Westland Middle School is closed for the second day in a row Tuesday “out of an abundance of caution due to ongoing debris cleanup” after a tree fell on the Bethesda building over the weekend, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) said Monday in a statement.
Due to rain and wind over the weekend, a tree fell on the building Sunday, causing “structural damage affecting classrooms in the rear of the building,” MCPS announced Sunday about the school at 5511 Massachusetts Ave. The damage from the impact made the school unsafe for operation.
Tuesday, an early release day, is the last day of the school year.
The tree removal required the use of a large crane, prohibiting “safe occupancy for the building for students and a number of staff,” and removing the tree would require the closure of 18 classrooms, according to MCPS.
On Monday, MCPS said in its statement that crews used a crane to remove the tree and a structural engineer assessed the building. Just three classrooms will need to remain closed until repairs are complete, the statement said, but ongoing cleanup of items including bricks and roofing materials are causing safety concerns.
“We do apologize for this news and the resulting inconvenience,” MCPS said. “Crews worked diligently throughout the day, but the tree was quite large and the building could not be fully assessed until it had been removed.”
According to Weather Underground, between Friday and Sunday, Bethesda received more than 1 inch of rain in total and daily winds of about 15 mph.
The statement said MCPS facilities and construction teams are planning repairs to restore the building as soon as possible.
