Interim Superintendent Unveils Five-Point Plan for Further COVID Safety, Mitigation

The top priority for MCPS is keeping schools open while ensuring the safety of our students and staff. MCPS has made a number of improvements in school buildings and put health and safety procedures in place to limit the spread of COVID-19. On Sept. 9, the Montgomery County Board of Education voted to require all staff to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 29, 2021. This important measure can help to reduce transmission of the virus in schools and the community.

After assessing the first two weeks of school and listening to parents and other stakeholders, Interim Superintendent Monifa McKnight has developed a five-point plan that enhances and strengthens the mitigation strategies already in place to keep students and staff safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. This plan includes hiring an in-house health/medical expert; establishing a COVID operations advisory committee; creating a COVID-19 dashboard with individual school data, launching a new campaign; “Say Yes to the Test;” to encourage parents/guardians to consent to COVID-19 testing for their children; and providing more support to schools.

• Appoint an in-house health/medical professional

This position will serve as the school district’s health/medical expert and will be the primary liaison with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Maryland Department of Health, and other health agencies. In collaboration with DHHS, the person in this role will coordinate MCPS’ COVID-19 response. Some of the responsibilities of this position will include:

• Review recommendations from federal, state and local health agencies
• Examine emerging COVID-19 data
• Assess MCPS COVID-19 data
• Provide guidance regarding multi-layer prevention strategies
• Make recommendations regarding isolation, quarantine and contact tracing

• Establish a COVID-19 operations advisory committee

The committee will comprise MCPS staff and students, representatives from the employee associations, MCCPTA and community organizations. We will request a DHHS representative to also serve on the committee. Committee feedback will help guide the district’s work in responding to COVID-19 throughout the year.

• Create a COVID-19 dashboard

The dashboard will provide systemwide and individual school data on positive COVID-19 cases among students and staff, as well as the number of students in quarantine.

• Launch an outreach campaign to increase the number of students who are tested for COVID-19  

Testing is an important prevention strategy, particularly among students younger than 12 who are not eligible to be vaccinated. MCPS is offering free screening tests to students in Grades PreK-6, with plans to expand to all other grades in the coming weeks. With parental consent, a random sample of students will be tested on a weekly basis. The “Say Yes to the Test” outreach campaign will be crucial to reaching the goal of every MCPS family giving their consent for the screening and rapid tests. Screening testing can limit the spread of the virus, even in the absence of visible symptoms. In addition, new tests now available in all health rooms, will be used when a student has COVID-19 symptoms. These rapid tests will help to minimize the number of students who have to quarantine.  MCPS will work with community partners to expand the reach of this campaign.

• Provide additional support to help with schools’ COVID-19 response efforts

To ensure minimal disruption to teaching and learning in schools, targeted support will be provided to assist with COVID-related issues.

A Message from the Board of Education on the Passing of Mrs. Patricia O’Neill

The following message was issued on Tuesday, Sept. 14, announcing the passing of Board member Patricia O’Neill.

The Montgomery County Board of Education regrets to announce that Mrs. Patricia O’Neill, Board of Education member, passed away on September 14, 2021. Mrs. O’Neill served on the Board for more than twenty years and the loss of her wisdom, passion and commitment will be felt in the Montgomery County community for a long time. We are deeply saddened by Mrs. O’Neill’s passing and offer our deepest condolences to the O’Neill family.

“Pat had years of institutional knowledge and a deep commitment to Montgomery County Public Schools,” said Board of Education President Brenda Wolff. “We have lost an impassioned advocate for children, students and our community. Mrs. O’Neill leaves a legacy of educational excellence that will guide our work for years to come.”

“Pat O’Neill was a fierce champion for staff, students and families and the impact of her work will live on for generations,” said interim superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight.  “I am grateful for her service, her leadership, and her guidance and will miss her wisdom and partnership.”

Mrs. O’Neill was first elected to the Board of Education in 1998 and is the longest serving Board member in the history of Montgomery County Public Schools. Mrs. O’Neill was currently serving her sixth four-year term on the Board. She had served as president five times and vice president six times. Mrs. O’Neill was most recently serving as chairperson of the Board of Education’s Policy Management Committee and was a member of the Fiscal Management Committee.

Mrs. O’Neill was past president of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE) and past co-chair of the Washington Area Boards of Education. She served on numerous advisory committees for education-related issues, including the Maryland Blue Ribbon Panel on Teen Pregnancy and the Maryland Comparable HSA Task Force. In 2006, she was named by then-Governor Robert Ehrlich to represent MABE on the Task Force on School Safety. Prior to joining the Board, Mrs. O’Neill was a longtime PTA activist in the Walt Whitman cluster and served in various volunteer and leadership roles. She served as the vice chair for the Montgomery County Public Schools Educational Foundation and was a member of the Foundation’s grants committee.

