MCPS: Five Things to Know for Thursday, April 20

Montgomery County Public Schools released the following on Thursday, April 20:  Here are five things to know for Thurs. April 20. Get information about the newly elected Student Member of the Board (SMOB), a free resource to help your students improve reading and spelling skills, Champions for Children awards, upcoming health and wellness fair, and good news about our staff and students.
1. Sami Saeed Elected as Next Student Member of the Board of Education
Sami Saeed, a junior at Richard Montgomery High School, has been elected the Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB) for the 2023-2024 school year. Mr. Saeed’s term begins on July 1, 2023.

All secondary students were eligible to vote in the SMOB election and 55,598 students cast ballots. Mr. Saeed received 70 percent of the vote, while his opponent, Mr. Yoseph Zerihun, a junior at Springbrook High School, received 30 percent. The SMOB election was held on April 19 through an electronic ballot that all students received in their MCPS email; students were encouraged to vote during a class lesson.

2. Free Resource to Improve Students’ Reading and Spelling Skills Now Available
MCPS is partnering with Open Source Phonics, a free resource designed to help students and families practice reading phonics and spelling skills at home. Families can access a free resource page with slides and videos to help their students practice skills. Visit www.opensourcephonics.org for more information.

3. 2023-2024 Teacher of the Year to Be Announced April 24
The Montgomery County Teacher of the Year will be announced during the district’s Champions for Children event on Monday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m. In person for the first time since 2019, the year’s signature celebration will be held at BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown.

The celebration will also recognize the MCPS Rising Star Teacher of the Year, the Dr. Edward Shirley Award for Excellence in Educational Administration and Supervision winner, the Supporting Services Employee of the Year, the Community Champion for Children, and the inaugural R.A.I.S.E. Champion of the Year.

Nominees and award winners

4. Health and Wellness Fair Set for April 29
On April 29, parents/guardians, students, staff and community members are invited to a Health and Wellness Fair at Col. Zadok Magruder High School from 9 a.m.–noon Attendees can choose from more than two dozen educational sessions and activities for adults and students in English and Spanish. Topics include:

• Mental health and wellness
• Self-care and time management for students
• Emergency response
• Safety at home and at school
• Refusal skills & “escape hatch” planning
• Narcan training
• Trauma and mental health
• How to have tough conversations
• Zumba
• Sports and Wellness

Magruder High School is located at 5939 Muncaster Mill Road in Rockville.

RSVP

5. Bright Spots This Week

Rales-O’Neill Scholarship Recipients Celebrated at Evening of Excellence Event

The 194 students who received the first $10,000 Norman Rales-Patricia Baier O’Neill Scholarships Recognizing Academic Excellence were honored during a celebration on April 19. The prestigious scholarships were awarded to high-achieving graduating seniors who have a minimum 4.69 GPA from low-to-medium-income families.

Cabin John Middle School Media Specialist Named School Librarian of the Year

Dr. Sheri Massey, media specialist at Cabin John Middle School, has been named School Librarian of the Year for the state of Maryland. There were 14 finalists for the award including Meredith Hickman, media specialist at Seven Locks Elementary School.

Takoma Park Middle School Wins Regional Culinary Challenge

Congratulations to Takoma Park Middle School for winning this year’s 2023 Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge. Twelve schools from the D.C. Maryland and Virginia area, including Springbrook High School, competed this year. Students were asked to create plant-forward meals reflecting their school community, culture and lived experiences.