Projections indicate that enrollment at Silver Spring International Middle School is increasing and will exceed capacity throughout the six-year planning period. In addition to the enrollment growth, the gymnasiums and locker rooms are located in a separate building, down a steep hill, which impacts the accessibility and administration of the physical education program at the school. Also, the construction of the Purple Line will impact the school site and outdoor programmatic spaces that will need to be addressed. Therefore, the Board of Education's requested FY 2019-2024 CIP included funding for an addition at this school. An FY 2019 appropriation was approved to begin the planning for this project. An FY 2020 appropriation was approved for construction funds. This addition project not only will affect the middle school, but also the Sligo Creek Elementary School, since both are on the same site. After considering a number of factors including the cost and operational considerations for this project, the requested FY 2021-2026 CIP includes a one-year delay of this project to allow the school system and the school community an opportunity to explore additional options to address the capacity needs at both schools, as well as the programmatic needs at the middle school. This project, with the one-year delay, is scheduled to be completed September 2023. After careful consideration regarding the scope of this project, the fiscal challenges facing the county and state, and the substantial budget for the approved project, the Board of Education's Requested FY 2022 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY 2021-2026 CIP includes a reduction of scope and cost of this addition project and to reevaluate the scope of the project to specifically address the programmatic and safety needs of the school as it relates to the location and administration of the physical education program, as well as the overall safety of the school community with the construction of the new Purple Line. With the approved change in scope, the completion date for this project was August 2024. In addition, the County Council approved the Board of Education's requested Amended CIP that included the reallocation of funds ($16 million) from this project to the Highland View Elementary School addition project. As part of the FY2023-2028 CIP, an additional $4.0 million from the county executive's Prevailing Wage and Built to Learn Act PDFs was included in this project to maximize state aid. Due to fiscal constraints, the County Council, in the adopted FY2023-2028 CIP, delayed this project one year. An FY2023 appropriation was approved for the additional funding for this project. An FY 2024 appropriation was approved for construction funds and an amendment to the FY 2023-2028 CIP was approved for additional funds due to the impact on the construction industry as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The scheduled completion date for this project is August 2025.

MCPS asserts that this project conforms to the requirement of relevant local plans, as required by the Maryland Economic Growth, Resource Protection and Planning Act.

Mandatory Referral - M-NCPPC, Department of Environmental Protection, Building Permits:, Code Review, Fire Marshall, Department of Transportation, Inspections, Sediment Control, Stormwater Management, WSSC Permits