An Update from Dr. Jack Smith on the Rockville High School Serious Incident

Dear MCPS Community:

Below is a statement from Dr. Jack Smith regarding the March 16 serious incident at Rockville High School. On Friday, May 5, the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office announced that the 18-year-old student involved in the incident will be charged with one count of possession of child pornography. The 17-year-old student will be referred to the juvenile court system. No other charges are being pursued.

[Please read statement from the State’s Attorney’s Office]

“First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the Rockville High School community, particularly the female student who has been at the center of this. I know that the staff and students remain focused on healing as a community and ending this school year “Rockville Strong.”

“While MCPS has no role in investigations, we always fully cooperate with the Montgomery County Police Department and the State’s Attorney’s office. We appreciate our colleagues for their extensive and thoughtful investigation into a matter that has significantly and adversely impacted our entire community.”

“Our work continues as we review safety procedures and protocols in all of our schools. As I have shared previously, MCPS is engaged in a systematic security review of our schools that will continue to help us fulfill our commitment to providing a safe learning environment to all students. The on-site assessment portions of the review have been conducted at six high schools, including Rockville High School. We anticipate completing the remainder of our high schools this month. Once we complete the high school phase of the process, we will begin our review of middle and elementary schools. Upon completion, we will provide a summary of our review and share next steps with our school communities.”

“The safety and security of every student in each school is our first priority and a responsibility that we take very seriously. We have and will continue to work every day to ensure our schools are safe places to learn. Learning is our core mission and central purpose.

“I want to thank our community for supporting our students and schools during this very hard time.”

Jack R. Smith, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools