SVHS Green and Gold
Community Edition - January 15, 2023
How to Translate this Newsletter - Cómo traducir este boletín
SVHS CUSTOMER SERVICE FEEDBACK
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! We'd love to get feedback from you regarding your experience in our school. We aim to please you 100% of the time. However, if we fall short, we'd like to know so that we can improve. We will use the feedback you provide to celebrate the successes of our staff and/or identify areas of growth. Please consider completing a brief survey to provide us with your valuable feedback.
Click here to complete our brief survey.
SENECA VALLEY IN THE NEWS
Seneca Valley and Sherwood High School Students and Teachers Partner with Restaurant Industry Leaders to Create an Elegant Pop Up Restaurant in Potomac for One Night Only.
Date: Friday February 3, 2023
Location: Falls Road Golf Course, 10800 Falls Road, Potomac, MD
Time: Two Seatings | 6 PM and 7:30 PM
Program: Four-course Dinner with Wine Pairings & Chef Meet and Greet
To read the whole article, click here. Thank you to our Hospitality Program teacher, Melissa North, for all of your hard work building this authentic learning experience for our students.
Today We celebrate...
Last week, I was so pleased to turn on the live stream Board of Education meeting where I found SVHS student Folashade Epebinu testified before the Board of Education on a topic she felt strongly about. I was so proud to listen and learn from Folashade as she advocated for the addition of emotional intelligence instruction in the Health curriculum and an increase in emotional and mental health resources in our schools.
Over the years, the SVHS staff has worked to create opportunities for student voice to be elevated, and for each of our students to see the important role they can play in building a better tomorrow. Folashade is an exemplar for students making a difference. Well done. Below, you will find her testimony.
Good Afternoon Members of the Montgomery County Board of Education,
Thank you for the opportunity to speak on the importance, emotional intelligence, being added into MCPS Health Curriculum. My name is Folashade Epebinu, and I am a junior at Seneca Valley High School. While I am a student at Seneca Valley, I am also dually enrolled at
Montgomery College. During this past fall semester I have been able to participate in a program centered around emotional intelligence. As a student who has taken MCPS Health Courses since elementary school, I notice teaching specifically about emotional intelligence, even in the Mental and Emotional Health unit is not present. And I’ve never had to participate in true self-assessment of my emotions, learning how my emotions impact my relationships with others, how I behave in certain situations and truly how to manage my emotions. While from this program in just seven, 2 hours sessions I gained all of that information.
MCPS students have been advocating for years for MCPS to provide and promote mental and
emotional health resources, emphasizing that the emotional and mental states of students
needs to continuously be addressed by MCPS. This need increased after coming from online
schooling as students noticed a lack of social skills and found it difficult managing their emotions amidst the stresses of coming back to school and the violence present in our county. Our curriculum is one of the ways MCPS can promote the importance of mental and emotional well being.
The classroom is one the first places where students encounter certain information and
sometimes one of the only places students can go to find resources in supporting their
emotional and mental well-being. And while a student may only be in a classroom for around 40 minutes, lessons such as deep self- assessment and learning about self-management are lessons that stay in students' minds outside of the classroom.
One of the most important things is to start young as an elementary student because we have seen in Montgomery County and nation-wide, when students don’t know how to manage their emotions and relations with others, there are negative consequences on their education and that in turn can even further negatively impact their emotional and mental-well being. This emphasizes the importance of MCPS including emotional intelligence in the curriculum that dives deeper in teaching students about self-management, self-awareness, social awareness, relationship awareness, and how each those aspects ties directly into how we navigate our daily lives and foster relationships with others, so students can leave MCPS knowing the importance of academics, but also understanding the sheer importance of understanding our emotions.
Attention Students
Are you interested in seeing the process of the Student Member of the Board (SMOB) election unfold? Want to attend the annual SMOB Nominating Convention to participate in the democratic process in the selection of our two finalists for the next SMOB? If you are interested, please contact your school’s SGA advisor Miss Allar or Mr. Grindley by January 18th to learn more about the process of becoming a delegate to the SMOB Nominating Convention.
Contact information:
A Message from MCPS: New Color Code System to Communicate Closures, Delays, or Possible Shifts to a Virtual Learning Day
Dear MCPS Students, Families and Staff,
As we now settle into the middle of the winter weather season, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is improving its process for informing the community when weather requires an operational status change and when a closure might justify a shift to virtual instruction. When it is determined that conditions are unsafe for students and staff, we have six operational status options, which will now be reported by easy-to-understand, color-coded messages.
