MCPS Archives - Page 179 of 277

Students Pitch Business Ideas to Panel of Judges In Shark Tank-Like MCPS Business Pitch Challenge

Published March 30, 2023 at 7:42AM

Entrepreneurial students from six high schools participated in the annual MCPS Business Pitch Challenge on March 22. They created business ideas and presented them to a panel of local entrepreneur judges. Participating high schools were: Montgomery Blair, Albert Einstein, Gaithersburg, Northwest, Northwood and Paint Branch, with The MoCoShow’s very own Alex T. serving as the keynote speaker for the event.

The Northwest team placed third with a business proposal focused on repurposing clothing or sentimental items into apparel that an individual would still be able to wear. The Northwest team included Maddie Kaplan, Aayush Thakkar, Jonah Karst and Zach Greenspan. Teacher sponsor was Kristin Vick.

Professional Development Supports EML Students at Gaithersburg HS

By MCS Staff

Published March 30, 2023 at 7:31AM

Per MCPS: For two years Gaithersburg High School staff have been working with an organization called Support Ed, to provide training for leadership, teachers and staff, focusing on how to work with Emerging Multilingual Learners (EML) students. The training allows teachers and staff to learn more about their students, and to develop strategies to make all content more available to multilingual learners. Watch the video.

MCPS: Mid-Year Evidence of Learning Framework Demonstrates Gains in Student Performance, Continued Areas for Improvement

By MCS Staff

Published March 29, 2023 at 8:39PM

Per MCPS: At the March 28, 2023 Board of Education Meeting, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) leaders presented mid-year Evidence of Learning (EOL) data that is focused on grade-level proficiency utilizing multiple measures to determine the success of students, schools and the District overall. The EOL framework intentionally uses multiple measures to determine student performance that include classroom grades, data from curriculum-aligned assessments, and state and national assessments.

EOL mid-year data allows MCPS to examine how successfully students transition from one grade level to the next. The data serves as a checkpoint for how students in kindergarten, grades 3, 6, and 9, have transitioned from pre-kindergarten, grades 2, 5, and 8. Further, they provide an opportunity to determine the extent to which students are meeting standards and additional support that may need to be provided for their continued success.

Quince Orchard Alumnus Brings ‘LavaBox’ to Shark Tank on Friday Night

By MCS Staff

Published March 29, 2023 at 8:27AM

Josh Thurmond, a 1994 graduate of Quince Orchard High School and Gaithersburg native, is the inventor of LavaBox Portable Campfire– a new style of portable fire pit that’s built in a military-style ammunition can and was “created to combat climate change and reduce wildfires.” LavaBox has made waves, or fires, since its inception in late 2020, and now Thurmond will take it into the Shark Tank on Friday, March 31st at 8pm.

In addition to being the inventor of LavaBox, Thurmond is also the “Chief Eruption Officer” and in charge of making sure every LavaBox gets out the door to you. Per the LavaBox website, “When he is not making LavaBoxes, he develops outdoor adventure programs for people with disabilities at the National Sports Center for the Disabled. He also volunteers for Team River Runner and sits on the Board for the Colorado Whitewater Association. Needless to say, if you are looking for him, he is probably surfing on his SUP or doing enders on a sweet eddyline.”

Student Leaders Elected and Honored at Annual Maryland Association of Student Councils Convention

By MCS Staff

Published March 28, 2023 at 10:27PM

Per MCPS: Forty-eight student leaders from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) participated in the annual Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC) annual Convention held in Ocean City, Maryland this year. More than 500 student leaders from across the state of Maryland attended the conference to participate in leadership workshops, vote on the MASC officers for next year, hear program updates from across the state, and more. Convention Highlights:

New Principal Appointed at Watkins Mill High School and Two Elementary Schools

By MCS Staff

Published March 28, 2023 at 5:00PM

Per Montgomery County Public Schools: The Board of Education approved the following administrative appointments:

Robert Sinclair Jr., currently Principal, James Hubert Blake High School, as Consulting Principal, Department of Professional Growth Systems, Office of Human Resources and Development, Office of the Chief Operating Officer

Media Access to Regular Season Athletic Events To Require MCPS Credentials

By MCS Staff

Published March 27, 2023 at 3:51PM

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is committed to administering spirited and safe athletic competitions consistent with the R.A.I.S.E. core values for MCPS Athletics. District athletics events are extremely popular and well-attended, requiring meticulous logistical preparation. Media credentialing ensures a safe environment for members of the press covering MCPS athletic events and are essential for easy identification and knowing who may be in our athletic facilities. As such, new protocols governing media coverage of MCPS athletic events will go into effect on April 1, 2023; including:

When: The application for athletic event credentials is open. Media representatives must have the official MCPS Athletic Event Credentials in order to attend and cover any regular season event.

