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas and released Monday by MCPS.
“I am so excited to be here,” Taylor said. “I just have a feeling that things are going to move in the right direction and that we’re going to move MCPS forward.”
Changes are already on their way.
At a recent school board meeting, Marcus Jones, the district’s chief of safety and compliance and the county’s former police chief, introduced new safety measures. This includes a more restrictive cell phone policy pilot plan, vape detectors and mandatory IDs.
“We’re building a culture of safety,” Taylor said.
According to Taylor, the district has filled more than 99% of its instructional positions and is fully staffed in transportation. The district would be providing “a higher level of customer service” for those with transportation issues, Taylor said, including a transportation hotline.
The changes are also impacting Einstein, as the school is participating in the “All Day Away” cell phone pilot and have new pickleball and female flag football teams, according to Einstein Principal Mark Brown Jr.
County school board President Karla Silvestre said she was hoping the new year could bring improvements in areas such as attendance and math and literacy scores.
“I really [want to] strengthen the partnership between families – things that schools can do, but also where we need parents’ collaboration,” Silvestre said. “I just want to see the kids thrive.”
Despite challenges over the last year, Silvestre said Montgomery County is a strong community and that it would “stand together for the benefit of our kids.”
As they entered Einstein, seniors Vince Valenzuela and Johnette Manongdo said recent changes, like the new superintendent, weren’t on their minds. Their main concern? Ensuring they can branch out to new extracurriculars and take part in quintessential high school events such as prom and homecoming.
“I’m a little excited because I’m taking student leadership this year,” Manongdo said. “So I’m gonna be more active in participating in a lot of school events.”
For freshmen Ali Aljebouri and Juan Mejia, the new year was nerve-wracking as they begin their high school careers, but they said they were looking forward to the start of soccer season.
Parents said they were excited for the start of a new school year. Megan DiNicola, a parent of three MCPS students and the president of the Silver Spring International Middle School PTSA, said she was hoping for some administrative and organizational changes in the district.
“I’m really extremely hopeful that there’s [going to] be some more investment in East County Schools, and particularly the [Downcounty Consortium],” DeNicola said. “I am hopeful for a great school year because we have some of the most amazing teachers and administrators.”
Jimmy Escovar, a parent of a fifth grader at Pine Crest Elementary School in Four Corners, said he was also hopeful for the new year and was looking forward to seeing his daughter’s growth throughout the year.
“As long as [the district] puts kids first, I think that’s their priority really just being there for the kids,” Escovar said. “[Pine Crest] is really good, I like everybody here, teachers are great. I think we’ll definitely have a great year.”