Families in the Churchill and Wootton clusters will attend a smaller, closer back-to-school fair at Richard Montgomery High School on Saturday, August 22, as Montgomery County Public Schools splits its annual event into six regional gatherings for the first time.

The Region 4 fair runs from 1 to 4 p.m. at 250 Richard Montgomery Drive in Rockville. It replaces the single all-day fair MCPS had held at Westfield Wheaton mall for several years, according to a district announcement.

The shift follows the school board's March 26 vote, which passed 7-1, to reorganize the district into six regions. That vote dissolved the Downcounty Consortium and the Northeast Consortium and converted competitive countywide programs into regional ones.

What changes for Potomac families

Starting with fall 2027 admissions, the International Baccalaureate Programme at Richard Montgomery and the Science, Mathematics, and Computer Science Magnet Program at Montgomery Blair will accept only regional applicants rather than students countywide.

Students already enrolled in existing programs form a "legacy cohort" and may continue until graduation, according to MCPS planning documents reported by Bethesda Magazine in October 2025.

"The regional fairs are designed to make it easier and more fun for families to get connected and ready for the first day of school," says the MCPS website. "Each fair will feature easy-to-navigate zones where families can find exactly what they need, whether it’s student registration, technology support, school meal information, communication tools, school supplies, schedules, or an opportunity to meet school staff and learn more about their school community."


Region 4 details

Region 4 includes Winston Churchill High School, Thomas S. Wootton High School, Richard Montgomery High School, and Rockville High School. Students at Herbert Hoover Middle School and Cabin John Middle School fall within this region.

The first admissions process for regional programs begins during the 2026-2027 school year, according to the MCPS announcement. Students who entered seventh grade in the 2025-2026 school year are the first cohort eligible to apply. The Cabin John Middle School PTSA confirmed that the regional model launches in fall 2027.

All six fairs on August 22

MCPS said the fairs will be organized into zones by topic to help families find resources quickly. The full schedule:

  • Region 1: Albert Einstein High in Kensington, 9 a.m. to noon
  • Region 2: Paint Branch High in Burtonsville, 9 a.m. to noon
  • Region 3: Wheaton High in Silver Spring, 3 to 6 p.m.
  • Region 4: Richard Montgomery in Rockville, 1 to 4 p.m.
  • Region 5: Gaithersburg High, 9 a.m. to noon
  • Region 6: Seneca Valley High in Germantown, 3 to 6 p.m.

The Board of Education's next business meeting is Thursday, August 20, at 4 p.m.