The safety of students and staff remains the top priority, and MCPS understands the inconvenience these situations can cause for families and staff. Operational changes due to emergency weather conditions are only made when necessary and after careful review.
In making a decision, MCPS leadership reviews information from national and local weather experts, local emergency management officials, and the operating status of other government and neighboring school districts. Additionally, leadership gathers information from state highway administrators and relies on key MCPS personnel who inspect the conditions of roads, sidewalks, MCPS parking lots and bus lanes.
Virtual Learning
Code Purple, which will indicate a shift to virtual learning, will ensure teaching and learning continues during weather emergencies. The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has provided this opportunity to local school systems, and the Montgomery County Board of Education approved the virtual plan during its Jan. 12 business meeting. The approved plan has been sent to MSDE and this option can be used after receiving final approval. Available technology and previous virtual learning experience will enable MCPS to continue working with students even during inclement weather and emergencies. There are essential guidelines so staff and students can be fully prepared. These guidelines include:
- Is the impacting event predictable?
- Is the impacting event part of a multi-day scenario (such as a blizzard) or isolated to a day?
- Can prior preparation and communication with families, students and staff take place?
Communication
Communication is vital to ensuring that students, staff and families can easily transition. MCPS will follow these steps to let students, families and staff know:
- A “Get Ready” announcement (meaning weather is imminent) will be made districtwide.
- The decision to offer virtual learning will be made by noon the day before any potential weather.
- Student Well-Being Teams will contact identified students and families as a reminder about virtual start times.
- Schools will message families to remind them that it is a required school day and how to log in to classes.
When the weather is a concern, MCPS aims to ensure you are kept up to date with timely and accurate information. Please be sure to monitor weather-related delays, closings, and early dismissals and cooperate with school personnel as we work to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
Check your ParentVUE accounts and, if needed, update the contact information. This will ensure you receive all necessary school operational status updates.
Upcoming Events
January 16 - Closed for MLK Day
January 18 - 10 Seconds Assemblies
January 27 - Professional Day for Teachers - Grading
The PTSA needs you
A few words from your Boosters
- Boosters is looking for nominations of next year’s executive board-email BoostersSenecaValley@gmail.com to provide nominations
- Need volunteers for upcoming games and you can sign up here: https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10c0e4fadaf2ca1fc1-svhs
- Accepting donations for our upcoming Silent Auction - email BoostersSenecaValley@gmail.com
- Two brand new Booster scholarships are being offered for the first time for graduating seniors to apply!!!
- Stay tuned for our upcoming Jersey Mike’s giveback on January 24th
African American Parent Council needs your help
ATTENTION!!! ATTENTION!!! ATTENTION!!!
The current co-chairs will be retiring at the end of this school year. We would like to continue the efforts of the SVHS African American Parents Council during the 2023-24 school year. So, we are looking for 2 (or more) committed and energetic parents to take the reins. The current co-chairs will work with volunteers through the spring and summer, ensuring that the new co-chairs will be prepared at the start of the next school year. The work will be divided among the co-chairs. Responsibilities include the following:
- Maintaining the online group (i.e. managing members, approving and sending messages).
- Planning and hosting monthly meetings
- Attending monthly NAACP Parents Council meetings (once a month)
- Working with the Principal on key topics and issues
- Attending PTSA meeting (since the PTSA provides our annual funding)
Thanks!
Register now for the 15th annual Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) fair
The 15th annual Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) fair will be held at the Universities at Shady Grove on February 17th. This will be a free in-person event for students in grades 8-12. This is an opportunity to meet representatives from over 50 HBCUs. Please use the button below to register. Registration will open on January 9, 2023, for the HBCU Fair.
All students and parents/guardians must register to attend.
Students may earn 3 SSL hours for attending at least 2 workshop sessions during the fair and completing an SSL Google Form that will be provided to participants after the event.
Students and parents, use the blue registration button below:
Literary Magazine
Welcome to the Depths of the Valley! Are you a creative writer or artist? Consider submitting to the Seneca Valley Literary Magazine. A collection of unique, student made prose, poetry, and art. Your artwork could even be considered for the cover page! The Literary Magazine is an amazing way to showcase your own personal work. You can submit your work through this link by March 30th. Come join us in the beauty of writing. Click here to enjoy all the previous issues of the Depths of the Valley Literary Magazine!