In 2015, Mrs. O’Neill was named one of the 100 Most Powerful Women by Washingtonian magazine. Mrs. O’Neill was a graduate of Walter Johnson High School and held a degree in Social Science from Southern Methodist University. Survivors include her husband, Rick, and two daughters, Jenny and Melissa, who are graduates of MCPS, as well as two grandchildren and her sister.

The O’Neill family will hold visitation on Saturday, Sept. 18, 4-7 p.m., at the Robert Pumphrey Funeral Home, 7557 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Md.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions in her memory to the MCPS Educational Foundation.

Upcoming Vaccination Clinics

MCPS is partnering with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services and Kingdom Fellowship AME Church in an upcoming COVID-19 vaccination clinics for staff and students aged 12 and older. Appointments are not required, but to reserve an appointment, register using the link below:

• Saturday, Sept. 18, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., Sears parking lot at White Oak, 11255 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring. Register here.

Modifications Coming to Homecoming Celebrations

Homecoming festivities in all MCPS high schools will begin in late September and continue through the end of October. Our school communities engage in rich traditions featuring fun activities for students to promote school spirit and celebrate their teams and clubs. This year, these homecoming traditions and celebrations will continue, but with modifications to ensure the health and safety of our students, staff and families within the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic environment.

In August, a Homecoming Innovation Committee composed of high school student, staff and principal leaders met to generate and develop ideas. The committee also engaged a representative from the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services for guidance and support. As a result of this collaborative work, MCPS is moving forward with all homecoming celebrations with the following modifications and considerations:

• As with daily classroom instruction, students and staff will be required to wear masks when participating in activities that occur indoors (for example, putting up hallway decorations).
• Hallway/float decorations, pep rallies and other homecoming activities will occur as scheduled. Where possible, activities will move outdoors.
• Homecoming dances will also occur with the following modifications
  • No music or dancing will occur indoors. Schools will identify space outdoors for music and dancing. Stadiums or courtyards are potential options.
  • The Homecoming Innovation Committee has generated ideas for alternative activities at homecoming dances and has shared them with schools. Schools are encouraged to collaborate with student and parent organizations on alternative activities.
  • Schools should consider an earlier start and end time for homecoming dances to take advantage of daylight hours.
  • Schools are encouraged to identify a “rain date” for the homecoming dance.
  • Schools should avoid purchasing tents or contracting with novelty companies to offer activities.
  • Schools should follow existing practices related to permitting guests to attend homecoming. Guests should be limited to currently enrolled MCPS students ONLY.

Fall Parent Academy Schedule Now Available

As MCPS continues to navigate through the pandemic, families and students can stay engaged throughout the school year with a series of Parent Academy TO GO virtual webinars to watch at home.

The September, October and November webinars are listed below and are also available on the Parent Academy website. Registration is available here.

September

Supporting Your Child’s Social Emotional Learning Through Leader in Me
Wednesday, Sept. 22, 6-7 p.m.

Overview of School Counseling Services
Thursday, Sept. 23, 6-7 p.m.

Overview of School Counseling en español
Wednesday, Sept. 29, 6-7 p.m.

PSAT vs ACT … The Facts vs. The Hype
Thursday, Sept. 30, 6-7 p.m.

October

Parenting: The Joys, The Challenges and Beyond
Wednesday, Oct. 6, 6-7 p.m.

Navigating the College Experience with ACES
Thursday, Oct. 7, 6-7 p.m.

Mindfulness: Managing Stress During Difficult Times
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 6-7 p.m.

Navigating the College Experience with ACES en español
Thursday, Oct. 14, 6-7 p.m.

Naviance: A College and Career Planning Resource
Monday, Oct. 18, 6-7 p.m.

Positive Communication
Thursday, Oct. 28, 6-7 p.m.

November

Active Parenting Now! Part 1 – Part 4

This is a four-part series. Attendance to all four workshops is encouraged.

Part 1: Monday, Nov. 1, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Part 2: Monday, Nov. 8, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Part 3: Monday, Nov. 15, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Part 4: Monday, Nov. 22, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

PSAT vs. ACT … The Facts vs. The Hype
Thursday, Nov. 4, 6-7 p.m.

Supporting LGBTQ Youth
Wednesday, Nov. 10, 6-7 p.m.

