Education

All Together Now: Putting Our Students First – A Message from Interim Superintendent Dr. Monifa B. McKnight

By Patrick Herron

One of my top three priorities is rebuilding community trust in MCPS. Relationship building is a two-way endeavor, and these events mark an important step towards upholding our commitment to a strong, trusting relationship, as we collectively work on behalf of the awesome students we are honored to serve. MCPS can be of better service to you if we know each other–if we know and understand the issues of greatest importance to our community. I am committed to transparency and responsiveness as we work to address our challenges and celebrate our many strengths. I am all in for our students, their families and our MCPS staff; I am excited about the conversations we’ve had and those that we have in the future.

We captured your feedback during our recent engagement sessions and you can see it reflected in this document. Your feedback covers a variety of interests, and each item will be examined to identify areas where we can make important improvements or adjustments that will serve students and staff. We spoke with one another about mental health, school safety, staffing concerns, operating budgets, special education student services and so much more. While community feedback is part of my commitment to informing our work, we have to ensure that any resulting action or decision fully supports students, staff and excellence in MCPS. Students First is my commitment to every family across the district.

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Universities at Shady Grove Announces DSF-Idea Foundation Scholarship

By MCS Staff

The CEO of Rockville-based DSFederal, a healthcare IT and data analytics government contractor, Parker noted that her gift stems from her belief that higher education is the gateway to a better future for young people in our region. She was a 2019 inductee into the Montgomery County Business Hall of Fame, an annual event which also benefits students at USG with scholarships.

“USG is providing opportunities for students locally to not only earn degrees from top Maryland universities, but also to achieve their career goals working for companies in Montgomery County,” said Parker.  “We feel strongly that this is the right thing to do, as all of us at DSFederal are dedicated to making the world a better place.”

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First Time Ever – Three MC Students Awarded Prestigious Cooke Foundation Scholarships

By MCS Staff

Montgomery College students Eve Elias Stowell, Marthe Medalebem Sanjol, and Anna L. Chacon are three of 100 recipients of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s (JKCF) prestigious Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The highly competitive national scholarship will provide the three students with up to $55,000 a year to complete their bachelor’s degrees. This is the first time the College has had three JKCF winners in the same year.

This year, more than 1,200 students from 332 community colleges applied to receive the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The foundation evaluated each submission based on students’ academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, and leadership.

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More Than 1,500 MCPS Students Earn Maryland Seal of Biliteracy

By MCS Staff

This school year, more than 1,500 MCPS high school graduates will earn the Maryland Seal of Biliteracy in over 28 languages. the Maryland Seal of Biliteracy recognizes a student’s high level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing in English and one or more languages.

The Maryland Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by participating school systems that recognizes a student’s high level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing in English and one or more languages. Starting in California in 2011, the Seal of Biliteracy is now offered in 28 states and the District of Columbia. Maryland’s Seal of Biliteracy Bill was signed into law in 2016 and implemented for the first time in 2017.

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Winners Named in MCPS’ Asian Pacific American Student Achievement Action Group (APASAAG) Poster Contest

By MCS Staff

In honor of Asian Pacific American Islander Heritage Month, 95 K–12 students in 49 schools participated in a poster contest hosted by the Asian Pacific American Student Achievement Action Group. The contest called on students to create original art work to commemorate the histories, challenges and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. All  21 student winners and honorable mentions were honored during a ceremony last month. See the winning artwork.

Winners are:

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Montgomery College Ranked a Top School for Online Degrees in Public Service

By MCS Staff

Montgomery College has been ranked one of the year’s best schools for online degrees in public service by STEPS (Student Training & Education in Public Service). Just under 6 percent of colleges and universities in the U.S. earned a ranking position. “The virtual campus at Montgomery College provides students with comprehensive services and support to help them reach their academic goals, and the online degree in criminal justice is a great example of how students are provided with the option to complete their degree entirely in the virtual environment,” said Shinta H. Hernandez, Ph.D., the College’s Dean of the Virtual Campus, Office of E-Learning, Innovation, and Teaching Excellence (ELITE).

“Criminal justice professors have worked tirelessly over the past several years to ensure that the programs’ online courses utilize best practices in distance education, including a variety of media and innovative, often free, instructional materials,” said Ginger R. Robinson, JD, Interim Department Chair, Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice, Associate Professor, Criminal Justice. “Courses are routinely updated to incorporate current events, reflecting the changing nature of law, justice, and society. The faculty’s willingness to meet students where they are, whether it’s the physical or online classroom, ensures that every criminal justice student in Maryland possesses the ability to access the highest quality education.”

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Blair Student, Samantha Jayasundera, Named Youth Volunteer of the Year

By MCS Staff

Samantha Jayasundera will be honored during the 11th annual Montgomery Serves Awards, the county’s highest honor for service and volunteerism, tonight (June 15). This year’s honorees represent volunteers dedicated to programs including social justice and educational advocacy, safety-net healthcare services and outreach to vulnerable populations.

Samantha, a senior at Montgomery Blair High School, will be named a Youth Volunteer of the Year. She is a co-founder of Sankofa Empowering Women in Ghana (SEWING), a women’s empowerment and human rights program combating child labor and female exploitation. Committed to her personal focus of “education for all,” she has spoken on the local, national and international stage, hosted conferences and led large-scale initiatives for education and equity.

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Magruder Freshman, Colin Abrams, Wins Second National Championship in Four Days

By MCS Staff

Magruder Hugh School’s Colin Abrams has picked up his second national title in four days, easily winning the Emerging Elite 800m race with a personal best of 1:52.6 at the Nike Outdoor Nationals. The Nike Outdoor Nationals are currently wrapping up at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field (June 16-June 19).

According to Magruder Track’s Instagram account, the time is “one of the fastest-ever run by a 14-year-old in the WORLD. It is also the 6th fastest time posted by a freshman, ever, the fastest time run by any American freshman in the 2022 season, a new school record and a new Maryland Freshman Class record.” Colin Abrams will now come home from Oregon a two-time National Champion after his previous first place finish in the Freshman 400m with a time of 49.46.

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Beyond MoCo: New Cell Phone Policy at Fairfax County Public Schools Starting This Fall

By MCS Staff

The Fairfax County Public Schools Board of Education came to a decision to adopted the latest Student Rights & Responsibilities handbook for FCPS students, during its Thursday night meeting, which includes an updated section on cell phone usage. Per the FCPS website:

Cell phone usage has been a popular topic. Key highlights of related changes are below for your convenience:

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Magruder’s Colin Abrams Wins National Championship at Nike Outdoor Nationals

By MCS Staff

Magruder High School freshman Colin Abrams will come home from Oregon a National Champion after his first place finish in the Freshman 400m with a time of 49.46. The Nike Outdoor Nationals are currently taking place at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field (June 16-June 19).

According to MileSplitMD, Colin “has a personal best in the 800m of 1:54.71, which is a Maryland freshman class record, and US Frosh No. 1 this season. He sits MD No. 5 overall this season. Abrams is also MD Frosh No. 1 in the 400m this season with his 50.70 FAT personal best.

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