Summit Hall Elementary School at 101 W Deer Park Rd in Gaithersburg was placed on a brief shelter in place Friday morning. According to MCPD, “Officers from the 6th District responded to the area of Summit Hall Road and West Deer Park Road at approximately 9:42 a.m., for the report of a stabbing. Summit Hall Elementary School went into a shelter in place at approximately 10 a.m., while officers conducted their investigation.” The shelter in place has been lifted. We will post an update when additional information becomes available.

MCPD on Twitter: “Summit Hall Elementary school was placed on a brief shelter in place during a police investigation on Summit Hall Rd. The shelter in place has been lifted.”


1. Application to 2023-2024 Montgomery Virtual Academy Now Open: The Montgomery Virtual Academy (MVA) application for the 2023–2024 school year is now open through Feb. 2. The MVA is a full-time virtual learning program for students in Kindergarten to Grade 12. The focus is to foster a safe, inclusive online learning environment that meets the individual needs of students in an academic setting where staff know their interests, and want to see them excel. Like other MCPS Choice programs, students can apply through ParentVue.

2. Spring and First Semester Student Service Learning (SSL) Hours Due Friday, Jan. 6: Students who completed SSL hours during the summer and first semester are encouraged to submit the forms to their school’s SSL coordinator by Friday, Jan. 6. Students must earn 75 SSL hours to graduate. Students can find a variety of traditional in-person and virtual/remote opportunities on the MCPS SSL webpage.


A device showcase for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) teachers is being held Friday, Jan. 6. The showcase will inform future purchases and align new technologies with classroom needs. Teachers can test different devices and share input on what technology devices and features are most important to them.

WHAT: Demonstration and presentation for MCPS teachers to gather interest and help inform future technology acquisition that supports teaching and learning across the district. Including a focus on technologies that support science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) learning. The showcase will provide hands-on interactive experiences, including drone flights, programming different robots, an esports station, green screen media development, 3D modeling and printing, and more.


Four MCPS coaches have been named 2022 All-Met Coaches of the Year by The Washington Post– Peg Keiller, Kellie Redmond, Prasad Gerard, and Michelle Hunsicker-Blair. Additional information about each coach available below:

Peg Keiller, girls’ soccer coach at Quince Orchard High School, was named Coach of the Year. Coaching at Quince Orchard since 1999, Keiller’s teams have won two 4A state championships in five finals appearances.


The Maryland Retired School Personnel Association (MRSPA) will award three $2,000 scholarships to public school employees in Maryland who are enrolled in a program leading to teacher certification, or certification as a school counselor, speech and language pathologist, physical or occupational therapist, school social worker, administrator or supervisor, media specialist, supervisor or administrator, or school psychologist. Teachers who have a current certification and are enrolled in a program pursuing certification in another education-related area are also eligible to apply, as are uncertified teachers, teacher assistants or aides, or substitute teachers.

Applicants must hold a high school diploma or GED certificate. They must be current employees of a public school system in Maryland, and must intend to work in a Maryland public school while working toward certification and after completing their requirements for certification.The deadline for submitting applications is 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Apply here. Winners will be notified in March. Frequently Asked Questions


Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is planning for the start of the upcoming school year 2023 – 2024, including the Montgomery Virtual Academy (MVA). The MVA is part of the continuum of digital learning opportunities offered to students and part of the choice programs in MCPS.

The primary focus of the MVA is to foster a safe, inclusive online learning environment that meets the individual needs of all students in an academic setting where staff know their students’ interests, and want to see them excel as learners. The program includes the following highlights:


Thirteen Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students have been named recipients of full-tuition, four-year college scholarships from the Posse Foundation. The Posse program identifies public high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential that may have been overlooked by traditional college selection processes.

Nationally, more than 60 colleges and universities each offer full-tuition, merit scholarships to students throughout the country and create multicultural teams—called Posses—on each campus. These student teams receive professional guidance before and throughout college and provide support to one another.


Student Spotlight, per MCPS: Paint Branch High School 11th grader Cadet Malik Aremu is one of 26 students from across the country selected for the prestigious Commander, Naval Air Forces (CNAF) Flight Academy Summer 2023 Class.

According to the Flight Academy, “recognizing that the time to instill a love of aviation is best done early, the Flight Academy is an eight-week STEM program for high school students participating in both Navy and Marine Corps JROTC.” The program is intended to inspire and encourage high school students to consider aviation careers. The program is offered at zero cost to the student, and with no obligations. The program is a new STEM initiative that was selected for funding by the Naval STEM Coordination Office — located at the Office of Naval Research — which oversees investments in STEM education, outreach and workforce initiatives.


In a message sent before winter break, we asked that you remain vigilant and aware of the potential impact of the respiratory diseases (Influenza, RSV and COVID-19) circulating in our community. These illnesses may pose a combined challenge to our local healthcare system across our region following the holiday season. We need everyone’s help to reduce the impact on school operations in these first few weeks following winter break. Remember, protective measures still apply – keeping up with vaccinations, practicing healthy habits to prevent the spread of illness, and staying home if you are sick.

While we are excited to be back in school and for learning to continue on Tuesday, Jan. 3, we can only do this if we take care of ourselves and each other.


Bryan Bresee has officially declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, according to his Instagram post from earlier Monday afternoon. The 6’5, 305lb Clemson defensive lineman  graduated from Damascus High School in 2019. He is the former No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2020, and played three years at Clemson, missing significant time in 2021 with an ACL tear. He is widely expected to be drafted in the first round. His announcement and more on his time at Damascus below:

When I committed to play football for Clemson University, I never could have imagined how special this opportunity would be. The support I have received from the Clemson community the past 3 seasons has been amazing. I truly appreciate this experience.


Per MCPS: Staff and students are strongly encouraged to test prior to returning from the holiday break, especially if they have any symptoms of COVID-19, may have been exposed to COVID-19, or were in a higher risk exposure situation like public travel or large indoor gatherings.

Test Kit Information: Testing is an important way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our school community. Montgomery County residents have multiple free at-home testing options. Order free rapid test kits by mail through COVID.gov.


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