MCPS Archives - Page 183 of 277

Body Found on Blake High School Grounds Early Saturday Morning

Published March 11, 2023 at 6:05PM

James Hubert Blake High School principal Robert Sinclair Jr. sent out a message informing the Blake community of a body found on school grounds early Saturday morning. According to the message, a jogger who was using the school track found an unresponsive individual on school grounds and attempted to revive the individual unsuccessfully. Emergency personnel were also unable to revive the individual. Additional information can be found in the full letter to the community, seen below:

“Dear Blake High School Families, Students and Staff

Churchill Jazz Ensemble Wins Second Place at Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival Competition

By MCS Staff

Published March 10, 2023 at 8:10AM

The Winston Churchill High School Jazz Ensemble won second place at the annual Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival’s High School Band Competition last month.

Twelve high school bands from across the East Coast competed in the prestigious event, with the top three bands performing in a final round to determine the overall winner. This was the first time the Churchill ensemble has placed in the finals, and they were the only school from the state of Maryland to advance to the final round.

MCPS Schools Celebrate Latest Sports Accomplishments

By MCS Staff

Published March 10, 2023 at 8:05AM

Per MCPS Athletics: Congratulations to the following MCPS high school regional basketball champions:

Boys

Former MCPS Student Distributes Books to Children in Cameroon

By MCS Staff

Published March 10, 2023 at 7:56AM

Michelle Djemu, former student at Cold Spring Elementary School in Potomac, collected children’s books and distributed them to children in her hometown in Bandenkop, Cameroon.

Michelle, now in the fourth grade, moved to Cameroon in the summer of 2021 after finishing second grade at Cold Spring. As a schoolwide project, the school community donated about 1,500 books that Michelle and her sister Louise gave to children in the family’s village of Bandenkop. The school plans to continue its partnership with the Djemu family to provide needed supplies to Bandenkop students.

MCPS: Five Things to Know for Thursday, March 9

By MCS Staff

Published March 9, 2023 at 7:40PM

Per MCPS: 1. Annual Report, Updated Strategic Plan Now Available: The Annual Report to the Community for the 2021–2022 school year and the updated MCPS Strategic Plan for Fiscal Year 2022-2025 are now available. The annual report is designed to be an easily accessible digital summary of information and key system, student and staff data points for the 2021–2022 school year. It includes:

The annual report is available here. The strategic plan is available here.

Third Family Forum on Fentanyl Set for March 25

By MCS Staff

Published March 9, 2023 at 9:04AM

In partnership with Montgomery Goes Purple, MCPS is hosting a third Family Forum on Fentanyl from 9 a.m.–noon on Saturday, March 25, at Paint Branch High School.

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 Student Service Learning (SSL) hours for attending.

MCPS: Annual Report to the Community for 2021–2022 School Year and the Updated MCPS Strategic Plan for Fiscal Year 2022-2025 Now Available

By MCS Staff

Published March 9, 2023 at 8:28AM

The Annual Report to the Community for the 2021–2022 school year and the updated MCPS Strategic Plan for Fiscal Year 2022-2025 are now available.

The report provides the community with information about the district—student performance data, operational performance data, and the steps the district has taken to fulfill the vision and mission of MCPS. The 2021-2022 school year brought students back to classrooms, with a full return to in-person learning, five days a week. This return reunited students with peers, teachers and many other trusted adults in school communities. Schools worked to rebuild strong school communities, with supports for students and families still dealing with ongoing public health concerns.

Poolesville ES Principal, Douglas Robbins, Wins Library Media Award

By MCS Staff

Published March 9, 2023 at 8:22AM

Poolesville Elementary School principal Douglas M. Robbins has been honored with the Nancy C. Walker Award for Outstanding Support to a Library Media Program for the 2022-2023 school year. The award is given annually by the Montgomery County Educational Media Specialists Association (MCEMSA) to highlight the role of administrative leaders in supporting library media centers.

Clair Ketchum, the library media specialist at Poolesville, nominated Robbins because he fully supports the media program, “Anything to get the kids more involved in the library is always going to be a yes from me!” Robbins supports having Ketchum participate in weekly grade-level planning meetings and is enthusiastic about the new flexible scheduling shift. This allows Ketchum to bring lesson ideas, enrichment opportunities and field trips that integrate media into existing elements of the curriculum in a timely manner.

Fourth Grade Teacher, Amanda Hammersla, Named MCPS Rising Star Teacher of the Year

By MCS Staff

Published March 8, 2023 at 7:25PM

A teacher at Chevy Chase Elementary School for three years, Amanda Hammersla has been named this year’s Rising Star Teacher of the Year by MCPS. This award honors a teacher in their first, second or third year of teaching. The winner shows a passion for the success of all students, creatively engages students in learning and contributes to a strong, positive partnership among students, staff, parents and the community.

Hammersla believes that students learn best when they are engaged, valued and challenged. She inspires students to take a deep dive into reading with innovative approaches. She turned her classroom into a restaurant while students wore chef hats and sampled new books. She wrote a PTA grant, which brought an author into the classroom virtually while students asked questions. She reads texts in characters’ voices. Through Reader’s Theater, students make costumes and props and perform for peers and families. This helps students develop speaking and listening skills, build fluency and work collaboratively.

Board of Education Receives Presentation From MCPS Staff Highlighting 2021-2022 School Year and Factors Driving Change in the School District

By MCS Staff

Published March 8, 2023 at 7:03AM

The Montgomery County Board of Education received a presentation from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) staff and held a discussion on the district’s interactive online 2021-2022 Annual Report to the Community. The Annual Report to the Community includes highlights from the 2021-2022 school year and the factors driving change in the district. The report provides the community with information about the district—student performance data, operational performance data, and the steps the district has taken to fulfill the vision and mission of MCPS.

The report is designed to be an easily accessible digital compendium of information and key system, student, and staff data points for the 2021–2022 school year. It aggregates the information to view the 2021–2022 school year comprehensively. Key sections of the Annual Report are:

Board of Educations Approves Four Administrative Appointments Tuesday Morning; Two Acting Principals Appointed as Principals

By MCS Staff

Published March 7, 2023 at 4:41PM

The Montgomery County Board of Education approved the following administrative appointments on Tuesday morning: