MCPS Archives - Page 163 of 275

Stone Mill Elementary School Safety Patrols Honored for Heroism and Leadership

Published June 16, 2023 at 7:41AM

Two fifth grade students serving as safety patrols at Stone Mill Elementary School in North Potomac have been recognized by AAA Mid-Atlantic for their efforts to help a classmate who fell from a second story banister during dismissal earlier this year.

The students, Matina Naum and Alex Rossoshek, were at their safety patrol posts by a stairwell in the school. During dismissal, a fellow student fell from a banister to the cement floor two stories below. The girls remained calm, cleared the stairwell, navigated students away and got immediate adult help. Despite their emotions and their friendship with the boy, they were able to answer many questions from emergency personnel.

11 MCPS Students Honored for Completing Apprenticeship Maryland Program

By MCS Staff

Published June 16, 2023 at 7:35AM

Eleven graduating seniors who completed apprenticeship programs within MCPS were awarded certificates and cords during a ceremony last month. Representatives with the Maryland Department of Labor presented students with the Apprenticeship Maryland program certificates and cords for graduation. The students and the programs they completed were:

Apprenticeship Maryland is a youth apprenticeship program for students, ages 16 and up, that is designed to lead to sustainable employment and further education based on a student’s selected career. This program was developed in partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the Maryland Department of Labor (MDoL).

Sherwood Student, Connor Pugh, Recognized For Producing and Distributing Kits For Students Recently Diagnosed With Type 1 Diabetes

By MCS Staff

Published June 16, 2023 at 7:27AM | Updated June 17, 2023 at 4:20PM

Sherwood High School rising senior Conor Pugh was recognized by county health officials and MCPS for his efforts to produce and distribute diabetes kits for students recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2020, Pugh has packaged tools, including glucose tablets, an insulin cooler, a medical ID bracelet, water bottle, pocket calculator and needle disposal container for storing used needles into a kit to help students adjust to a diabetes diagnosis. He put the kits together as part of his Eagle Scout service project.

MCPS Has Joined National Lawsuit Against TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook/Instagram, YouTube

By MCS Staff

Published June 15, 2023 at 7:19PM

The Frantz Law Group has announced that the Montgomery County Public School District (MCPS) joined 500 school districts nationwide in a lawsuit filed in Federal District Court in San Francisco against Meta, TikTok, Snap, YouTube, and other social media companies. In the lawsuit the plaintiff school districts allege that these companies are knowingly causing emotional harm to children through their platforms.

Per Frantz Law Group: With over 160,550 students in 210 schools, the Montgomery County Public School District is the largest school district in the state of Maryland. The lawsuit alleges that various social media companies have caused a mental and emotional health crisis marked by higher proportions of anxiety, depression, thoughts of self-harm, body dissatisfaction, disordered eating behaviors, and low self-esteem among children and students. Many are further subjected to often harmful, exploitative and addictive content that encourages disorderly behavior, unhealthy social comparison, and cyberbullying. This litigation seeks to provide the funding and staffing resources needed to mitigate the damage that school districts are currently encountering.

MCPS School Counseling Policy Open for Comment Through Sept. 4

By MCS Staff

Published June 15, 2023 at 7:17AM

The Montgomery County Board of Education is seeking comments on proposed amendments to Board Policy IJA, School Counseling Programs and Services, to help the public understand the programs, services and professionals responding to the social-emotional and mental health needs of students.

The policy will be available for comment through Monday, Sept. 4. It has been available for comment since April 26, 2023. The draft amendments propose—

Two Montgomery College Students Selected to Receive Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship

By MCS Staff

Published June 14, 2023 at 5:57PM

Normand Bayigamba and Luiz Mata Lopez are two of the high-achieving Montgomery College students selected to receive the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The highly competitive national scholarship aims for Cooke Scholars to complete their undergraduate educations with as little debt as possible. The award, which is last dollar funding after all institutional aid, can provide Bayigamba and Mata Lopez with as much as $55,000 a year to complete a bachelor’s degree.

Bayigamba, a graduate of Thomas S. Wootton High School, and Mata Lopez, a Col. Zadok Magruder High School graduate, both took part in the college’s commencement last month. Bayigamba earned an associate of arts degree in general studies, with a concentration in social sciences, administration and health. Mata Lopez earned an associate of arts degree in computer science.

