Since 2009, OMHS has been scheduled to receive renovations, yet, renovations have continuously been delayed. Most recently, the renovations scheduled for 2026 were delayed until 2033. On September 21, the OMHS Student Executive Board held an assembly explaining exactly what that would mean for the school, urging students to testify at the HCPSS Board of Education meeting with their perspectives. Hundreds of students signed a petition to get the school renovated as soon as possible.

At the HCPSS Board of Education meeting on September 22, 2022, numerous OM community members testified. The OMHS Student Executive Board representatives stated that “The county has already deferred our school for so long that our HVAC system now requires a full replacement, our ceilings are leaking, and panels are falling out. Another 10 years will exacerbate these problems.” Many OMHS students describe feeling unsafe at school and worried for their health. One student testified “As a student, I do not feel safe going to school everyday knowing that we do not have the airflow to combat viruses like COVID-19. I also do not feel safe knowing that mold has formed because the HVAC system can not mix in fresh air while keeping humidity down.”

On September 30, 2022, it was announced that Oakland Mills was again scheduled for renovations in 2026. But, to many community members, the proposition to postpone the renovations to the school building even further was still another sign of the county’s willingness to neglect the needs of Oakland Mills High School students and staff members.