Student-athletes from throughout MCPS high schools participated in a Student-Athlete Leadership Council Meeting at Carver Educational Services Center on Sept. 13. The meeting discussed a variety of topics, including strong leadership and enhancing participation in MCPS athletics. In addition, students on the council recently produced this PSA, a message about being respectful, encouraging and supportive at all athletic events. The video can be seen below:
Amanda Herold, instrumental music teacher at John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring, was given the Professional Achievement Award by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME).
This award recognizes her outstanding dedication and commitment to the field of music education during her time as an undergraduate at Gettysburg College. Herold was an active member of NAfME and helped lead music education initiatives across campus. She was statewide president for the Pennsylvania Collegiate Music Educators Association and was invited to speak at the NAfME Collegiate Advocacy Summit on the topic of advocacy in collegiate music education chapters in 2021.
As we enter a much-deserved Winter Break, I want to wish all of you, our amazing students, superb staff and wonderful families — a joyous holiday season. With the first semester winding down, please accept my heartfelt gratitude for all that each and every one of you do for our students and for one another.
Reflecting on this first half of the school year, I am so proud of what we have accomplished as a community, with our “All Together Now” spirit. We are staying true to our mission, so that all of our students can thrive academically, socially and emotionally. I remain hopeful that we can and will continue the work we have embarked on this school year, build on the momentum we cultivated, and address the challenges before us.
Below you’ll see a letter from MCPS Chief Operating Officer M. Brian Hull regarding Winter Break operations:
“Dear MCPS Community,
Below is a message from the MCPS Medical Officer:
“Dear MCPS Community:
Chris Rindov, a 2019 graduate of Rockville High School and captain of the Maryland soccer team, has been drafted in the second round of the MLS Draft by Sporting KC.
The 6’2, 190 pound defender from Rockville is coming off of a 2022 season where he was named First Team Big Ten and two-time Big Ten Player of the Week. In his time at Maryland, he was a three-time All Big Ten Academic Selection and went from a true walk on to starter to captain of the team. During his time at Rockville, he scored five goals and had an assist his senior year, being named a Washington Post Honorable Mention selection and first-team All-Montgomery County. He won four Maryland State Championships (2016-2019) and played club soccer at OBGC.
MCPS announced a systemwide closure for Friday, December 23, in alignment with Governor Hogan’s action to close state government agencies and offices. Schools were previously scheduled to be closed on Friday, 12/23, but now the systemwide closure includes schools and offices being closed for staff. Full message from MCPS below:
“Dear MCPS Staff, Families, and Community Members:
Eleven MCPS students have been selected for the 2023 National Association for Music Education’s (NAfME’s) All-Eastern Honors Ensembles. The 11 are:
Richard Montgomery High School
During the Try-Athlon, this fall’s physical activity challenge, nearly 5,000 MCPS employees picked three health goals, set measurable objectives and implemented a plan for reaching them. They took part in a variety of physical activities to compete for prizes, and more importantly, to adopt or maintain healthy lifestyles. Each of the top 15 schools averaged at least 75 minutes of physical activity per employee per day.
Grand prize winners are as follows:
A trifecta of elementary schools has been selected for award prizes for being recognized as the healthiest schools in MCPS—Burtonsville, Glen Haven and S. Christa McAuliffe elementary schools.
The MCPS Districtwide Wellness Committee recently announced the winners of this year’s “MCPS Healthy Schools Award,” an opportunity created with Kaiser Permanente Thriving Schools and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. This program celebrates schools that have implemented remarkable initiatives related to one or more of the following areas: advancing core policies related to equity, diversity and inclusion; increasing family and community engagement; bolstering physical education and activity; strengthening social-emotional health, and cultivating staff well-being.
The Lab for Entrepreneurship and Transformative Leadership at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) wrapped up its 1st Annual Equity Incubator program with an exciting “Shark Tank” style competition on December 7, as students and local entrepreneurs competed for a chance to win a $10,000 grand prize to fund their initiative, or an audience-selected $1,000 prize.
The Equity Incubator and Showcase events were sponsored by the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation and the Blair Family Foundation.