MCPS Seeking Feedback on 2020–2021 School Year Calendar Scenarios

During its regular business meeting on October 8, the Board of Education reviewed calendar scenarios for the 2020-2021 school year. As a result of legislative action in last spring’s Maryland General Assembly, school districts in Maryland have the authority again to start school before Labor Day and end the school year after June 15th. As a result, MCPS has developed three calendar scenarios that reflect different start and end dates for School Year 2020-2021. To view the draft calendar scenarios, please click here.

All draft scenarios for the calendar include:

• 182 student instructional days
• Full spring break
• Full professional day for grading and planning at the end of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarters
• Possible make-up days both during the school year and extending the school year

The Board is seeking feedback on the calendar options in the comment box on the website. The Board is scheduled to adopt a final school calendar later this year.

Save the Date: MCPS to Host Mental Health Fair Nov. 9

Save the date! MCPS is hosting a Mental Health Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, at Gaithersburg High School. Students, staff members and the community will be able to learn about community and school resources that support students’ physical, social and psychological well-being.

Celeste Malone, associate professor and coordinator of the school psychology program at Howard University, will deliver the keynote address. She will speak on the topic, Breaking Barriers to Access Youth Mental Health Care.

The event is being sponsored by the Office of Student and Family Support and Engagement and the Montgomery County Psychologists’ Association.

Gaithersburg High School is located at 101 Education Blvd. in Gaithersburg.

A New School Presents More Programs and Opportunities

Did you know? Seneca Valley High School is opening a larger school in the 2020-2021 school year to alleviate overcrowding at Clarksburg and Northwest high schools. The Board of Education will make a decision about boundaries in late November 2019. Due to the overlapping timeline, all students interested in Seneca Valley’s application-based programs should apply by Friday, Nov. 1, regardless of whether they are in or out of the school’s current boundaries.

A new school means more high-demand pathways to give students an early edge in preparing for life after high school, while also maintaining the identity of the Seneca Valley experience through rigorous academics, the arts, extracurricular programs, athletics, and its diverse, inclusive culture.

New application programs will allow students from a wider region outside of the school’s boundaries to apply to one of five select programs:

• Construction Management and Architecture
• Healthcare Professions
• Hospitality and Tourism Management
• Information Technology and Cybersecurity
• Project Lead the Way

Learn more about Seneca Valley’s programs.

Learn more about the boundary study.

Blake Hosting Free Marching Band Showcase on October 19

James Hubert Blake High School is hosting the first Marching Band Showcase on Saturday, Oct. 19, starting at 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Nine high school bands will be participating: Paint Branch, Quince Orchard, Springbrook, Col. Zadok Magruder, Montgomery Blair, John F. Kennedy, Watkins Mill, Albert Einstein and Blake.

Organizers are hoping the event can become an annual tradition and include more schools. The event will be non-competitive.

“Last year, a group of us met to talk about how we can better support each other,” said Phil Barnes, instrumental music teacher at Blake. “We knew that many other counties do a marching band showcase. So we thought, ‘Why don’t we try to get one going?’”

Each band will perform separately on the football field. The grand finale will include all members of the nine bands, more than 400 students. They will perform a custom arrangement of the Jonas Brothers’ song, Sucker, written by Barnes and Greg Casement, instrumental music teacher at Paint Branch High School.

Blake High School is located at 300 Norwood Road in Silver Spring.

Asian Pacific Parents, Community Members Invited to October 21 Open House

The Asian Pacific American Student Achievement Action Group (APASAAG) is holding its first open house at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 21 at Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Dr. in Rockville. The event is open to MCPS parents and community members interested in the welfare of Asian Pacific American students.

APASAAG is a collaborative advisory group whose members provide input to MCPS on issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community and advocate on behalf of its students. The group includes parents, staff and community members. In the past, APASAAG has worked on including more Asian American experiences in the curriculum, and pushed to diversify the MCPS workforce. APASAAG has promoted better social and emotional learning for students and helped to take a role in a community anti-bullying initiative.

RSVP for the open house here.

For more information, send an email here.

STEM Festival Set for Nov. 2

MCPS and educational partners are hosting a STEM Festival Showcase from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2, at Northwood High School.

MCPS and educational partners will showcase elementary, middle and high school science, technology, engineering and math opportunities with engaging hands-on activities and dynamic demonstrations. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Sara Faggi, a postdoctoral researcher in the Solar System Division at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, will be the keynote speaker.

The event is still seeking STEM opportunities from programs, clubs and curriculum-related projects. Interested groups should fill out this form.

As part of the event, a Cybersecurity Competition will be held from noon–4 p.m. The competition is geared toward high school students with basic networking and computer skills. Winners will receive cash prizes and be recognized at a ceremony at the National Cryptologic Museum on November 5. More information is available here.

As an official 2019 Maryland STEM Festival event, the MCPS STEM Festival Showcase is among hundreds of community-based events that showcased STEM activities for Maryland residents. The mission is to encourage students to take a greater interest in STEM and perhaps pursue STEM-related careers.

Northwood High School is located at 919 University Blvd. West in Silver Spring.

NAACP Parents’ Council Kickoff Event Set for Nov. 19

The NAACP Parents’ Council kickoff meeting will be held from 5–9 p.m. on Tuesday, November 19 at Northwest High School. This event will bring together parents, MCPS teachers, principals and administrators to share ideas on how to champion equity and excellence in education. Participants will have an opportunity to attend a resource fair and various breakout sessions. John B. King Jr., former U.S. Secretary of Education, will be the keynote speaker. Northwest High School is located at 13501 Richter Farm Road in Germantown.

Register for the event

National Hispanic College Fair Set for Nov. 19

The National Hispanic College Fair (NHCF) will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019 at the Bohrer Activity Center in Gaithersburg. This annual event sponsored by NHCF and MCPS for juniors and seniors is free to students. The fair features more than 40 colleges, universities and service organizations committed to providing outreach and opportunity to all students.

MCPS students participate by attending with their schools; this event is not open to the public and is held during the school day. Registration and permission forms for this event are available from the College and Career Coordinator at your child’s school.

For more information, contact NHCF Coordinators Patty Maloney at Patricia_A_Maloney@mcpsmd.org, Lindsay Cao at Lindsay_Cao@mcpsmd.org, or Maria Garcia at  Maria_S_Garcia@mcpsmd.org.