Burglary at Westland Middle School in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a burglary at Westland Middle School in Bethesda late Monday morning, December 22, 2025. The burglary was reported at the school, which is located at 5511 Massachusetts Avenue, at 11:48 AM Monday. Officers arriving at the scene found evidence of forced entry at the school. The timing is quite odd, as the Christmas break for Montgomery County Public Schools did not begin until yesterday.

Assault at Westland MS in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Westland Middle School this past Thursday evening, November 6, 2025. The assault was reported at the school property at 9:02 PM Thursday. Westland MS is located at 5511 Massachusetts Avenue in Bethesda.

Westland MS students win Montgomery County DOT's "Paint the Plow" contest

Top winners from Westland MS in Bethesda

This winter, Montgomery County residents may see one or more of the County snowplows decorated by Montgomery County Public Schools students during the County Department of Transportation's "Paint the Plow" contest. Teams from 16 middle schools in the MCPS system participated. MCDOT provided the snowplows and paint materials, and each team had four days to name and decorate their plow. The plows were displayed at MCDOT's annual Truck Day on June 1, and attendees voted for the top three winning plows.

Redland MS in Derwood

Bethesda's Westland Middle School team won the top prize of $500 for its Road Runner "Beep Beep" and Pokemon Squirtle design. Redland Middle School in Derwood took second, with a prize of $300, for their team's Snoopy-inspired "Scoopy" plow. Coming in third for $200 was the team from Roberto Clemente MS in Germantown, who went full zombie with their plow's Zombinator theme.

Roberto Clemente MS in Germantown

“The annual Truck Day and Paint the Plow contest lets us showcase the vital role public works employees play in contributing to and enhancing our quality of life,” MCDOT Director Chris Conklin said in a statement. “Public works employees are on the front lines during emergency conditions, including winter weather events, and these snowplows will serve as a reminder of the valuable work they do.” 

County Executive Marc Elrich

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich praised the student winners and the County's public works employees, including snowplow drivers. “I want to thank MCPS and the participating students and teachers for helping us recognize the hard work and dedication of our public works employees. From keeping our streets clear of snow and ice, paving our roads and collecting yard debris, to maintaining our vital sanitary and storm sewer systems, their efforts keep our County safe, clean and thriving.” 

Firefighters responding to Westland MS in Bethesda

UPDATED: 2:29 PM

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services responded to a report of smoke at Westland Middle School, located at 5511 Massachusetts Avenue in Bethesda, around 2:20 PM.

A fire was located and extinguished in a trashcan in a boys bathroom, according to MCFRS spokesperson Pete Piringer. Firefighters are investigating the incident, and placing fans inside to clear the building of smoke.

BCC Cluster boundary change discussion begins in Bethesda

The process to decide which students will attend Westland Middle School, or an under-construction alternative on the site of Rock Creek Hills Park in Kensington, will begin this coming Monday, February 1. Montgomery County Public Schools will hold an informational meeting that night at 7:30 PM, in the cafeteria of Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School at 4301 East-West Highway in Bethesda.

MCPS staff will make a presentation, and then take questions from attendees.

The school system says a Boundary Advisory Committee will examine several different sorting schemes, consider public feedback from Monday's meeting, and present its findings at a second meeting on May 12, 2016.

Whoever is named the new Superintendent of MCPS will then make a recommendation in mid-October, and the Board of Education will officially adopt the new middle school boundaries the following month.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Middle School #2 is scheduled to open in August 2017 (unless the current statewide drive to start the school year after Labor Day is successful before then).

Documents and materials generated during the February-May study period will be available to the public on this site.

Interpreters will be available at the meeting for Spanish speakers.

Intérpretes estarán disponibles en la reunión para hispanohablantes .

New test results show 3 rooms at Westland MS exceed EPA limit for radon

Montgomery County Public Schools has completed new radon tests at Westland Middle School in Bethesda, and results show at least 3 rooms in the building have radon levels above the 4.0 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L) limit recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. School systems are expected to take immediate action to reduce radon levels when they exceed that number.

