Good morning, Rockville.

Round House Theatre launches its 50th anniversary season on Sept.

9 with August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, co-produced with Olney Theatre Center in Bethesda. Founded in 1970 with community classes under a tree, the venue now serves over 5,000+ students yearly and will hold 50 free events for the celebration.

Students returned to class on Tuesday, Aug.

25 in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties for a new school year. Blake High now enforces a full cellphone ban while Frederick Douglass High benefits from renovated athletic fields, and two new elementary schools have opened.

Maryland public schools saw fewer Hispanic students last school year as worries over immigration enforcement near schools made families hesitant + educators in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties expect the decline may continue while working to keep schools safe.

Montgomery County Public Schools superintendent Thomas Taylor outlined plans to boost classroom support and expand equitable learning programs for the 2026-27 school year while addressing aging facilities and funding cuts, adding that updated technology and AI guidelines will help teachers manage screen time (a focus for younger learners).

Montgomery County Public Schools superintendent Thomas Taylor said the district will build on last year’s success by expanding equitable access to specialized academic programs and reinforcing math and literacy support ahead of the 2026-27 school year + preparing for challenges from tighter budgets.

Montgomery County Public Schools will study potential school closings and boundary changes because declining enrollment has raised concerns.

The system will hold public info sessions from late October to January, with more details at the board meeting on Oct. 8.

Maryland’s State Board of Education voted to delay a new rule requiring 60 minutes of math each day in K-8 schools until fall 2028.

The move follows concerns that replacing art classes with extra math could hurt students’ learning + creativity.

MCPS students and staff returned Tuesday under new rules that ban cell phones, cut 400 staff positions, and boost safety with door sensors + upgraded cameras at Blake High in Cloverly.

District leaders linked lower enrollment to shifting birth rates and immigration rules.

A deep partial lunar eclipse will be visible from Rockville starting at 10:34 p.m. on August 27—its coppery hue deepening as the Moon moves into Earth’s shadow.

Residents can watch safely without special gear.