Prince George’s County Public Schools has announced it will be moving to a mask-optional policy beginning Tuesday, September 6. PGCPS announced earlier this month that the school district would return to a “mandatory mask policy in all schools and facilities until further notice, effective Monday, August 15,” saying that the decision was recommended by the Prince George’s County Health Department. Montgomery County Public Schools ended its indoor mask requirement on March 8.
As we begin the new year, MCPS, as demanded by our strategic plan, will have a laserlike focus on academics. Our educators will know how every student is performing; they will use data to meet student needs. We expect that our students will build on their knowledge, advance in their skill sets and find wonder in their learning. We have excellent teachers, support professionals and administrators committed to making this happen.
We will have challenges and we are ready for them. For students to perform at their best and achieve academic growth, they must be emotionally strong, physically safe and psychologically prepared for today’s world.
Utkarsh Ambudkar was born in nearby Baltimore, but was raised in Rockville while his parents worked at NIH in Bethesda. The 38 year old actor graduated from Wootton High School and is well known for his roles in Hulu’s The Dropout, the male lead in hit CBS sitcom Ghosts (which he stars in with fellow Wootton alumnus Richie Moriarty), Donald in Pitch Perfect, Rishi in the Mindy Project, Skatch in Mulan, and a lot more. In season 2, episode 5 of the CBS series Secret Celebrity Renovation, Ambudkar comes home to MoCo to renovate his parents’ home.
The episode starts off with views of Gaithersburg, where his parents currently live, leading into Ambudkar and the show’s host, Nischelle Turner, driving through MoCo on their way to his parents’ home. While home he visits friends who are still in the area and heads over to Wootton High School where one of his childhood friends, Nick Hitchens, is currently the assistant principal at the school. He stops by the theater where it all started and credits one his former directors, Harriet Mittelberger, for changing the course of his life by convincing Utkarsh’s mom to let him pursue acting.
Launchpads are populated with carefully chosen content of various themes including educational apps, games, videos, stories and activities focusing on specific topics.
Launchpads will be available from the MCPL branches of Long Branch, Maggie Nightingale, Marilyn Praisnerand White Oak. Customers can place holds on the Launchpads to have them transferred to their closest MCPL branch for pick up.
Here are 10 things to know for Thursday, Aug. 25, per MCPS. They include information about the MCPS 2022-2023 Back-to-School Fair, Free and Reduced-Price Meals applications, important school system tools for families, bus route information and a request for first-day photos.
Know These Important System Resources
Parents and guardians of MCPS students are encouraged, by the school system, to sign up for a ParentVUE account at the beginning of the school year. ParentVUE is the MCPS online parent portal that serves as the primary communication vehicle for schools to share information regarding grades, attendance, scheduling, access to myMCPS Classroom and more.
ParentVUE provides a way to view all school related information and data for all students. Register for athletics, special programs, communicate with teachers and verify your student information annually. Below are topics addressed in the ParentVUE quick guide, including how to register, activate and get support for ParentVUE. The guide is available in seven major languages.
Montgomery County Public schools sent out the following community message from MCPS Medical Officer Patricia Kapunan, M.D. on Thursday, August 25:
Vaccines are an important way to lower individual risk of severe complications from COVID-19 infection. A high vaccine coverage rate helps reduce the overall burden of COVID-19 on the school community and helps keep learning going, as individuals with milder symptoms will miss fewer school or work days. We continue to strongly recommend students receive all recommended COVID-19 vaccines and boosters for which they are eligible. At this time, COVID-19 vaccination is required for staff unless approved for a medical exemption. We will continue to provide opportunities for students, staff and family members to receive COVID-19 vaccines atafter-school and weekend events.
Six MCPS students received medals at the national Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) competition in July. ACT-SO is a high school initiative sponsored by the NAACP to promote and encourage academic and artistic excellence. MCPS ACT-SO students received more than $50,000 in scholarships.
The 2022 medalists are:
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) have both sent emails to employees and members notifying them of an agreement reached on Special Education Incentives. Below is the message from MCPS:
“Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has been working to ensure that it is fully staffed for the first day of school on Monday, Aug. 29. One of the most significant hiring challenges has been for those who work in special education. Today, the district is announcing that it has reached an agreement with the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) on incentives for special education teachers. This agreement was ratified and signed by both parties on Wednesday, Aug. 24.
MCPS has released a community message welcoming parents, students, and community members to the 2022-2023 school year. The full message and video can be seen below:
“Dear Parents, Students, and Community Members,
Montgomery County Public Schools and Wheaton Mall (11160 Veirs Mill Rd) will host a free back-to-school event this Saturday, August 27, from 10am-1pm at the mall’s outdoor event and dining space, known as “The Streetery”. Shoppers and members of the community will have the opportunity to learn about the school system, county programs and receive free curriculum resources in addition to family-friendly activities/entertainment and COVID-19 vaccinations. MCPS will be providing shuttle service to the event from Gaithersburg, Montgomery Blair, Paint Branch and Richard Montgomery High Schools. Full details below per Westfield:
Westfield Wheaton will host an annual back-to-school fair in partnership with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) on Saturday, August 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will take place in The Streetery, the center’s outdoor event and dining space situated between Macy’s and the food court on Parking Level 2. Shoppers and members of the community will have the opportunity to learn about the school system, county programs and receive free curriculum resources. The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will also be providing a free COVID-19 vaccination clinic located at entrance 14 near Dick’s Sporting Goods. To make an appointment with DHHS for vaccination and immunization, please visit the link here.