Dear Quince Orchard High School Students, Staff, and Families,

We ended a busy week and began the weekend with our Veteran's Day celebration at the football game. Thank you to Mr. Brian Zarchin for his leadership and service to make the Veteran's Day celebration a success. We appreciate and honor everyone who has served our country.

While the game did not end the way we wanted, our team has a lot to be proud of for the season. Congratulations to our theatre and crew for a fantastic opening weekend of our fall play, "Peter and the Starcatcher."

A few updates to elevate for your attention this week and in the near future are as follows:

*Our fall play continues next weekend on Saturday with shows at 2:00 and 7:00 pm.

* We are kick-starting winter athletics on Wednesday, the 15th with tryouts as posted by our athletic director Mr. Jeff Rabberman.

* Throughout November, we continue to honor Native American Heritage Month.

* Conferences:

- We are looking forward to meeting parents/caregivers at our Caregiver/Teacher Conferences on November 20th. Conferences will be held from 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm at Quince Orchard High School in 15 minute intervals. We are holding conferences in person this year to continue to build relationships between our school community members. Childcare and interpretation services will be available. Further information and details about how to sign up will be shared this week by your student's teachers; use this link to sign up for childcare and/or interpretation services.

*November 20th and 21st:

Please note that students have a half-day on both November 20 and 21; dismissal is at 12:00 pm. Students will have an alternating block day schedule on both days:

Monday, 11/20/23 BELL SCHEDULE

Period 1 7:45 am - 8:40 am

Period 3 8:45 am - 9:35 am

Cougars Connect 9:40 am - 10:30 am

Lunch 10:35 am - 11:05 am

Period 7 11:10 am - 12:00 pm

Caregiver-Teacher Conferences 1:00 pm- 6:00 pm

Tuesday, 11/21/23 BELL SCHEDULE

Period 2 7:45 am - 8:40 am

Period 4 8:45 am - 9:35 am

Period 6 9:40 am - 10:30 am

Lunch 10:35 am - 11:05 am

Period 8 11:10 am - 12:00 pm

*Students leaving campus:

-Students who leave campus and return after the school day will no longer be permitted to use MCPS transportation. Once you leave campus, you are considered absent.

* Food and Drinks being brought into school:

-We have noticed a significant number of students arriving late to school, after 7:45 am, and to 6th period after lunch with food and drinks. It has become common for students to carry outside food and drinks into the building when they are late. Starting the 2nd marking period, we will be implementing a policy that prohibits students from entering school if they arrive late with outside food. Students may still bring outside food in prior to the start of school and during lunch however, it must be eaten before classes begin.

We know that our students are committed to their academic success and this begins with being on time and ready to learn when the bell rings.

Additionally, I will not be sending phone messages on Sunday evening and beginning to utilize Remind. All newsletter information will continue to be sent via email, posted to the website, posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Thank you for your ongoing support, have a fantastic week ahead, and always remember…We can’t hide our Cougar Pride!

With warm regards,

Elizabeth L. Thomas

• Navigating the ParentVUE Mobile App Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPqsTi4wZnQ

• English: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/parents/parentvue-quick-guide-english.pdf
• Español: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/parents/parentvue-quick-guide-spanish.pdf
• 中文: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/parents/parentvue-quick-guide-chinese.pdf
• Français: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/parents/parentvue-quick-guide-french.pdf
• Português: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/parents/parentvue-quick-guide-portuguese.pdf
• 한국어:https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/parents/parentvue-quick-guide-korean.pdf
• tiếng Việt: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/parents/parentvue-quick-guide-vietnamese.pdf
• አማርኛ:https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/parents/parentvue-quick-guide-amharic.pdf

Ask Mr. Lynch or a World Languages teacher for more info! Click the link to register: https://bit.ly/SealRegisterMCPS24

Juniors can pay for their Seal of Biliteracy Test via this link:
https://mcpsmd.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/48663/354/False/True

National Apprenticeship Week is the week of November 13, 2023. To increase student and parent awareness of the Apprenticeship Maryland Program, MCPS, Montgomery College, WorkSource Montgomery, and the Maryland Department of Labor, worked together to create a Registered Apprenticeship Job Fair at Montgomery College, Rockville Campus, Rockville, MD, on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon.

Changemaker Workshops

Grades 6 -12 students and families are invited to attend this year’s changemaker workshop to learn how to take action to improve their communities. English: November 14, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM; Spanish: November 15, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM. Students will earn 2 SSL hours for attending. Learn more here.

