Events

Explore Hands-On Science Exhibits at Rockville Science Day

By MCS Staff

Explore chemistry, rockets, robots, reptiles and more on Sunday, April 23 at the 32nd annual Rockville Science Day. This Rockville tradition returns to Montgomery College, Rockville Campus, 51 Mannakee St., from noon-5 p.m. The free event offers an opportunity to experience hands-on science- and technology-related exhibits, activities, games, and demonstrations from over 70 local organizations and businesses. Admission is free.

Activities and exhibits include building and launching rockets, telescopes, robots and backyard wildlife, microscopes, snakes, stream science, Civil War medical practice, coding challenges, math puzzles, chemistry in action, electric vehicles, quadcopters, archaeology mini-digs, 3-D printing, brain games, and more.

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Bethesda

Two MCPS Media Specialists Are Finalists for State Honor

By MCS Staff
Marylan School Librarian of the Year finalists. At left, Media Specialist Sheri Massey from Cabin John Middle School. At right, Media Specialist Meredith Hickman from Seven Locks Elementary School.

Two MCPS media specialists are finalists for Maryland School Librarian of the Year. Meredith Hickman, media specialist at Seven Locks Elementary School (Bethesda), and Dr. Sheri Massey, media specialist at Cabin John Middle School (Potomac), are two of 14 finalists for the state recognition.

The award honors a school librarian for exemplary service and outstanding achievements in the field of school library media. To be considered, nominees must be a current member of the Maryland Association of School Librarians (MASL), actively working as a school librarian and serving in the same position for three or more years. The winner will be announced at the MASL conference in April. More information on the award.

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Damascus

Girl Scouts Spread Kindness at South Lake Elementary

By MCS Staff

Earlier this year, three Girl Scout Cadettes from Troop 2219 in Damascus—Sarah Cohen, Kaylie Eising and Jadyn New—painted a series of positive messages in bathrooms at South Lake Elementary School in Gaithersburg.

This Silver Award project was motivated by the girls’ concern about students’ mental health, as well as their desire to spread kindness and promote school community well-being. The girls planned the project, shopped for supplies and brainstormed positive images and encouraging words.

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Damascus

Damascus Students Refurbish Accessibility Van For Former Wootton Student Who Lost Arm and Leg Due to Blood Clot

By MCS Staff

The Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades Foundation (ATF) at Damascus High School recently refurbished a Town and Country accessibility van for the family of a former MCPS and current Montgomery College student.

In 2019, Saniya Lipford, a former student at Thomas S. Wootton High School, lost her left leg and left arm from a blood clot in her lungs. Between the medical bills, extended recovery time and rehabilitation services, Saniya and her family have struggled. Now a student at Montgomery College, Saniya requested the ATF’s support to ensure that her family’s accessibility van was a reliable source of transportation.

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Arts

Dancers From 10 Schools Showed Off Their Moves at the MCPS Dance Showcase This Past Weekend

By MCS Staff

Dancers from 10 middle and high schools showed off their moves in the MCPS Dance Showcase on February 17th (access to photo gallery below).

During the day, students attended master classes in ballet, jazz, hip hop, musical theater and yoga, and listened to guest speakers. In the evening, students performed for parents, peers and the community. Students from the following schools performed: A. Mario Loiederman, Forest Oak, Kingsview and Silver Spring International middle schools and Albert Einstein, Bethesda-Chevy Chase, James Hubert Blake, Montgomery Blair, Northwood and Wheaton high schools.

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Events

RSVP For Second Family Forum on Fentanyl (February 25)

By MCS Staff

In partnership with Montgomery Goes Purple, MCPS is hosting a second Family Forum on Fentanyl from 9:30–11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25, in the Northwood High School auditorium. A representative from the Montgomery County Police Department talks with parents during the first forum on fentanyl at Clarksburg High School in January.

