CLARKSBURG High School
Weekly Message 12/11/22
A message from Principal Edward Owusu
Clarksburg High School Students, Staff, and Families,
We ease into a full 5 day week of school this week. Teachers will be completing mid quarter Interims. There will be auditions for the CHStage production of Once On This Island this week and MCAP testing also occurs this week. Did you know the CHS News Network has daily information you don't want to miss. Look for it live and online. Check out our Winter Holiday Spirit Week Guide and share in spreading that Be Good. Do Good Holiday cheer. (Please click this link to see our weekly newsletter.)
There is updated Advanced Placement information for families in this weekend's message Here's the link. This version includes:
- Information for late registration
- Updated late fees of $43
- Updated final payment date of March 1, 2023
CHS is tuning up to roll out course schedule planning for the 2023-2024 academic year. This Thursday and Friday teachers and students will host Elective and Advanced Placement Fairs so students may learn about new and interesting courses that are available to take. Fairs will be held in the Media Center during the school day. In addition, second semester schedule changes may be needed. Take a look at this SCHEDULE CHANGE LINK INFORMATION or below for more information.
Senior students and parents - The TENTATIVE Date for our CHS Commencement Ceremony in June 5, 2023 at 10 am at Mount Saint Mary's College. Now is the time to order your caps and gowns. Order by December 16th for the cost of $47.25. After December 16th the cost goes up. Please go to the Jostens Website to place your order. Legacy has added two more Senior Picture dates and is coming to CHS on December 1st and 2nd. Book your appointments online if you still want to take senior portraits. Please review these slides provided during the Senior Meeting and check out the rest of the newsletter for details.
Here are five things to know for Thursday Dec. 8. Get information about Flu/RSV guidance, how to watch the upcoming operating budget presentation live, new Board of Education leadership and more. Read Full Message
The Clarksburg High School College/Career Center provides in-person services daily from 7:15 am through 3:30 pm. Visit the Career Center website and Career Center on Twitter: @Cburg_Readiness. Join the Career Center Canvas page. If you have questions, contact Mrs. Somerville. Check out the Campus Visits Calendar (Class of 2023 and 2024)
The Campus Visit’s Calendar is located on your Naviance homepage. Juniors and seniors must register online in Naviance to attend all campus visits. Please see the link for instructions. The Admission Representatives visiting CHS would like to meet you! Check out more information in this newsletter.
In this weekly message you will find information about upcoming visits from higher education representatives in our College & Career Center, athletics schedules, and more.
As always, thank you for your continued support and trust.
And remember, together we are ONE Clarksburg!
C'BURG UPCOMING EVENTS:
It’s Beginning to look a lot like a Winter Wonderland - CHS Holiday Spirit Week;
Monday, December 12 - Regular Day Bell Schedule; ACES Interview Skills Workshop Room 103 @ lunch; Counselors provide 9-11th graders with registration in English classes; Auditions for Once On This Island; Wrestling - Clarksburg at Urbana V & JV 6pm
Tuesday, December 13 - Advisory Day Bell Schedule; Winter MCAP Testing; Indoor Track - Meet #2 at PG Sportsplex 2:30 pm; Auditions for Once On This Island
Wednesday, December 14 - Regular Day Bell Schedule; Winter MCAP Testing; Black Student Union Meeting Auditorium @ lunch; Auditions for Once On This Island; Girls Basketball - Clarksburg at Frederick JV 5:30 / V 7pm; Boys Basketball - Frederick at Clarksburg JV 5:30 / V 7:15pm
Thursday, December 15 - Advisory Day Bell Schedule; Winter MCAP Testing; Teachers complete Mid-quarter Interims; Auditions for Once On This Island; Bocce - Quince Orchard at Clarksburg 5:30pm
Friday, December 16 - Regular Day Bell Schedule; CHS Music Department
Community Tour; Girls Basketball - Clarksburg at Seneca Valley JV 5:30 / V 7:15pm; Boys Basketball - Seneca Valley at Clarksburg JV 5:30 / V 7:15pm
Saturday, December 17 - FAFSA/MSFAA event at Clarksburg on Saturday, December 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Indoor Track - Invitational at New York Armory; Wrestling - Invitational - Jaguar JV Duals at Northwest HS; Swim & Dive - QO and CL at Martin Luther King SC 11:30am
The weeks ahead:
December 19 - 26, 2022 - Hannukah
December 23- January 1, 2023 - Winter Break - School Closed for staff and students
December 26 - January 1, 2023 - Kwanzaa
Updated AP Letter for Families
Hello 2022-2023 AP Students and Caregivers,
Congratulations on taking an AP course this year! We applaud your commitment to challenging yourself with college-level learning. The opportunity to earn college credit in an AP course is acquired by taking the AP Exam associated with the course and is dependent on the AP exam score and specific college requirements. Exams for the AP courses are scheduled to be administered in schools via pencil and paper and held during the first two weeks in May. Please see below for details about registering.
AP Exam Enrollment - First, you need to have a College Board (CB) Account! With this, students can access PSAT, SAT, and AP scores online and have them sent to colleges. Some students may already be registered.
If you already have one, please do not create a 2nd account. Your same CB account login is used for PSAT, SAT and AP, so if you have ever created an account for one of these, you’ve done step one!
If you are new to AP and CB, you can create your account at https://myap.collegeboard.org/login.
Once students have an account, they will be given a “join code” from their AP teachers where they can join their teacher’s AP Classroom. Once a student enters the join code, they are automatically registered for that AP exam. CLICK HERE for step-by-step instructions on how to login. CLICK HERE for instructions on how to register for the exam.
AP Exam Fees
Each exam costs $101.00.
If you provided a $40 deposit per exam by Monday, November 14, 2022, the remaining balance of $61 must be paid by Wednesday, March 1, 2023.
College Board LATE FEE for any exam ordered after November 14: $43 (in addition to $101)
CANCELLATION FEE after November 14: $43 (money paid above the $43 will be refunded)
Students that do not pay the $40 exam deposit by November 14th will have their registration canceled and an exam will not be ordered for them.
Late Registration and Fees
The late registration window opens in December and will remain open until March 1, 2023.
Each exam will incur a $43 late fee in addition to the exam cost.
The process for late registration is as follows:
Please email or see Ms. Calarusse in Room 157 (Samantha_Calarusse@mcpsmd.org) now through March 1, 2023 to inform her of your intent to take the exams.
Please share all of the information below:
Name of Student and ID Number
Name of Exam(s)
Teacher(s) and Class Period(s)
Method of Payment you will use - (Cash, Check, or Online through SCO).
Once you have communicated with Ms. Calarusse, she will add the exams to your SCO (school cash online) account.
Please pay for your exams as soon as possible. Once you have paid, Ms. Calarusse will share join codes to register for the exams and order the exams.
Reduced fees are available to families with financial need. Families requesting financial assistance with exam fees must fill out the Fee Waiver request form. The reduced fee is $16.00. If families do not meet the criteria but do still need financial assistance from MCPS for exam fees, please email Samantha_Calarusse@mcpsmd.org.
Payments
All payments can be made by either cash, check, money order, or by credit card using the School Cash Online (SCO). Please refer to these directions HERE for help with SCO; if you need assistance obtaining the “PIN” number to log into SCO, please email Tara_K_Owens@mcpsmd.org, School Financial Specialist. If sending in a check/money order, please make your check/money order payable to “Clarksburg High School.” Address your payment envelopes to Samantha Calarusse. Students may also deliver payments to Room 157 during lunch.