2,659 Retirees Honored By MCPS

By MCS Staff

Published June 14, 2023 at 5:44PM | Updated June 15, 2023 at 7:20AM

The Board of Education and Superintendent Monifa B. McKnight honored 2,659 retirees at the MCPS annual retirement recognition ceremony and reception on June 8 at Richard Montgomery High School. Recognized retirees included those who retired this year and, due to the pandemic when receptions were not held, those who retired in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Certificates of appreciation will be mailed in July to thank them for their dedicated service to MCPS students. View the list of 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 retirees. The list includes each retirees’ name, last assignment and years of MCPS service. See a photo gallery from the event.

A Message from the MCPS School System Medical Officer: Stay Safe, Stay Connected

By Patrick Herron

Published June 14, 2023 at 12:07PM

To enjoy summer safely, we encourage parents and caregivers to consider summer injury prevention and health promotion. Playground, sports and water safety, preventing heat injury, and sun protection are great topics to review with family members and other caregivers. Teenagers spending time with friends or working may benefit from additional conversations about subjects such as car safety, expectations around communication, accountability, and risk-taking behaviors like alcohol or other drug use.

The summer months can also be stressful for some families as they move away from schedules and resources available during the school year. Students may feel isolated from peers, miss trusted adults at school, or spend more time on screens and social media. Staying connected through open communication, being mindful of how kids interact with others, and investing in summer routines helps both emotional and physical health. Nutrition, exercise and sleep schedules tend to shift over the summer and everyone feels better if they are well-nourished, active and rested.

Communication Board Dedicated at Cedar Grove Elementary School

By MCS Staff

Published June 14, 2023 at 7:25AM | Updated June 14, 2023 at 2:37PM

Gunnison Consulting Group, Inc. donated a communication board to Cedar Grove Elementary School located on Ridge are in Germantown. The board was donated in a dedication ceremony earlier this week […]

Quince Orchard Alumnus Charles Lee Hired As Top Assistant Coach by Boston Celtics

By MCS Staff

Published June 12, 2023 at 10:14AM

Boston Celtics Head Coach, Joe Mazzulla, has hired MoCo native Charles Lee as their lead assistant coach under Mazzulla, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. Lee has been an assistant in the NBA since 2014, helping the Milwaukee Bucks win an NBA championship in 2021. Lee, a 2002 graduate of Quince Orchard High School, grew up in Gaithersburg and was a student-athlete at Quince Orchard before moving on to Bucknell, where he attended school and played until 2006.

He went on to play professionally, primarily in Europe and Israel. After his professional career came to an end, he returned to Bucknell as an assistant coach and later served as an assistant with the Atlanta Hawks from 2014-18. He joined the Bucks as an assistant, becoming the top assistant after Darvin Ham left to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. His name appeared as a potential candidate for the Washington Wizards coaching job, prior to the Wizards naming Wes Unseld Jr. their head coach. Now, Lee joins a Celtics team that was a game away from the NBA Finals and is coming off of a 57-win season.

Councilmember Kristin Mink Releases Statement Apologizing to Muslim Community For Remarks Made During Board of Education Meeting

By MCS Staff

Published June 11, 2023 at 4:23PM

Montgomery County Councilmember Kristin Mink has released a statement apologizing to the Muslim community for remarks made during the Montgomery County Board of Education meeting about inclusive education and whether families should be permitted to opt their children out of LGBTQIA-inclusive curriculum materials. During the meeting, Mink stated the following, “…it’s more complicated than a lot of people would like to think it is. This issue has unfortunately put, it does put, some, not all of course, but some Muslim families on the same side of an issue as white supremecists and outright bigots and you know, however, the folks who I’ve talked to here today…I would not put in the same categories as those folks. Although, you know, it’s again complicated, because they’re falling on the same side of this particular issue.” Below is the statement released by Councilmemebr Mink today:

“On Tuesday, June 6, I spoke at a Montgomery County Board of Education meeting about inclusive education and whether families should be permitted to opt their children out of LGBTQIA-inclusive curriculum materials. I regret that although my remarks were focused on promoting inclusion, they created an opportunity for misunderstanding and mischaracterization. I apologize for the hurt that caused in the Muslim community.