The rooms at Westland found to be over the radon limit are:

Room 137 (6.2 pCi/L)

Room 136-C (5.0)

Room 100-D (4.4;4.7)

It appears MCPS held on to the results before releasing them, as documents suggest the lab analysis of the test kits was performed between December 22 and December 24. The tests were conducted by KCI Technologies and M.A. Cecil and Associates.

The presence of unsafe levels of radon in 26 MCPS schools, and the failure of the system to take action or report previous test results to parents, was first uncovered by the Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, MD back in November.

Radon is described by the EPA as "a human carcinogen and a serious environmental health problem," and a "radioactive gas."

Assault at Westland MS, car stolen in Kenwood + much more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on January 8, according to crime data:

Liquor arrest. The Barking Dog.

Burglary. Wisconsin Avenue at Bradley Lane.

Assault. 4700 block Montgomery Lane at 11:18 PM.

Drug arrest. 7100 block Clarendon Road at 10:52 PM (Edgemoor).

Assault. 4600 block Nottingham Drive at 10:00 PM.

Vehicle burglary. 6000 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Stolen car. 5100 block Dorset Avenue at 7:43 PM (Kenwood).

Vehicle burglary. 9300 block Chanute Drive.

Theft. 5300 block Western Avenue.

Drug arrest. Goldsboro Road at Haviland Drive (Woodburn).

Theft. 9000 block Spring Hill Lane.

Assault. Westland Middle School at 9:35 AM.

Vehicle burglary. Pyle Middle School.

Theft. 10200 block Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood).

Weapon arrest. 4800 block Bethesda Avenue at 2:45 PM.

Death. Arlington Road at Elm Street at 3:08 PM.

Assault. 8700 block Liberty Lane at 2:43 PM.

Westland MS has elevated levels of radon in Bethesda

Westland Middle School in Bethesda has elevated levels of radon, and must undergo further testing this month, according to a summary of test results released by Montgomery County Public Schools. MCPS has so far declined to release the full testing data, as requested by parents and watchdog group Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County.

The retesting at Westland MS is currently scheduled for December 10. According to MCPS, there is no immediate danger to students from the varying elevated levels of radon found at 26 schools so far.

Pow! Oof! 3 assaults in 1 hour in Bethesda, theft at Westland MS + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on June 9, according to crime data:

Assault. 7300 block Wisconsin Avenue at 2:04 PM.

Assault with deadly weapon. 5500 block Massachusetts Avenue at 1:50 PM.

Drug arrest. Wisconsin Avenue at Middleton Lane.

Vehicle burglary. 7000 block Arlington Road.

Assault. 7000 block Clarendon Road at 2:51 PM (Edgemoor).

Theft. 5400 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Theft. Bloomingdale's.

Theft. Westland Middle School.

Vehicle burglary. 10300 block Strathmore Hall Street.

Burglary. 2700 block Daniel Road at 6:22 PM (Chevy Chase).

Assault. 11500 block Rockville Pike (Pike District).

Assault. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard at 11:38 AM.

Vehicle burglary. 5900 block Executive Boulevard (Pike District).

"Other sexual offense." E. Jefferson Street at Montrose Road.

ARSON REPORTED AT WESTLAND MS SATURDAY, ANOTHER CAR STOLEN JUST OUTSIDE BETHESDA

According to crime data, an arson was reported at Westland Middle School this past Saturday, April 27.

No information regarding the time of day, location on the property, or damage (if any) was included.

Also on Saturday, a car was reported stolen just outside of Bethesda, in the 8500 block of Loughborough Place, along Connecticut Avenue in Chevy Chase.

5 other vehicles have been reported stolen in Bethesda since April 18.

ASSAULT AT WESTLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, ANOTHER STOLEN CAR IN BETHESDA - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

A second car was stolen in Bethesda Thursday, April 18, according to crime data.

One vehicle was stolen in Pooks Hill, as I reported yesterday. The second was taken from the 5200 block of Nahant Street, in the Sumner neighborhood off Massachusetts Avenue.

Also on Thursday, a second non-auto theft was reported in the 5100 block of Marlyn Drive, a short distance from the stolen car incident in the same neighborhood.

An unusually-busy day of crime along Massachusetts Avenue was capped off by an assault at Westland Middle School, also reported on Thursday.