Should you have any questions, please reach out to Samantha_Calarusse@mcpsmd.org, the AP Coordinator.Schedule Changes Process of 2nd Semester
Message for Seniors:
Seniors who are requesting an adjusted partial day schedule for the Spring semester of 2023 should complete the CHS Partial Day Schedule Request form. This should be done as soon as possible to meet the January 18th deadline. Please make sure to complete all requirements on the form prior to submitting it to your counselor.
Mensaje Para Estudiantes Graduandos:
Estudiantes del grado 12 que deseen solicitar un horario parcial tienen que llenar esta forma CHS Partial Day Schedule Request. Deben completarla lo antes posible ya que la fecha límite es el 18 de enero. Asegúrense de completar todos los requisitos antes de entregar la forma a su consejero(a).
CHS Student Schedule Change Request for second semester
The schedule change request window for semester two changes is now open and will close January 18th. Students who wish to change their course requests now for the second semester must contact their school counselor no later than January 18th, 2023 and fill out the schedule change request form. Please see here for counselor assignments.
Solicitud Para Cambio de Horario/Clase del Segundo Semestre
La ventana para pedir cambio de clase para el segundo semestre está abierta desde ahora y cierra el 18 de enero. Todo estudiante que desee cambiar alguna clase del segundo semestre debe comunicarse con su consejero(a) no mas tardar del 19 de enero y llenar la forma apropiada. Favor de ver el listado de consejeros(as) here.
CHS Student Schedule Change Process (Once the second semester starts)
Second semester starts January 30th.The schedule change request window will open back up and will run from February 10th to February 17th. Students can pick up schedule change request forms from their counselor in the counseling office starting February 9th before school starts, during lunch or after school. No schedule change requests will be considered after the February 17th deadline. Students should return their completed schedule change request form to their counselor. Once students submit their request, it will be evaluated by their teacher, counselor, and administrator. The student and family will then be notified of the final decision and, if approved, a schedule change will be made. Please see here for counselor assignments.
Solicitud Para Cambio de Horario/Clase (Ya comenzado el segundo semestre)
El segundo semestre comienza el 30 de enero. La ventana para pedir cambios se abrirá de nuevo del 10 al 17 de febrero. Los estudiantes podrán obtener la forma para solicitar cambio visitando a su consejero(a) comenzando el 9 de febrero antes del comienzo del día escolar, durante la hora de almuerzo o al finalizar el día escolar. No se considerarán cambios después de la fecha límite del 17 de febrero. Los estudiantes deberán regresar sus formas completamente llenas a su consejero(a). Una vez haya sido sometida, será evaluada por el maestro, consejero y administrador. Luego el estudiante y familia serán notificados de la decisión final, y si está aprobado, se hará el cambio del horario/clase. Favor de ver el listado de consejeros(as) here.
CHS PTSA Note 12-4-22
"Humor is the spiciest condiment in the feast of existence. Laugh at your mistakes but learn from them, joke over your troubles but gather strength from them, make a jest of your difficulties but overcome them…"—Anne of Green Gables
Dear Clarksburg High School Families:
We cannot believe that December is here! We thank everyone who was able to join and support the food drives for the Thanksgiving holiday! We were able to pack 153 boxes to support 135 families with Clarksburg CAN on November 19, 2022. We then supported an additional food drive on Sunday, November 20, 2022 that served 60 families. We are very grateful for all of your support – however big or small. Any and all support are much appreciated! Thank you so much as well for those who participated in the Jersey Mike’s Fundraiser and a huge thank you to Susan Francis for setting it up!
The holiday season brings about feelings of nostalgia and brings up memories of time long passed. We remember ourselves as young children filled with glee and wonderment at all the glittering lights around the neighborhoods. We remember loved ones who we can only see in our memories. We remember the importance of love, of giving, and of being thankful. Let us keep that sense of wonder, remember the lessons shared by our loved ones and their love for us, and maintain the spirits of love, giving and thankfulness throughout the year. As always, we are ONE Clarksburg.
Here are a few of our Notes for this week:
CHS PTSA GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
We would love for you all to join us at our next CHS PTSA General Membership Meeting on
January 17, 2023 at the CHS Media Center and Zoom at 7pm
Special Topic: TBD
The link to the meeting is here: TBD
If you have not joined us already, please click on the following link to be a member: https://bit.ly/CHSPTSAMembership
Anyone can join the meeting but only members can vote. We would also love to hear what special topics you would like us to focus on during upcoming general membership meetings. Please share those ideas to us at clarksburghighschool.ptsa@gmail.com .
CHS PTSA COMMUNITY SUPPORT
School of Excellence
Thank you to all who completed the Baseline Survey! We have submitted the application and we will focus on Standard 3: Supporting Student Success for the 2022-2023 School of Excellence program. If you would like to support our efforts, please email us at clarksburghighschool.ptsa@gmail.com.
After Prom 2023 Survey
As we are preparing for the 2023 After Prom, we ask our Junior and Senior students to complete this survey so we can provide a fun and memorable After Prom for you all. The link to the survey is here: https://bit.ly/CHSPTSAAfterProm2023Survey.
Spring Break 2023 Trip
"Come hear all the details, including the itinerary, activities, academic opportunities, the cost of the trip and EF’s risk-free enrollment period at our informational meeting on December 13th at 7pm the meeting will take place virtually so make sure to RSVP for the link!
Please click here to register for the meeting ASAP to save your seat: https://bit.ly/3OknY6X
There are limited spots on this trip, so we would love to have you attend this meeting to learn more about this exciting opportunity!
***If you are already enrolled on this tour, you do not need to attend this second info session"
Breakfast with Santa support – December 10, 2022
From the Breakfast with Santa team:
On Saturday, December 10th from 930-1130 am, we will be hosting a Breakfast with Santa Community event. We would love to invite students to come support the set up and running of this amazing day. We will need people as early as 830 am in the cafeteria to help decorate, and we will need people during the event. You will need to check in with Mrs. Shuler who will track your SSL forms.
Please remember, to eat breakfast or create the crafts, you MUST purchase a $10 ticket.
You are also welcome to buy a ticket and hang out with your family for part of the event, and then see Mrs. Shuler to work for SSL hours as well.
Please use the Signup Genius Link below to let me know you are coming.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050D45A9A628A46-breakfast
Thank you so much for all of your support! Let us have a great and fun-tastic week! Go COYOTES!
CHS Media Center News - December. 2022: Clarksburg HS
Please find the December 2022 issue of our CHS Media Center Newsletter linked HERE Links to an external site.. In this issue: Enjoy and reach out with any questions, comments, feedback! Mrs. Blanchard, Your CHS Media Specialist
College/Career Center Update
Clarksburg High School
College/Career Center Update
Monday, December 5, 2022, to Friday, December 9, 2022
The Clarksburg High School College/Career Center offers in-person services daily from 7:15 am to 3:30 pm. Learn more about the Career Center by visiting the Career Center website and joining the Career Center Canvas page. Contact Mrs. Somerville for more information.
Naviance has a Campus Visit Calendar on its homepage. Juniors and seniors must register online in Naviance in order to attend campus visits. Click here for instructions.
SENIORS - Congratulations on your college acceptance and scholarship.
*CHS Senior Packet & Required Process for College/Vocational School
For seniors attending 2-year colleges, only the Transcript Release Form needs to be filled out.
*CHS FAFSA/MSFAA Completion Process - FAFSA OPENED on Saturday, October 1, 2022. You may be eligible for the MSFAA if you are not eligible for the FAFSA.
*The final CHS 2023-2024 FAFSA/MSFAA Completion Event will be held in the CHS Cafeteria on Saturday, December 17, 2022, from 9:30 am to 1 pm. Please register here.
Every week, new scholarship opportunities are added.
This document was prepared by CHS CCIC, Mrs. Cintonya Somerville.
Tutoring Services at CHS and More!!!!
Clarksburg High School is able to offer FREE tutoring from our own students and staff. Please click HERE to learn about CHS Tutoring available for all students.
All MCPS students have access to free, virtual tutoring services through FEV Tutor and Tutor Me Education.
Both companies offer two services:
Free on-demand tutoring for homework help, no scheduling needed
Free, scheduled tutoring for on-going support, scheduling required
Both companies record sessions, take session notes, and communicate directly with families
The difference between the two companies:
FEV Tutor - no camera for tutor or student - ideal for grades 3-12 students for whom the camera is a barrier to learning
Tutor Me Education - camera for tutor and student
Students access tutoring through using their MCPS Clever account.
For families who would like to set up scheduled, on-going sessions:
To set up tutoring sessions with FEV Tutor:
To set up tutoring sessions with Tutor Me Education:
MCPS@tutormeeducation.com or 240-618-2549 OR
Fill out their request form ** best way
Here is more FEV information:
Here is more Tutor Me information:
The County Executive’s proposed budget, released in March 2022, included funds for 1 Full time Mental Health Specialist and 1 Full time Care Manager at 10 priority High Schools (without Wellness Centers).
County Council expanded the support to all High Schools and added funding for a Positive Youth Development position at each school and additional PYD-SON staff to support each school (SON - Street Outreach Network).
The appropriation of these funds was approved in late May 2022
DHHS expanded the scope of the existing School and Community Youth Services (SCYS) contract to add these additional services and schools
SCYS contractors EveryMind, Sheppard Pratt, and YMCA-Youth & Family Services had already been providing therapy and mental health promotion and prevention services in some of the High Schools under the existing contract
Final approval for this expansion was received on August 4, 2022
HHS PYD expanded current Youth Opportunity Contracts (managed by Identity) to expand PYD services in the following schools:
BCC, Clarksburg, Einstein, Magruder, Springbrook, Quince Orchard, Richard Montgomery, and Rockville
All Identity PYD staff are hired for each school (Youth Development Specialist)
DHHS expanded the scope of the existing Youth Opportunity Center contract with Identity for the Youth Development Specialist positions at 8 of the High Schools
SON continues to provide Crisis Intervention services at request of MCPS in the aftermath of acts of violence either in the community or the school community.
All of SON services will utilize the shared PYD space at every school it currently provides services as well at the upcoming school sites once new staff are hired.
HHS PYD staff will provide ongoing inservice training to all PYD Providers to include the following: Joven Noble Curriculum in December, HHS PYD a youth engagement training, and Professional Community Intervention Training Institute.
MySchoolBucks for School Meals
Families new to MCPS are encouraged to sign up for a ParentVUE account at the beginning of the school year. ParentVUE is the online parent portal that serves as the primary communication vehicle for schools to share information regarding grades, attendance, scheduling, access to myMCPS Classroom and more.
ParentVUE provides a way to view school-related information and data for students. Register for athletics, special programs, communicate with teachers and verify your student information annually.
ParentVUE also allows access to Canvas/MyMCPSClassroom, a digital learning platform. Parents and guardians can view instructional information and resources, and get alerts about assignments and grades.
Dress Code? Yeah, we've got that!
Saturday School at CHS
The George B. Thomas Sr. Learning Academy, Inc. is pleased to offer options for parents and students interested in additional academic support and/or acceleration on the 6th day of learning (Saturday mornings). Please allow our certified teachers to support our Clarksburg cluster students (elementary through high school).
The fee for the entire year of Saturday School remains the same at $40 for FARMS students and $85 for all others.
Each Saturday morning, there are motivational sessions that focus on mindfulness and wellness within each center. In addition, students will have two additional hours with the MCPS curriculum (Benchmarks and Eureka) for additional support or acceleration. Each center serves the entire cluster of schools, but students have the capability of attending the center of their choice or participating virtually.
