MCPS Meal Distribution Expanded: New Locations Announced

MCPS is providing free breakfasts, lunches and dinner meals for children 18 years old and younger and all MCPS students (regardless of age) at more than 40 sites (including mobile sites) throughout the county. Additionally, MCPS school buses will distribute meals in several neighborhoods and county shopping centers.

MCPS is  pleased to collaborate with Manna Food to distribute weekend backpack food sacks throughout the county  Distribution will take place on Fridays. Please visit www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org to see the most up-to-date list of meal sites.

Meal Service for Students

Community Update on COVID-19 (coronavirus) Preparedness

Yesterday (March 3), the Montgomery County Council received a briefing from the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security on the County’s coronavirus preparedness efforts. The Council received up-to-date information on the coronavirus (COVID-19) and discussed the County’s efforts to ensure the health and safety of all residents. MCPS leadership and other community partners and stakeholders participated in this important discussion.
We encourage all members of our community to watch the briefing and read the key documents that were shared at the briefing.

DHHS has shared that the risk to the general American public remains low and that to date, no cases have been confirmed in Maryland or in the National Capital Region. Under Maryland law, the County Health Officer makes the decision on school closures when it pertains to public health crises. Those decisions will be made in collaboration with other county agencies. At this time, per guidance from DHHS, schools will remain open and operations at the county level will continue as normal.

Read the Full Message to the Community

Three Finalists for MCPS Teacher of the Year Announced

Three teachers have been named finalists for the 2020–2021 MCPS Teacher of the Year Award by the Marian Greenblatt Education Fund. They are: Anne Moore, kindergarten teacher at Farmland Elementary School; Inge Chichester, World Studies content specialist at Sligo Middle School; and Rodney Van Tassell, social studies resource teacher at Winston Churchill High School.

Anne Moore is a kindergarten teacher at Farmland Elementary School. Moore has been a teacher in MCPS for 23 years. A National Board Certified teacher, she builds genuine, caring relationships that enable students to grow academically and socially. Her classroom is an enthusiastic and happy place. Her skills in teaching concepts simple and advanced is superior. She tirelessly communicates with parents, giving them timely feedback on their child’s performance at school and tips on how to help their progress at home. She has created a “writing workshop” to cultivate a love of writing and excellence in writing skills. The students host an authors’ reception at the end of the year to present their writing. Her commitment to academic success also led her to sponsor and implement a summer reading program for first and second graders. She is adept at using data to inform her classroom instruction. Her focus on collaboration, data and planning resulted in her 25 students meeting the grade-level standard for letter recognition and phonics. She has also been a mentor teacher for several student teachers, and has supported veteran teachers. Moore has served as the kindergarten team leader, a member of the School Improvement Plan and Field Day committees, and the PTA staff liaison.

—“Ms. Moore is the best introduction to school that a child can get!” wrote parent Rachel Lanman.

Inge Chichester is the World Studies content specialist at Sligo Middle School. She expects greatness from her students and is a fierce advocate for them. She supports them as she holds them accountable. She listens to them, and has a special ability to make them see and believe in their own growth and capabilities. She talks with them about self-care and strategies to ensure success. She brings compassion to the job and actively seeks out students in need of academic support. She greets all students as they come through the main doors every morning with a bullhorn. She ends every student conversation with her motto: ‘I love you to life!’ Her classroom feels like a family. In planning meetings, she challenges teachers to be risk takers in the classroom, and pushes them to offer lessons that are more than “good enough.” She is constantly asking questions—“Is there a way to make this more real world for our kids?” “How can we make modifications and accommodations to this?” “What can we do to reteach this concept if students don’t understand the first time?” Chichester is a 19-year veteran of MCPS. Colleagues, students and parents call her a superstar. One teacher called her the “contagious positive,” something you will catch if you hang around her long enough. She spearheads the school’s career day, coordinates the 7th grade field trip to the Junior Achievement Finance Park and hosts two AmeriCorps volunteers.

—“She has always been a teacher that I admire, in the way that she builds relationships with students … Students feel that Inge is a safe place, a confidante, an ally and a person who will never give up on them. As she says on a daily basis to each of her students, ‘I love you to life,’” wrote sixth grade team leader Laura Corvelli.

