Blake Updates
December 22, 2019
Happy Holidays
Academic Support Opportunities
- Teacher Support- Students (and parents) should always start with their classroom teacher to get support. You can see when teachers are available for support by clicking here.
- Global Concerns- If parents have more global concerns about their student in terms of academics or their social-emotional state they should reach out to their counselor or grade level administrator.
- Peer Student Support- James Hubert Blake High School provides a variety of opportunities for students to get support from their peers. Many of our honor societies provide opportunities for students to get support in their classes during their lunch periods. You can see when and where these sessions take place, as well as the staff member who coordinates them by clicking here.
- Homework Club and Math Lab- We also provide an opportunity for students to receive help after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:45 until 4:30 in the media center. Our Homework Club and Math Lab are coordinated by Ms. Bamfo, Mr. Clarke, Mr. Hicks, and Ms. Wang. At these sessions, students can receive support from staff as well as student tutors.
- Bump It Up Saturdays- We offer an opportunity for students to get additional time and support with their work through our Bump It Up Saturday sessions. These sessions run from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at Blake HS on January 11, February 22, March 21, April 18, and May 6th. Students who need transportation can catch buses from either White Oak Middle School or Briggs Chaney Middle School. Buses will leave those schools at 7:30 a.m. and return at 11:30 a.m. Students attending Bump It Up should come with work to do. You can contact Mr. Brown with additional questions or concerns.
2020 - 2021 Registration Under Way
Registration for the 2020 - 2021 school year for students currently in grades 9-11 kicked off on Friday, December 6, 2019. The information below was shared with students and students were provided with a copy of their registration card. Here are some key dates in our process:
- December 6-20- Students and their families review their options and login to the myMCPS Portal and submit their registration requests. Please fill out your registration cards and make sure that your online registration matches the choices you made on your card.
- December 17 & 18- Counselors will be available in room A103 during lunch to help students with their online course request submission.
- December 20- Students are to submit their completed and signed course registration cards to their English teachers.
- January 6-24- Counselors will meet with students individually to review their course selection and progress towards graduation.
If you have any questions regarding the process please reach out to your counselor.
Course Registration Handbook & MCPS Student Portal
Registration Process PowerPoint
The Facts About the Boundary Analysis
Board of Education President Shebra L. Evans and Superintendent of Schools Jack R. Smith have sent a letter to the community to clarify misconceptions related to the MCPS Districtwide Boundary Analysis currently under way. To read the letter, visit
2020–2021 School Year Calendar
The Board of Education has adopted the school year calendar for the 2020–2021 school year. The traditional school year will begin on Monday, August 31, 2020, and the last day is scheduled for Wednesday, June 16, 2021. The calendar includes 182 days of instruction; a 10-day spring break; closures for planning and professional development; and an operational closure in September.
Visit www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/calendar/proposed-calendar-2020-21.aspx to see the calendar for all closures and early release days.
The calendar was developed to comply with closings required by state law, guidance from the state superintendent of schools regarding emergency make-up days, and early release days that are contractually required by the Montgomery County Education Association.
The Board also adopted an Innovative School Year for Arcola and Roscoe R. Nix elementary schools. School will begin on Monday, July 6, 2020, for these schools.
Be Safe, Be Seen Campaign Emphasizes Pedestrian Safety
MCPS is joining safety and transportation officials throughout the region to encourage everyone to exercise caution as they go to and from schools, especially during the darker hours early in the morning and in the early evening. The district has launched a Be Safe, Be Seen campaign and created Public Service Announcements (PSAs) to raise awareness around pedestrian safety.
Shorter daylight hours in fall and winter typically lead to a spike in crashes involving pedestrians. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that in 2015, 74 percent of pedestrian fatalities nationwide occurred during the dark, dusk-till-dawn hours, with one in four occurring between the hours of 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Other pedestrian safety resources include: MCPS Safe Routes to Schools, a program that works to significantly improve safety for students who walk and bike to school, and BeStreetSmart.net, a public safety campaign of Metro, the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.
The Be Safe, Be Seen PSAs can be seen here. The Spanish versions are available here.
Districtwide Boundary Analysis Meetings
The MCPS Districtwide Boundary Analysis is an initiative designed to provide a comprehensive assessment of Montgomery County Public School boundaries by analyzing factors such as:
- School facility utilization and capacity
- Student demographics
- School assignment
- Travel patterns
This initiative will result in an analytical assessment and a summary of the community engagement process. It will not make recommendations on potential boundary revisions.
As part of this assessment, a series of regional public meetings will be held in six locations around the county in December and January. All residents of Montgomery County are invited to attend to learn more about the Boundary Analysis process and give feedback on opportunities and challenges with our public schools. Each meeting will have the same format and content. The dates and locations of the meetings are as follows:
- January 7 at Walter Johnson High School
- January 11 at Montgomery Blair High School
- January 14 at Northwest High School
Key Dates
- December 23- January 1st- Winter Break
January 2- Students Return to School
January 8- Blue Block Day
January 9- Silver Block Day
January 11- Bump It up Support Session- 8 am - 11 am
January 16- Jazz Ensemble at Jazz Festival @ Towson University
January 17- Dance Concert- 7:30 p.m.
January 20- No School
January 24- 2nd Marking Period (First Semester) Ends
James Hubert Blake High School
James Hubert Blake High School is a Signature School for the Fine Arts and Humanities
#WeAreBlake — #BengalPride
Email: Robert_Sinclair@mcpsmd.org
Website: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/blakehs/
Location: 300 Norwood Road, Silver Spring, MD, United States
Phone: (240)740-1400
Facebook: facebook.com/BlakeHSPrincipal/
Twitter: @Blake_Principal