The Literary Magazine will also need a new eagle art cover for the 2023 issue. Send in your cool eagle art pieces to the competition! We will review the art entrees and pick out one for the art cover! We will send you an email telling you who has won the competition when it’s over. We take all visual art!
LIBRARY MEDIA NEWS: HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR!
Happy Lunar New Year!
Lunar New Year kicks off on January 22nd and is celebrated through February 5th this year. Library media staff are excited to celebrate with a display promoting books about countries and cultures that celebrate Lunar New Year, an opportunity to create paper lanterns, and by hosting the ASIA Club’s Lunar New Celebration on Monday, January 23rd, during lunch. 🐇🧧
Book Club Updates
In celebration of Black History Month and in alignment with Valentine’s Day, on Monday, February 13th our book club will meet to discuss Blackout, a collection of intertwined romantic stories by a team of critically acclaimed young adult authors. On Tuesday, February 28th, we’ll end the month with a conversation about the book Kindred by Octavia Butler, a sci-fi classic. ✊🏾
It’s never too late to join our book club! Students may access books in ebook and audiobook format in Sora, our online reading app/platform. Directions for accessing Sora are available in the myMCPS Classroom Virtual LMC. A few print copies are also available to borrow. Please stop by the LMC or email Ms. Little for more information.
This Week's Notes from the SVHS College & Career Center
Financial Aid Breakdown and Information
Any eligible students applying to a college, university, or trade school should apply for financial aid. This includes students applying to Montgomery College.
Financial Aid Breakdown & How to Apply
Deadline to apply for financial aid in the state of Maryland is March 1st, 2023!
Click here for more information and instructions
Feel free to reach out to Mr. Nalda for more information and assistance.
Maryland State Delegate Scholarships
The Maryland Delegate Scholarship is offered to Maryland residents who plan to attend (full-time or part-time) a two-year or four-year Maryland college, university or private career school. Eligible students must complete the FAFSA or the MSFAA in order to apply. They must also create an account on MDCAPS. See above for how to apply for financial aid.
Students should contact their local delegates for instructions on how to apply. To find your delegate and their contact information, please visit http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Members/District or mdelect.net.
Seniors - Colleges Admissions Results
Remember to keep track of college admissions results and scholarship offers in Naviance! Once you hear back from colleges via email or letter, please record your results. You can also share this info with me and I can help with input. MCPS asks us to track this information every year.
How to update admission decisions/results in Naviance (video instructions)
If you were accepted and offered a merit scholarship, congratulations! Here is how to add your offered scholarship in Naviance (video instructions)
Note: Under $ Awarded, enter the amount. If you see that your award is renewable, please multiply the amount by four (for four years of college).
Attention Seniors - Applying to Colleges!
Please review the SVHS College Application Process document and use this as a guide for applying to colleges. If you add any colleges to your list of applications, please reach out to your counselor to let them know. We want to make sure all information is submitted correctly and on time.
Montgomery Scholars Program - Application Deadline Extended to January 31
Click here to learn more about this selective-admission, two-year interdisciplinary honors program. Montgomery College will award merit scholarships to each student admitted into the Scholars program, which will cover the cost of full-tuition and fees, for two years of study (30 credits per year at the in-county resident tuition rate).
Upcoming College/Career Visits to SVHS
*MD Army National Guard, Lunch Visit - Tue January 17 @ 11:12 AM
*No registration in Naviance is needed. Stop by the cafeteria anytime during lunch to learn more about the military or the MD Army National Guard.
Montgomery Village Foundation, Lunch Visit - Thu January 26 @ 11:12 AM
*No registration in Naviance is needed. Stop by the cafeteria anytime during lunch to learn more about summer jobs at Montgomery Village Foundation (Lifeguards, Camp Counselors, and Youth Corp).
Upcoming Scholarships
January 15 - JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest - 1-$10,000, 1-$3,000, and 5-$1,000, and 8-$100 awards; grades 9-12; write a 700-1,000 word essay describing an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official that occurred during or after 1917; must use five sources and include a bibliography.
