Springbrook Weekly Digest
Week of October 29, 2023
A Message from Ms. Valentine, Principal
Greetings, Students, Staff, and Families,
I hope you had a great weekend.
I am beginning my message, with the events that disrupted our school on Wed., Oct 25, 2023. I take safety and security very seriously at Springbrook High School so our students may access rigorous instruction and multiple opportunities to learn at high levels which will advance their future college and career endeavors.
Unfortunately, Springbrook was one of ten MCPS schools disrupted by a bomb threat during the month of October 2023. As a result of the bomb threat, Springbrook partnered with our Montgomery County Police and the Department of Safety and Security to evacuate our students and staff safely from our campus. During the evacuation, I alerted parents using the Remind app that the school had been evacuated and also followed up to note that students and staff were safely off campus. There were no bombs or hazardous devices detected on our campus by the investigative team, and we were cleared to return to school. I met with our staff following dismissal to applaud their collaborative efforts to keep our school community safe. Also, a letter to the entire school community was shared with students, staff, and families.
Bomb threats and other unsafe acts cause anxiety and uncertainty in individuals. As the proud principal of Springbrook High School, I want to protect and support our students and staff. As a result, I asked our school counselors to be available to support students and I requested a member of the Crisis Support Team to be on hand to speak with staff the next school day.
I believe it is always important to collect feedback on incidents such as this. As a result, various stakeholders (students, staff, and parents) were asked for their suggestions following the threat and evacuation. We used this feedback to enhance our bomb threat protocols and processes.
In the near future, we look forward to:
- meeting with staff and students to review the processes and protocols for a bomb threat.
- facilitating an optional Town Hall so students have the opportunity to ask questions and share additional recommendations.
- sharing our updated protocols with the Springbrook community.
I am proud to lead a school where students, staff, and parents have positively contributed to solution-focused conversations to enhance our safety and security measures.
MP1 Ends Tues., Oct 31, 2023
Should students, parents, or caregivers have a concern about student academic performance in a class, please do the following:
1. Email the teacher regarding the concern
2. Email the student's counselor (Counselor List and Contact Info) and request a parent-teacher conference
3. Email the student's grade-level administrator (Assistant Principals List and Contact Info)
Trick or Treat
- Halloween falls on Tues., Oct 31, 2023
- Students and staff may wear school-appropriate costumes to school.
- Masks may not be worn to school
- Weapons, including facsimiles (toy or fake weapons), are not allowed on school grounds
- Parents and caregivers, please monitor what your student is planning to wear to school
No School for Students
- There is no school for students Wed., Nov 1, 2023.
Mark Your Calendars for the upcoming Student, Parent, and Caregiver Meetings
- Class of 2025 - Tues, Nov 14, 2023 at 6:30 PM
- Class of 2026 - Wed, Dec 6, 2023 at 6:30 PM
In this issue:
- Schedule for the week
- November is Native American Heritage Month
- Apprenticeship opportunities
- ACES - Grade 10 students apply for the ACES program now
- Athletics - Girls Soccer and Boys Soccer Advance to Region Semi's
- Blue Devil Fall Festival
- Sign up and attend college visits at SBHS
- Congressional App Challenge
- Dual Enrollment - the window for Spring 2024 is now open
- Mental Health Awareness Week at the Brook - Oct 30 - Nov 3
- Picture Make-up Day
- PSA Contest
- Seal of Biliteracy
- Shoe Drive
- SBHS Tutoring
- See Something, Say Something
Warm regards,
Stephanie Valentine
Principal
Springbrook High School
Follow Principal Valentine on Instagram and Twitter
X formely Twitter @SBHSPrinc
Celebrating Native American Heritage Month
ACES is Accepting Applications for Grade 10 Students
Are you a 10th grader with plans to go to college? Consider applying to the ACES Program! ACES stands for “Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success,” a countywide partnership with MCPS, Montgomery College, and The Universities at Shady Grove. Students admitted to the program receive the following:
- 1-on-1 coaching and
- a personalized plan leading to a seamless educational pathway from high school to college completion.
ACES also prepares 11th-grade and 12th-grade students for life after high school, with targeted support for students who have been historically underrepresented in the higher education system.
The application is NOW OPEN and will close on January 12, 2024! For more information, including the admission criteria and application link, please visit our website at www.acesmontgomery.org. If you have further questions, contact Mr. Cristian Pineda, the Springbrook Coordinator for ACES, at cristian.a.pineda@mcpsmd.net.