Rodney Van Tassell has been a social studies resource teacher at Winston Churchill High School since 2011. He has also worked at Takoma Park Middle School. He is known as a collaborative problem solver who is patient, detailed and constantly on the lookout for new ideas. He has brought a focus to his department on student-centered learning by modeling and teaching about project-based learning. This year, he arranged student desks in pods of four, because he believed this fosters student-to-student discourse. His lessons are fun and creative. He has had students write a breakup song between the U.S. and Great Britain; and transformed his classroom into a courtroom for students to put Thomas Jefferson on trial for writing the Kentucky Resolution. These efforts have resulted in high achievement on Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. History exams and Maryland High School Assessments. In the last decade, he grew the AP U.S. History and Psychology programs about 300 percent, and saw scores increase from an average of 3.5 to 4.1. He was the longtime head coach for Churchill swimming and diving, and also coaches numerous All American, All-County and All-Met athletes.

—“A good teacher is someone who will teach you enough to pass the class, but a great teacher, like Mr. Van Tassell, will make you love his subject and want to come to class every day,” wrote student Emily Abramson.

The Greenblatt Education Fund is also honoring Joanna Martinez-Mack, a science teacher at Julius West Middle School, as the 2020 Rising Star Teacher of the Year. This award honors teachers with less than five years of experience whose creativity and enthusiasm encourages students to stretch themselves and achieve more.

Finalists for the Teacher of the Year Award, who must have five years or more of teaching experience in Montgomery County, are interviewed by a panel of educators, Board of Education members, MCPS staff and representatives from the Montgomery County Council of PTAs, as well as a member of the Greenblatt family.

The teachers, along with other MCPS employees and partners, will be honored for their extraordinary work as part of the annual Champions for Children Awards Celebration. The MCPS Teacher of the Year will be named during the event, which will take place Monday, April 27, at Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club in Bethesda.

The Marian Greenblatt Fund, named for a former Board of Education member, recognizes teachers that inspire their students to achieve, encourage younger teachers to be the best they can be, and help their school and community. The Fund awards each Teacher of the Year finalist a prize of $2,000, and the Rising Star Teacher $1,000.

Reducing Chronic Absenteeism: Every Day Counts

Did you know that more than 8 million U.S. students miss nearly a month of school each year. Chronic absenteeism is a growing problem across the country, and MCPS is not immune.

Attending school every day really does matter.

School success goes hand in hand with good attendance. As we get closer to spring break, parents are encouraged to make sure their children attend school every day. We know it’s tempting to extend your vacation by a few days, but remember, those days count as absences. Just a few missed days here and there, even if they are excused absences, can add up to too much lost learning time and put your child behind in school.

Give your child the gift of attendance and help build a habit of attendance.

What We Know

A student is chronically absent if they are absent 10 percent (18 days) or more of the school year, regardless of whether the absences are excused or unexcused.

• Children of all ages, races and socioeconomic groups can be chronically absent, but those most at risk are children living in poverty and those who are homeless.
• Half the students who miss two to four days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school.
• Children chronically absent in preschool, kindergarten and first grade are much less likely to read at grade level by third grade.
• Students who cannot read at grade level by the end of third grade are four times more likely than proficient readers to drop out of high school.
• By sixth grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.

If you know a child who struggles with school attendance, contact the Division of Pupil Personnel and Attendance Services at 240-740-5620.

Special Education Summit Set for May 2

MCPS parents, staff and community members are invited to the 7th annual Special Education Summit, Leading the Way Today, Partnering for a Better Tomorrow. The summit will be from 8:15 a.m.–1 p.m. on Saturday, May 2 at Quince Orchard High School, 15800 Quince Orchard Road in Gaithersburg.

The keynote speaker is Patricia Crain de Galarce, Ed.D., director of the Center for Inclusive and Special Education, and associate dean in the Graduate School of Education at Lesley University.

The Special Education Summit is free and open to parents/guardians, educators and community partners. Childcare, a light breakfast and interpretation services are provided.

More information

Register to attend.

Poster Contest Open to K–12 Students

As part of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Asian Pacific American Student Achievement Action Group (APASAAG) is co-sponsoring a poster contest for K–12 students.

The contest calls for students to identify a notable living or deceased Asian American, and create artwork that captures that person’s likeness and images that represent his/her contributions.

First, second and third place winners will receive cash awards for each of the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Submissions must be emailed by Wednesday, April 22.

Along with APASAAG, the contest is being co-sponsored by the Chinese American Parents Association of Montgomery County, Calvin Li Memorial Foundation, the City of Rockville Asian Pacific American Task Force, the Association of Vietnamese Americans and the Indonesian American Association.

More information on the poster contest.

MCPS Seeks Summer RISE Hosts

Would you like to teach rising MCPS juniors and seniors about your workplace and career field for three to four weeks in July as part of the Summer RISE 2020 program? MCPS is seeking hosts in all career fields, but have a particular need for those in arts and entertainment, bioscience, business management, cybersecurity, engineering, healthcare, information technology and law.

Summer RISE helps rising MCPS juniors and seniors learn about career opportunities and helps employers build a future workforce.

For more information about Summer RISE visit the website, attend an information session and/or register to be a host. Host registration will close March 31.

Presenting the 2019 Annual Report

The 2019 Annual Report to the Community is now available. The Annual Report to the Community includes highlights from the 2018-2019 school year and where we are when it comes to equity and excellence in learning, progress, achievement and opportunity. The report provides the community with information about who we are, student performance data, operational performance data, and the steps MCPS has taken to fulfill the vision and mission of MCPS. Visit https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/annualreport/2019/ to view the Annual Report.

Nominations Open for Annual Distinguished Service to Public Education Awards

The deadline is approaching to submit a nomination for the Montgomery County Board of Education’s 23rd Annual Awards for Distinguished Service to Public Education. The awards are sponsored by the Board to recognize and show appreciation to individuals (including students), groups and organizations that have made exemplary contributions to public education in Montgomery County. Visit this webpage for more information. The deadline to submit a nomination is March 6.

Save the Date: Movie Screening, Discussion Set for April 16

Parents and members of the community are invited to a movie screening of “Resilience: The Biology of Stress & the Science of Hope” on Thursday, April 16.

The event will be held from 7–8:30 p.m. in the Northwest High School auditorium, 13501 Richter Farm Road in Germantown.

After the movie screening, there will be a panel discussion on overcoming hardship and building strength.

Interested in Local Politics? Apply to Be Councilmember for a Day

Students in grades 8, 9, 10 and 11 who are interested in politics and want to know what it is like to serve as a Montgomery County Councilmember are invited to submit entries for Councilmember Craig Rice’s “Councilmember for a Day Challenge.” To enter, students can submit a video (two minutes or less) or a written essay (500 words or less) answering the following questions:

• What is the most important public policy issue facing young people today?
• What suggestions do you have for national, state and/or local leaders to address this issue?

One student will be selected as an honorary Councilmember and will shadow Councilmember Rice for the day. Cash prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place.

Submissions are due at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 3. The winning student will get exclusive access to Councilmember Craig Rice, who serves as chair of the Council’s Education and Culture Committee, and will spend the day as the Council’s guest of honor.

Entries can be submitted here.

Call for Entries: 2020 Girl Power Contest

In recognition of Women’s History Month, the Montgomery County Commission for Women invite residents to participate in its third annual Girl Power Contest.

County residents ages 5 to 105 are encouraged to submit a short story, poem or drawing that addresses the following question: As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote, what barriers do you think still exist for women and girls and how can you help break them?

Entries typically are short stories, poems and drawings but creativity is encouraged, and alternative creative expressive submissions are welcomed. Entries will be judged on creativity and content; entrants should refrain from using vulgarities and racist or sexist comments or images. Winning entries will be selected in four categories: elementary, middle, high school and adult.

All contest winners will be featured on the Commission for Women website and receive a swag bag, a photo with commissioners, and an invitation to be a guest of honor with other winners at a Montgomery County Commission for Women meeting.

Submissions will be accepted through March 31 and are limited to one per person. Written entries should be no more than 500 words. Entries should include full name, age, grade and school (if applicable), telephone number, and email address. Winners will be announced by April 30.

For more information and to submit contest entries online, visit the 2020 Girl Power Contest webpage. Entries also can be submitted by email to cfwinfo@montgomerycountymd.gov or mailed to:  2020 Girl Power Contest, Montgomery County Commission for Women, 21 Maryland Avenue, Suite 330, Rockville, MD 20850.

Entries submitted by minors must include written permission from a parent or guardian and be the minor’s own work. All entries become the property of the Montgomery County Commission for Women and may be used for publicity purposes.

The contest is sponsored by the Montgomery County Commission for Women, Montgomery County Public Libraries and Friends of the Library, Montgomery County. For more information, call 240-777-8300 or visit Montgomery County Commission for Women website.