January 15 - East Rock Films Essay Contest - 1-$500 award; grades 11 & 12; plan to study or co-study Arts or Humanities (see link for list of majors); submit an essay (500 – 1000 words), video essay (about 3-10 mins), or performance essay (about 3-10 mins) describing a work of art that especially speaks to you (could be a novel, poem, painting, sculpture, musical composition, song, dance, film, play, short story, nonfiction book, or documentary); see link for full rules and guidelines.
January 15 - YouthCon 2023 Scholarship - 1st Place-$3,000 & Leadership Development Summer Internship to execute essay idea, 2nd Place-$2,000, & 3rd Place Award-$1,000; 9-12 grade; min 2.75 GPA; submit a 500-650 word essay based on the prompt; semi-finalists present on 2/19 for 5-7 mins in front of a panel of professional judges to explain how they’ll execute their ideas, followed by a five minute Q&A from the judges; attend Award Ceremony in August of 2023 in Northern Virginia.
January 19* - Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund - (* deadline is 5pm on 1/19) $2,500 - $20,000 awards; senior; min 2.7 GPA; be of Asian and/or Pacific Islander ethnicity as defined by U.S. Census; be a citizen, national, or legal permanent resident of the United States; attend a U.S. accredited college or university in the Fall of 2023; must apply for FASFA by early April 2023; submit one letter of recommendation online; recommender deadline is one week earlier, 1/12/23, at 5pm.
January 20 - C-SPAN Student Cam 2023 - prizes totaling $100,000 each year, prizes to the top 150 documentaries; open to students in 6-12 grade; create a short (5-6 minute) video documentary on a topic related to the competition theme, "If you were a newly elected member of Congress, which issue would be your first priority and why?"
January 20* - Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship Program - (*deadline 4pm on 1/20) up to 400 awards of $40,000 for college and a paid internship at Amazon; senior; min 2.3 (unweighted); U.S. citizen, permanent residents (holders of a Permanent Resident Card), or Employment Authorized to work in the U.S.; financial need; have taken computer science classes in high school or at a college dual program, or currently be enrolled in one (if not, may take a qualifying exam); plan to earn a bachelor’s degree in a computer science or engineering related field of study from an accredited 4-year college or from a 2-year college intending to transfer to a 4-year college; transcript; financial need.
January 25* - Dominion Energy Educational Equity Scholarship Program - (*deadline 4pm on 1/25) 20-$5,000 awards for 2-year programs and 40-$10,000 awards for students pursuing 4-year degrees (renewable); senior; historically underserved students who self-identify as Black/African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, or Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander; min 3.0 GPA; enroll full-time at a two or four-year college, university, or tech school in the fall; transcript; copy of first two pages of the most recently filed IRS Form 1040.
Click here to see the SVHS Scholarships Page for more opportunities.
MCPS HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) College Fair - Registration Open!
This free in-person event at The Universities at Shady Grove will provide students in Grades 8–12 an opportunity to meet representatives from more than 50 HBCUs. Representatives will share information and answer questions from students and parents about admissions, financial aid, testing, majors and much more. The event will also feature a college preparation workshop for middle school students and parents, a discussion on college life, FAFSA completion assistance, scholarship information and more. HBCUs offer all students, regardless of race, an opportunity to develop their skills and talents. This event is co-sponsored by Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and the Montgomery County Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Friday, February 17, 2023 • 6:00pm - 8:30pm | Flyer
More information and to register
Attention Seniors! HBCU College Fair - Virtual On-The-Spot Admissions
As part of the HBCU College Fair, many schools will hold virtual interviews with 12th grade students. During the interviews, students can potentially receive application fee waivers, scholarship awards and on-site admission. Qualified seniors will be able to interview with HBCU admissions representatives on February 13-17, 2023, from 8:30am to 4:00pm via Zoom. Interested Seniors should reach out to Mr. Nalda to see a list of schools and to register for interviews.
School Counselors and College & Career Information Coordinators will work with students to ensure they have the necessary digital documents for their virtual interviews and will help students prepare for their interview(s). Students can start by viewing how to prepare for common interview questions and what questions they should ask the HBCU representatives to help maximize their chances of acceptance.
Moving Forward College & Career Readiness Series for Juniors
Juniors, let's start planning! We enthusiastically invite you all to participate in the following workshops to get a head start in planning for life after high school!
All virtual workshops are during lunch, from 11:25 am - 11:50 am. Feel free to bring your lunch to the College & Career Center (Room 2408) to watch these presentations!
Tuesday, January 24 - HBCU (Historically Black Colleges) Information Session
Tuesday, January 31 - Declaring Your Major vs Undecided
Tuesday, February 7 - Narrow Down Your College List
Tuesday, February 14 - Military Recruitment Information Session
Tuesday, February 28 - Explore Application Types and Deadlines
Tuesday, March 14 - Resume/Interview Skills
Tuesday, March 21 - Tips on Common Application
Thursday, March 28 - College Essay Writing
Tuesday, April 25 - Introduction to Financial Aid
Once registered, a zoom to link will be sent to you before the workshop.
Click to register: bit.ly/4forward2023 | Click here for the flyer
SVHS College & Career Monthly Newsletter - December-January, 2022-23
IB’ in the Classroom:
IB exam fees are past due and need to be paid, ASAP on https://www.schoolcashonline.com/ If you have any questions, please contact Natasha Ezerski at Natasha_L_Ezerski@mcpsmd.org or visit her in Room 3510.
Think Big Program: Our 4th Think Big Experience was last Thursday for half of the students and this Thursday for the second half. Students visited Glenstone, a contemporary art museum in Potomac, Maryland, for a tour, to engage in critiques of the artwork, and to provide peer-to-peer feedback on students’ MYP PP progress. The Think Big Program is for 10th grade students to support their success on the MYP Personal Project by engaging with artists and the arts.
MYP Personal Project & IB Learner Project update: Our students have finalized their success criteria and created an action plan, and are now starting their projects! The MYP Personal Project serves as the capstone project for the MYP and is a chance for a student to explore a topic of interest with support from SVHS. Through this IB-recognized project, 10th grade students can also earn SSL hours and a .5 MYP Research Seminar elective credit. At SVHS, we are also supporting our 9th, 11th, and 12th graders on the IB Learner Project, a project that mirrors the MYP Personal Project. Students who complete this project can earn SSL credits.
How can you support your students through the MYP Personal Project or the IB Learner Project?
Ask them about their project. At this point, students have chosen a topic, a learning goal, a product, completed research, and created success criteria & an action plan. They are now actually starting their personal projects! Students will have until early March to complete their projects.
Encourage them to see Mrs. Becraft in room 3514 if they are confused or have fallen behind. I am always happy to help!
Questions to ask your student:
- What is your learning goal and product? Why did you choose that learning goal and product?
- What topics have you researched?
- How will you determine if your project is successful? What criteria will you use to evaluate your project?
- What is your plan to meet your project deadline of early March? Have you started completing items on your action plan? Can I help in anyway?
Check out THIS FLYER for more information on the MYP Personal Project!
Click the image below for this week's athletics updates.
SUPPORT OUR UPCOMING PRODUCTION OF THE ADDAMS FAMILY
ADDAMS FAMILY T SHIRTS Rock your spooky spirit with our show shirt featuring our student-created artwork on the front and a list of cast, crew, and pit on the back. Shirt orders close on February 1st. Shirts will be delivered in early March.
The cost is $20 plus the processing fee, bringing the total to $21. You can pay cash, check or credit card. Order Link for Credit Card Purchases. If you prefer to pay by cash or check please send your money in with this form. Make checks out to SVHS Theatre and put in an envelope addressed to Ms Chilcoat Fellows.
Free Tutoring is Available
FREE Tutoring Opportunity through our CARES Program
Our CARES Tutoring program provides high-dosage tutoring designed to:
- accelerate learning at a student's grade level or above
- support students who are performing below grade level
- provide additional support beyond classroom instruction to support student success
Program Highlights
- FREE Tutoring by SV Teachers and Support Staff
- Flexible Scheduling - After School, Evening, and Weekend hours
- In Person and Virtual Times available
- English, Math, Science, Social Studies, World Languages and More!
- Organization and General Support
Click HERE to sign up!
Contact Elizabeth_Maxey@mcpsmd.org for additional information.
Additional Free Tutoring is Available
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 by using their MCPS Clever account.
For families who would like to set up scheduled, ongoing sessions, please share:
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 are flyers that can be shared:
SVHS Student and Family Resources Page
Click here for a list and links to resources and supports available for students and families in the Seneca Valley Community. SVHS Student and Family Resources Page
Seneca Valley High School
Twitter: @SenecaValleyHS
Instagram: @SenecaValleyHSWebsite: www.senecavalleyhighschool.com
Location: 19401 Crystal Rock Drive, Germantown, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-6400