Girls Soccer Advances to Region Semi's
- This is an MPSSAA playoff game and tickets are sold only on GoFan for $6 (plus a $1 convenience fee) for all spectators ages 7 and older. Only MPSSAA state passes will be accepted. Sorry, Springbrook season passes cannot be accepted for this game.
4A North Region 2 Girls Soccer Semifinals
Springbrook at Wheaton
When: Friday, October 27th at 7:15 PM
Where: Wheaton High School
Boys Soccer Moves to Region Semi's
Congratulations to coaches Christian Del Cids and Kevin Franco and the #4 seed varsity boys soccer team on defeating Einstein in the first round of the MPSSAA 4A North Region 2 Playoffs! Next, the Blue Devils will travel to #1 Paint Branch in the region semifinals on Friday, October 27, 2023, at 7:15 PM.
- This is an MPSSAA playoff game and tickets are sold only on GoFan for $6 (plus a $1 convenience fee) for all spectators ages 7 and older. Only MPSSAA state passes will be accepted. Sorry, Springbrook season passes cannot be accepted for this game.
4A North Region 2 Boys Soccer Semifinals
Springbrook at Paint Branch
When: Friday, October 27th at 7:15pm
Where: Paint Branch High School
Families were able to access:
- PTSA info
- Emergency rescue info
- Seasonal Roots organic fruits and vegetable vendor
- ParentVue support and resources for families
- Fall play info
- Food truck and concession options
#GoBlueDevils
Congressional App Challenge
We are in the final stretch of Congressmember Jamie Raskin’s district-wide Congressional App Challenge (CAC) for middle school and high school students.
Participation is simple! All students must do is submit a short video explaining their app and showing footage of any finished portions of the application.
- The deadline for students to register and submit their app online is 12:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, November 1, 2023.
Below, please find links to important information regarding the CAC:
- Rep. Raskin’s Congressional App Challenge Webpage
- Congressional App Challenge Website
- Congressional App Challenge Rules
- Congressional App Challenge Student Registration
- Congressional App Challenge Prizes
- Congressional App Challenge Past Winners
Through the 2023 Congressional App Challenge (CAC) students have the chance to create an app on any topic and platform they choose – and be rewarded for their efforts! Check out the Congressional App Challenge Past Winners!
If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact us at (301) 354-1000 or nina.weisbroth@mail.house.gov and hailey.roh@mail.house.gov.
The 2024 Spring course catalog for Dual Enrollment with JUMPSTART is open for review only.
- Course requests will open the first week of November, so it is important to APPLY NOW if you have not already done so.
- Approved college classes taken through Dual Enrollment with Montgomery College are cost FREE for MCPS students this school year.
- There are options for students to take college classes at Springbrook, online, or on any of the three MC campuses.
- Please contact Mrs. Campbell for more details and to see if the Jumpstart program under Dual Enrollment is a good fit.
Mental Health Awareness Week is Oct 30 - Nov 3 at the Brook
Picture Make-Ups for Seniors and Underclass
- Mon, Nov 20, 2023, from 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM and Tues, Nov 21, 2023, from 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM at SBHS
- Students will be sent to take makeup pictures through English and ELD classes.
- Pictures are online now! Visit vosphoto.com/underclass and use the student ID when prompted for the online code.
Speak Up, Save a Life PSA Contest for Students
The Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office is hosting a contest that challenges teens to create an original video to promote awareness of the dangers of opioid abuse or overdose and fentanyl among teens. The contest is open to students in Grades 6-12. The top prize is $1,000, second place is $750, third place and fan favorite winners will receive $500. Prizes are being donated by Magnolia Plumbing in honor of two young men who lost their lives to illicit fentanyl. Students can earn up to 10 Student Service Learning (SSL) hours. Visit the contest webpage for more information.
- Pass the MCAP assessment in English 10
- Students who are scheduled to take an AP or IB Language exam should consult with Ms. Maria Peterson, World Languages Resource Teacher, at Maria_P_Peterson@mcpsmd.org to obtain information about the approved language assessment.
Donate Gently Worn or Used Shoes
Clean Out Your Closet
We Need Your Shoes
Bring In 3 Pairs of Shoes for Free Admission to A Game
Safety is extremely important to our Blue Devil Community!
Blue Devils, please remember the SBHS See Something, Say Something Initiative. If you've seen something concerning at school, please use this QR code to report the incident. Providing details, location, and timeframe is really helpful.Springbrook High School
Email: Stephanie_Z_Valentine@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/springbrookhs/
Location: 201 Valley Brook Drive, Silver Spring, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-3800
Twitter: @SBHSPrinc