Per Montgomery County: Today, the Montgomery County Council issued the following statement condemning the antisemitic graffiti found at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda.
“We are disgusted and angry to learn about yet another display of hate targeting the Jewish community in Montgomery County. Our nation continues to experience a deeply troubling rise in antisemitism, and we must continue to join together to denounce these acts of hate here at home.
Montgomery County Police are investigating a report of a vandalism that occurred at Walt Whitman High School at 7100 Whittier Blvd in Bethesda on Saturday morning.
Whitman High School principal Robert Dodd wrote the following in a message to the Whitman community: “I want to share information with you regarding an incident that took place today and how it is being addressed. It was reported, this morning, that there was antisemitic graffiti; the words “Jews Not Welcome” written on our school sign. This behavior is abhorrent, extremely hurtful, and will not be tolerated at Walt Whitman High School. We immediately notified the Montgomery County Police. who are actively investigating the incident. In addition, if found to have been committed by an MCPS student, this incident will be addressed as a disciplinary matter in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding with county police and in alignment with the MCPS Student Code of Conduct.”
Kelly Campbell, a MoCo native who graduated from Wootton High School in the mid 90’s, has just completed her first year as President of NBC Universal’s streaming service Peacock. Campbell joined Peacock in October 2021 and officially took over the role of President in November 2021 after a year and a half as President of Hulu. Prior to that, she was Hulu’s Chief Marketing Officer and spent 12 years at Google in multiple senior marketing roles.
Per an interview with Deadline, Campbell has “helmed a high-stakes Olympics pivot from poorly received Tokyo coverage last summer to a more fully committed, wall-to-wall outing at the Beijing Winter Games. She leveraged Super Bowl LVII to help Bel-Airbecome Peacock’s first original series breakout. On a broader level, she has led a strategic turn from the platform’s original focus on its free, ad-supported offerings toward boosting premium subscriber levels.”
Montgomery County Police announced that New Hampshire Estates Elementary School at 8720 Carroll Avenue in Silver Spring was placed on a lockdown earlier this morning. According to MCPD, “At approximately 8:30 a.m. New Hampshire Estates ES went into lockdown as the result of a police investigation in the area. The lockdown lasted approximately 30 mins. until police verified there was no threat to the school or community. The lockdown has been lifted.”
At approximately 8:30 a.m. New Hampshire Estates ES went into lockdown as the result of a police investigation in the area.
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Superintendent Monifa B. McKnight will present her Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Operating Budget recommendation on Monday, Dec. 19, 2022.
WHAT: Superintendent’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Recommended Operating Budget Presentation
Thirty-three students from six high schools will participate in a fellowship program enabling them to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and math. The Sandra Lee Heyman Foundation named the fellows, who will meet with STEM leaders, visit leading STEM institutions in the Washington, D.C. area, and access peers and mentors to support career exploration in STEM. Winning MCPS students and schools are:
Winston Churchill High School
The North Bethesda Middle School seventh and eighth grade chorus students were the middle school winners of the 97.1 WASH-FM Christmas Choir Competition, presented by The Nutcracker at the Washington Ballet. Radio station staff selected three finalists based on singing quality, originality, creativity and musicality. Supporters voted for their favorite choir on the WASH-FM website.
The North Bethesda students sang a Ukrainian version of Carol of the Bells, which was arranged by music teacher Jason McFeaters. The school recently performed the song at its choral concert on Wednesday, December 14th, held at Walter Johnson High School. For winning the competition, the school’s choral program will receive $2,500, and will perform at the Warner Theater on Saturday, Dec. 17, as part of the Washington Ballet’s presentation of The Nutcracker. The recording is also being aired on 97.1 throughout the holiday season.
The Board of Education has approved agreements with the employee associations that allow for a 3.35 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for all permanent employees and substitute teachers, a step increase for eligible employees, and a longevity increase for eligible supporting services employees. The pay increases will go into effect on Dec. 17, 2022. Look for the increase in your Jan. 13, 2023, paycheck.
SEIU employees will receive—
Students at North Bethesda Middle School enjoyed a visit from Kwame Alexander, poet, educator and New York Times bestselling author of 36 books. Students asked questions about his books, writing process and the new TV series Crossover that will be out on Disney+.
Alexander was born in Manhattan, New York, and grew up in Chesapeake, Virginia. His father was a scholar and book publisher and his mother was an educator. Alexander’s picture book Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band, was selected for the 2014 “Michigan Reads! One State, One Children’s Book” program. He won a 2020 Newberry Honor for his illustrated poem The Undefeated. Alexander also runs the Bookinaday program to introduce children to writing and publishing.
Per MCPS: Due to a recent change in a Maryland law, students will not be charged to participate in dual-enrollment programs. Montgomery College will refund students who have paid tuition for college courses taken this fall. Students taking college courses during the remainder of this school year will not be charged tuition, but may be responsible for other college costs, such as textbooks or fees. Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, all eligible students may take approved college courses at no cost. FAQ Below:
Per MCPS: COVID-19 rates have been increasing in the Washington, D.C. region, according to the county health department. Within our school system, we have also seen the anticipated rise in COVID-19 cases since the return from Thanksgiving. As we head into winter break, here are a few reminders:
Additional information per MCPS: While Montgomery County is currently at a “low” COVID-19 community risk level, any increase is a cause for concern and careful monitoring. There are multiple steps we can take to reduce the impact of respiratory infections on our community, especially severe illness: