Northwest News
Mr. Smith's Newsletter for the Northwest Community
Welcome to the 2021-2022 School Year!
A short message from Mr. Smith
Welcome back to school, Northwest Jaguars! I am thrilled to be sending you this year's first edition of Northwest News. While this will normally be sent on Sunday evenings, I thought it important to share this information with you so you can prepare for the first day of school this upcoming Monday, August 30!
As your new principal, and on behalf of the entire Northwest High School staff, I would like to welcome you to the beginning of what is going to be a wonderful 2021-2022 school year! Northwest High School will be open at 100 percent capacity, five-day-a-week learning, for all students this fall. We have been diligently working this summer to plan for the school year and prepare a second home for all 2,570+ wonderful students of ours!
It's been quite a while since our students were last in the building as a full school. It will be our goal to create new traditions while establishing and reinforcing past traditions of excellence. To accomplish our goal of creating a school that is one for all, we are focusing on renewing relationships as a community and creating authentic opportunities for all voices to be heard. Our Instructional Leadership Team is using school data, student, parent and staff feedback to develop a blueprint that provides students the opportunity to socially and emotionally connect while receiving rigorous and culturally relevant instruction. We are passionate about organizing our efforts around a common vision of sustaining positive morale while creating a culture of mutual respect and transparency. We believe that it is our job as a school to focus on nurturing positive relationships with all staff, students and our parent community; create an environment of trust through authenticity and accessibility; and foster a culture of communication and collaboration as we provide our students with the skills necessary to become engaged and productive members of society.
To get you excited for this school year and joining or rejoining the Jaguar family, please watch this hype video that a member of our student body, Hanna Nguyen created.
We are looking forward to seeing you this upcoming Monday!
Important MCPS Messages
The health and safety of students and staff is the district’s top priority as MCPS carries out its commitment to provide in-person instruction, five days a week, for all students. MCPS has developed a plan to ensure a safe return to school and will continue to be proactive in the face of rapidly changing circumstances. Read the 2021-2022 Reopening Guide: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/reopening2021/
Free breakfast, lunch and dinner meals will be provided to all students in schools and at designated food distribution sites. While school meals are free, families are still encouraged to apply for Free and Reduced Meal status so they are eligible for community resources and services. Apply here: https://www.myschoolapps.com/Application
All students must have up-to-date immunization records prior to the start of the 2021-2022 school year. Parents should contact their doctor to make sure their child is properly immunized and submit a copy of the documentation to the child’s school health nurse as soon as possible, but no later than Monday, Aug. 30, the first day of the 2021-2022 school year.
Parents, staff and students are invited to submit their favorite first-day-of-school snapshots for possible publication on Monday, Aug. 30. After you have snapped the moments from the first day, select your best photo and email it to pio@mcpsmd.org. For social media, parents and students can post photos on Twitter using the hashtag #MCPS1stDay. The pictures will be posted to an online photo gallery.
Welcome to our New Athletics Specialist, Mrs. Jody Tyler
Mrs. Tyler joins us with extensive experience as a player, coach, teacher and athletic administrator. After graduating from Watkins Mill High School, Mrs. Tyler played collegiate softball at Slippery Rock University while she earned her degree in Health and Physical Education. She began her career in MCPS by returning to her alma mater and joining the Physical Education department. While at Watkins Mill, she coached the varsity softball, volleyball, and handball teams and served as the assistant athletic director.
Mrs. Tyler has also contributed to MCPS athletics as the MCPS sports director for softball, the District 2 representative on the MPSSAA softball committee, and various other administrative duties. Mrs. Tyler earned her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and then her Educational Administration certification. After 16 years at Watkins Mill, Mrs. Tyler moved to Ridgeview Middle School where she served as the resource teacher for the Physical Education and Fine Arts department for three years before moving to Winston Churchill High School where she has filled the same role for the last two years.
Mrs. Tyler is already a member of the Northwest family, as she lives in the community with her husband, Bobby, and son, Shaun. Expect to see them cheering on the Jags this season! Mrs. Tyler is very excited to join our team of dedicated faculty and coaches, and hope to get to know the many wonderful students and families in the Northwest community!
2021-2022 Administrator and Counselor Assignments
2021-2022 Administration Roles and Responsibilities
2021-2022 Bell Schedules
First Week of School Schedule
9th, 10th, 11th Grade Photos - Wednesday, September 1 and Thursday, September 2
Back to School Night: Thursday, September 2
School Day Arrival/Dismissal Procedures/Reminders
If students are arriving by car, they must be dropped off at the lower gym lobby entrance until 7:45am. After 7:45 am, car riders must be dropped off at the upper main entrance. Students who walk to school may arrive at the main entrance or the gym lobby. All buses will drop students off at the upper main entrance. Please note that these procedures are the same for dismissal in the afternoon.
Families, please remember to adhere to the speed limit on Richter Farm Road. Additionally, please do not let students out of your vehicles on Richter Farm Road. We want everyone to arrive to school safely.
2021-2022 Bus Routes and Important Updates
Additionally, the following morning routes for Northwest HS will run up to 30 minutes earlier than normal/published so these buses can make a second trip to your school or a school served after our school: 2404,2407,2507,2412,2502,2505,2417 and 2416.