• November 18th @ 2 pm & 7 pm

The training should take approximately 30 minutes to complete and will be accessible to all students via their myMCPS Classroom (Canvas) homepage. Multiple opportunities to complete this module will occur during Cougars Connect during the month of November. Students are asked to complete the training by December 1, 2023.

Caregivers can demo this course by following the directions on this document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Y21WB3wgPpyqQvM4hKFDUgmJXmR6UsnCJb1BWo_lmBo/edit.

ACT-SO Information Packet:

• Application
• Brochure
• FAQs
• Rubric
• College Connections
• Visual Arts Workshop
• Poetry Workshop

Dear Parents/Guardians:

The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) remains committed to sharing information and resources about mental health topics that could potentially impact students. During the 2017-2018 school year MCPS reviewed programs and activities that support the physical, social, and psychological well-being of students. A variety of initiatives (e.g. mindfulness, individual and group counseling, wellness initiatives, etc.) are available for students to participate in at each school.

We know that the teenage years are marked by a roller-coaster ride of emotions—challenging for teens, their parents/guardians, and educators. It is easy to misread depression as normal adolescent turmoil; however, depression (which is one of the most common of mental illnesses) appears to be occurring at a much earlier age than before. The prevalence of depression in adolescents and young adults increased from 8.7 percent in 2006 to 11.3 percent in 2014 (Mojtabai, et. al, 2016). Suicide also is the second leading cause of death among 11–18-year-old youth in the United States (Centers for Disease Control, 2015).

To proactively address this issue, MCPS is enhancing its suicide prevention curriculum using the Signs of Suicide® (SOS®) Prevention Program. Currently, MCPS uses the Red Flags suicide prevention curriculum to discuss this topic in Health courses. The SOS® Program is a youth suicide prevention program that has demonstrated an improvement in students’ knowledge and adaptive attitudes towards suicide risk and depression, as well as a reduction in actual suicide attempts. Listed on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices, the SOS® Program showed a reduction in self-reported suicide attempts by 40 to 64 percent in randomized control studies (Aseltine, et al., 2007; Schilling, et al., 2016).

Our goals for participating in this program are straightforward:

• To help students understand that depression is a treatable illness,
• To explain that suicide is a preventable tragedy that often occurs as a result of untreated depression,
• To provide students with the education and skills to recognize the signs of serious depression and potential suicidality in a friend, and
• To impress upon teens that they can help themselves or a friend by taking the simple step of talking to a responsible adult about their concerns.

All students in Grade 9 through 12 will participate in a class lesson, including video clips and discussion, during Cougars Connect on Friday, November 10, 2023. After the lesson, students will fill out a form to let the school’s student well-being team know if they would like to talk to someone to get help for themselves or a friend. Students also will receive handouts that include a student newsletter and a list of school, local, and national resources that are available on mental health needs. A copy of the resource list is linked HERE.

If you have any questions or concerns about this program, please do not hesitate to contact Jessica Conter, Resource Counselor (Jessica_L_Conter@mcpsmd.org), or Abigail Hernandez, School Psychologist (Abigail_J_Hernandez@mcpsmd.org).

La carta en espanol: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PR7UK8xSKb6GEsUUjHosTd9h28GjP1Mmv0Cq54L2Tqc/edit?usp=drive_link

Schaeffer Piano Sale Community Letter (in multiple languages)

Informaiton Session Dates:

• November 14th

Yearbook Senior Recognition Ads

SENIOR PARENTS: Celebrate your senior’s accomplishments with a personalized message from you in their yearbook! Include photos and a message for your student in a keepsake they will treasure for years to come. Visit jostens.com or scan the QR code below to get started.

Last Opportunity for Senior Photos

SENIORS! The last sessions available for senior portraits are Nov. 13 and 14, and December 11 and 12 at the entrance to QO's Auditorium. Be sure to schedule your senior portrait session now so that you are featured in the 2024 yearbook! Appointments must be booked in advance. Students are required to wear formal clothing for the Senior Portrait that appears in the yearbook. They may choose to wear the tux or drape provided by Legacy Studios. Students who prefer a different option may provide their own selection of black shirt, blouse, or sweater – no, T-shirts, please! Yearbook portraits are free, but additional photo packages that include candid shots and/or students’ own clothing choices may be purchased through Legacy’s website. Schedule your appointment at https://seniors.legacystudios.com/quince-orchard-hs-gaithersburg-md/. For additional assistance, call Legacy Studios at 716-512-6336, email customercare@legacystudios.com, or contact them via chat at: https://seniors.legacystudios.com

Senior Dues

1. Visit the Jostens Senior Hub to pay your senior dues or to order graduation packages and/or your yearbook and more!

• Senior Dues: $70.00
• Includes graduation cap, gown, tassel, programs and senior t-shirt

Winter Tryouts Dates, Times and Locations

The Winter Season begins on Wednesday, November 15th! You will see the dates, times and locations of the 1st tryout below. Please contact your coach if you have any questions. Good luck and Go Cougars!

Boys Basketball– Wednesday. November 15th from 5:00-7:00pm- Varsity in the Main Gym and JV in the Small Gym – James_M_Minturn@mcpsmd.org

Girls Basketball– Wednesday, November 15th at 3:00-5:00pm- Varsity in the Main Gym and JV in the Small Gym – Bobby_Bishop@mcpsmd.org

Bocce– TBD – Jennifer_K_Yeck@mcpsmd.org

Swim and Dive– Thursday, November 16th from 4:00-5:00pm at MC-Germantown – Staci_A_Armezzani@mcpsmd.org

Indoor Track– Wednesday, November 15th at 3:00-5:00pm meet in the Cafeteria – Seann_P_Pelkey@mcpsmd.org

Wrestling– Wednesday, November 15th from 3:00-5:00pm- Varsity and JV in the Wrestling Room – Robert_C_Wolf@mcpsmd.org

Winter Registration is now OPEN!

The purpose of this letter is to provide information regarding the registration process for the upcoming winter season for high school athletics. Winter 2023-24 interscholastic athletics online registration will be submitted through the ParentVUE Portal, opening on October 9, 2023.

The ParentVUE online registration portal, available in English and Spanish, incorporates all required paper forms and documents into an internet-based platform that you can access using your secure ParentVUE Portal login. Parents/guardians are also able to scan and upload their student’s physical as
part of the registration process. Following are some important dates and action items regarding the registration process for the upcoming winter sports season.

Now

Students should complete their pre-participation physical (MCPS Form SR-8) so that
the medical eligibility form (last page of SR-8) is ready for online submission via the
ParentVue Portal or for email submission to the local school athletics specialist prior
to tryouts/practices. This form is valid for thirteen months from the date of the exam
and covers participation for all sports within that time period. This form must be
completed and/or on file before a student-athlete can participate.

Now

Parents/guardians should confirm access to the ParentVUE portal.
Parents/guardians who need login information should contact the registrar at their
local school.

October 9 at 12:00 noon

The ParentVUE Winter Athletics Registration portal opens for parents/guardians.
Information regarding the ParentVUE login portal is available on the MCPS website.

November 15- Winter sports tryouts/practices begin.

Additional information is available on the MCPS athletics website and on local school athletic
department websites. During the online registration process, schools will provide access to computers
for families in need of assistance. Thank you in advance for your support, as we strive to provide a
smooth registration experience for all stakeholders across the MCPS athletics program.

2023-24 Full Year and Winter Season Passes are On-Sale!

Full year and Winter Season Passes for the 2023-24 school year are now on sale through GoFan. Click on the type of season pass you would like to purchase and from there you can select Adult (ages 19-62) and/or Student (ages 11-18). All season passes are good for REGULAR SEASON HOME GAMES ONLY! Spring Season Passes will be available later in the year.

This method will be the ONLY way to purchase season passes. We will not accept cash or check. All Season Tickets will be sold through GoFan.

Please see this link below!

https://gofan.co/app/school/MD24824

Athletic Website Domain Change

Our athletic website address has changed to www.qoathletics.com . Please bookmark this on your computer to see schedules, information and updates on QO Athletics all year!

November

• 11/15: First Day of Winter Sports
• 11/18: Fall Play
• 11/20 & 11/21: Early Release Days
• 11/22 - 11/24: Systemwide Closure
• 11/27: Winter Sports Parent Meeting
• 11/28 - 11/30: Spring Production Auditions

Fall Athletic schedules are available at www.qocougars.com.

It's important that students and families review the MCPS Student Handbooks (linked below) to understand student's rights, responsibilities, and school expectations. Paper copies of the Student Code of Conduct & Rights and Responsibilities booklets are available upon request in the main office.

STUDENT HANDBOOKS

• Student Rights and Responsibilities,

• Student Code of Conduct,

• Guidelines for Respecting Religious Diversity in MCPS, and

• Guidelines for Student Gender Identity

https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/students/rights/

Quince Orchard High School Tardy Procedures

Being on time to school and class is important because we know that every minute spent learning is helping our students get one step closer to a goal. Learning from the first minute is important. Being on time signals that there is a shared commitment to our collective vision of excellence. Thus, we must collectively work together to welcome students and staff into the learning community.