Communicating with Teens
Wednesday, Nov. 17, 6-7 p.m.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

The Board of Education has proclaimed Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month. Throughout the month, MCPS schools will celebrate the unique cultures and traditions of students, teachers, staff and community members who trace their roots to Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries in North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

Hispanics and Latinos are the largest ethnic group in MCPS, making up 32.4 percent of the student population and representing 21 Spanish-speaking countries.

National Hispanic Heritage Month honors the history and contributions of Latino Americans in the United States. This monthly celebration started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on Sept. 15 and ending on Oct. 15. It was enacted into law on Aug. 17, 1988.

Please contact your child’s school for information about their upcoming events. You can access more information about Hispanic Heritage Month, including a list of local events and educational resources here.

MCPS Hosting Three Virtual Conversations in Spanish

MCPS is hosting three upcoming virtual conversations targeted to Hispanic and Spanish-speaking families. These events will share information about academic, health and community support for Latino families and tips on how to help students at home.

Conversations are scheduled for:

• Friday, Sept. 17: Conversation for parents of students in elementary schools
• Friday, Sept. 24: Conversation for parents of students in middle schools
• Friday, Oct. 1: Conversation for parents of students in high schools

The events will be live streamed at 7 p.m. on the MCPS en Español Facebook page and during the following week on the MCPSTV en Español YouTube channel and on Condado TV (Comcast 33, Verizon 35 and RCN 88).

Guests will include school administrators, parent community coordinators, counselors and parents. Parents and guardians can send questions or comments to be answered live during the event here.

MCPS Celebrates Welcoming Week, Declaring “Belonging Begins With US”

MCPS, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and the Montgomery County Council are partnering with local community organizations to celebrate Welcoming Week 2021, from Sept. 10–19.

Since 2012, Welcoming Week has served as an annual campaign and celebration led by Welcoming America to showcase the growing movement of communities striving to be more welcoming places for all, including those newly arrived to our community.

Under the theme of “Belonging Begins With US,” MCPS and partner organizations will participate in the following events:

• Thursday, Sept. 16, 1-2 p.m., Twitter chat @MCAEL Team with participating organizations on how they help residents call Montgomery County home
• Friday, Sept. 17, from 4-6 p.m., Caroline Freeland Urban Park, 7200 Arlington Road, Bethesda, Md., English Now Community Service Fair and Ice Cream Social

In celebrating Welcoming Week, MCPS is partnering with Montgomery College, the Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL), the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center, Community Reach of Montgomery County, Identity, English Now!, the Washington Center for International Education (WCIE) and Community Health and Empowerment through Education and Research (CHEER).

Trades Foundation Seeks Car Donations

The Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades Foundation (ATF) is looking for car donations. Donations will help more than 400 high school students learn how to evaluate, repair and restore used cars. ATF is a nonprofit that fosters automotive education by offering students hands-on instruction in maintenance, repair, sales and marketing.

The ATF accepts donations year-round between 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Monday through Friday at Damascus, Gaithersburg and Seneca Valley high schools, at Thomas Edison High School of Technology and at the Shady Grove Bus Depot. Donations may be tax deductible.

MCPS students engage in a hands-on curriculum to refurbish used cars. As part of the automotive program, students sell the cars at three sales throughout the school year (www.cars2purchase.org). This year’s sales are coming up:

• Saturday, Dec. 11, 9–11 a.m., Gaithersburg High School, 101 Education Blvd., Gaithersburg
• Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, 9–11 a.m., Damascus High School, 25921 Ridge Road, Damascus
• Saturday, May 14, 2022, 9–11 a.m., Thomas Edison High School of Technology, 12501 Dalewood Dr., Silver Spring

More information is available here and here.

For questions about the automotive program, contact Kelly Johnson at 240-740-2051. To schedule car donations, contact Michael Snyder at 240-740-2050.

Nonprofits: Apply Now for Student-Refurbished Computer Lab

The Montgomery County Students Information Technology Foundation, Inc. (ITF) will award a refurbished computer lab to a Montgomery County (501)(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The lab will consist of six reconditioned computers with operating systems, flat panel LCD monitors, keyboards, mice and one printer.

Applications can be found on the ITF webpage.

Interested parties can also contact Kelly Johnson by email or 240-740-2051 with questions or for an application. Completed applications must be received by Friday, Oct. 1. The gifting ceremony will be Thursday, Nov. 18 at the Foundations Office/Thomas Edison High School of Technology.

2021 Computer Gifting Application

The ITF is a nonprofit organization within Montgomery County established by the Montgomery County business and professional community and MCPS. The foundation utilizes computer donations to teach students how to operate and repair computer systems. Students earn valuable computer certifications that will prepare them for educational opportunities or direct entry into the information technology job market.