Panelists, including representatives from the county health department and the police department, will share information on the dangers and prevalence of illegally made fentanyl, prevention tools and protective factors for students, and resources for treatment. There will be Narcan training and distribution of Narcan kits to help reverse an overdose, breakout discussions for students and parents/caregivers (in English and Spanish) and a resource fair. The Community Opioid Prevention & Education (C.O.P.E.) trailer (a mock teen bedroom) will be available for tours to learn signs of substance use. Students can earn two Student Service Learning hours for attending.

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Arts

G-PARC Announces 2023 Storm Drain Art Contest

By MCS Staff

The Gaithersburg Parks, Arts & Recreation Corporation (G-PARC) Arts & Culture Alliance, in conjunction with the City’s Stormwater Management Program & Cultural Events & Services Division, are pleased to announce the 2023 Storm Drain Art Contest, designed to bring attention to the importance of protecting our Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Artists of all ages are invited to submit designs either online or through the mail. Details & specifications for this year’s contest, as well as the online submission form can be found in the Documents section of this page.

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Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg Ranked 3rd Most Culturally Diverse City in U.S.

By MCS Staff

Per the City of Gaithersburg: WalletHub recently compared more than 500 of the largest cities in the U.S. and ranked them based on three key indicators of ethnic diversity, including ethnicity & race, language, and birthplace. Gaithersburg ranked as the third Most Culturally Diverse City amongst all communities in the United States with an ethnic diversity score of 72.59. The City was ranked #2 in the Small City Category for communities with populations under 100,000.

“Gaithersburg is a wonderfully diverse community, and we’re proud to foster an atmosphere of inclusion that welcomes all,” said Mayor Jud Ashman. “It is a great honor to once again rank highly on this list, and it reinforces that we must continue to offer educational, economic, social, recreational, and cultural opportunities for all.”

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Education

Board of Education to Take Action on Superintendent’s Recommended $3.15 Billion Operating Budget at Thursday’s Meeting

By MCS Staff

The Board of Education business meeting on Thursday, Feb. 23, will cover key items of public interest, including discussions and Board decisions on The Recommended FY 2024 Operating Budget (Agenda Item 5.1).

The Board will take tentative action on the superintendent’s recommended $3.15 billion Operating Budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. The Board amended the superintendent’s recommended budget, which includes additional staffing for support, monitoring and oversight of math and literacy programs, and investments that will strengthen recruitment and retention of quality and diverse staff and other supports to enhance two-way communication with families. The request includes a $245 million increase from FY 2023.

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Education

Board of Education to Discuss Boundary Changes For Multiple Schools With Two New High Schools Opening in MoCo

By MCS Staff

The Board of Education business meeting on Thursday, Feb. 23, will cover key items of public interest, including discussions and Board decisions on Future School Boundary Analyses (Agenda Item 7.1).

Future openings of two new high schools will require boundary studies in multiple areas throughout the county. The new Charles W. Woodward High School is scheduled to reopen in 2026 and will impact current school boundaries. The clusters included in the superintendent’s recommendation for the boundary scope include Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Montgomery Blair, Albert Einstein, Walter Johnson, John F. Kennedy, Northwood, Wheaton and Walt Whitman high schools. Additional future boundary studies will address midcounty overutilization with the opening of Crown High School (2027) and upcounty with the expansion of Damascus High School (2026).

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Damascus

Detectives From Special Investigations Unit are Asking For Public’s Assistance in Locating Missing 13-Year Old

By Patrick Herron

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police- Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing 13-year-old from Gaithersburg. Kiesha Vogelsang was last seen on Monday, February 20, 2023, at approximately 10 a.m., in the 900 block of Clopper Road.

Kiesha is 5-feet, 9-inches tall and weighs 160 pounds. She has dark brown curly hair and brown eyes. She was last seen carrying a gray backpack and wearing blue jeans, a black zip up jacket and black Crocs. She has a birth mark on her nose and wears glasses that have a pink frame.

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