The following afternoon routes for Northwest HS will run up to 30 minutes later than normal so these buses can make a second trip from your school or a school served before our school: 2404,2407,2507,2412,2502,2505,2417 and 2416
COVID-19/Quarantine Guidance
Isolation:
An individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 and is sick (level of symptoms could be varied).
Separates sick people with a contagious disease from those who are not sick
Existing student absence policy for excused absences and illness would apply for making up missed work.
Quarantine:
A individual who was in direct contact ( with a COVID-19 positive person and is in quarantine.
Most typically is not sick and available for learning experiences.
Separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.
How will my child receive instruction while on quarantine?
Students will use the materials and assignments posted in the course Canvas page and have access to their course instructor at the time they are available each day. Staff for each course will review course materials and provide targeted explanations for the assignments and other support for learning/work completion.
Click here to see when your student’s teachers will be available for instructional support. The quarantine instructional support schedule is to be used only for students who are in a Health Department determined quarantine and not expected to be used for other student illnesses or absence.
2021-2022 Lunch Expectations
The Northwest HS lunch plan for the 2021-2022 school year aims to maximize available seating options to reduce density at lunch in shared spaces. Students are required to follow the mask compliance when not eating, but socializing. Students may eat lunch:
In a school hallway
In a classroom under staff supervision
In the center school courtyard (weather permitting)
In the stadium in the bleachers or on the track - but not on the grass field (weather permitting)
If students have any questions about our school lunch plan, please contact the Northwest HS main office at (240)740-7100.
Virtual Academy Frequently Asked Questions
Division of Food and Nutrition Services Frequently Asked Questions
Will Students need their ID/Pin Numbers for breakfast or Lunch?
• No, the cafeteria will not need the student name or ID numbers for meals.
How much will breakfast/lunch cost?
• All meals are provided at no charge to all students.
• All students will be offered breakfast, lunch, snack, and supper meals.
Where will the students eat their meals?
• Schools may utilize their cafeterias, classrooms, or outside spaces.
How will snack/supper meals be distributed?
• School Based Supervisors and/or Field Managers will work with the schools to determine best practices.
o Based on Google pre-orders: Snack/Supper meals may be delivered to each class door for pickup.
o Grab ‘n go at central location for pick up (no pre-orders).
How will students and staff purchase a la carte items?
• ID numbers will be required for a la carte purchases. A la carte sales will resume on a school by school basis as they adjust to new reopening meal service.
What will be on the menu for back to school?
• The menu will be our traditional hot meals.
How will students with allergies/special needs be handled?
• The health tech or nurse will provide the manager with the information for each student that needs accommodation.
• Through the line service will be as usual. Meals delivered to a class will need to be separated or tagged for the student.
Upcoming Changes for Student Password Management
Starting this school year, students in Grades 3 to 12 will be responsible for their own passwords. While students can change their passwords as often as they like, the maximum age of a student password according to MCPS policy is 365 days.
What will this look like?
- Students are returning to school with their same/current passwords.
- Students in Grades 3 to 12 will be informed about this change on September 7th and October 1st through Synergy Mail messages. Messages will include directions and a link to the MCPS Student Password Manager (SPM).
- The MCPS Student Password Manager allows students to change their passwords from within an MCPS building or from home. The process takes about five minutes to complete. Students with special needs may require assistance from an adult.
- When students change their MCPS passwords using this new system, their Google passwords will immediately change. Student password reports and lists will be immediately updated. There will be no interruptions in accessing other online platforms.
- Starting on October 10th, students who have not updated their passwords will receive frequent password expiration notices to their Gmail accounts.
- On November 9th student passwords that have not been updated will be automatically changed. These students may need assistance with retrieving their new passwords. November 9th was selected because it falls outside testing windows and marking period transitions.
To complete this now, please follow the directions below.
- Student navigates to SPM.mcpsmd.org.
- Student logs into SPM with their current userid and password.
- Student enters new password.
Northwest Class Spirit!
It's a long-standing tradition at Northwest for each grade to wear their assigned CLASS COLOR on Pep Rally days! Each class sits in a designated section at the rallies so make an impact for YOUR CLASS by wearing your grade level color and make your presence known! Although participation with wearing class colors is optional, we hope you will join in the FUN!
The grade level colors are as follows:
Freshmen (Grade 9): YELLOW
Sophomores (Grade 10): GREEN
Juniors (Grade 11): RED
Seniors (Grade 12): BLUE
You can wear any clothing and/or accessories in your assigned color as long as you adhere to the school dress code. You can opt to wear clothing that you already own in your grade level color, you can purchase a shirt from the PTSA/Booster Club website for $4: http://www.nwhsptsa.org/shop (available sizes and quantities are limited), or you can purchase a T-shirt in your color at Michael's or Joanne's (the cost is usually around $4) and personalize with fabric markers or paint pens! The possibilities are endless to show your #JagPride!
Class of 2025 (9th Grade): Yellow
Class of 2024 (10th Grade): Green
Class of 2023 (11th Grade): Red
Class of 2022 (12th Grade): Blue
Northwest High School
Email: Scott_E_Smith@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://northwestjags.org
Location: 13501 Richter Farm Road, Germantown, MD, USA
Phone: (240)740-7100
Twitter: @NorthwestJags