The Richard Montgomery HS Mock Trial Team Wins State Championship

By MCS Staff

Published March 26, 2023 at 5:27PM

The Richard Montgomery Mock Trial team won the Maryland Mock Trial State Championships on Friday, March 24 in a close victory over North Point High School. The team went undefeated this season with an 11-0 record. The varsity team, made up of 7 seniors and 5 juniors, began preparing to argue the criminal drug conspiracy case in November 2022.

For the state finals, the defense team argued before the Maryland Supreme Court. Daniel Evans has been the coach of the RM Mock Trial team since 1989, and works closely with Jonathan Taylor, the team sponsor and Law teacher at RM, and Benjamin Vaughan, the attorney advisor, to support the students. The attorneys are seniors Shayyan Ahmed, Shairee Arora, Allison Howlett, Kit Kringel, Jake Lee, and Scout Pollack. The witnesses are senior Claire Johnson and juniors Marissa Boucher, Eva-Jessy Guech, Susanna Hubacker, Georgia Levine, and Emma McCarthy. All information above and photos below courtesy of Allison Howlett.

Clarksburg, Paint Branch Athletic Directors Win State Honors

By MCS Staff

Published March 26, 2023 at 8:38AM | Updated April 1, 2023 at 7:18AM

Two Montgomery County Athletic Specialist/Directors, Ed Dalton (Clarksburg) and Heather Podosek (Paint Branch) have earned state honors through the Maryland State Athletic Director Association (MSADA).

Per MCPS: Ed Dalton, athletics specialist/athletic director at Clarksburg High School, has been named the Maryland State Athletic Directors Association’s (MSADA’s) 2023 District 2B Athletic Director of the Year. He was selected by all 25 MCPS athletics specialists for the recognition. Heather Podosek, athletics specialist/athletic director at Paint Branch High School, was selected the 2023 MSADA Co-Athletic Director of the Year. They will receive their awards at the state conference banquet on Saturday, April 29.

MoCo Native Jordan Hawkins Hits Six Three Pointers As UCONN Beats Gonzaga to Advance to the Final Four

By MCS Staff

Published March 26, 2023 at 7:56AM

Yesterday we highlighted MoCo native Jordan Hawkins as UCONN prepared to play Gonzaga in an Elite Eight matchup. The young man led his team to a trouncing of Gonzaga, scoring 20 points and hitting six threes to take the #3 seed UCONN to the Final Four with an 82-54 win. Hawkins is a Montgomery County native who attended Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Germantown and Gaithersburg High School for his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to DeMatha. UCONN plays the winner of Miami/Texas on April 1st.

Hawkins was a top 50 recruit, who came to UConn following two years at powerhouse program DeMathaCatholic (Hyattsville, Md.) under Coach Mike Jones. He played AAU for Team Durant under Coach Angel Hernandez, and as a senior at DeMatha, averaged 19.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.9 blocks, while shooting .636 overall and .464 from three-point range to lead DeMatha to an 11-0 record and was named 2020-21 Gatorade Maryland Player of the Year. Hawkins was a two-time Washington Post All-Met Honorable Mention pick and averaged 20.2 points per game as a sophomore when he was at Gaithersburg High School (per UCONN).

MoCo’s Jordan Hawkins Leads UCONN Into Elite Eight Matchup Tonight

By MCS Staff

Published March 25, 2023 at 2:06PM | Updated March 25, 2023 at 3:03PM

Jordan Hawkins, an All-Big East 6’5, 190 pound guard for the #4 seed UCONN Huskies, will lead his team against the #3 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs tonight at 8:49pm as the teams compete in an Elite Eight battle to get into the Final Four. Hawkins is a Montgomery County native who attended Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Germantown and Gaithersburg High School for his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to DeMatha.

Hawkins was a top 50 recruit, who came to UConn following two years at powerhouse program DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) under Coach Mike Jones. He played AAU for Team Durant under Coach Angel Hernandez, and as a senior at DeMatha, averaged 19.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.9 blocks, while shooting .636 overall and .464 from three-point range to lead DeMatha to an 11-0 record and was named 2020-21 Gatorade Maryland Player of the Year. Hawkins was a two-time Washington Post All-Met Honorable Mention pick and averaged 20.2 points per game as a sophomore when he was at Gaithersburg High School (per UCONN).