To kick off the week of activities, there will be a systemwide mindful moment hosted by Superintendent Monifa McKnight. She will lead students in the activity during morning announcements.

Virtual events will include videos on topics falling into several categories, including mental health matters (such as depression, grief and loss, eating disorders, ADHD and autism); equity, diversity and inclusion (such as school climate, discrimination and supporting nonbinary and transgender students); personal safety (such as vaping, dating violence, social media safety and signs of suicide); physical well-being (such as positive self-talk, exercise and mindful eating); resiliency (such as stress management, mindfulness and delayed gratification) and relationship building (such as social skills, healthy vs. unhealthy friendships and talking to parents about tough topics).


During the panel, professionals working in various careers will share insights about their responsibilities, education and experiences to acquaint students with different career opportunities. Students will have the opportunity to earn two SSL hours by completing a reflection exercise after the panel. The virtual career panel will be held via Zoom. Students can register using this link.

The National Hispanic College Fair will be held on Oct. 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg. To kick off the fair, MCPS is inviting all students in 8th through 12th grades to a virtual career panel. Info: https://t.co/CFE0RrhH6y


Donald De La Haye Jr., also known online as Deestroying, is a Costa Rican-American YouTuber with over 4 million followers on the platform and millions more across other forms of social media. He played college football at the University of Central Florida, where he was a kicker for the team. This Friday night he will be at Seneca Valley High School to watch the undefeated Screaming Eagles take on undefeated Quince Orchard High School.

De La Haye is known for his videos demonstrating his kicking ability as well as his sports-related skits and vlogs talking about his life journey. He also made news while in college when the NCAA controversially banned him for profiting off his name and YouTube videos, which sparked reform for student athlete compensation and became a driver for the implementation of a fair and balanced set of rules for student-athletes to monetize their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL).


The Montgomery County Board of Education (Board) held a business meeting on September 22, 2022. During the meeting, the Board discussed the Evidence of Learning end-of-year and performance data report and made administrative appointments.

The agenda for the meeting, with related links, can be viewed on the Board website. Watch the meeting recordingEvidence of Learning End-of-Year and Performance Data Report:


Per MCPS: The Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades Foundation (ATF) is looking for car donations. Donations will help more than 400 high school students learn how to evaluate, repair and restore used cars. ATF is a nonprofit that fosters automotive education by offering students hands-on instruction in maintenance, repair, sales and marketing.

The ATF accepts donations year-round between 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Monday through Friday at Damascus, Gaithersburg and Seneca Valley high schools, at Thomas Edison High School of Technology and at the Shady Grove Bus Depot. Donations may be tax deductible.


On Wednesday, September 28th, MCPS Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight sent the following message out to the community regarding athletic safety plans:

“Dear Montgomery County Public Schools community members:


Poolesville High School, the only whole school magnet in Montgomery County, was ranked as the “Best Public High School in Maryland” by Niche– a rankings and review resource that provides information on K-12 schools, colleges, cities, neighborhoods, and companies across the United States.

The core of the school building was built in 1911 as an elementary school, and as of 1912 the school was the only consolidated (middle and high school) in Montgomery County. The current school building dates back to 1953 but has had over 22 additions made since then, with the last major revision happening in 1978. John Pool Middle School was built in 1997, separating the two schools that were together for nearly a century.


View More Stories