As a school we are committed to welcoming students into our learning spaces each day. Students, we ask that you read through and follow the parameters below.

1. Staff will implement a “No Pass the First/Last 10 minutes of the Period Rule” within reason. Teachers will use their professional judgment if a student requires or needs a pass within these parameters.

2. Staff will utilize a pass process for all students.

3. The following process will be implemented:

• First tardy: the teacher verbally addresses the lateness with the student and documents in a teacher created log.

• Second tardy: written documentation in the contact log after contact with the student’s family.

• Third tardy: teacher developed “reflection time” is implemented. The timeframe and location will be determined by the teacher. If the student does not attend the “reflection time” with the teacher, the teacher will share the student’s name and prior information with the grade level administrator who will follow up with the student.

• Fourth tardy: teachers will request that the grade level administrator provides additional support.

Together we can create the conditions for all students to experience excellence. Please see our website @ QOHS.ORG or Canvas for bell schedules

Quince Orchard High School's lunch policy varies according to a student’s grade level:

• Students in Grades 9 and 10 must remain on QO property for lunch. They cannot leave QO property unless they are signed out by a parent/guardian/caregiver via the attendance office.

• Students in Grades 11 and 12 may leave QO property for lunch. They must have a student ID card that reflects their 11th and 12th-grade level status. If an 11th or 12th grader wants to leave campus during lunch, they MUST show their current year school ID card to school staff. No exceptions.

All students must follow lunch procedures as outlined below:

1. Students have the option to purchase lunch in our cafeteria or bring food from home.

2. Students may sit in the following areas to enjoy their lunch:

• Cafeteria
• On the designated side of most hallways
• In a classroom with a staff member, if given permission and supervised
• Outside near the main entrance, tennis courts, basketball courts, or backfield area

Students may NOT eat in their cars, auditorium, gymnasiums, the Cougar Dome, or stairwells.

3. Students are reminded that when they leave campus and enter the surrounding community, they must follow the MCPS Student Code of Conduct. Open lunch is a privilege. Permission to leave campus during lunch can be revoked.

4. For 11th or 12th graders allowed to leave campus for open lunch, students must:

• show their current year school ID card to check out with staff at the designated exit

• Students may ONLY exit campus at the bus loop/QO library exit along Quince Orchard Rd. (NOTE: this is a change from the 22-23 school year)

• not leave campus or attempt to leave campus anywhere except the designated exit

• not access vehicles and/or leave campus in a vehicle without staff authorization

• Students with abbreviated schedules must show staff their schedule to leave campus in a vehicle

• Students who have been signed out in the attendance office must show documentation to staff to leave in a vehicle

• return to the building and arrive to class on time

• use the crosswalk and sidewalks only

• follow staff directions when crossing the street

• behave courteously and respectfully to staff, to other students, to the public, and to the business locations in our community

5. Students who attempt to use another person's ID card for open lunch privilege will result in the revocation for both students and/or other consequences as determined by the MCPS Code of Conduct.

6. Visitors are not allowed in the lunchroom or other areas throughout the school without permission. All visitors must sign in at the welcome center and wear an issued visitor badge sticker.

7. Students are not allowed to have off-campus food delivered to the school. Any food delivered will be kept by the welcome center and available for pick up at the end of the school day.

The full 2023-24 lunch policy is linked here and is available in the student handbook. Each family should thoroughly review and become familiar with the lunch procedures and policies.

The 2023-24 ONLINE FARMS (Free and Reduced Meals) APPS ARE AVAILABLE NOW!

Apply online at MySchoolApps.com (translations available) TODAY! Families are required to submit this form each year.

• Click here for an English video tutorial.
• Vea aquí un vídeo paso a paso en español sobre cómo completar la solicitud de FARMS.

Meal Prices:

• Breakfast: Regular Price (All Levels): $1.30; Reduced Price (All Levels): No Cost
• Lunch: Regular Price: $2.55 (Elementary), $2.80 (Middle and High)
• Students in Maryland who qualify for reduced-price meals will not be charged for meals!

Adding money to your student account

• Go to www.myschoolbucks.com and click on "Sign up today!" to set-up a lunch account for your student.

For more information & school menus visit:

Division of Food & Nutrition Services - Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)

If you need assistance completing the online FARMS application, please contact your student’s counselor.

Stay connected throughout the school year with these important links:

• QOHS Website

• Traditional School Year Calendar 2023-24

• Bus Routes: QOHS Arrival, QOHS Departure, CTE Buses

• QOHS Bell Schedules

• QOHS 2023-24 Student Handbook