The Poolesville HS boys cross country team and the Damascus HS cheerleading team won their respective 2A State Championship titles over the weekend. This is the first-ever cheerleading championship title for MCPS.
Congratulations to teams who also made it to the championship finals – Winston Churchill HS boys’ cross country and girls’ field hockey, Walter Johnson HS girls’ cross country, Poolesville girls’ cross country, and Sherwood High School’s cheerleading team which came in third.
Quince Orchard High School hosted a Veterans Day Celebration that coincided with their playoff football game against Northwest High School. The event featured a UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter flyover, as well as a Color Guard and soldiers from the U.S. Army as honored guests. Video of the celebration below:
On Oct. 25, the Board of Education adopted a resolution to make modifications to the 2022–2023 school year calendars that include additional systemwide closure days during the winter and spring breaks. The following modifications have been made to the Traditional and Innovative School Year Calendars:
Amended calendar can be seen here. Memorandum to the board can be seen below:
The Network Operations program of the Montgomery County Students Information Technology Foundation, Inc. (ITF) will present a computer lab to American Minority Veterans Research Project (AMVRP) on Nov. 17. ITF students at Clarksburg High School reconditioned six computers with operating systems and prepared monitors, keyboards, mice and a printer. This project provides an opportunity for the ITF students to put into practice their computer maintenance skills, earn student service learning hours, and develop a deeper appreciation for charity and community involvement.
This year’s recipient, AMVRP, is an organization focused on providing research data, referral services, long- and short-term housing benefits, and referrals to veterans and their families throughout Montgomery County. The organization will be able to support MCPS students and families of veterans by offering equitable access to technology. By having students engaged in collaborative educational experiences, AMVRP hopes to strengthen community connections between veterans and students.
About 50 students in the restaurant management and culinary arts program at Thomas Edison High School of Technology participated their annual holiday bake sale. The students bake, and package assorted goodies for their sale, including 109 pies, 120 cheesecakes, 100 dozen oatmeal, cranberry and gluten-free cookies, 100 dozen macaroons, 45 pounds of peppermint bark, along with pints of cranberry sauce and cranberry orange relish. Proceeds from the sale are invested back into the program. See photos of the bake sale preparation.
More about the program: The Restaurant Management/Culinary Arts program offers students the opportunity to explore the food service industry and acquire the knowledge and skills needed to pursue postsecondary education and careers. This program is certified by the American Culinary Federation, a professional organization that works to enhance professional growth for chefs and cooks. In a professional kitchen, students study and practice food safety and sanitation principles, professional food-handling and preparation techniques, and quantity preparation. Students participate in various entrepreneurial ventures through the operation of an in-school café, catering in-school events, and a production bake sale. Students have opportunities to earn an American Culinary Federation Certified Fundamentals Cook Certification (ACF-CFC), ServSafe Food Protection Manager’s Certification, ServSafe Allergens Certification, and Montgomery County Food Handlers License.
Three MCPS teachers have won Teacher of the Year honors from the Society of Health and Physical EducatorsMaryland (SHAPE MD). The trio—Cecilia Chivers, resource teacher at Paint Branch High School; Amanda Quay, teacher at Damascus High School and Jeffrey Watkins, adapted physical education teacher at Longview School—were recognized during the state convention on Nov. 11–12 in Ocean City. More details on each are below:
Cecilia Chivers was named SHAPE MD Health Teacher of the Year. In her 14th year teaching health education at Paint Branch, Chivers teaches inclusion health education classes with special education and general education students. “I want my students to see themselves in the curriculum and be able to integrate healthy habits into their lives immediately,” she said. To accomplish this, she brings in a variety of teaching strategies, creates a warm classroom environment and builds strong relationships with students. She leads students through 10 minutes of mindfulness every Monday and brings in guest speakers to reinforce classroom learning.
The following message concerning next steps in the Antiracist System Audit was emailed to MCPS staff on Friday, Nov. 11:
“Dear Colleagues,
MCPS will host a series of virtual conversations with the Literacy Council of Montgomery County (LCMC) to discuss English as a Second Language classes available for adults. The conversations will be hosted in English, Chinese and Spanish.
The LCMC is offering English as a Second Language classes free to MCPS parents and guardians. There will be virtual and in-person options for all levels of English speakers. They are available to any parent for whom English is not their first language. Interest form for ESL classes. Parents and community members are invited to join the virtual events on Friday, Nov. 18 at the following times:
Per MCPS: Do you know a high-achieving student who has taken rigorous courses and has a weighted GPA of 4.69? They may qualify for a $10,000 scholarship.
Applications are open for the Ruth and Norman Rales–Patricia Baier O’Neill Scholarship Recognizing Academic Excellence. These scholarships for graduating high school seniors were announced earlier this year by the Norman R. Rales and Ruth Rales Foundation to honor the lives and contributions of Ruth and Norman Rales and former Montgomery County Board of Education member Patricia O’Neill. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023.
A community message sent by MCPS was shared with The MoCoShow announcing the reinstatement of a benefit in support of school bus operators who drive extra routes. The full message can be seen below:
“Dear MCPS Employees,
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