Consistently ranked within the top five high schools in the state and ranked 128th in the entire United States, this school is a powerhouse academically and has also consistently been competitive in sports. Where did this illustrious tradition begin?

The school first opened in 1970 with Dr. Warren as its principal. The physical layout was similar to what it looks like today, though the school was expanded several years ago. Initially when the school first opened there was open lunch and gym but fewer elective classes were offered. The school has developed beyond that since its opening. 

Transportation for the school buses in the start had just advanced which meant it could transport students three times a day. The first classes of the school had only a limited number of clubs filmmaking and the stamp club. More clubs started to develop over time, along with the courses. In 1974, the first course of family life education was provided for students in an effort to teach students individual information about their future family. In the same year, Wootton had a bomb threat and it was the first time a Montgomery County school was closed because of a bomb threat. 

The athletic, arts, and music programs also evolved. The arts program presented a five-person one-act play in 1974. In the same year, the girls’ swim team won counties and received a trophy for the best record in the county. The school even had a men’s and women’s gymnastics team. Five years later, in 1979, the men’s basketball team won the state championship. Then the following year, the tennis team won the county title. Lacrosse wasn’t introduced to MCPS until 1990. The sports teams competed with private schools nearby along with schools in MCPS.

As the city of Rockville started to progress, in 1984 the Metro reached Rockville and Shady Grove, which helped students get better transportation to school. Between the years of 1985-1990, the  girls’ volleyball team won regionals against Churchill, the debate team made it to nationals, the baseball team ended with a 16-0 season, along with the junior varsity football and the tennis team winning the county championships. In 1994, eight students committed to play collegiately, which was astonishing at that time. One of the eight students was Kim Rosenberg, who committed to play soccer at UNC Greensboro and continued to play professionally and coach at Georgetown University. “It was such a tight-knit team at Wootton. Wootton had an amazing women’s soccer program. We all cared for one another and were happy for everyone’s success. It felt so incredible to win the championship my senior year and be committed,” Rosenberg said.

 As the sports teams started to blossom, so did technology. In 1985, cable TV arrived at MCPS schools. Another major change came to the school as expediting scheduling on computers was introduced, which greatly helped teachers and counselors. As the school moved more into the 21st Century, the library was moved to the lower gym as part of the school got expanded. Around the same time, President George W. Bush came to visit and gave the school the prestigious Blue Ribbon School Award, which was awarded in the 2001-2002 school year. He also signed the congressional bill officially recognizing “Veterans Awareness Week,” which takes place the week before Veteran’s Day. 

The school started to exceed more and more. In 2005, the Science Bowl team won the Maryland/Delaware Regional Science Bowl. Additionally, the production of the musical “Songs for a New World” was chosen as the featured show at the 2005 Maryland High School Theater Festival. Madison Averill, a current Honors Geometry, Calculus with Applications, and AP Calculus AB teacher, attended the school from 2008-2011. “Wootton has always been a school where academics and extracurriculars are both of value,” Averill said. 

After graduating in 2008, Keith Schwartz returned to teach guitar, a capella, and show choir, and this year he also teaches the two chorus classes at Frost. “I remember it as a place where I was able to push myself out of my comfort zone. It was the place that helped me find my passion for music and first find the community and family created with the people in a music class,” Schwartz said.