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Wootton, B-CC high schools to dismiss early due to extreme heat in classrooms

Burst pipe results in no air conditioning at Wootton, MCPS says Rockville’s Thomas S. Wootton High School and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High (B-CC) in Bethesda are set to dismiss at noon Thursday due to high temperatures in the schools, according to...

Dan Murphy • •2 min read
Wootton, B-CC high schools to dismiss early due to extreme heat in classrooms
Family & Education

Wootton, B-CC high schools to dismiss early due to extreme heat in classrooms 

Burst pipe results in no air conditioning at Wootton, MCPS says

By

Ashlyn Campbell

June 11, 2026 11:53 a.m.

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    Wootton High School.
    Wootton High School. Photo credit: Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images

    Rockville’s Thomas S. Wootton High School and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High (B-CC) in Bethesda are set to dismiss at noon Thursday due to high temperatures in the schools, according to Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) spokesperson Liliana Lopez.  

    Lopez said in a Thursday email to Bethesda Today that conditions within the schools led to a decision to close earlier than at the regularly scheduled dismissal time of 2:30 p.m. 

    Wootton’s air conditioning is not working due to a burst pipe, Lopez said. B-CC has air conditioning, but is closing because “some rooms are very hot,” she said. 

    Thursday’s temperatures are expected to hit a high of 94 degrees with a humidity of 58%, according to The Weather Channel. 

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    Over the past several years, several MCPS schools have experienced malfunctioning or inoperative heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, leading to a backlog of maintenance repairs for the systems. 

    Wootton particularly has experienced difficulties due to a dilapidated building that was built in 1970, leading to ongoing complaints from the school community. In April, a water main break caused the school to close.  

    Thursday’s early dismissal announcement drew an immediate response from Rockville County Councilmember Adam Van Grack, a parent of Wootton students who has long complained about conditions at the school. 

    “This is unacceptable. As I have been regularly testifying about and writing about … Montgomery County has delayed, deferred, and pushed off necessary school infrastructure work at Wootton and other schools for years,” Van Grack said Thursday on social media. “Now we are seeing the consequences in real time. These are not abstract budget decisions. These decisions affect students, teachers, staff, families, and the basic ability of our schools to operate safely.” 

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    Originally published at Bethesdamagazine