2022-2023 PROGRAMS - SATURDAYS / 8:30 - 11:00 AM
- Opening Ceremonies, Registration and Orientation: September 24
- Closing Ceremonies: May 6
Courses are available on the following Saturdays:
- December 10, 17
- January 28;
- February 4, 11, 25;
- March 4, 11, 18, 25;
- April 15, 22, 29
Parent Workshops: March 4
Center Locations – High Schools: Clarksburg, Einstein, Gaithersburg, Montgomery Blair, Northwest, Paint Branch, Springbrook, and Wheaton. Virtual options for all grades.
TO REGISTER Please go to our website saturdayschool.org.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Khadija_F_Barkley@mcpsmd.org or 301-287-8980.
Join the CHS Athletics Booster Club
Exciting Opportunities! CHS Boosters Membership and Bricks for Coyote Canyon!
*Join the CHS Athletic Boosters Today at chscoyotes.memberhub.com
It only takes a minute and every donation supports our athletic program! Thank you!
*Leave your mark by purchasing a personalized commemorative brick to be installed in the Coyote Canyon! Order online at www.bricksrus.com/donorsite/clarksburghs
This opportunity is only offered every few years, so get yours today! See attached flyer for more information..
NFHS Network and GoFan
Dear Coyote fans,
As we kick-off the upcoming school year, we wanted to tell you that through our official partners, NFHS Network and GoFan, you can easily buy tickets for games and subscribe to watch live games online for when you can’t get there in-person.
Click this link to visit our school homepage, where you can:
- Click “Follow” to get alerts on our upcoming events.
- Click “Buy Tickets” to get tickets to upcoming events.
- Click “Subscribe” to watch live broadcasts of upcoming events (a portion of the proceeds are shared back with our school!).
C'BURG Attendance Policy
Academic success begins with excellent attendance. Therefore, special attention will be paid to the issue of attendance and punctuality. We expect every student to be in school every day except for the legitimate reasons defined by Maryland State law and listed below:
Death in the immediate family
Certified illness of the student
Court summons
Work or activity accepted by school authorities
Observance of religious holiday
Quarantine
Physical and mental incapacity
Violent storms
State emergency
As we prepare for the start of school, we wanted to share some important information and updates on attendance procedures. This year we will be providing an online option for reporting student absences. Parents and/or Caregivers of students will use a google form to report a student absence and submit attendances notes. Upon completion of this form, the attendance secretary will review each submission and will follow up to confirm absence. The form can be located here as well as on the Clarksburg High School Website under Attendance Procedures.
Please reference the following resources for our attendance policies:
- Clarksburg High School Attendance Policy: attendance policy
- Montgomery County Attendance Regulations can be found here: county regulations
This year we are focusing on Be Present 182, a charge to have all students in all classes on time every day.
If you have any questions please reach out to Ms. Lindsay Cao, Assistant Principal or Ms. Elida Pineda, Attendance Secretary.
Operational Information 2022-2023
Guide to Rights and Responsibilities
In order to ensure a safe, productive, and positive learning environment, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) publishes two documents that help students, parents, and staff and understand school rules and regulations; the expectations for student conduct; and the possible consequences for violating the rules.
A Student’s Guide to Rights and Responsibilities is an overview of the rights and responsibilities students enjoy in MCPS and a summary of the laws and regulations that affect students.
The MCPS Student Code of Conduct provides an overview of discipline procedures and protocols and the range of consequences students could face for violating various policies, regulations, and rules. The guide also discusses the MCPS philosophy to discipline and defines the various disciplinary responses.
Read more HERE.
Clarksburg High School
Email: Edward_K_Owusu@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/clarksburghs/
Location: 22500 Wims Road, Clarksburg, MD, USA
Phone: (240)740-6000
Facebook: facebook.com/clarksburghighschool
Twitter: @Cburg_Coyotes