As MCPS prepares for the first day of tryouts and practices on August 9, 2023, here is is some important information for the fall sports season. High School Fall Sports Registration:
Registration for high school fall sports is available through ParentVUE. Tryouts and practices for high schools start on August 9, 2023; details regarding tryout/practice logistics are available through the local school and team(s). Systemwide resources are available on the MCPS Athletics webpage.
Earlier this year, 20 MCPS students earned National Merit Scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). Today, an additional eight Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students have earned college- and university-sponsored National Merit Scholarships, bringing the MCPS total for college- and university-sponsored scholarships to 28.
Each sponsoring college or university selected scholarship winners from among the finalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program. These awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship. The additional winners, their sponsoring university or college, and their intended career fields are:
School immunizations—The Maryland Department of Health released updated school vaccine requirements for the 2023-2024 school year. Families of incoming kindergarten students, new students, and 7th and 8th graders may need additional vaccines to start the school year. For students whose required vaccines are incomplete, updated vaccine records must be submitted by the first day of school; proof of exemption or a vaccination visit must be submitted within 20 days. School staff are reviewing records and contacting families of students with incomplete vaccination records. Not sure if your student is up to date? Contact your child’s health care provider or access their immunization records online. Students 18 years old and younger eligible for the Vaccines for Children program may obtain free vaccines through the county’s Immunization Program.
School Health Forms—Returning students may need certain forms if they have a health condition that requires medication, other health support or accommodations, or an emergency health plan at school (for example, asthma, food allergies or a seizure disorder). Common forms include:
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced the award of more than $200,000 in competitive grants to support learning experiences and educational opportunities focused on environmental issues. Funding for the educational programs is provided by the state’s Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant and Aquatic Resources Education Program, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Grant funding is awarded for Fiscal Year 2024 to the following organizations, pending final approval by federal partners:
KID Museum is dedicated to expanding access for the MCPS community by providing free opportunities to participate in our programming. Thanks to the generous support of Montgomery County Public Schools, all MCPS students and families can register for free admission to KID Museum, now through August 27, 2023.
KID Museum opened last May in its new flagship site at Bethesda Metro Center, 3 Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 140— a brand new, 28,000 square foot facility “created to foster the “Mind of a Maker” and empower the next generation with the skills to invent the future.” The state-of-the-art makerspace is purpose-built for kids ages 4-14 to explore coding, robotics, engineering design, and hands-on maker learning, with the capacity to welcome more than 100,000 visitors every year. There will be grand opening events, becoming a member, or sponsoring us to help all kids discover a love of exploring, creating, and collaborating to become makers of the future.
Per MCPS: More than 900 students were celebrated at this Summer RISE closing ceremony for participating and completing the program. Summer RISE is an initiative led by the Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) Department of Partnerships in collaboration with businesses, government agencies, higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations. The program is for rising MCPS juniors and seniors to participate in a career-based learning opportunity during the summer.
This year’s speakers included special guest Maryland Lt. Governor Aruna Miller, MCPS Board of Education president Karla Silvestre, superintendent Dr. Monifa B. McKnight, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, and Education and culture chair and councilmember Will Jawando.
MoCo native (Brookeville) and 2023 Sherwood graduate, Bryan Kim, has won the 75th U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, held at Daniel Island Club in Charleston, South Carolina. He will be attending Duke University in the fall.
Kim, 18, joins Jason Widener (1988) as Duke players to etch their name on the U.S. Junior Amateur Trophy that includes the likes of major champions Tiger Woods, Johnny Miller, David Duval, Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler and Brian Harman, this year’s Open winner at Royal Birkdale who sent a congratulatory video message to the champion. Kim advanced to the championship match, where he defeated Joshua Bai. A breakdown of the championship can be found here. Kim is 11th in the latest iteration of the American Junior Golf Association rankings and 443rd in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. As champion, Kim receives the following:
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We are at the approximate halfway point of the summer of 2023 so we’ll be taking a look at what’s to come in August and September the MCPS “traditional school calendar” (includes all schools except for Arcola Elementary School and Roscoe Nix Elementary School).
Teachers will report back to school for their first professional day of pre-service week on Monday, August 21st. They’ll continue to report for the remainder of the week, as pre-service week concludes on Friday, August 25th. Students report to school for their first day on Monday, August 28th.
The Washington Post recently released a list of the area’s top high school sports programs, assigning points to schools in various categories, including end of season ranking for teams, All-Met student athletes, player/coach of the year awards, state tournament results, and championships. Montgomery County Schools took six of ten spots in the Maryland Public School category, and six of 20 spots in the Private School categories which included schools in the entire DC Metropolitan region, but were split into two separate lists for boys and girls athletics.
Montgomery County public schools listed in the top 10 for Maryland include, Whitman (155 points), Churchill (153 points), Poolesville (135 points), Sherwood (129 points), Damascus (124 points), and Quince Orchard (122 points). Montgomery County private schools in the girls category include Stone Ridge (176 points), Good Counsel (144 points), and Bullis (78 points). Montgomery County private schools on the boys side include, Georgetown Prep (233 points), Landon (208 points), and Bullis (119 points). Full lists can be seen here.
The new series, Quarterback, that follows NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs), Kirk Cousins (Minnesota Vikings), and Marcus Mariota (Atlanta Falcons) for the entire 2022 season, debuted on Netflix last week and has quickly become one of the most talked about shows on television. The show’s director, Tim Rumpff, is a 2002 graduate of Watkins Mill High School in Montgomery Village.
Rumpff has been with NFL Films for over 15 years and has worked on the hit HBO series Hard Knocks for just about as long as he has been with since the company. He has worked as a producer or director on the NFL’s Hard Knocks, All or Nothing, and more. Rumpff even helped produce the viral Eli Manning video “Chad Powers.” He graduated from Watkins Mill High School in 2002 and went on to study journalism at the University of Maryland, graduating in 2006.